The Battle of Tsushima was the largest naval battle during the Russo-Japanese War, marking the moment Japan cemented its naval superiority and Russia was forced to accept defeat in the war. This battle is historically significant as the first instance in modern naval history where an Asian power completely destroyed a European fleet, making it a turning point.
the Japanese Fleet (by AI)
The underlying cause of the battle was Russia’s loss of its naval power in the Far East and Japan’s desire to maintain its dominance in the seas. After the Japanese capture of Port Arthur on January 2, 1905, and the complete destruction of the Russian Pacific Fleet, Russia decided to deploy the Baltic Fleet against Japan. This fleet, known as the 2nd Pacific Fleet, departed from the Baltic Sea under Admiral Zinovy Rozhestvensky’s command on October 15, 1904. The fleet’s goal was to reach Vladivostok and establish a new naval force to fight Japan. However, the journey was long and arduous, spanning 33,000 kilometers.
The Russian fleet’s route was extremely long, covering England, the Atlantic Ocean, the southern tip of Africa, the Indian Ocean, and Southeast Asia. Since England was Russia’s biggest competitor in Europe, the Baltic Fleet was not allowed to pass through the Suez Canal, forcing Russian ships to navigate around Africa to reach the Far East. During this long journey, the fleet faced shortages of ammunition and fuel, and the crew suffered physical and moral exhaustion. Ship maintenance was inadequate, personnel became fatigued, and some ships were no longer capable of fighting the Japanese fleet.
Russian Baltic Fleet's Pacific Route【1】
By May 1905, the Russian fleet had to pass through the Tsushima Strait, located between Japan and Korea, to reach Vladivostok. However, Japanese intelligence had detected the fleet's route in advance, and the Japanese fleet, under Admiral Togo Heihachiro, set up an ambush in the Tsushima Strait to wait for the Russians. At 04:45 on the morning of May 27, 1905, Japanese reconnaissance ships spotted the Russian fleet and reported it to Admiral Togo. Togo decided to apply a tactic known as the "T Maneuver" to trap and destroy the Russian fleet in the Tsushima Strait.
This maneuver was designed to have Japanese warships move ahead of the Russian fleet and bring them into crossfire. At 14:10, the Japanese fleet began artillery fire, and the Russian warships were at a severe disadvantage. Japanese gunners, armed with modern, fast-firing guns, landed devastating hits on the Russian ships. Russian ships, with their heavy and cumbersome designs, lacked maneuverability and were quickly rendered vulnerable to Japanese fire.
In the early hours of the battle, the Russian flagship "Knez Suvorov" took heavy damage under the intense Japanese fire and was sunk by 18:30. Other major Russian battleships, "Borodino" and "Oslyabya," also sank as a result of concentrated Japanese artillery fire. The Japanese, with their superior accuracy and battle discipline, systematically disabled the Russian ships, while the Russian side suffered from severe coordination issues.
As night fell, the Japanese fleet continued its attacks with destroyers and torpedo boats. Russian ships, lacking night vision and radar systems, struggled to defend themselves against Japanese attacks. The majority of the Russian fleet was either destroyed or captured. In total, 21 of the 38 Russian ships were sunk, 7 were captured, 6 were disarmed, and only 3 ships managed to escape. Over 5,000 Russian sailors were killed, and more than 6,000 were taken prisoner by the Japanese. Admiral Rozhestvensky, commander of the Russian Baltic Fleet, was severely wounded and had to surrender to the Japanese.
The Battle of Tsushima was the defining turning point in the Russo-Japanese War. Russia lost all its naval supremacy and virtually no longer had any influence in the Pacific. Japan, on the other hand, emerged as a dominant naval power in the war and began to be recognized as a major force on the global stage. This defeat sparked widespread anger against the Russian government and contributed to the outbreak of the 1905 Revolution. Furthermore, it forced Russia to enter peace negotiations with Japan, leading to the signing of the Treaty of Portsmouth on September 5, 1905.
Battle of Tsushima (by AI)
This battle changed the strategic nature of modern naval warfare, highlighting the importance of rapid-fire artillery and armored ships. The disciplined and calculated movements of the Japanese fleet were key factors that determined the outcome of the battle. The Russian fleet, worn out after a long journey, struggling with ammunition shortages and logistical problems, became completely ineffective in this battle.
