Europe Since 1870

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1921 Excerpt: ...greatly damaged. When at last, some months later, this fleet came forth to battle, it sustained a terrible defeat, and the shattered remains were withdrawn into the inner harbor. The squadron at Vladivostok was also destroyed, and the Japanese held undisputed control of the sea for a time. Meanwhile, they had not hesitated to send a great army over into Korea, from which an inferior force of Russians was quickly driven. Then one Japanese army advanced into Manchuria, while another went down the Liao-tung Peninsula to lay siege to Port Arthur. Everywhere the Russians were defeated. In September at Liao-yang was fought the first great battle in which the fearful new devices of war were used by large armies. The Russians were entrenched in a fortified position, but after terrible slaughter the Japanese drove them out. All the time the Russians were being rapidly reinforced and they soon turned upon their enemies, but they had little success. Meanwhile, the Japanese attempted to carry the almost impregnable fortress of Port Arthur by storm. Hideous slaughter resulted, but after a long siege they won the commanding position of 203-Metre Hill, from which their artillery fire could be directed, and in January, 1905, the fortress was taken. At the end of February the main Japanese army, reinforced by the army which had captured Port Arthur, and now amounting to about 300,000 men, attacked the Russians who had nearly the same number. In the next two weeks, in a great struggle known as the Battle of Mukden, the Russians were driven back in complete defeat, losing a third of their number; but the Japanese were unable to do that which they strove for: surround the beaten enemy and destroy or capture their army. In all the principal engagements thus far the Russians had...