List of battles of the Russo-Japanese War


The following are known battles of the Russo-Japanese War, including all major engagements.
The Russo-Japanese War lasted from 1904 until 1905. The conflict grew out of the rival imperialist ambitions of the Russian Empire and the Japanese Empire over Manchuria and Korea. The major theatres of operations were Southern Manchuria, specifically the area around the Liaodong Peninsula and Mukden, and the seas around Korea, Japan, and the Yellow Sea.
The Russians were in constant pursuit of a warm-water port on the Pacific Ocean, for their navy as well as for maritime trade. The recently established Pacific seaport of Vladivostok was the only active Russian port that was reasonably operational during the summer season; but Port Arthur would be operational all year. Negotiations between the Tsar's government and Japan between the end of the First Sino-Japanese War and 1903 had proved futile. The Japanese chose war to maintain exclusive dominance in Korea.
The resulting campaigns, in which the fledgling Japanese military consistently attained victory over the Russian forces arrayed against them, were unexpected by world observers. These victories, as time transpired, would dramatically transform the balance of power in East Asia, resulting in a sober reassessment of Japan's recent entry onto the world stage. The embarrassing string of defeats increased dissatisfaction of the Russian populace with the inefficient and corrupt Tsarist government, and was a major cause of the Russian Revolution of 1905.

List of battles

Key:
Japanese victory
Indecisive

BattleLocationDateNotes
Battle of Port ArthurPort Arthur, Manchuria February 8-9, 1904The Imperial Japanese Navy attacks the Russian Pacific Fleet at Port Arthur.
Battle of Chemulpo BayChemulpo Bay, Korea February 9, 1904The Imperial Japanese Navy completes its attack of the Russian Pacific Fleet at Chemulpo Bay.
Battle of the Yalu RiverWiju, Korea April 30-May 1, 1904Russian forces fail to hold a line at the Yalu River in the face of a Japanese attack.
Battle of NanshanLiaotung peninsula, Manchuria May 25-26, 1904Japanese troops take Chinchou and Dalny.
Battle of Te-li-SsuOutside Wafangdian, ManchuriaJune 14-15, 1904Japanese and Russian forces skirmish near Wafangdian.
Battle of Motien PassLiaotung peninsula, Manchuria June 27, 1904Russian troops abandon the critical Motien Pass.
Battle of TashihchiaoTashihchiao, Manchuria July 24-25, 1904Japanese forces take the village of Tashihchiao.
Siege of Port ArthurPort Arthur, Manchuria July 30, 1904 - January 2, 1905Japanese forces successfully lay siege to Port Arthur.
Battle of HsimuchengHsimucheng, ManchuriaJuly 31, 1904Russian forces are forced to abandon the village of Hsimucheng.
Battle of the Yellow SeaOff Shantung, Manchuria August 10, 1904The Japanese and Russian navies fight to a stalemate.
Battle off UlsanOff Ulsan, KoreaAugust 14Russian naval units are forced to cease their interference with Japanese shipping.
Battle of KorsakovOff Korsakov, RussiaAugust 20Russian cruiser Novik forced to scuttle herself.
Battle of LiaoyangLiaoyang, ManchuriaAugust 24 - September 4, 1904Japanese troops occupy Liaoyang
Battle of ShahoSha River, ManchuriaOctober 5-17, 1904Both sides sustain heavy casualties in a Russian attack.
Battle of SandepuSouth of Mukden, Manchuria January 25-29, 1905A Russian attack commences in freezing cold, causing both sides to sustain heavy casualties.
Battle of MukdenMukden, Manchuria February 20 - March 10, 1905Russian forces are encircled by Japanese and forced to abandon Mukden.
Battle of TsushimaStraits of TsushimaMay 27-28, 1905The Japanese navy destroys the Russian fleet in the Straits of Tsushima.