The naval war seems overlooked in the current debate over lessons, swamped by the intensity of the land component of the conflict. It also tasked Togo’s force with conducting a raid against Port Arthur and an unsuspecting Russian fleet anchored outside the harbor. The attack failed in its strategic purpose, but it did damage the Russian fleet in both materiel and morale terms. Moreover, with the two Russian ships lost, the Japanese fleet now held the balance of power in the Yellow Sea. The Battle of TsushimaRussia’s Baltic Sea Fleet, dubbed the Second Pacific Squadron, was tasked with deploying to Asia to restore the tsar’s honor and challenge Japan’s sea lines of communication.

Source: New York Times June 12, 2024 17:30 UTC