The exploits of Russian solats and sailors in the Russo-Japanese War

2024 Author: Seth Attwood | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 15:55

The bravery of Russian soldiers and sailors during the Russian-Japanese war of 1904-1905 could not compensate for the mediocrity of the military command and the shortsightedness of the leadership of the Russian Empire. These circumstances led the country to a bitter defeat.

This war promised to be an easy walk for the Russian army, but ended in a serious disaster. The defeat stirred up Russian society so much that it became one of the main reasons for the so-called First Russian Revolution of 1905-1907, which engulfed the entire territory of the empire. The international prestige of the state has also dropped significantly. Thus, China, which has always perceived its northern neighbor with apprehension, began to dismiss Russia as a “paper dragon”.

However, the failed war, in which the tsarist army and navy could not win a single major battle, was marked by a number of heroic deeds of Russian soldiers and sailors. Here are the brightest ones.

1. The feat of the "Varyag"

Cruiser "Varyag".

At the very beginning of the war, on February 9, 1904, a Japanese squadron of 14 cruisers and destroyers blocked the neutral Korean port of Chemulpo (present-day Incheon), in which the Russian armored cruiser Varyag and the gunboat Koreets were at that moment.

Varyag captain Vsevolod Rudnev rejected Admiral Uriu Sotokichi's ultimatum to surrender immediately and decided to fight his way to the naval base of the Russian fleet in Port Arthur (on the territory of modern Dalian in China). As a last resort, it was planned to blow up the trial.

Commands of ships of neutral states, located in the Chemulpo Bay, lined up on decks to shout "Hurray!" pay tribute to the outgoing Russian sailors to fight. “We salute these heroes, who marched so proudly to certain death,” the French captain Saines said at the time.

Vsevolod Rudnev

The unequal battle against the Japanese lasted three hours. After the "Varyag" received serious damage and lost about 40 crew members killed, it was decided to evacuate to neutral ships and flood their ships.

Captain Rudnev reported later in his report on the losses of several ships from the Japanese, but neither neutral observers nor the Japanese themselves confirmed them.

Nevertheless, the enemy highly appreciated the desperate feat of the Varyag. After the war, in 1907, Emperor Mutsukhito, in recognition of the heroism of Russian sailors, sent Rudnev the Order of the Rising Sun, II degree. The captain accepted the order, but never put it on.

2. The last battle of the "Guardian"

Destroyer "Guarding".

When, at dawn on March 10, 1904, two Russian destroyers "Resolute" and "Guarding" were returning to Port Arthur after a reconnaissance mission, their way to the coast was suddenly blocked by a Japanese squadron of four destroyers and two cruisers.

"Resolute" managed to break through to the base, but "Guardian" had to accept the battle. The ship was literally bombarded with shells. One of them, having damaged the boiler equipment, immobilized the destroyer and thereby deprived him of his last chance to break through to his own.

Despite the fact that there was no living space left on "Guarding", which was shot as in an exercise, the team was not going to surrender. Only when all the guns of the Russian ship fell silent did the Japanese stop shooting, sending boats to it. The battle was not easy for them: the destroyer "Akibono" alone received about 30 hits, there were killed and wounded.

Climbing aboard, the Japanese sailors saw an eerie scene. Of the 49 crew members, only four survived.“The foremast fell to the starboard side,” warrant officer Hitara Yamazaki recalled: “The bridge was smashed to pieces. The entire front half of the ship is in complete destruction with scattered fragments of objects. In the space up to the front chimney, there were about twenty corpses, disfigured, partly without limbs, partly torn off legs and arms - a terrible picture, including one, apparently an officer, wearing binoculars around his neck …"

The Japanese thought to capture the "Guard" as a trophy, but towing the half-submerged ship seemed difficult. In addition, the Russian fleet, summoned by the Resolute, was hurrying to the scene of the battle. In the end, the abandoned destroyer sank half an hour after the departure of the Japanese squadron.

3. Death of the scout

Execution of Vasily Ryabov.

The scout of the 284th Chembarsky Infantry Regiment Vasily Ryabov had a real acting talent. He perfectly imitated the gestures, gait and facial expressions of the Chinese, which greatly amused his colleagues. The authorities, however, found Ryabov's abilities more practical.

Soon after the battle of Liaoyang, which took place in northeastern China in September 1904, he was sent to reconnaissance into enemy territory. At the same time, Ryabov was dressed like a Chinese peasant: in a long robe, straw helmet, wooden shoes and with a braid tied.

The intelligence officer was let down by his lack of knowledge of the Chinese and Japanese languages. Having collected information about the location of the enemy army, he was already returning to his own, when on the way he was stopped by a Japanese officer, who ordered him to water his horse. When Vasily did not fulfill the demand, the Japanese pulled him by the braid, which immediately fell off.

Delivered to the enemy's headquarters, Ryabov was subjected to long interrogations and beatings, but apart from his name and the name of his unit he said nothing. Even promises to keep him alive did not help.

In the end, Vasily Ryabov was shot as a spy. The Japanese, however, were so delighted with his steadfastness and courage that their negotiators handed an envelope with a letter to the patrol of the 1st Orenburg Cossack Regiment, which told the story of a brave intelligence officer. The message ended with the following words: "Our army cannot but express our sincere wish to the respected Russian army that the latter would bring up more such truly wonderful soldiers worthy of full respect, like the aforementioned private Ryabov."