Russian Soldier vs Japanese Soldier: Manchuria 1904-05

At the turn of the 20th century, Manchuria was a potential political fault line between Russia and Japan. Russian pride contended with Japanese ambition in a conflict that ushered in the age of massed armies fighting with new tools of war. The Russian Army was expected to steamroller its smaller opponent, but the Japanese military's aggressiveness and zeal confounded expectations. This study examines these two armies in detail and how they clashed in the Russo-Japanese War, heralding a new phase in modern warfare.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 80 pages
Publication date: 21 March 2019
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

At the dawn of the 20th century, the region of Manchuria teetered on the brink of a potentially catastrophic political fault line, as the ancient strength of China began to crumble, opening up opportunities for both Russia and Japan to expand their territories within the decaying empire. Russian pride collided with Japanese ambition in a conflict that marked the dawn of a new era of massed armies engaging in battles defined by the revolutionary tools of war, including the introduction of newer, larger artillery pieces and the widespread use of machine guns in pitched conflicts. While the vast and overstretched Russian Army was widely expected to effortlessly conquer its comparatively smaller opponent, the aggressive and zealous Japanese military defied expectations. In this meticulously illustrated study, we delve into the intricate details of these two empires' clash during the Russo-Japanese War, serving as a poignant testament to the transformative impact of this conflict on the course of modern warfare, as World War I loomed on the horizon.

Weight: 262g
Dimension: 185 x 247 x 6 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781472828125