The Russo Japanese War

The Russo Japanese War 1904-5

Layton p58.

·         German politicians and newspapers expressed concerns about the Anglo-French agreement, but these were brushed aside by Bulow saying in the Reichstag that it was a purely colonial agreement and was not directed against Germany.

·         The onset of the Russo-Japanese war in 1904 then seemed to work to Germany’s advantage.

·         Admittedly, German hopes of Britain being drawn into the conflict never materialised, but the war fundamentally weakened Russia, which descended into the 1905 revolution.

·         Suddenly, France was diplomatically undermined by the political weakness of Russia, whereas Germany felt more secure and confident of exploiting the international situation in its favour.

Key words in this section

Russo-Japanese War : The war fought between Russia and Japan in 1904-5 over the clash of ambitions in Asia.