Valitutto, John/Shumate, Johnny (Illustr.) Mukden 1905. Russia and Japan's Battle for Manchuria

Mukden is considered the most significant battle of the Russo-Japanese War. In February 1905, the conflict had reached its climax when Port Arthur fell to the Japanese after an epic six-month siege. The Japanese commander, Marshal Oyama, was now able to muster all his field armies and concentrated on the Russian forces gathered around the city of Mukden. The Russians, led by General Kuropatkin and numbering more than 300,000 men, had finally reached sufficient strength to launch their own offensive. A Russian victory would be vital to salvage the dwindling morale in the army and reassure the home front. This fascinating work documents the decisive battle between the opposing sides in the plains and hills of Manchuria. Maps, diagrams, images of battle scenes and photographs from the time bring to life the brutal clash, the largest battle in history up to that point. John Valitutto explores the continuous fighting on a 90-mile front in the depths of winter and examines the effectiveness of the manoeuvres of both armies, the trench warfare that anticipated the First World War, and the influence of machine guns and massive heavy artillery on the outcome of the battle. Mukden made everyone realise that warfare was changing and new technologies and tactics were showing the world their terrible potential.