Carradice, Phil The Battle of Tsushima

In 1905 Japan and Russia were at war. With the Russian Far East Fleet destroyed, the Czar decided to send his Baltic Fleet half way around the world to exact revenge. This mammoth journey took many months and was, in itself, an amazing feat of seamanship. But, at the end of this epic adventure, the Russians were totally overwhelmed and the vast majority of the fleet went to the bottom. There was no alternative for the Czar but to sue for an ignominious peace. The story of the journey and the final battle remain fascinating, the people involved acting and deporting themselves like characters from a novel. Russian Admiral Rozhestvensky was a gunnery expert but someone who had never held active command in a major sea battle. Japanese Admiral Togo had trained in Britain, enlisting as a cadet on the Training Ship "Worcester", even though he was far too old and was forced to lie about his age. Inept generalship on the part of the Russians, combined with brilliant seamanship from the Japanese Admiral Togo, saw the complete destruction of the Russian fleet. The naval battle of Tsushima is one of the forgotten actions of the 20th century, but it has a significance that is immense in world history.

There was no alternative for the Tsar but to seek a humiliating peace. The story of the voyage of the Russian Baltic Fleet and the final battle is fascinating, with the participants acting and behaving like characters from a novel. The Russian admiral Rozhestvensky was an expert in gunnery, but at the same time he never held a major command in a naval battle. The Japanese Admiral Togo had been trained in Britain and served as a cadet on the training ship "Worcester", although he was far too old and forced to lie about his true age. The Russian fleet was completely destroyed by the poor leadership of the Russians and the brilliant seamanship of the Japanese Admiral Togo. The naval battle of Tsushima is one of the forgotten major military events of the 20th century, but its far-reaching consequences make it worth a closer look.