1-527-289 - Art Media/Heritage Images

In the mud of Manchuria, Russo-Japanese War, 1904. A Russian column trying to make progress along a muddy road. The Russo-Japanese War arose due to the two countries' conflicting territorial ambitions in East Asia. When the Russians reneged on an agreement to withdraw troops from Manchuria, the Japanese embarked on a lengthy siege of the Russian-leased city of Port Arthur in Manchuria. Port Arthur surrendered in January 1905, and a combination of incompetence on the part of Russian commanders and the decisive victory for the Japanese navy at the Battle of Tsushima forced the Russians to the negotiating table. The outcome of the war was Japan gaining effective control of Korea and much of Manchuria. An illustration from Le Petit Journal, 7th August 1904.