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The Defence of Port Arthur in Water-colours by Denis Bazuev.On February 9, 2004, it was 100 years since the beginning of the war between Russia and Japan (1904-1905). The defence of the fortress of Port Arthur which lasted for 11 months is recognized as one of its most important events.
In 1898, Port Arthur was leased from China for 25 years with purpose to provide a non-freezing naval base for the Ist Pacific squadron.
By the beginning of the siege the fortress was armed with 646 guns and 62 machine-guns. The garrison numbered about 40.000; nearly 8.000 sailors more were on board the ships of the Ist Pacific squadron.
In the course of the heroic defence of Port Arthur the garrison held a considerable force of the enemy (about 200.000) and the whole fleet. During the siege Russian troops repulsed four attacks. The most serious battles were waged for dominant positions of the fortress: the mount Vysokaya, the forts nn. II and III, and the fortification n. 3.
During five months of the siege the Japanese managed to capture the key fortifications of Port Arthur. The garrison, though being short of foods and ammunition, was still able to soldier on with resisting; however, Stessel surrendered on December 20, 1904 (January 2, 1905).
The Japanese lost more than 110.000 soldiers and 15 warships in the battles for the fortress. The casualties in Russian army amounted to about 25.000 soldiers and officers. The Ist Pacific squadron perished almost entirely, having lost 50 ships.
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The battery no. 15 firing on Japanese fleet from the "Electric" cliff.
Port Arthur.
| The wreck of the destroyer "Steregushchy".
Port Arthur. |
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Japanese infantry under the fire of the gunboat "Bobr".
The battle at Tsinchzhou. | The battle near the lunette no. 3.
The battle at Tsinchzhou. |
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The battle for Maloye Orlinoye gnezdo.
Port Arthur. | Volchya mortar battery.
Port Arthur. |
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