What was the result of Japan's victory in the war with Russia?

1 Answer
May 28, 2018

Entry by Japan on the world stage as a major military power.

Explanation:

The Treaty of Portsmouth (1906) which ended the Russo-Japanese war forced Russia to withdraw from Manchuria, turn back its leases on Port Arthur (its only warm-water port) and recognize Korea as being within the Japanese sphere of influence.

The withdrawal of Russia from the Chinese/Korean area left Japan open to pursue its goal of expansion in the region. It annexed Korea in 1910, and kept pushing into China throughout the 20's and 30's until WW II.

The war demonstrated the superior technological innovations in weaponry that had been made since the Franco-Prussian war of 1870. The Japanese proved victorious in every battle. Neither side was prepared for the massive casualties caused by the new weaponry, however, and major upgrades were needed to battlefield services like ambulances and field hospitals.

In particular the new naval capabilities of all-big-gun battleships, as demonstrated in the Battle of Tsushima Strait, caused all of the major powers to embark on aggressive ship-building programs.

Additionally, the loss of many troops when their transports were sunk at sea led to the Second Geneva Convention of 1906 which gave protection and care to shipwrecked soldiers during time of war.