Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen. My name is _________ and I am here to speak to you about the effect the Russo Japanese War had on the 1917 Russian Revolution.
The Russo Japanese war was a significant moment in Russia’s history due to the consequences caused by the defeat of the Russian Empire by the Japanese Empire. The events of the Russo Japanese war did not directly cause the 1917 Revolution but it did change the mindset of the Russian society as Historian Roten Kowner says, ‘the main impact on the colonial world was psychological rather than territorial[1]’. The Russo Japanese war had more of an effect on the 1905 Revolution, which forced a changed in Russian society.
Background to your chosen topic • Do you discuss the chosen issue in context (ie,?) • Do you examine the Who, What, When, Where, Why and How? • Do you include references to the dates, years, individuals and relevant groups?
The Russo Japanese war occurred between February 8th, 1904 to September 1905[2]. Historian Anthony Siciliano suggests the Russo Japanese war was caused by ‘Russia’s aggressive expansion into Manchuria and Korea, and Japan’s need to retain these areas within its sphere of influence[3]’of North China and Korea. The importance of Manchuria is that it had Port Arthur, which had been leased to the Russians from China in 1898[4]. Port Arthur had the importance of being a warm water port in the Yellow Sea to use all year round for Russia’s navy. Russia’s other Naval port, Nikiolaevsk was covered in ice for 6 months of the year. Sergei Witte was the main political influence behind the Russo Japanese War. Being the ex finance minister from 1892 to 1903[5], Witte saw the expansion of Russia’s Trans-Siberain Railroad as the main impetus for Russia’s expansionist policies in East Asia[6]. Japan had been in political