The Russo–Japanese War (February 10, 1904 – September 5, 1905) is a conflict that has grown out of the rival imperialist ambitions of the Russian Empire and Japanese Empire over Manchuria and Korea.

The major theaters of operations are Southern Manchuria, specifically the area around the Liaodong Peninsula and Mukden, and the seas around Korea, Japan, and the Yellow Sea.The Russians are in constant pursuit of a warm water port on the Pacific Ocean, for their navy as well as for maritime trade.

The recently established Pacific seaport of Vladivostok is the only active Russian port that is reasonably operational during the summer season; but Port Arthur would be operational all year.

Negotiations between the Tsar's government and Japan between the end of the First Sino-Japanese War and 1903 had proved futile.

Japan has chosen war to protect its country by maintaining exclusive dominance in Korea, while all European countries expect Russia will win.The resulting campaigns, in which the fledgling Japanese military consistently attains victory over the Russian forces arrayed against them, are unexpected by world observers.

These victories, as time transpired, are to dramatically transform the balance of power in East Asia, resulting in a sober reassessment of Japan's recent entry onto the world stage.

The embarrassing string of defeats increases dissatisfaction of the Russian populace with the inefficient and corrupt Tsarist government, and is a major cause of the Russian Revolution of 1905.The French finance half of the cost of the war, by their subscription to so-called Russian bonds; post-USSR Russia will reimburse roughly 1.54 % of the capital to the French Republic without any interest, in 1996.