Striking the Balance: Strategy and Force in the Russo-Japanese War

摘要

The Russo-Japanese War holds distinct lessons for historians and national decision-makers alike. It was a remarkable event in human history that demonstrated two totally different ways of waging war, one the antithesis of the other. In addition to the seven critical points, one is struck by the largely human element and personal character of strategy and diplomacy throughout the war. The Japanese were able to make their largely informal and extra-constitutional system of government work because it was composed of highly experienced and dedicated men who understood their objective and were willing to sacrifice their personal agendas to accomplish the task. Their mission, though the particulars were not shared in a democratic process, resonated within the parliamentary body and throughout their public. They conducted their war with rationality and experience one would not have expected of an industrial state so young.