Tsushima 1905: Death of a Russian Fleet (Campaign, 330)

Though titled "Tsushima 1905", this is actually a brief overview of the entire naval side of the Russo-Japanese War, and includes attention to the initial attack by Japan on Port Arthur, as well as the battle of the Yellow Sea in 1904. Overall coverage is excellent, with many contemporary photographs, period prints, and useful maps. Typical quality of the paperbacks published by Osprey is very rarely less than good, but this definitely one of the better efforts. Highly readable and including a detailed order of battle for the Russian and Japanese navies. If there is any quibble it is that, with apologies to the artist, the original artwork (three: sinking of the Petropavlovsk, attack on the Hull fishing fleet, and surrender at Tsushima) is a bit uninspiring. There are no detailed ship diagrams, but this to be expected in a "Campaign" series volume.The Russo-Japanese war was one of the first post-industrial wars, and its naval operations in particular provided the Japanese with the strategic template for fighting a larger power that they used (to their own detriment) against the USA in 1941. Highly recommended to those interested in the history of naval warfare, Japanese or Russian military history, or the geopolitical forces that still affect the western Pacific.

Over a century on, the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905 is largely forgotten. At the time, it was a significant event, marking the emergence of Japan as a great power. The Naval Battle of Tsushima was the first decisive defeat of a major European state in the Far East. Author Mark Lardas has the story in this Osprey Campaign Series book.The author notes the origins of the war in the competition between Imperial Russia and Japan for ascendancy in Northeast Asia. Russia was a major European state, with a huge army and navy. Japan was a newly modern state, confident in its young but proficient navy and its home field advantage in the Far East. As the author's narrative explains, a long string of mostly avoidable mistakes undermined Russian efforts to bring its numerical advantages to bear. The narrative is fully supported by a nicely executed series of maps and battle diagrams, backed by period photographs and modern illustrations. Well recommended as a concise introduction to the naval aspects of the Russo-Japanese War.

The Battle of Tsushima was one of the most decisive naval victories in the twentieth century, and it consequences were far-reaching. It marked the rise of Japan as a serious regional power in Asia, one that even Europeans would have to respect. It was the winning stroke in the first war in modern history in which a major European power lost to an East Asian nation. Yet by learning the wrong lessons from the battle and ignored the true insights the war offered about Japan's ability to conduct a war against a vastly more powerful enemy, the Japanese ensured that Tsushima's legacy would cost them dearly when they decided to attack the United States over three decades later.This book is a great introduction for people who don't know anything about the Russo-Japanese War, as well as an outstanding visual source for more knowledgeable readers.The bulk of the book is focused on the naval war between Russia and Japan that led to the Battle of Tsushima. This is very much a Good Thing, as Tsushima, like any battle, can only be properly understood when it's placed within the context of the war that produced it. Without background info about the events that led to it and the characteristics of the forces involved, a battle has little meaning. This is where the book shines. The account of the actual battle is much shorter, but it's still substantially more that you'll get off Wikipedia, and the detailed battle maps are a huge help to make sense of the fleets' positions and maneuvers. (I wish all books had maps this good.) Readers who want an extremely detailed account of the battle itself are better off looking elsewhere, although the huge number of contemporary photographs and commissioned illustrations still make the book worth considering.The author's writing style is clear and easy to follow, and the arguments he makes, though not thoroughly fleshed out due to the book's short length, are still strong and sensible given the information he presents. I can't comment on any errors, as this was my first foray into the Russo-Japanese War, but there's a comprehensive bibliography at the back of the book as well as a list of recommended reading for more detailed accounts of the war.Overall, Tsushima is an excellent addition to Osprey's Campaign series, and one that I recommend to naval history buffs of all stripes.

This is a pretty good summary account of naval war between Russia and Japan during the Russo-Japanese War. There is an Osprey book on this subject published earlier, Russian Battleship vs. Japanese Battleship by Robert Forczyk that covers the exact same topic. The newer book got more basic information but I don't think it add any more real information then Forczyk's effort. I was bit wary by Lardas' insertion when I read on page 5 "By 1894, Japan had enough confidence in its technology and military to fight its former overlord, China's Qing Empire." My initial reaction was "Mark Lardas usually does his research, can he be this sloppy on this book or did Osprey inserted this misinformation?" Anyone who knows anything about Japanese or Chinese history realized the bogus statement as Japan never regarded China as their overlord nor did China ever considered Japan to be part of their sphere of influence. Anyway, who ever made that error, cost a star in my rating. Otherwise, its a good summary overlook of the naval campaign. If you owned Forczyk's book, it is debatable if you want this book. Forczyk's book got more technical background while Lardas' book got more on the campaign. Maybe for some, they might actually compliment each other.

Clear and concise account not merely of a sea battle that defined Japanese naval strategy but explains the whole naval aspect of the Russo-Japanese War. Well worth the purchase and thoroughly recommended.

Compare with Pleshakov "theTsars last armada": a one volume concise view of the Russo-Japanese naval war, 1904-05, not just the final battle.

In der "Campaign"-Serie des hervorragenden britischen Militärverlages Osprey als Folge 330 erschienen, beschäftigt sich dieser Band mit der entscheidenden Seeschlacht im russisch-japanischen Krieg. Wie immer, bei den Campaign-Bänden, darf man sich keine ausführliche und in die Tiefe gehende Analyse erwarten, sondern einen gut gemachten und flotten Überblick. Das Englisch ist wie immer leicht und flüssig zu lesen, das Kartenmaterial ganz hervorragend. Dafür gerne fünf Sterne von mir. Wer sich ausführlich mit der ganzen Tragik dieser blutigen Schlacht, die mit der beinahe vollkommenen Zerstörung der daran beteiligten russischen Seestreitkräfte endete, befassen möchte, dem empfehle ich den absoluten Klassiker von Frank Thiess, "Tsushima - der Roman eines Seekrieges".