Defense of Kamchatka in the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905: a small victory with big consequences

Not much has been said or written about the defense of Kamchatka during the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905. Meanwhile, this theater of operations can be safely called unique. Moreover, the victory in this local confrontation seriously affected the future of our country.

It is immediately worth noting here that the tsarist government, on the eve of the Russo-Japanese War, practically did not pay attention to its “Pacific possessions”, concentrating on preparing for a confrontation with the enemy on the mainland. Based on this, it is not surprising that there was actually no regular army on the peninsula.

The territory was defended by the Cossacks. A small group (about 50 people) performed mainly a police function. However, for this, such a number was not enough.

Meanwhile, having learned about the war with Japan only after 3-4 months, the few defenses of the peninsula were able to defend their territories. How did it happen?

Firstly, about 500-600 men from the local population joined the aforementioned group of Cossacks. Considering that most of them were excellent hunters, with weapons they knew how to handle.

By the way, about the last. According to some reports, by the beginning of the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905, the peninsula had an arsenal of 4000 Berdans and 800000 cartridges for them.

Secondly, the Japanese also sent a non-regular army to capture Kamchatka. Unless, of course, we do not count the case with the shelling of the peninsula by a cruiser and the temporary landing in August 1905. Basically, the enemy forces consisted of armed sailors who had previously been engaged in poaching off the coast of Kamchatka and paramilitary "volunteers".

In total, the Japanese forces amounted to about 1000 people.

As for the hostilities themselves, in this area they bear little resemblance to military operations. Rather, they were scattered "skirmishes" of small groups (up to 100 people) of the invaders with approximately the same size groups of local partisans.

Meanwhile, practically deprived of attention during the years of the Russian-Japanese war of 1904-1905. victory played an extremely important role in the future of our country.

The loss of Kamchatka would have an extremely negative impact on the position of the Commander Islands and Chukotka. And during the Great Patriotic War, supplies of food and other goods from America partially went through the ports of Petropavlovsk.

Comments

[d ^ Amir]

Pikul Valentin Savvich - Wealth, that's what

[Doctor]

Pikul Valentin Savvich - Wealth, that's what

Yes, OK. But Borshchagovsky's "Russian Flag" is the most detailed, specifically about this. And Zadornov's "War for the Ocean" to understand the big picture.

[Lynx2000]

Semenov V. I. "Defense of Kamchatka during the Russo-Japanese War of 1904–1905"
http://www.kamchatsky-krai.ru/history/oborona-kamchatki.htm

[Altmann]

Since the time of the Peter and Paul Defense during the Crimean War, warehouses with weapons have been preserved on the peninsula, where obsolete Berdan rifles and a large number of cartridges for them were located (Berdan rifles were brought to the peninsula in 1885 and 1900, and the Carle rifles that were previously in storage were decommissioned) : at the same time, the safety and combat effectiveness of the rifles were subsequently shown at the highest level, the weapon was lubricated and did not suffer for a long time. storage period. This was a big plus for the defense and, in principle, played a decisive role.

Shortly before the start of the Russo-Japanese War, in 1903, A.P. Silnitsky, who had previously visited both Kamchatka and Chukotka, was appointed head of the Petropavlovsk District (that is, the actual administrator of the entire Kamchatka). As an honest and energetic person, he waged an extremely intensive fight against corruption in Petropavlovsk, achieved a competent and legal fur auction, personally collected yasak [