Assessment of the Russıan-Japanese war of 1904–1905 from the poınt of vıew of the Ottoman empıre

Abstract

The article reveals the origin of the Turkish-Japanese relations, and analyzes conditions, under which they were developed. Influence of the Russian-Japanese war (1904–1905) on the Ottoman Empire is considered. First diplomatic contacts between the Ottoman Empire and Japan started with visits of representatives of the Japanese authorities to Istanbul for the purpose of acquaintance to Ottomans. As a result of mutual visits between two states their friendly relations began to develop. Despite the fact, that before the Russian-Japanese war (1904–1905) many top-level diplomatic visits between Ottomans and Japanese were made, no political and military agreement between two countries was signed. The Russian-Japanese war had a huge impact on the Ottoman Empire, and for the whole world. Though this war didn't influence domestic policy of the Ottoman Empire, its course was watched closely by both Ottoman statesmen, and the public. On the one hand, successive defeats in the wars with the Russian Empire in the 19th century caused psychological decline of the Ottoman Empire, but on the other hand, the results of the Russian-Japanese War showed the Turks, that it was also possible to win the Russian Empire, which was considered invincible. The Turkish people were encouraged by the defeat of the Russian Empire in the war, and the Turkish government even thought about creating an alliance with Japan. Before and after the Russian-Japanese War (1904–1905), Sultan Abdul-Hamid II always made decisions, considering the subsequent positive and negative consequences of a possible Turkish-Japanese alliance, as a result of which Russia would be surrounded from the east, and that this alliance could aggravate relations with Russia.