Battle of Nanshan

The Japanese intention was to break through this Russian defensive position and lay siege to Port Arthur to capture the port and disrupt the Russian naval presence in the Yellow Sea and the surrounding waters. General Alexei Kuropatkin, the overall commander of the Russian armies in Manchuria, had given orders to Major-General Baron Anatoli Stoessel commanding the Russian garrison at Port Arthur not to let the defences fall which would place the city and harbour itself under siege by the Japanese. Stoessel had sent about 3,000 men into the fortified positions in the defence line where they planned to hold out despite knowing they would be greatly outnumbered.

Field Marshal Iwao Oyoma, the commander-in-chief of the Japanese armies in Manchuria, dispatched the 2nd Army, about 30,000 strong and commanded by General Yasukata Oju to capture the position.

By mid-morning the Japanese attack at commenced. Although inital assaults were beaten back with heavy losses, the attrition rate proved that the battle was never in doubt. Although the Russians were firmly entrenched, the speed of the Japanese attack placed them in a precarious position of being encircled. By mid-afternoon, the Russians were forced to break off the enagement to avoid being surrounded and fell back to the main defencive lines around Port Arthur.

The Russians lost about 1,400 men killed, wounded and captured during the battle. Although the Japanese did not win lightly, having lost at least 4,500 killed, wounded and missing, they could claim victory. The battle opened the way for the Japanese armies to besiege Port Arthur which would dog the Russian plans for the remainder of the year.