The Russians were wrong-footed from the start, fighting in Manchuria at the end of a 5,000 mile single track railway; the Japanese were a week or so from their bases. The Russian command structure was hopelessly confused, their generals old and incompetent, the Tsar cautious and uncertain. The Russian naval defeat at Tsushima was as farcical as it was complete. The Japanese had defeated a big European power, and the lessons for the West were there for all to see, had they cared to do so. From this curious war, so unsafely ignored for the most part by the military minds of the day, Richard Connaughton has woven a fascinating narrative to appeal to readers at all levels.
| ||||||||||||||||||
Book Description
Frequently Bought Together
Editorial Reviews
Review
Our first review for this has come in from SOLDIER magazine 'the definitive h
--This text refers to the
Hardcover
edition.
About the Author
Colonel Richard Connaughton spent two years as Head of the British Army's Defence Studies, the culmination of a twenty-two year career in the army, retiring in 1992. He now undertakes studies in the politico-military field on an international basis for client governments and the military, and has an intimate knowledge of military and special forces' involvement in the trouble spots of recent years.
Product Details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
More About the Author
Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.
Customer Reviews
|
Share your thoughts with other customers:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Best available account of this important war,
By
This review is from: Rising Sun and Tumbling Bear: Russia's War with Japan (Hardcover)
I am surprised at the shortage of really good works in English on the Russo-Japanese War which, far from being an obscure backwater event, was in actually one of the watershed conflicts of the 20th century around which much of subsequent world history pivoted. This is definitely one, if not the, best treatments of the war available. Connaughton gives excellent and through accounts of both the land and naval operations in a very readable narrative. The only reason I don't give it 5 stars is for an incomplete bibliography, the lack of footnotes/endnotes, the inadequacy of the maps (although there are 15 maps spread throughout the book, I found myself often having to flip around between several of them to find the location-occasionally in vain-of some obscure, previous unreferenced place name), and some sloppy editing (which intermittently led to disjointed transitions and the casual use without any introduction of previously unmentioned people). However, these problems were minor and certainly don't detract from the value of the book. At the end, Connaughton provides a fresh analysis of why the lessons of this war were not well absorbed into the tactics and strategy of the First World War and I especially liked how he closed with a poignant and heartrending reminder of the personal human tragedy of all war. When military history is often presented like a recount of a sporting event--sometimes with melodramatic or maudlin sops of dubious sincerity to war's human cost--I found the epilogue to this book to be refreshing. Overall, highly recommended.
13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An Rich, Detailed Military History,
By
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Rising Sun and Tumbling Bear: Russia's War with Japan (Cassell Military Paperbacks) (Paperback)
There are not a great number of modern histories of the 1904-1905 Russo-Japanese War, but Richard Connaughton's Rising Sun and Tumbling Bear is clearly the best. The author, with 30 year's experience in the British Army and access to British official records on the war, brings a richer and more detailed military account than Denis and Peggy Warner's The Tide at Sunrise (which is also very good, but less detailed). While the author leans toward admiration of the Japanese war effort - at one point, describing the Japanese army as "a well-oiled machine with high morale, confident, well practiced and undefeated" - he is more than fair to the Russian side as well. This book is marked by superb detail, superior organization and insight derived from sound military judgment and experience.
Rising Sun and Tumbling Bear consists of 15 chapters, with a conventional chronological structure based upon major topics. The author also provides 15 sketch maps, which are a bit skimpy but adequate. Connaughton provides a succinct but excellent background chapter on events leading up to the war, followed by an even better chapter on opposing forces. In addition to excellent detail on both ground and naval forces, the author cites the main Russian weakness as an over-abundance of elderly, ineffective leaders. In the sections on early ground and naval actions, the author notes that a British correspondent reported the attack on Port Arthur as it was occurring- a first in journalism. Throughout the book, the author makes the point - and supports it with evidence - that Japanese operations were facilitated by a superb intelligence effort, while Russian efforts were hindered by awful intelligence support. Despite the fact that the Russians usually had numerical superiority on the ground and at sea, they continually thought they were out-numbered. Although many historians have been very harsh on the Russian war effort, Connaughton notes that Russian strategic plans were usually sound, but poorly executed. On the ground, the Russians were also hindered by commanders who adhered to outdated tactics, such as volley firing and attacks in mass formations across open ground. The Russians did enjoy some advantages, such as a superior logistic capability based upon the China Eastern Railway and new quick-firing artillery pieces. Russian infantry units were also quite good at building defensive positions integrating machineguns and barbed wire, intimating conditions that would soon appear in the First World War. The author also notes that the Japanese were unsuccessful in following up after their victories, with pursuits being hindered by inadequate cavalry and weaker logistics. I also noted from this account, that the Japanese made the mistake of using landmarks such as rail lines as boundary markers between their formations - which usually leads to no one really controlling the rail line. The sections on the siege of Port Arthur are particularly interesting since they allude to the slaughter that modern weapons could inflict on infantry. The author is equally harsh on General Nogi's wasteful attacks (which Allied generals would repeat in 1914-16) and the self-defeating behavior of General Stoessel. Interesting details include the Russian use of naval torpedoes on land and the Japanese mistake in making their assault ladders too short. Russian heroes, such as Smirnov, Tretyakov and Kondratenko do get their due in these pages, as well. Amazingly, the author notes that the Japanese prepared the surrender document two years before the war began (talk about prior planning!). Japanese success in blasting the Russian defenders off the vital 203 Meter Hill with heavy artillery may have convinced European military observers that firepower could break any defense. In a few cases the author overstretches himself. At one point, he states that "an approach march at night culminating in a dawn attack was a new phenomenon of warfare." Didn't Washington teach the British that lesson at Trenton and Princeton in 1776? At another point, he notes the appearance "for the first time in modern warfare [of] the construction of opposing lines of trenches.." which ignores the appearance of trench warfare at Petersburg in 1864. However, these omissions are not that for a British military historian, since they rarely acknowledge or utilize examples from American military history. In a few cases, the author may have used `facts' that were unconfirmed, such as Japanese heavy artillery consumption at Port Arthur (the figures sound unreasonably high) and the infamous Samsonov-Rennenkampf brawl (which probably didn't happen). The author asks two key questions: why were the Japanese able to consistently defeat the Russians and why were the lessons of this war not understood before World War One? As for the first, the author believes that the Japanese had a distinct advantage fighter closer to home, which led to higher morale. The Japanese military also benefited from a leadership structure based more on merit and ability, rather than political connections. As for the second, the author notes that different observers took home different lessons from the war and often drew diverging conclusions, often in line with their own prior biases.
13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
One of the better treatments of this war.,
By lordhoot "lordhoot" (Anchorage, Alaska USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Rising Sun and Tumbling Bear: Russia's War with Japan (Hardcover)
The Russo-Japanese War proves to be one of the more interesting wars ever fought, since it proves to be forebringer of the future, World War I which will be fought nearly ten years later. Trench warfare, superiority of the machine guns on the battlegrounds and meaningless infantry charges were all shown in open light as the Russian and Japanese soldiers fought against each other.The book proves to be well written, nicely researched and revealed a good insight into this war which ironically speaking, isn't too well known in Western nations. A serious student of World War I could see here, that chaotic command structure of the Russian army, had their root initially when they fought against the Japanese. While rarely outnumbered, the Russians were continouesly out-professionalized by their Asian opponents. The war was the first time, a white European power have been brought low by a non-white power since the colonialism began in ernest. A good reading material that comes highly recommended by anyone who got an interest in this subject.
Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
|
|
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Tags Customers Associate with This Product(What's this?)Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
|
Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store
If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store.
Learn more
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
Listmania!
|
|
So You'd Like to...
|
|
