The Special Campaign Series

Part of the acclaimed “Special Campaign” series of works intended for serious professional students of military history each volume is interspersed with strategical and tactical comments and illustrated by numerous sketches.

This was the first major military victory in the modern era of an Asian power over a European one. Military scholars continue to debate the historical significance of the war. Good coverage is given to the Battle of Liaoyang.Post-war reports conclusively illustrated the battlefield destructiveness of this conflict. This  was the first time the tactics of entrenched positions for infantry defended with machine guns and artillery became vitally important. Both would become dominant factors in World War I. Even though entrenched positions had already been a significant part of both the Franco-Prussian War and the American Civil War, it is now apparent that the high casualty counts, and the tactical lessons readily available to observer nations, were completely disregarded in preparations for war in Europe, and during much of the course of World War I.

Introductory. - The Plans of Campaign. - Synopsis of the Battle of Liaoyang. - Order for Advance and Preliminary Movemets, 22nd to 25th August. - Actions of the 26th August. - Note to Chapter V: Events of the 26th in Detail. - Retreat to the “Advanced Position of Liaoyang”. - The Second Day of the Battle of Liaoyang. - Note to Chapter VIII- Employment of the Reserves by the Russians. The Fighting of the 5th, 3rd, and 6th Division. - The Russian retreat to the “Main Position of Liaoyang.” - Advance of the Japanese Armies. The Capture of Manjuyama. - The Russian Counter-Attack. - The Retreat of the Russians to Mukden. - Both Sides Recuperate After the Struggle. - Synopsis of the Battle of the Shaho. - 4th to 10th October. - 11th October. - Night Operations, 11th - 12th October. Notes to Chapter XVII: the Night Attacks, 11-12th October. - 12th October. Notes to Chapter XVIII: Action of the Guards and 2nd Divisions. - 13th October. - 14th October. - 15th, 16th and 17th October: The End of the Battle. - Conclusion.