The initial battle of the 
Russo-Japanese war lasted five 
days, beginning on April 26, 
1904.  

The Japanese forces, led by 
Field Marshal Oyama Iwao, were
determined to cross the Yalu 
River into Manchuria near the 
town of Wiju.  Iwao had over 
250,000 regular troops under 
his command, which could be 
augmented by another 400,000 
reserves. 

The local Russian forces were 
under a redundant chain of 
command.  Commander-in-Chief 
Alexey Nikolayevich Kuropotkin 
led the force, but was assisted
by his Imperial Lieutenant of 
the Far East, Admiral Alexieff.
The Russian force of 15,000 
infantry, 5,000 cavalry, and 60 
guns received conflicting orders
from the two commanders - 
Kuropotkin envisioned a delaying
action, while Alexieff was in 
favor of a resolute defense.  

The Japanese prepared several 
crossing points along the Yalu 
river to keep their enemies 
guessing. They also made feint 
attacks with torpedo boats.  
The Russian defense was drawn 
out to a line twenty miles long 
along the river bank.  The true 
Japanese attack began with a 
well placed artillery 
bombardment that quickly 
silenced the Russian guns.  The 
decisive stroke was delivered in
the form of a flanking movement 
that put the Japanese forces 
across the river and behind the 
Russian flank.  The Russians 
had no choice but to order a 
general withdrawal.

The Russians lost a total of 
1,400 dead and 1,600 wounded, 
along with 600 taken as 
prisoners.  The psychological 
effect of the Japanese victory 
was more important, as this was
the first time in modern history
that an Asian army had beaten 
a European army in a land 
battle.