The Japanese commander, Oyama 
held a council of war to decide 
what to do with the last Russian
base at Mukden. The decision 
was reached for a daring plan 
for the Japanese to perform a 
double envelopment, with the 
strongest push coming from 
General Nogi and his 3rd Army. 

On Feb. 27, 1905, over 207,000 
Japanese infantry and 1,000 
cannon and 254 machine guns.  
The Russian defender force 
consisted of 276,000 infantry 
and 1,500 cannons and 54 
machines guns under their 
command.

The Russians planned for a push 
against the Japanese left, but 
the jump off immediately ran 
into the Japanese attack.  In 
characteristic fashion, Russian 
commander Kuropotkin reacted 
by calling off his attack and 
began to counter the coming 
threat.

The battle around Mukden was 
divided into three sectors: 
left, right, and center.  Each 
sector was waging its separate 
struggles, often without 
influences from adjacent 
battles.  This continued until 
Nogi flanking force succeeded 
in turning the Russian right.

The weather was another factor 
in the battle, with heavy snow 
and sub-freezing temperature.  
The Japanese were grappling 
with an overloaded system, 
while Kuropotkin was desperately
trying to hold onto control of 
his army.

By the beginning of March, the 
entire front had degenerated 
into a long line engaged in 
desperate hand-to-hand combat.  
Neither side came close to 
breaking the other; finally, 
the Russian nerves broke, and 
Kuropotkin gave the order to 
withdraw.  

By the time the Japanese 
entered Mukden on March 10th, 
they had suffered over 70,000; 
the Russians, 20,000. 