Mukden, Battle of

Japanese victory over the Russians during the Russo-Japanese War, February–March 1905, outside Mukden (now called Shenyang), capital city of Manchuria. This was the last major battle of the war – the Russian defeat finally persuaded the tsar to accept US mediation in June 1905.

Disposition of forces
After the battle of Liaoyang in September 1904, the Russians fell back to a defensive line some 80 km/50 mi long on the River Sha Ho, south of Mukden. The Japanese and Russian armies faced each other for some months along this line while the siege of Port Arthur was brought to an end, after which the Japanese began reinforcing their line preparatory to an attack.

Battle
A fresh Japanese army, the 5th, worked its way through the mountains to the west of Mukden and began attacking the Russian left flank on 20 February. The main attack against the centre of the Russian line began on 27 February, while the Japanese 4th Army appeared on the Russian right flank, forcing the two ends of the Russian defensive line to curve backwards. Fighting was bitter, but it soon became apparent to the Russians that the two Japanese flanking armies would encircle the city. The Russians began a general retreat in a series of hard-fought rearguard actions which soon deteriorated into a total collapse; Mukden was evacuated by 10 March and the Russians fell back to the north.

Casualties
Russian casualties were 26,500 killed, about the same number wounded, and 40,000 taken prisoner. The Japanese lost 41,000 killed and wounded.