Battle of Chemulpo Bay

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Sinking of the Varyag at Chemulpo

Date	9 February 1904
Location	off Chemulpo Bay, Korea
Result	Japanese victory

Combatants

Empire of Japan

Russian Empire

Commanders

Uryu Sotokichi

Vsevolod Rudnev

Strength

4 armored cruisers, 2 protected cruisers

1 armored cruiser, 1 gunboat

Casualties

no casualties

heavy casualties; both ships scuttled after the battle

Russo-Japanese War
1st Port Arthur –Chemulpo Bay –Yalu River – Nanshan – Telissu – Yellow Sea – Ulsan – 2nd Port Arthur – Motien Pass – Tashihchiao– Hsimucheng– Liaoyang – Shaho – Sandepu – Mukden – Tsushima

The Battle of Chemulpo Bay was an early naval battle in the Russo-Japanese War (1904-1905), which took place on 9 February 1904 off the coast of present day Inchon, Korea.

1 Background
2 The Battle
3 Outcome
4 References
5 External links

[edit] Background

The opening stage of the Russo-Japanese War began with a pre-emptive strike by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the Russian Pacific Fleet based at Port Arthur, Vladivostok and at Chemulpo (now part of Inchon, Korea. Command of the Chemulpo operation was given to Rear Admiral Uryu Sotokichi, with six cruisers and 2500 ground troops.

Chemulpo also had strategic significance, as it was the main port for the Korean capital of Seoul, and was also the main invasion route used previously by Japanese forces in the Sino-Japanese War of 1894. However, Chemulpo, with its wide tidal bore, extensive mudflats, and narrow, winding channels, posed a number of tactical challenges for both attackers and defenders.

The protected cruiser Chiyoda had been based at Chemulpo for the past 10 months, and had been keeping watch on the Russian armoured cruiser Varyag and aging gunboat Korietz, also based at Chemulpo to look after Russian interests.

On the morning of 8 February 1904, the Chiyoda rendezvoused with the Admiral Uryu’s squadron outside the entrance to Chemulpo, and reported that several warships from neutral countries were present in the anchorage, including: HMS Talbot (Great Britain), Pascal (France), Elba (Italy) and USS Vicksburg (USA). Admiral Uryu reasoned that if the Russians remained anchored in the midst of the neutral ships, they could not attack his transports, whereas if the Russians came out to do battle, he had ample force to deal with them. On the other hand, it was against international law to attack the Russians while they were anchored in a neutral port.

[edit] The Battle

Admiral Uryu ordered the cruisers Chiyoda, Takachiho, Asama and his torpedo boats to proceed up the channel with the troopships to commence the debarkation at once, while the cruisers Naniwa, Niitaka and Akashi were held in reserve.

At 1800 on 8 February 1904, Japanese troopships anchored at Chemulpo, mooring next to the Russians, and disembarked four battalions of soldiers of the 12th Army Division in an operation that continued into the night. To the amazement of the tense Japanese, the Varyag and Korietz took no action, but continued to air out bunting as if on parade. The disembarkation was complete by 0300 on 9 February 1904, and all Japanese warships and transports withdrew from the harbor except for the Chiyoda.

The latter delivered a letter to the Varyag advising that a state of war now existed between the Empires of Japan and Russia, and giving an ultimatum for the Russians to vacate the harbor by noon. Neutral warships were warned to stay clear of any conflict that might arise. The HMS Talbot's skipper delivered a letter of protest against the violation of Korean neutrality to Admiral Uryu (a letter which the American captain of the USS Vicksburg inexplicably refused to sign), but the neutral vessels otherwise refused to provide protection or assistance to the Varyag.

Refusing advice to surrender, at 1100 on 9 February 1904, the Varyag attempted to make a break for the open sea. As with most vessels in the Imperial Russian Navy, Varyag was able to attain slightly more than half of her rated maximum speed. The Korietz was even slower and of little combat value. Shortly after 1200, the Korietz started down the channel directly past the Japanese line of battle and soon was overtaken by Varyag. The Japanese let the 8 inch guns of the Asama and the Chiyoda do heavy damage at a range reasonably safe from Varyag's wildly inaccurate return fire.

Unable to break past the Japanese squadron by mid-afternoon, the Korietz and the badly battered Varyag returned back to Chemulpo harbor, where both took refuge near the neutral warships. At 1600, the Korietz was scuttled by its crew. At the 1800, holed and on fire, the Varyag rolled over on its port side and sank. Men were dispatched to the Russian transport Sungari, which had remained behind in the harbor during the battle, and set it on fire to prevent it from falling into Japanese hands.

[edit] Outcome

The battle of was a complete military victory for the Japanese, who suffered no casualties during the entire engagement. Russian casualties on the Varyag were heavy. Many of the Russian wounded were treated at the Japanese hospital and Red Cross hospital at Chemulpo, with more serious cases receiving medical care in Japan, thus providing the Japanese government with an important propaganda victory as well. Wounded and unwounded prisoners were returned to Russia under parole.

[edit] References

Connaughton, Richard (2003). Rising Sun and Tumbling Bear. Cassell. ISBN 0-304-36657-9
Nish, Ian (1985). The Origins of the Russo-Japanese War. Longman. ISBN 0-582-49114-2
Kowner, Rotem (2006). Historical Dictionary of the Russo-Japanese War. Scarecrow. ISBN 0-8108-4927-5
Sedwick, F.R. (1909). The Russo-Japanese War. Macmillan.