After the suppression of the Yihetuan uprising in 1901, the struggle for dominance in China between the imperialist powers resumed with renewed vigor. The main rivals in Korea and Manchuria were Japan and Russia. Behind them were the big powers of the West, whose policy was to try to drag these two states into the war and thereby weaken their further influence on Far East in order then to gain a foothold in Northern China.

Japan longed not only to take Korea and Manchuria under its influence, but also intended to seize the Far East from Russia in the future in order to become the undivided mistress of the Pacific Ocean. Her desire to oust Russia from northern China was in the interests of England. On January 17, 1902, an agreement was concluded between them, according to which England undertook to support Japan in all respects and provide it with comprehensive assistance.

Russia, with the support of Germany and France, sought to gain a foothold on the Liaodong Peninsula in the ice-free Port Arthur, make it the main base in the Far East, pull up a railway there, a branch from which to connect with Beijing.

The United States, in turn, under the guise of preserving the integrity of China, pushed through its doctrine of "Open Doors", advocating for the provision equal opportunities for all states in trade with China. They protested against the monopolistic policy of Russia in its northern regions. Under diplomatic pressure from England, the USA and Japan, Russia was forced in the spring of 1902 to begin preparations for the withdrawal of its troops from Manchuria. Trying to keep military forces there to guard the CER, at the same time she pressed the Chinese government to close access to Manchuria to foreigners. This demand provoked protest from her opponents. Japan showed such an aggressive disposition that it began to threaten Russia with war. Concerning Russian command stopped the evacuation of its troops, moreover, Mukden and Yingkou, from which troops had already been withdrawn, were again occupied by the Russians. On July 30, 1903, the head of the Kwantung region, E. I. Alekseev (illegitimate son of Alexander II), was appointed governor of the Far East. He was given broad powers of diplomatic relations on behalf of the king. Before the war, his headquarters was in Port Arthur, which at that time was only being strengthened.

Japan understood that Russia could be ousted from China only through armed forces. Therefore, after the conclusion of an alliance treaty with England, she launched extensive preparations for war. Japanese sailors were trained in England in naval affairs, Japanese ships, built in English shipyards and equipped with American military equipment, plowed the seas, gaining combat experience in constant exercises; ground troops comprehended new German methods of offensive tactics. Japanese spies under the guise of the Chinese penetrated into all areas of deployment of Russian troops. Often, Japanese officers of the general staff were sent to Port Arthur and other military garrisons as various civilian specialists. England, the USA and even Germany provided Japan with huge loans, which ultimately amounted to 410 million rubles and covered half of all its expenses for the war. By the beginning of the war, the Japanese army numbered 375 thousand people, had 1140 guns, while Russia in the Far East had only 122 thousand soldiers and 320 guns. The Japanese fleet was 122 combat units against 66 Russians. The American weapons on the Japanese squadrons were superior to the Russian ones in combat qualities. Russia was not ready for this war, but hoped that it would be "small and victorious". And this hatred cost her dearly.

On January 27, 1904, Japan, without declaring war, attacked the Russian squadron stationed on the outer roadstead of Port Arthur. In the first days of hostilities, two Russian warships - the cruiser "Varyag" and the gunboat "Koreets" - were far from their squadron, in the Korean port of Chemulpo. The Russians resolutely rejected the Japanese admiral's ultimatum, refused to hand over the ships to the enemy and entered into battle, an unequal battle with the Japanese squadron, which consisted of fourteen ships. The Japanese countered the two Russian ships with 181 powerful guns and 42 torpedo tubes, that is, six times more than the Russians. Despite this, the enemy squadron suffered heavy damage, its ships were seriously damaged, and two cruisers even needed immediate dock repairs.

The Varyag also suffered. The cruiser received four holes, almost all the guns were broken, half of the gun servants were put out of action. This is how N. Rudnev, the son of the commander of the Varyag cruiser V.F. Rudnev, described this battle in his book about his father: During periods of special tension, no less than two hundred shells of various calibers were sent every minute towards the Varyag. The sea was literally seething with explosions, dozens of fountains rose, dousing the deck with fragments, cascades of water.

One of the first large shells that hit the cruiser destroyed the bridge, causing a fire in the navigational cabin, interrupted the fore-shrouds, disabled the rangefinder post No. 1. Midshipman Nirod, who determined the distance using the rangefinder, was torn to pieces. All that remained of him was his hand, identified by a ring on his finger. Sailors Vasily Maltsev, Vasily Oskin, Gavriil Mironov were also killed. Other sailors at the rangefinder post were wounded. The next shell disabled the six-inch gun No. 3, killed commander Grigory Postnov, wounded the rest ... ".

V. F. Rudnev, supported by the entire crew, decides to flood the cruiser so that the enemy does not get it. "Varyag" and "Korean" enter the neutral port of Chemulpo, where the ships of other countries are stationed. The Japanese demand the immediate extradition of Russian sailors as prisoners of war, but the British, French and Italian sailors, who witnessed an unprecedented battle, did not betray the heroes, they transported all the surviving Russian sailors to their ships. The last "Varyag" left his wounded and shell-shocked commander. Going to the boat, he kissed the railing of the gangway, and the cruiser was flooded. On the "Korean" there were still about 1000 pounds of gunpowder. The blown up boat fell apart, and they went under the water.

The heroes of the battle at Chemulpo on May 19 had a solemn meeting in Odessa, where they arrived on the Malaya steamer. Even at sea, the boat "Tamara" approached them, on which the head of the port delivered awards.

“... The meeting in Odessa was joyful and solemn. Right on the deck of the ship, the heroes of Chemulpo were attached to their chests George crosses, a battery saluted in their honor in Alexander Park, ships in the roadstead and in the port raised flags of coloring. The whole city was engulfed in festive jubilation.

Sevastopol also solemnly received the sailors ... On April 10, a special echelon of 30 officers and 600 sailors of the "Varyag" and "Korean" left Sevastopol for the capital ... At all stations and half-stations, people were waiting for the passage of the echelon with the heroes of Chemulpo. Greetings and congratulations came from distant provinces and cities.

On April 16, the train arrived in St. Petersburg. On the platform of the Nikolaevsky railway station, the sailors were met by all the highest ranks of the fleet ... There were also relatives of the sailors, representatives of the army, city council, zemstvo and nobility, naval attachés ... The festively decorated Nevsky Prospekt, along which the sailors were solemnly marching, was crowded to overflowing with residents of the city. ... Under the continuous thunder of orchestras and an enthusiastic ovation that did not subside for a minute, the sailors made their way of glory along Nevsky Prospekt ... Tsar's review on Palace Square and a prayer service in the palace, lunch in the Nikolaev Hall ... reception in the City Council of gifts from the city - personalized silver watches to each sailor, performances and gala dinners succeeded each other. Each of the Varangians received the "highest souvenir" - a special "George" device, which he used at the king's dinner.

During this celebration, all the heroes of Chemulpo were awarded silver medals with a diameter of 30 mm on a special, unique ribbon of the "St. Andrew's flag" (with a white field and an oblique St. Andrew's cross of blue color On him).

On the front side, in the middle, inside a wreath of two laurel branches tied at the bottom with a ribbon, there is a cross of St. George the Victorious on an order ribbon; between the wreath and the side of the medal there is a circular inscription: “FOR THE FIGHT OF THE VARYAG AND THE KOREAN ON JANUARY 27. 1904 - CHEMULPO -". The last dash character closes the phrase with its beginning so that you can read it from the word "Chemulpo".

The reverse side of the medal for the first time in the period of the 19th and early 20th centuries was minted according to the Petrine tradition - with the image of a sea battle. In the foreground of the composition are the cruiser "Varyag" and the gunboat "Koreets", going into battle towards the Japanese squadron, whose ships are visible to the right of the medal, above the horizon line; above - in the clouds, under the very ear, a four-pointed cross is placed as a symbol of the Christian faith.

The medal was established on July 10, 1904 and awarded to all participants in the naval battle with the Japanese Uriu squadron near Chemulpo. “Rudnev was handed it upon his return from vacation,” as his son Rudnev N. wrote. “He joked sadly:“ This is my last silver pill! George of the 4th degree, although according to the status he relied on the third. In addition, Rudnev was given the rank of aide-de-camp, according to which he became a member of the royal retinue of Emperor Nicholas II and was obliged to carry out "... once or twice a month, daily duty in the royal palace with the person of the monarch."

Once, during one of these duties, Emperor Nicholas II was visited by the Shah of Persia and wished to personally see the "Russian hero-patriot." When Rudnev was introduced to him, he expressed his favor to the hero and, unexpectedly for all the higher persons present, awarded him the Order of the Lion and the Sun, 2nd degree with a diamond star. “... This is a laxative pill for my ill-wishers,” Rudnev joked when he returned home. And soon after that meeting, the Japanese government expressed recognition to the commander of the Varyag, sending the honorary Japanese order to Russia. rising sun", which was handed to Rudnev personally by the envoy of the mikado. He never wore this sign of Japanese honors in "... a black lacquered box with the state emblem on the lid", putting it somewhere far away so that it would not catch his eye and would not remind him of Uriu, Murakami and those black days of the war.

After a treacherous attack on Russian ships in Port Arthur and Chemulpo, Japan began the unhindered transfer of its troops across the sea and their landing in Korea and the Liaodong Peninsula in order to launch an offensive against the main forces of the Russian army in Manchuria and deploy operations against Port Arthur. The waters of the Yellow Sea were constantly plowed by the Japanese squadron of Admiral Togo, looking for ways to destroy Russian ships, blocking their way out of the bay. In naval operations, Russia suffered one setback after another. In the end, the remaining ships were laid up in Port Arthur, the guns were removed from them and installed on the coastal fortifications.

The heroic defense of Port Arthur, which was six times larger than that of Sevastopol, as a result of the criminal activities of the commandant of the fortress Stessel and the head of defense Fok, ended in its surrender. The Battle of Tsushima completed everything.

The war was shamefully lost. However, “by the Highest Decree of January 21, 1906 addressed to the Minister of War (given) to the Sovereign Emperor, it was pleasing to install a special medal in commemoration of the Royal gratitude to the troops participating in the war with Japan in 1904-1905, to be worn on the chest on a ribbon composed of Alexander and Georgievskaya".

On the front side of the medal is placed the “all-seeing eye”, surrounded by radiance; at the bottom, along the side, the dates: "1904-1905". On the back - a five-line inscription Slavic script: "YES - RELEASE - YOUR LORD - IN YOUR - TIME".

The medal was minted in one sample, but was subdivided into silver, light bronze and dark bronze (copper). Silver was intended, in fact, only for the defenders of the Kwantung Peninsula (on the southwestern tip of Liaodong, where Port Arthur was located). It was awarded to all persons who participated in the defense of the approaches to the fortress on the Jinzhou Isthmus and the defense of Port Arthur. The same silver medal was issued to all officials of various departments who were in the besieged Port Arthur on duty; as well as medical workers, priests who were in the service, and even the inhabitants of Port Arthur who participated in its defense.

The light bronze medal was given to all the ranks of the military and naval departments, the state militia and volunteers who had been in at least one battle against the Japanese on land or at sea.

Dark bronze (copper) medals were awarded to military ranks "who did not take part in the battles, but were in the service in the active armies and in the institutions attached to them ... located during the war ... on the day of the ratification of the peace treaty in the Far East and along the Siberian and Samaro -Zlatoust railways, in areas declared under martial law, namely:

1. Everyone in general: military, naval, border guards and militia.

2. Priests, doctors and other medical officials ... persons who do not belong to a military rank, if these persons were on duty with the troops and medical institutions.

Further, many more points about awarding this medal are indicated. She complained "... in general, to persons of all classes who rendered any special merit during the war with Japan, to honor these persons by the authorities of those troops and institutions in which they were at that time." And on March 1, 1906, an additional “Highest Command” was issued, which indicated the granting of the right “... to wear a bow with medals in memory of the war with Japan in 1904–1905, from the ribbon assigned to these medals, to all persons who were injured and shell-shocked in battles with the Japanese."

Many times it was told in the periodical press about the curiosity in the inscription of this medal, but the participant wrote about it most plausibly and convincingly. Russo-Japanese War A. A. Ignatiev in his book "50 years in the ranks":

“...- But why don’t you wear medals for the Japanese war? the boss asked me. The medal was a bad copy of the World War II medal, bronze instead of silver; on the reverse side of it was the inscription: "May the Lord exalt you in due time."

What time? When? - I tried to ask my colleagues on the General Staff.

Well, what are you all nitpicking about? - answered me alone. Others, more knowledgeable, advised to keep quiet, telling in secret what the obliging clerks could bring to. Peace with the Japanese had not yet been concluded, and the main headquarters had already drawn up a report on " highest name“On the need to create a special medal for the participants in the Manchurian War. The king, apparently, also hesitated against the proposed inscription: “May the Lord exalt you,” he wrote with a pencil on the margins of the paper: “Report in due time.”

When it was necessary to transfer the inscription for minting, the words “In due time”, which accidentally fell just opposite the line with the text of the inscription, were attached to it.” (It should be noted, however, that "May the Lord lift you up in due time" is an exact quotation from the New Testament.)

But a trial medal made of light bronze with a three-line inscription: "YES - RELEASE - YOU ARE THE LORD" took place. It is rare, but found in collectors' collections.

It must be assumed that, for clarity, along with the “report” to the “highest name”, trial samples of this medal were presented to Emperor Nicholas II. How else?

Along with the official medal for the Russo-Japanese War, a large mass of various varieties of bronze and copper medals was issued. They differ from the state ones in the size of the “all-seeing eye” triangle, and its position on the field relative to the center, and the shape of the radiant radiance, and the font of the inscription on the reverse side, and even the number of lines in it. But the most popular among collectors is a medal with a full four-line (legalized) inscription: "YES - UPGRADE YOU - THE LORD IN HIS - TIME". The font is made in Old Slavonic script.

In addition to the combined arms medal, in memory of the Russo-Japanese War, a silver medal of the Red Cross was also established, the “Highest Approved Position” of which was announced by the Ministry of Justice on January 19, 1906. The "Regulations" states that "... the Red Cross medal ... was established to be issued to persons of both sexes in memory of the participation that they took during the war against the Japanese in 1904 and 1905 in the activities Russian Society Red Cross, which is under the Highest Patronage of Her Imperial Majesty the Empress Empress Maria Feodorovna (mother of Nicholas II). Unfortunately, the regulations do not indicate the dimensions of this medal, but most often it is found with a diameter of 24 mm with a flat cross filled with red (ruby) enamel. On the reverse side, as indicated in the regulation, "... there are inscriptions:" RUSSIAN-JAPANESKY" - in a semicircle near the upper part of the rim, "1904-1905" - in plain type in the middle and "WAR" - at the bottom of the rim.

A rarity is a similar medal with a diameter of 28 mm. There are two variants of it. In one, the cross is made flat - according to the principle of a medal with a diameter of 22 mm, and in the other - it is steeply curved and soldered to the field of the medal only with the tips of the wings, so that a gap is formed under it. There is also a similar medal of reduced size - 21 mm in diameter.

The structure of the field at the base of the enamel on the cross of the medals is artistically processed in different ways. In 24mm, as a rule, in the form of narrow dashed beams running from the center to the edges. At 28 mm - small rectangles - "bricks"; for small ones, with a diameter of 21 mm, without preparation of the base - in the tone of ruby ​​​​enamel. All Red Cross medals have trial hallmarks on their pendant lugs.

Red Cross medals were awarded to all persons who took part in the activities of the Russian Red Cross Society: members of all departments, committees and communities, “... persons who served in their Chancelleries, managed warehouses and worked in them; commissioners, agents ... doctors, pharmacists, nurses, students ... paramedics, orderlies, artel workers, infirmary servants, and at points of various names - dressing, reception, sanitary, nutritional and overnight, as well as those who served in evacuation. The same medals were also awarded to "... persons who made more or less significant substantial donations of money and things, as well as contributed to the receipt of donations."

The medal was worn “... on the Alexander ribbon on the left side of the chest at will with all kinds of clothes. With orders and other insignia, this medal (should be hung) to the left of those, immediately after the medals granted by the government.

They were minted according to “... by order of the Main Directorate of the Russian Red Cross Society”, and when issuing it from the awarded, they withheld in favor of the Main Directorate of the Red Cross “its procurement cost”.

There were cases when sisters of mercy received several awards. For example, Sannikova, Maksimovich, Simanovskaya and Batanova withstood the siege of Port Arthur. In addition to the Red Cross medals and silver medals for the war, intended for the defenders of Port Arthur, they, when presented “... July 7, H.I.V. (her Imperial Majesty) Princess ... of Oldenburg, at Her Highness's dacha in Old Peterhof ... (were) awarded silver medals, with the inscription "For Courage", on St. George's ribbons.

These young women bore the hardships of war along with the men. They were in the midst of war and very often subjected to the unexpected vicissitudes of cruel fate.

After the end of the war, on September 26, 1906, bronze crosses "... of the State Militia of the Siberian Military District and squads formed due to military circumstances in the Far East ..." were established.

Similar signs appeared under Emperor Alexander I and retained their traditional form until the Russo-Japanese War. Only their size was reduced and the motto was somewhat changed - instead of “for faith and the king”, it became “FOR FAITHFUL, Tsar, Fatherland”. The final drawing of the sign, 43x43 mm in size, was formed back in the time of Alexander III, in 1890.

This award is a cross with broadened ends, in the rosette of which under the crown is depicted the cypher of Emperor Nicholas II. At its ends, along the edging, around the entire perimeter, there are small beads and inscriptions: on the left - "FOR", on the top - "Faith", on the right - "KING" and on the bottom in two lines - "FATHER - CHITY".

Based on the “Rules” approved on September 26, 1906, he complained “... As a sign of memory of service in the State Militia of the Siberian Military District, as well as in squads formed during the Russo-Japanese War for military reasons, it is presented to the generals, headquarters and chief officers and workers who served in the named militias and squads ... "On the basis of the same" Highest "administrative circular "... the right to wear a militia badge also extends to those exiled convicts who were part of squads formed in the Far East, who during their service in the squads were listed as peasants from the exiles. And paragraph "6" states that "... The militia badge is worn on the left side of the chest."

During the Russo-Japanese War, many ships of private entrepreneurs were mobilized, on which naval militia participated in various military operations - reconnaissance, the transfer of troops, and even in battles. A special sign was introduced for them. In form, it is identical to the sign of the land militia, but "oxidized anchors" were added to the gaps between the ends of the cross.

Both militia signs had pins on the reverse side for attaching to clothing.

The defense of Port Arthur in September reached highest point, and in the distant Baltic, the squadron of Z. P. Rozhdestvensky was only pulling up to the port of Libava (now Liepaja). On October 2, 1904, she, consisting of 7 battleships, 8 cruisers, 8 destroyers, 2 steamships of the Volunteer Fleet and a detachment of transports of 25 pennants, set off on a long journey (through three oceans) about 34 thousand kilometers long. Its task was to connect with the Port Arthur squadron and launch military operations against the Japanese in order to "...take possession of the Sea of ​​​​Japan."

No sooner had the Russian ships entered the expanses of the North Sea than trouble began. In the middle of the night at Dogger Bank, the squadron mistook the Hull fishing boats for Japanese destroyers and shot them. At the same time, not understanding the darkness, got his own. For the "Gull incident", which denounced the Russian fleet to the whole world, Russia paid 650 thousand gold rubles for the damage caused.

On the Tangier roadstead, at the Gibraltar Gate, a small part of the ships with a shallow draft was separated from the squadron and sent across the Mediterranean Sea to the Suez Canal and further through the Red Sea to Indian Ocean. The main forces went south across the Atlantic. Rounding the huge mainland of Africa, the ships either fell into a zone of torrential tropical rains, then sailed in a thick milky-white fog, giving signals with a guttural roar, then monotonously swayed on a dead swell under the unbearably scorching rays of the tropical sun, then entered a zone of continuous multi-day storms, when everything around him constantly roared and gurgled under the hurricane wind. The formation of ships stretched for a hundred miles, the transports lagged behind and often failed due to some kind of malfunction. And they happened very often. Here is how the commander of one of the detachments of the squadron Dobrovolsky spoke about this: “... Not a single ship is decently equipped, everything is done somehow, on a living thread ... It’s ridiculous to say that our detachment has been on the road for two months, but the cars of our cruisers ... still cannot develop even half of the speed that was obligatory for them ... "

The transition conditions were unbearably difficult, coal often had to be loaded from German coal miners by hand, right on the high seas, in terrible tropical heat - day and night, dirty and tired sailors literally fell off their feet. The Germans charged 500 rubles per day for demurrage of ships, and the price of coal itself was astronomical.

Fuel was stocked up to the limit, all corners and even living quarters were filled up with it, coal ignited spontaneously, and frequent fires broke out on ships.

Off the island of St. Mary, near Madagascar, the squadron was caught in a terrible storm. Huge armadillos were thrown like toys, “Dmitry Donskoy” lost a boat in this wild dance of the ocean, the tugboat “Rus” fell out of the marching formation, coal caught fire on the battleship “Prince Suvorov”, a whaleboat was torn off the “Aurora” and carried into the ocean ...

In Nessie-be, in Madagascar, news was received of the surrender of Port Arthur to the Japanese and the death of the Pacific squadron. Further following to Port Arthur lost its meaning. The crew of the squadron carried out repairs, the sailors hoped to return back to the Baltic. The squadron commander Rozhdestvensky, who had recently received the rank of vice admiral, well understood the inexpediency and disastrous end of this enterprise, but did not dare to object to Emperor Nicholas II, to speak about the weakness of his squadron in front of the forces of the Japanese fleet, which was nurtured by the strongest countries of Europe and the USA. On February 3, 1905, another squadron was sent to reinforce Rozhdestvensky from Libau, under the command of Rear Admiral N. I. Nebogatov, consisting of only five pennants - one old battleship, the same cruiser and three small coastal defense battleships, which the sailors nicknamed " self-propelled guns". They were low-sided and intended only for operations in the tight skerry conditions of the Gulf of Finland, but not for squadron battles.

The wait for reinforcements in Madagascar dragged on. In order to limit the time for the Japanese to prepare for the "meeting" of the Russian squadron, Rozhdestvensky appointed a rendezvous with Nebogatov on April 26 near Vang Fong Bay and moved his huge flotilla across the Indian Ocean. At night, among the endless ocean expanses, the squadron resembled a fabulous city with its multi-colored running lights. And if it were not for the feeling of tense expectation of the upcoming cruel denouement, this campaign could pass for an exciting journey. But the harsh reality constantly reminded of itself. The difficulties were incredible, there was nowhere to wait for help. Even the French allies did not allow the squadron (April 9) to rest in their Kamp-rang bay, forced it to leave the port, fearing complications with the Japanese.

After meeting with Nebogatov, whose ships only slightly increased the strength of the Russians, the combined squadron headed north, to the place of death, heading for the Korea Strait. The German coal miners who supplied the squadron were afraid to enter the waters of the eastern seas after the Japanese warning, and the Russian squadron moved on, overloaded with coal beyond measure.

The Japanese, having learned that the Russian squadron was heading, without changing course, to the Korea Strait, concentrated three squadrons near the Tsushima Islands and - for more successful operations - divided each into two or three more detachments. Their ships were mostly new, built according to last word technology.

“... One battleship Mikasa, with a displacement of fifteen thousand tons, is a colossus that has no equal in the entire Russian armada,” writes G. Khaliletsky. He goes on to eloquently characterize Japanese advantages. “…Yes, Europe has gone too far for the Nippon Empire!” Guns on Japanese ships - systems suspiciously similar to German ones, navigational instruments - twin British ones, devices for ... mine attacks, they say, were previously patented in the North American United States. Even the directions, if compared with those printed in London, differ only in that instead of lines of English names, they have narrow columns of hieroglyphs ... "

And here is what S. M. Belkin says about the advantage of arming the Japanese fleet in his book “Stories about Famous Ships”:

“... The Japanese had powerful high-explosive shells with a strong explosive effect, and shot our ships from 5.5 to 17.5 km. (According to Admiral Nebogatov himself, our shells exploded only at 25%.) In addition, the Japanese were faster-firing, if the Russians could fire 134 shots per minute, then the Japanese up to three hundred. The Japanese shells had more explosives. And as a shooting (advantage) was even more significant. The Russians fired about 200 kg of explosives per minute, while the Japanese up to 3,000 kg.

The Japanese were waiting for the Russian squadron back in January, and they had plenty of time to prepare for the decisive battle.

On May 12, before reaching Jeju Island, in front of the Korean Strait, six transports were separated from the Russian squadron, including three merchant ships of the voluntary fleet. They were sent, accompanied by the cruisers "Dnepr" and "Rion" on the way back. Now, before the battle, they were an extra burden to warships. On the same day, the squadron headed for the eastern passage of the Korea Strait between Japan and the Tsushima Islands. On the night of May 14, she passed the Japanese guard line without lights, but two illuminated hospital ships gave the Japanese the route of her movement.

Morning over the strait rose gloomy, restless. The veil of mist that hung in tatters over the water began to dissipate. The crew of the squadron lived in anxious expectation of a Japanese attack.

It is better to follow the further course of events through the eyes of the participants in the Tsushima battle themselves - on the basis of documents, diaries and memoirs. This is how an eyewitness who was on the Aurora cruiser describes this battle.

“... After the shot flagship “Prince Suvorov” fell out of action with a huge burning fire, the battleship “ Alexander III“, with whose name the most terrible memories of the horrors of Tsushima will forever remain associated ... All the fire of twelve Japanese ships fell on this battleship. And he, taking upon himself the brunt of the artillery strike, at the cost of his death, saved the rest of our ships ... heeling heavily, he went out of order. His appearance at that time was terrible: with a mass of holes in the sides, the destroyed upper superstructures, he was completely shrouded in black smoke. Fountains of fire burst out of the breaches, from the heap of broken parts. It seemed that the fire was about to reach the bomb cellars of the hook chambers and the ship would fly into the air ... It was enough for him to undergo a few more hits of large-caliber shells to finally lose his last strength. This time it rolled to the left. Obviously, his steering gear had deteriorated, the steering wheel remained put on board. The circulation caused a strong roll. Water, spilling inside the armadillo, rushed to the tilted side, and it was all over at once ...

From the cruisers "Admiral Nakhimov" and "Vladimir Monomakh", following the battleship, they saw how it fell on its side, like a cut oak. Many of his crew fell into the sea, others, as the ship turned over, crawled along its bottom to the keel. Then he immediately turned over and continued to swim in this position for about two minutes. People stuck to its huge bottom, overgrown with algae, believing that it would stay like that for a long time on the surface of the sea, and those who were already floundering in the waves climbed on it. From a distance it seemed that it was a sea monster swimming, spreading strands of algae and showing the red ridge of the keel. The people crawling on it looked like crabs.

The remaining ships, fighting with the enemy, moved on.

The wind roared freely, blowing away to new lands. Where the "Alexander III" was, large waves rolled, shaking on their ridges the floating fragments of a tree, the dumb ghosts of a terrible drama. And no one will ever tell what kind of torment the people experienced on this battleship: out of nine hundred people of its crew, not a single one survived.

When the battleship "Alexander III" broke down and began to sink, "... Borodino remained in charge. Firing back, he went forward, barely controlled by the remaining midshipmen ... This time the Japanese also applied their original tactics to the Russians - to hit the lead ship. Until now, "Borodino", despite the damage and heavy losses in people, held firm. It still had a twelve-inch aft turret and three starboard six-inch turrets. The ship, apparently, did not have underwater holes. But now, under the volleys of six enemy ships, his energy was quickly depleted. It seemed as if a thousand-pound hammers had fallen upon him. He blazed like a wooden hut. Smoke, mixed with gases, penetrated into all the upper compartments ...

Upstairs, not a single person remained from the combatant authorities ... Where did he (the ship) head? It is unknown ... While the machines were working properly on him, he simply walked along the rhumb to which he accidentally turned. And the whole squadron ... trailed behind him, like a leader ... Suddenly, the battleship shook all over from the enemy salvo that hit him and began to quickly fall to the starboard side ... ”(From the story of the only surviving sailor.)

Further, the Aurorovites narrate about this tragedy: “The Borodino, which capsized with its keel, no longer seemed like a formidable battleship armed with almost sixty guns. Its bottom, covered with shells, rather resembled the bottom of a huge old barge, outdated.

A powerful ship - a real armored city with hundreds of people on board - went into the abyss of the Tsushima Strait. The water closed over him, over the giant mass grave". (Of the 900 crew members ... only one sailor was destined to survive. The sailor Semyon Yushin escaped from the underwater grave.)

“Meanwhile, the Suvorov (the previously shot flagship) was subjected to (also) a terrible fate. At the end of the daytime battle ... destroyers appeared from the Japanese side and, like packs of hounds, pounced on the once mighty, and now dying beast ... going (to him) from the bow and coming out from under the shelling of the stern casemate, the Japanese were able to release their mines almost point-blank . The already tormented armadillo received three or four blows at the same time, for a moment threw out a flame high, and, enveloped in clouds of black and yellow smoke, quickly sank.

There were no rescued. (Only the officers who boarded the destroyer "Buyny", who accompanied the wounded Admiral Rozhdestvensky, survived, including Krzhizhanovsky, whose report is stored in the TsGAVMF.)

“And in five cables from the Suvorov, a few minutes later, the Kamchatka laid down its head. She tried to protect her flagship with only four small 47mm guns on board. A large shell exploded in her bow, and she swiftly followed the battleship to the bottom.

Few witnesses remained from the Kamchatka, which was sailed mainly by civilian workers ... "

So the main forces of the squadron died, while “... Rozhdestvensky with his headquarters, leaving the flagship battleship, escaped on the destroyer Buiny, then on the destroyer Bedovy and surrendered to the Japanese. The guns of the Bedovoye were shamefully sheathed.”

Rear Admiral Nebogatov "instead of the St. Andrew's flag raised a sheet." So angry and bitter they talked about the admiral's surrender. The fate of Russian ships that did not tarnish their honor was different.

The destroyer "Fast" blew itself up, but did not surrender to the enemy. "Dmitry Donskoy" doomed himself to death off the coast of Evenlet Island - the crew sank the cruiser, but did not submit, did not lower the battle flag.

The battleship "Admiral Ushakov" fought to the last opportunity; when these possibilities were exhausted, the commander ordered the kingstones to be opened.

The battleship was commanded by the brother of a courageous scientist and traveler, captain of the first rank Vladimir Nikolaevich Miklukho-Maclay. He was the last to leave the Ushakov, wounded, supported by the sailors, sailed as long as he had the strength, and preferred death in the waters of the Tsushima Strait to captivity.

The cruiser "Svetlana" fought with dignity and died with dignity, having opened the kingstones. Hundreds of sailors escaped in the water. The Japanese cruiser Otava, taking revenge on the recalcitrant, not only did not take on board those in distress, but also passed in the midst of those sailing, tearing helpless and unarmed people to shreds with propellers ...

And in conclusion, some statistics: out of 30 combat pennants of the Russian squadron, only the Almaz cruiser and two destroyers- "Brave" and "Terrible". In the middle of the night, three cruisers managed to escape with extinguished lights from the environment of Japanese destroyers: Oleg, Zhemchug, Aurora. They went to Manila (Philippines) and there they were interned by the American authorities. All other Russian ships were sunk or captured by the Japanese.

Despite the tragic ending of the Tsushima battle, which - in terms of its scale - history did not yet know, the 220-day passage of a huge formation of ships across three oceans in exceptionally difficult conditions was a feat in itself. In commemoration of this event, as well as in recognition of the valor of the Russian sailors in the grand battle of Tsushima, “The Sovereign Emperor, on the 19th day of February 1907, the Highest deigned to order to establish, according to the description and drawing attached with this, a medal in memory of the voyage around Africa 2nd Pacific Squadron under the command of the Adjutant General Rozhdestvensky to be worn on the chest by officers and lower ranks who were on the ships that made this transition.

The document describes it below:

Dark Bronze Medal. The front side of the medal - with the image of the earth's hemisphere and with the designation of the route of the squadron.

The reverse side of the medal depicts an anchor and the numbers 1904 and 1905.

Ribbon for the medal according to the attached drawing (white-yellow-black)."

The dark color of the medal, as it were, emphasizes the tragic end of the campaign. Some of these medals, made by private craftsmen, are specially tinted in the dark color of mourning. They, unfortunately, often sin with image distortions on them.

Similar privately made medals are also found in golden and white metal. All of them, including the state coinage, have a diameter of 28 mm.

In the collections of collectors there are sometimes medals "For the campaign of the squadron ...", made of dark bronze and more large size- 30 mm. They are also privately made. There are also miniature tail-coat medals made of white metal with a diameter of 12 mm.

And the last, shrouded in mystery, curious medal of the period of the Russo-Japanese War, individual copies of which are kept by collectors, is “For a trip to Japan”. There are three varieties of it - from silver, light bronze and white metal.

This medal is not approved, it was most likely made according to the type of the medal "For the campaign in China 1900-1901." and differs from it only in the inscription and small details.

On the front side of it, under the imperial crown, there is a large image of the ornate monogram of Nicholas II. On the back, along the edge of the edge of the medal, there is a circular inscription: “FOR THE TRIP TO JAPAN”, inside which are the dates: “1904–1905”, and below them, against the background of a vertically standing anchor, are placed a crossed rifle with a bayonet and a saber.

Some connoisseurs believe that several copies of this medal are trial (project) samples minted at a time when the government, blinded by the former glory of Russian weapons, intended to throw the Japanese army into the sea, land troops on the shores of Japan and, having crushed the enemy, sign peace without otherwise than in the Japanese capital. This is what the inscription on the medal itself says. Naturally, the tape for it was not defined.

And again, one of the foreign medals makes us return to Port Arthur.

Since the Russian government did not consider it necessary to establish a special award for rewarding the valiant defenders of Port Arthur, its ally France tried to fill this gap. The French population, admiring the stamina and courage of Russian soldiers, at the call of the newspaper "L'echo de Paris" raised money and with these funds special medals (of a single sample) were privately made to reward the defenders of Port Arthur: silver with gilding - for rewarding all officer ranks of the military and naval departments, just silver - for non-commissioned officers and light bronze - for awarding soldiers, sailors and other participants in the defense.

Instead of the traditional eye at the top of the edge of these medals, a special pendant was made in the form of two dolphins with a bracket for the ribbon of the French national colors.

On the obverse side of this medal there is an image of interesting composition: in the foreground are two Russian soldiers against the background of broken fortifications and downed guns. One of them, full-length, with a rifle, the other with a saber in right hand and leaning left on the shield with Russian coat of arms(two-headed eagle); behind them - on the right, the prospect of a raid is visible, with Russian warships standing on it. Above the figures of soldiers is an allegorical image of France in the form of a hovering woman with laurel wreaths in both hands, and a circular inscription near the rim: "Defense de Port-Arthur 1904".

On the reverse side, below the middle, there is a shield with a laurel wreath hanging on it and the inscription: "From France to General Stessel and his brave soldiers"; on the sides - eagles, in profile, with wings unfolded during takeoff; above the shield is an image of a proudly standing lion, "... putting his right paw on the crown and banner."

These medals in the amount of 30 thousand pieces were sent to Russia and for a long time were in the Naval Ministry, where they could not decide what to do with them. After all, the name of General Stessel was mentioned there, who treacherously surrendered the fortress with strong weapons, a large supply of firepower and food, and, finally, with a combat-ready, numerous garrison. The commandant of the fortress was put on trial, and suddenly these medals glorifying him as a hero?

As the press reported in 1910, “... the Ministry agreed to issue them to the circle of defenders of Port Arthur, on the condition that the inscription “To General Stessel” and ears would be removed from the medals at the expense of the circle, so that they could not be worn as orders.” In this case, the awards lost their meaning and turned into ordinary commemorative tokens. Naturally, the circle of porters did not agree to this. But it was not reasonable to return the medals back to France. The ears from them were still broken off and, according to the Staraya Moneta magazine, they were given out to the participants of the defense "without the right to wear." But this was no longer motivated by the presence of the Stessel name on the medals, but by the fact that they were private crafts.

And one more Port Arthur award. We have already mentioned that such an outstanding event as the eleven-month defense of Port Arthur was not marked by a special award. Instead, the defenders of the fortress of the Kwantung Peninsula were awarded a combined-arms "curious" medal.

After the end of the Russo-Japanese War, a statute was developed on a special insignia to reward the participants in the defense of the fortress, but some unknown forces held back its approval. Perhaps this award would have remained a good idea if it were not for a foreign medal minted with donations from the French people. The conflict that arose over its presentation with a circle of porters pushed the ministry to approve a long-prepared statute. But only on the anniversary date - the tenth anniversary of the defense, on January 19, 1914, six months before the start of the First World War, a special cross "For Port Arthur" adorned the chest of the surviving defenders of the fortress.

There were two varieties of this sign: silver - for rewarding officers and light bronze - for the lower ranks.

The ends of the cross (42x42 mm) are broadened in the manner of Georgievsky, but with swords crossed in the center (hilts down); in a rosette stylized as a six-bastion polygon of the fortress, a black silhouette of a squadron battleship with clearly distinguishable side guns is depicted on white enamel.

Large convex inscriptions are placed on the two horizontal ends of the cross: on the left - "PORT", on the right - "ARTUR"; On the back of the badge there is a pin for attaching it to clothing.

There are similar crosses made of light bronze, somewhat different from those described above. They do not have enamel in the rosette, the ship is depicted on them in profile (right side).

This sign completes a series of awards relating to the period of the Russo-Japanese War.

Greetings to all diggers-treasure hunters on my modest digger blog. I rummaged through the pictures today and found a couple of interesting ones, thanks to which the idea for the article arose. In fact, many of you have probably raised medal "Russian - japanese war 1904 - 1905" . So my colleagues and I raised such a medal, the preservation of which simply pleased us with its exclusivity. Here, look at how the medal is preserved, by the way it was found in sandy soil.

photo of the medal of the Russo-Japanese War 1904-1905

On the back of the medal is the inscription - may the lord lift you up in due time"

may the lord lift you up in due time

The war with Japan was lost, Port Arthur was surrendered to the enemy, by the way, the defense of the port was the most severe. And in 1906, by decree of the emperor, it was to issue a medal in memory of this war as a token of gratitude to the soldiers who participated in this war. On the front side of the medal, as you can see above, the all-seeing eye is depicted.

The medal was of 3 types:
1. Silver medal- was intended for the soldiers who were directly involved in the defense of the port of Arthur, for the defenders of the Kwantung Peninsula. Therefore, the silver medal of the Russo-Japanese War is much rarer and its cost is quite high. In addition to soldiers, such a medal was issued to medical workers and even civilians who were in the besieged Port Arthur.

2. Light bronze medal- issued to soldiers and commanders who participated in at least one battle against the Japanese, and it does not matter whether it was at sea or on land. A medal made of light bronze is also valued by collectors and costs up to 6,000 rubles for a preserved item.

3. Dark bronze medal- was intended for all military ranks who were in the service of the sovereign, but did not take part in hostilities. It is such an instance that is shown in the picture above. The price for such medals is low, about 1000-1500 rubles, by the way, we sold our medal of the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905 for 1500 rubles.

Now a few words about the history of the medal.
Initially, when the layout of the medal was approved, the inscription on the front side of the medal was "may the Lord lift you up." at that time, peace with the Japanese was on the verge of conclusion, and the king had already put a report on the importance of making a medal on the table. The tsar decided to wait a bit for the issue of the medal and signed the bottom of the report " in my time", making it clear that the medal should be issued when peace was concluded. But when the minting began, the report had an inscription in the hand of the king - at one time, and this was regarded as an addition to the main inscription "may the Lord exalt you." Like this and an interesting and incomprehensible inscription was formed on the medals of the Russo-Japanese War.

Trial copies of the medals of the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905 are known, on which there is no tsar's postscript "in due time", that is, the proud inscription " may the lord lift you up". Needless to say, the cost of such rarities is very high, but only a few copies are known. Trial medals, as well as coins, are extremely rare and expensive. Therefore, it would be logical to assume that when the king was brought to sign a report on the need to issue an award medal to participants war, they immediately brought a trial version of the medal.One can only guess how it all happened.

In addition to such a medal, there is another medal of the Russo-Japanese War - " red cross medal". Red Cross medals were awarded to everyone who took part in the work of the Red Cross Society during the Russo-Japanese War. These are orderlies, paramedics, doctors, as well as those who donated to the Red Cross Society both in money and things.

medal of the Russo-Japanese war 1904-1905 "red cross"

Such a medal is much less common, especially in good condition, because the "red cross" consists of enamel, which, unfortunately, wears off over time. So if you find such a medal, and even with preserved red enamel, then it will be a luxurious find, because such copies go at auctions for 12,000-17,000 rubles.

Well, that's all for today, there are still pictures of medals in the bins, so the following articles will also be about medals.

Well, for numismatists there is useful information:

Convenient price tag for orientation.

The ones that are modern. There are also 4000 rubles.

Awards of the Russo-Japanese War 1904–1905

After the suppression of the Yihetuan uprising in 1901, the struggle for dominance in China between the imperialist powers resumed with renewed vigor. The main rivals in Korea and Manchuria were Japan and Russia. Behind them were the big powers of the West, whose policy was to drag these two states into the war and thereby weaken their further influence in the Far East, in order to then themselves gain a foothold in Northern China.

Japan longed not only to take Korea and Manchuria under its influence, but also intended to seize the Far East from Russia in the future in order to become the undivided mistress of the Pacific Ocean. Her desire to oust Russia from northern China was in the interests of England. On January 17, 1902, an agreement was concluded between them, according to which England undertook to support Japan in all respects and provide it with comprehensive assistance.

Russia, with the support of Germany and France, sought to gain a foothold on the Liaodong Peninsula in the ice-free Port Arthur, make it the main base in the Far East, pull up a railway there, a branch from which to connect with Beijing.

The United States, in turn, under the guise of maintaining the integrity of China, pushed through its doctrine of "Open Doors", advocating for equal opportunities for all states in trade with China. They protested against the monopolistic policy of Russia in its northern regions. Under diplomatic pressure from England, the USA and Japan, Russia was forced in the spring of 1902 to begin preparations for the withdrawal of its troops from Manchuria. Trying to keep military forces there to guard the CER, at the same time she pressed the Chinese government to close access to Manchuria to foreigners. This demand provoked protest from her opponents. Japan showed such an aggressive disposition that it began to threaten Russia with war. In this regard, the Russian command stopped the evacuation of its troops, moreover, Mukden and Yingkou, from which troops had already been withdrawn, were again occupied by the Russians. On July 30, 1903, the head of the Kwantung region, E. I. Alekseev (illegitimate son of Alexander II), was appointed governor of the Far East. He was given broad powers of diplomatic relations on behalf of the king. Before the war, his headquarters was in Port Arthur, which at that time was only being strengthened.

Japan understood that Russia could be ousted from China only through armed force. Therefore, after the conclusion of an alliance treaty with England, she launched extensive preparations for war. Japanese sailors were trained in England in naval affairs, Japanese ships, built in English shipyards and equipped with American military equipment, plowed the seas, gaining combat experience in constant exercises; ground forces comprehended new German methods of offensive tactics. Japanese spies under the guise of the Chinese penetrated into all areas of deployment of Russian troops. Often, Japanese officers of the general staff were sent to Port Arthur and other military garrisons as various civilian specialists. England, the USA and even Germany provided Japan with huge loans, which ultimately amounted to 410 million rubles and covered half of all its expenses for the war. By the beginning of the war, the Japanese army numbered 375 thousand people, had 1140 guns, while Russia in the Far East had only 122 thousand soldiers and 320 guns. The Japanese fleet was 122 combat units against 66 Russians. The American weapons on the Japanese squadrons were superior to the Russian ones in combat qualities. Russia was not ready for this war, but hoped that it would be "small and victorious". And this hatred cost her dearly.

On January 27, 1904, Japan, without declaring war, attacked the Russian squadron stationed on the outer roadstead of Port Arthur. In the first days of hostilities, two Russian warships - the cruiser "Varyag" and the gunboat "Koreets" - were far from their squadron, in the Korean port of Chemulpo. The Russians resolutely rejected the Japanese admiral's ultimatum, refused to hand over the ships to the enemy and entered into battle, an unequal battle with the Japanese squadron, which consisted of fourteen ships. The Japanese countered the two Russian ships with 181 powerful guns and 42 torpedo tubes, that is, six times more than the Russians. Despite this, the enemy squadron suffered heavy damage, its ships were seriously damaged, and two cruisers even needed immediate dock repairs.

The Varyag also suffered. The cruiser received four holes, almost all the guns were broken, half of the gun servants were put out of action. This is how N. Rudnev, the son of the commander of the Varyag cruiser V.F. Rudnev, described this battle in his book about his father: During periods of special tension, no less than two hundred shells of various calibers were sent every minute towards the Varyag. The sea was literally seething with explosions, dozens of fountains rose, dousing the deck with fragments, cascades of water.

One of the first large shells that hit the cruiser destroyed the bridge, causing a fire in the navigational cabin, interrupted the fore-shrouds, disabled the rangefinder post No. 1. Midshipman Nirod, who determined the distance using the rangefinder, was torn to pieces. All that remained of him was his hand, identified by a ring on his finger. Sailors Vasily Maltsev, Vasily Oskin, Gavriil Mironov were also killed. Other sailors at the rangefinder post were wounded. The next shell disabled the six-inch gun No. 3, killed commander Grigory Postnov, wounded the rest ... ".

V. F. Rudnev, supported by the entire crew, decides to flood the cruiser so that the enemy does not get it. "Varyag" and "Korean" enter the neutral port of Chemulpo, where the ships of other countries are stationed. The Japanese demand the immediate extradition of Russian sailors as prisoners of war, but the British, French and Italian sailors, who witnessed an unprecedented battle, did not betray the heroes, they transported all the surviving Russian sailors to their ships. The last "Varyag" left his wounded and shell-shocked commander. Going to the boat, he kissed the railing of the gangway, and the cruiser was flooded. On the "Korean" there were still about 1000 pounds of gunpowder. The blown up boat fell apart, and they went under the water.

The heroes of the battle at Chemulpo on May 19 had a solemn meeting in Odessa, where they arrived on the Malaya steamer. Even at sea, the boat "Tamara" approached them, on which the head of the port delivered awards.

“... The meeting in Odessa was joyful and solemn. Right on the deck of the ship, the heroes of Chemulpo were pinned to the chest with St. George's crosses, a battery in Alexander Park saluted in their honor, ships on the roadstead and in the port raised flags of coloring. The whole city was engulfed in festive jubilation.

Sevastopol also solemnly received the sailors ... On April 10, a special echelon of 30 officers and 600 sailors of the "Varyag" and "Korean" left Sevastopol for the capital ... At all stations and half-stations, people were waiting for the passage of the echelon with the heroes of Chemulpo. Greetings and congratulations came from distant provinces and cities.

On April 16, the train arrived in St. Petersburg. On the platform of the Nikolaevsky railway station, the sailors were met by all the highest ranks of the fleet ... There were also relatives of the sailors, representatives of the army, city council, zemstvo and nobility, naval attachés ... The festively decorated Nevsky Prospekt, along which the sailors were solemnly marching, was crowded to overflowing with residents of the city. ... Under the continuous thunder of orchestras and an enthusiastic ovation that did not subside for a minute, the sailors made their way of glory along Nevsky Prospekt ... Tsar's review on Palace Square and a prayer service in the palace, lunch in the Nikolaev Hall ... reception in the City Council of gifts from the city - personalized silver watches to each sailor, performances and gala dinners succeeded each other. Each of the Varangians received the "highest souvenir" - a special "George" device, which he used at the king's dinner.

During this celebration, all the heroes of Chemulpo were awarded silver medals with a diameter of 30 mm on a special, unique ribbon of the "St. Andrew's Flag" (with a white field and a blue oblique St. Andrew's Cross on it).

On the front side, in the middle, inside a wreath of two laurel branches tied at the bottom with a ribbon, there is a cross of St. George the Victorious on an order ribbon; between the wreath and the side of the medal there is a circular inscription: “FOR THE FIGHT OF THE VARYAG AND THE KOREAN ON JANUARY 27. 1904 - CHEMULPO -". The last dash character closes the phrase with its beginning so that you can read it from the word "Chemulpo".

The reverse side of the medal for the first time in the period of the 19th and early 20th centuries was minted according to the Petrine tradition - with the image of a sea battle. In the foreground of the composition are the cruiser "Varyag" and the gunboat "Koreets", going into battle towards the Japanese squadron, whose ships are visible to the right of the medal, above the horizon line; above - in the clouds, under the very ear, a four-pointed cross is placed as a symbol of the Christian faith.

The medal was established on July 10, 1904 and awarded to all participants in the naval battle with the Japanese Uriu squadron near Chemulpo. “Rudnev was handed it upon his return from vacation,” as his son Rudnev N. wrote. “He joked sadly:“ This is my last silver pill! George of the 4th degree, although according to the status he relied on the third. In addition, Rudnev was given the rank of aide-de-camp, according to which he became a member of the royal retinue of Emperor Nicholas II and was obliged to carry out "... once or twice a month, daily duty in the royal palace with the person of the monarch."

Once, during one of these duties, Emperor Nicholas II was visited by the Shah of Persia and wished to personally see the "Russian hero-patriot." When Rudnev was introduced to him, he expressed his favor to the hero and, unexpectedly for all the higher persons present, awarded him the Order of the Lion and the Sun, 2nd degree with a diamond star. “... This is a laxative pill for my ill-wishers,” Rudnev joked when he returned home. And soon after that meeting, the Japanese government expressed recognition to the commander of the Varyag, sending to Russia the honorary Japanese Order of the Rising Sun, which was personally presented to Rudnev by the envoy of the Mikado. He never wore this sign of Japanese honors in "... a black lacquered box with the state emblem on the lid", putting it somewhere far away so that it would not catch his eye and would not remind him of Uriu, Murakami and those black days of the war.

After a treacherous attack on Russian ships in Port Arthur and Chemulpo, Japan began the unhindered transfer of its troops across the sea and their landing in Korea and the Liaodong Peninsula in order to launch an offensive against the main forces of the Russian army in Manchuria and deploy operations against Port Arthur. The waters of the Yellow Sea were constantly plowed by the Japanese squadron of Admiral Togo, looking for ways to destroy Russian ships, blocking their way out of the bay. In naval operations, Russia suffered one setback after another. In the end, the remaining ships were laid up in Port Arthur, the guns were removed from them and installed on the coastal fortifications.

The heroic defense of Port Arthur, which was six times larger than that of Sevastopol, as a result of the criminal activities of the commandant of the fortress Stessel and the head of defense Fok, ended in its surrender. The Battle of Tsushima completed everything.

The war was shamefully lost. However, “by the Highest Decree of January 21, 1906 addressed to the Minister of War (given) to the Sovereign Emperor, it was pleasing to install a special medal in commemoration of the Royal gratitude to the troops participating in the war with Japan in 1904-1905, to be worn on the chest on a ribbon composed of Alexander and Georgievskaya".

On the front side of the medal is placed the “all-seeing eye”, surrounded by radiance; at the bottom, along the side, the dates: "1904-1905". On the back there is a five-line inscription in Slavic script: "YES - ASCEND - YOU ARE THE LORD - IN YOUR TIME".

The medal was minted in one sample, but was subdivided into silver, light bronze and dark bronze (copper). Silver was intended, in fact, only for the defenders of the Kwantung Peninsula (on the southwestern tip of Liaodong, where Port Arthur was located). It was awarded to all persons who participated in the defense of the approaches to the fortress on the Jinzhou Isthmus and the defense of Port Arthur. The same silver medal was issued to all officials of various departments who were in the besieged Port Arthur on duty; as well as medical workers, priests who were in the service, and even the inhabitants of Port Arthur who participated in its defense.

The light bronze medal was given to all the ranks of the military and naval departments, the state militia and volunteers who had been in at least one battle against the Japanese on land or at sea.

Dark bronze (copper) medals were awarded to military ranks "who did not take part in the battles, but were in the service in the active armies and in the institutions attached to them ... located during the war ... on the day of the ratification of the peace treaty in the Far East and along the Siberian and Samaro -Zlatoust railways, in areas declared under martial law, namely:

1. Everyone in general: military, naval, border guards and militia.

2. Priests, doctors and other medical officials ... persons who do not belong to a military rank, if these persons were on duty with the troops and medical institutions.

Further, many more points about awarding this medal are indicated. She complained "... in general, to persons of all classes who rendered any special merit during the war with Japan, to honor these persons by the authorities of those troops and institutions in which they were at that time." And on March 1, 1906, an additional “Highest Command” was issued, which indicated the granting of the right “... to wear a bow with medals in memory of the war with Japan in 1904–1905, from the ribbon assigned to these medals, to all persons who were injured and shell-shocked in battles with the Japanese."

Many times it was told in the periodical press about the curiosity in the inscription of this medal, but the participant of the Russian-Japanese war A. A. Ignatiev wrote about it most plausibly and convincingly in his book “50 years in the ranks”:

“...- But why don’t you wear medals for the Japanese war? the boss asked me. The medal was a bad copy of the World War II medal, bronze instead of silver; on the reverse side of it was the inscription: "May the Lord exalt you in due time."

What time? When? - I tried to ask my colleagues on the General Staff.

Well, what are you all nitpicking about? - answered me alone. Others, more knowledgeable, advised to keep quiet, telling in secret what the obliging clerks could bring to. Peace with the Japanese had not yet been concluded, and the main headquarters had already drawn up a report in the "highest name" on the need to create a special medal for the participants in the Manchurian war. The king, apparently, also hesitated against the proposed inscription: “May the Lord exalt you,” he wrote with a pencil on the margins of the paper: “Report in due time.”

When it was necessary to transfer the inscription for minting, the words “In due time”, which accidentally fell just opposite the line with the text of the inscription, were attached to it.” (It should be noted, however, that "May the Lord lift you up in due time" is an exact quotation from the New Testament.)

But a trial medal made of light bronze with a three-line inscription: "YES - RELEASE - YOU ARE THE LORD" took place. It is rare, but found in collectors' collections.

It must be assumed that, for clarity, along with the “report” to the “highest name”, trial samples of this medal were presented to Emperor Nicholas II. How else?

Along with the official medal for the Russo-Japanese War, a large mass of various varieties of bronze and copper medals was issued. They differ from the state ones in the size of the “all-seeing eye” triangle, and its position on the field relative to the center, and the shape of the radiant radiance, and the font of the inscription on the reverse side, and even the number of lines in it. But the most popular among collectors is a medal with a full four-line (legalized) inscription: "YES - UPGRADE YOU - THE LORD IN HIS - TIME". The font is made in Old Slavonic script.

In addition to the combined arms medal, in memory of the Russo-Japanese War, a silver medal of the Red Cross was also established, the “Highest Approved Position” of which was announced by the Ministry of Justice on January 19, 1906. The "Regulations" states that "... the Red Cross medal... was established to be issued to persons of both sexes in memory of the participation that they took during the war against the Japanese in 1904 and 1905 in the activities of the Russian Red Cross Society, which is under the Highest Patronage of Her Imperial Majesty the Empress Empress Maria Feodorovna (mother of Nicholas II). Unfortunately, the regulations do not indicate the dimensions of this medal, but most often it is found with a diameter of 24 mm with a flat cross filled with red (ruby) enamel. On the reverse side, as indicated in the regulation, "... there are inscriptions:" RUSSIAN-JAPANESKY" - in a semicircle near the upper part of the rim, "1904-1905" - in plain type in the middle and "WAR" - at the bottom of the rim.

A rarity is a similar medal with a diameter of 28 mm. There are two variants of it. In one, the cross is made flat - according to the principle of a medal with a diameter of 22 mm, and in the other - it is steeply curved and soldered to the field of the medal only with the tips of the wings, so that a gap is formed under it. There is also a similar medal of reduced size - 21 mm in diameter.

The structure of the field at the base of the enamel on the cross of the medals is artistically processed in different ways. In 24mm, as a rule, in the form of narrow dashed beams running from the center to the edges. At 28 mm - small rectangles - "bricks"; for small ones, with a diameter of 21 mm, without preparation of the base - in the tone of ruby ​​​​enamel. All Red Cross medals have trial hallmarks on their pendant lugs.

Red Cross medals were awarded to all persons who took part in the activities of the Russian Red Cross Society: members of all departments, committees and communities, “... persons who served in their Chancelleries, managed warehouses and worked in them; commissioners, agents ... doctors, pharmacists, nurses, students ... paramedics, orderlies, artel workers, infirmary servants, and at points of various names - dressing, reception, sanitary, nutritional and overnight, as well as those who served in evacuation. The same medals were also awarded to "... persons who made more or less significant substantial donations of money and things, as well as contributed to the receipt of donations."

The medal was worn “... on the Alexander ribbon on the left side of the chest at will with all kinds of clothes. With orders and other insignia, this medal (should be hung) to the left of those, immediately after the medals granted by the government.

They were minted according to “... by order of the Main Directorate of the Russian Red Cross Society”, and when issuing it from the awarded, they withheld in favor of the Main Directorate of the Red Cross “its procurement cost”.

There were cases when sisters of mercy received several awards. For example, Sannikova, Maksimovich, Simanovskaya and Batanova withstood the siege of Port Arthur. In addition to the Red Cross medals and silver medals for the war, intended for the defenders of Port Arthur, they, when presented “... July 7, H.I.V. (to Her Imperial Majesty) Princess ... of Oldenburg, at Her Highness's dacha in Old Peterhof ... (were) awarded silver medals, with the inscription "For Courage", on St. George's ribbons.

These young women bore the hardships of war along with the men. They were in the midst of war and very often subjected to the unexpected vicissitudes of cruel fate.

After the end of the war, on September 26, 1906, bronze crosses "... of the State Militia of the Siberian Military District and squads formed due to military circumstances in the Far East ..." were established.

Similar signs appeared under Emperor Alexander I and retained their traditional form until the Russo-Japanese War. Only their size was reduced and the motto was somewhat changed - instead of “for faith and the king”, it became “FOR FAITHFUL, Tsar, Fatherland”. The final drawing of the sign, 43x43 mm in size, was formed back in the time of Alexander III, in 1890.

This award is a cross with broadened ends, in the rosette of which under the crown is depicted the cypher of Emperor Nicholas II. At its ends, along the edging, around the entire perimeter, there are small beads and inscriptions: on the left - "FOR", on the top - "Faith", on the right - "KING" and on the bottom in two lines - "FATHER - CHITY".

Based on the “Rules” approved on September 26, 1906, he complained “... As a sign of memory of service in the State Militia of the Siberian Military District, as well as in squads formed during the Russo-Japanese War for military reasons, it is presented to the generals, headquarters and chief officers and workers who served in the named militias and squads ... "On the basis of the same" Highest "administrative circular "... the right to wear a militia badge also extends to those exiled convicts who were part of squads formed in the Far East, who during their service in the squads were listed as peasants from the exiles. And paragraph "6" states that "... The militia badge is worn on the left side of the chest."

During the Russo-Japanese War, many ships of private entrepreneurs were mobilized, on which naval militia participated in various military operations - reconnaissance, the transfer of troops, and even in battles. A special sign was introduced for them. In form, it is identical to the sign of the land militia, but "oxidized anchors" were added to the gaps between the ends of the cross.

Both militia signs had pins on the reverse side for attaching to clothing.

The defense of Port Arthur in September reached its highest point, and in the distant Baltic, the squadron of Z. P. Rozhdestvensky was only pulling up to the port of Libava (now Liepaja). On October 2, 1904, she, consisting of 7 battleships, 8 cruisers, 8 destroyers, 2 steamships of the Volunteer Fleet and a detachment of transports of 25 pennants, set off on a long journey (through three oceans) about 34 thousand kilometers long. Its task was to connect with the Port Arthur squadron and launch military operations against the Japanese in order to "...take possession of the Sea of ​​​​Japan."

No sooner had the Russian ships entered the expanses of the North Sea than trouble began. In the middle of the night at Dogger Bank, the squadron mistook the Hull fishing boats for Japanese destroyers and shot them. At the same time, not understanding the darkness, got his own. For the "Gull incident", which denounced the Russian fleet to the whole world, Russia paid 650 thousand gold rubles for the damage caused.

On the Tangier raid, at the Gibraltar Gate, a small part of the ships with a shallow draft was separated from the squadron and sent across the Mediterranean to the Suez Canal and further across the Red Sea to the Indian Ocean. The main forces went south across the Atlantic. Rounding the huge mainland of Africa, the ships either fell into a zone of torrential tropical rains, then sailed in a thick milky-white fog, giving signals with a guttural roar, then monotonously swayed on a dead swell under the unbearably scorching rays of the tropical sun, then entered a zone of continuous multi-day storms, when everything around him constantly roared and gurgled under the hurricane wind. The formation of ships stretched for a hundred miles, the transports lagged behind and often failed due to some kind of malfunction. And they happened very often. Here is how the commander of one of the detachments of the squadron Dobrovolsky spoke about this: “... Not a single ship is decently equipped, everything is done somehow, on a living thread ... It’s ridiculous to say that our detachment has been on the road for two months, but the cars of our cruisers ... still cannot develop even half of the speed that was obligatory for them ... "

The transition conditions were unbearably difficult, coal often had to be loaded from German coal miners by hand, right on the high seas, in terrible tropical heat - day and night, dirty and tired sailors literally fell off their feet. The Germans charged 500 rubles per day for demurrage of ships, and the price of coal itself was astronomical.

Fuel was stocked up to the limit, all corners and even living quarters were filled up with it, coal ignited spontaneously, and frequent fires broke out on ships.

Off the island of St. Mary, near Madagascar, the squadron was caught in a terrible storm. Huge armadillos were thrown like toys, “Dmitry Donskoy” lost a boat in this wild dance of the ocean, the tugboat “Rus” fell out of the marching formation, coal caught fire on the battleship “Prince Suvorov”, a whaleboat was torn off the “Aurora” and carried into the ocean ...

In Nessie-be, in Madagascar, news was received of the surrender of Port Arthur to the Japanese and the death of the Pacific squadron. Further following to Port Arthur lost its meaning. The crew of the squadron carried out repairs, the sailors hoped to return back to the Baltic. The squadron commander Rozhdestvensky, who had recently received the rank of vice admiral, well understood the inexpediency and disastrous end of this enterprise, but did not dare to object to Emperor Nicholas II, to speak about the weakness of his squadron in front of the forces of the Japanese fleet, which was nurtured by the strongest countries of Europe and the USA. On February 3, 1905, another squadron was sent to reinforce Rozhdestvensky from Libau, under the command of Rear Admiral N. I. Nebogatov, consisting of only five pennants - one old battleship, the same cruiser and three small coastal defense battleships, which the sailors nicknamed " self-propelled guns". They were low-sided and intended only for operations in the tight skerry conditions of the Gulf of Finland, but not for squadron battles.

The wait for reinforcements in Madagascar dragged on. In order to limit the time for the Japanese to prepare for the "meeting" of the Russian squadron, Rozhdestvensky appointed a rendezvous with Nebogatov on April 26 near Vang Fong Bay and moved his huge flotilla across the Indian Ocean. At night, among the endless ocean expanses, the squadron resembled a fabulous city with its multi-colored running lights. And if it were not for the feeling of tense expectation of the upcoming cruel denouement, this campaign could pass for an exciting journey. But the harsh reality constantly reminded of itself. The difficulties were incredible, there was nowhere to wait for help. Even the French allies did not allow the squadron (April 9) to rest in their Kamp-rang bay, forced it to leave the port, fearing complications with the Japanese.

After meeting with Nebogatov, whose ships only slightly increased the strength of the Russians, the combined squadron headed north, to the place of death, heading for the Korea Strait. The German coal miners who supplied the squadron were afraid to enter the waters of the eastern seas after the Japanese warning, and the Russian squadron moved on, overloaded with coal beyond measure.

The Japanese, having learned that the Russian squadron was heading, without changing course, to the Korea Strait, concentrated three squadrons near the Tsushima Islands and - for more successful operations - divided each into two or three more detachments. Their ships were mostly new, built with the latest technology.

“... One battleship Mikasa, with a displacement of fifteen thousand tons, is a colossus that has no equal in the entire Russian armada,” writes G. Khaliletsky. He goes on to eloquently characterize Japanese advantages. “…Yes, Europe has gone too far for the Nippon Empire!” Guns on Japanese ships - systems suspiciously similar to German ones, navigational instruments - twin British ones, devices for ... mine attacks, they say, were previously patented in the North American United States. Even the directions, if compared with those printed in London, differ only in that instead of lines of English names, they have narrow columns of hieroglyphs ... "

And here is what S. M. Belkin says about the advantage of arming the Japanese fleet in his book “Stories about Famous Ships”:

“... The Japanese had powerful high-explosive shells with a strong explosive effect, and shot our ships from 5.5 to 17.5 km. (According to Admiral Nebogatov himself, our shells exploded only at 25%.) In addition, the Japanese were faster-firing, if the Russians could fire 134 shots per minute, then the Japanese up to three hundred. The Japanese shells had more explosives. And as a shooting (advantage) was even more significant. The Russians fired about 200 kg of explosives per minute, while the Japanese up to 3,000 kg.

The Japanese were waiting for the Russian squadron back in January, and they had plenty of time to prepare for the decisive battle.

On May 12, before reaching Jeju Island, in front of the Korean Strait, six transports were separated from the Russian squadron, including three merchant ships of the voluntary fleet. They were sent, accompanied by the cruisers "Dnepr" and "Rion" on the way back. Now, before the battle, they were an extra burden to warships. On the same day, the squadron headed for the eastern passage of the Korea Strait between Japan and the Tsushima Islands. On the night of May 14, she passed the Japanese guard line without lights, but two illuminated hospital ships gave the Japanese the route of her movement.

Morning over the strait rose gloomy, restless. The veil of mist that hung in tatters over the water began to dissipate. The crew of the squadron lived in anxious expectation of a Japanese attack.

It is better to follow the further course of events through the eyes of the participants in the Tsushima battle themselves - on the basis of documents, diaries and memoirs. This is how an eyewitness who was on the Aurora cruiser describes this battle.

“... After the shot flagship “Prince Suvorov” fell out of action with a huge burning fire, it was replaced by the battleship “Alexander III”, whose name will forever remain associated with the most terrible memories of the horrors of Tsushima ... All the fire of twelve Japanese ships. And he, taking upon himself the brunt of the artillery strike, at the cost of his death, saved the rest of our ships ... heeling heavily, he went out of order. His appearance at that time was terrible: with a mass of holes in the sides, the destroyed upper superstructures, he was completely shrouded in black smoke. Fountains of fire burst out of the breaches, from the heap of broken parts. It seemed that the fire was about to reach the bomb cellars of the hook chambers and the ship would fly into the air ... It was enough for him to undergo a few more hits of large-caliber shells to finally lose his last strength. This time it rolled to the left. Obviously, his steering gear had deteriorated, the steering wheel remained put on board. The circulation caused a strong roll. Water, spilling inside the armadillo, rushed to the tilted side, and it was all over at once ...

From the cruisers "Admiral Nakhimov" and "Vladimir Monomakh", following the battleship, they saw how it fell on its side, like a cut oak. Many of his crew fell into the sea, others, as the ship turned over, crawled along its bottom to the keel. Then he immediately turned over and continued to swim in this position for about two minutes. People stuck to its huge bottom, overgrown with algae, believing that it would stay like that for a long time on the surface of the sea, and those who were already floundering in the waves climbed on it. From a distance it seemed that it was a sea monster swimming, spreading strands of algae and showing the red ridge of the keel. The people crawling on it looked like crabs.

The remaining ships, fighting with the enemy, moved on.

The wind roared freely, blowing away to new lands. Where the "Alexander III" was, large waves rolled, shaking on their ridges the floating fragments of a tree, the dumb ghosts of a terrible drama. And no one will ever tell what kind of torment the people experienced on this battleship: out of nine hundred people of its crew, not a single one survived.

When the battleship "Alexander III" broke down and began to sink, "... Borodino remained in charge. Firing back, he went forward, barely controlled by the remaining midshipmen ... This time the Japanese also applied their original tactics to the Russians - to hit the lead ship. Until now, "Borodino", despite the damage and heavy losses in people, held firm. It still had a twelve-inch aft turret and three starboard six-inch turrets. The ship, apparently, did not have underwater holes. But now, under the volleys of six enemy ships, his energy was quickly depleted. It seemed as if a thousand-pound hammers had fallen upon him. He blazed like a wooden hut. Smoke, mixed with gases, penetrated into all the upper compartments ...

Upstairs, not a single person remained from the combatant authorities ... Where did he (the ship) head? It is unknown ... While the machines were working properly on him, he simply walked along the rhumb to which he accidentally turned. And the whole squadron ... trailed behind him, like a leader ... Suddenly, the battleship shook all over from the enemy salvo that hit him and began to quickly fall to the starboard side ... ”(From the story of the only surviving sailor.)

Further, the Aurorovites narrate about this tragedy: “The Borodino, which capsized with its keel, no longer seemed like a formidable battleship armed with almost sixty guns. Its bottom, covered with shells, rather resembled the bottom of a huge old barge, outdated.

A powerful ship - a real armored city with hundreds of people on board - went into the abyss of the Tsushima Strait. The water closed over him, over a gigantic mass grave. (Of the 900 crew members ... only one sailor was destined to survive. The sailor Semyon Yushin escaped from the underwater grave.)

“Meanwhile, the Suvorov (the previously shot flagship) was subjected to (also) a terrible fate. At the end of the daytime battle ... destroyers appeared from the Japanese side and, like packs of hounds, pounced on the once mighty, and now dying beast ... going (to him) from the bow and coming out from under the shelling of the stern casemate, the Japanese were able to release their mines almost point-blank . The already tormented armadillo received three or four blows at the same time, for a moment threw out a flame high, and, enveloped in clouds of black and yellow smoke, quickly sank.

There were no rescued. (Only the officers who boarded the destroyer "Buyny", who accompanied the wounded Admiral Rozhdestvensky, survived, including Krzhizhanovsky, whose report is stored in the TsGAVMF.)

“And in five cables from the Suvorov, a few minutes later, the Kamchatka laid down its head. She tried to protect her flagship with only four small 47mm guns on board. A large shell exploded in her bow, and she swiftly followed the battleship to the bottom.

Few witnesses remained from the Kamchatka, which was sailed mainly by civilian workers ... "

So the main forces of the squadron died, while “... Rozhdestvensky with his headquarters, leaving the flagship battleship, escaped on the destroyer Buiny, then on the destroyer Bedovy and surrendered to the Japanese. The guns of the Bedovoye were shamefully sheathed.”

Rear Admiral Nebogatov "instead of the St. Andrew's flag raised a sheet." So angry and bitter they talked about the admiral's surrender. The fate of Russian ships that did not tarnish their honor was different.

The destroyer "Fast" blew itself up, but did not surrender to the enemy. "Dmitry Donskoy" doomed himself to death off the coast of Evenlet Island - the crew sank the cruiser, but did not submit, did not lower the battle flag.

The battleship "Admiral Ushakov" fought to the last opportunity; when these possibilities were exhausted, the commander ordered the kingstones to be opened.

The battleship was commanded by the brother of a courageous scientist and traveler, captain of the first rank Vladimir Nikolaevich Miklukho-Maclay. He was the last to leave the Ushakov, wounded, supported by the sailors, sailed as long as he had the strength, and preferred death in the waters of the Tsushima Strait to captivity.

The cruiser "Svetlana" fought with dignity and died with dignity, having opened the kingstones. Hundreds of sailors escaped in the water. The Japanese cruiser Otava, taking revenge on the recalcitrant, not only did not take on board those in distress, but also passed in the midst of those sailing, tearing helpless and unarmed people to shreds with propellers ...

And in conclusion, some statistics: out of 30 combat pennants of the Russian squadron, only the Almaz cruiser and two destroyers, Bravo and Grozny, managed to break into Vladivostok. In the middle of the night, three cruisers managed to escape with extinguished lights from the environment of Japanese destroyers: Oleg, Zhemchug, Aurora. They went to Manila (Philippines) and there they were interned by the American authorities. All other Russian ships were sunk or captured by the Japanese.

Despite the tragic ending of the Tsushima battle, which - in terms of its scale - history did not yet know, the 220-day passage of a huge formation of ships across three oceans in exceptionally difficult conditions was a feat in itself. In commemoration of this event, as well as in recognition of the valor of the Russian sailors in the grand battle of Tsushima, “The Sovereign Emperor, on the 19th day of February 1907, the Highest deigned to order to establish, according to the description and drawing attached with this, a medal in memory of the voyage around Africa 2nd Pacific Squadron under the command of the Adjutant General Rozhdestvensky to be worn on the chest by officers and lower ranks who were on the ships that made this transition.

The document describes it below:

Dark Bronze Medal. The front side of the medal - with the image of the earth's hemisphere and with the designation of the route of the squadron.

The reverse side of the medal depicts an anchor and the numbers 1904 and 1905.

Ribbon for the medal according to the attached drawing (white-yellow-black)."

The dark color of the medal, as it were, emphasizes the tragic end of the campaign. Some of these medals, made by private craftsmen, are specially tinted in the dark color of mourning. They, unfortunately, often sin with image distortions on them.

Similar privately made medals are also found in golden and white metal. All of them, including the state coinage, have a diameter of 28 mm.

In the collections of collectors there are sometimes medals "For the campaign of the squadron ...", made of dark bronze and a larger size - 30 mm. They are also privately made. There are also miniature tail-coat medals made of white metal with a diameter of 12 mm.

And the last, shrouded in mystery, curious medal of the period of the Russo-Japanese War, individual copies of which are kept by collectors, is “For a trip to Japan”. There are three varieties of it - from silver, light bronze and white metal.

This medal is not approved, it was most likely made according to the type of the medal "For the campaign in China 1900-1901." and differs from it only in the inscription and small details.

On the front side of it, under the imperial crown, there is a large image of the ornate monogram of Nicholas II. On the back, along the edge of the edge of the medal, there is a circular inscription: “FOR THE TRIP TO JAPAN”, inside which are the dates: “1904–1905”, and below them, against the background of a vertically standing anchor, are placed a crossed rifle with a bayonet and a saber.

Some connoisseurs believe that several copies of this medal are trial (project) samples minted at a time when the government, blinded by the former glory of Russian weapons, intended to throw the Japanese army into the sea, land troops on the shores of Japan and, having crushed the enemy, sign peace without otherwise than in the Japanese capital. This is what the inscription on the medal itself says. Naturally, the tape for it was not defined.

And again, one of the foreign medals makes us return to Port Arthur.

Since the Russian government did not consider it necessary to establish a special award for rewarding the valiant defenders of Port Arthur, its ally France tried to fill this gap. The French population, admiring the stamina and courage of Russian soldiers, at the call of the newspaper "L'echo de Paris" raised money and with these funds special medals (of a single sample) were privately made to reward the defenders of Port Arthur: silver with gilding - for rewarding all officer ranks of the military and naval departments, just silver - for non-commissioned officers and light bronze - for awarding soldiers, sailors and other participants in the defense.

Instead of the traditional eye at the top of the edge of these medals, a special pendant was made in the form of two dolphins with a bracket for the ribbon of the French national colors.

On the obverse side of this medal there is an image of interesting composition: in the foreground are two Russian soldiers against the background of broken fortifications and downed guns. One of them, full-length, with a rifle, the other with a saber in his right hand and leaning with his left on a shield with the Russian coat of arms (double-headed eagle); behind them - on the right, the prospect of a raid is visible, with Russian warships standing on it. Above the figures of soldiers is an allegorical image of France in the form of a hovering woman with laurel wreaths in both hands, and a circular inscription near the rim: "Defense de Port-Arthur 1904".

On the reverse side, below the middle, there is a shield with a laurel wreath hanging on it and the inscription: "From France to General Stessel and his brave soldiers"; on the sides - eagles, in profile, with wings unfolded during takeoff; above the shield is an image of a proudly standing lion, "... putting his right paw on the crown and banner."

These medals in the amount of 30 thousand pieces were sent to Russia and for a long time were in the Naval Ministry, where they could not decide what to do with them. After all, the name of General Stessel was mentioned there, who treacherously surrendered the fortress with strong weapons, a large supply of firepower and food, and, finally, with a combat-ready, numerous garrison. The commandant of the fortress was put on trial, and suddenly these medals glorifying him as a hero?

As the press reported in 1910, “... the Ministry agreed to issue them to the circle of defenders of Port Arthur, on the condition that the inscription “To General Stessel” and ears would be removed from the medals at the expense of the circle, so that they could not be worn as orders.” In this case, the awards lost their meaning and turned into ordinary commemorative tokens. Naturally, the circle of porters did not agree to this. But it was not reasonable to return the medals back to France. The ears from them were still broken off and, according to the Staraya Moneta magazine, they were given out to the participants of the defense "without the right to wear." But this was no longer motivated by the presence of the Stessel name on the medals, but by the fact that they were private crafts.

And one more Port Arthur award. We have already mentioned that such an outstanding event as the eleven-month defense of Port Arthur was not marked by a special award. Instead, the defenders of the fortress of the Kwantung Peninsula were awarded a combined-arms "curious" medal.

After the end of the Russo-Japanese War, a statute was developed on a special insignia to reward the participants in the defense of the fortress, but some unknown forces held back its approval. Perhaps this award would have remained a good idea if it were not for a foreign medal minted with donations from the French people. The conflict that arose over its presentation with a circle of porters pushed the ministry to approve a long-prepared statute. But only on the anniversary date - the tenth anniversary of the defense, on January 19, 1914, six months before the start of the First World War, a special cross "For Port Arthur" adorned the chest of the surviving defenders of the fortress.

There were two varieties of this sign: silver - for rewarding officers and light bronze - for lower ranks.

The ends of the cross (42x42 mm) are broadened in the manner of Georgievsky, but with swords crossed in the center (hilts down); in a rosette stylized as a six-bastion polygon of the fortress, a black silhouette of a squadron battleship with clearly distinguishable side guns is depicted on white enamel.

Large convex inscriptions are placed on the two horizontal ends of the cross: on the left - "PORT", on the right - "ARTUR"; On the back of the badge there is a pin for attaching it to clothing.

There are similar crosses made of light bronze, somewhat different from those described above. They do not have enamel in the rosette, the ship is depicted on them in profile (right side).

This sign completes a series of awards relating to the period of the Russo-Japanese War.

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In memory of the Japanese War 1904-1905

Country	Russia
Type of	Campaign Medal
Date of establishment	January 21, 1906
Awards	45,000 silver, 700,000 light bronze, 750,000 dark bronze medals were minted.
Status	not awarded
Options	Diameter 28 mm

Medal "In memory of the Japanese War of 1904-1905"- an award of the Russian Empire for rewarding the military personnel of the army and navy who participated in the Russo-Japanese War, as well as for rewarding medical workers and priests in the service, civilians who distinguished themselves in hostilities. Established on January 21, 1906 by decree of Emperor Nicholas II. The medal had three versions made of different metals: silver, bronze, dark bronze (copper).

History of the award

Emperor of the Russian Empire Nicholas II.

Medal "In memory of the Japanese War of 1904-1905" Silver. Variant from the first part of the circulation of the St. Petersburg Mint, with an eyelet characteristic of the early medals of the period of Nicholas II.

Medal "In memory of the Japanese War of 1904-1905" Silver, later coinage of the Mint.

Medal "In memory of the Japanese War of 1904-1905" Light bronze, a minting variant of the Mint.

Medal "In memory of the Japanese War of 1904-1905" Dark bronze (copper), a minting variant of the Mint.

Medal "In memory of the Japanese War of 1904-1905" on a block with a bow. Light bronze, private work variant, with small eye, diameter 28 mm. Obverse.

Medal "In memory of the Japanese War of 1904-1905" on a block with a bow. Light bronze, private work variant, with small eye, diameter 28 mm. Reverse.

Medal "In memory of the Japanese War of 1904-1905" on a block with a bow. Light bronze, private work variant. Obverse.

Medal "In memory of the Japanese war of 1904-1905" on the block. Light bronze, state. coinage. Obverse and reverse.

Medal "In memory of the Japanese war of 1904-1905" on the block. Light bronze, private work variant. Obverse and reverse.

The insignia of the military order and the medal "In memory of the Japanese war of 1904-1905" on the block. Obverse.

The decision to end the war with Japan was made Russian government at a time when Japan, having achieved major successes in the land and sea theaters of military operations, found itself in a very plight. The huge strain of material and moral resources cost her dearly: the economy and finances were exhausted, discontent grew among the general population. The Russians in Manchuria saw well that the morale of the Japanese troops was gradually weakening, and the number of prisoners began to increase.

At the same time, the military resources of Russia, even after the fall of Port Arthur and the Tsushima defeat, seemed colossal, equipment and troops were brought to the Far East, which could soon rush at the enemy. Many, and especially officers, were looking forward to this moment in order to end the war victoriously and thus wash away the shame of previous defeats from the army as a whole, and from themselves personally; the conclusion of peace deprived them of this opportunity.

Under such circumstances, it is not surprising that a significant part of these officers considered the top military leadership to be the culprit of their disgrace, which turned out to be incapable of leading the army to victory, defending its interests before the tsar and in the government. And in order to thank the sacrifice of the people, a reward was needed for all those who took part in the war. The decision to approve the new award was made by Emperor Nicholas II himself.

On December 12, 1905, the assistant to the Head of the Military Camping Office, Prince V.N. Orlov, sent the following handwritten note of the Emperor to the Chancellor of Orders for announcement to the Minister of War:

Even earlier, the Emperor approved the appearance of the medal. But among collectors and historians, the myth about the inscription on the reverse is still being told.

Version of the origin of the inscription

There is a beautiful version of the origin of the inscription on the reverse of the medal; its most detailed presentation is in the book of memoirs of General A.A. Ignatiev. At that time, he is a captain who has returned from Manchuria, considering the medal issued to him:

The medal was a bad copy of the medal for the Patriotic War, bronze instead of silver; on the reverse side, it was emblazoned with the inscription "May the Lord lift you up in due time." - "What time? When?" I tried to ask my colleagues on the General Staff. “Well, why are you picking on everything?” - answered me alone. Others, more knowledgeable, advised to keep quiet, telling "in secret", to which the obliging clerks, who are out of their minds, can bring. Peace with the Japanese had not yet been concluded, and the main headquarters had already drawn up a report addressed to the “highest name” on the need to create a special medal for the participants in the Manchurian war. The king, apparently, also hesitated against the proposed inscription: “May the Lord lift you up” - he wrote with a pencil on the margins of the paper: “Report in due time.” When it was necessary to hand over the inscription for minting, the words “in due time”, which accidentally fell just opposite the line with the text of the inscription, were attached to it.

Book A.A. Ignatieva is not the only one who describes this version of the origin of the inscription on the medal in memory of the Russo-Japanese War, the writer D.N. Semenovsky cites it in his memoirs from the words of A.M. Gorky.

This version became generally accepted, and no one doubted it and did not try to verify it. But there are documents dispelling this legend.

In the funds of the Russian State Military Historical Archive, the well-known researcher V.A. Durov discovered a draft medal with the notes of Nicholas II himself:

The figure proposed for consideration depicted two variants of the front side and five variants of the reverse side of the designed medal. The emperor put a cross next to one of the variants of the front side (the radiant all-seeing eye, below the date "1904-1905"), which, being thus approved, was transferred to the metal sample. Paired to the front side, the drawing of the reverse side of the medal was crossed out by the king with the same pencil, and in the upper part of the sheet he inscribed: “May the Lord exalt you in due time,” which became the text of the medal.

The images of the obverse and reverse sides are connected by thin lines, which makes it possible to judge which versions of the medal were proposed for approval:

1) obverse: the image of the All-Seeing Eye, at the bottom along the circumference of the date; reverse: the inscription "In thee, Lord, we hope, let us not be ashamed forever";

2) and 3) obverse: the same image; reverse: variants of replicas of a verse from the epistle of St. Peter;

4) obverse: image of the All-Seeing Eye; reverse: the inscription “In thee, Lord, let us hope, let us not be ashamed forever”, below - the date;

5) obverse: the same image; reverse: the inscription "Thy will be done" and dates under the separator.

The reasons why the 1st, 4th and 5th options were rejected are understandable: the first two were a mechanical hybrid of commemorative medals Patriotic War 1812 and in memory of the war of 1853-1856, and the latter had such an impotently pessimistic inscription that it was hardly suitable for a medal intended for mass distribution.

The appearance of the inscription “May the Lord lift you up in due time” on the medal was not the result of an accident. This inscription is taken in the First Epistle of the Holy Apostle Peter, where it is said: “Therefore, humble yourself under the mighty hand of God, that He will exalt you in due time.” A replica of the second part of this phrase is placed on the medal - a wish for those awarded to be awarded after death (to each in his own time!) the Kingdom of Heaven.

The Emperor knew this passage of Scripture, and the story told by A.A. Ignatiev has no basis. But all the same, this legend continues to be used in articles that describe this medal and its supporters give the main argument - medals with the inscription "God bless you" that exist in reality, and are made in all prescribed metals. Below are images of some of these medals, but they all bear clear signs of private manufacture.

Most likely these medals, with an incorrect legend, were made by private companies for collectors.

Introduction of the bow to the medal

Another initiative of the Emperor in terms of rewarding participants in the Russo-Japanese War was the introduction of a bow to the medal in memory of this war. On February 7, 1906, the discussion of this issue was entrusted to the General Staff, which initially proposed to grant the right to wear a bow

It is not clear what the ranks of the General Staff were guided by when proposing to divide the garrison of the besieged fortress on a purely formal basis. Such a proposal may not in the best way characterize the degree of their awareness of the real combat life of the troops.

The Chapter of Orders, the conclusion of which the General Staff requested on February 13, 1906, in its relation on February 14, firstly, quite rightly drew the attention of the addressee to the fact that

concussions often received in battle, in their consequences, entail more severe suffering than a slight wound, therefore, the inclusion of all shell-shocked in the same category with the wounded would seem quite desirable, and, secondly, he proposed the right to wear a bow, except for the ranks of Port Arthur extend the garrison to some military units from the Manchurian army, which especially distinguished themselves in the bloody battles of this theater of military operations (Tyurenchen, Liaoyang, Shahe, Putilovskaya Sopka, etc.). Often such units, during stubborn defense of positions for many days and attacks from an enemy location, lost more than 1/2, 2/3 or more of their composition.

It is not clear from the document whether the last sentence Chapter due to the ignorance of its officials about the existence of collective military awards or an attempt to introduce individual external distinctions for ranks who were in military units at the time when these units showed military prowess, but further development it didn't receive.

In a letter sent on February 17, 1906 to the Main Naval Headquarters, the conclusion of which on this issue was also required for the preparation of a report to the Emperor, the General Headquarters, although citing the opinion of the Chapter of the Orders, continued to insist on its point of view:

In some cases, of course, the seriousness of shell shock cannot be denied, but nevertheless, there are no sufficient grounds to agree to the indiscriminate equating of the shell-shocked to the wounded, and special insignia are established by law to reward entire units of the troops who showed exemplary courage and bravery during the war , as the St. George banners and standards, St. George's silver trumpets and horns, "campaigns" for military distinction, badges on hats and others, and therefore the General Staff, in order to distinguish persons who undoubtedly suffered from the total mass of participants in the past campaign, considers it more correct and quite fair to give the right to wear the above-mentioned bow ONLY TO PERSONS WOUNDED IN BATTLE WITH THE JAPANESE.

There is no doubt that the report of the Minister of War reflected primarily the point of view of the General Staff, but the Emperor also took into account the opinion of the Chapter of the Orders. Therefore, by the Highest Command on March 1, 1906, the right to wear a bow with medals in memory of the Russo-Japanese War from the ribbon assigned to these medals was granted

Number of awards issued

In total, 45,000 silver, 700,000 light bronze, 750,000 dark bronze (copper) medals were minted at the St. Petersburg Mint. The number of produced non-state coinage medals is unknown.

Award Statute

Reasons for the award

I. A silver medal is awarded to the following persons who were permanently or temporarily in Port Arthur and its fortified area in the period after the Jin-Zhou battle (May 12, 1904) until the end of the siege (December 20, 1904):

one). To all ranks of the military and naval departments, the border guards and the Kwantung squads of volunteers.

2). Ranks of other departments, if they were in Port Arthur, during the siege, according to the duties of the service.

3). Priests, doctors and other medical officers, orderlies and sisters of mercy who served in the military and naval departments, in the Red Cross Society and in other medical institutions that provided assistance to sick and wounded soldiers, and

four). Residents of Port Arthur, who participated in the defense of this city.

II. A light bronze medal is awarded to the following categories of persons if they participated during the years 1904-1905 in one or more battles against the Japanese on land or sea:

one). Generals, officers and lower ranks of the military and naval departments, as well as the ranks of the State Militia, Border Guards and volunteers who were in the troops and special squads.

2). In general, all class and medical ranks, priests, orderlies and sisters of mercy, as well as persons who do not belong to the military rank, if during the battle they performed their duties with parts of the troops and detachments, as well as on the ships of the fleet that took part in it.

3). Persons of all classes who were awarded the insignia of the Military Order or a medal with the inscription “for bravery”.

III. A dark bronze medal is awarded to all who did not take part in the battles, but are in the service in the active armies and in the institutions attached to them, as well as in the units, departments and institutions of the military and naval departments located during the war - in the period from January 26 1904 to December 1, 1905, i.e., on the day of ratification of the peace treaty, in the Far East and along the Siberian and Samara-Zlatoust railways, in areas declared under martial law, namely:

one). To all ranks in general: military, naval, border guards and militia.

2). Priests, doctors and other medical officials, orderlies and sisters of mercy who served in the military or naval departments, in the border guards, the Red Cross Society and in all medical institutions that provided assistance to the sick and wounded in the area of ​​military operations; persons who do not belong to a military rank, if these persons were on duty with the troops and medical institutions.

3). To various ranks of the military, naval and civil departments, as well as to female persons who were at various departments and institutions for service affairs, as well as seconded to their locations.

four). Freely hired servants from retired and reserve lower ranks and those from civilians who did not belong to the military rank, who were with the troops who directly acted against the enemy, who showed military distinctions, and in general to persons of all classes who during the war with Japan had any special merits, for honoring these persons by the authorities of those troops and institutions in which they were at that time

<...>are not eligible to receive<...>medals:

a). who are under trial or investigation, if, at the end of the proceedings against them, they will be subject to exclusion from the military or naval departments, and

b). contracted marketers and civilian employees who were with the troops, with the exception of those named in paragraph 4.

Wearing order

The medal should be worn on the chest. The medal had an eye for fastening to a block or ribbon. Ribbon of the medal - combined Alexander-Georgievskaya.

Place in the hierarchy of awards

In the hierarchy of awards of the Russian Empire, the medal "In memory of the Japanese War of 1904-1905" belonged to commemorative awards for military campaigns. The medal should have been worn on a block after all military awards, and among the commemorative awards, after the medal "For the campaign in China" and before the medal "In memory of the campaign of the squadron of Admiral Rozhdestvensky."

Description of the award

Medal "In memory of the Japanese War of 1904-1905" from three metals: silver, bronze, dark bronze (copper). Obverse, reverse and medal ribbon.

Appearance

The medal is made of one of three metals: silver, bronze, dark bronze (copper). The diameter of medals of the state coinage is 28 mm.

Obverse. The front side of the medal depicts the All-Seeing Eye, surrounded by rays. In the lower part, along the side, the inscription: "1904-1905.".

Reverse. On the reverse side there is a horizontal inscription in Slavonic script in five lines with a quote from the New Testament:

ASCEND

YOU LORD

medal ribbon connected Alexandrovsko-Georgievskaya.

Medals of private production

Medals made at the Mint have a sculptural image with rays of radiance emanating from one center, a dot after the date and an eye that fits snugly against the circle. The image on the "private" medals is formed by lines, the rays of radiance do not have a common center, there is no dot after the date, and the eyelet is connected to the circle by a small bridge. Additional signs of private fabrication are the smaller thickness of the circle (about 2.0 mm), as well as the hallmark and name on the eye of the silver medal. Of course, medals made by different companies differ in details.

Image	Variants of medals with the inscription "God bless you" on the reverse.
	Medal "In memory of the Japanese War of 1904-1905" The inscription "May the Lord lift you up" in four lines. Obverse and reverse.
	Medal "In memory of the Japanese War of 1904-1905" Variant with a three-line inscription "May the Lord lift you up." Obverse and reverse.

Image	Variants of medals in silver and white metal.
	Medal "In memory of the Japanese War of 1904-1905" Private option. Firm "Brothers Bukh", St. Petersburg, 1906-1908. Hallmarks on the ear on the reverse side of the medal: St. Petersburg district assay office with the initials of the assay district manager A.V. Silver, weight 9.95 grams. Diameter 27.8 mm. Obverse and reverse.
	Medal "In memory of the Japanese War of 1904-1905" Private option. Firm "D. Osipov", St. Petersburg, 1908-1917. Hallmarks on the ear on the reverse side of the medal: St. Petersburg district assay office in an oval shield (alpha, female head in kokoshnik, right, 84) and nominal stamp "DO". Silver, weight 13.21 grams. Diameter 28 mm. Obverse and reverse.
	Medal "In memory of the Japanese War of 1904-1905" Private option. Unknown workshop St. Petersburg. 1906–1908 Stamp on the ear on the reverse side of the medal: St. Petersburg district assay office with the initials of the assay district manager A.V. Romanov in an oval shield (84, female head in kokoshnik, left, AR). Silver, 12.31 g. Diameter 27.9 mm. Obverse and reverse.
	Medal "In memory of the Japanese War of 1904-1905" A private version, the mark of the master "LZ". Silver. Obverse and reverse.
	Medal "In memory of the Japanese War of 1904-1905" A private version, the maker's mark is "DK". Silver. Obverse and reverse.
	Medal "In memory of the Japanese War of 1904-1905" Private version, silver, without hallmarks. Obverse and reverse.
	Medal "In memory of the Japanese War of 1904-1905" Private option, white metal. Obverse and reverse.

Image	Variants of light bronze medals.
	Medal "In memory of the Japanese War of 1904-1905" A private variant with a small eye. Diameter 28 mm. Obverse and reverse.
	Medal "In memory of the Japanese War of 1904-1905" A private variant with a small eye, very similar to the previous one, the dots around the eye are somewhat larger. Diameter 28 mm. Obverse and reverse.
	Medal "In memory of the Japanese War of 1904-1905" A private variant with a four-line inscription on the reverse. Diameter 28 mm. Obverse and reverse.
	Medal "In memory of the Japanese War of 1904-1905" Private variant, bronze, traces of gilding. Diameter 30.5 mm. Obverse and reverse.
	Medal "In memory of the Japanese War of 1904-1905" Private option option. Diameter 28 mm. Obverse and reverse.
	Medal "In memory of the Japanese War of 1904-1905" Private option option. Obverse and reverse.
	Medal "In memory of the Japanese War of 1904-1905" Private option option. Obverse and reverse.
	Medal "In memory of the Japanese War of 1904-1905" Private option option. Obverse and reverse.
	Medal "In memory of the Japanese War of 1904-1905" Private option option. Obverse and reverse.
	Medal "In memory of the Japanese War of 1904-1905" Private option option. Obverse and reverse.

Image	Variants of dark bronze medals.
	Medal "In memory of the Japanese War of 1904-1905" A private version with an inscription on the reverse in 4 lines. Obverse and reverse.

miniature copy

There are miniature, so-called "tailcoat" copies of the medal "In memory of the Japanese War of 1904-1905". All of them are made by private workshops. Here is some of them.

Image	Variants of tailcoat medals.
	Medal "In memory of the Japanese War of 1904-1905" Fractional variant. Silver, diameter 16 mm. Obverse and reverse.
	Medal "In memory of the Japanese War of 1904-1905" Fractional variant. Silver. Obverse and reverse.
	Medal "In memory of the Japanese War of 1904-1905" Fractional variant. Light bronze, diameter 16 mm. Obverse and reverse.
	Medal "In memory of the Japanese War of 1904-1905" Fractional variant. Light bronze. Obverse and reverse.
	Medal "In memory of the Japanese War of 1904-1905" Fractional variant. Light bronze, diameter 15 mm. Obverse and reverse.
	Medal "In memory of the Japanese War of 1904-1905" Fractional variant. Light bronze. Obverse.

Bow for an award

Since March 1, 1906, the wounded or shell-shocked in the battles of the Russo-Japanese War, according to the decree of Nicholas II, received the right to wear medals on a ribbon with an additional bow of the same color. During the Russo-Japanese War, about 158,600 people were wounded or shell-shocked in battle.