Chapter VI The Battle of the Yalu and the Japanese Advance
The battle of the Yalu was the first great land action of the Russo-Japanese War. The Russians were outnumbered by their opponents, but they were also outwitted and outmanœuvred, and the result was an overwhelming victory for the Japanese. In the crossing of the Yalu the Japanese exhibited the decided superiority of their shell-fire, they accomplished the brilliant strategic feat of crossing a river in the face of an intrenched enemy, and their commander, General Kuroki, proved himself a tactician of the first rank.
The first triumph of Japanese cleverness was in deceiving the enemy as to the probable place of crossing. Bridge materials were brought to the shore below Wiju and preparations were apparently made for building a bridge at that point. Under cover of night most of these materials were rushed to the north of Wiju and above the extreme left of the Russian line. From this position the main body of the Japanese army crossed to the Manchurian side with comparatively little opposition. On the Russian left (up the river) the bank rose in a precipitous rocky formation to a height of a thousand feet. At the base was a path and a line of sand left by the falling current. Stretching along this for a mile or more, like so many blue pencil marks on brown paper, were the Japanese. Any Russians above them could have done more damage with tumbling bowlders than with rifle fire. Once on this, the Japanese were under a shelf. They could be reached only by shooting straight down the stream, and had gun or rifle ventured this the Russians would have found no cover save the smoke of shrapnel from the batteries which would have sent them back. The crossing of the Yalu was effected by a few rounds of musket-fire. The impregnable position of the enemy became cover for the Japanese advance.
Once on the western bank and far enough north of the Russian line to be safe from attack on his own right flank, Kuroki’s plan was to execute a series of flank movements and attacks from the rear which would drive the Russians from their position and render what slight fortifications they had made on the heights along the river valueless. In spite of the reckless bravery of the Russians and the stubbornness of their defence, the impetus of the Japanese attack and the marvelous speed and effectiveness of the Japanese shell-fire could not be withstood, and the Russians were routed all along the line. They made a last stand at Hamatan Hill, a few miles to the rear of their original position, but the Japanese surrounded them on three sides and before the force retreated nearly four hundred men were compelled to surrender. Of the Japanese forces, 5 officers and 160 men were killed, while 29 officers and 666 men were wounded. The Russian dead, buried by the Japanese, numbered nearly 1,400, and 475 wounded Russians were taken to Japanese hospitals. Probably 500 wounded Russians, at least, escaped with the retreating army. The Japanese captured 28 guns, 50 ammunition wagons, and many other munitions of war.
INCIDENTS OF THE BATTLE OF THE YALU
THE CROSSING OF THE YALU
WITH THE WOUNDED AFTER THE FIGHT AT THE YALU
HOSPITAL CORPS AND WOUNDED JAPANESE AT THE BATTLE OF THE YALU
The fence behind which these reserves are standing was one of those with which the Japanese concealed their march, from the point south of Wiju where they first made a feint at crossing to the point north of the town where the brilliant crossing was finally made. The impetus of this final attack was such that the Russians were soon routed all along the line.
ARTILLERY SPOILS CAPTURED BY THE JAPANESE DURING THE YALU BATTLE
The care of the Russian wounded by the Japanese after the Yalu battle, and the burial of several Russian officers with military honors, were things which surprised many sceptical observers of Japanese civilization, who had predicted that, once in hand-to-hand conflict with the enemy, the veneer of European civilization would quickly drop off and reveal the barbarian
THE JAPANESE OCCUPATION OF FENG-WANG-CHENG
These representatives of the Queen, Miss St. Aubyn and Miss McCall, accompanied by Madame Kuroda, a Japanese lady, and Dr. Tamura, visited the hospitals at Feng-Wang-Cheng. They found everything so satisfactory that they remained with the army only a few days. The photograph shows them about to enter their palanquins, after visiting one of the hospitals. Miss McCall is at the right
This impressive funeral ceremony was held at Feng-Wang-Cheng while the army was gathering its breath after the Yalu victory to push on into Manchuria. The whole army was drawn up in a vast body on the plain, while on the hilltop, in view of all, the officers and priests stood, going through the curious Shinto ceremonies in honor of the dead who had fallen in battle
SCENES AT FENG-WANG-CHENG AFTER THE JAPANESE OCCUPATION
JAPANESE GETTING READY TO PUSH ON INTO MANCHURIA
RECREATIONS OF THE JAPANESE BETWEEN BATTLES IN MANCHURIA
JAPANESE BATTERY GOING INTO ACTION AT FENG-WANG-CHENG
WITH THE JAPANESE INVADERS IN MANCHURIA
INCIDENTS OF THE ADVANCE FROM FENG-WANG-CHENG
WITH THE VICTORIOUS JAPANESE AT LIENSHANKWAN
INTO MANCHURIA WITH THE JAPANESE INVADERS
This temple was the scene of two severe fights between the advancing Japanese and the Russians, in which the Russians were routed and driven back. The temple was built by the Chinese after their last war with Japan because they thought that the gods of another temple had prevented the Japanese from taking the pass. The gods and the Russians together could not stop the enemy this time.
The Japanese in the trenches in the foreground are firing on the Russians retreating up the hillside in the distance clear across the valley. The Japanese advance is concealed in the timber in the middle distance just beyond the farmhouses. The Russians are too far away to be seen. Collier’s photographer, J. H. Hare, took this unusual picture from a tree-top just behind the Japanese trenches
SCENES DURING THE BATTLE OF MOTIENLING
RUSSIAN WOUNDED AND DEAD AT MOTIEN PASS
WITH THE WOUNDED AND CAPTURED AT MOTIEN PASS
PRISONERS AND CAPTORS AT MOTIENLING
INCIDENTS OF THE RUSSIAN ATTEMPT TO RECAPTURE MOTIEN PASS
The Japanese commander is shown standing on the steps of the Kwantei temple during the battle of July 4, receiving reports from his staff and sending out orders. Motien Pass was one of the places on the line of march taken by Kuroki’s army which was thought before the battle to be practically impregnable. The Russians attempted to recapture it afterward, but were defeated with great loss
WITH THE JAPANESE ADVANCE FROM THE YALU THROUGH THE MANCHURIAN MOUNTAINS
WITH THE JAPANESE DURING THE FIGHTING NEAR ANPING
JAPANESE AND CAPTURED RUSSIANS IN MANCHURIA DURING THE RAINY SEASON
WITH THE SMOKELESS BATTERIES HIDDEN IN FIELDS OF KOWLIANG
IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF TOWAN DURING THE FIGHTING IN THE FIRST WEEK OF JULY
DIFFICULTIES OF CAMPAIGNING DURING THE RAINY SEASON IN MANCHURIA
ALONG THE LINE OF BATTLE IN THE MANCHURIAN PASSES SOUTH OF LIAO-YANG
PRESSING THE RUSSIANS CLOSE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF LIAO-YANG
WITH THE JAPANESE ON AUGUST THIRTIETH CLOSE TO LIAO-YANG