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The Battle of Mukden was a major land conflict during the war against the Japanese. It was one of the first battles to be fought on land in the war, which was an advantage for the Russians because they are more of a land power than a naval power. This slight advantage helped Russia effectively exhaust and diminish the Japanese infantry, however the battle ended up as a Japanese victory.

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The Black Sea was important to Russia both economically and militarily. The Black Sea was an important port for exports. Before WWI, 50% of all Russian exports, passed through the Black Sea. It was close to Europe and in warm waters. It also housed a lot of resources, including oil and gas. Strategically, this region was where the Russian and Ottoman Empires met the Western European powers of Britain, France, etc. Russia's occupation of Crimea made the Black Sea a militarily strategic location.

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Russia wanted to expand its borders. In order to do that, the Russians would need to pass through the weakening Ottoman Empire to reach the Mediterranean Sea. Passing through the sea would give them access to trade with the rest of Europe and would give them control over the Suez Canal, which would aid in trade with Asia and Africa. Britain France, and Sardinia teamed up with the Ottoman Empire to fight off the Russians, because they thought if the Russians beat the Ottomans and reached the Mediterranean Sea they would become too powerful.

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This battle, in May of 1905, during the Russo-Japanese War, played a critical role in leading to a victory for Japan. Almost the entire Russian naval fleet was demolished, leaving few to escape. It was the point in the war when many lost hope in Russia's ability to keep Manchuria, leading to a peace treaty mediated by President Theodore Roosevelt, that ended the war in Japanese victory. Along with this, Japan shocked the world, by being the only non-European power to almost completely wipe out a European naval fleet in centuries.

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Lüshunkou District, Dalian, Liaoning, China

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The base of the Russian Pacific Fleet. The Russo-Japanese War was initiated by a bold surprise attack on Port Arthur in 1904. The Battle of Port Arthur involved Japanese destroyers and torpedo boats, causing damage to many battleships but ultimately failing to destroy the fleet. Therefore, it's considered somewhat inconclusive. However, because Japan had a shorter supply line compared to Russia, they were able  to seize control of the port, cutting it off from Russia. Conflict only escalated from there, making things worse for Russia after mistaking British fisherman for Japanese boats. An angered Britain closed  the Suez Canal to the Russian Fleet.

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Industrial production of steel, coal, and textiles took place in factories in Kiev, Moscow, and St. Petersburg, and had social and political consequences. Industrialization created a rising middle class that objected to autocratic tsarist rule and demanded more rights. At the same time, a growing working class resented poor working and living conditions in the cities. Both groups were attracted to Marxist socialism as a solution, which led to strikes, insurrections, and ultimately, revolutionary action.

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Farmland in Central-Southern Russia and the Emancipation of the Serfs

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Farmland in Central-Southern Russia and the Emancipation of the Serfs

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Russian serfs living in central and southern Russia comprised 40% of the population. In 1861, Alexander II issued the Emancipation Edict to abolish serfdom and liberate 20 million serfs. The action was Alexander's attempt to modernize Russia after its defeat in the Crimean War and to avoid revolutions that occurred in other countries like France.

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This port belonged to the Ottoman Empire at the time of the Crimean War. Russia viewed Sevastopol as a very strategic point because it was the one of the closest deepwater ports that they could acquire. The port would also give them more access to trade with Europe, Africa, and Southern Asia. Failing to acquire the port became a key reason for Russia joining the allied powers in WW1, against the Ottomans.

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Central Asia was a long desired territory for the Russians. Throughout the 19th century, Russia gained territories that today belong to Kazakhstan, Mongolia, and China. They viewed this as an integral step in their conquest of Eurasia.

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Qing'an County, Suihua, Heilongjiang, China

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After decades of the territory being in Russian control, the Japanese finally attacked Manchuria in 1904. Japan had had a rivaled claim to the desired region and was angered by Czar Nicholas II building railroads there. The Russo-Japanese war ended a year later in Russian defeat and humiliation and revealed Czar Nicholas II as a weak leader.

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This territory, belonging to the Ottoman Empire, was protected by the British and French, as the Russians attempted to break through to the Mediterranean Sea for three years. Britain and France knew that if the Russians reached the Mediterranean, they would have more access to the sea and trade and would become too powerful. They would also have access to the Suez Canal. After finally accepting defeat in 1856, Russia was forced to realize that they were no match for Western European powers and decided that their serf-based economy could not support a militarized world power. Czar Alexander II abolished serfdom in 1861, effectively shifting the country's focus toward industrialization.

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A remote region of Russia where the czar would exile political prisoners. Czars and their secret police used the threat of imprisonment in Siberia to intimidate revolutionaries and discourage uprisings.

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Trans Siberian Express Service, Nizhnyaya Krasnosel'skaya Ulitsa, Moscow, Russia

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The Trans-Siberian Railway is the longest railway to ever be constructed. The government sought out this infrastructure project as a crucial step in industrializing and improving trade. Construction started in 1891 and ended in 1904. The railroad connected western European Russia with the empire on the east, streamlining trade and opening access to exploiting resources in places like Siberia. It also served as transportation

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Winter Palace, Palace Embankment, Saint Petersburg, Russia

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On January 22, 1905, Bloody Sunday took place in front of the Winter Palace. 200,000 workers and their families approached the palace to petition for workplace reform, personal freedom, and an elected legislature. Nicholas II ordered guards to fire at the protestors, leaving over 1000 injured or dead. This event inspired a new wave of strikes and revolts across Russia. Nicholas reluctantly passed the October Manifesto, promising more freedom and an elected Duma (legislature).

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Lodz, previously part of the Russian Empire, quickly became the manufacturing and textile center of Russia. It was one of the first fully industrialized cities in this region, and provided a sizable amount of wealth to businessmen. However, its rapid growth brought many issues, including terrible working conditions, low wages, long hours, and desperate cries for reform. The working class' opinions were largely ignored, resulting in countless strikes and violent uprisings. Poland was originally was part of the Russian Empire. Starting in 1905, strikes and uprisings began to spread throughout Poland. The protests were largely fueled by Polish nationalism, and by 1919, Poland achieved its independence. Pilsudski who arose to be the first Polish chief-of-state in 1919, was from Lodz.