Northern Eurasia 1905: 1905 Revolution

Dissatisfaction with the Tsarist government and its handling of the war with Japan resulted in unrest across Russia. Desperate for peace, the Russians accepted the loss of Port Arthur, southern Sakhalin, and the South Manchurian Railway.

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Main Events

22 Jan–18 Dec 1905 1905 Russian Revolution

On Sunday, 22 January (later known as Bloody Sunday), troops guarding the Winter Palace in St Petersburg, Russian Empire, open fire on the demonstrators attempting to deliver a petition to Tsar Nicholas II, causing hundreds of deaths. The event inspires strikes and protests across the Empire, bringing the Russian economy to its knees. On 30 October the Tsar agrees to grant reforms and the revolution slowly winds down, although revolts continue into December. in wikipedia

7 Jun 1905 Norwegian independence

In response to growing dissatisfaction over Swedish rule, the Norwegian Storting (parliament) voted unanimously to dissolve Norway’s union with Sweden. The act was ratified by a plebiscite on 13 August. After initial hesitation, Sweden formally recognized Norway’s independence on 26 October when King Oscar II of Sweden renounced his claim to the Norwegian throne. in wikipedia

27 Jun 1905 Mutiny on the Potemkin

Mutiny on the battleship Potemkin while moored off Odessa in wikipedia

7–30 Jul 1905 Japanese invasion of Sakhalin

In early July 1905 two parties totaling 14,000 Japanese troops landed between Aniwa and Korsakov on Sakhalin island, meeting little opposition. The Japanese moved on to capture Korsakov, where they defeated 2,000 Russians, before heading north to capture most of southern Sakhalin by the 16th. On 24 July they landed in northern Sakhalin and forced the 5,000 Russian defenders to surrender, completing the Japanese conquest of the island. in wikipedia

6–25 Aug 1905 Suma and Izumi raids

In August 1905, having set out from Korsakov in Sakhalin, the Japanese protected cruisers Suma and Izumi fired on the Russian port of Petropavlovsk, Kamchatka, and seized the US-flagged steamer Australia with its cargo of war contraband. When the Russians withdrew into the interior, the Japanese briefly landed and looted warehouses and government offices. The two cruisers then sailed for Bering Island in the nearby Commander Islands chain, but their attempt to force a landing was repelled by the inhabitants. The Japanese then headed back west and, after stopping off in Petropavlovsk a second time, arrived back in Sakhalin on the 25th. in wikipedia