Mine Warfare in the Russo-Japanese War: The Royal Navy Perspective

Abstract

The Russo-Japanese War was the first modern naval conflict in which independent mines played a leading role. This chapter examines the Royal Navy’s view on the conflict as presented by their naval attachés. It shows what information was sent back to London and how this was shaped by the assumptions of the attachés. This gives insight into the cultural attitudes of these naval officers. The chapter concludes by looking at how the attachés’ reports were received in London and what this tells us about attitudes towards the mine.