Battle of Weihaiwei

Infobox Military Conflict
conflict=Battle of Weihaiwei
partof=the First Sino-Japanese War


caption=ukiyoe by Utagawa Kokunimasa depicting death of Major General Odera at the Battle of Weihaiwei, dated February 1895
date= 12 February 1895
place= Weihai, Shandong Province, China
result=Japanese victory
combatant1=flag|Empire of Japan
combatant2=flag|Qing Dynasty|name=Qing China
commander1=Marshal Oyama Iwao
Admiral Ito Sukeyuki
commander2= General Li Hongzhang
Admiral Ding Ruchang
strength1=
strength2=
casualties1=29 (killed), 233 (wounded)
casualties2=4,000 (killed)

The Battle of Weihaiwei was a 23 day siege with a major land and naval component during the First Sino-Japanese War. It took place between 20 January and 12 February 1895 in Weihai, Shandong Province, China) between the forces of Meiji Japan and Qing China. The battle was fought in severe winter cold which developed into an overpowering snow storm on 31 January1895 and 1 February 1895. Temperatures dropped to minus 26 degrees Celsius.

Background

The Imperial Japanese Army's Second Army under command of Field Marshal Oyama Iwao, and consisting of the 2nd Provincial Division (Sendai) under Lieutenant General Sakuma, and the 6th Provincial Division (Kumamoto) – less its 12th Brigade, which was still at Lushunkou, under Lieutenant General Kuroki Tamemoto landed without resistance at Jungcheng (modern Jiurongcheng) in Shandong Province from 20 – 24 January 1895.

Following its defeat at the Battle of Yalu and loss of its head base in the Battle of Lushunkou, the remnants of the Beiyang Fleet regrouped at the naval base of Weihaiwei, on Shandong Peninsula opposite Lushunkou.

The ground conflict

The Japanese army converged on the town of Weihai along two routes, facing vigorous resistance from the Chinese Beiyang Army, who defended the town with 68 artillery pieces in twelve land fortifications, and who could call on additional support from the naval vessels anchored only 2000 meters offshore. Japanese Major General Odera fell in this battle to take the forts, which lasted some nine hours on 1 February 1895, and the deserted town was occupied by Japanese forces the following day.

The naval conflict

The Chinese Beiyang Fleet had 15 warships at the naval base of Weihaiwei. These included the ironclad warships "Dingyuan" and "Zhenyuan," and 13 torpedo boats. The Imperial Japanese Navy had 25 warships and 16 torpedo boats, and thus had a numerical advantage. In addition, the Japanese fleet could call on fire support from the army, who could fire down on the anchorage from the captured land forts.

As a Chinese defeat appeared certain, Japanese Admiral Ito Sukeyuki made an appeal to Beiyang Fleet Admiral Ting Ju-ch'ang, who was a personal friend. In his letter, he expressed his regret that the old acquaintances had been obliged to meet each other in hostility, appealed to the Ting's enlightened patriotism by pointing out the retrogressive policy which Ting had been called upon to defend and which could only end in disaster, and then counseled him to prevent a certain defeat and unnecessary loss of life by capitulating. Ito further advised Ting to become Japan's honored guest till the end of the war, and then return to his native land in order to aid China in setting her policy on a sound basis. When Ting read this message he was visibly moved, and said to his attendants: "Kill me," meaning probably that he wished to die alone and let all others surrender. Ting responded: "I am thankful for the admiral's friendship, but I cannot forsake my duties to the state. The only thing now remaining for me to do is to die."

The Japanese fleet began a series of attacks from 7 February 1895. Night attacks by Japanese torpedo boats sank the "Dingyuen" and 3 other vessels. Of the 13 Chinese torpedo boats which attempted to escape towards Yentai, 6 were destroyed and the remaining 7 captured by the Japanese. The Ching-yuen was sunk on 9 February 1895.

On the morning of 12 February 1895, Admiral Ting, formally surrendered the remaining Beiyang Fleet ships in the harbor and the remaining Chinese-held forts and stores to the Japanese. Ting requested that the Chinese and foreign military advisors, troops, and civilians on land and sea around Weihaiwei be allowed to depart unmolested, and proposed that the commander of the British China squadron should guarantee the faithful performance of the conditions of surrender.

On receipt of this letter Admiral Ito held a council, in which many of his officers (as well as the Imperial Army offcers) advised that the Chinese should not be allowed to leave, but be taken prisoners of war. The admiral, however, had so high an estimate of Ting's personality and service to his country and so deep a sympathy with his difficult position that he insisted that Ting's request be granted.

Aftermath of the battle

Ting refused Ito's personal offer of political asylum in Japan, and committed suicide.

The Japanese flag was hoisted on the surrendered battleship "Zhenyuen", cruisers "Ping-yuen", "Tsi-yuen", and "Kwang-ping", and six gunboats. With the fall of Weihaiwei the Japanese navy completely annihilated the Northern Chinese Fleet, and gained an absolute control of the Gulf of Pohai.

The Battle of Weihaiwei is regarded as the last major battle of the First Sino-Japanese War, since China entered into peace negotiations with Japan shortly thereafter. However, the Battle of Yingkou and a number of minor battles would take place before the Treaty of Shimonoseki ending the war was signed.

References

* Chamberlin, William Henry. "Japan Over Asia", 1937, Little, Brown, and Company, Boston, 395 pp.
* Jane, Fred T."The Imperial Japanese Navy" (1904)
* Kodansha "Japan An Illustrated Encyclopedia, 1993, Kodansha Press, Tokyo ISBN 4-06-205938-X
* Lone, Stewart. "Japan's First Modern War: Army and Society in the Conflict with China, 1894-1895," 1994, St. Martin's Press, New York, 222 pp.
* Paine, S.C.M. "The Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895: Perception, Power, and Primacy," 2003, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, MA, 412 pp.
* Warner, Dennis and Peggy. "The Tide At Sunrise", 1974, Charterhouse, New York, 659 pp.
* Wright, Richard N. J."The Chinese Steam Navy 1862-1945", 2000 Chatham Publishing, London, ISBN 1-86176-144-9