Out of the Trap

The first successes of Russian sailors inevitably trigger a corresponding reaction from the Japanese. As a result, they manage what in our known history had failed them: the entrance to Port Arthur harbor is blocked by a scuttled fireship. Seven of Makarov’s battleships—the main force of the Russian Pacific Fleet—are out of action in an instant. And for many months, until divers clear the channel and long-awaited reinforcements arrive from the Baltic, our cruiser detachment in Vladivostok is left alone with the entire Combined Fleet. The task of destroying the Russian naval forces piece by piece now seems quite feasible for Admiral Tōgō, because even a small mistake by Rudnev in the current situation could prove fatal. Meanwhile, in St. Petersburg, Banshchikov wages a secret battle for the future of the country. But it’s not enough to convince the tsar of the harmfulness of inaction and half-measures. It’s not enough to achieve the right decisions at the highest level of leadership. Those decisions must also be carried out—accurately and on time. Unfortunately, in Russia, the words “bribe,” “stubborn inertia,” “routine,” and “red tape” are never empty sounds in any era…