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Treaty of Portsmouth
The Treaty of Portsmouth of 1905 stands today as one of history's great peace negotiations that ended the Russo-Japanese War and marks the emergence of a new era of diplomatic negotiations, multi-track diplomacy.
The War
The Russo-Japanese War erupted between Russia and Japan over who would control Manchuria and Korea. For centuries Russian troops had been slowly advancing from Europe through Central Asia into Siberia, heading towards the Pacific Ocean and China. The other European powers, using their modern navies, expanded by sea to colonize Africa and India and were beginning to gain control of China. The Chinese military was incapable of stopping the modern European army and navy, but Japan, after being opened to the West by American Commodore Perry, had modernized its navy and army, becoming the only Asian power capable of stopping the European colonial advances. The Russians moved troops into Manchuria and Korea in 1904, threateningly close to Japan itself. Stalled negotiations between the Russians and Japanese on Russia's withdrawal or agreements on spheres of influence provoked a Japanese attack on Port Arthur in 1904 that began the Russo-Japanese War.
Bloody battles fought in Korea, Manchuria and the Sea of Japan saw consistent Japanese ground victories and sinking of the entire Russian fleet by the Japanese Navy, but Japan could not finally defeat the Russian Army or move decisively across Asia into Russia. By the summer of 1905, the Russians and the Japanese had suffered numerous casualties and their economies suffered from the huge cost of the war, and with no end in sight, both sides needed an honorable peace. The European powers were linked to Russia and Japan in complicated military alliances that threatened to draw the whole world in to the conflict, as later occurred in the Balkans at the start of World War I. The United States, as a neutral nation, could provide a neutral forum for the negotiations.
The Treaty
President Theodore Roosevelt seized the opportunity to thrust the United States, as the only neutral power, into the world arena as peacemaker, and persuasively mediated between the Russians and Japanese to obtain agreement to direct negotiations at a neutral United States location. The neutral location Roosevelt picked was Portsmouth, New Hampshire.
Portsmouth offered an eager New Hampshire Governor, a hospitable and neutral community, security and communications at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, a pleasant summer climate and first-class accommodations for negotiators at Wentworth-by-the-sea Hotel. In August, delegations headed by Russia's Count Serge Witte and Japan's Baron Jutaro Komura arrived in Portsmouth for direct negotiations hosted locally by the State of New Hampshire, the City of Portsmouth and the United States Navy at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard. For thirty days, extremely difficult negotiations, aided by the enlightened diplomacy of both Japanese and Russian delegate leaders, the encouragement of the local New Hampshire hosts and behind-the-scenes diplomacy of President Roosevelt , brought signing of a comprehensive Peace Treaty on September 5, 1905. Today the Treaty of Portsmouth of 1905 is considered one of the most powerful symbols of peace for Japan, Russia and United States in Asia. President Roosevelt earned the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts, and was the first American President to be so honored. The Treaty of Portsmouth exemplifies to the world the ability of local citizens to informally mediate international disputes.
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