Battle of Korsakov

Overview

The Battle of Korsakov, a naval engagement of the Russo-Japanese War, was fought on 20 August 1904 off the southern coast of Sakhalin island. The battle foiled an attempt by the Imperial Russian Navy protected cruiser Novik at escaping Port Arthur to join the Russian cruiser squadron at Vladivostok, Russia, after the Russian Pacific Squadron was scattered in the Battle of the Yellow Sea.

Overview adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Significance

The Battle of Korsakov cut off the protected cruiser Novik before it could reinforce the Russian cruiser squadron at Vladivostok. The Novik had broken out of Port Arthur following the scattering of the Russian Pacific Squadron at the Battle of the Yellow Sea, and its interdiction off Sakhalin island denied Russia the possibility of consolidating its remaining Pacific naval assets. The engagement thus contributed to the progressive isolation and attrition of Russian naval power in the theater during the 1904–1905 war.

Commanders (2)