Jack London
San Francisco Examiner/June 9, 1904
Run Risk of Freezing to Death
How the Japanese Made Sure of their Position
Officers Went to Pick the Way
Japanese Strategy That Won Day at Kieu-Lung-Cheng
Company Fought Like Spartans
How Russians Were Tricked in Crossing of the Yalu
Slow Retreat Becomes Rout
Every Detail of Battle Was Executed as Planned
ANTUNG (Manchuria), May 10.—The Japanese, following the German model, make every possible preparation, take every possible precaution, and then proceed to act, confident in the belief that nothing short of a miracle can prevent success. Opposed to their three divisions on the Yalu was a greatly inferior Russian force, but the Japanese had to cross a river under fire and attack an enemy lying in wait for them.
By the manipulation of their three divisions, and what of their ruses, they must have sadly befuddled the Russians. At the mouth of the Yalu the Japanese had two small gunboats, two torpedo-boats and four small steamers armed with Hotchkiss guns. Also they had fifty sampans loaded with bridge materials. These were intended for a permanent bridge across the Yalu at Wiju; but they served another purpose first, farther down the stream. The presence of the small navy and the loaded sampans led the Russians to believe that right there was where the bridge was to be built. So right there they stationed some three thousand men to prevent the building of the bridge. Thus, a handful of Japanese sailors kept 3,000 Russian soldiers occupied in doing nothing and reduced the effectiveness of the Russian strength by that much.
A Clever Japanese Ruse
Another ruse was the building of a bridge in front of Wiju. This was in plain view of the Russians on the conical bill opposite and just east of Kieu-Lang-Cheng, and they consumed much time and powder in shelling it. This was precisely what the Japanese intended for the bridge. While it held the Russian attention, a little farther down the stream the Japanese were at work on another bridge, screened by small willow trees on the intervening island, and which, when completed, had never had a shot fired at it.
Have you ever stood in front of a cage wherein there was a monkey gazing innocently and peaceably into your eyes—so innocent and peaceable, the hands grasping the bars and wholly unbelligerent, the eyes bent with friendly interest on yours, and all the while and unbeknown a foot is sliding out to surprise your fancied security and set you shrieking with sudden fright? Beware the monkey cage! You have need of more than eyes; and beware the Japanese. When he sits down stupidly to build a bridge with his two hands before your eyes, have a thought to the quiet place behind the willow-screen where another bridge is being builded by his two feet. He works with bands and feet, he works night and day, and be never does but one thing expected of him, and tbat is the unexpected thing.
An Anxious Day for the Japanese
The night of April 29th and the day of the 30th was an anxious time for the Japanese. Their army was cut in half, and it was no less than the Yalu that divided it. One-third of its force, the Z division, had crossed the river to the right and was in Manchuria. They had no very accurate knowledge of the Russian strength, and it was not beyond liability that the Russians might make a counterattack on the Z division and destroy It. So the X and Y divisions on the south bank were in momentary readiness to prevent this by delivering an attack upon the Russians straight across the river. But there was no need for this. The Russians were not in sufficient force to attack a single division, advancing as it was across mountainous country. This, in turn, the Japanese did not know, but they prepared for the possibility as they prepare for everything.
The Al-ho river flows out of Manchuria and enters the Yalu valley a mile or more above Kieu-Liang-Cheng. It also flows down past that village, close to the Manchurian shore, thus interposing an obstacle to that of the whole Japanese army (even the Z division), after it had crossed the Yalu proper. The crossing of the Al-ho was seriously menaced by the sixteen guns of the Russian right on the conical hill. The day’s work for April 30th was to put those sixteen guns out of business. The Japanese bent themselves to the task. It was an exposed position, and a concentrated fire lasting twenty-five minutes and in which time sixty common shells were thrown, did the work. The Russian fire was silenced and the guns were withdrawn that night. Incidentally the Japanese shelled the Russian camp, carelessly situated where it was exposed to view from the Korean hills, and wrought great havoc.
Kurnh’s Forces Cross the Yalu
On the night of April 30th the X and Y divisions crossed the main Yalu and rested on the sands with the Al-ho between them and the Russians. ‘The X division, forming the Japanese left, faced the Russian right on the conical hill. The Y division was extended near the mouth of the Al-ho; and up the Al-ho, extended’ for several mile, lay the Z division.
Opposing these three divisions was a Russian actual fighting force of about 4.000 men. The Russian line, extending some six or seven miles, was not intact. In fact, because of the lay of the land, the Russians really occupied two positions—one on and about the conical hill at Kieu-Liang-Cheng, the other on the Al-ho, from its mouth several miles up. Against these two positions, each occupied by about 2,000 men, was hurled an army of three divisions (probably 25,000 men actually on the spot), backed by a powerful artillery of field guns and howitzers. Prevented by shell fire and shrapnel from doing their best to repel the general attack, in process of being flanked by the immensely superior force, the Russian left on the Al-ho broke first and fled in the direction of Hamatan. The Russian right, on the conical hill, fought more tenaciously, the survivors in turn fleeing toward Hamatan.
Impetuous Reserves Pursue Russians
The Japanese understand the utility of things. Reserves they consider should be used, not only to strengthen the line or to protect the repulsed line, but in the moment of victory to clinch victory hard and fast. The reserves, fresh and chafing from inaction, wild to take part in a glorious day, received the order for general pursuit. Right, left and center, they took after the Russians. The field guns, delayed by the Al-ho, followed at a gallop.
The retreat became a rout. The Russian reserves, two regiments, had fled without firing a shot—at least the Japanese have no record of these two regiments. Hamatan is at the conjunction of three roads, six miles to the rear of the conical hill. Down these three roads the Russians ran, coming together and passing on to the main road the Pekin or Mandarin road. And down these three roads, from right, left and center, came the fresh reserves, and after them the artillery.
Japanese Make a Spartan Stand
In the meantime, however, far from the Japanese right and outstripping the rest of the pursuit, arrived one company of men in time to cut off fifteen Russian guns and eight maxims. The remnants of three battalions rallied around, the guns. A hasty position was taken. The rest of the pursuing Japanese did not arrive. But one company of men stood between the Russians and the Pekin road. And it stood. Its captain, and three lieutenants were killed. One officer only remained alive. The last cartridge was fired. Those that survived fixed their bayonets ready to receive a charge. And in that moment, left, right and center, their pursuing comrades arrived.
The Russians were assailed from three sides. The tables were turned, but they fought with equal courage. The day was lost; they knew it; yet they fought on doggedly. Night was falling. As the Japanese drew closer the Russians turned loose their horses, destroyed or threw away the breechblocks of their guns, smashed the breeches of the maxims and then, as bayonet countered bayonet, drew white handkerchiefs from their pockets in token of surrender.
How the Brown Men Protect Their Moves
One other noteworthy thing occurred in the Japanese pursuit. Midway to Hamatan, flying on the heels of a rout, in the very heat and sweep of triumph, they dropped a line of reserves to receive and protect them should they be hurled back broken and crushed by Russian reinforcements. Hand in hand with terrifying bravery goes this cold-blooded precaution. Verily, nothing short of the miracle can wreck a plan they have once started to put into execution. The men furnish the unfaltering bravery, confident in the knowledge that their officers have furnished the precaution.
Of course, the officers are as brave as the men. On the night of the 30th, when the army took up its position on the Al-ho, it was not known whether that stream was fordable. Officers from each of the three divisions stripped and swam or waded the river at many different points, practically under the rifles of the Russians.
Almost a Second Lung Tong Pen
“Men determined to die” is the way one Japanese officer characterized the volunteers who answer in large numbers to every call for dangerous work. Not knowing whether the Al-ho was fordable, three plans were seriously considered. First, each soldier was to go into action on May 1st dressed in a cartridge belt and equipped with a rifle and a board, the latter to be used as a means for paddling across the Al-ho. Second, same garb and equipment with a tub substituted for the board, and, third, the strongest swimmers to cross over with ropes, along which, when once fast on the other bank, the weaker swimmers and non-swimmers could make their way. In any case, had the river not proved fordable, Kipling’s “Taking of Lung-Tong-Pen” would have been repeated on a most formidable scale. Surely the Russians would have broken and fled precipitately before so terrible a charge.
Every division, every battery was connected with headquarters by field telephone. When the divisions moved forward they dragged their wires after them like spiders drag the silk of their webs. Even the tiny navy at the mouth of the Yalu was in instant communication with headquarters. Thus, on a wide-stretching and largely invisible field, the commander-in-chief was in immediate control of everything. Inventions, weapons, methods, systems (the navy modeled after the English, the army after the German), everything utilized by the Japanese has been supplied by the Western world; but the Japanese have shown themselves the only Eastern people capable of utilizing them.
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