Cablegram from I. V. Gillis to the Office of Naval Intelligence
I. V. Gillis reports that the Takasago was sunk on December 12, 1904.
Collection
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Creation Date
1905-01-21
Your TR Source
China--Lüshun
Letter from George von Lengerke Meyer to Theodore Roosevelt
Ambassador Meyer writes President Roosevelt about the Russo-Japanese War. Meyer describes Stanley Washburn’s report of dwindling American sympathies with the Japanese. Washburn does not believe the Japanese army will ever beat the Russian army in Manchuria. Meyer mentions his interactions with Camille Barrère, the French Ambassador, and his indication that French and German banks are beginning to side with Russia. Meyer also relates an interaction he had with the Japanese minister, in which the minister stated he was interested in Roosevelt’s thoughts on Manchuria and Japan’s control of Port Arthur.
Collection
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Creation Date
1905-01-20
Creator(s)
Letter from William H. Taft to Theodore Roosevelt
Secretary of War Taft encloses more papers regarding efforts to secure an American engineer at Port Arthur.
Collection
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Creation Date
1905-01-10
Creator(s)
Letter from William H. Taft to Theodore Roosevelt
Secretary of War Taft encloses a letter explaining the absence of an American engineer at Port Arthur and asks President Roosevelt for the letter’s return.
Collection
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Creation Date
1905-01-09
Creator(s)
Letter from Oscar S. Straus to Theodore Roosevelt
Oscar S. Straus is confident the Russo-Japanese War will soon be over and encourages President Roosevelt to wait for assurances before agreeing to or making any offers of mediation.
Collection
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Creation Date
1905-01-06
Creator(s)
Memorandum reporting on Russo-Japanese war
The Office of Naval Intelligence reports on recent naval activity as well as the current status of the Russo-Japanese War. Things have been relatively quiet with the exception of damage to the Russian battleship Sevastopol, probably due to torpedo attacks. The writer also reports on the location and agenda of the Second Pacific Fleet.
Collection
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Creation Date
1904-12-23
Creator(s)
Memorandum on developments at the Sha River and Port Arthur
The Office of Naval Intelligence reports on developments along the Sha River in China and the bombardment of vessels at Port Arthur by Japanese forces.
Collection
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Creation Date
1904-12-16
Creator(s)
Letter from Joseph Ernst Kuhn to D. H. Muir
Major Kuhn has been transferred to the Second Army and his application to go to Port Arthur has been refused again. Kuhn feels he would be more useful there and is “keenly disappointed.”
Collection
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Creation Date
1904-12-13
Creator(s)
Letter from George Kennan to Theodore Roosevelt
Journalist George Kennan reports to President Roosevelt on the Japanese Third Army’s siege of Port Arthur, Manchuria. Kennan claims the Russians are violating the provisions of the Red Cross Geneva Convention. He has witnessed them firing on medical personnel. The Japanese soldiers are unable to recover their wounded and dead comrades. Kennan is very impressed by the Japanese artillery’s accuracy which he credits to the training the gunners receive. He thinks Congress should increase appropriations for training ammunition and stop referring to such costs as wasteful. Other countries have sent officers to observe the siege operations. He is disappointed that the United States has not done the same. General Nogi would like President Roosevelt to send copies of the Infantry and Cavalry Regulations to the headquarters of the Third Imperial Army. Kennan encloses maps showing the Russian and Japanese fortifications. Finally, having just learned of the election results, Kennan sends congratulations to President Roosevelt.
Collection
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Creation Date
1904-11-20
Creator(s)
Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Cecil Spring Rice
President Roosevelt begins his letter to Cecil Spring Rice discussing the presidential election and how Alton B. Parker and the Democratic Party chose to campaign. Roosevelt mentions his plans to send Ambassador to Italy George von Lengerke Meyer to St. Petersburg, and spends the rest of the letter discussing Japan and Russia. The Japanese government treats Americans well, while Russia has treated the United States, England, and Japan poorly. However, Roosevelt believes the Japanese Army groups all white men together and considers such men inferior to themselves, as evidenced by the experience of American military attachés in Japan. The president opines that Russia is the main enemy of Japan, as long as it focuses on China, Korea, and Manchuria. However, if Japan desires to become a maritime power, it could threaten the United States, England, and the Netherlands. Roosevelt concludes his letter by saying, “[W]e must trust in the Lord and keep our powder dry and our eyes open.”
Collection
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Creation Date
1904-12-27
Creator(s)
Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Kentarō Kaneko
Following up on his letter of the previous day, President Roosevelt argues that it is both in the self-interest of Japan, as well as in the interest of the world, for Japan to make peace with Russia. He reminds Baron Kaneko of the various territorial gains Japan has already made, and suggests that continuing the war would cost Japan more money than it would stand to gain from Russia. Roosevelt also suggests that the world is looking to Japan to take a position of leadership and act nobly in bringing the Russo-Japanese war to an end.
Collection
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Creation Date
1905-08-23
Creator(s)
Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Kermit Roosevelt
After telling Kermit Roosevelt he can stay with Bishop William Lawrence at Harvard, President Roosevelt updates Kermit on family events. The president will be going to Pine Knot, Virginia, with Edith Kermit Carow Roosevelt next weekend. Yesterday the president played tennis with Ted Roosevelt and one of his friends. Yesterday evening, Admiral Isamu Takeshita brought some Japanese naval officers who had been with Heihachirō Tōgō at Port Arthur. The president called them “a formidable looking set and evidently dead game fighters!”
Collection
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Creation Date
1905-06-06
Creator(s)
Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Cecil Spring Rice
President Roosevelt disagrees with an informant of Cecil Spring Rice’s regarding the comparative strengths of the Russian and Japanese fleets in a naval battle near Port Arthur, and details his reasoning. Roosevelt enjoyed seeing Spring Rice recently. He comments that he is having some troubles in Washington, D.C., and jokingly proposes sending “eminent statesmen at the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue” to be bodyguards for imperiled Russian nobility.
Collection
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Creation Date
1905-02-27
Creator(s)
Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to George Kennan
President Roosevelt and Secretary of State John Hay have found George Kennan’s letter interesting, and Roosevelt looks forward to speaking with Kennan in person regarding Kennan’s conclusions about the Russo-Japanese War.
Collection
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Creation Date
1905-01-06
Creator(s)
Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to William H. Taft
President Roosevelt asks Secretary of War Taft to send a copy of the U.S. infantry and cavalry regulations to the Japanese Imperial Army Headquarters in Tokyo, Japan, compliments of the War Department at the request of George Kennan. Roosevelt also asks why there was no engineer officer at Port Arthur in China.
Collection
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Creation Date
1905-01-05
Creator(s)
Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to John Hay
President Roosevelt believes it is too early to know that Russia will win the Russo-Japanese War. Roosevelt wants to know what Wayne MacVeagh has said.
Collection
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Creation Date
1904-09-19
Creator(s)
Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to John Hay
President Roosevelt sends Secretary of State Hay a document written by Cecil Spring Rice, the British Charge d’Affaires in St. Petersburg. Roosevelt believes that Rice has not taken into account the likely scenario that the Japanese will win the Russo-Japanese War after taking Port Arthur. If Japan wins, Roosevelt suggests they might prevent interference which would “rob her of the fruits of her victory.”
Collection
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Creation Date
1904-07-26
Creator(s)
Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Sir Cecil Spring Rice
President Roosevelt gives Cecil Spring Rice his assessment on the Russo-Japanese War. Roosevelt is not concerned with the emergence of Japan as a world power and does not think that Japan will become more aggressive. Roosevelt is concerned that Russia must be contained, but insists to Spring Rice that the U.S. has no intention of intervening in the war. In a postscript, Roosevelt discusses the differences between Japanese and American culture and diplomacy, and reflects on race and culture.
Collection
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Creation Date
1903-06-13
Creator(s)
Memorandum for the Chief of Staff
Captain Cheney reports to General Bell about the conclusions drawn from the siege of Port Arthur about fortifications and the number of men it takes to defend them. He encloses a map from General von Schwarz of the Russian Engineers, who wrote a report of the siege.
Collection
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Creation Date
1908-10-29
Creator(s)
Report from George Dewey to Victor Howard Metcalf
Admiral Dewey, reporting as senior member of the Joint Board, sends Secretary of the Navy Metcalf a report detailing the development of thinking regarding a proposed naval base at Subig bay in the Philippines. While this site was initially considered ideal from a purely naval perspective, this conclusion was later revised, due to increased input from army officers regarding the possibility of defending the site from landward invasions, as well as events during the Russo-Japanese War highlighting new factors that had to be taken into consideration. These developments resulted in the recent recommendation of Manila Bay as the more suitable site for a naval base.
Collection
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Creation Date
1908-03-05