Russian Far Eastern Policy 1881-1904 by Andrew Malozemoff offers a rigorous reassessment of Russia's eastward expansion and the tangled diplomacy that led to one of the most decisive conflicts of the early twentieth century. Drawing on extensive archival research, Malozemoff reconstructs how Russia's ambitions in Manchuria, Korea, and China intersected with domestic politics, international rivalries, and the rise of aggressive ideologies. He shows how the Trans-Siberian Railway, the acquisition of Port Arthur, and Russia's conduct during the Boxer Rebellion shaped both regional dynamics and great power tensions.
At the center of this study is the mounting contradiction between Russia's expansive policies and its structural limitations. Malozemoff examines the struggle between reform-minded statesmen like Sergei Witte and the ascendant Bezobrazov group, whose speculative schemes in East Asia undermined diplomatic coherence and heightened risks. By situating Russian decision-making within the broader context of declining European influence in Asia and the assertiveness of Meiji Japan, he demonstrates how miscalculation, overreach, and factional politics propelled both empires toward war. First published posthumously, this work remains a landmark analysis of the origins of the Russo-Japanese War and an essential contribution to understanding Russia's Far Eastern policy at the twilight of empire.
This title is part of UC Press's Voices Revived program, which commemorates University of California Press's mission to seek out and cultivate the brightest minds and give them voice, reach, and impact. Drawing on a backlist dating to 1893, Voices Revived makes high-quality, peer-reviewed scholarship accessible once again using print-on-demand technology. This title was originally published in 1958.
