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Russo-Japan Peace Conference at Portsmouth. The Japanese delegation headed by Jutaro Komura is on the left and Count Sergei Witte leads the Russian delegation on the right side of the table. The room apparently had a nice view of the ocean.
Although President Roosevelt did not attend the peace conference at Portsmouth, he supervised every detail from Washington and his home on Long Island. Komura was instructed by Tokyo to make sure to obtain a free hand in Korea and control of Southern Manchuria and the railway. Also, for the frosting on the cake, to obtain an indemnity and all of Sakhalin. Japan was in dire financial straits and needed the indemnity to pay for the war and have enough capital for projects in Korea and Manchuria.

Komura got his demands for controlling Korea and Manchuria, but Count Witte rejected demands for an indemnity and Sakhalin. Komura then threatened to walk out of the conference. However, Tokyo told him to compromise. Komura offered to give up on the indemnity if Russia left Sakhalin. Witte accepted and Japan got the southern half of Sakhalin. The Treaty of Postsmouth was signed in Sept. 1905. However, when the Japanese people back home found out that there would be no indemnity, anti-peace rioting occurred. Mobs surrounded the US legation in Tokyo. Komura feared for his life when he returned to Japan.

Russo-Japan Peace Conference at Portsmouth. The Japanese delegation headed by Jutaro Komura is on the left and Count Sergei Witte leads the Russian delegation on the right side of the table. The room apparently had a nice view of the ocean.

Although President Roosevelt did not attend the peace conference at Portsmouth, he supervised every detail from Washington and his home on Long Island. Komura was instructed by Tokyo to make sure to obtain a free hand in Korea and control of Southern Manchuria and the railway. Also, for the frosting on the cake, to obtain an indemnity and all of Sakhalin. Japan was in dire financial straits and needed the indemnity to pay for the war and have enough capital for projects in Korea and Manchuria.

Komura got his demands for controlling Korea and Manchuria, but Count Witte rejected demands for an indemnity and Sakhalin. Komura then threatened to walk out of the conference. However, Tokyo told him to compromise. Komura offered to give up on the indemnity if Russia left Sakhalin. Witte accepted and Japan got the southern half of Sakhalin. The Treaty of Postsmouth was signed in Sept. 1905. However, when the Japanese people back home found out that there would be no indemnity, anti-peace rioting occurred. Mobs surrounded the US legation in Tokyo. Komura feared for his life when he returned to Japan.

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