▁Japanese ▁victory ▁in ▁the ▁First ▁S ino - J apan ese ▁War ▁of ▁ 1 8 9 4 – 1 8 9 5 , ▁both ▁Russia ▁and ▁Japan ▁had ▁amb itions ▁to ▁control ▁Man ch uria ▁and ▁Korea , ▁resulting ▁in ▁t ensions ▁between ▁the ▁two ▁nations . ▁Japan ▁had ▁begun ▁negoti ations ▁to ▁reduce ▁the ▁t ensions ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 1 , ▁but ▁the ▁Russian ▁government ▁was ▁slow ▁and ▁uncertain ▁in ▁its ▁rep lies ▁because ▁it ▁had ▁not ▁yet ▁decided ▁exactly ▁how ▁to ▁resolve ▁the ▁problems . ▁Japan ▁interpreted ▁this ▁as ▁deliber ate ▁pre var ic ation ▁designed ▁to ▁buy ▁time ▁to ▁complete ▁the ▁Russian ▁arm ament ▁programs . ▁The ▁situation ▁was ▁w ors ened ▁by ▁Russia ' s ▁failure ▁to ▁withdraw ▁its ▁troops ▁from ▁Man ch uria ▁in ▁October ▁ 1 9 0 3 ▁as ▁promised . ▁The ▁final ▁st raw s ▁were ▁the ▁news ▁of ▁Russian ▁tim ber ▁con cess ions ▁in ▁northern ▁Korea ▁and ▁the ▁Russian ▁ref us al ▁to ▁acknow ledge ▁Japanese ▁interests ▁in ▁Man ch uria ▁while ▁continu ing ▁to ▁place ▁conditions ▁on ▁Japanese ▁activities ▁in ▁Korea . ▁These ▁actions ▁caused ▁the ▁Japanese ▁government ▁to ▁decide ▁in ▁December ▁ 1 9 0 3 ▁that ▁war ▁was ▁in ev itable . ▁As ▁t ensions ▁with ▁Japan ▁increased , ▁the ▁Pacific ▁Squadron ▁began ▁mo oring ▁in ▁the ▁outer ▁har bor ▁at ▁night ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁react ▁more ▁quickly ▁to ▁any ▁Japanese ▁attempt ▁to ▁land ▁troops ▁in ▁Korea . ▁ ▁In ▁early ▁February ▁ 1 9 0 4