Training and crossing the T at Tsushima

The Russian fleet combined nearly everything that could be sent, but newspaper comparisons of ships and guns concealed serious weaknesses in formation, readiness, and personnel. Admiral Togo, commanding from Mikasa, brought a thoroughly drilled fleet against a Russian force whose best Far Eastern squadron had already been lost at Port Arthur. The Japanese crossed the Russian line's T, concentrating broadside fire against ships able to reply mainly with forward guns. British-influenced training and sustained Japanese exercises helped turn tactical position into a decisive victory. The preserved Mikasa and the memory of Togo then made Tsushima a lasting symbol in Japanese naval militarism.