Japan's First Squadron combined four battleships with two armoured cruisers, four protected cruisers, thirteen destroyers, and four torpedo boats. The Second Squadron had six armoured cruisers and four protected cruisers, supported by eight destroyers and seven torpedo boats. Each formation combined heavy firepower with smaller vessels able to perform different tasks. Even the weaker Third Squadron was more balanced and organized than the Russian expedition. Nearby logistics and infrastructure helped Japan sustain this distribution of ships across its fleet.
Notable Point · 53:10-55:29
How Japan balanced its squadrons at Tsushima
The composition of Japan's First and Second Squadrons shows how cruisers and light forces supported the heavy ships within each formation.