Why Tsushima was decided before the fleets met

The battle's outcome was shaped in Moscow long before either battle line opened fire. Nicholas II's contempt for Japan, resistance to unwelcome information, and equation of monarchical authority with national strength distorted appointments and war planning. The result was a fleet sent on a mission that no sensible command structure could expect it to complete successfully. His later effort to keep the Duma politically weak turned a possible pressure valve into another source of instability rather than an avenue for learning. Tsushima was a failure of institutions, learning, and logistical preparation, though the officers who fought it still showed skill.