Wars for re-division of the world: Russian-Japanese war. Since the beginning of escalating of capitalism into imperialism, development of capitalist countries became increasingly uneven. In the end of the XIX century, countries such as Britain and France, which were the strongest, were pushed by young capitalist countries - Germany, the United States, and Japan. There was a series of wars of expansion and spheres of influence. The USA victory in the Spanish-American war has opened the way for further expansion to the south of Latin America. In 1899-1902 England was at war against the two Boer republics in southern Africa ended with their defeat. Russian-Japanese war is also refers to the wars for re-division of the world. This war was the largest and had great impact on the whole world. Russian-Japanese war began in 1904. The reason of the war was the Russian expansion in Manchuria. Telling about previous situation, which led to the war, in May, 1896 Russia attained from China the concession for building and exploitation of Chinese-Eastern Railway from Harbin to Port-Arthur, in March, 1898 – rent of Southern part of Liaodong Peninsula and Port-Arthur. Port-Arthur soon after became Russian main naval base in Far East. In 1900, while in China was Ihetuan Rebellion, Russian army occupied Manchuria. But this attempt, to save her military attendance, faced with resistance of Japan, Great Britain and the USA. They were against strengthening of Russian influence in North China. So in January, 1902 Japan and Great Britain signed a treaty of alliance directed against Russia. In this situation Russia was forced to sign the agreement with China in March, 1902. Russia pledged to withdraw her army from Manchuria in eighteen months, but every time delayed the execution, which led to a sharp deterioration of its relations with Japan. In July, 1903 Japan suggested to Russia the plan of division of influence spheres in North China, but followed negotiations didn’t end successfully. So in 1904 Japan severed diplomatic relations with Russia. In the coming war, Japan considers its main task is the destruction of the Russian Pacific Fleet, the capture of Port-Arthur and the defeat of the Russian army in Manchuria. In January 1904, without the announcement of war, Japanese army suddenly attacked Pacific fleet in Port-Arthur and disabled Russian battleships “Retvizan” and “Cesarevich”. After this event Russia declared the war against Japan. Position of great powers toward the war split them in two camps. Great Britain and the USA at one were for Japan. France was against Japans acts, because she was interested in Russia as the alliance against Germany. Germany assured of her friendly neutrality. The balance of powers in the theatre of military acts was not in favor of Russia, because of the slowness of the military and naval authorities, gross mistakes in assessing their opponents. From the outset of the war Russian Pacific squadron suffered serious losses. Japan captured authority in sea, deploy attack on Russian troops in Manchuria and Port-Arthur. In February, 1905, was the Battle of Mukden, raging at more than 100-kilometer front and lasted three weeks. In the battle of Mukden Russian army suffered a crushing defeat. After this battle the war on land beginning to subside. The number of Russian troops in Manchuria increased steadily, but the morale of the army was undermined, which largely contributed to beginning of the revolution in country. The Japanese, who have suffered huge losses, also didn’t show any activity. In 14-15 May 1905 in the Battle of Tsushima Japanese fleet destroyed the Russian squadron, which had been transferred to the Far East to the Baltic. Battle of Tsushima decided the outcome of the war. Autocracy, which was busy with the revolutionary movement, couldn’t continue the fight. Japan was extremely exhausted by the war. In July 27, 1905 in Portsmouth (New Hampshire, USA) opened a diplomatic conference, which ended in August 23 with the signing of the Peace of Portsmouth. Russian delegation, headed by S. U. Witte, managed to achieve a relatively "decent" terms of a peace treaty. Russia ceded to Japan the southern part of Sakhalin, her leasehold rights to the Liaodong Peninsula and the South Manchurian railway linking Port-Arthur with the Chinese Eastern Railway. Russian-Japanese war ended with the defeat of autocracy. Undermining the power inside the country, it nevertheless weakened Russia's position in the international arena. Japan's victory in the war meant transforming of the country into a great power of the European level of development. For Russia, the defeat in the war meant catastrophic increase of dissipative processes in the society, which was manifested as "the first Russian Revolution". Despite its limited nature, Russian-Japanese War had a significant impact on the balance of powers in the world and that affected the nature of many political processes and military clashes.