Treaty of Portsmouth
Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Kittery, Maine, USA
What happened
Sergei Witte and Roman Rosen for Russia, and Komura Jutarō and Takahira Kogorō for Japan, with US President Theodore Roosevelt as peacemaker. Russia and Japan had fought a war over Korea and Manchuria. President Theodore Roosevelt helped bring the two sides together, and their diplomats met at the naval shipyard near Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Japan gained Russia's lease on Port Arthur, the southern half of Sakhalin island, and recognition of its interests in Korea, but dropped its demand for money from Russia.
Why it matters
Why it matters: It ended the Russo-Japanese War. Theodore Roosevelt received the 1906 Nobel Peace Prize for his part in making the peace.
What came next
Korea later became a Japanese protectorate.
Did you know?
Theodore Roosevelt never went to Portsmouth during the talks; he worked behind the scenes.
Timeline
- 5 September 1905The Treaty of Portsmouth is signed.
- 1906Theodore Roosevelt receives the Nobel Peace Prize.
- 7 January 1906Japan's cabinet falls after protests over the treaty.