>Prior to the Russo-Japanese War, there was a globally widespread belief in a sort of White supremacy, where White nations were seen as undefeatable in combat. But then Japan broke that image by trouncing the Russian Empire in direct combat. The war began with a Japanese surprise attack on the Russians in Port Arthur, China, in February of 1904. >[...] To make matters worse for Russia, the Japanese fleet had the advantage of proximity and novelty: they were newer, faster, and used radio communication, allowing them to outmaneuver the considerably larger Russian fleet. >An interesting detail of this war was that Japan probably would have lost were it not for the efforts of a single American banker. >Jacob Schiff was an important proponent of American railroads and he ran numerous major corporations, like Wells Fargo, Union Pacific, and Equitable Life Assurance. He was also Jewish. [...] Schiff's advocacy on the part of Jews was renowned. He actively fought to combat anti-Semitism at home and abroad, while bankrolling Zionist efforts. One instance that drew particular ire from him was the April 1903 Kishinev pogrom, in which 49 Jews were killed, 92 were gravely injured, and more than 500 suffered other injuries, including the destruction of more than 1,500 homes. nitter.poast.org/cremieuxrecueil/status/1711481213607657481#m