While Russian and Japanese forces gathered for the great Battle
of Liaoyang, where over 400,000 men would come to grips, in
early August, Nogi began his assault on Port Arthur.
Choosing the weakest part of the Russian defenses, where advancing
Japanese infantry could move unseen through the tall millet until they
were almost on top of the Russian trench line, he was able to seize a hill
that allowed his artillery to fire into the harbor, although his gunners
could not directly see the ships. Faced by this threat of destruction to his
fleet, Alexeiev ordered Admiral Makarov's successor, Admiral Vitgeft, to

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