ABSTRACT
After their war, Russia and Japan divided Manchuria into northern and southern spheres of interest: Russia predominated in Mongolia while Japan took over Korea.
The capital of Russia in Manchuria, Harbin, continued to expand and flourish in a mostly harmonious manner, although revolutionary activity continued after 1905. The outbreak of World War in 1914 led in the short run to more apprehension than discomfort, but the situation began to deteriorate after the tsarist government was overthrown early in 1917.
The Allies attempted to shore up republican Russia through intervention in the North and Far East, switching to anti-Bolshevik activity after Lenin’s October Revolution. Japan was a cause of concern for its Western Allies, having infiltrated China and now extending its influence via Vladivostok.
