러일전쟁 직전 베조브라조프의 극동정책과 러일협상

이항준 국방부군사편찬연구소 2023 군사 Vol.- No.128

베조브라조프는 압록강삼림회사의 주주를 구성하여 황실 세력의 이익을 옹호하면서 니콜라이 2세의 후원 아래 러시아 극동 정책을 추진, 정치적 영향력을 획득했다. 그는 압록강삼림회사가 한국 북부와 만주, 압록강과 두만강 하구의 영역을 관리하는 동시에 한국에서 일본과 러시아 사이 방벽의 역할을 할 것으로 기대했다. 베조브라조프는 러시아의 극동정책을 황제에게 직접 제안했고, 그 승인을 받아 움직였다. 특히 1903년 8월 일본의 러일협상 제안에 대한 러시아의 답변안 작성에서 니콜라이 2세는 한국에서 일본의, 만주에서 러시아의 이해관계를 규정할 때 ‘유사한’이란 단어를 삽입하도록 명령했다. 이것은 한국과 만주문제의 연관성 및 베조브라조프와 니콜라이 2세가 직접 연결되는 과정을 보여주는 것이다. 베조브라조프는 러시아가 만주를 점령하고 한국을 보호령으로 만드는 장기적인 계획을 지지했지만 러일협상의 마지막 순간에 ‘러일동맹’을 실현시키기 위하여 러시아가 군사적으로 만주를 점령하지 않고 한국의 독립을 유지시키는 방안을 제시했다. 그가 ‘만주 점령과 한국 보호령’이라는 강경정책에서 ‘러일동맹’이라는 유화정책으로 급격히 전환한 것은 한국에서 일본의 영향력을 배제할 수 없다는 인식, 그리고 러일동맹을 통해 극동에서 영국을 고립시키려는 의도에서 나온 전략이었다. 그러나 베조브라조프는 외교협상에서 일본에게 충분한 신뢰를 주지 못하여 러일협상의 실패에 기여했다. 일본은 베조브라조프의 러일협상 대응 방안의 변화에 대하여 의구심을 품는 동시에 이를 신뢰하지 않았다. 고무라는 러시아가 러일협상을 지연하면 개전할 수 있다는 의견서를 제출했고 일본정부는 2월 4일 전쟁을 결정했다. 그것은 러일개전의 직접적인 원인이 바로 일본이었다는 사실을 의미한다. Bezobrazov formed shareholders of Yalu River Forestry Company centered on people who served in the Guards Corps or related to the imperial family to defend the interests of the imperial family, and he promoted Russia's Far East policy through the imperial family with the patronage of Nicholas II. while gaining political influence. Tsar Nicholas II also actively supported Bezobrazov to strengthen the autocracy. Bezobrazov supported the tyranny of the emperor and the governorship of the borders as the basic political system. Bezobrazov thought that an emperor-centered autocracy was the most suitable political system for Russia. Ultimately, Bezobrazov supported the long-term plan for Russia to occupy Manchuria and make Korea a protectorate. Bezobrazov believed that Russia should build up its military presence in the Far East and then protect individual Russian companies with foreign participation. By the way, Bezobrazov argued that no company could actively operate in the Far East if the management system of the Ministry of Finance remained as it is today. Bezobrazov criticized Russia's bureaucracy and tried to carry out the Far East policy of the imperial family by directly negotiating with the finance minister, the military minister, and the foreign minister. As a result, Bezobrazov directly intervened in the establishment of the Far East Government-General, drafted the Special Committee for the Far East organizational structure and the Far East's economic plan, and even prepared a plan for the formation of a plenipotentiary committee in Manchuria. However, at the last minute of the Russo-Japanese negotiations, Bezovzazov proposed a plan to maintain Korea's independence without Russia militarily occupying Manchuria in order to realize the 'Russian-Japanese alliance'. This was different from the basic policy of Bezovzazov's Far East policy, which was 'the occupation of Manchuria and the protectorate of Korea'. He intended to realize their own interests by establishing a 'stock company' while Russia occupied an economic advantage in Manchuria and Japan in Korea. In late December 1903 and early January 1904, Bezobrazov conveyed his idea to Kurino, the Japanese minister to Russia, to promote the actual 'Russian-Japanese alliance', and he suggested Russia's adherence to Manchurian interests and concessions on the Korean issue. Bezobrazov accurately grasped the intentions of the political opposition in order to seize political leadership in Russia, but he failed to grasp the decision-making process of Japan's most important enemy, Korea and Manchuria policy, especially the Japanese military's preparations for the Russo-Japanese War. He was preoccupied with internal enemies and neglected to grasp information about external enemies. As a result, Russia suffered a series of defeats against Japan in the early days of the Russo-Japanese War.

러일전쟁의 원인과 베조브라조프 일파

조호연 ( Ho-yeon Cho ) 경남대학교 인문과학연구소 2017 인문논총 Vol.44 No.-

A number of researchers concerned with the origins of the Russo-Japanese War have remarked on the so-called ‘scapegoat theory’, which emphasized on the roles of the clique around A. M. Bezobrazov at the outbreak of the war between Russia and Japan in the beginning of the 20-th century. The theory explained that the adventurers, including Bezobrazov, tried to seek the commercial interests around the Yalu River and stimulated the Japanese to attack on Russia. This article is to examine the relationships between the origins of the Russo-Japanese War and Bezobrazov’s clique. I traced the organization and activities of the group in detail. In result, it is thought that the influences of Bezobrazov’s clique on the Russo-Japanese war must not be overemphasized. The best days of the clique and the downfall of S. lu. Witte who was regarded as the main opponent against the clique, did not coincide. Moreover, the tsar’s government did not provide any aid to the clique, which encountered the financial crisis in June, 1903. It was not the adventurous activities of Bezobrazov’s clique but the groundless optimism of the Russian government that resulted to the outbreak of the Russo-Japanese War.

러일전쟁 전후 러시아 극동총독부와 극동특별위원회의 설치와 해체

이항준 수선사학회 2022 사림 Vol.- No.82

The Government-General of the Far East and the Special Committee for the Far East were established in 1903 led by the imperial powers within the Russian government. State Advisor Bezobrazov (А.М. Безобразов) diagnosed the weakening of power in the Far East and suggested the need for the establishment of the Government-General of the Far East. The reason was that first, conflicts between government departments and the inefficiency of the consultation system brought irresponsibility, and second, the lack of accurate information on the Far East and erroneous evaluation of the situation occurred. Imperial powers, including Bezobrazov (А.М. Безобразов), opposed bureaucratic forces, arguing that in order to avoid the Russo-Japanese War, war preparations should be strengthened in the Far East and a single independent organization should be established. As a result, Nicholas II accepted the imperial powers’ insistence and, on July 30, 1903, ordered the establishment of the Government-General of the Far East in the Senate, the highest authority for judicial and legislative powers. The Governor-General of the Far East was composed of the Governor-General of Priamour and the Governor-General of Lusun. Naval Admiral Alexeyev (Е.И. Алексеев) was appointed as the governor of the Far East. The Government-General of the Far East was an organization centered on the Governor-General of the Far East that encompassed the order and safety of the Far East. The Governor-General of the Far East could present his or her opinion directly to Nicholas II or through the Secretary General. Here, the Governor-General of the Far East had the powerful authority to command the Pacific Fleet and the Far East Army. The Governor-General of the Far East was in charge of not only the military commander of Priam, but also the military administration of the Manchurian Railway. On August 23, 1903, by order of Nicholas II, the Governor-General of the Far East was able to negotiate directly with the Ministry of the Army. In the end, the Government-General of the Far East was the body that oversaw the administrative system reorganization and economic development of the Russian Far East. The Special Committee for the Far East was an organization that provided administrative and legal support for the Government-General of the Far East and devised a plan for the development of the Far East. Above all, the Government-General of the Far East was established under the pretext of establishing a single independent organization to prepare for war in the Far East. In fact, the staff department under the Government-General of the Far East has established a “strategic action plan” in preparation for the Russo-Japanese War. The Special Committee for the Far East planned colonial management for the entire Far East, including Manchuria, by examining cases of colonization abroad. This fact meant that the Government-General of the Far East and the Special Committee for the Far East were established with the intention of carrying out Russia's military response to Japan's threat of war and promoting colonial management throughout the Far East in the future. Nevertheless, when Russia was defeated in the Russo-Japanese War, the Special Committee for the Far East was dissolved, and the Government-General of the Far East had no choice but to cease its activities.