In the high-profile case of the surrender of the Port Arthur fortress to the Japanese in early January 1905, about a dozen high-ranking military men took place, among them the main ones: the commander of the garrison of the fortress, General A.M. Stessel, commandant of the fortress, General Smirnov, who was in sharp conflict with A.M. Stessel, generals A.V. Fok and V.A. Reis. The surrender of the fortress became one of the weighty stones in the foundation of Japan's victory in the war. Since the event was very resonant, there were numerous speculations about the reasons for the surrender and the role of A.M. Stessel and his closest subordinates. The trial shed light on the actual position of the Russian army and decision-making during the Russo-Japanese War, since almost all the testimonies of the participants in the events were given under oath.