Government and military leaders miscalculated and made decisions that caused unnecessary friction that resulted in Russia's defeat. The first example of a bad leader is Nicholas II. The emperor could have prevented Russia from entering the war if he had dealt diplomatically with Japan. Japan made every effort to address Nicholas II; in vain, he deliberately ignored their problems. During the reign of Nicholas II, Russia made the fatal mistake of not preparing for war with Japan during the negotiation period. Nicholas II had been warned of the dangers of imperial expansion in the East but did not take considerable steps to defend himself during the process (Fuller, p. 398). The Empire had established a mismatch between politics and strategy. An imperialist policy requires massive recourse to diplomatic and military power, with unlimited use of both. Nicholas II failed on the diplomatic front, which led to war, and the military powers also failed, which resulted in defeat. Russia's war plans were nothing more than side conversations or thoughts of individuals who had no real ability to strategize. The Russian Council's board discussed concentrating the fleet in the East, to ensure the elimination of Japan if war was necessary. This strategy would have provided Russia with more favorable conditions for success. However, the decision not to keep their