Harbin, China - the largest city of Heilongjiang Province - Russian Troops. In the territory which was formerly Northern Manchuria and which was heavily populated by Russians as well as Chinese. Almost a 'Wild West' town with transient populations and shifting spheres of demographic influence. Many self-exiled Civil War White Russians ended up living in Harbin. During the Russo-Japanese War (1904?1905 - the exact date of this card), Russia used Harbin as its base for military operations in Northeastern China. Following the construction of the Chinese Eastern Railway (financed by the Russian Empire), the Russians selected Harbin as the base of their administration over this railway and the Chinese Eastern Railway Zone. The Chinese Eastern Railway extended the Trans-Siberian Railway: substantially reducing the distance from Chita to Vladivostok and also linking the new port city of Dalny (Dalian) and the Russian Naval Base Port Arthur (Lushun).