On Friday, I finally finished fiddling with the preparation for the calculations of the "general" file, which took almost a year and a half. For 36.2 thousand people. I had to place conditional icons and numbers in 9 columns: the number of representatives of the clan, to which the person belongs, since when this clan has been in the service of the Republic of Ingushetia, its origin (Ostsee, Polish, etc.), the rank of the person himself, he is military or civil, father's rank, max. rank of brothers, max. the rank of sons and their presence (either only daughters, or childless), the total number of children. This study should form the 2nd part of the book on the Russian service stratum (the 1st part of which is an already written general outline of its history from the Middle Ages with a maximum reduction of all available digital data). It will take some time to check for typos and calculate, but in the fall I hope to present it in the form of a dozen tables.
Military and civil ranks of 1-4 (until 1796 - also 5th) classes were taken into account, and only received in active service, and not in retirement (there are 2-3 times more of these). Initially interested simple thing- the degree of self-reproduction of the "general" (what percentage of the "generals" - dad is also a "general" and vice versa), but "appetite comes with eating" and led to what it led to. Things went slowly, because every time I tried to find, wherever possible, a pedigree painting: although all the main sources of this kind were originally laid down in my so-called. “common database” (where there are now about 2 million records), but in a scattered form there are many murals on all kinds of regional and amateur sites and publications, and fuss with the Baltic editions of Gothic, where different branches of the same kind can be found in different volumes, and it was necessary to bring them into a generational one, at the same time remaking the stupid German system “along the lines” into the “Dolgorukovskaya” system (by generations) required for my purposes - something in general.
But there is nothing to do, because it was necessary to separate the namesakes, and there were only dozens of noble families with common surnames (for example, about a hundred Ilyins, 98 Makarovs, 83 Matveevs, 82 Pavlovs, 76 Davydovs, 72 Danilovs, etc.), although, of course, more than 90 % of "generals" belonged to 1-3 oldest and most prominent of the same-family families. Moreover, the murals are usually not complete, and even for well-known titled families, there is usually some left. number of persons, undoubtedly to them according to the official. state belonging to sources, but not reflected in the list (because there was no general state accounting, and the lists were compiled by genealogists on archival cases about the nobility, initiated by individuals who might not have mentioned side branches in their petitions).
Until the end of the calculations, I will refrain from judging, because I know very well how deceptive impressions from “examples” are (even with all the experience of working with mass material, I can say to myself that exceptions are usually remembered at least three times better and create a corresponding deviation in the assessment). On the one hand, dozens of representatives of a number of well-known families are impressive (with closer observation, sinking, however, in the sea of \u200b\u200bthe Ivanov-Petrovs), on the other hand, numerous examples of this kind: the son of a craftsman is a doctor (kol.ass), and his six children and grandchildren - valid civil and secret advisers, all five sons of the St. Petersburg tailor - in the ranks of generals, etc. (but the share of such in the total mass is also not at all the same as at first impression).
So far, it can only be absolutely definitely said that the Republic of Ingushetia is an absolutely typical example of a “bureaucratic” society: even throughout the entire period, almost half of all “generals” are the only representatives of their kind (in “aristocratic” societies, the situation is mirror-like - there are 2-3% of them, while up to 30-40% give births, which make up 2% of all births, and 10% of births give 60-80% of all higher ranks), and in the 1st and even more so the 2nd half of the 19th century, naturally, even more .
Of course, the number of representatives of the clans among the “generals” to a large extent depends on the age of the clan (which allowed it to multiply strongly by the 18th-19th centuries), but this is only one factor; in general, the “influence” of the clan should be judged by the proportion of persons who have reached the highest ranks, in total number his adult men (and according to this indicator, not the most numerous may lead). I counted 55 clans that gave 20 or more “generals” (about a dozen - even 40 or more: 118 Prince Golitsyn, 81 Tolstoy, 63 Prince Dolgorukov, 52 Bibikov, 44 Prince Gagarin, 42 Prince Volkonsky, Arsenievs and bar.Korfov, 40 Engelhardts), of these 55 - 9 genera of Rurikovich and Gediminovich, 31 belong to Russian families known no later than the 16th century, 13 Ostsee, 1 "late" Russian (Demidovs) and 1 "late" foreign (Scalons). However, such combined - "a drop in the ocean" (about 4%).
In general (with the exception of the 1st half - the middle of the 18th century), the proportion of births known in the service before early XVIII in. relatively small: in any case, out of about 2 thousand of the most prominent such families, only 128 gave 10 or more “generals” in the Republic of Ingushetia, and more than a third only one or none at all (despite the fact that the remaining 1.5 thousand old births did not give a single one). Moreover, hundreds of old families did not give in the XVIII-XIX centuries. not even a single person in the "headquarters officer" ranks (8th class and above), not rising in active service above the titular adviser or captain, and many simply by the end of the 19th century. did not serve, but peasantry on their small allotments
Article 14 of the Fundamental State Laws of the Russian Empire proclaimed the emperor "a sovereign leader Russian army and navy". The sovereign determined the structure of the army and navy, issued decrees and orders regarding "... everything in general related to the device armed forces and Defense of the Russian State" 1. On the eve of the First World War, on July 16, 1914, the "Regulations on the field command and control of troops in war time", which allowed the emperor, if he "did not deign to lead the troops personally", to delegate control of the armed forces to the Supreme Commander-in-Chief. The commander-in-chief received the broadest powers, his orders in the theater of operations were equated with the highest commands. in front of him 2 .
For the first time in national history the post of Supreme Commander-in-Chief was replaced on July 20, 1914. In just years great war until signing Brest Peace Eight people were replaced at the post of Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Army, among whom, along with full generals, was an ensign and even, in an unprecedented case, a "shtafirka", a civilian.
On March 9, 1918, the last Supreme Commander-in-Chief was relieved of his post, and on March 27, the Russian army itself ceased to exist.
Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolaevich Romanov (junior) (6.11.1856 - 5.01.1929)
Command term. 20.07.1914 - 23.08.1915
Chin, rank.
Battle path. With his participation in 1914, the unsuccessful East Prussian and triumphal Galician operations were carried out, the enemy offensive was repelled during the Warsaw-Ivangorod and Lodz operations, the Przemysl fortress was taken. Enjoyed great popularity among the troops. Even major failures at the front in 1915 - the loss of Galicia, Poland and a significant part of the Baltic states - did not affect his reputation.
He was removed from office at his own request (another version is due to political intrigues). After the decision of Nicholas II to personally lead the army, he was appointed governor in the Caucasus and commander-in-chief of the Caucasian front.
Before abdicating the throne on March 2, 1917, Nicholas II again appointed Nikolai Nikolayevich commander-in-chief. However, a week later, the Provisional Government forced the Grand Duke to resign - hatred for the Romanov dynasty was already seething over the edge.
Awards. Order of St. George 4th degree, St. George 3rd class, St. George 2nd degree; St. George's weapon, decorated with diamonds, with the inscription "For the liberation of Chervona Rus".
A HIT TO A PORTRAIT
A man of large scale, direct, decisive, who received a completed higher military education who had experience Turkish war... impressing with his appearance, having passed a number of combat positions from a junior officer to the commander-in-chief of the capital district inclusive - in this form the appearance of the Grand Duke of Russia was drawn 3.
_General of Infantry A.Yu. Danilov
(06.05.1868 - 17.07.1918)
Command term. 23.08.1915 - 2.03.1917
Chin. Colonel of the Guard.
Battle path. With the outbreak of war, Nicholas II wanted to personally lead the army, but was forced to yield to the government, which categorically did not make this decision. The "Great Retreat" of the summer of 1915 strengthened the tsar in his conviction to fulfill his royal duty - "when the enemy deepened into the empire, to take over the supreme command of the active troops and ... to defend the Russian Land from the enemy's attempts" 4 .
He made successful personnel changes, appointed the experienced and popular General M.V. Alekseev, established supplies, raised the morale of the troops. All this led to the stabilization of the front and in many respects prepared the Brusilovsky breakthrough of 1916, which became a turning point in the war.
Awards. Order of St. George 4th degree.
A HIT TO A PORTRAIT
With the Sovereign calmer. His Majesty gives instructions so consistent with military strategic tasks that you develop these directives with full conviction in their expediency. He knows the front very well and has a rare memory 5 .
_General of Infantry M.V. Alekseev
(03.11.1857-08.10.1918)
Command term. 1.04.1917 - 21.05.1917
Chin, rank. Infantry General, Adjutant General.
Battle path. Trying to stop the expansion of the army, he demanded that all orders for the army pass through the Supreme Commander. After the appearance of order N1 and the soldiers' committees, he compromised, hoping to take the committees under control by introducing officers into them. The Provisional Regulations on the Organization of the Ranks of the Active Army and Navy, sent out on March 30, 1917, sanctioned the military committees, but limited their scope of competence.
Participated in the creation of the "Union of Army and Navy Officers", at the 1st Congress on May 7 opposed the demand for peace without annexations and indemnities. On May 21, he demanded the restoration of the activities of military courts and the introduction of the death penalty at the front, after which he was removed from his post and appointed military adviser to the Provisional Government.
Awards. Order of St. George 4th degree, St. Anna 4th class "For Bravery", St. Stanislav 3rd class with swords and bow, St. Anna 3rd class with swords and bow, St. Vladimir 4th class with swords and a bow, St. Stanislav 1st class with swords; Golden weapon with the inscription "For bravery".
A HIT TO A PORTRAIT
Enormous capacity for work, excellent acquaintance with the army and its needs, great caution, thoughtfulness ensure [Alekseev's] systematic conduct of operations without risky moves that do not correspond to the current disordered state of the army 6 .
_General from the cavalry A.M. Dragomirov
(01.08.1853-17.03.1926)
Command term. 22.05.1917 - 19.07.1917
Chin, rank. Cavalry General, Adjutant General.
Battle path. One of the best commanders of the First World War, who developed and carried out a fateful breakthrough. After the abdication of Nicholas II, he was considered as an alternative to Alekseev for the post of Commander-in-Chief, and after his resignation he led the army.
On May 22, 1917, by order along the front, he began the formation of "special shock revolutionary battalions recruited in the center of Russia," called upon to "drag along the hesitant" during the offensive. Brusilov was preparing an offensive under the red flag, but on the basis of a plan developed by the tsarist Headquarters. The offensive of the Russian army in the summer of 1917 failed. In the context of the retreat that began on July 12, military revolutionary courts were established and the the death penalty at the front.
Awards. Order of St. George 4th degree, St. George 3rd class, St. Stanislav 3rd class with swords and bow, St. Anna 3rd class with swords and bow, St. Stanislav 2nd degree with swords, White Eagle with swords; St. George's weapon, adorned with diamonds, with the inscription "For the defeat of the Austro-Hungarian armies in Volhynia, in Bukovina and Galicia on May 22-25, 1916."
A HIT TO A PORTRAIT
The head of a broad flight of thought and a clear understanding of the matter ... The only general who combines both brilliant strategic talents and a broad understanding of Russia's political tasks and is able to quickly assess the situation that has arisen.
_Chairman of the State Duma M.V. Rodzianko
(18.08.1870-31.03.1918)
Command term. 19.07.1917 - 27.08.1917
Chin. Infantry General.
Battle path. Gained fame after escaping from Austrian captivity in July 1916. After February Revolution in five months he went from corps commander to commander-in-chief. On July 19, 1917, he agreed to accept the supreme command on the condition of non-interference in his orders. He stabilized the front with tough measures.
At the State Conference on August 12-15 in Moscow, he outlined his program to restore order in the rear. At the end of August, from Headquarters, he negotiated with Kerensky on establishing firm power in the country, but the words of the Commander-in-Chief were regarded as an ultimatum. He was declared a rebel, removed from his post and, after the suppression of the speech on August 25-31, he was arrested.
Awards. Order of St. George 4th degree, St. George 3rd class, St. Vladimir 3rd class with swords, St. Stanislav 2nd class with swords, St. Vladimir 3rd class with swords, St. Stanislav 1st class with swords, St. Anna 1st class with swords.
A HIT TO A PORTRAIT
"Kornilov is bold, courageous, stern, resolute, independent and will not stop at any independent action required by the situation, and at any responsibility" 9 .
_Lieutenant General A.I. Denikin
Alexander Fyodorovich Kerensky (22.04.1881-11.06.1970)
Command term. 30.08.1917 - 3.11.1917
Chin. Didn't have. Civilian "shtafirka". Declared himself Supreme Commander.
Battle path. On May 3, 1917, he was appointed Minister of War, in this capacity, in preparation for the summer offensive, he traveled around the front-line units with patriotic speeches, for which he received the nickname "Chief Persuader".
Having dealt with Kornilov, in view of the refusal of other candidates, he declared himself supreme commander in chief. In September, he formed the "Business Cabinet" and declared Russia a republic, held a Democratic Conference and formed the Pre-Parliament. At this time, the army actually found itself in the hands of the committees and was rapidly decomposing.
Awards. Soldiers' St. George's Crosses of the 1st, 2nd and 4th degrees (granted to the Minister of War for "great feats in the struggle for the freedom of the Russian land" by soldiers and officers).
A HIT TO A PORTRAIT
Kerensky should be considered one of the greatest orators of his kind in history. There was nothing charming about his speeches. His voice was hardened by the constant screaming. He gesticulated little ... but he mastered the speech and spoke with conquering conviction 10 .
_Consul General of Great Britain R.B. lockhart
(01.12.1876-20.11.1917)
Command term. 3.11.1917 - 9.11.1917
Chin. Lieutenant general.
Battle path. One of the closest assistants to A.A. Brusilov. On September 10, 1917, Kerensky's chief of staff, after the latter's flight, became Acting Commander-in-Chief. He ordered the troops to stand in position, on November 7-8 he refused to negotiate peace with the enemy on behalf of the Council of People's Commissars, since "only central authority, supported by the army and the country, can have sufficient weight and significance for opponents. "" For disobedience to the instructions of the government and for behavior that brings unheard of disasters to the working masses of all countries and especially the armies," he was dismissed from his post. Waiting for the arrival of a new commander-in-chief, on November 18 he ordered to release Kornilov from custody, remained at Headquarters and on November 20 fell victim to a soldier's lynching.
Awards. Order of St. George 4th degree, St. George 3rd class, St. Stanislav 2nd class with swords, St. Vladimir 4th class with swords and a bow, St. Vladimir 3rd class with swords; George weapon.
A HIT TO A PORTRAIT
Dukhonin was a broad-minded, frank and honest person, far from political squabbles and machinations. Unlike some older officers, he did not mourn and grumble about the "new system" and by no means idealized the old army ... There was nothing in him from the old military bureaucrat and martinet 13 .
_A.F. Kerensky
Nikolai Vasilievich Krylenko (05/02/1885-07/29/1938)
Command term. 9.11.1917 - 5.03.1918
Chin. Ensign
Battle path. After October coup joined the first Council of People's Commissars as a member of the Committee on Military and Naval Affairs. After the refusal of N.N. Dukhonin to negotiate for peace November 9 appointed V.I. Lenin Supreme Commander. On November 12, he ordered all units at the front to begin negotiations on an armistice; on November 13, he began negotiations with Germany, which ended on December 2 with an armistice.
He reported to the Council of People's Commissars about the loss of combat capability by the army and advocated for peace on any terms. After the signing of the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, he resigned, and on March 13, 1918, the post of Supreme Commander-in-Chief was abolished.
Awards. Didn't have
A HIT TO A PORTRAIT
Ensign Krylenko, nicknamed "Comrade Abram", squat, short-legged, round-shouldered, with unshaven red stubble on his cheeks, in a protective jacket, with casually put on and clumsily hanging combat equipment ... 14.
_Major General G.I. Goncharenko (Yuri Galich)
1. Complete Collection Laws of the Russian Empire. Meeting the third. Volume XXV. 1905. Det. I. Ch. I. C. 457.
2. Regulations on the field command of troops in wartime. SPb. 1914. From 1-3.
3. Danilov Yu.N. Russia in the World War 1914-1915. Berlin. 1924. S. 144.
4. The highest rescript to the Supreme Commander-in-Chief, Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolaevich. August 23, 1915. Op. Quoted from: Polivanov A.A. Nine months at the head of the War Ministry (June 13, 1915 - March 13, 1916) // Issues of History. 1994. N3. S. 121.
5. Quoted. Quoted from: Multatuli P.V. God bless my decision ... Emperor Nicholas II at the head of the army and the conspiracy of the generals. M. 2002. S. 115.
6. Dragomirov's telegram to the Minister of War Guchkov on March 21, 1917 // Zayonchkovsky A.M. Strategic outline of the war 1914-1918. S. 128.
7. Order on the front N 561 of May 22, 1917 // Golovin N.N. Military efforts of Russia in the World War M. 2001. S. 359.
8. Letter to M.V. Rodzianko G.E. Guchkov March 18, 1917// Zayonchkovsky A.M. Decree. op. S. 125.
9. Denikin A.I. Essays on Russian Troubles. The collapse of power and the army. Paris, 1921. S. 193.
10. Lockhart R. B. History from the inside. Memoirs of a British agent. M., Berlin, 2017. S. 195.
11. Conversation of the government with the headquarters on a direct wire on November 9, 1917 // Worker and Soldier. No. 20.1917. November 9.
12. Ibid.
13. Kerensky A.F. Russia at a historical turn. Memoirs. M.: Respublika, 1993. S. 297.
14. Yuri Galich. Death of Dukhonin. On the sixth anniversary of his death. (From the diary of an eyewitness) // Today. Riga. N267. November 30, 1923
In the annals of military glory Russian state inscribed names of over 200 generals Armenian origin . All of them distinguished themselves by fighting spirit and determination, their courage and courage were marked by many awards and the highest noble ranks. Below are the names and titles of ten generals Russian Empire Armenian origin:
1. David Delyanov (David Arutyunovich Dalakyan (1763 -1837)) - Major General of the Russian imperial army . Born in Moscow. As part of the Sumy Hussars, he fought in Prussia against the troops of Napoleon. He distinguished himself in the battles near Friedland (1806-1807), the Battle of Borodino, foreign campaigns of Russian troops in Prussia and France (1813-1814). Winner of many orders and awards. Son - Ivan Davydovich Delyanov, Minister of Education of the Russian Empire.
2. Valerian Madatov (Rostom Grigorievich Madatyan (1782 - 1829)) - Prince, Lieutenant General. Born in the Karabakh village of Avetaranots (Chanakhchi) near Shushi. Participated in Russian-Turkish war(1806 -1812), the Patriotic War (1812) and foreign campaigns of the Russian army (1813-1814), after which he became a major general. Later he took part in the Russian-Persian (1826-1828) and Russian-Turkish wars (1828-1829). He was awarded the St. George Cross of the IV degree and the rank of lieutenant colonel for the battle near Batin, in which he defeated the four thousandth cavalry detachment of the Turks, advancing from Shumla, with 2 squadrons. Khachatur Abovyan wrote about him in his work "Wounds of Armenia": "The world may turn upside down, but the memory of him is indelible in our people and in our country."
3. Mikhail Lazarev (1788-1851) - admiral, adjutant general. Born into a noble family of the Lazarevs in Vladimir. In 1832 he became the commander of the headquarters of the Black Sea Fleet and the ports of the Black Sea. Two more years later (1834) the governor of Sevastopol and Nikolaev. Thanks to Lazarev, the first iron steamer and steam ships were created in Russia. He was a mentor to three Russian naval commanders: P. Nakhimov, V. Kornilov and V. Istomin. Discoverer of Antarctica.
4. Vasily Bebutov (Vasil Ovsepovich Beibutyan (1791 - 1858)) - prince, general of infantry. Born in Tiflis. came from princely family Bebutovs. Participated in the Russian-Turkish war (1806-1812), the Patriotic War (1812) and the Crimean War (1853-1856). In 1830 he was appointed head of the newly conquered Armenian region, which he ruled for 8 years. In 1847-1858 he became head of the Civil Administration and Chairman of the Council of the Main Administration of the Transcaucasian Territory. Bebutov was the first in the Caucasus to be awarded the highest order of the Russian Empire - the Order of the Holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called (1854).
5. Lazar Serebryakov (Kazar Markosovich Artsatagortsyan (1792 - 1862)) - admiral of the Russian fleet, nobleman. Born in Karasubazar (Belogorsk, Crimea). Participated in the battle near the fortress of Varna and in the capture of the Varna Heights, the cities of Messermia, Midia and Inada, the fortress of Anapa. As part of the embassy mission of General Nikolai Muravyov, Serebryakov visited Turkey and Egypt, contributing to the final expulsion of the Turks from the Caucasian coast. In 1851 he became the head of the entire Black Sea coastline and a member of the Caucasian Department of the Imperial Russian Geographical Society. During the period Crimean War(1853-1856) commanded ships on the eastern coast of the Black Sea and military expeditions to the southeastern Turkish garrisons. In March 1855, at the height of the bloody defense of Sevastopol, he received news of the death of his eldest son Markos.
6. Moses Argutinsky-Dolgorukov (Movses Argutyan (1797 - 1855)) - prince, lieutenant general, nephew of the Patriarch of the Armenian Apostolic Church Joseph Argutinsky-Dolgorukov. Born in Tiflis. For military distinctions in the Persian war he was promoted to lieutenant colonel. He took an active part in organizing the resettlement of Persian Armenians (1828). In 1829-1830 he was the head of the Armenian region. For 23 years of living in the Caucasus, he conducted continuous expeditions to pacify the recalcitrant mountain peoples of the Caucasus. In 1842, he led the Samur detachment, receiving the nickname "Samur Lion". In 1847 he was appointed military governor of Derbent, as well as commander of troops in the Caspian region. Awarded with the Order St. George IV degree.
7. Arzas Artemyevich Ter-Gukasov (Arshak Ter-Ghukasyan (1819 - 1881)) - lieutenant general. The son of the Shamkhor archpriest, rector of the Tiflis Lower Avlabar Church (“Shamkhoreans Karmir Avetaran”). Born in Tiflis. Participated in many Caucasian expeditions. Thanks to the leadership talent of Ter-Gukasov, his division defeated the Turks in the Russian-Turkish war (1877-1878) and liberated the cities of Bayazet and Alashkert. Organizer and honorary trustee of the Grozny mountain elementary school. Awarded 7 orders.
8. Ivan Lazarev (Hovhannes Lazaryan (1820 - 1879)) - lieutenant general, nobleman. Born in Shusha. He came from the Karabakh beks. He took part in expeditions to pacify the mountain peoples of the Caucasus, he received all the ranks and orders for exceptional military merits. In 1850 he was appointed administrator of the Mekhtuli Khanate, in 1854 - Dargin district, in 1859 - commander of the troops and head of the temporary administration in Central Dagestan. Becoming a lieutenant general in 1860, Lazarev took part in the siege and capture of Gunib. Ivan Lazarev was Mikhail Loris-Melikov's successor as commander of the Caucasian Corps. Awarded 9 orders.
9. Mikhail Tarielovich Loris-Melikov (Mikael Tarielovich Loris-Melikyan (1825 - 1888))- Minister of the Interior of the Russian Empire. From the family of hereditary bailiffs and princes of the Lori region. Born in Tiflis. He served in the Caucasus for 32 years, took part in 180 battles with the highlanders and the Turks. In 1865, Mikhail Loris-Melikov became the adjutant general of Emperor Alexander II and the chief ataman of the Terek Cossack army. Governor-General of Astrakhan, Saratov, Samara and Kharkov provinces. Minister of the Interior with expanded powers, pursued a liberal policy, called the "Dictatorship of the Heart", planned the creation representative body with legislative powers. Author of the first constitution of Russia, honorary member Russian Academy Sciences. Awarded with many awards.
10. Boris Shelkovnikov (Beibut Martirosovich Metaksyan (1837 - 1878) - Major General. Descendant of an old family. Born in Nukha (Sheki, Azerbaijan). Military governor of the Erzerum region, participant in the Crimean War (1853-1856). During the Russian-Turkish war (1877-1878), with the forces entrusted to him, Shelkovnikov thwarted the plans of the Turks to capture Sochi, and then, going on the counteroffensive, conquered Abkhazia (1877). Note that Boris Shelkovnikov is the brother of the famous Lieutenant Colonel Georgy Shelkovnikov.
Vasily Iosifovich Gurko
In this article, we will talk about one of the best generals Russian Empire, which was the first world war He began as the head of the division, and ended it as the Commander-in-Chief of the Western Front.
Vasily Iosifovich Gurko(Romeiko-Gurko) was born in 1864 in Tsarskoye Selo. His father, Field Marshal Iosif Vasilyevich Gurko, a hereditary nobleman of the Mogilev province, is known for his victories in the Russian-Turkish war of 1877-1878.
Studied V.I. Gurko at the Richelieu Gymnasium. After graduating from the Corps of Pages, in 1885 he began serving in the Life Guards of the Grodno Hussars. Then he studied at the Nikolaev Academy of the General Staff, was an officer for assignments, a chief officer under the commander of the Warsaw Military District.
Boer War
Second Boer War 1899-1902 - the war of the Boer republics: the Republic of South Africa (Republic of Transvaal) and the Orange Free State (Orange Republic) against Great Britain. It ended with the victory of Great Britain, but world public opinion was mostly on the side of the small republics. In Russia, the song "Transvaal, my country, you are all on fire ..." was very popular. In this war, the British for the first time used the scorched earth tactics on the land of the Boers (complete destruction of any industrial, agricultural, civilian facilities during the retreat so that they would not go to the enemy) and concentration camps in which about 30,000 Boer women and children and an unspecified number of black Africans died.
Boer War
In 1899 V.I. Gurko was sent to the Boer army in the Transvaal as an observer of the course of hostilities. He completed the mission successfully and was awarded the Order of St. Vladimir of the 4th degree, and for distinction in service in 1900 he was promoted to colonel.
Russo-Japanese War
Since the beginning Russo-Japanese War IN AND. Gurko is in the Manchurian army, performing various tasks: he covered the retreat of the detachment to Liaoyang; during the Liaoyang battle, he secured the gap between the 1st and 3rd Siberian corps from a breakthrough and guarded the left flank of the army; took part in organizing the attack on Putilovskaya Sopka, and then was appointed head of the Putilovskaya defense sector; formed the headquarters of the corps under the detachment of General Rennenkampf, who was stationed at Tsinkhechen; organized the defense of the extreme left flank and communication with the rear, etc. For the battle near Liaoyang on August 17-21, 1904, V.I. Gurko was awarded the Order of St. Anna 2nd degree with swords, and for the battle on Shahe River September 22 - October 4, 1904 and the capture of Putilovskaya Sopka - with a golden weapon with the inscription "For Courage".
Battle of Laoyang. Painting by an unknown Japanese artist
At the end of the Russo-Japanese War, in 1906-1911, V.I. Gurko was chairman of the Military Historical Commission on the description of the Russian-Japanese war. And in March 1911 he was appointed head of the 1st Cavalry Division.
World War I
The first battle in which units of Gurko participated was at Markgrabov on August 1, 1914. The battle lasted half an hour - and the Russian units captured Markgrabov. Divisional Commander Gurko showed personal courage in him.
Having captured the city, V. I. Gurko organized reconnaissance and destroyed the detected enemy communications. Enemy correspondence was captured, which turned out to be useful for the command of the 1st Russian Army.
IN AND. Gurko
When the German army went on the offensive, during the first battle near the Masurian Lakes in August 1914, from two German cavalry divisions (48 squadrons) marching to the rear of the 1st Russian army, 24 squadrons were held back by Gurko's cavalry division within a day. All this time, units of V.I. Gurko repulsed the attacks of the superior forces of the German cavalry, which was supported by infantry and artillery.
In September, the cavalry of V. I. Gurko covered the retreat from East Prussia formations of the 1st Army. In October 1914, for active actions during the fighting in East Prussia, the general was awarded the Order of St. George 4th degree.
In East Prussia, Gurko showed all his abilities as a military leader, capable of independent active operations.
In early November, V.I. Gurko was appointed corps commander during the Lodz operation.
Lodz operation- It's a big fight Eastern Front World War I, one of the most difficult and difficult in 1914. From Russian side the 1st Army (commander - P.K. Rennenkampf, the 2nd Army (commander - S.M. Scheideman) and the 5th Army (commander - P.A. Plehve) participated in it. This battle had an uncertain outcome. The German plan to encircle the 2nd and 5th Russian armies failed, but the planned Russian offensive deep into Germany was also thwarted.
After the operation was completed, the commander of the 1st Army, Rennekampf, and the commander of the 2nd Army, Scheidemann, were removed from their posts.
The 6th Army Corps of V.I. Gurko was the main unit of the 1st Army in the Battle of Lovichi ( The final stage Battle of Lodz). The first battles of V. I. Gurko's unit were successful, the enemy's counterattacks were repelled. By mid-December, Gurko's corps occupied a 15-kilometer section of the front at the confluence of the Bzura and Ravka rivers, and here his troops first encountered German chemical weapons.
The year 1915 began with the hardest fighting in the area of the estate of Wola Shidlovskaya. This military operation was poorly prepared, enemy counterattacks succeeded each other, the troops suffered heavy losses, but the battles ended in nothing. Gurko warned about this in advance, but was forced to obey the command. Although his protests still had consequences - they led to an accelerated curtailment of the operation.
Since June 1915, Gurko's 6th Army Corps became part of the 11th Army of the Southwestern Front in the area of the river. Dniester. Under the command of V.I. Gurko there were at least 5 infantry divisions.
General V.I. Gurko
In the offensive operation near Zhuravino on May 27-June 2, 1915, the troops of the 11th Russian Army inflicted a major defeat on the South German army. In these successful actions, the central place belongs to V. I. Gurko: his troops defeated two enemy corps, captured 13 thousand soldiers, captured 6 artillery pieces, more than 40 machine guns. The enemy was driven back to the right bank of the Dniester, Russian troops approached the large railway junction of western Ukraine, the city of Stryi (12 km remained before it). The enemy was forced to curtail the offensive in the Galich direction and regroup forces. But the victorious offensive of the Russian army was curtailed as a result of the Gorlitsky breakthrough. The period of defense began.
But the merits of General V.I. Gurko were appreciated: for the battles on the Dniester, he was awarded in November 1915 the Order of St. George 3rd degree.
In the autumn of 1915, the Russian front stabilized - a positional war began.
In December 1915, Gurko was appointed commander of the 5th Army of the Northern Front, in the winter of 1915/16. he was engaged in the improvement of defensive positions and combat training of troops. March 5-17, 1916, his army participated in one of the unsuccessful offensive operations to break through the enemy's echeloned defense - the Naroch operation of the Northern and Western fronts. The main task of the Russian troops was to alleviate the situation of the French at Verdun. The 5th Army delivered auxiliary strikes. The offensive took place in difficult weather conditions. Gurko wrote about this: “... these battles clearly demonstrated the fact that an offensive undertaken in the conditions of trench warfare during periods of frost or winter thaw puts the attacking troops in an extremely disadvantageous position compared to the defending enemy in our climate. In addition, from personal observations of the actions of the troops and their commanders, I concluded that the training of our units and headquarters is completely insufficient for conducting offensive operations in a positional war.
IN AND. Gurko
By the end of May, the 5th Army of General V.I. Gurko included 4 corps. Getting ready for the summer campaign. The army commander paid special attention to artillery and aviation training upcoming offensive.
On August 14, 1916, V. I. Gurko was appointed commander of the Special Army of the Western Front, but the 1916 offensive was already running out of steam. Gurko understood this, but he approached the matter creatively: he paid special attention to capturing the key points of the enemy’s position, which was well fortified, as well as artillery preparation. On September 19-22, the Special and 8th Army fought the inconclusive 5th Kovel battle. There were not enough heavy shells. Gurko stated that in their absence, on September 22, he would be forced to suspend the operation, although he was well aware that “the most effective way to break the Germans was the stubborn and uninterrupted conduct of the operation, believing that any break would force you to start all over again and make the losses incurred in vain.”
It was dangerous to stop active operations - the approaching German reserves were concentrated mainly in the zone of the Special Army. An important task was to reduce their ability to take action. This goal was achieved: the Germans failed to remove a single division from the front of the Special Army, they even had to reinforce this sector with fresh units.
The military historian of the Russian Diaspora, A. A. Kersnovsky, considered General Gurko the best of the army commanders in the 1916 campaign. He wrote: “Of the commanders of the armies, General Gurko should be put in the first place. Unfortunately, he came to Volhynia too late. A strong-willed, energetic and intelligent chief, he demanded a lot from the troops and commanders, but he gave them a lot in return. His orders and instructions - brief, clear, imbued with an offensive spirit, put the troops in the best position in the current extremely difficult and unfavorable situation for the offensive. If Gurko led the Lutsk breakthrough, it is difficult to say where the victorious regiments of the 8th Army would have stopped, and they would have stopped at all.
During M.V. Alekseev's sick leave, from November 11, 1916 to February 17, 1917, Gurko acted as Chief of Staff of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief.
IN AND. Gurko, together with General A. S. Lukomsky, developed a plan for the 1917 campaign, which provided for the transfer of a strategic decision to the Romanian front and the Balkans. But with the plan of Gurko-Lukomsky, except for A.A. Brusilov, no one agreed. "Our main enemy is not Bulgaria, but Germany," the rest of the commanders-in-chief believed.
The February coup of 1917 found V. I. Gurko at the front, in the Special Army. The purge of the army from military leaders objectionable to the new government began, and on March 31, 1917, he was appointed Commander-in-Chief of the armies of the Western Front, whose headquarters was in Minsk. But the army was already decomposing in a revolutionary frenzy. The policy of the new authorities led to the death of the army.
On May 15, 1917, the Declaration of the Rights of Military Personnel was promulgated. Gurko filed a report to the Supreme Commander-in-Chief and Minister-Chairman of the Provisional Government that he "disclaims all responsibility for the successful conduct of business." Even during the preparation of this document, he wrote: "The proposed rules are completely incompatible with the life of the troops and military discipline, and therefore their application will inevitably lead to the complete decomposition of the army ...".
On May 22, Gurko was removed from his post and placed at the disposal of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief with a ban on holding positions higher than the head of the division, i.e. the position from which he started the war. It was an insult to a combat general.
Exile
IN AND. Gurko in exile
On July 21, 1917, he was arrested for correspondence with the former Emperor Nicholas II and placed in the Trubetskoy Bastion Peter and Paul Fortress but soon released. And on September 14, 1917, V. I. Gurko was dismissed from service and, with the assistance of the British authorities, he arrived in England through Arkhangelsk. Then he moved to Italy. Here V.I. Gurko actively participated in the Russian military alliance(ROVS), which united military organizations and unions of the White emigration in all countries, collaborated in the magazine "Sentry".
Cover of the magazine "Hour" for 1831
This magazine was rightly called the chronicle of the Russian army in exile, the encyclopedia of military thought abroad.
Book V.I. Gurko
Vasily Iosifovich Gurko died on February 11, 1937; buried in the Roman non-Catholic cemetery of Testaccio.
Awards V.I. Gurko
- Order of St. Stanislaus 3rd class (1894);
- Order of St. Anne 3rd class (1896);
- Order of St. Vladimir 4th class (1901);
- Order of St. Stanislaus 2nd class with swords (1905);
- Golden Weapon (1905);
- Order of St. Vladimir 3rd class with swords (1905);
- Order of St. Anne 2nd class with swords (1905);
- Order of St. Stanislaus 1st class (1908).
- Order of St. George 4th class. (25.10.1914).
- Order of St. Vladimir 2nd class with swords (06/04/1915);
- Order of St. George 3rd class (03.11.1915).
It remains only once again to be amazed at the fact how easily the new Soviet government said goodbye to those who brought glory to Russia and who did not spare their lives for it. Getting acquainted with the biographies of the military leaders of the Russian Empire, you partly understand the reasons for the difficult results of the Great Patriotic War- the entire old guard was either destroyed or sent abroad.
Family V.I. Gurko
In Italy, V.I. Gurko married a Frenchwoman Sofia Trario. His only daughter Catherine was a nun (Maria was a monk). She died in 2012 and was buried in the Russian cemetery of Sainte-Genevieve-des-Bois in Paris.
Generals were treated with great respect in the Soviet Union tsarist army who went over to the side of the Bolsheviks. Each of them had their own reasons for breaking their oath to the emperor.
Mikhail Bonch-Bruevich
Mikhail Dmitrievich Bonch-Bruevich became the first tsarist general who went over to the side of the "Reds" after the October Revolution. One of the reasons why he, who swore allegiance to the Tsar and the Fatherland, turned away from the old regime and took the side of the enemy of his Sovereign, was the discrepancy between the ideals that she preached royal power, and the reality in which the Russian people lived. Bonch-Bruevich himself wrote: “Loyalty to the monarchical system implied confidence that we, in Russia, have the best form of government, and because everything is better with us than anywhere else. "Kvass" patriotism was inherent in all people of my profession and circle, and therefore, every time the true state of affairs in the country was discovered, a crack widened in the soul. It became clear that royal Russia can no longer live like this, and even more so to fight ... ".
According to Mikhail Dmitrievich, “the interests of Russia and the dynasty are by no means the same thing; the former were to be unconditionally sacrificed to the latter.” Since the Romanov dynasty was closely related to the German princes and the emperor German Empire According to Bonch-Bruyevich, the Romanovs forgave even the most blatant betrayals during the war, if they were committed by people close to the imperial court. In the Reds, Bonch-Bruyevich saw "the only force capable of saving Russia from collapse and complete annihilation."
Alexey Brusilov
Alexey Alekseevich Brusilov, famous for his famous " Brusilov's breakthrough", After the February and October revolutions, he firmly decided not to separate from the soldiers and remain in the army, "as long as it exists or until I am replaced." Later, he said that he considered it the duty of every citizen not to abandon his people and live with them, no matter what it cost him.
The general's past was the reason for the arrest of Brusilov by the Cheka in August 1918, but thanks to the petition of the general's colleagues who were already in the Red Army, Brusilov was soon released. While he was under house arrest until 1918, his son, a former cavalry officer, was drafted into the ranks of the Red Army. Fighting on the fronts of the Civil War, during the offensive of General Denikin's troops on Moscow, he was captured and hanged.
For his father, this was the last straw. Judging by his memoirs My Memoirs, he never fully trusted the Bolsheviks. But he fought on their side until the very end.
Vasily Altvater
Rear Admiral of the Russian Navy Vasily Mikhailovich Altvater, who participated in the defense of Port Arthur during the Russo-Japanese War and worked in the Naval Administration during the First World War, became the first commander of the RKKF. Here is what he wrote in his statement to the Bolsheviks: “Until now, I served only because I considered it necessary to be useful to Russia. I didn't know you and didn't believe you. Even now, much is not clear to me, but I am convinced that you love Russia, more than many of ours.
Altvater succumbed to the general disillusionment with the previous regime, which proved unable to bring the country out of the crisis. On the one hand, he saw corruption and the decayed fleet management apparatus, on the other, a new force, the power of the soviets, which, with loud slogans, easily won the hearts of sailors, soldiers and ordinary people. According to sources, for Altvater, service in the Navy was not a means of subsistence, but the profession of a “defender of the motherland.” Feeling long for the future of Russia pushed him to go over to the side of the "Reds".
Alexander von Taube
Alexander Alexandrovich von Taube, lieutenant general of the Russian army, defected to Soviet power and became known as the "Siberian Red General". He, like Altvater, was one of the first to go over to the side of the Bolsheviks, guided by his personal conviction that the cause of the Communists was right. Not the last role in his choice was played by the devastation that reigned in the army, which neither the emperor nor the Provisional Government could cope with. During civil war he participated in the creation of a combat-ready Red Army, actively and successfully fought against the White Guard forces.
Dmitry Shuvaev
Dmitry Savelyevich Shuvaev - General of Infantry, Minister of War of the Russian Empire during the First World War, was arrested by the Cheka immediately after the October Revolution and could not emigrate from the country. Therefore, after his release, he decided to take advantage of the offer of the Soviet authorities and join the Red Army.
Shuvaev took the post of chief military commissar in Petrograd, as well as a teacher in the Higher Tactical Shooting School "Shot" in Moscow. But in 1937 he was twice accused of counter-revolutionary activities and anti-Soviet agitation, and shot in Lipetsk.
