Beginning of the First World War
The situation before the First World War.
In 1882, Germany, Austria-Hungary and Italy signed a treaty creating Triple Alliance. Germany played a leading role in it. Since the formation of the aggressive bloc of countries, its members began active preparation To future war. Each state had its own plans and goals.
Germany sought to defeat Great Britain, deprive it of its maritime power, expand its “living space” at the expense of the French, Belgian and Portuguese colonies and weaken Russia, tear away from it the Polish provinces, Ukraine and the Baltic states, depriving it of borders along Baltic Sea, enslave Europe and turn it into your colony. The Germans recognized their “historic mission of renewing a decrepit Europe” in ways based on the “superiority of a superior race” over all others. This idea was pursued and propagated among the masses with the greatest persistence and systematicity by the authorities, literature, schools and even the church.
As for Austria-Hungary, its goal was much more moderate: “Austrian hegemony in the Balkans” was the main slogan of its policy. She hoped to capture Serbia and Montenegro, to take away part of the Polish provinces, Podolia and Volyn from Russia.
Italy wanted to penetrate the Balkan Peninsula, acquire territorial possessions there and strengthen its influence.
Türkiye, which subsequently supported the position of the Central Powers, with the support of Germany, laid claim to the territory of Russian Transcaucasia.
In 1904 - 1907, the Entente military bloc was formed, consisting of Great Britain, France and Russia. It was founded in opposition to the Triple Alliance (Central Powers). Subsequently, during the First World War, it united more than 20 states (among them the USA, Japan, and Italy, which in the middle of the war went over to the side of the anti-German coalition).
As for the Entente countries, they also had their own interests.
Great Britain sought to maintain its naval and colonial power, defeat Germany as a competitor in the world market and suppress its claims to redistribute the colonies. In addition, Great Britain counted on seizing oil-rich Mesopotamia and Palestine from Turkey.
France wanted to return Alsace and Lorraine, taken from it by Germany in 1871, and to seize the Saar coal basin.
Russia also had certain strategic interests in the Balkans, wanted the annexation of Galicia and the lower reaches of the Neman, and also wanted to have free access black sea fleet through the Turkish Bosporus and Dardanelles straits to the Mediterranean Sea.
The situation was also complicated by fierce economic competition European countries on the world market. Each of them wanted to eliminate their rivals not only by economic and political methods, but also by force of arms.
So, First world war has begun. It is necessary to describe the ratio of the strength of the armed forces of the warring parties. It was like this: after the end of the mobilization and concentration of Entente troops, in comparison with the Triple Alliance, it was 10 to 6. Thus, the number of Entente armies was greater. But one must take into account the weakness of the Belgian army (Belgium unwittingly found itself drawn into the war, despite its declared neutrality); disorganization and complete non-compliance with the standards of that time of weapons and equipment of the Serbian army - a brave army, but in the nature of a militia, and poor armament of the Russian army. On the other hand, the superiority of the Central Powers in the number of artillery, especially heavy (the number of guns per corps: Germany - 160, Austria - 123, France - 120, Russia - 108), and the German army in technology and organization balanced, if not outweighed this difference. From this comparison it is clear that the level of technical and artillery equipment of the Triple Alliance was much higher than that of the Entente.
The situation in Russia was especially difficult, with its huge distances and insufficient network railways, which made it difficult to concentrate and transport troops and supply ammunition; with its backward industry, which did not and could not cope with the ever-increasing needs of wartime.
We can say that if on the Western European front opponents competed in courage and technology, then on Eastern Russia could only oppose the aggressors with courage and blood.
The German war plan was to initially deal quickly with France by inflicting main blow through neutral Luxembourg and Belgium, whose armies were weak and could not represent a serious force that could hold back the German onslaught. And on Eastern Front it was supposed to leave only a barrier against Russian troops (in in this case Germany was counting on a surprise attack and a long mobilization in Russia). To achieve this, it was initially planned to concentrate 7 times in the west more strength than in the east, but later from strike force 5 corps were withdrawn, 3 of which were sent to guard Alsace and Lorraine, and 2 - later to East Prussia to stop the advance of Samsonov and Rennenkampf. Thus, Germany planned to exclude a war on two fronts and, having defeated France, throw all its forces at the newly mobilized Russia.
It is one of the longest and most significant wars in history, characterized by enormous bloodshed. It leaked more four years, the interesting thing is that thirty-three countries took part in it (87% of the planet’s population), which at that time had
The outbreak of the First World War (start date - June 28, 1914) gave impetus to the formation of two blocs: the Entente (England, Russia, France) and (Italy, Germany, Austria). The war started as a result uneven development capitalist system at the stage of imperialism, as well as due to the Anglo-German contradiction.
The reasons for the outbreak of the First World War can be identified as follows:
2. The divergence of interests of Russia, Germany, Serbia, as well as Great Britain, France, Italy, Greece and Bulgaria.
Russia sought to gain access to the seas, England - to weaken Turkey and Germany, France - to return Lorraine and Alsace, in turn, Germany had the goal of seizing Europe and the Middle East, Austria-Hungary - to control the movements of ships at sea, and Italy - to gain dominance on Southern Europe and the Mediterranean Sea.
As stated above, it is generally accepted that the beginning of the First World War occurs on June 28, 1914, when the heir to the throne, Franz, was assassinated in Serbia. Germany, interested in ending the war, incited the Hungarian government to present an ultimatum to Serbia, which allegedly encroached on its sovereignty. This ultimatum coincided with mass strikes in St. Petersburg. It was here that the French President arrived to push Russia to war. In turn, Russia advises Serbia to fulfill the ultimatum, but already on July 15, Austria declared war on Serbia. This was the beginning of the First World War.
At the same time, mobilization was announced in Russia , however, Germany demanded that these measures be lifted. But the tsarist government refused to fulfill this demand, so on July 21, Germany declared war on Russia.
In the coming days, the main European states will enter the war. So, on July 18, France entered the war - main ally Russia, and then England, declare war on Germany. Italy considered it necessary to declare neutrality.
We can say that the war instantly becomes pan-European, and later global.
The beginning of the First World War can be characterized by the attack of German troops on the French army. In response to this, Russia launches two armies into an offensive to capture. This offensive began successfully; on August 7, the Russian army won a victory in the battle of Gumbinem. However, the Russian army soon fell into a trap and was defeated by the Germans. So the best part was ruined Russian army. The rest was forced to retreat under enemy pressure. It should be said that these events helped the French defeat the Germans in the battle on the river. Marne.
It is necessary to note the role during the war. In 1914, in Gilicia there were major battles between Austrian and Russian units. The battle lasted twenty-one days. At first, the Russian army found it very difficult to withstand the enemy’s pressure, but soon the troops went on the offensive, and the Austrian troops had to retreat. Thus, the Battle of Galicia ended in the complete defeat of the Austro-Hungarian troops, and until the end of the war, Austria was unable to recover from such a blow.
Thus, the beginning of the First World War occurred in 1914. It lasted four years, and 3/4 of the world's population took part in it. As a result of the war, four great empires disappeared: Austro-Hungarian, Russian, German and Ottoman. Almost twelve million people were lost, including civilians, fifty-five million were injured.
CHAPTER SEVEN
FIRST WAR WITH GERMANY
July 1914 - February 1917
Illustrations can be seen in a separate window in PDF:
1914- the beginning of the First World War, during which and, largely thanks to it, a change took place political system and the collapse of the Empire. The war did not stop with the fall of the monarchy; on the contrary, it spread from the outskirts into the interior of the country and lasted until 1920. Thus, the war total, was walking six years.
As a result of this war, political map Europe ceased to exist THREE EMPIRES at once: Austro-Hungarian, German and Russian (see map). At the same time, a new state was created on the ruins of the Russian Empire - the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.
By the time the World War began, Europe had already been almost a hundred years old, since the end Napoleonic Wars, did not know large-scale military conflicts. All European wars period 1815 – 1914 had predominantly local character. At the turn of the 19th – 20th centuries. the illusory thought was in the air that war would be irrevocably banished from the life of civilized countries. One of the manifestations of this was the Hague Peace Conference of 1897. It is noteworthy that the opening took place in May 1914 in The Hague, in the presence of delegates from numerous countries. Palace of Peace.
On the other hand, at the same time, contradictions between European powers grew and deepened. Since the 1870s, military blocs have been forming in Europe, which in 1914 will oppose each other on the battlefields.
In 1879, Germany entered into a military alliance with Austria-Hungary directed against Russia and France. In 1882, Italy joined this union, and a military-political Central Bloc was formed, also called Triple Alliance.
In contrast to him in 1891 - 1893. a Russian-French alliance was concluded. Great Britain entered into an agreement with France in 1904, and in 1907 with Russia. The bloc of Great Britain, France and Russia was named Heartfelt agreement, or Entente.
The immediate cause of the outbreak of war was the murder by Serbian nationalists June 15 (28), 1914 in Sarajevo, the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, Archduke Franz Ferdinand. Austria-Hungary, supported by Germany, presented Serbia with an ultimatum. Serbia accepted most of the terms of the ultimatum.
Austria-Hungary was dissatisfied with this and began military action against Serbia.
Russia supported Serbia and announced first partial and then general mobilization. Germany presented Russia with an ultimatum demanding that the mobilization be cancelled. Russia refused.
On July 19 (August 1), 1914, Germany declared war on her.
This day is considered the date of the beginning of the First World War.
The main participants in the war from the Entente were: Russia, France, Great Britain, Serbia, Montenegro, Italy, Romania, USA, Greece.
They were opposed by the countries of the Triple Alliance: Germany, Austria-Hungary, Türkiye, Bulgaria.
Military operations took place in Western and Eastern Europe, in the Balkans and Thessaloniki, in Italy, in the Caucasus, in the Middle and Far East, in Africa.
The First World War was characterized by an unprecedented scale. on her final stage participated in it 33 states (out of 59 existing then independent states) with population amounting to 87% population of the entire planet. The armies of both coalitions in January 1917 numbered 37 million people. In total, during the war, 27.5 million people were mobilized in the Entente countries, and 23 million people were mobilized in the countries of the German coalition.
Unlike previous wars, the First World War was total in nature. It was involved in one form or another most population of the states participating in it. She forced me to translate it to military production enterprises of the main branches of industry, put the entire economy of the warring countries under its servicing. The war, as always, gave a powerful impetus to the development of science and technology. Previously non-existent types of weapons appeared and began to be widely used: aircraft, tanks, chemical weapons etc.
The war lasted 51 months and 2 weeks. Total losses amounted to 9.5 million people killed and died from wounds and 20 million people wounded.
The First World War was of particular importance in history Russian state. It became a difficult test for the country, which lost several million people on the fronts. Its tragic consequences were revolution, devastation, civil war and the death of old Russia."
PROGRESS OF COMBAT OPERATIONS
Emperor Nicholas appointed his uncle, Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolaevich Jr., as commander-in-chief on the Western Front. (1856 − 1929). From the very beginning of the war, Russia suffered two major lesions in Poland.
East Prussian operation lasted from August 3 to September 2, 1914. It ended with the encirclement of the Russian army near Tannenberg and the death of the general A.V. from infantry. Samsonova. At the same time, a defeat occurred on the Masurian Lakes.
First successful operation was the offensive in Galicia September 5-9, 1914, as a result of which Lviv and Przemysl were taken, and the Austro-Hungarian troops were pushed back across the San River. However, already on April 19, 1915, on this section of the front the retreat began Russian army, after which Lithuania, Galicia and Poland came under the control of the German-Austrian bloc. By mid-August 1915, Lvov, Warsaw, Brest-Litovsk and Vilno were abandoned, and thus the front moved into Russian territory.
August 23, 1915 year, Emperor Nicholas II removed the leader. book Nikolai Nikolaevich from the post of commander-in-chief and assumed authority. Many military leaders considered this event fatal for the course of the war.
October 20, 1914 Nicholas II declared war on Turkey, and fighting began in the Caucasus. Commander-in-Chief Caucasian Front Infantry General N.N. was appointed. Yudenich (1862 − 1933, Cannes). Here in December 1915 the Sarakamysh operation began. On February 18, 1916 it was taken Turkish fortress Erzerum, and on April 5 Trebizond was taken.
May 22, 1916 year for Southwestern Front The offensive of Russian troops began under the command of cavalry general A.A. Brusilova. It was the famous " Brusilovsky breakthrough", but the neighboring commanders of neighboring fronts, Generals Evert and Kuropatkin, did not support Brusilov, and on July 31, 1916, he was forced to stop the offensive, fearing that his army would be encircled from the flanks.
This chapter uses documents and photographs from state archives and from publications (Diary of Nicholas II, Memoirs of A. Brusilov, Verbatim reports of State Duma meetings, poems by V. Mayakovsky). Based on materials from home archive(letters, postcards, photographs) you can get an idea of how this war affected life ordinary people. Some fought at the front, those living in the rear took part in providing assistance to the wounded and refugees in institutions such public organizations, How Russian society Red Cross, All-Russian Zemstvo Union, All-Russian Union of Cities.
It's a shame, but just for this most interesting period in our Family archive no one has survived diaries, although perhaps no one led them at that time. It’s good that grandma saved it letters those years that her parents wrote from Chisinau and sister Ksenia from Moscow, as well as several postcards from Yu.A. Korobyina from the Caucasian front, which he wrote to his daughter Tanya. Unfortunately, the letters written by her have not survived - from the front in Galicia, from Moscow during the Revolution, from Tambov provinces during the Civil War.
In order to somehow make up for the lack of daily records from my relatives, I decided to look for the published diaries of other participants in the events. It turned out that the Diaries were regularly kept by Emperor Nicholas II, and they were “posted” on the Internet. Reading his diaries is boring, because day after day the same small everyday details are repeated in the entries (like got up "took a walk" received reports, had breakfast, walked again, swam, played with the children, had lunch and drank tea, and in the evening "was dealing with documents" In the evening played dominoes or dice). The Emperor describes in detail the reviews of troops, ceremonial marches and ceremonial dinners given in his honor, but speaks very sparingly about the situation at the fronts.
I would like to remind you that the authors of diaries and letters, unlike memoirists, don't know the future, and for those who read them now, their “future” has become our “past”, and we know what awaits them. This knowledge leaves a special imprint on our perception, especially because their “future” turned out to be so tragic. We see that participants and witnesses of social disasters do not think about the consequences and therefore have no idea what awaits them. Their children and grandchildren forget about the experience of their ancestors, which is easy to see by reading the diaries and letters of contemporaries of the following wars and “perestroikas.” In the world of politics, everything is also repeated with amazing monotony: after 100 years, the newspapers again write about Serbia and Albania, someone again bombs Belgrade and fights in Mesopotamia, again are coming Caucasian wars , and in the new Duma, as in the old, members are engaged in verbiage... It’s like watching remakes of old movies.
PREPARATION FOR WAR
The diary of Nicholas II serves as the background for the publication of letters from the Family Archives. The letters are printed in places where they coincide chronologically with entries from his Diary. The text of the entries is given with abbreviations. Italic highlighted daily verbs and phrases used. Subheadings and notes are provided by the compiler.
Since April 1914 Royal family lived in Livadia. Ambassadors, ministers and Rasputin, whom Nicholas II names in his diary, came there to visit the Tsar. Gregory. It is noticeable that Nicholas II attached importance to meetings with him special meaning. Unlike world events, he certainly noted them in his diary. Here are some typical entries from May 1914.
NICHOLAY'S DIARYII
May 15th.I took a walk in the morning. We had breakfast Georgy Mikhailovich and several lancers, on the occasion of the regimental holiday . During the day played tennis. Read[documents] before lunch. We spent the evening with Gregory, who arrived in Yalta yesterday.
May 16th. I went for a walk quite late; it was hot. Before breakfast accepted Bulgarian military agent Sirmanov. Had a good afternoon of tennis. We drank tea in the garden. Finished all the papers. After lunch there were the usual games.
May 18th. In the morning I walked with Voeikov and examined the area of the future large road. After mass there was Sunday breakfast. We played during the day. B 6 1/2 took a walk with Alexey along a horizontal path. Afternoon took a ride in the motor in Yalta. Seen Gregory.
THE TSAR'S VISIT TO ROMANIA
May 31, 1914 Nicholas II left Livadia, moved to his yacht “Standard” and, accompanied by a convoy of 6 warships, went on a visit to Ferdinand von Hohenzollern(b. 1866), who became in 1914 Romanian king. Nicholas and Koroleva were relatives along the line Saxe-Coburg-Gotha Home, the very one to which she belonged, like ruling dynasty V British Empire, so Russian Empress(Nikolai's wife) on his mother's side.
Therefore he writes: "In the Queen's Pavilion had breakfast as a family». In the morning June 2 Nikolai arrived in Odessa, and in the evening got on the train and went to Chisinau.
VISITING CHISINAU
June 3rd. We arrived in Chisinau at 9 1/2 on a hot morning. We rode around the city in carriages. The order was exemplary. From the cathedral, with a procession of the cross, they went to the square, where the solemn consecration of the monument to Emperor Alexander I took place in memory of the centenary of the annexation of Bessarabia to Russia. The sun was hot. Accepted immediately all the volost elders of the province. Then let's go to the reception to the nobility; From the balcony they watched the boys and girls gymnastics. On the way to the station we visited the Zemsky Museum. At an hour 20 minutes. left Chisinau. We had breakfast in great stuffiness. Stopped at 3 o'clock in Tiraspol, Where had a viewing [hereinafter the listing of parts is omitted]. Received two delegations And got on the train when a refreshing rain began. Until evening read papers .
Note by N.M. Nina Evgenievna's father, E.A. Belyavsky, a nobleman and active state councilor, served in the Excise Department of the Bessarabian province. Together with other officials, he probably participated in the “celebrations of the consecration of the monument and in the reception of the nobility,” but my grandmother never told me about this. But at that time she lived with Tanya in Chisinau.
June 15 (28), 1914 in Serbia, and the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne was killed by a terrorist in the city of Sarajevo Archduke Franz Ferdinand.
Note N.M.. C 7 (20) to 10 (23) July President of the French Republic Poincaré visited Russian Empire. The President had to persuade the Emperor to enter into a war with Germany and its allies, and for this he promised help from the allies (England and France), to whom the Emperor had been in unpaid debt since 1905, when US and European bankers gave him a loan of 6 billion rubles under 6% per annum. In his Diary, Nicholas II, naturally, does not write about such unpleasant things.
Strangely, Nicholas II did not note the assassination of the Archduke in Serbia in his Diary, so when reading his diary it is not clear why Austria presented an ultimatum to this country. But he describes Poincaré's visit in detail and with obvious pleasure. Writes , how “a French squadron entered the small raid of Kronstadt”, with what honor the president was greeted, how a ceremonial dinner took place with speeches, after which he names his guest "kind president." The next day they go with Poincaré "to review the troops."
July 10 (23), Thursday, Nikolai accompanies Poincaré to Kronstadt, and in the evening of the same day.
BEGINNING OF THE WAR
1914. NICHOLAS' DIARYII.
July 12th. Thursday evening Austria presented an ultimatum to Serbia with requirements, of which 8 are unacceptable for independent state. Obviously, this is all we talk about everywhere. From 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. I had a meeting with 6 ministers on the same issue and on the precautions we should take. After conversations, I went with my three older daughters to [Mariinsky] theater.
July 15 (28), 1914. Austria declared war on Serbia
July 15th.Accepted representatives of the military congress maritime clergy with father Shavelsky at the head. Played tennis. At 5 o'clock. let's go with our daughters to Strelnitsa to Aunt Olga and drank tea with her and Mitya. At 8 1/2 accepted Sazonov, who reported that Today at noon Austria declared war on Serbia.
July 16th. In the morning accepted Goremykina [Chairman of the Council of Ministers]. During the day played tennis. But the day was unusually restless. I was constantly called to the phone by either Sazonov, or Sukhomlinov, or Yanushkevich. In addition, he was in urgent telegraph correspondence with Wilhelm. In the evening read[documents] and more accepted Tatishchev, whom I am sending to Berlin tomorrow.
July 18th. The day was grey, and so was the inner mood. At 11 o'clock A meeting of the Council of Ministers took place at the Farm. After breakfast I took German Ambassador . I took a walk with daughters. Before lunch and in the evening was studying.
July 19 (Aug. 1), 1914. Germany declared war on Russia.
July 19th. After breakfast I called Nikolasha and announced to him his appointment supreme commander in chief until my arrival in the army. Went with Alix to the Diveyevo monastery. I walked with the children. Upon returning from there found out What Germany declared war on us. We had lunch... I arrived in the evening English ambassador Buchanan with a telegram from Georgie. I composed for a long time with him answer.
Note by N.M. Nikolasha - uncle of the king, led. book Nikolai Nikolaevich. Georgie ― cousin of the Empress, King George of England. Start of war with cousin "Willy" caused Nicholas II to “elevate his spirit”, and, judging by the entries in his diary, he maintained this mood until the end, despite constant failures at the front. Did he remember what the war he started and lost with Japan led to? After all, after that war the first Revolution happened.
July 20th. Sunday. Nice day, especially in the sense uplifting spirit. At 11 o'clock went to mass. We had breakfast alone. Signed the manifesto declaring war. From Malakhitovaya we walked out into the Nikolaevskaya Hall, in the middle of which the manifesto was read and then a prayer service was served. The whole hall sang “Save, Lord” and “Many Years.” Said a few words. Upon returning, the ladies rushed to kiss hands and a little beat up Alix and me. Then we went out onto the balcony on Alexander Square and bowed to the huge mass of people. We returned to Peterhof at 7 1/4. The evening was spent calmly.
July 22nd. Yesterday Mom A came to Copenhagen from England via Berlin. From 9 1/2 to one o'clock continuously took. The first to arrive was Alek [Grand Duke], who returned from Hamburg with great difficulties and barely reached the border. Germany declared war on France and directs the main attack on her.
July 23rd. I found out in the morning kind[??? – comp.] news: England declared to the warrior of Germany because the latter attacked France and most unceremoniously violated the neutrality of Luxembourg and Belgium. In the best possible way With outside for us the campaign could not begin. Took it all morning and after breakfast until 4 o'clock. The last one I had French Ambassador Paleologue, who came to officially announce the break between France and Germany. I walked with the children. The evening was free[from affairs – comp.].
July 24 (Aug. 6), 1914. Austria declared war on Russia.
July 24th. Today Austria, finally, declared war on us. Now the situation is completely clear. From 11 1/2 it happened to me meeting of the Council of Ministers. Alix went into town this morning and returned with Victoria and Ella. I took a walk.
Historical meeting State Duma July 26, 1914 With. 227 − 261
TRANSCRIPT REPORT
Welcome speech Emperor NicholasII
State Council and State Duma,
Word from the interim Chairman of the State Council Golubev:
“Your Imperial Majesty! State Council lays down before you, Great Sovereign, imbued with boundless love, loyal feelings and all-submissive gratitude... The unity of the beloved Sovereign and the population of His Empire strengthens its power... (etc.)"
Word from the Chairman of the State Duma M.V. Rodzianko: “Your Imperial Majesty! With a deep sense of delight and pride, all of Russia listens to the words of the Russian Tsar, calling His people to complete unity... Without difference of opinions, views and beliefs, the State Duma on behalf of the Russian land calmly and firmly says to its Tsar: dare, sir, The Russian people are with you... (etc.)"
At 3:37 a.m. The State Duma meeting began.
M.V. Rodzianko exclaims: “Long live the Emperor!” (Long incessant clicks: hurray) and invites gentlemen Members of the State Duma to listen standing The highest manifesto from 20 July 1914(Everyone gets up).
The Supreme Manifesto
By God's Grace,
WE ARE NICHOLAS THE SECOND,
Emperor and Autocrat of All Russia,
Tsar of Poland, Grand Duke Finnish and so on, and so on, and so on.
“We announce to all Our faithful subjects:
<…>Austria hastily launched an armed attack, opening the bombing of defenseless Belgrade... Forced, due to the circumstances, to take the necessary precautions, We ordered to bring army and navy under martial law. <…>Germany, an ally of Austria, contrary to Our hopes for an age-old good neighborliness and not heeding Our assurance that measures taken do not have hostile goals at all, began to seek their immediate abolition and, having met a refusal, suddenly declared war on Russia.<…>In the terrible hour of trial, let internal strife be forgotten. May it strengthen even more closely unity of the King with His people…
Chairman M.V. Rodzianko: Hurray for the Emperor! (Long incessant clicks: hooray).
Explanations from the ministers about the measures taken in connection with the war follow. Speakers: Chairman of the Council of Ministers Goremykin, Minister of Foreign Affairs Sazonov, Minister of Finance Barque. Their speeches were often interrupted stormy and prolonged applause, voices and clicks: “Bravo!”
After the break M.V. Rodzianko invites the State Duma to stand and listen second manifesto of July 26, 1914
The Supreme Manifesto
“We announce to all Our faithful subjects:<…>Now Austria-Hungary has declared war on Russia, which has saved it more than once. In the upcoming war of peoples, We [that is, Nicholas II] are not alone: together with Us [with Nicholas II], Our [Nicholas the Second]’s valiant allies stood up, also forced to resort to force of arms in order to finally eliminate the eternal threat of the German powers common world and peace.
<…>May the Lord Almighty bless Our [Nicholas the Second] and the weapons allied to Us, and may all of Russia rise to feat of arms with iron in his hands, with a cross in his heart…»
Chairman M.V. Rodzianko:Long live the Emperor!
(Long incessant clicks: hooray; voice: Hymn! Members of the State Duma sing folk anthem).
[AFTER 100 YEARS, MEMBERS OF THE DUMA OF THE RF ALSO PRAISE “THE GOVERNOR” AND SING THE ANTHEM!!! ]
A discussion of government explanations begins. Social Democrats speak first: from the Labor Group A.F. Kerensky(1881, Simbirsk -1970, New York) and on behalf of the RSDLP Khaustov. After them, various “Russians” (Germans, Poles, Little Russians) spoke with assurances of their loyal feelings and intentions to “sacrifice their lives and property for the unity and greatness of Russia”: Baron Felkersam and Goldman from Courland province, Yaronsky from Kletskaya, Ichas and Feldman from Kovenskaya, Lutz from Kherson. Speeches were also given by: Miliukov from St. Petersburg, Count Musin-Pushkin from the Moscow province, Markov 2nd from the Kursk province, Protopopov from the Simbirsk province. and others.
Against the backdrop of the loyal verbiage that the gentlemen Members of the State Duma were engaged in that day, the speeches of the socialists look like the exploits of the Gracchi brothers.
A.F. Kerensky (Saratov province): The labor group instructed me to issue the following statement: “<…>The irredeemable responsibility of all governments European countries, in the name of the interests of the ruling classes, who pushed their people to fratricidal war. <…>Russian citizens! Remember that you have no enemies among the working classes of the warring countries.<…>While defending to the end everything dear to us from attempts to seize it from the hostile governments of Germany and Austria, remember that there would not have been this terrible war if the great ideals of democracy - liberty, equality and fraternity - guided the activities of governments all countries».
―――――――
Poems:“You are all so chilling, // Far from ours.
Sausage cannot compare // With Russian black porridge.
Notes from a Petrograd citizen during the Russian-German war. P.V. With. 364 − 384
August 1914.“The Germans are waging this war like Huns, vandals and desperate super-scoundrels. They take out their failures on the defenseless population of the regions they occupy. The Germans mercilessly plunder the population, impose monstrous indemnities, shoot men and women, rape women and children, destroy monuments of art and architecture, and burn precious book depositories. In support, we provide a number of excerpts from correspondence and telegrams for this month.
<…>News from the Western Front is confirmed that German troops set fire to the town of Badenvilliers, shooting women and children there. One of the sons of Emperor William, having arrived in Badenvilliers, made a speech to the soldiers in which he said that the French were savages. “Exterminate them as much as you can!” - said the prince.
Belgian envoy provides irrefutable evidence that the Germans maim and burn villagers alive, kidnap young girls, and rape children. Near villages of Lensino There was a battle between the Germans and the Belgian infantry. Not a single civilian took part in this battle. However, the German units that invaded the village destroyed two farms, six houses, collected everything male population, put them in a ditch and shot them.
London newspapers full of details of terrible atrocities German troops in Louvain. Pogrom civilian population continued continuously. Moving from house to house, german soldiers indulged in robbery, violence and murder, sparing neither women, nor children, nor the elderly. The surviving members of the city council were driven into the cathedral and bayoneted there. The famous local library, containing 70,000 volumes, was burned."
It's finished. Rock with a harsh hand
Lifted the veil of time.
Before us are the faces of a new life
They worry like a wild dream.
Covering capitals and villages,
The banners rose, raging.
Through the pastures of ancient Europe
The last war is underway.
And everything about which with fruitless fervor
Centuries argued timidly.
Ready to resolve with a blow
Her iron hand.
But listen! In the hearts of the oppressed
Summoning the Enslaved Tribes
Bursts into a war cry.
Under the tramp of armies, the thunder of guns,
Under the Newports the buzzing flight,
Everything we talk about is like a miracle,
We dreamed, maybe it’s getting up.
So! we've been stuck for too long
And Belshazzar's feast continued!
Let, let from the fiery font
The world will emerge transformed!
Let him fall into a bloody hole
The building is shaky for centuries, -
In the false glimmer of glory
There will be a world to come new!
Let the old vaults crumble,
Let the pillars fall with a roar;
The beginning of peace and freedom
Yes it will be terrible year fight!
V. MAYAKOVSKY. 1917.TO THE ANSWER!
The drum of war thunders and thunders.
Calls to stick iron into the living.
From every country for a slave a slave
they throw a bayonet onto the steel.
For what? The earth is shaking, hungry, naked.
Vaporized humanity in a bloodbath
just to someone somewhere
got hold of Albania.
The anger of human packs has grappled,
falls upon the world blow by blow
only so that the Bosphorus is free
someone's ships were passing by.
Soon the world will have no unbroken rib left.
And they will take out your soul. And they will trample A m her
just to so that someone
took Mesopotamia into his hands.
In the name of what does the creaking and rough boot trample the earth?
Who is above the sky of battles - freedom? God? Ruble!
When you stand up to your full height,
you who give your life yu them?
When do you throw the question in their face:
What are we fighting for?
Dated August 1, 1914. The main reasons for the start of this bloody action can be called political and economic conflicts between states that were part of two military-political blocs: the Triple Alliance, consisting of Germany, Italy and Austria-Hungary, and the Entente, which included Russia, France and Great Britain.
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Tip 2: Why Germany failed to implement the Schlieffen Plan
Schlieffen's strategic plan, which envisioned a quick German victory in World War I, was not implemented. But it still continues to excite the minds of military historians, because this plan was unusually risky and interesting.
Most military historians are inclined to think that if the plan of the Chief of the German General Staff Alfred von Schlieffen had been implemented, the First World War could have gone completely as planned. But back in 1906, the German strategist was removed from his post and his followers were afraid to implement Schlieffen’s plan.
Blitz War Plan
At the beginning of the last century, Germany began planning great war. This was due to the fact that France, defeated several decades earlier, clearly harbored plans for military revenge. The German leadership was not particularly afraid of the French threat. But in the east the economic and military power Russia, which was an ally of the Third Republic. For Germany there was a real danger of a war on two fronts. Well aware of this, Kaiser Wilhelm ordered von Schlieffen to develop a plan for a victorious war in these conditions
And Schlieffen, in a fairly short time, created such a plan. According to his idea, Germany was supposed to start the first war against France, concentrating 90% of all its armed forces in this direction. Moreover, this war was supposed to be lightning fast. Only 39 days were allotted for the capture of Paris. On final victory – 42.
It was assumed that Russia was so short term will not be able to mobilize. After the victory over France, German troops will be transferred to the border with Russia. Kaiser Wilhelm approved the plan, saying famous phrase: “We will have lunch in Paris, and we will have dinner in St. Petersburg.”
Failure of the Schlieffen Plan
Helmuth von Moltke, who replaced Schlieffen as chief of the German General Staff, accepted the Schlieffen plan without much enthusiasm, considering it excessively risky. And for this reason, I subjected it to thorough revision. In particular, he refused to concentrate on western front the main forces of the German army and, for reasons of precaution, sent a significant part of the troops to the east.
But Schlieffen was planned to cover French army from the flanks and completely surrounded. But due to the transfer of significant forces to the east, German group the troops on the western front simply did not have enough available funds for this. Resulting in French troops Not only were they not surrounded, but they also managed to deliver a powerful counterattack.
The reliance on the slowness of the Russian army in terms of protracted mobilization also did not justify itself. Invasion Russian troops to East Prussia was literally stunned German command. Germany found itself in the grip of two fronts.
Sources:
- Plans of the parties
The horrors of the planetary massacre of 1939-1945 made us think of the previous World War I as a relatively minor conflict. Indeed, losses among the armies of the warring countries and their civilian populations were then several times smaller, although they were calculated in multi-million dollar figures. However, it should also be remembered that warring parties actively used combat weapons and participated in combat operations underwater, surface and air fleets, as well as tanks, indicates that the nature of the First World War was as close as possible to modern ideas about strategy and tactics.
On June 28, 1914, a terrorist attack occurred in the Bosnian city of Sarajevo, as a result of which members of the august Austro-Hungarian family, Archduke Ferdinand and Sophia, his wife, were killed. The culprits were subjects of the empire, but their nationality gave rise to accusing the Serbian government of supporting terrorists, and at the same time holding this country responsible for fanning separatism.
When it began, even those who started it did not imagine that it would drag on for four years and cover huge spaces from the Arctic to South America and will lead to such large-scale losses. Serbia, suffering internally and weakened by two in a row, was a practically defenseless victim, and defeating it was not a problem. The question was which countries would react to this attack and how.
Despite the fact that the Serbian government accepted almost all the conditions of the ultimatum presented to it, this was no longer taken into account. When the First World War began, the government of Austria-Hungary announced mobilization, enlisting the support of Germany and assessing the combat readiness of possible opponents, as well as the degree of their interest in territorial redistribution. As shown further events, not all factors were taken into account.
Exactly one month after Sarajevo murder fighting began. At the same time, the German Empire informed France and Russia of its intentions to support Vienna.
In the days when the First World War began, the population of both Austria-Hungary and Germany was swept by a single patriotic impulse. The citizens of the opposing countries did not lag behind in their desire to “teach a lesson” to the enemy. The mobilized soldiers were showered with flowers and treats on both sides of the border, which soon became the front line.
When the First World War began, in general headquarters plans were made for rapid offensives, captures and encirclements of enemy army groups, but soon the fighting acquired a pronounced positional character. For all this time, there was only one breakthrough of layered defense; it was named after General Brusilov, who commanded this operation. The winners in such conditions were determined not so much by the quality of equipment or talents command staff, how much is the economic potential of the warring countries.
Austro-Hungarian and German Empire turned out to be weaker. Exhausted by the four-year confrontation, despite the favorable situation for them with Russia, they suffered a defeat, the result of which was that the Heroes of the First World War in Russia, engulfed in the flames of revolution, and in Germany and Austria turned out to be unnecessary human material, rejected by society.
