On August 19 (August 31, according to the new style), 1853, Alexei Alekseevich Brusilov was born - a Russian military leader and military teacher, a general of the tsarist army, perhaps the only one of the tsarist generals of the First World War who was not anathematized by Soviet history. His name is still known to the general public thanks to the famous Brusilovsky breakthrough.
A.A. Brusilov was born in Tiflis, in the family of a general. The origin, as well as the brave appearance, allowed him to enter the Page Corps in 1867, an elite military educational institution, after which in 1872 he was released into the 15th Tver Dragoon Regiment. In this regiment, Brusilov's military career began: from 1873 to 1878, he served here as an adjutant of the regiment. With the beginning of the Russian-Turkish war of 1877-1878. Brusilov in the army, he distinguished himself in the capture of the Turkish fortresses of Ardagan and Kars, for which he received the Order of St. Stanislav 3rd and 2nd degree and the Order of St. Anna 3rd degree. Then, in 1878-1881, Brusilov continued to serve as head of the regimental training team.
Since 1883, Brusilov continued his military pedagogical service at the St. Petersburg Cavalry Officer School, where he became an adjutant, then assistant chief and head of the riding and dressage department; head of the dragoon department. In 1900, Brusilov was promoted to major general, and since February 10, 1902, he has been head of the school. In those years, Brusilov became known not only in Russia, but also abroad as an outstanding expert in cavalry riding and sports.
The future Marshal Karl Mannerheim, who served at the school under him before the Russo-Japanese War, recalled: “He was attentive, strict, demanding of his subordinates and gave very good knowledge. His military games and exercises on the ground were exemplary in their design and execution and extremely interesting.
From April 19, 1906, Brusilov was the head of the 2nd Guards Cavalry Division; from January 5, 1909 - commander of the 14th Army Corps; from December 5, 1912 - Assistant Commander of the Warsaw Military District. On December 6, 1812, Brusilov was promoted to the rank of general from the cavalry.
In World War I, A.A. Brusilov served as commander of the 8th Army in the Battle of Galicia, for which he was awarded the Order of St. George 4th and 3rd degree. From March 17, 1916 - Commander-in-Chief of the South-Western Front.
In the summer of 1916, Brusilov carried out a successful offensive of the Southwestern Front, using a previously unknown form of breaking through the positional front, which consisted in the simultaneous offensive of all armies. In accordance with the plan developed by General M.V. Khanzhin (only with the participation of A.A. Brusilov), the main blow was dealt by the 8th Army under the command of General A.M. Kaledina in the direction of the city of Lutsk. Having broken through the front on the 16-kilometer section Nosovichi - Koryto, the Russian army occupied Lutsk on May 25 (June 7), and by June 2 (15) defeated the 4th Austro-Hungarian army of Archduke Joseph Ferdinand and advanced 65 km. This operation went down in history under the name "Brusilovsky breakthrough". It is also found in military memoirs under the original name "Lutsk breakthrough", but the name of the true author and developer of the operation, General M.V. Khanzhin was not mentioned almost anywhere. It was known only at Headquarters and personally to Emperor Nicholas II. Immediately after the Brusilov breakthrough, Khanzhin was promoted to lieutenant general, and Brusilov, instead of the previously promised Order of St. George of the 2nd degree, was awarded the St. George weapon with diamonds.
Considering his merits underestimated, A.A. Brusilov allows himself to be seriously offended by the emperor. Obviously, under the influence of this, during the February Revolution of 1917, Brusilov supported the removal of Nicholas II and the coming to power of the Provisional Government.
Brusilov was an ardent supporter of the creation of the so-called "shock" and "revolutionary" units. On May 22 (June 4), 1917, Brusilov issues an order along front No. 561, which stated: “In order to raise the revolutionary offensive spirit of the army, it is necessary to form special shock revolutionary battalions recruited from volunteers in the center of Russia in order to instill in the army the belief that the entire Russian people are following her in the name of a speedy peace and brotherhood of peoples, so that during the offensive, the revolutionary battalions stationed in the most important combat sectors, with their impulse, could carry away the wavering ones.
Where and whom the revolutionary battalions were able to "carry" with them became clear already in the summer of 1917 ...
On May 22, 1917, by order of the Provisional Government, Brusilov was appointed Supreme Commander. The last archpriest of the Russian army and navy, Fr. Georgy Shavelsky recalled the meeting of Brusilov at the station at the headquarters (Mogilev) after the appointment: “The guard of honor was lined up, the ranks of the Headquarters were immediately lined up, among which there were many generals. The Supreme Commander got out of the car, passed by the Headquarters officials, only nodding his head in response to their greetings. Having reached the guard of honor, he begins to extend his hand to each soldier. The soldiers, with rifles on their shoulders, are embarrassed - they do not know how to give a hand. It was a disgusting picture…”
The "revolutionary" general, as you know, failed the June offensive. His mistakes had to be corrected by another "revolutionary" general - L. G. Kornilov, who was appointed to the post of Supreme Commander-in-Chief instead of Brusilov. During their joint stay in the 8th Army, as is known, the generals were not on friendly terms. In addition, Kornilov immediately demanded that the Provisional Government cancel "Order No. 1", according to which the officers had to obey the decisions of the elected soldiers' committees. The new Commander-in-Chief restored the death penalty for desertion in the army, tried to return talented commanders to their former posts, establish discipline and hold the front. A.A. Brusilov did not oppose his actions, but did not want to help either, so he retired from the service and resigned.
After his resignation, Brusilov lives in Moscow as a private individual. According to the memoirs of the participants in the Moscow uprising of 1917 (in particular, S.Ya. Efron speaks of this in the Notes of a Volunteer), a delegation of officers and cadets of the Moscow Alexander School was sent to him. The famous general was offered to lead the white resistance in the capital, but Brusilov, citing his age and an unexpected illness, refused. It is symbolic that he has to pay for his indifference: during the street battles between the Red Guards and the junkers, he was accidentally wounded by a fragment of a shell that hit his house.
General A.A. Brusilov did not accept the ideas of the White Movement and did not participate in the Civil War on either side. His son Alexei, an officer of the Life Guards of the Horse Grenadier Regiment, was arrested by the Cheka and spent six months in prison, after which he agreed to join the Red Army. According to one version, Alexei Brusilov, with a group of officers, deliberately went over to the side of the Whites and was shot by the Drozdovites as a traitor and traitor. The attitude towards "defectors" in the White Army was not always so harsh, but General Drozdovsky and his subordinates were particularly intransigent towards the officers who offered their services to the Bolsheviks. In his memoirs, A.I. Denikin also confirms the episode of the massacre of Brusilov Jr. and sincerely regrets it. According to the Commander-in-Chief, Alexei fell victim to the sincere hatred of the White Guards for his father, General Brusilov. From the point of view of the white warriors, the legendary hero betrayed his duty, disowned the Volunteering, betrayed the interests of Russia. According to another version, Brusilov Jr. survived and entered as a simple shooter in one of the units of the Volunteer Army, but soon died of typhus in Rostov.
It is possible that not only resentment against Nicholas II, but also the tragic fate of his son inspired the hero of the First World War A.A. Brusilov for further cooperation with the Soviet authorities. Since May 1920, he headed the Special Conference under the Commander-in-Chief of all the armed forces of the Soviet Republic, which developed recommendations for strengthening the Red Army. Since 1921, Aleksey Alekseevich was the chairman of the commission for the organization of pre-conscription cavalry training, since 1923 he was with the Revolutionary Military Council for especially important assignments. In 1923-1924 he was an inspector of the cavalry.
A.A. Brusilov died on March 17, 1926 in Moscow from pneumonia at the age of 73. He was buried with full military honors at the Novodevichy Cemetery.
Brusilov left behind memoirs called "My Memoirs", dedicated mainly to his service in the Russian Empire and Soviet Russia.
The second volume of memoirs of A.A. Brusilov was transferred to the White émigré archive in 1932 by his widow N.V. Brusilova-Zhelikhovskaya, who went abroad after the death of her husband. It touches on the description of the general's life after the October Revolution and is sharply anti-Bolshevik in nature. This part of the memoirs was allegedly written during treatment in Karlovy Vary in 1925 and, according to the will, was subject to publication only after the death of the author.
The Soviet edition of "Memoirs" (Voenizdat, 1963) does not include the 2nd volume. According to a number of Soviet scientists, its authorship belonged to Brusilov's widow herself, who thus tried to justify her husband before the white emigration. However, it is very possible that the general really revised his views and sincerely repented of his mistakes. Before death, as you know, do not lie ...
Compilation by Elena Shirokova
Brusilov Alexey Alekseevich was a hereditary military man. Born on 19(31).08.1853. in the family of a Russian general. Father - Alexey Nikolaevich, mother - Maria-Louise Antonovna, Polish by birth. At the age of 6, Brusilov was left an orphan, and received his first education in his uncle's house.
At the age of 14, Alexey Alekseevich entered the third class of the Corps of Pages. In the Corps of Pages there was a fundamentally high-quality education, here a number of generally accepted disciplines were studied in depth. The teachers of the Corps of Pages were true professionals in their field.
Five years later, in 1872, Alexei was released from the Corps of Pages. He began his service in the Tver Dragoon Regiment, which was located near Kutaisi. He arrived in the regiment with the rank of ensign, was appointed junior platoon officer of one of the squadrons. Soon he became a lieutenant, and two years later he was appointed adjutant of the regiment.
In September 1876, the Tver Dragoon Regiment was instructed to move to the camp of Russian troops on the Russian-Turkish border. Brusilov had to work hard, by the nature of his service, he was preparing four squadrons, a non-combatant company and a regimental convoy for the campaign.
For bravery during the next Russian-Turkish war, he was awarded the Order of St. Stanislav 3rd degree, as well as. In addition, he received a new rank of staff captain.
When Aleksey Alekseevich returned to his regiment, he was asked to undergo training at an officer's cavalry school. The purpose of the study was to improve the qualifications of an officer. In 1881 he arrived in St. Petersburg, and soon began his studies. In the new school, Brusilov was almost the youngest student.
In July 1914, the Allied armies were ready for large-scale hostilities. The opponents of the Entente aimed their main forces at attacking France and Belgium. Against Russia, the German leadership put up only one army in East Prussia and one corps in Silesia. But the Austro-Hungarian army, almost entirely stood at the borders of the Russian Empire.
The General Staff of the Russian army planned an immediate offensive of the Russian armies against Prussia and Galicia. On July 18, Brusilov returned from vacation to Vinnitsa, where mobilization had already been announced. The next day, Germany declared war on Russia.
The beginning was unsuccessful for Russia. The Russians suffered huge losses. After an unsuccessful operation on the North-Eastern Front, the Russian army had to switch to positional warfare, for which the army was completely unprepared. In 1915, the situation changed little, the Germans, albeit slowly, were moving forward. The following year, the army system was completely reformed. Replenishment arrived at the front, supply interruptions stopped.
A large-scale offensive by the Russian army was scheduled for 1916. On March 17, General Brusilov was appointed commander-in-chief of the Russian troops on the Southwestern Front. He reported to Nicholas II that the Russian army had a rest and was ready to move on to decisive hostilities. The general's offensive on the Southwestern Front went down in history under the name "". During the three days of the offensive that began in May, the front was broken through 25-30 miles, and the length of the breakthrough was 70-80 kilometers.
Soon mass unrest began in St. Petersburg. Belatedly, news of numerous spontaneous rallies, strikes and other outrages reached the headquarters. Brusilov turned to Nicholas II with a proposal to abdicate the throne. Having lost, I will support Alexei Alekseevich, popular in the army and the people, from the throne. After some time, a provisional government came to power, to which Brusilov swore allegiance. Discord began in the army, the soldiers left their positions, fled home, demanded peace with Germany.
After the events of October, Alexei Brusilov held a good position in the Red Army, which actively recruited former tsarist officers. He was the chairman of the Special Meeting under the commander-in-chief of the military forces of the republic, Kamenev. The life of Alexei Alekseevich Brusilov was cut short at the age of 73 of his most interesting earthly journey. He caught a cold and died on March 17, 1926..
Brusilov Aleksey Alekseevich (born August 19 (31), 1853 - death March 17, 1926) - infantry general, took part in the Russian-Turkish (1877-1878) and World War I, commander of the Southwestern Front (1916), Supreme Commander of the Russian Forces (1917), Inspector of the Red Army Cavalry (1920)
Origin. Childhood
Alexey Alekseevich Brusilov was a hereditary military man. He was born on August 19, 1853 in the family of a general in Tiflis. By the time the first child was born, the father was already 60 years old, and the mother was 28. But their marriage was happy. After Alexei, three more boys were born. Alexei's childhood passed in an atmosphere of love and happiness. But when he was six years old, a misfortune happened: his father died suddenly, and after another 4 months, his mother died. Further upbringing of children took place in the family of aunts and uncles, who, being childless, doted on boys. In their house, with the help of governesses and tutors, the children received an excellent education.
Education. Service
At the age of 14, the future commander was taken to St. Petersburg, where he successfully passed the exams for the Corps of Pages and was enrolled immediately in the third class, and in 1872, upon graduation, he was hired as an ensign in the 15th Tver Dragoon Regiment, which was located in Transcaucasia, in Kutaisi, and was soon appointed a junior platoon officer in the 1st squadron.
The service of Alexei Brusilov in the regiment was favorable and did not differ in anything special: he did not violate discipline, he was not late for service, he enjoyed training with the dragoons of his platoon. He himself, adoring horses and riding, willingly learned from veterans how to treat a horse. This was noticed, and six months later the young officer was appointed adjutant of the regiment to a position that required accuracy, discipline and tact, which the young ensign possessed in full. April 1874 - Brusilov was promoted to lieutenant.
Russo-Turkish War 1877–1878
The first war for the future general was the Russian-Turkish 1877–1878. Brusilov with his regiment went to the southern border. Young officers perceived the beginning of the war with great enthusiasm, because the salary was increased and the opportunity to receive awards appeared. The Tver regiment was part of the 1st Cavalry Division of the Caucasian Army, under the command of M.T. Loris-Melikov.
Brusilov was able to distinguish himself already in the first battle, when, commanding a detachment of dragoons, he captured the Turkish barracks and the commander of the Turkish border brigade. For distinction in the capture of the Ardagan fortress, he was awarded the first military award - the Order of Stanislav 3rd degree with swords and a bow. Then new awards followed: the Order of Anna 3rd degree, the rank of staff captain and the Order of Stanislav 2nd degree for courage during the assault and capture of Kars. This war gave Brusilov good combat training. At 25, he was already an experienced officer.
A.A. Brusilov Commander-in-Chief of the Southwestern Front
Service after the war
At the end of the war, until the autumn of 1881, Brusilov continued to serve in the Caucasus, and then was sent to study at the St. Petersburg Cavalry School. He studied cavalry science with pleasure, visited the best cavalry units of the Russian army. Brusilov graduated from the course with honors and was transferred as an adjutant to the permanent staff of the school.
1884 - Alexei Alekseevich married Anna Nikolaevna Gagenmeister, his uncle's cousin. Three years later, their son Alexei was born. While working in a cavalry school, Brusilov developed a vigorous energy in improving the organization of training for cavalry officers. His rank rises and positions are changed: adjutant, senior teacher of riding and horse dressage, head of the department of squadron and hundred commanders, assistant head of the school.
1900 - Brusilov received the rank of major general and was assigned to the staff of the Life Guards. This was facilitated by the Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolaevich, who at that time was the chief inspector of the cavalry. Aleksey Alekseevich worked a lot, wrote articles about cavalry science, studied the experience of riding and the work of stud farms in France, Austria-Hungary, and Germany. After 2 years, he was appointed to the post of head of the St. Petersburg Cavalry School. Relying on the support of the Grand Duke, Brusilov did a lot to improve the business entrusted to him. The school under his leadership became a recognized training center for the command staff of the Russian cavalry.
1906 - Brusilov was appointed commander of the 2nd Guards Cavalry Division, where he earned great respect from his subordinates. He paid much attention to training with officers on the map, offensive combat, and maneuver. In the summer, appropriate exercises were carried out. But at that time, things in the general's family deteriorated sharply: his wife was seriously ill and was slowly fading away. 1908 - she died. Brusilov was very upset by the loss. Personal drama, as well as the oppressive atmosphere of life in St. Petersburg after the revolution of 1905-1907. pushed him to the decision to leave the guard for the army. He achieved an appointment in the Warsaw Military District in Lublin as commander of the 14th Army Corps. Along with this, he was promoted to lieutenant general. The 14th Corps was a large military formation with more than 40 thousand soldiers and officers, so that under the tutelage of Brusilov was a huge and complex economy.
In Lublin, Aleksey Alekseevich met Nadezhda Vladimirovna Zhelikhovskaya, whom he knew from the Caucasus in the days of his youth and with whom he was secretly in love. With her half-brother, he took part in the Turkish campaign. Brusilov, who at that time was already 57 years old, offered his hand to 45-year-old Nadezhda. 1909, November - a wedding took place in the church of the dragoon regiment.
May 1912 - Brusilov is appointed assistant commander of the Warsaw Military District and promoted to general from the cavalry. But soon friction began with the Governor-General Skalon and other "Russian Germans" at the headquarters of the district, and he was forced to leave Warsaw and take up the post of commander of the 12th Army Corps in the Kiev military district. Meanwhile, peaceful life was coming to an end, a world war was brewing. In June 1914, the general mobilization of the Russian army was announced.
General A. A. Brusilov with staff officers of the 8th Army
World War I
The beginning of the war found A. Brusilov as commander of the 8th Army, which was part of the Southwestern Front. Under his command were the future leaders of the White movement: quartermaster general, commander of the 12th cavalry division A. Kaledin, commander of the 48th infantry division. In the very first days of hostilities, Brusilov's army participated in the Battle of Galicia. Acting jointly with the 3rd Army of General Ruzsky, units of the 8th Army advanced 130–150 km deep into Galicia in a week of fighting, and in mid-August, near the Zolotaya Linden and Rotten Linden rivers, during fierce battles, they were able to defeat the Austrians.
Galich and Lvov were taken, Galicia was cleared of the enemy. For these victories, Brusilov was awarded the Orders of George of the 4th and 3rd degrees. In the first half of 1915, the fighting took on a positional character. Nevertheless, the 8th Army was able to maintain the blockade of the Przemysl fortress, which predetermined its fall. Visiting Galicia, he honored Brusilov with the rank of adjutant general.
However, in the summer of 1915, the position of the Southwestern Front worsened. As a result of the breakthrough of the German troops near Gorlitsa, the Russian armies left Galicia. March 1916 - Brusilov was appointed commander of the Southwestern Front. In April, at a meeting at the headquarters, Nicholas II decided to launch an offensive with the forces of three fronts: Northern, Western and Southwestern. Brusilov was assigned purely defensive tasks, but he insisted on an offensive.
"Brusilovsky breakthrough"
“The first shell, as indicated in the artillery plan, exploded exactly at 4 o’clock in the morning ... Every 6 minutes a heavy gun rumbled, sending a huge shell with an ominous whistle. The lighter guns fired in the same measured manner. Cannons fired even faster at the barbed wire. An hour later, the fire intensified. The roaring whirlwind of fire and steel grew...
Around 10 am, the artillery fire noticeably weakened ... By all indications, an attack by the Russian infantry was to begin. Tired and exhausted Austrians, Hungarians and Germans crawled out of their shelters, stood up to the surviving machine guns ... But the Russian army did not go on the attack. And again after 15 minutes. an avalanche of bombs and shells fell on the front line of the enemy. Shrapnel made terrible havoc among the enemy soldiers... The enemy soldiers had ceased to be an organized army. It was a gathering of mentally shocked people, thinking only about salvation.
This went on for more than an hour ... Exactly at noon, the Russian infantry rose from their trenches and launched a swift attack ... "- this is how the writer J. Weber described the beginning of the famous Brusilov breakthrough - the only battle during the First World War, named after its developer and leader .
In those aremens, the Battle of Verdun unfolded in France, the Germans rushed to Paris. It was then, on May 22, that the offensive of the troops of the Southwestern Front began, which was called the "Brusilov Breakthrough." After strong and effective artillery preparation, the Austro-Hungarian front was broken through over 550 km to a depth of 60 to 150 km. The enemy lost up to 1.5 million people killed, wounded and captured, a large number of weapons. Russian troops lost up to 500 thousand people. This victory was of great importance. The French commander-in-chief, General Joffre, wrote in a telegram to Emperor Nicholas:
“The entire French army rejoices over the victory of the valiant Russian army - a victory whose significance and results are felt every day ...” The Austro-Hungarian army was defeated, the Germans and Austrians stopped their offensive in Italy, German units were transferred from Verdun to the Russian front, France saved! For this victory Brusilov Aleksey Alekseevich was awarded the St. George weapon adorned with diamonds.
General A. A. Brusilov - (1916)
Revolutionary years
During the February events of 1917, the front commander A.A. Brusilov was among those top military leaders of the Russian army who convinced Emperor Nicholas II Romanov to abdicate. By this, the Russian generals hoped to save Russia and the Russian army from destruction.
In February 1917, Brusilov became a military adviser to the Provisional Government. In May of the same year, he was appointed Supreme Commander of the Russian Army. But he did not manage to stay in this high post for a long time.
Responding to the greetings of the Mogilev Soviet, General A.A. Brusilov defined his role as Supreme Commander as follows: “I am the leader of the revolutionary army, appointed to my responsible post by the revolutionary people and the Provisional Government, in agreement with the Petrograd Soviet of Workers 'and Soldiers' Deputies. I was the first to go over to serve on the side of the people, I serve them, I will serve them and I will never be separated from them.”
But despite all the efforts, the new Supreme Commander-in-Chief did not manage to stop the revolutionary ferment in the army in the field and especially in the rear garrisons. A new revolutionary situation was brewing in Russia, against which the Supreme Commander of the Russian Army was powerless. In July of the same 1917, he was replaced by a much more decisive General L. Kornilov and recalled to Petrograd as a military adviser to the Provisional Government.
After the October Revolution of 1917, Brusilov remained in Soviet Russia, declining an offer to become one of the military leaders of the white movement in the south of the country, where many of his recent colleagues ended up. He settled in Moscow. During the October battles between the Red Guards and the White Junkers, Brusilov was accidentally wounded.
On the side of the Bolsheviks
After the death of his son, who served in the Red Army and was shot by the Whites in 1919, the general sided with the Bolsheviks, where he held a number of high positions. But all of them did not belong to the category of command, and he did not take part in the Civil War directly. The former tsarist general was (sequentially) chairman of the Special Meeting under the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Russia - created on the initiative of Brusilov himself, inspector of the Red Army cavalry, chief military inspector of horse breeding and horse breeding. Since March 1924, he was at the Revolutionary Military Council of the USSR on especially important assignments.
Brusilov in world military history
Aleksey Alekseevich Brusilov died in Moscow on March 17, 1926 at the age of 73 and was buried at the Novodevichy Cemetery with full military honors.
Brusilov went down in world military history as the author of an offensive strategy of parallel strikes in several sectors of the breakthrough of the enemy front, separated by non-attacked sectors, but forming a single system. This required high military skill. In the First World War 1914-1918. such a strategic operation was only possible for one person - the commander of the Russian Southwestern Front.
Glorious son of a noble family
Alexei Brusilov was born into one of the most famous and respected families in all of Tiflis: his father, Alexei Nikolayevich, served as a general, while his mother came from the family of a collegiate assessor. Over time, Alexei was sent to the most prestigious educational institution of the Russian Empire - the Corps of Pages of His Imperial Majesty.
With such a biography, he was already prepared for a good position in the army: almost immediately after graduation, in 1872, Alexei Brusilov was appointed adjutant of the 15th Tver Dragoon Regiment.
Baptism of fire
For the first time in the conditions of real hostilities, Brusilov found himself in 1877: then another Russian-Turkish war began. In the very first hours, a small detachment under the command of Brusilov captured the Turkish outpost, forcing the enemy to surrender. In addition, Brusilov took part in the capture of the Turkish fortresses of Ardagan and Kars. Brusilov distinguished himself in hostilities, but this did not contribute to his rapid career advancement.
For the next 20 years, Brusilov taught at the newly opened Cavalry Officer School in St. Petersburg. And although he was known as an outstanding expert in cavalry riding and equestrian sports, few could have imagined that someday Brusilov would appear as commander in chief. By 1900 he was in charge of the school.
Theory in practice
In the spring of 1906, Brusilov, sensing the approach of war, left the walls of the cavalry school. Good connections in the military sphere allowed him to immediately lead one of the best cavalry divisions in Russia - the 2nd Guards.
“We, as always, know how to die valiantly, but, unfortunately, not always bringing tangible benefit to the cause with our death, since quite often there was not enough knowledge and the ability to put into practice the knowledge that was,” wrote Brusilov, having studied the state of the Russian army. The head of the division also spoke badly about the readiness of troops in the Warsaw military district bordering Germany and Austria-Hungary.
Brusilov, in a fairly short time, made major changes to military training, reorganized the division under his control, treated the soldiers with great severity, but with no less respect. His successes were noticed by the authorities, and in 1913 he took the post of commander of the Warsaw district.
World War I
At the beginning of World War I, Brusilov himself asked his superiors to send him to the front. So, from a high-ranking military official, he turned into the commander of the 8th Army of the Southwestern Front. In the Battle of Galicia - the first major battle that the Russian army took - Brusilov's troops delivered a decisive blow to the enemy, capturing about 20 thousand people alone. The Russian troops suffered one defeat after another, but Brusilov and his soldiers successfully held the defense of the occupied territories, over and over again outplaying opponents in battles.
Brusilov's successes were soon appreciated: in the spring of 1916, the general was appointed commander-in-chief of the Southwestern Front. It is in this position that he will be able to carry out the legendary operation, which will later be called the Brusilovsky Breakthrough.
At the beginning of the summer of 1916, detachments of the Russian army moved towards the city of Lutsk (the breakthrough, by the way, was originally called Lutsk), four days later the troops managed to take the city. Over the next week, the Russian army moved 65 kilometers forward, completely defeating the Austro-Hungarian army of Archduke Joseph Ferdinand. Germany and its allies had to hastily transfer their forces to the east, which greatly facilitated the position of the British and French troops.
Brusilov and the revolution
One of the most controversial points in Brusilov's biography is his attitude towards the Soviet regime. He was among those who supported the abdication of the emperor, Brusilov was even appointed by the Provisional Government to the post of commander-in-chief of the Russian army, but later he was replaced by Kerensky. Brusilov did not support the Kornilov coup, calling the latter a traitor. After that, the October Revolution broke out.
Brusilov joined the Red Army, but never claimed to support the political program of the Bolsheviks. The emigrants considered him a traitor, the Soviet leadership was wary of him. After 50 years of military service, in 1924, General Brusilov retired. Soon, two years later, Alexei Brusilov died in Moscow from heart failure.
On the evening news on Saturday, various TV channels told about the anniversary of the Brusilov breakthrough.
But no one mentioned that Brusilov sided with the Bolsheviks after October, becoming in fact a general in the Red Army. He became the head of the Special Meeting under the Commander-in-Chief of all the armed forces of the Soviet Republic, which developed recommendations for strengthening the Red Army.
On May 30, 1920, when a threatening situation developed for Russia on the Polish front, the officers of Russia appealed "to all former officers, wherever they are" to defend the Motherland in the ranks of the Red Army. The wonderful words of this address, perhaps, fully reflect the moral position of the best part of the Russian aristocracy, real Russian patriots:
« At this critical historical moment in our national life, we, your senior comrades-in-arms, appeal to your feelings of love and devotion to the Motherland and appeal to you with an urgent request to forget all insults, no matter who and wherever they inflicted on you, and voluntarily go with full selflessness and hunting for the Red Army to the front or to the rear, wherever the government of Soviet Workers 'and Peasants' Russia appoints you and serve there not out of fear, but for conscience, so that by your honest service, not sparing your life, to defend at all costs dear to us Russia and prevent its plunder, because, in the latter case, it can irretrievably disappear and then our descendants will justly curse and rightly accuse us for the fact that we did not use our combat knowledge and experience because of the selfish feelings of the class struggle, forgot their native Russian people and ruined their Mother Russia».
The appeal was signed by General of the Cavalry Alexei Alekseevich Brusilov, General of the Infantry Alexei Andreyevich Polivanov, General of the Infantry Andrei Meandrovich Zaionchkovsky and many other generals of the Russian Army.
In 1921, Brusilov was the chairman of the commission for the organization of pre-conscription cavalry training, since 1923 he was at the Revolutionary Military Council for especially important assignments, and in 1923-1924 he was the chief inspector of the Red Army cavalry.
White emigration poured curses on Brusilov's head. In the lists of "traitors who sold themselves to the Bolsheviks," he was listed in the proud first place. The general himself reacted rather ironically to this, noting: "The Bolsheviks, obviously, respect me more, because none of them ever hinted at promising me anything."
This, too, should be discussed in reports dedicated to the great Brusilov, a true patriot of his Motherland. But this does not fit into the definition of patriotism imposed by the modern system.
General Brusilov in the service of one Russia
And we will do this in connection with another upcoming centenary - the Russian Revolution. And that's why. We like to lament that October was the collapse of "old Russia", that the country lost "the best people" from it, who were dispersed among emigrants. Of course, those who, due to tragic circumstances, deleted themselves from their homeland, are very sorry. Among them were both worthy people and very worthy people. It is unfortunate that many and many have never been able to become the pride of Russia, the color of the nation.
But it happened to become the pride of Russia and the color of the nation to those of our great ancestors who served the Motherland until October 1917 and continued to serve the same Motherland after October 1917.
Just today is the time to remember the glorious life of one of them.
Alexey Alekseevich Brusilov comes from an old noble family, many of whose representatives connected their lives with military labor. His father Alexei Nikolayevich participated in the Patriotic War of 1812, the Foreign Campaigns of the Russian Army of 1813-1814, for which he received several military awards, and ended his career as a lieutenant general. And in 1853 in Tiflis, where he then served, the future commander was born.
How to become a general
Alexei lost his parents early (in 1859, his 70-year-old father died, and a few months later, his mother) and was brought up in an aunt's family. At the age of 14, he passed the exams for the 4th grade of the Corps of Pages, the most privileged military educational institution of the Russian Empire. The pupil showed a penchant for military disciplines, and in drill training he preferred cavalry riding.
Upon graduation in 1872, Alexei Alekseevich entered the 15th Tver Dragoon Regiment, stationed in the Transcaucasus. The young ensign enthusiastically worked with the soldiers of his platoon, which was the beginning of communication with the soldiers, which later gave him a lot.
Lieutenant Brusilov received his baptism of fire during the Russian-Turkish war of 1877-1878 in the Asian theater of operations near Kars. He participated in the assault on the Ardagan fortress, the battle at the Aladzhin Heights, went into cavalry attacks, several times came under aimed fire, and in one of the battles a horse was killed under him. In 1877, the brave officer was promoted, which few people managed to do in one campaign, and military orders adorned his chest. But the main thing is that the unfired novice came out of the war as a battle-hardened commander.
“Until 1881, I continued to pull the strap in the regiment,” Alexei Alekseevich later recalled, “whose life in peacetime, with its everyday gossip and squabbles, of course, was of little interest.” Therefore, he willingly accepted the offer to take a course at the newly opened Cavalry Officer School in St. Petersburg. He studied diligently: after graduating with an “excellent” category, Brusilov received the rank of captain, another order and remained a teacher at school. In 1884, Brusilov married Anna Nikolaevna Gagemeister, and three years later they had a son, named after his grandfather and father, Alexei.
And in 1891, already being a lieutenant colonel, a capable officer headed the department of squadron and hundreds commanders of this school. By that time, he was well known in the capital's military circles: over the years of teaching, almost the entire chief officer of the cavalry passed before him.
In 1900, Brusilov was promoted to major general, and two years later he was appointed head of the school. In this position, he tried in every possible way to improve the training of students in accordance with the requirements of modern combat, thanks to which the educational institution he led soon took a prominent place in the military education system.
Theory and practice of the new military science
However, Major General Brusilov not only taught, but also studied. The 20th century had already begun, along with it came a new type of war - and Brusilov understood that Russia, firstly, would have to fight, and, secondly, in a new way.
At the same time, in the Bulletin of the Russian Cavalry, published at the Officer Cavalry School, as well as the Military Collection and other journals, he published several works where he developed views that were progressive for his time on the role and methods of using cavalry in battle. The author especially emphasized the importance of its massive use and proposed the creation of large formations such as cavalry armies for this.
However, the prospect of finishing his service as head of the school did not appeal to Brusilov. During frequent conversations with the cavalry inspector, Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolaevich (the Younger), he repeatedly expressed a desire to return to military service. And in the spring of 1906, the general parted ways with the educational institution, to which he gave almost a quarter of a century, accepting the 2nd Guards Cavalry Division stationed in St. Petersburg - one of the best in Russia.
Here Aleksey Alekseevich also constantly cared about improving the training of commanders, for which he considered tactical exercises to be the best means, and often led them personally. In addition, he carefully studied the experience of the just died down Russian-Japanese war and saw one of the reasons for the defeat in it in the low level of education of the officer corps. “We,” wrote the head of division, “as always, know how to die valiantly, but, unfortunately, not always bringing tangible benefit to the cause with our death, since quite often there was not enough knowledge and ability to put into practice the knowledge that was” .
This period of Brusilov's service was overshadowed by the death of his wife in 1908. The son, having graduated from the Corps of Pages, plunged headlong into secular life, which outraged the ascetic and demanding commander. Relations between father and son became strained, the general was painfully worried about this. He filed a transfer report from St. Petersburg and at the end of the same year assumed the position of commander of the 14th Army Corps, stationed in the Privislinsky region near Lublin.
On the way to war
Already at the first acquaintance with the state of affairs in the new place, Brusilov was convinced of the disorder of the military economy, the severe neglect of the training of officers. They did not know how to work with a map, to assess the location of their troops and the enemy, to understand the task, to make a decision that corresponded to the combat situation, and when it changed abruptly, they showed confusion. And what especially worried the general was that such a situation had developed precisely in the Warsaw military district, bordering on Germany and Austria-Hungary.
The new corps commander organized tactical exercises, obliged the officers to make scientific reports on topical issues of theory, and conducted military games that allowed them to demonstrate their skills in working with a map and improve their combat skills. Brusilov himself was often present at company, regimental, divisional exercises, led the corps, trying to bring them closer in character to a real battle, closely followed the actions of the troops, gave valuable instructions on improving military skills, developing an offensive impulse. Like Generalissimo Suvorov, Brusilov put initiative, a conscious attitude to military duty, at the forefront.
At the end of 1910, Alexei Alekseevich entered into his second marriage - with Nadezhda Vladimirovna Zhelikhovskaya, whom he knew during his service in the Caucasus. During the Russo-Japanese War, she organized sanitary and charitable institutions, collaborated in the editorial office of the military magazine "Brotherly Help".
Much later, the general will write about this period of his military career: “I lived in Lublin for three years ... everyone knows that I was very strict with my corps, but in injustice or lack of concern for my colleagues, generals, officers, and even more so for no one could reproach me with the soldiers.
As a result, the enormous work done by him in a relatively short period of time to improve the combat training of the corps was duly appreciated by the authorities. In May 1912, Brusilov took the post of assistant commander of the Warsaw Military District, and in August-December, intermittently, he acted as commander of the district. In December of the same year, for distinction in service, he was promoted to the highest rank of the Russian army - a general from the cavalry. In May-June 1913, he again served as commander of the Warsaw district.
But despite the rapid career growth, Alexey Alekseevich saw himself not as a military official, albeit a high-ranking one, but as a military commander, so he turned to the Military Ministry with a request to return him to the troops. And soon, in August 1913, Brusilov headed the 12th Army Corps (Kyiv Military District), whose headquarters was in Vinnitsa. As in his previous posts, the general used every opportunity here to improve the training of the units and formations entrusted to him.
How to become pioneers in military science
With the outbreak of World War I, Brusilov became commander of the 8th Army, which occupied the left flank of the Southwestern Front (from Proskurov to the Romanian border) and opposed the troops of Austria-Hungary. Having received the order to advance, his corps went on a campaign on August 5. Three days later they reached the state border on the Zbruch River and crossed it. Enemy attempts to delay the advance of the 8th Army were unsuccessful. And as a result of a continuous 150-kilometer march, she approached the ancient Slavic city of Galich.
Meanwhile, in the zone of the neighboring 3rd Army, the situation was less favorable, and the general changed the plan of action. Leaving one of his corps as a barrier at Galich, he led the rest to Lvov, covering it from the south. Having overcome more than 50 kilometers, the 8th Army on the Rotten Lipa River gave a head-on battle to the enemy, as a result, the latter began a retreat, which developed into a stampede. Then both Russian armies headed for Lvov, and so swiftly that the enemy, fearing encirclement, left the city. Our troops also captured Galich, opening the way for further advancement. So the Galich-Lvov operation of the left wing of the Southwestern Front, an integral part of the Battle of Galicia, one of the largest in the First World War, ended victoriously. Brusilov's merits were awarded the Orders of St. George of the 4th and 3rd degrees - the highest military awards in Russia.
However, in May 1915, the enemy struck on the right flank of the Southwestern Front - in the Gorlice region, and the 8th Army had to retreat with heavy fighting. To the credit of the commander, it should be said that she retreated in an organized manner, under the cover of strong rearguards. For the first time in combat practice, on a large scale, the Brusilovites used the destruction of bridges, ferry crossings, railroad tracks and other transport facilities on the enemy's path, which significantly reduced the pace of his offensive. In addition, they captured many prisoners and even carried out a counterattack, temporarily returning Lutsk and holding Rivne.
Aleksey Alekseevich actively used the techniques that he taught his subordinates in peacetime: a wide maneuver, access to the flank and rear of the enemy, persistent movement forward, as well as changes in tactics dictated by the combat situation - the transition to a tough defense, an organized retreat. As a result, the 8th Army showed in practice the ability to act in any situation. The commander also showed genuine Suvorov concern for the soldiers, which won him great popularity. His order of that time “On providing troops with hot food” is characteristic, where it was emphasized: “Those commanders whose soldiers are hungry should be immediately dismissed from their positions.” And during the war the commander gave a lot of similar orders.
“Quite unexpectedly, in the middle of March 1916,” Brusilov recalled, “I received an encrypted telegram from the Headquarters ... which indicated that I had been elected ... Commander-in-Chief of the Southwestern Front ...”. A new period has begun in the life of the general. According to the general plan of the 1916 campaign, the task of his front was to defend and prepare an attack after the deployment of hostilities in the neighboring West. However, Aleksei Alekseevich insisted that the armies entrusted to him could and should attack. There are few examples in history when a military leader, putting his authority at stake, sought to complicate the task. On the whole, the Supreme Commander-in-Chief Nicholas II did not mind, however, he warned that Brusilov should rely only on his own strength.
Returning from Headquarters, the general outlined his plan to the army commanders: to strike in four directions at once in order to disperse the attention, forces and means of the enemy, and prevent him from maneuvering reserves. And its units remaining in the "dead" zones will inevitably abandon their positions under the threat of falling into the "cauldrons" of the environment or surrender. As a result, the Austro-Hungarian front, opposing the South-Western, will completely “collapse”, which was achieved by the innovator general during the offensive of the South-Western Front, which went down in history as the Brusilovsky breakthrough (May 22 - October 18, 1916). Its organizer, even during the hostilities, on June 20, was awarded the St. George weapon - a saber adorned with diamonds.
The enemy, according to our Headquarters, lost up to 1.5 million people killed, wounded and captured, while the Southwestern Front lost three times less. We emphasize that the world has witnessed a major achievement of military art, a new form of breakthrough of the positional front, and without numerical and fire superiority over the enemy.
Crisis and February
It would seem that Brusilov could be generally satisfied with the result of the offensive. “All of Russia rejoiced,” he noted enthusiastically. However, the general was extremely upset that the Headquarters did not use the exceptionally favorable situation to inflict a decisive defeat on the enemy, and therefore the operation of the Southwestern Front did not receive strategic development.
The general considered the figure of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief to be a particularly negative factor: “Those people are criminal,” he wrote, “who did not dissuade Emperor Nicholas II in the most decisive way, even by force, to assume those duties that he, in his knowledge, abilities, mental disposition and in no case could I bear the flabbiness of the will.
During the February Revolution of 1917, Brusilov, along with other major military leaders, put pressure on Nicholas II, convincing him of the need to abdicate. And in March, the headquarters of the South-Western Front swore allegiance to the Provisional Government, and Alexei Alekseevich was the first to take the oath. Rodzianko, "brilliant strategic talents ..., a broad understanding of the political tasks of Russia and the ability to quickly assess the current situation, this is exactly ... Brusilov."
The talented commander, who enjoyed great popularity and an impeccable reputation in Russia, was appointed to the highest military position on a memorable day for him on May 22, 1917 - the anniversary of the start of the famous breakthrough. He defined his role as follows: “I am the leader of the revolutionary army, appointed to my responsible post by the revolutionary people ... I was the first to go over to serve on the side of the people, I serve them, I will serve and I will never be separated from them.”
However, due to disagreements with Prime Minister Alexander Kerensky about strengthening discipline in the armed forces, Brusilov was replaced by General Lavr Kornilov two months later and recalled to Petrograd as an adviser to the government. Soon Alexei Alekseevich left for Moscow, where he settled not far from the center.
Commander of the Red Commanders
During the October armed uprising of 1917, when many Moscow districts became the scene of fierce fighting between the Red Guards and supporters of the Provisional Government, one of the artillery shells hit the general’s apartment, seriously injuring him in the leg. After a major operation, he spent 8 months in the hospital.
In addition to relatives, representatives of various underground anti-Bolshevik organizations visited him there, trying to win him over to their side. But Aleksey Alekseevich answered everyone with a firm refusal.
In May 1918, Brusilov left the hospital, but he was not left alone at home either. The leaders of the White movement did not lose hope of seeing the famous commander in their ranks. And soon the Chekists intercepted a letter from the British diplomat Robert Bruce Lockhart, which, in particular, talked about plans to involve him in the anti-Soviet underground, and the general was immediately arrested. However, two months later they were forced to release him for lack of evidence. And again, proposals from opponents of the Bolsheviks rained down from all sides, but Aleksey Alekseevich never went over to their camp, did not approve of the military intervention of the former allies in the Entente, because he believed that any outside interference was unacceptable.
Finally, in April 1920, Brusilov returned to military service: he became a member of the Military Historical Commission for the Study and Use of World War Experience at the All-Russian General Staff. Poland's attack on Soviet Russia on April 25 deeply alarmed the old commander. He turned to the All-Russian General Staff with a proposal to organize a meeting "of people of military and life experience for a detailed discussion of the current situation in Russia and the most appropriate measures to get rid of foreign invasion." And soon, by order of the Revolutionary Military Council of the Republic, a Special Meeting was formed under the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, which was headed by Alexei Alekseevich.
He considered one of the effective measures to combat intervention to be the mass recruitment of former officers into the Red Army, therefore he compiled the famous appeal "To all former officers, wherever they are," which played an important role in strengthening the armed forces.
In October of the same 1920, Brusilov was appointed a member of the Military Legislative Conference under the Revolutionary Military Council of the Republic as a specialist in cavalry, and in November 1921 he was also the chairman of the Commission for the organization of cavalry pre-conscription training, in July 1922 he was the chief military inspector of the Main Directorate of Horse Breeding and horse breeding of the People's Commissariat of the RSFSR. In February 1923, he took up the post of inspector of the cavalry of the Red Army. Finally, in March 1924, the old general retired for health reasons and remained at the disposal of the Revolutionary Military Council of the USSR "for especially important assignments."
Alexey Alekseevich Brusilov died on March 17, 1926 from heart failure and was buried with general honors on the territory of the Novodevichy Convent, remaining in the people's memory as the personification of all the best that was in the Russian army at the turn of the 19th-20th centuries, becoming a symbol of the continuity and continuity of its glorious martial traditions.
Literature:
Bazanov S.N. Alexey Alekseevich Brusilov. M., 2006.
Brusilov A.A. Breakthrough of the Austro-German front in 1916 // War and Revolution, 1927, No. 4, 5.
Brusilov A.A. My memories. M., 2001.
Vetoshnikov L.V. Brusilovsky breakthrough. Operational-strategic essay. M., 1940.
Zayonchkovsky A.M. World War 1914-1918, vol. 1-3. M., 1938.
Portuguese R.M., Alekseev P.D., Runov V.A. The First World War in the biographies of Russian military leaders. M., 1994.
Rostunov I. I. General Brusilov. M., 1964.
Rostunov I.I. Russian front of the First World War. M., 1976.
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