The commander is a military figure, a military leader who leads the Armed Forces of the state or large military formations(for example, the front), owning the art of preparing and conducting military operations. He must have the talent creative thinking, the ability to foresee the development of military events, will and determination. There can't be a commander without a rich man combat experience, high organizational skills, intuition and other qualities that allow the most efficient use of available forces and means to achieve victory.

All of the above fully applies to General Alexei Alekseevich Brusilov (1853-1926).

Graduated Corps of Pages, participated in the Russian-Turkish war of 1877-1878. on the Caucasian front. It was in the battles of this war that Aleksey Alekseevich learned for the rest of his life to appreciate and cherish the life of a soldier.

During the First World War, the commander of the 8th Army Southwestern Front. He commanded the 8th Army with exceptional success - in the Battle of Galicia, in the Warsaw-Ivangorod offensive operation, in the Carpathian offensive operation, crossed the Carpathians. It was the troops of the 8th Army that were closest to the offensive in Hungary. Also, the 8th Army thwarted the enemy's attempts to release the besieged fortress of Przemysl. Only from August 1914 to February 1915, the 8th Army under the command of A. A. Brusilov captured 113,000 Austrian, Hungarian and German soldiers and officers.

In the spring of 1915, during the Great Retreat, after the Gorlitsky breakthrough, A. A. Brusilov managed to retreat in an organized manner and save the 8th Army from defeat under the constant pressure of the enemy and led the army to the San River. During the battles at Radymno, at the Gorodok positions, he opposed the enemy, who had an absolute advantage in artillery, especially heavy artillery. Brusilov's 8th Army retreated to Volhynia, successfully defending itself in the Sokal battle against the troops of the 1st and 2nd Austro-Hungarian armies and in the battle on the Goryn River in August 1915. In early September 1915, in the battle of Vishnevets and Dubno, she defeated the 1st and 2nd Austro-Hungarian armies opposing her. On September 10, 1915, his troops of the 8th Army under the command of A. A. Brusilov took Lutsk, and on October 5 - Czartorysk. That is, even in the most difficult year of 1915, A. A. Brusilov's track record remained victorious.

A long tenure as commander of the army gave a lot to A. A. Brusilov. Battles 1914-1915 gave him the opportunity to test his strength as a military leader in a wide variety of situations - both in a victorious offensive and in the days of a forced withdrawal. Already in this period, unlike most of his fellow generals, the commander of the 8th Army was characterized by a desire for broad maneuver, bypassing the enemy flank, and persistent advance. But one desire, of course, would not be enough. General A. A. Brusilov during these months showed an outstanding ability to lead troops, and this again distinguished him from other military leaders of the Russian Army. The 8th Army, under his leadership, showed the ability for both a swift offensive and a stubborn defense; it played a prominent role in the battles of 1914-1915. Brusilov's authority was already very high both in the army and in the country. Apparently, this prompted the Headquarters to prepare an order for his new appointment.

Brusilov probably received the news of his new position with joyful excitement. What a hereditary military officer, what a natural, from a young age, officer does not dream of finally becoming major military leader, to prove himself as a commander?! After all, now under his command a million armed men and hundreds of generals. Will he be able to lead them? And most importantly - to lead them to military success?

With these feelings, he prepared to say goodbye to his old comrades.

AT last order on the 8th Army of March 24, announcing his departure, Brusilov wrote: “Dear comrades-in-arms: generals, officers and lower ranks valiant Eighth Army! 20 months great war I was at the head of you, entered Austria-Hungary with you, reached the Hungarian plain with you ... I became related to you, especially with the 8th Army Corps and the division of iron riflemen, who were always under my command for 20 months. ..”

The troops of the Southwestern Front began to actively prepare for the offensive.

Firing positions and artillery observation posts were carefully selected and equipped. Firing plans were worked out in detail. For all periods of the battle, each battery knew all the targets that it was to fire at.

Troops were trained in the rear: police stations similar to the Austrian ones were built, and here the infantry and artillery trained in the technique of joint operations during a breakthrough. Soldiers were trained in throwing hand grenades, overcoming wire obstacles, capturing and securing positions.

Russian did a great job military counterintelligence. It paralyzed the actions of the enemy agents and the enemy command; there were only the most general data on the South Western front.

The preparation for the operation was exemplary.

On May 22, 1916, the offensive of the Southwestern Front began, which entered the Brusilovsky breakthrough.

During the Brusilov offensive, the enemy lost 1,500,000 soldiers and officers killed and wounded and captured, of which 1,200,000 Austro-Hungarian troops, 200,000 German. Russian trophies were 581 guns, 1795 machine guns, 448 bombers and mortars, millions of shells and cartridges, tens of thousands of horses. The losses of the Russian troops during the victorious offensive amounted to 477,967 soldiers and officers, of which 62,155 were killed, 376,910 were wounded and 38,902 were captured.

In order to eliminate the Brusilovsky breakthrough and save Vienna from the military catastrophe that threatened it, the German and Austro-Hungarian command was removed from the Western and Italian fronts in total 30.5 infantry and 3.5 cavalry divisions. That is, we were talking about several hundred thousand people. This seriously eased the position of the French near Verdun and the Italians in Trentino: they immediately felt such a decrease in the forces of the advancing enemy. Moreover, two Turkish divisions were in front of Brusilov's troops. Austria-Hungary and Germany suffered another severe defeat in Galicia and Bukovina. Combat capability Austrian army was finally undermined and for the next two years of the war she could no longer launch any significant offensive and she held the front only with the help of the German army, which also suffered greatly.

The enemy front was broken through at a width of 340 kilometers, the depth of the breakthrough reached 120 kilometers. Brusilov's troops advanced at a speed of 6.5 km. per day, and by the fall of 1916, 25 thousand square meters were occupied. km. territory of Galicia.

Thus, the Brusilovsky breakthrough was a radical turning point in the war, it became clear that Germany, Austria-Hungary, Turkey and Bulgaria were doomed to defeat. It was only a matter of time.

There has been a huge interest in Russia in the West. The allies spoke with the inexhaustible strength of the Russian people-bogatyr, who once again (which number?) Demonstrated to the world his mysterious soul. It seemed that Russia would again save Europe and the world, as it did in 1813-1814. It seemed that the war was almost won...

The offensive of the Southwestern Front gave a lot to the art of war. It was the first successful front-line offensive operation carried out under conditions trench warfare. Several separate, but simultaneous strikes, delivered on a wide front, this was a new operational form that allowed Brusilov to break into the enemy's defenses. The enemy rushed from one sector to another, not being able to immediately determine where the main blow was being delivered.
A distinctive feature of the offensive of the South-Western Front, in comparison with other operations undertaken earlier on the Russian front, was a large preparatory work, in which all command instances, from the commander-in-chief to platoon commanders, participated. Brusilov ensured that a thorough development of tactical cooperation and search was carried out at the front, and forces and means were secretly concentrated in the places of the main strikes. The training of the infantry in specially created enemy-type positions, the construction of initial bridgeheads as close as possible to the enemy, ensured the achievement of a major initial success.

The advantages of the operation become even more noticeable if we point out what was not at the disposal of Brusilov. There is no doubt that in order to develop success in the Lutsk direction, as well as in the areas of the main attacks in other armies, he did not have enough reserves. The armies of the Southwestern Front occupied wide areas; the lack of reserves led to the need to stop, regroup troops. Nevertheless, the operation, launched and developed without reserves, with a lack of ammunition and a slight superiority over the enemy in artillery, brought success. This testified both to the valor and skill of the Russian troops, and to high qualities command staff, primarily Brusilov.

In the offensive operation of the Southwestern Front, for the first time, close cooperation between artillery and infantry was carried out. Under the leadership of the commander-in-chief, an “artillery attack” was developed and, most importantly, successfully applied: the infantry going on the offensive was accompanied by artillery not only with fire, but also with wheels. The combination of infantry tactics with the ability to use artillery made it possible to break through enemy positions.

An indisputable fact: the offensive of the Southwestern Front in the summer of 1916 undoubtedly belongs to the most striking and instructive operations of the First World War. After this operation, the Commander-in-Chief of the South-Western Front firmly stood in line with the outstanding military leaders of the Russian Army, and this means something! Brusilov was the last of the commanders of the old Russian Army, whose experience enriched the Russian military art. One of the reasons for Brusilov's success was his faith and the Russian Army, in the Russian soldier, in his excellent fighting qualities and they were justified
gave this trust. Brusilov managed to instill faith in victory in most of his subordinates.

Brusilov managed to find methods of conducting an operation to break through the enemy's fortified zone, which fully corresponded to the task and the specific situation. It should not be forgotten that the famous Marshal Foch used this experience in the operations of 1918 that crushed the German army. In the Soviet military science The experience of the Southwestern Front operation was carefully studied in the 1920s and 1930s. and served as material for the development of the theory of breaking through the fortified zones. specific implementation and further development Brusilov's ideas can be found in the study of the largest strategic operations of the Red Army during the Great Patriotic War, for example, in the Belarusian offensive operation "Bagration" in 1944.

A tribute is paid to Brusilov's art of generalship and in foreign literature. The success of his troops is all the more striking for Western European authors because they were achieved at a time when, on the Western Front, the well-armed and well-equipped troops of the opposing sides could not solve the problem of breaking through the front, when the capture of several tens of meters of enemy trenches after a fierce bombardment and heavy bloodshed was signed in newspapers as a major, brilliant success. Against such a background, the advance of Brusilov's armies for many tens of kilometers (and in the south, in Bukovina, for hundreds), the capture of 500 thousand prisoners, of course, should be assessed as an amazing achievement. The term "Brussilov offensive" ("Brussilovanqriff", "the Brussilov offensive", "offensive de Broussilov") was included in encyclopedias and scientific works. A. Taylor calls the Brusilov offensive "the only successful operation World War I, named after the general.

In general, A. A. Brusilov actively used many new items throughout the war military equipment- aviation, heavy artillery, chemical, armored cars.

The Brusilovsky breakthrough is the forerunner of the remarkable breakthroughs made by the Red Army in the Great Patriotic War.
- Lieutenant General M. Galaktionov Preface to "My Memoirs" by Brusilov, 1946

After the revolution, A. A. Brusilov was left with no inheritance, but in 1920, after the start Soviet-Polish war, joined the Red Army and served in it until his death in 1926.

On the same day, the Revolutionary Military Council of the Republic decided to accept the funeral expenses at its own expense and petition the USSR Council of People's Commissars for the appointment of a personal pension for Brusilov's widow.

On March 18, obituaries about A. A. Brusilov appeared in Pravda, Krasnaya Zvezda and other newspapers. "Truth" by giving appreciated personality of the deceased, one of the most prominent representatives of the Russian Army, who contributed to the construction of the Soviet Armed Forces, emphasized that the entire Revolutionary Military Council of the republic respected Brusilov, "appreciated his deep mind, the directness of his views, his sincere loyalty to the Soviet government."

At 12 noon on March 19, an honorary escort lined up at the apartment of the deceased: a company of infantry, a squadron of cavalry and a semi-battery of artillery. Among those present was a delegation of the RVS of the republic, headed by A. I. Egorov and S. M. Budyonny. They lay a wreath on the coffin of A. A. Brusilov with the inscription: "To an honest representative of the old generation, who gave his combat experience to the service of the USSR and the Red Army, A. A. Brusilov from the Revolutionary Military Council."

At noon, the coffin with the body of the deceased is placed, as it should be from time immemorial, on an artillery carriage, and the funeral cortege is sent to Novodevichy Convent. In front of the gate - a mourning meeting. A. I. Egorov, on behalf of the Revolutionary Military Council, characterizes the role of A. A. Brusilov in the fight against the Poles. S. M. Budyonny speaks about the merits of the deceased in the organization of the red cavalry, G. D. Gai, speaking on behalf of the Military Academy named after M. V. Frunze, recalls the role of A. A. Brusilov in the First World War. The coffin with the body of A. A. Brusilov is brought through the gate into the territory of the Novodevichy Convent.

There are many graves of former colleagues of A. A. Brusilov, also Russian, but who left their homeland, many of these graves - sometimes luxurious, more often modest and forgotten - are scattered all over the world.

General Alexei Alekseevich Brusilov remained in his homeland even after his death. Above his grave, at the Smolensky Cathedral on Novodevichy cemetery leaning Russian birch.

A. A. Brusilov's awards:

Order of St. Stanislaus 3rd class with swords and bow (1878);

Order of St. Anne 3rd class with swords and bow (1878);

Order of St. Stanislaus 2nd class with swords (1878);

Order of St. Anne, 2nd class (1883);

Order of St. Vladimir, 4th degree (1895);

Order of St. Vladimir, 3rd degree (1898);

Order of St. Stanislaus, 1st class (1903);

Order of St. Anne, 1st class (1909);

Order of St. Vladimir, 2nd class (1913);

Order of St. George, 4th degree (08/23/1914) - "for battles with the Austrians, the result of which was the capture of the city of Galich on August 21";

Order of St. George 3rd degree (09/18/1914) - "for repulsing attacks on the Gorodok position from the 24th to the 30th of last August";
St. George's weapons (10/27/1915);

St. George's weapon with diamonds: a saber with the inscription "For the defeat of the Austro-Hungarian armies in Volhynia, in Bukovina and Galicia on May 22-25, 1916" (20.07.1916).

At all times there were big battles that lasted more than one year. And always for a more successful operation of the army, it was required that the soldiers be led by an experienced person. Otherwise, everyone will act as they want, which will lead to inevitable defeat. It was the commanders who acted as those who took over the leadership of the troops. Someone managed the army well, someone - badly. However, this did not affect the fact that the names of the commanders-in-chief went down in history.

You need to know the names of the great commanders

Many people remember the First World War. Generals in the history of this period played one of the most significant roles. It was they who more than once decided the fate of thousands of soldiers in numerous battles. And it was they who, leading the army, contributed to the fact that the fighting ended in an unconditional victory. However, few people know their names. And even the most excellent commanders at the present stage are gradually forgotten.

The heroes-commanders of the First World War accomplished many feats. They must be remembered and honored. Therefore, in this review, it was decided to consider the most famous commanders who took part in huge number fights.

Mikhail Vasilyevich Alekseev was born and raised in the family of an officer. While studying at the gymnasium, Mikhail did not demonstrate special success. He even educational institution, deciding to enter the 2nd Rostov Grenadier Regiment as a volunteer. After that, Mikhail Vasilyevich entered the Moscow cadet school and graduated from it. In the future, the famous commander began his journey with the Russian-Turkish war. In 1904 he was promoted to the rank of major general. He also participated in the Russo-Japanese War. In 1917, it was Alekseev who convinced Nicholas II of the need to abdicate. For a short period, the Provisional Government appointed him to the post. However, in connection with the demand to restore the work of military courts, Alekseev was removed from this post. high office and promoted to military adviser.

A breakthrough that made history

Which commanders of the First World War are remembered for their heroic breakthroughs? Aleksey Alekseevich Brusilov should be singled out. He was born in the family of a lieutenant general. The future commander lost his parents in early age Therefore, he was brought up by his relatives. Alexei received enough a good education. He arrived in Petersburg in 1867. In 1872 he was accepted into the service with the rank of ensign. For participation in the Russian-Turkish war he received three military orders. During the fighting, he distinguished himself in the assault on the Ardagan fortress. Brusilov also played important role and in the capture of Kars.

Why exactly should be singled out, speaking about which commanders and commanders of the First World War showed themselves on the heroic side? In 1916, he was appointed commander in chief of one of the fronts, which gave him the opportunity to act independently. And after a short period of time in the same year, he, leading a relatively small force, made a breakthrough in the defense of the enemy (Austro-German troops). This military action went down in history under the name Brusilovsky breakthrough. This operation was one of the largest. Its result was huge losses from the side of the enemy. After the breakthrough, the Germans had to transfer 17 divisions to the east from the Western Front.

"Iron" brigade

What other people were glorified by the First World War? Generals, Russian soldiers and ordinary people did a lot heroic deeds. And Denikin Anton Ivanovich played a significant role in numerous victories. He was born in the Warsaw province in the family of a retired major. In the first battle, he participated in the 4th "iron" brigade of the 12th army corps. Under the leadership of General Kaledin, soldiers, among whom was Anton Ivanovich, defended the passes in the Carpathians. For these battles, Denikin received the Order of St. George, 3rd degree. In 1915, the brigade was reorganized into a division. Soldiers were constantly sent to places where breakthroughs and threats of encirclement could occur.

In September 1915, Denikin, as part of the Iron Division, fought for the city of Lutsk. The fighting ended successfully, about 20 thousand enemy soldiers were taken prisoner. After this heroic battle, Denikin received the rank of lieutenant general. Speaking about which of the First World War distinguished themselves, it should be noted that Denikin took part in the battle for Czartorysk. It cannot be said that he became the hero of the Lutsk breakthrough, having valiantly completed his task. For military art and courage he received a rare award - St. George's weapon, which was decorated with diamonds.

Not only victories accompany commanders

The First World War was remembered not only by Russian military leaders. Hero commanders were also encountered in the troops of other countries. One of them was In 1911, he received the next general rank, after which he was appointed division commander. In 1912 he took command of the 8th Corps at Bourges. A year later, the 20th Corps in Nancy passed under his command. After some time, it was decided to reorganize the army group into the 9th French army, commanded by General Foch. It was this army that became heroic in the battles on the Marne that took place in 1914. Under the leadership of Foch, the soldiers withstood the onslaught of the enemy. Having suffered heavy losses, the general was still able to keep the city of Nancy. However, some time after the battle on the Somme was lost, General Ferdinand Foch was removed from his post.

Not a single battle was without bloody battles

The First World War caused great damage to France. The generals tried to defend their positions, but they did not always succeed. On July 21, Germany declared war on France. Joseph Jacques Joffre became commander in chief of the French army. From the very beginning of wartime, he had to establish relations with the allied country of England. Due to the fact that everything fighting took place on the territory of France and Northern Belgium, Joseph began to urgently prepare for a positional struggle. The German forces had a hard time on all fronts, as General Joffre did not give up without bloody battles.

The commander, who was distinguished by barbaric methods of warfare

Which commanders of the First World War distinguished themselves in battles? It is necessary to mention Ludendorff Erik, who, although he was an assistant to General Hindenburg, independently led the army's actions on Eastern Front. And in 1916 he began to manage all the armed forces of Germany. Ludendorff was a supporter of ruthless methods of suppressing unrest by the people. The most barbaric methods of warfare were also attributed to him. It was at his insistence that Germany unleashed unlimited submarine warfare. However, it should be mentioned that it was his adventurous strategy, which was designed to defeat not only Soviet troops, but also the countries of the Entente, suffered a complete failure. And this is what led to the defeat of the German troops.

World War I personalities

Generals decided the fate of millions of people. And this fully applies to the commander-in-chief of the Eastern Front, Hindenburg. He distinguished himself by the fact that at the very beginning of 1916 he managed to disrupt the offensive of the Soviet troops near Lake Naroch. Commanding big forces, he went on a counterattack to the advancing troops, who managed to break through the German defenses. At the end of 1916, he was appointed to the post of commander of the Field General Staff. After the defeat of Germany in the war, Hindenburg became the head of the forces that were supposed to suppress revolutionary speeches. And it was thanks to him that he managed to save military power necessary for the revival of the state.

Conclusion

The First World War brought with it many losses and troubles. commanders, like simple soldiers, tried to lead their troops to victory. However, this was not always successful. And even the most successful at first glance, military operations eventually turned into defeats. But the heroism of the commanders, their skillful actions in military battles are not subject to any doubt. Taking at times non-standard solutions, they turned back the enemy troops, forcing them to flee from the battlefield. And even though there were not so many high-profile victories during the First World War as during the Great Patriotic War, it is simply necessary to remember the names of the commanders. They made the history of states in the most difficult times for people.

Vasily Iosifovich Gurko

Vasily Iosifovich Gurko(Romeiko-Gurko) was born in 1864 in Tsarskoye Selo. His father, Field Marshal Iosif Vasilievich Gurko, a hereditary nobleman of the Mogilev province, is known for his victories in Russian-Turkish war 1877-1878

Studied V.I. Gurko at the Richelieu Gymnasium. After graduating from the Corps of Pages, in 1885 he began serving in the Life Guards of the Grodno Hussars. Then he studied at the Nikolaev Academy of the General Staff, was an officer for assignments, a chief officer under the commander of the Warsaw Military District.

Boer War

Second Boer War 1899-1902 - the war of the Boer republics: the Republic of South Africa (Republic of Transvaal) and the Orange Free State (Orange Republic) against Great Britain. It ended with the victory of Great Britain, but the world public opinion was mostly on the side of the small republics. In Russia, the song "Transvaal, my country, you are all on fire ..." was very popular. In this war, the British for the first time used the scorched earth tactics on the land of the Boers (the complete destruction of any industrial, agricultural, civilian facilities during the retreat so that they would not fall into the hands of the enemy) and concentration camps, in which about 30 thousand Boer women and children and an unidentified number of blacks died. Africans.

Boer War

In 1899 V.I. Gurko was sent to the Boer army in the Transvaal as an observer of the course of hostilities. He completed the mission successfully and was awarded the Order of St. Vladimir of the 4th degree, and for distinction in service in 1900 he was promoted to colonel.

Russo-Japanese War

Since the beginning Russo-Japanese War IN AND. Gurko is in the Manchurian army, performing various tasks: covered the retreat of the detachment to Liaoyang; during the Liaoyang battle, he secured the gap between the 1st and 3rd Siberian corps from a breakthrough and guarded the left flank of the army; took part in organizing the attack on Putilovskaya Sopka, and then was appointed head of the Putilovskaya defense sector; formed the headquarters of the corps under the detachment of General Rennenkampf, who was stationed at Tsinkhechen; organized the defense of the extreme left flank and communication with the rear, etc. For the battle near Liaoyang on August 17-21, 1904, V.I. Gurko was awarded the Order of St. Anna of the 2nd degree with swords, and for the battle on the Shahe River on September 22 - October 4, 1904 and the capture of Putilovskaya Sopka - with a golden weapon with the inscription "For Courage".

Battle of Laoyang. Painting by an unknown Japanese artist

At the end of the Russo-Japanese War, in 1906-1911, V.I. Gurko was chairman of the Military Historical Commission on the description of the Russian-Japanese war. And in March 1911 he was appointed head of the 1st Cavalry Division.

World War I

The first battle in which units of Gurko participated was at Markgrabov on August 1, 1914. The battle lasted half an hour - and the Russian units captured Markgrabov. Divisional Commander Gurko showed personal courage in him.

Having captured the city, V. I. Gurko organized reconnaissance and destroyed the detected enemy communications. Enemy correspondence was captured, which turned out to be useful for the command of the 1st Russian Army.

IN AND. Gurko

When the German army went on the offensive, during the first battle at the Masurian Lakes in August 1914, from two German cavalry divisions (48 squadrons) marching to the rear of the 1st Russian army, during the day they were held cavalry division Gurko 24 squadron. All this time, units of V.I. Gurko repulsed the attacks of the superior forces of the German cavalry, which was supported by infantry and artillery.

In September, the cavalry of V. I. Gurko covered the retreat from East Prussia formations of the 1st army. In October 1914, for active actions during the fighting in East Prussia, the general was awarded the Order of St. George 4th degree.

In East Prussia, Gurko showed all his abilities as a military leader, capable of independent active operations.

In early November, V.I. Gurko was appointed corps commander during the Lodz operation.

Lodz operation- This major battle on the Eastern Front of the First World War, one of the most difficult and difficult in 1914. On the Russian side, the 1st Army (commander - P.K. Rennenkampf, 2nd Army (commander - S.M. Sheideman) and 5th Army (commander - P. A. Plehve) This battle had an uncertain outcome. german plan encirclement of the 2nd and 5th Russian armies failed, but the planned Russian offensive deep into Germany was thwarted.

After the operation was completed, the commander of the 1st Army, Rennekampf, and the commander of the 2nd Army, Scheidemann, were removed from their posts.

6th army corps V. I. Gurko was the main formation of the 1st Army in the battle of Lovichi ( The final stage Battle of Lodz). The first battles of V. I. Gurko's unit were successful, the enemy's counterattacks were repelled. By mid-December, Gurko's corps occupied a 15-kilometer section of the front at the confluence of the Bzura and Ravka rivers, and here his troops first encountered German chemical weapons.

The year 1915 began with the hardest fighting in the area of ​​​​the estate of Wola Shidlovskaya. This military operation was poorly prepared, enemy counterattacks succeeded each other, the troops suffered heavy losses, but the battles ended in nothing. Gurko warned about this in advance, but was forced to obey the command. Although his protests still had consequences - they led to an accelerated curtailment of the operation.

Since June 1915, Gurko's 6th Army Corps became part of the 11th Army of the Southwestern Front in the area of ​​the river. Dniester. Under the command of V.I. Gurko there were at least 5 infantry divisions.

General V.I. Gurko

In the offensive operation near Zhuravino on May 27-June 2, 1915, the troops of the 11th Russian Army inflicted a major defeat on the South German army. In these successful actions central location belongs to V. I. Gurko: his troops defeated two enemy corps, captured 13 thousand soldiers, captured 6 artillery pieces, more than 40 machine guns. The enemy was driven back to the right bank of the Dniester, Russian troops approached a major railway junction western Ukraine the city of Stryi (12 km remained before it). The enemy was forced to curtail the offensive in the Galich direction and regroup forces. But the victorious offensive of the Russian army was curtailed as a result of the Gorlitsky breakthrough. The period of defense began.

But the merits of General V.I. Gurko were appreciated: for the battles on the Dniester, he was awarded in November 1915 the Order of St. George 3rd degree.

In the autumn of 1915, the Russian front stabilized - a positional war began.

In December 1915, Gurko was appointed commander of the 5th Army northern front, in the winter of 1915/16. he was engaged in the improvement of defensive positions and combat training of troops. On March 5-17, 1916, his army participated in one of the unsuccessful offensive operations to break through the enemy’s echeloned defenses - the Naroch operation of the Northern and Western fronts. The main task of the Russian troops was to alleviate the situation of the French at Verdun. The 5th Army delivered auxiliary strikes. The offensive took place in difficult weather conditions. Gurko wrote about this: “... these battles clearly demonstrated the fact that an offensive undertaken in the conditions of trench warfare during periods of frost or winter thaw puts the attacking troops in an extremely disadvantageous position compared to the defending enemy in our climate. In addition, from personal observations of the actions of the troops and their commanders, I concluded that the training of our units and headquarters is completely insufficient for conducting offensive actions in a positional war.

IN AND. Gurko

By the end of May, the 5th Army of General V.I. Gurko included 4 corps. Prepared for summer campaign. The army commander paid special attention to artillery and aviation training upcoming offensive.

On August 14, 1916, V. I. Gurko was appointed commander of the Special Army of the Western Front, but the 1916 offensive was already running out of steam. Gurko understood this, but he approached the matter creatively: he devoted Special attention capturing key points of the enemy position, which was well fortified, as well as artillery preparation. On September 19-22, the Special and 8th Army fought the inconclusive 5th Kovel battle. There were not enough heavy shells. Gurko stated that in their absence, on September 22, he would be forced to suspend the operation, although he was well aware that “the most effective way to break the Germans was the stubborn and uninterrupted conduct of the operation, believing that any break would force you to start all over again and make the losses incurred in vain.”

It was dangerous to stop active operations - the approaching German reserves were concentrated mainly in the zone of the Special Army. important task was to reduce their ability to take action. This goal was achieved: the Germans failed to remove a single division from the front of the Special Army, they even had to reinforce this sector with fresh units.

The military historian of the Russian Diaspora, A. A. Kersnovsky, considered General Gurko the best of the army commanders in the 1916 campaign. He wrote: “Of the commanders of the armies, General Gurko should be put in the first place. Unfortunately, he came to Volhynia too late. A strong-willed, energetic and intelligent chief, he demanded a lot from the troops and commanders, but he gave them a lot in return. His orders and instructions - brief, clear, imbued with an offensive spirit, put the troops in the best position in the current extremely difficult and unfavorable situation for the offensive. If Gurko led the Lutsk breakthrough, it is difficult to say where the victorious regiments of the 8th Army would have stopped, and they would have stopped at all.

During M.V. Alekseev's sick leave, from November 11, 1916 to February 17, 1917, Gurko acted as Chief of Staff of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief.

IN AND. Gurko, together with General A. S. Lukomsky, developed a plan for the 1917 campaign, which provided for the transfer strategic decision on the Romanian front and the Balkans. But with the plan of Gurko-Lukomsky, except for A.A. Brusilov, no one agreed. "Our main enemy not Bulgaria, but Germany, ”considered the rest of the commanders-in-chief.

The February coup of 1917 found V. I. Gurko at the front, in the Special Army. The purge of the army from objectionables has begun new government military leaders, and on March 31, 1917 he was appointed Commander-in-Chief of the armies of the Western Front, whose headquarters was in Minsk. But the army was already decomposing in a revolutionary frenzy. The policy of the new authorities led to the death of the army.

On May 15, 1917, the Declaration of the Rights of Military Personnel was promulgated. Gurko filed a report to the Supreme Commander-in-Chief and Minister-Chairman of the Provisional Government that he "relieves himself of all responsibility for the successful conduct of business." Even during the preparation of this document, he wrote: “The proposed rules are completely incompatible with the life of the troops and military discipline, and therefore their use will inevitably lead to the complete decomposition of the army ... ".

On May 22, Gurko was removed from his post and placed at the disposal of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief with a ban on holding positions higher than the head of the division, i.e. the position from which he started the war. It was an insult to a combat general.

Exile

IN AND. Gurko in exile

On July 21, 1917, he was arrested for correspondence with the former Emperor Nicholas II and placed in the Trubetskoy Bastion Peter and Paul Fortress but soon released. And on September 14, 1917, V. I. Gurko was dismissed from service and, with the assistance of the British authorities, he arrived in England through Arkhangelsk. Then he moved to Italy. Here V.I. Gurko actively participated in the Russian All-Military Union (ROVS), which united military organizations and unions of the White emigration in all countries, collaborated in the Clock magazine.

Cover of the magazine "Hour" for 1831

This magazine was rightly called the chronicle of the Russian army in exile, the encyclopedia of military thought abroad.

Book V.I. Gurko

Vasily Iosifovich Gurko died on February 11, 1937; buried in the Roman non-Catholic cemetery of Testaccio.

Awards V.I. Gurko

• Order of St. Stanislaus 3rd class (1894);


• Order of St. Anne 3rd class (1896);


• Order of St. Vladimir 4th class (1901);


• Order of St. Stanislaus 2nd class with swords (1905);


• Golden Weapon (1905);


• Order of St. Vladimir 3rd class with swords (1905);


• Order of St. Anne 2nd class with swords (1905);


• Order of St. Stanislaus 1st class (1908).


• Order of St. George 4th class. (25.10.1914).


• Order of St. Vladimir 2nd class with swords (06/04/1915);


• Order of St. George 3rd class (03.11.1915).

It remains only once again to be amazed at the fact how easy the new Soviet authority said goodbye to those who brought glory to Russia and who did not spare their lives for her. Getting acquainted with the biographies of the military leaders of the Russian Empire, you partly understand the reasons for the difficult results of the Great Patriotic War- the entire old guard was either destroyed or sent abroad.

Family V.I. Gurko

In Italy, V.I. Gurko married a Frenchwoman Sofia Trario. His only daughter Catherine was a nun (Maria was a monk). She died in 2012 and was buried in the Russian cemetery of Sainte-Genevieve-des-Bois in Paris.

By the beginning of 1914, two opposing each friend of the union - the Entente, and Triple Alliance. Initially, France, Russia and England were allies in the Entente, a little later they were joined by America and Italy, as well as a number of small states of the European and American continents.

In the outbreak of the war, which received in historical sources the name of the First World War, people still played a big role, first of all, eminent and experienced military leaders, on whose decisions millions of lives depended. It should be noted that there were experienced commanders on both sides of the conflict, but the military leaders of the Entente, as the victorious side, should be given special attention, dividing them according to the countries they represented.

French soldiers and officers have long been famous for their intelligence, courage and devotion, traditionally, people who have been promoted to the highest officer ranks French army are the best representatives of their Fatherland. It is to such people that the divisional general Joseph Joffre, the French marshals Ferdinand Foch, Henri Petain and Louis d'Espere should be attributed.

Joseph Joffre- a man of outstanding abilities and no less outstanding aspirations, the winner of the battle of the Marne in 1914. Born Joseph Joffre in January 1852, he became known as a participant in the Franco-Prussian War of 1871 and campaigns to conquer African and Asian lands, turning them into colonies of France. Being an excellent soldier, he managed to rise to the rank of Chief of Staff, becoming a member of the Supreme Military Council, and then heading it. From 1911 to 1914, Joffre served as Commander-in-Chief of the entire French army, and after the end of the war he turned into a diplomat. He died in France in 1931.

Ferdinand Foch- Marshal of France, born in October 1851, went through the whole thorny and difficult path from a soldier to the Commander-in-Chief, the son of an ordinary official who never thought about military career. At the start of the war he commanded frontier corps, which took part in the Lorraine operation, as well as the 9th Army, which took part in famous battle at the Marne. Since 1915, Foch led the army group "North", and in 1917 he received the post of chief of the General Staff, a year later becoming commander-in-chief of all allied forces, thanks to which, in general, they won a victory. It was this man who put his signature under the famous Compiègne Agreement, symbolizing the end of the First World War. In Russia, Foch became known as one of the initiators foreign intervention, which became a real disaster for the country, and also as the only person who did not believe in the peaceful intentions of Germany, who was forced to agree to peace at Versailles.

Henri Petain- Marshal of France, born in April 1956, became a military man in early youth, on the fields of the First World War he became famous as the winner of the Battle of Verdun in 1916, for which he received the Order of St. regime, which somewhat belittled, but did not destroy his services to the Motherland in the First World War.

Louis d'Espere- a hereditary military man, in whose track record many significant victories - such as the battle at the crossing of the Meuse and the battle of the Marne. The marshal was born in May 1956, took part in many military conflicts before and after the First World War, is known in Russia as a participant in foreign intervention, who commanded the allied forces that landed in the Crimea and Novorossia.

Famous Russian commanders of the First World War

Russia, drawn into the war against its will, provided the Entente allies with the best soldiers and commanders-in-chief, thanks to whose activities France and England lost a minimum of soldiers and resources, while Russia suffered enormous losses. So, among the outstanding Russian military leaders who took part in the First World War, the following persons can be noted:

Grand Duke Nicholas- the grandson of Emperor Nicholas I, from 1914 to 1915 he served as Commander-in-Chief of all Russian armies, in which he showed himself as a man with little knowledge of military affairs, capricious, self-willed and prone to making rash decisions that cost the Russian army dearly. And although history puts Prince Nicholas on a podium, it should be noted that it is he who should be credited with pogroms in German settlements, devastation and disarray in the army. He was more like a room general than a great commander in chief, deserving of the honorary titles and awards given to him. After the shameful surrender to the enemy of Warsaw and the beginning of the evacuation of Riga from command, he was removed and sent to civil position to the Caucasus, with the aim of organizing administration there. After the beginning of the revolution, the Grand Duke went into exile, where he died.

Alexey Brusilov- General of the Russian army from the cavalry, was born in August 1853, a nobleman. From the beginning of the First World War, he commanded the 8th Army, which was sent to organize a rebuff to the Austrians advancing on all fronts. Known as the savior of the Russian army retreating after the Gorlitsky breakthrough in the spring of 1915, and also as the person who carried out the so-called Brusilovsky breakthrough in the summer of 1916, as a result of which the Russians managed to defeat the formations of the Austro-Hungarian army. It is Brusilov that can be considered the only general who, having gone through the whole war, managed not only to maintain the honor of his uniform, but also to earn the respect and love of the soldiers, while the command awarded the valiant general with the St. precious stones. Brusilov took the coming Revolution with great enthusiasm, supported the red movement and helped the Bolsheviks all his life. The great Russian general died at the age of 72 in 1926, being at that time known not only as a military leader, but also as a memoirist.

Lav Kornilov. Few people know, but the general who raised the famous Kornilov rebellion against the Provisional Government during the years of the revolution was also one of the significant figures who took part in the First World War. Lavr Georgievich Kornilov was a hereditary Cossack, with the outbreak of war he was entrusted with the command of the 48th Infantry Division, which was part of the army corps under the command of Brusilov. During the war years, Kornilov proved himself to be a brave and inexorable commander, who did not spare either his or his soldier's life for the sake of fulfilling orders. The feat that glorified the name of the general during the First World War was the capture of the well-fortified height of Zboro, which opened the way for the Russian armies to Hungary. In the spring of 1915, Kornilov was taken into Austrian captivity, from where he could only escape in the middle of summer. next year. Upon returning from captivity, the general received the Order of St. George from the hands of the emperor, although, in the opinion of many of his enemies, he did not deserve it, since he killed the entire division entrusted to him, nicknamed “Steel” for invincibility in battle. After Russia's withdrawal from the war, Kornilov acts as one of the initiators of the White movement, being killed by a grenade thrown through the window of his room on March 31, 1918.

British Commanders in World War I

British Army in ground war she practically did not participate on the European front, but, nevertheless, competent commanders-in-chief stood out among the British at that time, whose name should not be forgotten today. So, in the First World War in Great Britain, the following persons stood out, claiming the role of the first persons of the warring ally in the Entente:

Douglas Haig- an English field marshal, a nobleman with the title of earl and viscount, who made himself famous for being so famous European battles like the Battle of the Somme, Passchendaele and the Allied Hundred Days Offensive. During the war, he commanded the 1st British Army and the English Expeditionary Force in France, was known as the commander under which the British lost more soldiers. At the end of the war, he reported directly to Foch himself. He ended his days peacefully in his own estate.

John French- Field Marshal of Great Britain, known for having his own powers during the First World War, not obeying any of the Allied commanders, receiving orders directly from the British government. He commanded an expeditionary force, acted in the Western European theater of operations, a participant in the Battle of the Marne, where he showed himself not with better side, showing negligent slowness, which allowed the enemy to gather forces for a counterattack. He also became famous for his participation in the battle of Ypres, where chemical weapons were used for the first time in the world, he was defeated, losing most soldier, for which he was removed from command and replaced by the more competent and accommodating Douglas Haig. He ended his life peacefully, being retired and writing memoirs.

Thus, the First World War brought to the political arena many ambitious and promising Russian, British and French commanders, many of whom lived a long and difficult life, ending with participation in the Second World War.

In short, generals played a significant role in the victories and defeats of the First World War. After all, it was they who owned the decisions on attacks, retreats, they, by and large, controlled the fate of hundreds of thousands of people. Sensible and not very smart, tactics and strategists - each of them made an invaluable contribution to the course of hostilities and the history of the first armed conflict of this magnitude.

United Kingdom

Despite the fact that the British army was not as numerous in the fighting on the continent as the Russian and French, and it had commanders who inscribed their names in the history of the war.
One of them was John Denton Pinkston French - who led the British Expeditionary Force on the Western Front of the First World War.
Neither he nor his troops were subordinate to the French command, which often led to inconsistency between the allies.
In the famous Battle of Marne, he showed unacceptable negligence, which allowed the enemy troops to strike back. He commanded the troops in the equally famous battle of Ypres, in which the German troops used chemical weapons for the first time. Having been defeated and having suffered huge casualties, D. Frentz was removed from command.

John French was succeeded by Haig Douglas. During the years of his command, the English army, which fought on the Somme, at Passchendaele and participated in the Hundred Day Offensive, also suffered huge losses.
He was one of those who actively resisted the creation of a single Franco-English command, so he did not want to lose independence in the conduct of hostilities. However, by the end of the war, he was nevertheless forced to completely become subordinate to the French command.

Germany

The German commanders also played a significant role in the course of the armed conflict and even in the defeat of their own country in the war.
Paul Ludwig Hans Anton von Beneckendorf und von Hindenburg became famous as the commander-in-chief who managed to disrupt the offensive of the Russian imperial army near Lake Naroch in 1916.

Max Hoffmann went down in history as the developer of the Tannenberg battle plan, which became one of the saddest pages in the history of the Russian army. hosted Active participation and in the development of other operations on the Eastern Front of the First World War.

Erich Friedrich Wilhelm Ludendorff - it is believed that it was his adventurous strategy that caused Germany's defeat in the war.

Russia

There were quite a lot of generals in the Russian army during the First World War. But the most famous (but always the best), in short, can be called the Grand Duke Nicholas (grandson of Nicholas I), A. Brusilov, L. Kornilov, A. Denikin.
At the same time, Prince Nikolai Nikolaevich, who held the post of commander-in-chief at the first stage of the war, showed himself to be self-confident, but at the same time he knew little about military affairs. And if at first, "noting the merits" of a relative Russian emperor repeatedly awarded Nicholas the Younger, then later, due to his many mistakes, he nevertheless removed him from command. The shameful surrender of Warsaw to the enemy and the beginning of the Riga evacuation played a significant role here.

Alexei Brusilov - went down in history as the "savior of the Russian army" during the retreat after the Gorlitsky breakthrough, and also as the commander who made the famous breakthrough in the summer of 1916, later named after him.
Many historians and military researchers call him the only general who to the end retained the honor of his uniform and earned the true respect of the soldiers.

Lavr Kornilov. Many people know this general from the Kornilov rebellion, organized by him against the Provisional Government after the February Revolution. However, few people remember that before that, he showed courage and intransigence in many battles of the First World War. At the same time, following the orders of the higher command, he spared neither himself nor his soldiers. One of his exploits was the capture of the height of Zborough.

Anton Denikin - is considered one of the most productive generals of the Russian Imperial Army. He commanded his brigade in the battle near Grodek, under his command the village of Gorny Luzhesk was recaptured from the enemy and directions for the advance of the Russian army were opened.
Heroically proved himself in Carpathian operation and many others, for which he was repeatedly awarded the highest awards states.
France
Speaking about the French commanders of the First World War, it is briefly worth noting that they were among the best representatives of their homeland, unconditionally devoted to serving it and their people.
Joseph Jacques Sezer Joffre - divisional general who led his soldiers to victory on the Marne River in 1914.

Ferdinand Foch - during the war he commanded first the border corps (participation in the Lorraine operation), then the 9th army (the battle on the Marne), and the army group "North". In 1917 he was appointed Chief of the General Staff. Under his command, all the forces of the allies were united. Largely thanks to him. allied forces succeeded in defeating the Central Powers. It was his signature that stood under the Compiègne Agreement after the surrender of Germany.
A significant contribution to the victory of the Entente was made by Henri Petain, who gained fame after the victory at the Battle of Verdun and Louis d'Espère, who had many victories in the most significant battles of the First World War.