Soldiers Of The Tsar

Excerpt from Soldiers of the Tsar: And Other Sketches and Studies of the Russia of to-Day Itwill be noticed that pure politics has been avoided. There are two reasons for this. In the first place, the writer's head is still awhirl with the complexity of the situation in Russia. In the second place, a discussion of politics will not make the reader feel that he has been among Russians, who hate politics. The attitude of the average Russian towards his Government is much like our own. It is all a conundrum on a large scale, and nobody has the answer to it. A certain aged diplomatist, astonished at a recent event, which was greatly in favour of Russia, dropped this remark, I suppose it's all due to Some saint or other, devil take it all I He had never spoken for his fellow-countrymen in a more truly representative manner. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

Excerpt from Soldiers of the Tsar: And Other Sketches and Studies of the Russia of to-Day This little book of sketches and studies is the work of a journalist who was in Russia for some months during the early part of the war. He spent most of his time talking to people, and in Russia one need never fear that casual travelling companions will take no interest in one. He had long chats with Russians of all classes, officers of many ranks, soldiers (whose taciturnity was particularly difficult to break through), Jews, Poles, and queer odds-and-ends who find themselves places within the great Empire. He tried to get them to talk about themselves, which was sometimes difficult, and about one another, which was often dangerously easy. The result is a book based entirely upon personal observation and on gossip, and not as most of the volumes published nowadays are, upon other books. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

This volume examines how Imperial Russia's armed forces sought to adapt to the challenges of modern warfare. From Peter the Great to Nicholas II, rulers always understood the need to maintain an army and navy capable of preserving the empire's great power status. Yet they inevitably faced the dilemma of importing European military and technological innovations while keeping out political ideas that could challenge the autocracy's monopoly on power. Within the context of a constant race to avoid oblivion, the impulse for military renewal emerges as a fundamental and recurring theme in modern Russian history.

The early modern Russian army emerged from contacts with Mongols, the Caucasus, and Siberia, yet held its own against adversaries such as Sweden, Turkey, and China.

The majority of articles in this volume employ social-historical methodology, and see the Russian military as a window on the symbiotic triangular relationship between army, state and society. They demonstrate that the issues affecting the tsarist army were at all times a reflection of the many social problems, aspirations, or political thought of the broader imperial Russian civil society.

The Military History of Tsarist Russia examines Russian military history from the rise of the Muscovite state to the present, even peeking briefly into the future. The volume covers Russia's land forces extensively, but also covers the development of the Russian Navy, and the creation and development of the Russian Air Force - parts of the Russian military machine that are frequently neglected in general writings. The historical analysis addresses the development and function of the Russian military whether in peace or in war, as well as the impact of war and changes in the military upon Russian society and politics. Questions of military organization, doctrine, and technique are paramount, as well as the critical question of the interface between the armed forces and society.