1914-1918
Russia paid a high price during World War I. Of the 12 million men, who were fighting, over 8 million were lost. The war pushed Russia headlong into revolution.
“World War I Russian Infantry” photo by George H. Mewes (probably 1917)
Background
Russia entered World War I in August 1914, after declaring war on Austria-Hungary. Russia was backed by France and Britain. Their main goal was to invade Constantinople and Bessarabia.
Events
At the beginning, a wave of patriotism unified the nation, but already in two weeks it was clear that Russia had entered the war unprepared.
In August, the Battle of Tannenberg (1914) left the Russian army, which was twice as big as the German forces, with 10 times more casualties.
One catastrophe followed another. The main problems were in equipment, logistics and planning. The Russians had a shortage of everything, including arms, ammunition, food, and clothes.
The supreme commander of Russian forces was Grand Duke Nikolay Nikolayevich, who had no earlier experience on the battlefield. In 1915 Tsar Nicholas II replaced him. The only successful campaign was the Brusilov Offensive (1916) on the Austria-Hungarian front, but that success was also only temporary.
Results
After the February Revolution, the Provisional Government decided to continue the unpopular war. After the October Revolution, Vladimir Lenin drove Russia out of the war immediately, and the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk was signed in 1918.
Russia in World War I
1914-1918
Russia paid a high price during World War I. Of the 12 million men, who were fighting, over 8 million were lost. The war pushed Russia headlong into revolution.
“World War I Russian Infantry” photo by George H. Mewes (probably 1917)
Background
Russia entered World War I in August 1914, after declaring war on Austria-Hungary. Russia was backed by France and Britain. Their main goal was to invade Constantinople and Bessarabia.
Events
At the beginning, a wave of patriotism unified the nation, but already in two weeks it was clear that Russia had entered the war unprepared.
In August, the Battle of Tannenberg (1914) left the Russian army, which was twice as big as the German forces, with 10 times more casualties.
One catastrophe followed another. The main problems were in equipment, logistics and planning. The Russians had a shortage of everything, including arms, ammunition, food, and clothes.
The supreme commander of Russian forces was Grand Duke Nikolay Nikolayevich, who had no earlier experience on the battlefield. In 1915 Tsar Nicholas II replaced him. The only successful campaign was the Brusilov Offensive (1916) on the Austria-Hungarian front, but that success was also only temporary.
Results
After the February Revolution, the Provisional Government decided to continue the unpopular war. After the October Revolution, Vladimir Lenin drove Russia out of the war immediately, and the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk was signed in 1918.
Grigory Rasputin