Brusilov is the Red General. Breakthrough genius. How Tsarist General Brusilov ended up in the ranks of the Red Army During the years of the revolution
There are not many military operations that were named after a military leader. The Brusilov breakthrough, which is written about in almost all history textbooks, not to mention special military literature on the preparation and conduct of strategic operations, is an example of such perpetuation of the name of a commander. Having memorized the name of this famous operation, we know practically nothing about its author - Russian General Alexei Alekseevich Brusilov.
Brief biography of General Brusilov
Alexey Alekseevich was born on August 31, 1853 in Tiflis, into a family of hereditary military men. His father Alexey Nikolaevich had the rank of general. Alexei, like his two brothers, was expected military career. Therefore, at the age of 4, he was enrolled as a page at the highest court. The early death of their parents forced the brothers to spend their childhood years in their aunt's family. They all got a good education and had an excellent military career. At the age of 14, Alexey enters Corps of Pages and, having graduated in 1872, was sent to the dragoon regiment. He took part in the Russian-Turkish company of 1877 - 1878. For bravery he was awarded the Order of St. Stanislav, 2nd and 3rd degree, as well as the Order of St. Anne, 3rd degree. Thanks to his excellent abilities, he successfully advanced through the ranks and by 1900 was already in the position of head of the Officer Cavalry School.
His name as an expert in cavalry riding and sports was known not only in Russia, but also abroad. The future Finnish military leader Gustav Mannerheim honed his skills under Brusilov. In his memoirs, he notes him as an attentive, strict and demanding leader of his subordinates, who was an excellent teacher. His war game developments and field exercises were exemplary and very interesting. In his personal life, Alexey Alekseevich preferred to act clearly, in an organized manner and adhering to his goals. He married for the first time in 1884. It cannot be said that there was a great feeling at the heart of this marriage; rather, it can be called a marriage of convenience. Although for almost a quarter of a century, until the death of his wife in 1908, Brusilov had every reason to call himself a happy family man. He took the death of his wife hard and transferred to serve in Lublin, as a corps general. Two years later, at the age of 57, he marries for the second time. This time his chosen one was the woman with whom he was in love in his youth. Renewal of acquaintance, correspondence matchmaking - everything is of a rapid, decisive nature, but by no means thoughtless or reckless. This act testifies to the character of a person - direct, knowing what he wants and how it can be achieved.
Similar to his actions in his personal life, the general also acts in the conduct of military operations that he is assigned to conduct. The unconventionality of plans in carrying out the assigned task, the thoughtful thoroughness of their preparation, the unquestionable determination in executing plans in a real situation - all this can be seen in the operations that were carried out under the command of Brusilov. Successfully acting as commander of the 8th Russian Army, he was able to hold back the onslaught of the enemy, avoid encirclement and heavy losses. He was appointed commander-in-chief of the Southwestern Front, developed and carried out an operation called the Brusilov breakthrough and brought the Russian army the most significant success in the World War, which did not receive further strategic development. Due to the inability or unwillingness to use repressive measures to improve discipline in the troops, he was removed. He found himself among those Russian generals and officers who refused to join the White movement.
Since 1920, he served in the Red Army and headed the Special Meeting under the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, created on his initiative. During the critical situation of the Red Army on the Polish front, he wrote an appeal “To all former officers, wherever they are” with a call to forget past grievances in the face of danger from an external enemy and to stand up for the defense of the Fatherland. Almost 14 thousand of the former officers and generals responded responded to this call and voluntarily joined the Red Army.General Brusilov died in March 1926 in Moscow.
“History will figure out soon after the war how things really happened, and now the main thing is to win.”
General A.A. Brusilov
The name of Alexey Alekseevich Brusilov for posterity is primarily associated with the concept of “Brusilovsky breakthrough”. Few representatives of the generals of any era can boast of having military operation, which bears their name.
Born in Tiflis into a general's family. Orphaned at an early age, he and his two brothers were taken in by their aunt. Got the basic home education. Summer of 1867 enrolled in the 3rd class of the Corps of Pages. Released as an ensign (07/17/1872) into the 15th Tver Dragoon Regiment. Regimental adjutant (1873-78). Lieutenant (art. 04/02/1874). Staff captain (01.08.1877). Participant Russian-Turkish war 1877-78 (at the Caucasian Theater).
“For the distinction shown in battles with the Turks on May 4 and 5, 1877 during the storming of the Ardahan fortress, he was awarded the Order of Stanislav, 3rd degree with swords and bow.”
This was the first military award of the future General Brusilov. In total, during the Russian-Turkish war, Alexey Brusilov earned three military orders - in addition to Stanislav 3rd degree, the Order of St. Anna 3rd degree with swords and bow (March 16, 1878) and St. Stanislav 2nd degree with swords (September 3 1878), and also acquired invaluable experience in combat operations and the rank of staff captain (August 1, 1877).
In 1878-81 he was the head of the regimental training team. Captain (Art. 12/15/1881). Captain (Art. 08/18/1882). From 1883 he served as a permanent member of the officer cavalry. schools: adjutant, assistant chief (since 1890), head of the riding and dressage department; head of the dragoon department (since 1893). Captain Guards (Article 30.08.1887). Renamed to Lieutenant Colonels (Article 30.08.1887). Colonel (08/30/1892). While working at the school, he was the first to describe the scientific foundations of training a cavalry soldier and a special system for training horses. To get acquainted with the experience accumulated in the armies of other countries, he toured educational institutions in France and Germany. Assistant Chief of the Officer Cavalry. schools (11/10/1898-02/10/1902). Head of the Officer Cavalry. schools (10.02.1902-19.04.1906). Major General (Project 1901; Art. 06.12.1900; for distinction).
K. Mannerheim, who served at the school before the Russo-Japanese War under Brusilov, recalled:
“He was an attentive, strict, demanding leader of his subordinates and gave very good knowledge. His military games and exercises on the ground were exemplary and extremely interesting in their development and execution.”
Commander of the 2nd Guards Cavalry Division (04/19/12/06/1906). Lieutenant General (project 1906; art. 06.12.1906; for distinction). Head of the same division (06.12.1906-05.01.1909). Commander of the 14th Army Corps (01/05/1909-05/15/1912). Assistant commander of the Warsaw Military District (12/05/1912-08/15/1913). General of the cavalry (project 1912; art. 06.12.1912; for distinction). Commander of the 12th Army Corps (from 08/15/1913).
Upon mobilization on July 19, 1914, he was appointed commander of the Proskurov group, which on July 28, 1914 was transformed into the 8th Army as part of the South Western Front. The army included 4 army corps. The army was armed with 352 machine guns, 480 guns and 18 airplanes.
It occupied the area from the Romanian border to the city of Proskurov (now Khmelnitsky, Ukraine). The army took an active part in the Battle of Galicia: 08/23/1914. took Tarnopol; Participated in the battles near the Zolotaya Lipa and Rotten Lipa rivers (over 20 thousand prisoners and 32 guns were taken); Galich, Lvov (Lemberg) were taken; took part in the Battle of Gorodok
After the Battle of Galicia, the 8th Army was tasked with defending the foothills of the Carpathians from the Upper San to the Upper Dniester. 11/19/1914 Dukla (now Poland) was captured.
At the beginning of 1915 awarded the rank of adjutant general. Winter-spring 1915 he led the 8th Army in the Carpathian operation of the Southwestern Front. On the Hungarian Plain, Russian troops encountered a counter offensive by Austro-Hungarian and German corps. In the winter cold and spring slush, the 8th Army fought stubborn oncoming battles with the enemy and successfully repelled the enemy’s attempts to relieve Przemysl, besieged by Russian troops.
From the memoirs of General Ludendorff:
“The offensive of the Austro-Hungarian army to liberate Przemysl had no success. The Russians soon launched a counterattack. The fate of Przemysl was about to be fulfilled. Throughout eastern front We were waiting for Russian attacks."
In the most difficult year for the Russian army, 1915, the troops of General Brusilov successfully defended themselves, carrying out an organized retreat and inflicting serious damage on the enemy.
In the midst of the retreat, he found himself forced to issue an order containing the following lines:
“For the faint-hearted who leave the ranks or surrender, there should be no mercy; Rifle, machine-gun, and cannon fire should be directed at those who surrender, even if there is a ceasefire on the enemy; act in the same way on those retreating or fleeing, and if necessary, do not stop at the general execution... There is no place for the weak-hearted among us and they must be exterminated.”
As a result of the Gorlitsky breakthrough of German troops, by mid-summer 1915 the Russian armies left Galicia. In the autumn of 1915 Russian troops stopped the enemy's offensive, which had been going on since the spring.
03/17/1916 appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Southwestern Front. At the military council held further in Mogilev, where the plan for going on a strategic offensive was discussed, the passive attitude of the commanders of the Western and Northern fronts towards it was revealed. On the contrary, the commander of the Southwestern Front insisted that his front also take part in the offensive.
Thanks to the persistence of Brusilov, who was supported by the Chief of Staff of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief, Mikhail Alekseev, Nicholas II ordered the offensive of the Western, Northern and Southwestern Fronts. In May, the Allies, in connection with the heavy defeat of Italian troops in the Trentino region, turned to Russia with a request to speed up the start of the offensive.
The general boldly discarded the template for constructing a front-line operation to break through the enemy’s fortified zone, which did not meet the main task of the Southwestern Front and had become obsolete, and managed to find such methods of conducting an operation that fully corresponded to the task and this specific situation. The main novelty of the plan was that the breakthrough of the deeply echeloned enemy defense was planned to be carried out on several sectors of the front at once in order to disperse the enemy’s attention, forces and means. Having abandoned the breakthrough methods used at that time (on a narrow section of the front with the concentration of superior forces in the chosen direction), the commander-in-chief of the Southwestern Front put forward a new idea - breaking through the enemy’s fortified positions by launching simultaneous strikes by all armies of a given front. The plan and the day the offensive began were kept in the strictest confidence even from members of the royal family.
The command of the Southwestern Front, organizing the front-line operation, carried out long and thorough preparations for the breakthrough. Such training, along with the high fighting qualities of the Russian troops, on the one hand, and the weak combat effectiveness of the Austrian units (Austrian losses in prisoners alone amounted to 28% of total number losses) - on the other hand, initially brought major success to the Russian army.
In total, the armies of the Southwestern Front included 40 infantry and 15 cavalry divisions, which numbered 603,184 bayonets, 62,836 sabers, 223,000 trained reserve soldiers and 115,000 unarmed soldiers (there were not enough rifles). It was armed with 2,480 machine guns and 2,017 field and heavy artillery pieces. The front troops had 2 armored trains, 1 division and 13 platoons of armored vehicles, 20 aviation detachments and 2 Ilya Muromets bombers. The enemy had 39 infantry and 10 cavalry divisions in front of the Southwestern Front, consisting of 592,330 infantry soldiers and 29,764 cavalry soldiers, 757 mortars, 107 flamethrowers, 2,731 field and heavy artillery guns, 8 armored trains, 11 aviation divisions and companies . Russian troops outnumbered the enemy in manpower and light artillery by 1.3 times, and were inferior in heavy artillery by 3.2 times. The enemy erected a strong positional defense using reinforced concrete and numerous wire barriers. The depth of the defense zone reached 7-9 km.
In the created conditions, the main trump cards of the Russian army were the surprise of the attack, its scale, and superiority in manpower, especially pronounced on the front of the 8th Army.
The offensive of Russian troops began along the entire front at about 5 a.m. on June 4, 1916. after strong artillery preparation. The artillery density reached 20-25 guns per 1 km of front. Artillery preparation lasted more than 50 hours. Aviation carried out bombing attacks and machine-gun fire on enemy targets in the rear and on the battlefield. The Austrian front was broken through in four places simultaneously. On the very first day of the offensive, in a number of sectors it was possible to capture the first enemy position, and over the next two days the breakthrough was completely completed and more than 200 thousand enemy soldiers and officers were captured.
When attacking the positions of the Austro-Hungarian troops, the 8th Army of General Kaledin in the Lutsk direction achieved the greatest success (therefore, the operation was initially called the Lutsk breakthrough, and only then the name assigned by the press “Brusilovsky” was established), its success was supported by other armies advancing in narrow areas followed by movement towards the flanks and in depth.
From the memoirs of A.A. Brusilov:
“... by June 10, we had already captured 4,013 officers and about 200,000 soldiers; The military booty was: 219 guns, 644 machine guns, 196 bomb-throwers and mortars, 46 charging boxes, 38 searchlights, about 150,000 rifles, many wagons and countless other military materials. On June 11, the 3rd Army of General Lesh was transferred to the Southwestern Front, and I set the task for the 3rd and 8th armies to defeat the opposing enemy and capture the Gorodok-Manevichi area; two left-flank armies, the 7th and 9th, to continue the attack on Galich and Stanislavov, and, finally, the central, 11th army, to maintain their position. From June 11 to June 21, the troops of Lesh and Kaledin, in fulfillment of the task given to them, carried out the necessary regroupings of their forces. At the same time, Kaledin’s 8th Army had to repel multiple counterattacks from numerous German hordes brought in from other fronts, who were trying to break through the front of the 8th Army and throw it back to Lutsk.”
From June 4 to August 13, Russian troops managed to advance 70-120 km inland over 350 km along the entire front. Bukovina and Southern Galicia were cleared of Austro-Hungarian troops. The enemy lost up to 1.5 million people killed, wounded and prisoners, 581 guns, 1,795 machine guns, 448 bomb throwers and mortars. Russian losses amounted to about 500 thousand people. An area with a total area of 25 thousand square meters was occupied. km. To eliminate the breakthrough, the enemy military command was forced to withdraw over 30 infantry and cavalry divisions from the Western and Italian fronts, which eased the position of the French at Verdun and forced the Germans to stop the offensive in Trentino.
An important political result of the offensive of the Southwestern Front was the acceleration of the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy and the appearance of Romania on the side of the Entente. The Brusilov breakthrough in Galicia, together with the battles of Verdun and the Somme River, marked a turning point in the course of the war.
General A.M. Zayonchkovsky wrote about the results of the Brusilov offensive:
“The decisive successes of the armies of the Southwestern Front forced the Austro-Germans to transfer their operational reserves to the front south of Polesie, where 27 infantry and 2 cavalry divisions were concentrated, of which 18 were German and 2 Turkish. The Germans removed 11 infantry divisions from the French Front, and the Austrians removed 6 infantry divisions from the Italian Front. This is the essential assistance provided by the Russians to their allies during the difficult days of the operations at Verdun and Trentino.
But these successes of the Russian army entailed large losses, which on the Southwestern Front alone by June 13 were determined to be 497,000 soldiers. Conducting further operations and preparing for the 1917 campaign required additional recruits and militia warriors, totaling about 1,900,000 men and 215,000 horses. These additional calls caused serious discontent among the Russian population.
Major successes of the Russians brought Romania out of a neutral position, and she finally came out on the side of the Entente powers, but this action was almost 2 months late, since offensive operations Russian armies gradually froze"
With the beginning of the February Revolution, Brusilov, along with other commanders-in-chief of the fronts, supported the abdication of Nicholas II, sincerely believing that a change in the leadership of the state would allow Russia to end the war victoriously. 05/21/1917 appointed Supreme Commander-in-Chief. After the June offensive on July 19, 1917, which was unsuccessful for the Russian armies, the general was replaced. Kornilov.
Awards: St. Stanislaus 3rd class. with swords and bow (1878); St. Anne 3rd Art. with swords and bow (1878); St. Stanislaus 2nd Art. with swords (1878); St. Stanislaus 1st Art. (1903); St. Anne 1st Art. (1909); St. Vladimir 2nd Art. (1913); St. George 4th Art. (VP 08/23/1914); St. George 3rd Art. (VP 18.09.1914); White Eagle with swords (01/10/1915); St. George's weapon (VP 10/27/1915); St. George's weapon decorated with diamonds (VP 07/20/1916).
Lived in Moscow (Mansurovsky pereulok, 4 apt. 3). During the battles between units subordinate to the headquarters of the Moscow Military District and the forces of the Military Revolutionary Committee, a shell hit his apartment and he himself was wounded in the right leg, the consequences of which he treated for a long time. In 08.1918 he was arrested by the Cheka. Released under house arrest. In 12.1918 he was released from house arrest. From 1919 in the Red Army (officially from April 20, 1920 in the Military Historical Commission for the Study and Use of the Experience of the War of 1914-18). From 05.1920 he was a member of the Special Meeting under the Commander-in-Chief of the Red Army. On September 10-11, 1920 he signed the “Appeal to the officers of Baron Wrangel’s army” (together with M.I. Kalinin, V.I. Lenin, L.D. Trotsky, S.S. Kamenev). From 06.1920 Ch. Inspector of the Central Department of Horse Breeding and Livestock Breeding under the People's Commissariat of Agriculture. In 1922-24. worked as the chief cavalry inspector of the Red Army and was intensively involved in the revival of the Russian cavalry. Brusilov in the fall of 1925. was allowed to go for treatment to the Czechoslovakian city of Karlovy Vary. But in the spring of 1926 he caught a cold and fell ill with lobar pneumonia. He died in Moscow at the age of 72, and was buried with full military honors at the Novodevichy cemetery.
Brusilov Alexey Alekseevich (born August 19 (31), 1853 - death March 17, 1926) - infantry general, took part in the Russian-Turkish (1877–1878) and the First World War, commander of the Southwestern Front (1916), Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Russian troops (1917), inspector of the cavalry of the Red Army (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 his first child was born, the father was already 60 years old, and the mother was 28. But their marriage was happy. After Alexey, three more boys were born. Alexey'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 another 4 months later his mother died. The children's further upbringing took place in the family of their aunt and uncle, who, being childless, doted on the boys. In their home, 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 in the Corps of Pages and was immediately enrolled in the third class, and in 1872, upon completion of his studies, he was accepted into service as an ensign in the 15th Tver Dragoon Regiment, which was located in Transcaucasia, in Kutaisi, and was soon appointed junior platoon officer in the 1st squadron.
Alexei Brusilov's service in the regiment was favorable and did not differ in anything special: he did not violate discipline, was not late for service, and enjoyed training with the dragoons of his platoon. He himself, adoring horses and riding, willingly learned from veterans how to handle a horse. This was noticed, and six months later the young officer was appointed adjutant of the regiment to a position requiring accuracy, discipline and tact, which the young ensign possessed to the fullest. 1874, April - Brusilov was promoted to lieutenant.
Russo-Turkish War 1877–1878
The first war for the future general was the Russian-Turkish war of 1877–1878. Brusilov and his regiment went to the southern border. Young officers perceived the beginning of the war with great enthusiasm, because their salaries were 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 Turkish barracks and the commander of the Turkish border brigade. For his distinction during the capture of the Ardahan fortress, he was awarded the first military award - the Order of Stanislav, 3rd degree with swords and 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 the age of 25 he was already an experienced officer.
A.A. Brusilov Commander-in-Chief of the Southwestern Front
Service after the war
After 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 enjoyed studying cavalry science and visited the best cavalry units of the Russian army. Brusilov completed the course with honors and was transferred as an adjutant to the permanent staff of the school.
1884 - Alexey Alekseevich married Anna Nikolaevna Gagenmeister, his uncle’s cousin. Three years later, their son Alexei was born. While working at the cavalry school, Brusilov developed vigorous energy in improving the organization of training for cavalry officers. His rank increases and his positions change: adjutant, senior teacher of riding and dressage, head of the department of squadron and hundred commanders, assistant head of the school.
1900 - Brusilov receives the rank of major general and is assigned to the staff of the Life Guards. This was facilitated by Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolaevich, who was the chief inspector of the cavalry at that time. Alexey Alekseevich worked a lot, wrote articles about cavalry science, studied the experience of horse 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 command staff Russian cavalry.
1906 - Brusilov is appointed commander of the 2nd Guards Cavalry Division, where he earned great respect from his subordinates. He paid a lot of attention to training with officers on the map, offensive combat, and maneuver. In the summer, relevant exercises were carried out. But at this time, things in the general’s family deteriorated sharply: his wife was seriously ill and was slowly fading away. 1908 - she died. Brusilov took the loss seriously. Personal drama, as well as the oppressive situation of St. Petersburg life after the revolution of 1905–1907. pushed him to the decision to leave the guard for the army. He achieved an appointment to the Warsaw Military District in Lublin as commander of the 14th Army Corps. At the same time, he was promoted to lieutenant general. The 14th Corps was a large military formation with more than 40 thousand soldiers and officers, so Brusilov had a huge and complex economy under his tutelage.
In Lublin, Alexey 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 was already 57 years old at that time, offered his hand to 45-year-old Nadezhda. 1909, November - the wedding took place in the church of the dragoon regiment.
1912, May - Brusilov is appointed assistant commander of the Warsaw Military District and promoted to cavalry general. But soon friction began with Governor General Skalon and other “Russian Germans” at the district headquarters, and he was forced to leave Warsaw and take the post of commander of the 12th Army Corps in the Kiev Military District. Meanwhile, peaceful life was coming to an end, and a world war was brewing. In June 1914, a general mobilization of the Russian army was announced.
General A. A. Brusilov with officers of the 8th Army headquarters
World War I
The beginning of the war found A. Brusilov at the post of 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 took part in the Battle of Galicia. Acting together with the 3rd Army of General Ruzsky, units of the 8th Army advanced 130–150 km deep into Galicia during a week of fighting and in mid-August near the Zolotaya Lipa and Gnilaya Lipa 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 Order of George, 4th and 3rd degrees. In the first half of 1915 fighting took on a positional character. Nevertheless, the 8th Army was able to ensure that the blockade of the Przemysl fortress was maintained, which predetermined its fall. Having visited Galicia, Brusilov was awarded the title of adjutant general.
However, in the summer of 1915, the situation on the Southwestern Front worsened. As a result of the breakthrough of German troops at Gorlitsa, the Russian armies left Galicia. 1916, March - Brusilov was appointed commander of the Southwestern Front. In April, at a meeting at headquarters, Nicholas II decided to launch an offensive by forces of three fronts: Northern, Western and Southwestern. Brusilov was given 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 thundered, sending a huge shell with an ominous whistle. The lighter guns fired in the same measured manner. The cannons fired even faster at the wire fences. An hour later the fire intensified. The roaring tornado of fire and steel grew...
Around 10 am, the artillery fire weakened noticeably... By all indications, the attack of the Russian infantry was about to begin. Tired and exhausted Austrians, Hungarians and Germans crawled out of their shelters and stood next 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 enemy's front line. Shrapnel caused terrible devastation among enemy soldiers... Enemy soldiers no longer constituted an organized army. It was a gathering of mentally shocked people, thinking only about salvation.
This continued for more than an hour... At exactly noon, the Russian infantry rose from their trenches and launched a swift attack..." - this is how the writer Yu. 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 days, the Battle of Verdun unfolded in France, the Germans were rushing to Paris. It was then, on May 22, that the offensive of the troops of the Southwestern Front began, which was called the “Brusilovsky breakthrough.” After a strong and effective artillery preparation, the Austro-Hungarian front for 550 km was penetrated to a depth of 60 to 150 km. The enemy lost up to 1.5 million people killed, wounded and prisoners, and a large number of weapons. Russian troops lost up to 500 thousand people. This victory had 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, the meaning and results of which are felt every day...” The Austro-Hungarian army was defeated, the Germans and Austrians stopped the offensive in Italy, German units were transferred from near Verdun to the Russian front, France saved! For this victory, Alexey Alekseevich Brusilov was awarded the St. George's Arms, decorated with diamonds.
General A. A. Brusilov - (1916)
Revolutionary years
During the February events of 1917, front commander A.A. Brusilov was among those senior military leaders of the Russian army who convinced Emperor Nicholas II Romanov to abdicate the throne. With 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-in-Chief of the Russian Army. But he did not manage to hold on to this high position for long.
Responding to the greeting of the Mogilev Council, General A.A. Brusilov defined his role as Supreme Commander in Chief: “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 Council of Workers' and Soldiers' Deputies. I was the first to serve on the side of the people, I serve them, I will serve them and I will never separate from them.”
But despite all the efforts, the new Supreme Commander-in-Chief was unable to stop the revolutionary ferment in the army and especially in the rear garrisons. A new revolutionary situation was brewing in Russia, against which the Supreme Commander-in-Chief 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 October revolution 1917 Brusilov remained in Soviet Russia, turning down 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 cadets, 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 direct Civil War he did not take part. Former tsarist general was (consistently) chairman of the Special Meeting under the Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Armed Forces - 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 attached to the Revolutionary Military Council of the USSR on particularly important assignments.
Brusilov in world military history
Alexey 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 entered the world military history as the author of an offensive strategy of parallel attacks on several sections of the breakthrough of the enemy front, separated from each other by unattacked sections, but forming unified system. This required high military art. In the First World War 1914-1918. Such a strategic operation was within the power of only one person - the commander of the Russian Southwestern Front.
On August 19 (August 31, new style), 1853, Alexey Alekseevich Brusilov was born - a Russian military leader and military teacher, general of the tsarist army, perhaps the only one of the tsarist generals of the First World War who was not anathematized Soviet history. His name is still known to wide layers of ordinary people thanks to the famous “Brusilovsky breakthrough”.
A.A. Brusilov was born in Tiflis, in the family of a general. His origins, as well as his dashing appearance, allowed him in 1867 to enter the Corps of Pages, an elite military educational institution, after which in 1872 he was released into the 15th Tver Dragoon Regiment. It was in this regiment that Brusilov’s military career began: from 1873 to 1878, he served here as the regiment’s adjutant. With the beginning of the Russian-Turkish war of 1877-1878. Brusilov in the active army, he distinguished himself during the capture of the Turkish fortresses of Ardagan and Kars, for which he received the Order of St. Stanislav of the 3rd and 2nd degrees and the Order of St. Anne of the 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 Officer Cavalry School, here he became an adjutant, then an assistant chief and head of the riding and dressage department; head of the dragoon department. In 1900, Brusilov was promoted to major general, and from February 10, 1902 he held the post of 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.
Served at the school under his command before Russo-Japanese War the future Marshal Karl Mannerheim recalled: “He was an attentive, strict, demanding leader of his subordinates and gave very good knowledge. His military games and exercises on the ground were exemplary and extremely interesting in their development and execution.”
Since April 19, 1906, Brusilov has been the head of the 2nd Guards Cavalry Division; from January 5, 1909 - commander of the 14th Army Corps; from December 5, 1912 - assistant to the commander of the Warsaw Military District. On December 6, 1812, Brusilov was promoted to the rank of cavalry general.
First world war 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 Southwestern Front.
In the summer of 1916, Brusilov carried out a successful offensive on the Southwestern Front, using a previously unknown form of breaking through a positional front, which consisted of a simultaneous offensive by 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 delivered by the 8th Army under the command of General A.M. Kaledin in the direction of the city of Lutsk. Having broken through the front on the 16-kilometer Nosovichi-Koryto section, the Russian army occupied Lutsk on May 25 (June 7), and by June 2 (15) it 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 mentioned almost nowhere. It was known only at Headquarters and personally to Emperor Nicholas II. Khanzhin, immediately after the Brusilov breakthrough, was promoted to lieutenant general, and Brusilov, instead of the previously promised Order of St. George, 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 so-called “shock” and “revolutionary” units. On May 22 (June 4), 1917, Brusilov issued front order No. 561, which stated: “To raise the revolutionary offensive spirit of the army, it is necessary to form special revolutionary shock battalions recruited from volunteers in the center of Russia, in order to instill in the army the belief that the entire Russian people is following her in the name of speedy peace and brotherhood of peoples, so that during the offensive, the revolutionary battalions stationed in the most important combat areas could carry away those who are wavering with their impulse.”
Where and who 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-in-Chief. Last Protopresbyter Russian army and fleet o. Georgy Shavelsky recalled Brusilov’s meeting at the station at headquarters (Mogilev) after his appointment: “A guard of honor was lined up, and the ranks of the Headquarters immediately lined up, including many generals. The Supreme Commander got out of the carriage and walked past 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 don’t know how to shake hands. It was a disgusting picture..."
The “revolutionary” general, as is known, 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 officers had to obey the decisions of 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 maintain the front. A.A. Brusilov did not oppose his actions, but did not want to help either, so he withdrew from service and resigned.
After his resignation, Brusilov lives in Moscow as a private citizen. According to the memoirs of participants in the Moscow uprising of 1917 (in particular, S.Ya. Efron speaks about this in “Notes of a Volunteer”), a delegation of officers and cadets from the Moscow Alexander School was sent to him. The famous general was offered to lead the white resistance in the capital, but Brusilov, citing age and unexpected illness, refused. It is symbolic that he has to pay for his indifference: during street battles between the Red Guards and cadets, he was accidentally wounded by a shell fragment 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 in the Life Guards Horse Grenadier Regiment, was arrested by the Cheka and spent six months in prison, after which he agreed to serve in the Red Army. According to one version, Alexey Brusilov and a group of officers deliberately went over to the side of the whites and were 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 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, Alexey fell victim to the sincere hatred of the White Guards towards his father, General Brusilov. From the point of view of the white warriors, the legendary hero betrayed his duty, disowned Volunteerism, and betrayed the interests of Russia. According to another version, Brusilov Jr. survived and joined one of the units as a simple shooter Volunteer Army, but soon died of typhus in Rostov.
It is possible that not only resentment towards Nicholas II, but also tragic fate son was inspired by the hero of the First World War A.A. Brusilov for further cooperation with Soviet power. From May 1920, he headed the Special Meeting of the Commander-in-Chief of all 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 organizing pre-conscription cavalry training; since 1923, he was attached to the Revolutionary Military Council for particularly important assignments. In 1923-1924 - cavalry inspector.
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 a memoir entitled “My Memoirs,” dedicated primarily to his service in Russian Empire and Soviet Russia.
The second volume of memoirs by A.A. Brusilov was transferred to the White emigrant 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 supposedly written during treatment in Karlovy Vary in 1925 and, according to the will, was to be made public 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 reconsidered his views and sincerely repented of the mistakes he had made. As we know, people don’t lie before death...
Compilation of Elena Shirokova
