By the Numbers: Can Russia Really Take on the World?
Prior to 1914, Russia maintained the largest army in the world. However, due to lack of mass transportation, the country also had the largest immobile army in the world. The Russian Army Air Force was established in 1912 and quickly joined the army in the largest force of its kind. The Navy was growing, though had no edge on Britain, who possessed the largest navy in the world in 1914.
The following are the statistics of the armed forces in Russia:
Navy: Four battleships, Ten cruisers, Twenty-One destroyers, Eleven submarines, and Fifty torpedo boats. Overall strength = 60,000
Russian Army Air Service: 360 aircrafts, Sixteen airships
Army: 1.4 million troops, 5.1 million in Reserves
The following are the statistics of the armed forces in Russia:
Navy: Four battleships, Ten cruisers, Twenty-One destroyers, Eleven submarines, and Fifty torpedo boats. Overall strength = 60,000
Russian Army Air Service: 360 aircrafts, Sixteen airships
Army: 1.4 million troops, 5.1 million in Reserves
Battle of Tannenberg
While today, the location of the battle site is Olsztyn, Poland, the battle of Tannenberg was a meeting of the Germans and The Russians in what was then part of the Russian Federation.
In August, 1914, General Alexander Samsonov of Russia, commander of the Russian Second Army in Prussia, met with General Paul von Rennenkampf. Together, they set off for battle against General Meximilian Prittwitz, the commander of the German Eighth Army, and his colleagues General Paul von Hindenburg and General Erich Ludendorff. The opposing armies met on 22 August, 1914. By August 29th, the Russians found themselves surrounded by the Germans and forced to surrender. Of the 150,000 men, only 10,000 were able to escape German imprisonment. Having failed in his mission, General Samsonov committed suicide.
Interestingly, the news of the Russian defeat was kept out of the public news by other countries in Europe, most notably Great Britain.
Below is a map of the battle site as it exists today in Poland.
In August, 1914, General Alexander Samsonov of Russia, commander of the Russian Second Army in Prussia, met with General Paul von Rennenkampf. Together, they set off for battle against General Meximilian Prittwitz, the commander of the German Eighth Army, and his colleagues General Paul von Hindenburg and General Erich Ludendorff. The opposing armies met on 22 August, 1914. By August 29th, the Russians found themselves surrounded by the Germans and forced to surrender. Of the 150,000 men, only 10,000 were able to escape German imprisonment. Having failed in his mission, General Samsonov committed suicide.
Interestingly, the news of the Russian defeat was kept out of the public news by other countries in Europe, most notably Great Britain.
Below is a map of the battle site as it exists today in Poland.
Lenin's Home Court Advantage
As Europe was rushing to deal with the Austrians and the Germans, the Russians soon found themselves fighting a two front war. While the army had lost over two million people by 1915, the citizens back in Moscow were starving to death, thanks to the ruling family. An exiled communist named Vladimir Lenin saw a chance to start a revolt through the events of the Great War. Along with Gregory Zinoviev and Lev Kamenev, Lenin published a book titled Imperialism: The Highest Stage of Capitalism. Thanks to propaganda, Lenin was able to start the rebellion he had hoped for after Nicholas II took over the armed forces only to be met with more failures and deaths. As the army continued to fail to win against the Austrians and the Germans, Nicholas was also viewed as a failure. On 13 March, 1917, the people did something about it.
By the Numbers: How Russia Fared Against the World
Enlisted:15 million
Killed:1.8 million killed
Wounded: 2.8 million
Captured: 2.4 million
Killed:1.8 million killed
Wounded: 2.8 million
Captured: 2.4 million