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The Darkest hour of the Russian Empire
Chapter Four: 1917
Part XXVIII: The epilogue. Faces of war.
Part XXVIII: The epilogue. Faces of war.
Nikogda ne pogasnet plamya svyachennogo ognya
My budem borot'sya sa tvoyu svobodu, zhivi, Rossiya moya
My budem podnimat'sya snova i snova
Pust mir budet protiv menya!
I my umrem za tebya, Rossiya
Zhivi, Rossiya moya!
Nad mirom rassvet podnimaetsya novyi
I vot ognem polykhaet zarya
Slava khrabrym udalym voinam, pogibshim v etom boyu
Oni ne mogli predat' Otchiznu, i spasli Rossiyu svoiu!
The flame of sacred fire would never go out
We will fight for your independence, live my Russia
We well stand up again and again
Even the whole world is against me!
And we'll die for you, Russia
Live, my Russia!
New sunrise is above the world
And the dawn is lighting like fire
Glory to courageous soldiers, who died during that fight
They simply couldn't betray their Motherland, and they saved their Russia!
EPILOGUE. FACES OF WAR
Last part of the AAR, telling about the most important people, who ruled Russia during the Great War
The Emperor and the Empress
Last part of the AAR, telling about the most important people, who ruled Russia during the Great War
The Emperor and the Empress
Emperor Nicholas II ruled Russia during the war. He was formal Supreme Commander of the Russian army. From the first days of war he changed expensive suits and luxurious uniform to a simple olive tunic of infantry colonel. He was unpopular amongst the soldiers in the beginning of the Great war, but his behavior, his speeches and moral support managed to change their opinion, they started call him "Tsar-Batyushka" (Tsar-the-Father) once again. Nicholas II visited hundreds of hospitals, talked to wounded soldiers kindly, gave them a lot of moral support. He became a symbol of Russia once again. Of course, he was just a formal supreme commander, in 1914-1916 really army was in hands of GD Nicholas, in 1916-1918 - in Brusilov's hands. But the Emperor visited each session of the Stavka and was aware of all operation and military actions. From the first day till the last he was a leader of his nation. Because of his right decisions Russian industry and infrastructure didn't collapse during the war, and the Russian army always had enough resources to fight bravely.
Empress Alexandra stayed in Petrograd when her husband, the Tsar, was in the Stavka. She was unpopular just like her husband during the first years, because of her German routes she was considered a German spy in Imperial palace, a lot of people hated Rasputin, Empress' doctor, mystic and advisor. But when the Emperor sent Rasputin back to Siberia, the people became more loyal. And when the Empress became a simple nurse who treated wounded soldiers in the hospital, the nation started loving her. Nobody could call her "Nemka" ("The German"), because she and four her daughters were just one with their people. Empress Alexandra had a strong and strict character, and all ministers were afraid of her wrath (while her husband was very patient and kind-hearted), but really it was just a woman who loved her family, her country and her people.
Grand Duke Nicholas Jr.
Veliky knyaz (Grand Duke) Nikolay Nikolayevich Jr. (Nicholas in official Western press) was born in the family of Grand Duke Nicholas Sr, a hero of Russo-Turkish war 1877-1878 and talented artillery comander. His son became an officer, too (all Romanovs had military education and military ranks, but really few of them were real military commanders, like GD Nicholas) and showed a lot of tactical and strategical skills. He was very popular in the army, soldiers truly loved him and called him "Nikolay Dlinny" (Nicholas the Tall) because of his height - more than two metres. When the war began, the Tsar (who was Nicholas' nephew) appointed him as Commander-in-Chief, and under HM Nicholas' command Russia survived two the most difficult years of war - 1914 and 1915. Being careful, strict and capable, Grand Duke Nicholas managed to save the Russian army from disasters. Being Commander-in-Chief, he spent most time on the Caucasus, leading the armies against the Turks. In 1916 he asked the Tsar to make him a commander of Caucasian front, while Brusilov was appointed as new Chief of the Army. Actually, in 1914-1915 GD Nicholas commanded mostly on the Caucasus front, while real military leaders were Yanushkevich (Chief of Staff) and Alexeev (Tsar's military advisor).
Field Marshal Alexei Brusilov
From the first days of war Brusilov was in the eye of the storm - he started the Great War as a commander of 4th Army Corps and finished as a Commander-in-Chief and the most popular leader of the Russian army. He was probably the most talented, skillful and legendary commander of the Russian army. Being a corps commander, Brusilov performed brilliantly on the Galizian front, who manage to win all the battles against the Austrians. He had a difficult character, and his superiors - Berkhman and Ivanov - couldn't stand Brusilov and called him "Upstart" for his impatience and popularity. Brusilov also was a liberal, and his political views always caused conflicts with the other generals. But the Tsar liked him, considered him a very lucky man, and when Grand Duke Nicholas resigned, the Emperor assigned Alexei Brusilov (nevertheless he was just an corps commander) and it was the best decision of the war. Co-operating with Alexeev (military advisor of the Tsar), Ewert (commander of the Polish-Western front), Berkhman (commander of the Galizian-Carpathian front) and GD Nicholas (commander of the Caucasian front) helped him to create wonderful operational plans like "Brusilov's strike" (a large-scale offensive that crushed strongest German forces in Poland), and his strategy helped the Russian army to win the war. In 1918 he got the rank of Field Marshal.
General Nikolay Yanushkevish
General Yanushkevich was Chief of Staff of the Russian Imperial army in 1914-1916. This man didn't show any talents during the war, but he worked hard and tried his best to save the retreating army. He was unpopular and many newspapers connected the Great Retreat only with his person. Yanushkevich was born in 1868 (so in 1914 he was quite young for general - 46 years) in aristocratic family. He graduated from Nikolaevsky Cadet Corps (in 1885) and Mikhaylovskoe Artillery Academy (1888). After that he started his fast career - he had a progress like military theoretic - from 1910 he was a professor of Nikolarvsky Military Academy, in 1913 he became a principal of that academy. On 5 of March he was promoted to general and got the position of Chief of Staff of the Russian Imperial Army. Personally planned the plans of border defense, which failed terribly. Uncompleted redeployment of the Russian army was his fault too. Yanushkevich also planned some counter-attacks that failed - for example, when Zabelin and Baratov tried to get Warsaw back in 1914. So, this man wasn't on the right place...
General-Adjutant Mikhail Alexeev
Alexeev, one of the main military theoretics and doctriners, was an unusual general. For example, he wasn't an aristocrat or rich man, which was very uncommon for the Imperial Army. He was a son of a simple soldier, who participated in the defense of Sevastopol in 1854-1855. Alexeev was a self-made man - he passed through all stages of military career, starting as a soldier in Russo-Turkish 1877-1878 war. He finished military academy in 1890, and he was so successful, that got all "A"-marks for his officer exams. Alexeev became a military advisor of the Tsar (general-adjutant) in 1912. In 1914-1915 he was unofficial Commander-in-Chief - because both Nicholas II and GD Nicholas Jr. were formal leaders - so together with Yanushevich Alexeev was in command. He was a rival of Yanushkevich, because he found his operational plans incompetent. In 1915 planned a counter-offensive in the Baltic area, which was brilliantly finished at the gates of Eastern Prussia. Mikhail Alexeev was very useful for the army, his suggestions, requests and proposals helped the Tsar to keep industry and economy in normal conditions. Supplying and transporting of the army corps was only his duty. In 1916, when Brusilov got the post of Commander-in-Chief, Alexeev participated in all his plans - the Germans said: "Our Hindenburg had Ludendorf, their Brusilov has Alexeev". He was Brusilov's right hand, and when the Germans signed the capitulation act, he was one of the Russian delegation together with the Tsar, Gurko (Chief-of-Staff) and Evert (commander of the Polish front).
General Vasiliy Gurko
Veliky knyaz (Grand Duke) Nikolay Nikolayevich Jr. (Nicholas in official Western press) was born in the family of Grand Duke Nicholas Sr, a hero of Russo-Turkish war 1877-1878 and talented artillery comander. His son became an officer, too (all Romanovs had military education and military ranks, but really few of them were real military commanders, like GD Nicholas) and showed a lot of tactical and strategical skills. He was very popular in the army, soldiers truly loved him and called him "Nikolay Dlinny" (Nicholas the Tall) because of his height - more than two metres. When the war began, the Tsar (who was Nicholas' nephew) appointed him as Commander-in-Chief, and under HM Nicholas' command Russia survived two the most difficult years of war - 1914 and 1915. Being careful, strict and capable, Grand Duke Nicholas managed to save the Russian army from disasters. Being Commander-in-Chief, he spent most time on the Caucasus, leading the armies against the Turks. In 1916 he asked the Tsar to make him a commander of Caucasian front, while Brusilov was appointed as new Chief of the Army. Actually, in 1914-1915 GD Nicholas commanded mostly on the Caucasus front, while real military leaders were Yanushkevich (Chief of Staff) and Alexeev (Tsar's military advisor).
Field Marshal Alexei Brusilov
From the first days of war Brusilov was in the eye of the storm - he started the Great War as a commander of 4th Army Corps and finished as a Commander-in-Chief and the most popular leader of the Russian army. He was probably the most talented, skillful and legendary commander of the Russian army. Being a corps commander, Brusilov performed brilliantly on the Galizian front, who manage to win all the battles against the Austrians. He had a difficult character, and his superiors - Berkhman and Ivanov - couldn't stand Brusilov and called him "Upstart" for his impatience and popularity. Brusilov also was a liberal, and his political views always caused conflicts with the other generals. But the Tsar liked him, considered him a very lucky man, and when Grand Duke Nicholas resigned, the Emperor assigned Alexei Brusilov (nevertheless he was just an corps commander) and it was the best decision of the war. Co-operating with Alexeev (military advisor of the Tsar), Ewert (commander of the Polish-Western front), Berkhman (commander of the Galizian-Carpathian front) and GD Nicholas (commander of the Caucasian front) helped him to create wonderful operational plans like "Brusilov's strike" (a large-scale offensive that crushed strongest German forces in Poland), and his strategy helped the Russian army to win the war. In 1918 he got the rank of Field Marshal.
General Nikolay Yanushkevish
General Yanushkevich was Chief of Staff of the Russian Imperial army in 1914-1916. This man didn't show any talents during the war, but he worked hard and tried his best to save the retreating army. He was unpopular and many newspapers connected the Great Retreat only with his person. Yanushkevich was born in 1868 (so in 1914 he was quite young for general - 46 years) in aristocratic family. He graduated from Nikolaevsky Cadet Corps (in 1885) and Mikhaylovskoe Artillery Academy (1888). After that he started his fast career - he had a progress like military theoretic - from 1910 he was a professor of Nikolarvsky Military Academy, in 1913 he became a principal of that academy. On 5 of March he was promoted to general and got the position of Chief of Staff of the Russian Imperial Army. Personally planned the plans of border defense, which failed terribly. Uncompleted redeployment of the Russian army was his fault too. Yanushkevich also planned some counter-attacks that failed - for example, when Zabelin and Baratov tried to get Warsaw back in 1914. So, this man wasn't on the right place...
General-Adjutant Mikhail Alexeev
Alexeev, one of the main military theoretics and doctriners, was an unusual general. For example, he wasn't an aristocrat or rich man, which was very uncommon for the Imperial Army. He was a son of a simple soldier, who participated in the defense of Sevastopol in 1854-1855. Alexeev was a self-made man - he passed through all stages of military career, starting as a soldier in Russo-Turkish 1877-1878 war. He finished military academy in 1890, and he was so successful, that got all "A"-marks for his officer exams. Alexeev became a military advisor of the Tsar (general-adjutant) in 1912. In 1914-1915 he was unofficial Commander-in-Chief - because both Nicholas II and GD Nicholas Jr. were formal leaders - so together with Yanushevich Alexeev was in command. He was a rival of Yanushkevich, because he found his operational plans incompetent. In 1915 planned a counter-offensive in the Baltic area, which was brilliantly finished at the gates of Eastern Prussia. Mikhail Alexeev was very useful for the army, his suggestions, requests and proposals helped the Tsar to keep industry and economy in normal conditions. Supplying and transporting of the army corps was only his duty. In 1916, when Brusilov got the post of Commander-in-Chief, Alexeev participated in all his plans - the Germans said: "Our Hindenburg had Ludendorf, their Brusilov has Alexeev". He was Brusilov's right hand, and when the Germans signed the capitulation act, he was one of the Russian delegation together with the Tsar, Gurko (Chief-of-Staff) and Evert (commander of the Polish front).
General Vasiliy Gurko
In 1916 Yanushkevich's incompetence became simply obvious - the Emperor realized, that the army needed a new Chief-of-Staff. Cavalry general Vasily Gurko was the right man to take that place - he was head of staff in Guard Corps, the most well-prepared and strong corps of the Russian army. Together with general von Val (commander of the Guard Corps) Gurko took Memel, Allenstein, Elbing and Koenigsberg. He was brave, and during the battles he was as close to the frontline, as possible. He was even wounded during the great retreat. General Gurko had a great legacy - his father, general Joseph Gurko, was a commander in Russo-Turkish war, who managed to win the difficult battles of Shipka and Pleven. The Germans were afraid of Gurko, they called his cavalrymen "Russian Devils". When Gurko became the Chief-of-Staff, he changed the organization of the Russian army completely. Working side by side with Brusilov and Alexeev, general Vasily was one of creators of new Russian strategy, that crushed the Central Powers in 1916-1917. In 1917 he was one of the man to accept the capitulation of Germany.
Admiral Ivan Grigorovich
Ivan Grigorovich was the Chief of Russian navy. In the Great War Russian naval fleet showed the best qualities - being smaller than the German and even Austro-Hungarian ones, it defeated all of them, surviving all the troubles. Two battles - in Danzig Gulf against the Germans and in Western Black sea against the Austrians - turned intro disasters for Russian enemies (even with terribly heavy losses of Russian navy itself). Russian seamen did a lot to win the war - talented naval commanders like Essen, Kolchak, Rusin and Ebergard sunk a lot of German, Austrian, Turkish and Bulgarian ships - in Black sea Russian navy crushed the water supplying lines, in Baltic sea a lot of German forts and defense points were destroyed by ships' artillery fire - for example, in the epic battle of Koenigsberg Russian advancing troops were supported with bombardment from the sea. Admiral Grigorovich managed to show that the Russian fleet is powerful, nevertheless outdated ships and small size. This man was one of those who won the war. He remembered the Russians that they have got navy - because after Russo-Japanese war they had forgotten about it...
The AAR is finished
Waiting for your comments
It was pleasure to read all of them
Looking forward to meet you again
Yours, Falconette
Waiting for your comments
It was pleasure to read all of them
Looking forward to meet you again
Yours, Falconette
Started on 18-10-2011 20:27
Finished on 06-12-2011 16:14
By the moment of finish:
Replies: 261
Views: 15,808
Last edited:
Amazing AAR! Can't wait for the next one 
. You have a very interesting and inviting way of writing and combining it with a logical / nice story + pics. I hope you continue these AAR's!
Tim
. You have a very interesting and inviting way of writing and combining it with a logical / nice story + pics. I hope you continue these AAR's! Tim
Great AAR! I hope the Russian Empire and her people can now look forward to a bright future.
I look forward to seeing more work from you.
I look forward to seeing more work from you.
Thank you one more time for reading. I'll probably start another AAR (and it would probably be the continuation AAR) on 25 of December. Something like Christmas-present. Now I have a short break for two weeks. A link to the next AAR would be posted in this thread
Now I have a short break for two weeks. A link to the next AAR would be posted in this thread 
So how are you going to do the new AAR? I assume you will have to heavily mod the game so you can have a Tsarist Russia instead of the USSR. Will it be regular WW2 without the soviet related events?
Can't wait to see the next AAR. It will be interesting to see how the world evolved in this timeline.
hmh i dont really he willingness or itme to read all but i read about imperial family, although Nicholas could have reverted his rulership into good i don't think his wife would come any close to her husbands success (not even to mention becoming a nurse), bah i think rasputin would still be ridden off by angry loyalists and relatives.
Very nice! Awesome AAR! Also a lot of time must have gone into this! I'm ashamed that I don't find much time for my own AARs anymore
