The Darkest hour of the Russian Empire
Chapter Three: 1916
Part XX: Brusilov's strike
Kak rodnaya menya mat'
Provozhala
Tut i vsya moya rodnya
Nabezhala
Oh, kuda ty, parenek
Oh, kuda ty
Ne hodil by ty, Vanek
Vo soldaty!
When my mother
Said good-bye to me
All my relatives
Started asking:
Oh, where do you go, boy
Oh, where
You'd better not to be soldier, Ivan
Better not to be
Italy was losing the war and everybody realized it. Her armies were beaten, her commanders were incompetent, her industry collapsed. By 9 of July Central Powers' armies invaded Parma.
Parma is taken by the enemies
Foreign diplomats asked Tsar's government to save Italy by starting a huge operation in the East. Entente badly needed Russian help, and Stavka decided to launch an offensive. Operational plans were created by Brusilov (Commander-in-Chief), Alexeev (General-Adjutant of Stavka), Yanushkevich (Chief of General Staff) and Evert (Commander of the Polish front). The plan's plot was a large full-front offensive operation, which was unofficially called "Brusilov's strike".
Russian main 1916 offensive
Targets to capture were Danzig, Gdynia, Wloclawek and Lodz - German key positions of the Eastern front. 20 armies of 80 divisions participated in the operation.
Russian heavy artillery
So, on 17 of July "Brusilov's strike" began. Russian soldiers after massive artillery fire (a lot of ammo were transferred from other fronts to support the offensive) and air strikes (all existing bombers "Ilya Muromets" were used) started marching on German positions. First line of defence was crushed soon - enemies didn't have enough forces to defend.
Russian army starts the push
While soldiers were fighting and dying for their Tsar and Motherland, Russian scientists continued working for the military industry. Next project was being developed for Russian intelligence service - Okhranka.
Russian tabulators will be ready soon
On 22 of July defenders of Stanislawow (Galizia) gave up. On the same day Russian army entered Danzig, very important Baltic port.
Austrians leave Stanislawow, Germans leave Danzig
By 25 of July Russians captured Danzig and broke the resistance in Gdynia. Only garrisons of Wloclawek and Lodz were fighting, but without any hope. Brusilov's plan was going to be a great success for the Entente in 1916.
First positive results of the July offensive
Victorious troops in the captured port of Danzig
The French were happy to know about Russian successes and started their own operation - first after catastrophe in Westphalia. French soldiers secondly crossed the front and invaded German cities of Trier, Darmstadt and Neuwied. Germany had great troubles...
They're beaten from the two sides!
On 30 of July general Berkhman captured Lodz suburbs. His German opponent had no chances to win the battle even with 16 divisions. Lodz battle was going to become a catastrophe.
The battle of Lodz, probably the most terrible disaster of Germany in WW1
Russian soldiers at the outskirts of Lodz
On 5 of August Stanislawow was finally Russian-controlled. Now Stavka had an opportunity to save Romania and General Staff started preparing for the opening of new - Romanian - front.
The Russians occupy Stanislawow
Meanwhile, on 8 of August Austria-Hungary invaded Albania and annexed that neutral country. A barbaric step, and absolutely useless.
Albania? Just why?
Nine days later last Austrian army in Galizia was defeated - a "pocket" in Cernauti helped the Russians to get a border with Romania.
9th Army Corps heads for Cernauti
On 19 of August Russian army occupied Gdynia and liberated Lodz. Wloclawek had some forces to defend, but their defeat was just a matter of time. "Brusilov's strike" was a fantastic, genius success of the Russian military.
Germany loses the war in the East
Last hours of German Wloclawek
Victorious Brusilov with his adjutant
In the West everything was brilliant - Russian strategic victory forced Kaiser's generals to defend the Eastern border. The Entente used that weakness and attacked again. Cologne fell, just like many other Western German cities. The second Reich was close to death.
Western Europe, 21 of August
A week later Wloclawek fell, the offensive was successfully finished. Nobody could predict such a victory for the Russian army. Brusilov became a national hero, and the Tsar personally thanked him for his brilliant operation.
The war continues
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Next update: November, 25