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WarChron - Russian Order of Battle |
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The Year 1917
At Stavka, the Dowager Empress and Grand Duke Aleksandr Mikhailovich arrived from Kiev. Along with Grand Duke Sergei Mikhailovich and Grand Duke Boris Vladimirovich, they met with the Tsar, who explained that he had abdicated because of a wish to avoid civil strife, hold the army out of politics and see continued co-operation with the Allies.
At Petrograd, the Provisional Government, dominated by liberal politicians, moderate Socialists, Mensheviks, Social Democrats, pledged itself to be “faithful to the treaty that binds Russia by indissoluble ties to her glorious Allies,” and “willing to fight our common foe to the end, unswervingly and indefatigably.” Within a few days the new government was recognized by London, Paris and Rome. P.N. Milyukov was appointed as Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs.
On the Western Front, the Germans opened attacks in the Stokhod River region. In Warsaw, a manifesto was issued by the Polish Provisional Government.
In North Persia, the Russians occupied Kerind and pursued the Turks on the road to Tehran.
Austro-Hungarian Emperor Charles I sent his brother-in-law on a secret mission to the French President, offering a separate negotiated peace at the expense of Germany.
On 18 March, at Petrograd, the Russian press urged loyalty to the Allied cause. The government established a special commission to inquire into the actions of former ministers. The Soviet protested the appointment of Prince Lvov as Prime Minister and Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolaevich as Supreme Commander of the armed forces.
At Petrograd, Prince Lvov issued an order to “relieve the governors and vice-governors from the fulfillment of their duties,” temporarily transferring administration of provinces to the chairmen of the provincial Zemstvo boards. U.S. Ambassador Francis asked the State Department for permission to promptly recognize the new government.
On the Caucasian Front, formation of the Tiflis Soviet of Workers' Deputies.
On 19 March, the Northern Front was commanded by General Ruzskiy, with Chief of Staff General Danilov. Their forces consisted of the 12th, 5th and 1st Armies.
The 1st Army was led by General Litvinov, with Chief of Staff General Dubor-Musnitskiy, with HQ at Glubokoe; covering the front on the south bank of Lake Naroch. The 5th Army was headed by General Dragomirov, with Chief of Staff General Vakhrushev; with HQ at Dvinsk; covering the front on the left flank of Pitkelishki, 26 km south of Dvinsk. The 12th Army was led by General Radko-Dmitriev; HQ at Riga, covering the Friedrichstadt sector.
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The Western Front command was going through a transitional period. General M.V. Alekseev left the post on 24 March, and was temporarily replaced by General A.E. Evert, until General V.V. Smirnov (from 2nd Army) took over command on 13 April.
The Western Front consisted of the 10th, 2nd and 3rd Armies. The 10th Army was led by General V.N. Gorbatovskiy, with Chief of Staff General Minut, HQ at Molodechno, covering the front sector around Delyatich. The 2nd Army was headed by General V.V. Smirnov, with Chief of Staff General Gerois, with HQ at Nesvizh, holding the front on the left flank of Baranovichi. The 3rd Army was commanded by General L.V. Lesh, with his Chief of Staff General Baiov, HQ at Manevichi, holding the front along the Rovno - Lutsk railway.
The Southwestern Front was commanded by General A.A. Brusilov, with Chief of Staff General Sukhomlin. Their forces consisted of the Special, 11th, 7th and 8th Armies.
The Special Army was led by General P.S. Baluev, with Chief of Staff Major General Alekseev, with HQ at Lutsk, holding the front sector northwest of Dubno. The 11th Army was led by General D.V. Balanin, with Chief of Staff General Romanovskiy, with HQ at Kremenets, covering the front northeast of Brzezany. The 7th Army was led by General D.G. Shcherbachev, with Chief of Staff General Golovin, HQ at Buczacz, covering the front west of Delatyn. The 8th Army was led by General A.M. Kaledin, with Chief of Staff General Stogov, HQ at Czernowitz; holding the Bukowina sector.
The Romanian Front was nominally commanded by Romanian King Ferdinand, with Russian Chief of Staff V.V. Sakharov in actual command. He was aided by General Shishkevich. Their forces consisted of the Romanian 1st Army, with HQ at Barlad, the Russian 9th, 6th, and newly formed 4th Army.
The Russian 9th Army was headed by General P.A. Lechetskiy, with Chief of Staff General Sanikov, with HQ at Roman, covering the flank south of Ocna. The Russian 4th Army was led by General A.F. Ragoza, with Chief of Staff General Yunakov, with HQ at Barlad, covering the front between the Russian 9th and 6th Armies. The Russian 6th Army was led by General A.A. Tsurikov, with Chief of Staff General Vironovskiy, with HQ at Bolgrad, covering the rest of the Romanian Front.
The Caucasian Front had been commanded by Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolaevich, with Chief of Staff General Yanushkevich now in charge, HQ at Kars. Their forces consisted of 15 ½ infantry and 11 cavalry divisions.
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At Stavka, General Alekseev, who had cancer, carried out his duties even while weak and pain ridden, often taking to bed. On the 19th, he sent dispatches to the army and the fleet, acknowledging the authority of the new government, ordering all forces to submit to it by obeying their officers. General Brusilov proclaimed to the Southwest Front armies that what had happened was “God's Will” and that they should fight for “Holy Russia.”
At Petrograd, British Government opened relations with Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Milyukov, but had not yet officially recognized the Provisional Government.
At Petrograd, the Holy Synod called for support of the Provisional Government, which appointed V.N. Lvov as Chief Procurator. During April, to bring about reforms, the government changed the composition of the Synod by choosing more liberal members.
At Petrograd, the War Ministry established the Polivanov Commission, headed by former War Minister Polivanov, to work with the Soviet as its military committee. During the first few weeks of the revolution over 150 generals were removed form active service. The Provisional Government abolished all laws in violation of the Finnish Constitution.
At Stavka, the former Tsar, Nikolai Aleksandrovich Romanov, asked the Provisional Government for free passage from Mogilev to Tsarskoe Selo; permission to reside at the Alexander Palace until his children had recovered from measles; and free passage from Tsarskoe Selo to Port Romanov on the Murmansk coast, all of which was granted.
On the Caucasian Front, a Soviet of Workers' Deputies was organized in Baku, electing Stepan Shaumian as Chairman.
On 20 March, at Stavka, the former Tsar reviewed garrison troops, urging them to fully prosecute the war and be loyal to the Provisional Government. General Alekseev ordered the reduction of food rations issued to rear units.
The Provisional Government nullified the appointment of Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolaevich to Supreme Commander in Chief. Prince Lvov asked for and received his resignation.
At Petrograd, the Provisional Government abolished and castigated the old regime. It promised the nation the benefits of equality and liberty, and to loyally maintain all its alliances and provide the army with all necessary means to carry the war to a victorious conclusion. They also issued a Manifesto declaring the internal independence of Finland.
The Petrograd Soviet demanded the immediate arrest of the former Tsar and the Empress. She was confined to Alexander Palace at Tsarskoe Selo, now known as citizen Aleksandra Feodorovna Romanov.
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© WARCHRON 2007
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