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WarChron - Sukhomlinov on Trial - Army Command Changes |
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The Year 1917
On 11 August, at Stavka, General Kornilov sent British General Haig a telegram stating his intention to take command of Russian troops.
On the Romanian Front, the Romanian 2nd Army stubbornly resisted von Mackensen's drive, but was forced to retire at Ocna.
On 12 August, on the Romanian Front, the Russians and Romanians opened a drive in Moldavia.
At Petrograd, opening of the Sukhomlinov trial at the Army and Navy Hall. For the first time in Russian jurisprudence history, a public jury was taking part in a political trial. During the course of the trial, testimony was given by a number of high ranking military officials. General Yanushkevich, the former Chief of the General Staff and Chief of GHQ at Stavka, spoke on the appalling lack of shells. General Ivanov spoke on the remarkable thoroughness of the German espionage system.
General Polivanov, former War Minister, described the former system as one of inaction. Count Kokovtsov, former Finance Minister, stated that the insufficiency of military stores and equipment was not because the War Ministry did not have enough funds, but rather that available funds were not spent. General Vernander, former assistant War Minister under Sukhomlinov, stated that the shell deficit was due to the inadequacy of the nation's industries to manufacture them in the quantities demanded by the General Staff.
Grand Duke Sergei Mikhailovich, from 1904-1914 as Inspector General of Artillery, testified to very strained relations between the Director of Artillery and the General Staff. General Velichko, Professor of Fortifications at the Petrograd Military Academy, related how Sukhomlinov abolished one by one all the consultative councils dealing with special aspects of warfare, thus attaining complete control of the entire management of the War Ministry.
General Alekseev stated that the former War Minister ignored all demands to solve the lack of munitions. Directors of large munitions factories testified that the Director of Artillery refused their offers to manufacture shrapnel shells. The wife of Sukhomlinov was accused of having very extravagant tastes.
In the Baltic Sea, Russian torpedo boat Leitenant Burakov was sunk on mines laid by German submarine UC.78 south of Mariehamm.
On 13 August, General A.I. Denikin was replaced General P.N. Lomnovskiy as commander of the Western Front. Lomnovskiy held the post only five days, before being replaced by P.S. Baluev.
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In the Black Sea, Russian auxiliary cruiser (and seaplane carrier) Dacia, along with two torpedo boats, bombarded Turkish positions near Tirebolu.
On 14 August, in Moscow, opening of the first plenary session of the Odbocka (supreme committee) of the Czechoslovak National Council.
On 14-15 August, on the Romanian Front, there was heavy fighting at the battle of Muncelu.
On 15 August, on the Romanian Front, the Romanian High Command decided to blow up the bridges at Cosmeshti to slow the German advance. The Russians were falling back in disarray.
On the Romanian Front, the Russian 4th Army and Romanian 2nd Army were retreating south towards the Sereth River. The Germans seized Soveia, and renewed their drive in the Focsani region.
In Switzerland, the Polish National Democratic Party and other groups founded the Polish National Committee (KNP) claiming to be the Government in exile of a restored Polish State.
On 16 August, on the Romanian Front, heavy fighting continued as the Russians and Romanians continued their retreat.
On 17 August, at Petrograd, the Russian Provisional Government sent the Ukrainian Rada a “Provisional Instruction,” defining the Rada as the “supreme organ of the Russian Provisional Government in the Ukraine."
On 18 August, at Petrograd, the Minister for Religions, A.V. Kartashev replaced N.P. Lvov as Chief Procurator of the Holy Synod, but Lvov still maintained his Ministerial position.
At Petrograd, the Izvestia newspaper, a daily published by the Central Executive Committee of the Soviet, printed excerpts from General Kornilov's report to Stavka and demanded his dismissal.
At Helsingfors, beginning of two days of rioting against Russian indifference to their aspirations for nationhood.
At Kiev, the Ukrainian Rada held a meeting to determine what their attitude should be towards the Russian “Instruction.” On the 19th, they rebuked the Russians.
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At Paris, an agreement was signed between Britain, France and Italy regarding their future role in Turkish Anatolia. Russia, of course, was not invited to attend.
At Budapest, Count Esterhazy's short-lived Hungarian government fell as a result of his inability to bring about electoral reforms. Dr. Sandor Wekerle was appointed as Prime Minister on the 20th. He made attempts to bring about reforms, but was faced with mass labor demonstrations and the formation of left wing groups.
On 19 August, at Stavka, Russian General Kornilov ordered General A.I. Krymov to concentrate is III Cavalry Corps in an area from which Petrograd could be attacked if necessary.
On the Northern Front, German forces broke through on the Latvian sector in their advance on Riga.
Russian troops on this front had been radicalized. Most were undisciplined and unwilling to fight anymore.
On 20 August, at Stavka, General Kornilov ordered General Denikin to move the “Wild Division” to the north.
On the Romanian Front, Romanian troops gained some ground north of Focsani.
On 21 August, on the Northern Front, the Russians were forced to evacuate positions between the Tirul Marsh and Aa River in the Riga sector.
In the Baltic Sea, during minelaying operations west of Svorbe Peninsula, Russian torpedo boat Stroiniy ran aground near Cape Kawi on the coast of Oesel Island. Three German Friedrichshafen seaplanes from the Torpedostaffel at Seeflugstation Windau bombed the grounded vessel and heavily damaged her. German seaplanes repeatedly attacked during refloating attempts, which were then abandoned. Credit for the “sinking” was given to observer Ltn.z.See Wolfram Eisenlohr, and his pilot Flugobermaat Gruber.
On the Romanian Front, German forces attacked the town of Sereth in Bukowina.
In Moscow, the old social elite gathered for a three day Meeting of Civic Figures. It would be interesting to know what topics they discussed.
On 22 August, on the Northern Front, the Russians retired four to twelve kilometers to shorten their lines at Raggazen in the Riga sector.
On the Romanian Front, very heavy fighting continued along the front.
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© WARCHRON 2007
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