 |
 |
Navigation :: WarChron |
Today's
Date is
|
|
| |
|
WarChron - Turks Massacre Armenians - Austro-Hungarians Take Lemberg |
|
|
|
|
|
 |
The Year 1915
On 14 June, on the Northwest Front, von Below's German Niemen Army launched an offensive along the Narew and Bobr Rivers, moving on Mitau.
On the Southwest Front, the Russians fell back towards Grodeck to form a new line near Lemberg.
At Petrograd, a statute was issued reorganizing the Naval Ministry.
The Tsar finally received a report on Rasputin's outrageous conduct in Moscow back in March, but he did nothing about it. The Empress still chose to believe that Rasputin was a man of God.
On 15 June, on the Southwest Front, the Germans advanced on the right bank of the San River.
At Petrograd, the President of the Council of Ministers, Goremykin, broke down under the strain of age and the course of events. He asked the Tsar to accept his resignation, but the Tsar gave him an evasive answer. Interior Minister Maklakov, Procurator of the Holy Synod V.K. Sabler and Justice Minister Shcheglovitov all brought pressure on the Tsar to dissuade him from calling the Duma into session, and attempted to convince him that Russia could no longer continue the war.
Tsar Nicholas II approved the recent decisions of the Council of Ministers and created a new Special Conference for Unifying Measures for Providing the Active Army with Supplies of Munitions and Material to be chaired by the War Minister.
On 16 June, on the Southwest Front, there was continued heavy fighting east of the San River.
On 17 June, on the Southwest Front, the Russians claimed that enemy losses now totaled 120,000 in the Dniester River sector during the past month. The Russians were still being forced back on Lemberg as the German 11th Army continued to advance. von Woyrsch's Germans broke through at Sienno.
On the Caucasian Front, the Turks began massacres of Armenians at Bitlis, killing over 15,000 over eight days, along with hundreds of other Nestorian and Jacobite Christians near Sirt. Over several months an estimated 600,000 Armenians were killed directly, while another 400,000 perished during a forced exodus southward.
On 18-19 June, at Moscow, a Conference was held by the Union of Zemstvos and the Union of the Towns. It was chaired by Prince Lvov, who revealed the administration's impotence to mobilize the resources of the country in the service of the army.
|
|
|
The Year 1915
Prince Lvov demanded an effort from the country to solve these problems. The Conference established the Central War Industries Committee to cope with immense and persistent supply problems.
On 19 June, on the Southwest Front, the Austro-Germans attacked along the Grodeck line in Galicia. The Kaiser paid a visit to the fortress at Przemysl.
On 20 June, on the Southwest Front, the German 11th Army cut Russian rail communications to Lemberg.
In Petrograd, the Constitutional Democrats (Kadets) held a conference to consider measures for dealing with the growing crisis. It demanded that the Fourth Duma be recalled and the formation of a “government of public confidence” that was acceptable to the liberals in the legislature.
On 21 June, on the Southwest Front, the Austro-Germans captured Zolkiew and Rawa Ruska. The Russians repulsed the Südarmee and Austro-Hungarians at Nizniow on the Dniester River.
On 22 June, on the Southwest Front, Lemberg (Lvov) fell to the Austro-Hungarian 2nd Army. The Russian armies were in general retreat toward the Bug River.
At Petrograd, the Tsar presided at the launching of the battle cruiser Ismail.
The Central Powers made a territorial concession offer to Romania, hoping she would join them against the Allies. Romania responded on the 27th with a non-commital attitude.
On 23 June, on the Southwest Front, the Austro-German advance was briefly checked by the Russians on the Zuranow - Demeszkowiec line. The Kaiser appointed von Mackensen as Field Marshall.
The Tsar left Tsarskoe Selo to conduct extensive talks at Stavka with the members of the military and government on the growing crisis.
On 24 June, Germany and Austria-Hungary offered Bulgaria more territorial concessions if she would side with the Central Powers.
At Petrograd, the Tsar finally relieved War Minister V.A. Sukhomlinov of his functions on charges of negligence. General A.A. Polivanov was appointed to replace him. General A.P. Vernander now served as Deputy War Minister. The Tsar then returned to Stavka, having assured Sukhomlinov that he did not believe rumors of his treason.
|
|
|
The Year 1915
On 25 June, on the Northwest Front, heavy fighting by Russians during rearguard action at Bobrka.
On 26 June, on the Southwest Front, the Russians briefly repulsed heavy German attacks in the Bukaczowce - Halicz sector, but were forced to retreat. An Austro-German advance took the Russian town of Malics.
The new Special Conference opened under the chairmanship of the Deputy Minister of War, General Vernander.
On 27 June, on the Northwest Front, Russians attacks failed north of Przasnysz. A newly formed German 12th Army took the offensive in northern Poland.
On the Southwest Front, the Germans occupied Halicz and advanced to the Bug River. The Russians are retreating from the Dniester to the Gnila-Lipa line. An EVK four engine bomber, IM-Kievskiy, based at Lublin, carried out a four hour mission, bombing enemy ammunition trains at Przhevorsk station. Explosions destroyed 30,000 artillery shells.
The Tsar held a Conference of the Council of Ministers at Stavka. On the 30th, an Imperial Decree sent to the President of the Council called on the Russian people to work together to supply the needs of the army. To demonstrate his confidence in the “public” the Tsar also announced a meeting of the Council of the Empire, and the State Duma to be reconvened on 1 August (anniversary of the declaration of war). Unfortunately, no concrete guarantees of mutual cooperation came out of the conference.
On 28 June, in the Baltic Sea, German warships bombarded the port of Windau.
On the Southwest Front, the Russians continued their retreat in Galicia, but finally began to hold a line against the German Südarmee on the Zlota Lipa.
On 29 June, on the Southwest Front, the Austro-Germans rapidly advanced towards the Vistula and Bug Rivers. The Russians repulsed attack near Halicz.
On 30 June, on the Southwest Front, the Russians are still in precipitate retreat in Galicia. The German Südarmee crossed the Gnila-Lipa line. The Austro-Germans advanced from Tomashov. The Germans claimed taking over 240,000 Russian prisoners during the past six weeks, while Austro-German losses from all causes stood at 90,000 men during the same period.
In Petrograd, the new War Minister General Polivanov warned his colleagues that within the Russian Army “demoralization, surrender and desertions are assuming huge proportions.”
|
|
|
|
|
© WARCHRON 2007
|
|
|
