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WarChron - 1909-1910 - War Minister Sukhomlinov |
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The Year 1909
On 24 March, the Tsar dismissed General Rediger as War Minister, replacing him with Chief of the General Staff General V.A. Sukhomlinov. Also in March, the Tsar created and headed a special Naval Conference, which assigned 120 million rubles to build four dreadnoughts over the next four years. The Tsar created a Special Commission, headed by Stolypin, to determine the distribution of financial credits between the army and the navy.
During March, the Tsar abolished the State Defense Council. However, War Minister Sukhomlinov had already been able to consolidate his power over the military. The reintegration of the Main Directorate of the General Staff within the War Ministry gradually began to reshape the army's organizational structure, which now consisted of five sections.
These were the Quartermaster General, Structure and Service of Troops, Mobilization, Military Communications, and Military Topographical. The organizational continuity within the General Staff was badly hindered by inside politics and bureaucracy, with five different generals serving as Chief between 1908 and 1914. On the other hand, General Yu.N. Danilov would hold the post of Quartermaster General from 1909 until September 1915.
During this period, the Royal Family's need to keep their son's health condition secret, out of fear that because of it he could be excluded from succession to the throne, caused an ever greater dependence on the “healing powers” of Rasputin. The Empress's doctor believed that she had inherited a family weakness of the blood vessels, which often led to progressive hysteria and exhaustion. Her high strung religious nature eventually resulted in psychosomatic problems and the use of drugs. Cocaine was used widely at the time for various illness and also as a recreational drug.
On 10 May, the proposed Naval Bill prompted Tsar Nicholas to draw the line against any intrusion by the Duma in the realm of military administration.
On 19 May, the Tsar celebrated his 41st birthday, which fell on the name day of Patriarch Job (the Long Suffering). The Tsar told his Prime Minister “How often have I not applied to myself the words of Job; hardly have I entertained a fear, and all the evils I envision descend upon my head.” The Royal Family spent most of July and August visiting Britain and France, with another two months in Alexandra's native Grand Duchy of Hesse-Darmstadt, before returning to Russia. In October – November they paid visits to Sevastopol, Odessa, Warsaw, Frankfurt, France and met with the King of Italy.
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The Year 1909
On 31 August, the Tsar allowed the State Defense Council, led by the Grand Dukes, to lose all its powers. In November, the Tsar replaced the Minister of Commerce and Industry. On 8 September, the Tsar issued orders for new regulations specifying those matters to be considered by higher echelons of government, as opposed to those submitted for consideration by the State Duma and State Council. Funds for a variety of military needs were being held up by the Duma. The controversy was now being brought into public view, causing a growing rift between the Duma and the Tsar.
The Year 1910
During January, the Tsar replaced Minister of Marine, Admiral I.M. Dikov, with Admiral S.A. Voevodskiy. There were increasing numbers of press reports about the scandalous activities of Rasputin, whose inner circle included mystics, charlatans, speculators, members of the court and police.
On 19 March, Alexander I. Guchkov replaced N.A. Khomyakov as Chairman of the Duma. The activities of Rasputin was causing much dissension within the upper reaches of the Russian Orthodox Church.
During March, the Tsar approved a ten year “small military program,” which, despite strong objections by the War Ministry, allocated almost equal funds to the armed forces: the Army was to receive 715 million rubles, and the Navy to receive 698 million rubles, primarily for the Baltic Fleet.
On 6 April, War Minister General Sukhomlinov issued a special memorandum which expanded political surveillance within the army. It was sent to headquarters in every military district.
On 10 June, the State Duma passed legislation which permitted the Finnish Diet a consultative vote on all essential Finnish questions. However, the move failed to lessen a mounting anti-Russian feeling in Finland. The Finnish Diet retaliated by refusing to pass the Tsar's Laws, denying civil rights to Russians living in Finland. It was not long before the Russian Governor General dismissed the Diet.
During the Summer, an Imperial decree again revised the mobilization plan, which deactivated four Fortresses in Poland. The Army's centers of concentration were to be shifted eastward, away from the frontier.
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The Year 1910
On 28 September, the Tsar retired Foreign Minister A.P. Izvolskiy, replacing him with S.D. Sazonov, who would serve as Foreign Minister until July 1916. Izvolskiy was appointed as Ambassador to France.
By early November, the Tsar was completely run down mentally by the worsening condition of the Empress. Doctors again urged them to go abroad. They traveled to Berlin, briefly met with the Kaiser, then spent two weeks visiting the German spa at Nauheim before returning to St. Petersburg.
During 1910, the general public was becoming aware of the extent of the influence of Rasputin. The Archbishop Anthony, seeing a growing menace to the throne, lodged an official protest with the Tsar, who rejected it in person, stating that the affairs of the imperial family did not concern the Metropolitan. During this period, the mother of the Tsar, Dowager Empress Maria, protested her son's dependence on Rasputin and left St. Petersburg for her estates in the Crimea.
The Year 1911
On 7 March, War Minister Sukhomlinov removed General A.Z. Mishlaevskiy as the Chief of the General Staff, and replaced him with the chronically ill General Ya.G. Zhilinskiy.
During early 1911, Prime Minister P.A. Stolypin greatly angered the Empress by ordering an investigation of Rasputin. A report covering his unsavory activities was sent to the Tsar, but Nicholas did nothing with it. The Tsar suggested that Rasputin make a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. Rasputin was gone four months, returning in July.
On 25 March, the Tsar prorogued the Duma. Three days later Guchkov resigned as the Chairman of the State Duma. The Tsar allowed it to reopen on 28 October.
During May, the Navy was awarded a credit of 150 million rubles to strengthen the Black Sea Fleet.
During July, soon after his return to St. Petersburg Rasputin resumed his efforts to gain control of the Orthodox Church.
During August, the French and Russian Chiefs of the General Staff met in Paris to discuss their plans for the future.
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© WARCHRON 2007
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