Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolaevich Romanov (1856–1929) was a key figure in late Imperial Russia, and one of its foremost soldiers. At the outbreak of World War I, his cousin, Tsar Nicholas II, appointed him Supreme Commander of the Russian Army. From 1914 to 1915, and then again briefly in 1917, he was commander of the largest army in the world in the greatest war the world had ever seen. His appointment reflected the fact that he was perhaps the man the last Emperor of Russia trusted the most. At six foot six, the Grand Duke towered over those around him. His fierce temper was a matter of legend. However, as Robinson's vivid account shows, he had a more complex personality than either his supporters or detractors believed. In a career spanning fifty years, the Grand Duke played a vital role in transforming Russia's political system. In 1905, the Tsar assigned him the duty of coordinating defense and security planning for the entire Russian empire. When the Tsar asked him to assume the mantle of military dictator, the Grand Duke, instead of accepting, persuaded the Tsar to sign a manifesto promising political reforms. Less opportunely, he also had a role in introducing the Tsar and Tsarina to the infamous Rasputin. A few years after the revolution in 1917, the Grand Duke became de facto leader of the Russian émigré community. Despite his importance, the only other biography of the Grand Duke was written by one of his former generals in 1930, a year after his death, and it is only available in Russian. The result of research in the archives of seven countries, this groundbreaking biography—the first to appear in English—covers the Grand Duke's entire life, examining both his private life and his professional career. Paul Robinson's engaging account will be of great value to those interested in World War I and military history, Russian history, and biographies of notable figures.

This book provides a comprehensive and illuminating study of some of the most crucial campaigns on the Eastern Front during what was perhaps the most momentous year of World War I in that battleground. Turning Points: The Eastern Front in 1915 offers a well-researched and fascinating study of war in a distinct theater of operations and shows how it was impacted by diplomacy, coalition warfare, command, technology, and the environment in which it is conducted. In contrast to those on the Western Front, lines in the east in 1915 moved hundreds of miles. Although the work focuses more on the Central Powers, significant attention is also given to the Russians. The book follows the course of events on the Eastern Front during the critical year of 1915, proceeding chronologically from January 1915 to the end of active operations in October, with a brief mention of some action in December. In addition to the better-known campaigns in the Carpathians and Gorlice-Tarnów, the work covers lesser-known operations including the Second Battle of the Masurian Lakes, the Austro-Hungarian "Black-Yellow" offensive into eastern Galicia, and the German move into Lithuania. Naval action on the Baltic Sea is also covered.

This insightful encyclopedia examines the most influential commanders who have shaped military history and the course of world events from ancient times to the present. From Alexander the Great and Attila the Hun to Ho Chi Minh and Colin Powell, 500 Great Military Leaders provides readers with insight into the most innovative and prominent individuals who have led armies to victory on battlefields all over the world. The broad coverage ranges from military leaders from the ancient world to the present day, including political figures who directed war efforts and those who were responsible for major technological improvements. This encyclopedia goes beyond providing factual information about each individual's life to delve into the greater historical context and impact on their contemporaries as well as on future military history. The presentation of information is designed to enable readers to both observe the gradual evolution of warfare over time and clearly perceive the differences in tactics used by generals with varying military resources at their disposal. The entries include not only information on the individual's life and work but a summary statement that assesses successes and failures across each leader's career and summarizes the overall impact. Each entry also provides several references for further reading about that individual. The accessible writing style of this resource and in-depth information and analyses make it appropriate for high school and undergraduate-level students as well as scholars of military history and individuals who simply enjoy reading about military history.

This monumental six-volume resource offers engaging entries of major diplomatic, military, and political events driving world conflicts from ancient times to the present. Now from ABC-CLIO, long regarded as a premier publisher of military history, comes a monumental resource that encapsulates the entire scope of conflict among human societies. Spanning nearly five millennia, from the earliest documented fighting to the present, A Global Chronology of Conflict: From the Ancient World to the Modern Middle East, provides a comprehensive survey of major military events. With coverage that reaches beyond the battles, this work examines the political and diplomatic forces driving world conflicts, revolutions, forced changes of governments, international treaties, and acts of aggression and terrorism. Written by acclaimed military historian Spencer C. Tucker, these six chronologically organized volumes offer an accessible, richly detailed timeline of military conflict across human history. The concise entries cover all important events on the battlefield and in the corridors of power, with special features highlighting hundreds of key leaders and weapon systems. From specific data on casualties to coverage of evolving weapons technology to insightful analyses of the social impact of war, A Global Chronology of Conflict is an essential resource for students, researchers, history buffs, and general readers alike.

One hundred years after the deportations and mass murder of Armenians, Greeks, Assyrians, and other peoples in the final years of the Ottoman Empire, the history of the Armenian genocide is a victim of historical distortion, state-sponsored falsification, and deep divisions between Armenians and Turks. Working together for the first time, Turkish, Armenian, and other scholars present here a compelling reconstruction of what happened and why. This volume gathers the most up-to-date scholarship on Armenian genocide, looking at how the event has been written about in Western and Turkish historiographies; what was happening on the eve of the catastrophe; portraits of the perpetrators; detailed accounts of the massacres; how the event has been perceived in both local and international contexts, including World War I; and reflections on the broader implications of what happened then. The result is a comprehensive work that moves beyond nationalist master narratives and offers a more complete understanding of this tragic event.

From the bestselling author of Stalin and The Last Tsar comes The Rasputin File, a remarkable biography of the mystical monk and bizarre philanderer whose role in the demise of the Romanovs and the start of the revolution can only now be fully known. For almost a century, historians could only speculate about the role Grigory Rasputin played in the downfall of tsarist Russia. But in 1995 a lost file from the State Archives turned up, a file that contained the complete interrogations of Rasputin’s inner circle. With this extensive and explicit amplification of the historical record, Edvard Radzinsky has written a definitive biography, reconstructing in full the fascinating life of an improbable holy man who changed the course of Russian history. Translated from the Russian by Judson Rosengrant.

Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolaevich Romanov (1856–1929) was a key figure in late Imperial Russia, and one of its foremost soldiers. At the outbreak of World War I, his cousin, Tsar Nicholas II, appointed him Supreme Commander of the Russian Army. From 1914 to 1915, and then again briefly in 1917, he was commander of the largest army in the world in the greatest war the world had ever seen. His appointment reflected the fact that he was perhaps the man the last Emperor of Russia trusted the most. At six foot six, the Grand Duke towered over those around him. His fierce temper was a matter of legend. However, as Robinson's vivid account shows, he had a more complex personality than either his supporters or detractors believed. In a career spanning fifty years, the Grand Duke played a vital role in transforming Russia's political system. In 1905, the Tsar assigned him the duty of coordinating defense and security planning for the entire Russian empire. When the Tsar asked him to assume the mantle of military dictator, the Grand Duke, instead of accepting, persuaded the Tsar to sign a manifesto promising political reforms. Less opportunely, he also had a role in introducing the Tsar and Tsarina to the infamous Rasputin. A few years after the revolution in 1917, the Grand Duke became de facto leader of the Russian émigré community. Despite his importance, the only other biography of the Grand Duke was written by one of his former generals in 1930, a year after his death, and it is only available in Russian. The result of research in the archives of seven countries, this groundbreaking biography—the first to appear in English—covers the Grand Duke's entire life, examining both his private life and his professional career. Paul Robinson's engaging account will be of great value to those interested in World War I and military history, Russian history, and biographies of notable figures.

This monumental six-volume resource offers engaging entries of major diplomatic, military, and political events driving world conflicts from ancient times to the present. Now from ABC-CLIO, long regarded as a premier publisher of military history, comes a monumental resource that encapsulates the entire scope of conflict among human societies. Spanning nearly five millennia, from the earliest documented fighting to the present, A Global Chronology of Conflict: From the Ancient World to the Modern Middle East, provides a comprehensive survey of major military events. With coverage that reaches beyond the battles, this work examines the political and diplomatic forces driving world conflicts, revolutions, forced changes of governments, international treaties, and acts of aggression and terrorism. Written by acclaimed military historian Spencer C. Tucker, these six chronologically organized volumes offer an accessible, richly detailed timeline of military conflict across human history. The concise entries cover all important events on the battlefield and in the corridors of power, with special features highlighting hundreds of key leaders and weapon systems. From specific data on casualties to coverage of evolving weapons technology to insightful analyses of the social impact of war, A Global Chronology of Conflict is an essential resource for students, researchers, history buffs, and general readers alike. Hundreds of concise, chronologically organized entries on major wars, battles, political events, weapons technologies, and diplomatic initiatives Essays at roughly 50-year intervals analyzing each era's defining developments in the evolution of warfare, including changes in tactics, weapons, and other technologies Sidebars highlighting hundreds of key individuals in the history of military conflict as well as important developments in weapon systems A comprehensive glossary of military terms to help readers understand the language of warfare and weapons A rich illustration program of images, drawings, and maps

Paul Robinson traces the fate of the tens of thousands of soldiers of the anti-Bolshevik White Armies who fled Russia at the end of the Russian civil war. Even as the troops dispersed throughout the world, they continued to think of themselves as soldiers, kept their organization intact and in some cases even continued their military training. This book provides the first detailed history of this remarkable phenomenon. It outlines the activities of the White Army in exile, including its underground struggles against the Soviet Union, the humanitarian aid it supplied to its members, the ideological debates in which it participated, and its efforts to collaborate with Germany in the Second World War. The story of the afterlife of one of the largest combat forces ever dispersed in this way is a fascinating one, and Robinson's account gives due attention to several of the remarkable individuals who were involved. He sheds new light on the history of the White Movement in general, as well as on the personal histories of those Russians caught up in the mass emigration of the interwar years.