Whether or not today's mighty Soviet war machine has pre-revolutionary roots is a matter for debate among historians. But it is well known that the grand princes of Moscow created a harsh but effective system for mobilizing men for military purposes that lasted for nearly 500 years. This volume explores the military aspects of Russian society and the "service state" from its 15th-century origins until its obsolescence in the age of mass conscription and mechanized warfare. The author examines the complex interplay of military and civilian elements in Russia's administration; the social and economic impact of the armed forces; the way officers and men were recruited and the conditions in which they worked; and the development of opposition to military dominance. Focusing on the human rather than the technical aspects of military history, this book offers a rare picture of the inner life of the armed forces and of the Russian political and social system under the tsars.

Excerpt from Soldiers of the Tsar: And Other Sketches and Studies of the Russia of to-Day Itwill be noticed that pure politics has been avoided. There are two reasons for this. In the first place, the writer's head is still awhirl with the complexity of the situation in Russia. In the second place, a discussion of politics will not make the reader feel that he has been among Russians, who hate politics. The attitude of the average Russian towards his Government is much like our own. It is all a conundrum on a large scale, and nobody has the answer to it. A certain aged diplomatist, astonished at a recent event, which was greatly in favour of Russia, dropped this remark, I suppose it's all due to Some saint or other, devil take it all I He had never spoken for his fellow-countrymen in a more truly representative manner. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

Excerpt from Soldiers of the Tsar: And Other Sketches and Studies of the Russia of to-Day This little book of sketches and studies is the work of a journalist who was in Russia for some months during the early part of the war. He spent most of his time talking to people, and in Russia one need never fear that casual travelling companions will take no interest in one. He had long chats with Russians of all classes, officers of many ranks, soldiers (whose taciturnity was particularly difficult to break through), Jews, Poles, and queer odds-and-ends who find themselves places within the great Empire. He tried to get them to talk about themselves, which was sometimes difficult, and about one another, which was often dangerously easy. The result is a book based entirely upon personal observation and on gossip, and not as most of the volumes published nowadays are, upon other books. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

This volume examines how Imperial Russia's armed forces sought to adapt to the challenges of modern warfare. From Peter the Great to Nicholas II, rulers always understood the need to maintain an army and navy capable of preserving the empire's great power status. Yet they inevitably faced the dilemma of importing European military and technological innovations while keeping out political ideas that could challenge the autocracy's monopoly on power. Within the context of a constant race to avoid oblivion, the impulse for military renewal emerges as a fundamental and recurring theme in modern Russian history.

Based on memoirs of former Cantonists and their contemporaries, describes the fate of Jewish servicemen in the Russian army during the rule of Nicholas I, before 1855. Discusses the introduction of the Cantonist system in 1827, the abduction of Jewish children, and the role played in this by Jewish community leaders. Dwells on the conversion of the Jewish conscripts to Christianity; in many cases the conversions were forced. Presents stories of some former Cantonists, adapted from memoirs published in Russian or Yiddish or found in manuscripts in archives.

This is a compelling firsthand account of an extraordinary woman's experiences with the Russian Army in World War I. Florence Farmborough was a 27-year-old Englishwoman employed as a governess to a family in Moscow when war broke out. She volunteered with the Red Cross and found herself at the forefront of military events in Poland, Austria, and Rumania. She witnessed the effects of Lenin and Trotsky's bloody revolution, and of Russia's collapse into chaos and civil war. Illustrated with nearly fifty of Farmborough's stunning photographs, With the Armies of the Tsar is a remarkable chronicle of courage, discipline, and fortitude in the face of the warfare and political upheaval that destroyed Tsarist Russia and created the Soviet empire.

This is a reproduction of a book published before 1923. This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book.

Ivan was also the first Russian ruler to invade Europe, and his Campaigns against the Livonian Confederation were initially very successful. In 1558, Russian soldiers occupied Dorpat and Narva, and laid siege to Reval, creating vital trade routes over the Baltic Sea. At the Battle of Ergema the Russians defeated the knights of the Livonian Order, fuelling Ivan's dreams of a Russian Empire. However, as Erik XIV of Sweden recaptured Reval, and the Poles joined forces with the Lithuannians, the war began to turn against Ivan. In 1571, an army of 120,000 Crimean Tatars crossed the River Ugra, crushed the Russian defences, and burned Moscow to the ground. As Ivan became increasingly paranoid and violent, he carried out a number of terrible massacres. It is thought that more than forty thousand were killed when the Russians sacked the town of Novgorod in 1570, and many were tortured and murdered in front of Ivan and his son. Ivan the Terrible describes the organisation and equipment of the tsar's army and the forces of his enemies, the Poles, Lithuanians, Tatars and Livonian Knights. The narrative examines all of Russia's military campaigns in Eastern Europe and Western Siberia during the period of 1533 to 1584. This is the first specialist study of Ivan the Terrible's military strategy to be published in English.