History of the First World War by Basil Liddell Hart

Author:Basil Liddell Hart [Hart, Basil Liddell]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: History, Military, World War I, World, 20th Century
Amazon: B00LB89MWM
Publisher: Pan
Published: 2014-07-29T14:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER SIX

SCENE 2

The Brusilov Offensive

On June 5th, 1916, began an offensive on the Eastern Front which was to prove the last really effective military effort of Russia. Popularly known as Brusilov’s offensive, it had such an astonishing initial success as to revive enthusiastic dreams of the irresistible Russian ‘steamroller’, that was perhaps the greatest and most dangerous myth of the war. Instead, its ultimate achievement was to sound Russia’s death knell. Paradoxical in its consequences, it was still more so in its course — an epitome of the delusive objectives, of the blunders leading to success, and the successes leading to downfall, which marked perhaps the most erratic war in history. In 1915 the Entente had pinned their hopes on Russia, only for the year’s campaign to close with the Russian armies, battered and exhausted, barely escaping complete disaster by a seemingly endless retreat. When Falkenhayn turned in 1916 to inaugurate the Verdun attack he left Russia lamed but not crippled, and her surprisingly rapid, if perhaps superficial recovery, enabled her to dislocate the German plans for 1916. As early as March she attacked at Lake Narocz, on the Baltic flank, in a gallant sacrificial attempt to relieve the pressure on France. Her command then prepared, for July, a main offensive, also in the north. But before this was ready the needs of her Allies once more led her into a premature move. While the strain at Verdun was growing ever more serious, the Austrians took the opportunity to launch an attack in the Trentino, against the Italians, who appealed to their Russian ally to prevent the Austrians releasing further forces from the Eastern Front to reinforce the Trentino menace.

Meantime the Tsar had held a council of war of his Army Group commanders on April 14th. It was here arranged that the main Russian offensive should be made by Evert’s centre group of armies, while Kuropatkin’s northern group wheeled inwards to assist it; and it was proposed that Brusilov’s southern group should stay strictly on the defensive as his front was unsuited to the offensive. But Brusilov regarded this as a reason for taking the offensive — because helpful to surprise — and argued that past lack of success was due to the way the Russian armies had allowed the enemy to utilize his central position by not attacking simultaneously. As a result of the discussion Brusilov was given permission to act as he wished, and, with such resources as he had, to stage an offensive that would draw the enemy’s attention away from the main blow planned in the north, near Molodeczno. Realizing that his best chance of success lay in surprise, he began preparations at over twenty places, so that even deserters could not give away the real point of attack. And, instead of concentrating his reserves, he divided them.

The appeal of Russia’s ally hastened his action. On May 24th Alexeiev telegraphed to ask how soon he could attack. Brusilov replied that he would be ready to do so on June 1st, provided that Evert also attacked.

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