Aleksey Kuropatkin
Encyclopedia
Alexei Nikolayevich Kuropatkin (Russian: Алексей Николаевич Куропаткин, March 17(29) 1848 - January 16, 1925) was the Russia
n Imperial Minister of War
(1898–1904) who is often held responsible for major Russian drawbacks in the Russian-Japanese War, notably the Battle of Mukden
and the Battle of Liaoyang
.
, in the Russian Empire
. His father, a retired army captain, was of the landed gentry.
Educated in Cadet Corps
and Pavlovsky Military School
, Kuropatkin entered the army in 1864. On August 8, 1866 promoted to lieutenant in the 1st Turkestan Infantry Battalion, and he participated in combat in the conquest of Bukhara
, the storming of Samarkand
and other battles in the Russian conquest of Turkestan
. In August 1870, he was promoted to major.
From 1872 to 1874, Kuropatkin studied at the Nicholas General Staff Academy
, after which he was dispatched as a military attaché
to Berlin
and Paris
, completing his military studies, and with the French
troops in Algiers
, accompanying French expedition to Sahara
. Returning to Russia in late 1875, he was assigned to the Turkestan Military District
. He was awarded the Order of St. George
(4th class) for his role in the Russian conquest of Kokand
.
From 1875-1876, Kuropatkin was employed in diplomatic mission to Yaqub Beg (ruler of Kashgaria) to resolve the issues of Russian border claims in the Fergana Valley
.
From September 1877 to September 1878, he was Chief of Staff of the 16th Infantry Division. In August 1879, he was commander of the Turkestan Rifle Brigade, which made an 18-day march across 500 miles of desert to join General Mikhail Skobelev
’s invasion of Turkmenistan
. Kuropatkin led the main assault against the fortress-city of Geok Tepe
on January 12, 1881. He was awarded the Order of St. George (3rd class) for his victory in the battle. After the war he wrote a detailed and critical history of the operations which was highly regarded.
On January 29, 1882, Kuropatkin was promoted to major general. He joined the General Staff the following year, and in 1890 was promoted to lieutenant general.
From 1890-1898, Kurokatkin was governor of the Transcaspian Region
in Central Asia, based in Askhabad. During his tenure, he was known to have developed trade, agriculture and towns in
an area formerly known for endemic banditry and slavery. He established a local judicial and school system, and encouraged the settlement of colonists from the interior provinces of the Russian Empire.
However, with respect the lower ranks, Kuropatkin's reforms fell short. While aware of the poor standards of food, clothing and housing, he was unable to secure the necessary funds for improments, so his activities were confined to improving the morale level through increased use of chaplain
s, abolishment of corporal punishment
and improved field kitchens.
before the Russo-Japanese War
in 1904. He did not support an armed conflict with Japan and opposed the Bezobrazov Circle. His views became firmer after a visit to Japan in June 1903.
Kuropatkin was heavily involved in the fiasco of the Russian land forces during the war. Although the rationale of his military approach was wage a war of attrition
and to avoid an offensive until the Trans-Siberian Railway
brought sufficient troops and materiel, his cautiousness and hesitancy markedly influenced the repeated Russian defeats. Military historians consider his indecisiveness and organizational deficiencies in directing large-scale military operations as a major element in the Russian defeat.
After the end of the Russo-Japanese War, in 1906 Kuropatkin served as a member of the State Council of Imperial Russia
. However, in 1907 he retired to his country house, and wrote his own defense, which was published in a number of books in several languages.
At the start of the World War I
, Kuropatkin requested to be reinstated and to be sent to the front; however, his requests were blocked by Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolaevich. However, once Tsar Nicholas II
assumed the post of Supreme Commander, he put Kuropatkin in charge of the Grenadier Corps
in October, 1915. At the end of January 1916, he was appointed commander of the 5th Army
, and in February 1916, he became Commander of the Northern Front
, in succession to General Pavel Plehve
, whose health had broken down. In early March, his forces undertook a limited offensive near Riga
, but was outflanked and forced to withdraw to the Dvina River. A second and larger offensive later that month only managed to advance a couple of kilometers. Tsar Nicholas II did not accept Kuropatkin’s excuses of lack of artillery support, poor roads and bad weather. Kuropatkin was relieved of command in July 22, 1916, and re-assigned to Turkestan, where he served as Governor-General
of the Turkestan Military District
as well as ataman
of the Semirechye Cossacks. Support of the Russian effort in World War I, especially against the Ottoman Empire
was extremely unpopular among the indigenous peoples of Turkestan; however, Kuropatkin was very popular and helping suppress a major rebellion from erupting.
of 1917 Kuropatkin was in St. Petersburg, and quickly pledged his allegiance to the Russian Provisional Government
, cutting the royal insignia off of his uniform. He was confirmed in his post as commander of the Turkestan Military District by Provisional Government War Minister Alexander Guchkov
. However, this was disputed by the Bolshevik
Tashkent Soviet of Soldiers 'and Workers' Deputies, who placed him under arrest and sent him back to St. Petersburg. He was freed by order of the Provisional Government and he returned to his home province. Following the October Revolution
, he became very skilled at playing the violin and taught at an agriculture school that he had founded until his death in 1925.
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n Imperial Minister of War
Heads of military of Imperial Russia
-College of War:The Russian College of War was created in the course of Government reform of Peter I 11 December 1717.-Presidents:* Prince Alexander Menshikov 1717–24* Prince Anikita Repnin 1724–26* Prince Mikhail Golitsin 1728–30...
(1898–1904) who is often held responsible for major Russian drawbacks in the Russian-Japanese War, notably the Battle of Mukden
Battle of Mukden
One of the largest land battles to be fought before World War I, the , the last major land battle of the Russo-Japanese War, was fought from 20 February to 10 March 1905 between Japan and Russia near Mukden in Manchuria...
and the Battle of Liaoyang
Battle of Liaoyang
The Battle of Liaoyang was one of the major land battles of the Russo-Japanese War....
.
Early years
Kuropatkin was born in 1848 in what is now PskovPskov
Pskov is an ancient city and the administrative center of Pskov Oblast, Russia, located in the northwest of Russia about east from the Estonian border, on the Velikaya River. Population: -Early history:...
, in the Russian Empire
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
. His father, a retired army captain, was of the landed gentry.
Educated in Cadet Corps
Cadet Corps (Russia)
The Cadet Corps is an admissions-based all boys military academy which prepared boys to become commissioned officers. Boys between the ages of 8 and 15 were enrolled. It was founded in Saint Petersburg, Russian Empire in 1731 by Tsarina Anne. The term of education was seven years...
and Pavlovsky Military School
Pavel Military School
Pavel Military School is a military school in St. Petersburg, Russia, established in 1863 on the basis of the Pavel Cadet Corps. It was closed in November 1917 after the October Revolution.It was named after emperor Pavel I of Russia...
, Kuropatkin entered the army in 1864. On August 8, 1866 promoted to lieutenant in the 1st Turkestan Infantry Battalion, and he participated in combat in the conquest of Bukhara
Bukhara
Bukhara , from the Soghdian βuxārak , is the capital of the Bukhara Province of Uzbekistan. The nation's fifth-largest city, it has a population of 263,400 . The region around Bukhara has been inhabited for at least five millennia, and the city has existed for half that time...
, the storming of Samarkand
Samarkand
Although a Persian-speaking region, it was not united politically with Iran most of the times between the disintegration of the Seleucid Empire and the Arab conquest . In the 6th century it was within the domain of the Turkic kingdom of the Göktürks.At the start of the 8th century Samarkand came...
and other battles in the Russian conquest of Turkestan
Russian Turkestan
Russian Turkestan was the western part of Turkestan within the Russian Empire , comprising the oasis region to the south of the Kazakh steppes, but not the protectorates of the Emirate of Bukhara and the Khanate of Khiva.-History:-Establishment:Although Russia had been pushing south into the...
. In August 1870, he was promoted to major.
From 1872 to 1874, Kuropatkin studied at the Nicholas General Staff Academy
General Staff Academy (Imperial Russia)
The General Staff Academy was a Russian military academy, established in 1832 in St.Petersburg. It was first known as the Imperial Military Academy , then in 1855 it was renamed Nicholas General Staff Academy and in 1909 - Imperial Nicholas Military Academy The General Staff Academy was a...
, after which he was dispatched as a military attaché
Military attaché
A military attaché is a military expert who is attached to a diplomatic mission . This post is normally filled by a high-ranking military officer who retains the commission while serving in an embassy...
to Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
and Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, completing his military studies, and with the French
French Army
The French Army, officially the Armée de Terre , is the land-based and largest component of the French Armed Forces.As of 2010, the army employs 123,100 regulars, 18,350 part-time reservists and 7,700 Legionnaires. All soldiers are professionals, following the suspension of conscription, voted in...
troops in Algiers
Algiers
' is the capital and largest city of Algeria. According to the 1998 census, the population of the city proper was 1,519,570 and that of the urban agglomeration was 2,135,630. In 2009, the population was about 3,500,000...
, accompanying French expedition to Sahara
Sahara
The Sahara is the world's second largest desert, after Antarctica. At over , it covers most of Northern Africa, making it almost as large as Europe or the United States. The Sahara stretches from the Red Sea, including parts of the Mediterranean coasts, to the outskirts of the Atlantic Ocean...
. Returning to Russia in late 1875, he was assigned to the Turkestan Military District
Turkestan Military District
The Turkestan Military District was a military district of both the Imperial Russian Army and the Soviet Armed Forces, with its headquarters at Tashkent. The District was first created during the 1874 Russian military reform when by order of Minister D.A. Milyutinym the territory of Russia was...
. He was awarded the Order of St. George
Order of St. George
The Military Order of the Holy Great-Martyr and the Triumphant George The Military Order of the Holy Great-Martyr and the Triumphant George The Military Order of the Holy Great-Martyr and the Triumphant George (also known as Order of St. George the Triumphant, Russian: Военный орден Св...
(4th class) for his role in the Russian conquest of Kokand
Kokand
Kokand is a city in Fergana Province in eastern Uzbekistan, at the southwestern edge of the Fergana Valley. It has a population of 192,500 . Kokand is 228 km southeast of Tashkent, 115 km west of Andijan, and 88 km west of Fergana...
.
From 1875-1876, Kuropatkin was employed in diplomatic mission to Yaqub Beg (ruler of Kashgaria) to resolve the issues of Russian border claims in the Fergana Valley
Fergana Valley
The Fergana Valley or Farghana Valley is a region in Central Asia spreading across eastern Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. Divided across three subdivisions of the former Soviet Union, the valley is ethnically diverse, and in the early 21st century was the scene of ethnic conflict...
.
From September 1877 to September 1878, he was Chief of Staff of the 16th Infantry Division. In August 1879, he was commander of the Turkestan Rifle Brigade, which made an 18-day march across 500 miles of desert to join General Mikhail Skobelev
Mikhail Skobelev
Mikhail Dmitrievich Skobelev was a Russian general famous for his conquest of Central Asia and heroism during the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-78. Dressed in white uniform and mounted on a white horse, and always in the thickest of the fray, he was known and adored by his soldiers as the "White...
’s invasion of Turkmenistan
Turkmenistan
Turkmenistan , formerly also known as Turkmenia is one of the Turkic states in Central Asia. Until 1991, it was a constituent republic of the Soviet Union, the Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic . Turkmenistan is one of the six independent Turkic states...
. Kuropatkin led the main assault against the fortress-city of Geok Tepe
Geok Tepe
Geok Tepe, Gökdepe or Gokdepe, is a former fortress of the Turkmens, in Turkmenistan, in the oasis of Ahal, on the Transcaspian railway, 28 miles north-west of Ashgabat. Gökdepe is the Russian version of the Turkic name meaning "Blue Hill" from the Turkmen gök "blue" and depe "hill" or "summit"...
on January 12, 1881. He was awarded the Order of St. George (3rd class) for his victory in the battle. After the war he wrote a detailed and critical history of the operations which was highly regarded.
On January 29, 1882, Kuropatkin was promoted to major general. He joined the General Staff the following year, and in 1890 was promoted to lieutenant general.
From 1890-1898, Kurokatkin was governor of the Transcaspian Region
Transcaspian Region
Transcaspian Region , or Transcaspia, was the name used from the second half of the 19th century until 1924 for the section of Russian Empire to the east of the Caspian Sea, bounded to the south by Iran's Khorasan Province and Afghanistan, to the north by the former Russian province of Uralsk, and...
in Central Asia, based in Askhabad. During his tenure, he was known to have developed trade, agriculture and towns in
an area formerly known for endemic banditry and slavery. He established a local judicial and school system, and encouraged the settlement of colonists from the interior provinces of the Russian Empire.
As Minister of War
In 1898, Kuropatkin was recalled to St. Petersburg and appointed War Minister. His first priority was to improving the command structure of the army, as well as living conditions of its officers. His reforms included measures to rejuvenate the army by setting age limits for the line officers and candidates for higher office, and by increasing the period of secondment of officers from the General Staff to combat units. He also attempted to improve on the quality of officers by raising the two-year cadet training program to three years, and by opening seven new cadet schools. He also increased the number of training maneuvers.However, with respect the lower ranks, Kuropatkin's reforms fell short. While aware of the poor standards of food, clothing and housing, he was unable to secure the necessary funds for improments, so his activities were confined to improving the morale level through increased use of chaplain
Chaplain
Traditionally, a chaplain is a minister in a specialized setting such as a priest, pastor, rabbi, or imam or lay representative of a religion attached to a secular institution such as a hospital, prison, military unit, police department, university, or private chapel...
s, abolishment of corporal punishment
Corporal punishment
Corporal punishment is a form of physical punishment that involves the deliberate infliction of pain as retribution for an offence, or for the purpose of disciplining or reforming a wrongdoer, or to deter attitudes or behaviour deemed unacceptable...
and improved field kitchens.
Russo-Japanese War
Kuropatkin was involved in the negotiations with the Empire of JapanEmpire of Japan
The Empire of Japan is the name of the state of Japan that existed from the Meiji Restoration on 3 January 1868 to the enactment of the post-World War II Constitution of...
before the Russo-Japanese War
Russo-Japanese War
The Russo-Japanese War was "the first great war of the 20th century." It grew out of rival imperial ambitions of the Russian Empire and Japanese Empire over Manchuria and Korea...
in 1904. He did not support an armed conflict with Japan and opposed the Bezobrazov Circle. His views became firmer after a visit to Japan in June 1903.
Kuropatkin was heavily involved in the fiasco of the Russian land forces during the war. Although the rationale of his military approach was wage a war of attrition
War of Attrition
The international community and both countries attempted to find a diplomatic solution to the conflict. The Jarring Mission of the United Nations was supposed to ensure that the terms of UN Security Council Resolution 242 would be observed, but by late 1970 it was clear that this mission had been...
and to avoid an offensive until the Trans-Siberian Railway
Trans-Siberian Railway
The Trans-Siberian Railway is a network of railways connecting Moscow with the Russian Far East and the Sea of Japan. It is the longest railway in the world...
brought sufficient troops and materiel, his cautiousness and hesitancy markedly influenced the repeated Russian defeats. Military historians consider his indecisiveness and organizational deficiencies in directing large-scale military operations as a major element in the Russian defeat.
After the end of the Russo-Japanese War, in 1906 Kuropatkin served as a member of the State Council of Imperial Russia
State Council of Imperial Russia
The State Council was the supreme state advisory body to the Tsar in Imperial Russia.-18th century:Early Tsars' Councils were small and dealt primarily with the external politics....
. However, in 1907 he retired to his country house, and wrote his own defense, which was published in a number of books in several languages.
At the start of the World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, Kuropatkin requested to be reinstated and to be sent to the front; however, his requests were blocked by Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolaevich. However, once Tsar Nicholas II
Nicholas II of Russia
Nicholas II was the last Emperor of Russia, Grand Prince of Finland, and titular King of Poland. His official short title was Nicholas II, Emperor and Autocrat of All the Russias and he is known as Saint Nicholas the Passion-Bearer by the Russian Orthodox Church.Nicholas II ruled from 1894 until...
assumed the post of Supreme Commander, he put Kuropatkin in charge of the Grenadier Corps
Grenadier (soldier)
A grenadier was originally a specialized soldier, first established as a distinct role in the mid-to-late 17th century, for the throwing of grenades and sometimes assault operations. At this time grenadiers were chosen from the strongest and largest soldiers...
in October, 1915. At the end of January 1916, he was appointed commander of the 5th Army
5th Army (Russian Empire)
The Russian Fifth Army was a World War I Russian field army that fought on the Eastern theatre of war.-Action:The 5th Army saw action at the Battle of Rawa, . Under the command of General Pavel Plehve they advanced into a forty mile gap in the Austrian line between the Austrian First and Fourth...
, and in February 1916, he became Commander of the Northern Front
Northern Front (Russian Empire)
The Northern Front was a major unit of the Imperial Russian Army during the First World War.-Composition:*1st Army *5th Army *6th Army The Northern Front was a major unit of the Imperial Russian Army during the First World War.-Composition:*1st Army (April 1916 - July 1917, Sept. 1917 - early...
, in succession to General Pavel Plehve
Pavel Plehve
Pavel von Plehve , a German officer, served exclusively in the Russian Army during World War I.- Military career :After graduation from officers cavalry school Plehve served in uhlan regiment. In 1877 he graduated from the General Staff Academy...
, whose health had broken down. In early March, his forces undertook a limited offensive near Riga
Riga
Riga is the capital and largest city of Latvia. With 702,891 inhabitants Riga is the largest city of the Baltic states, one of the largest cities in Northern Europe and home to more than one third of Latvia's population. The city is an important seaport and a major industrial, commercial,...
, but was outflanked and forced to withdraw to the Dvina River. A second and larger offensive later that month only managed to advance a couple of kilometers. Tsar Nicholas II did not accept Kuropatkin’s excuses of lack of artillery support, poor roads and bad weather. Kuropatkin was relieved of command in July 22, 1916, and re-assigned to Turkestan, where he served as Governor-General
Governor-General
A Governor-General, is a vice-regal person of a monarch in an independent realm or a major colonial circonscription. Depending on the political arrangement of the territory, a Governor General can be a governor of high rank, or a principal governor ranking above "ordinary" governors.- Current uses...
of the Turkestan Military District
Turkestan Military District
The Turkestan Military District was a military district of both the Imperial Russian Army and the Soviet Armed Forces, with its headquarters at Tashkent. The District was first created during the 1874 Russian military reform when by order of Minister D.A. Milyutinym the territory of Russia was...
as well as ataman
Ataman
Ataman was a commander title of the Ukrainian People's Army, Cossack, and haidamak leaders, who were in essence the Cossacks...
of the Semirechye Cossacks. Support of the Russian effort in World War I, especially against the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
was extremely unpopular among the indigenous peoples of Turkestan; however, Kuropatkin was very popular and helping suppress a major rebellion from erupting.
Post Revolution
In the February RevolutionFebruary Revolution
The February Revolution of 1917 was the first of two revolutions in Russia in 1917. Centered around the then capital Petrograd in March . Its immediate result was the abdication of Tsar Nicholas II, the end of the Romanov dynasty, and the end of the Russian Empire...
of 1917 Kuropatkin was in St. Petersburg, and quickly pledged his allegiance to the Russian Provisional Government
Russian Provisional Government
The Russian Provisional Government was the short-lived administrative body which sought to govern Russia immediately following the abdication of Tsar Nicholas II . On September 14, the State Duma of the Russian Empire was officially dissolved by the newly created Directorate, and the country was...
, cutting the royal insignia off of his uniform. He was confirmed in his post as commander of the Turkestan Military District by Provisional Government War Minister Alexander Guchkov
Alexander Guchkov
Alexander Ivanovich Guchkov was a Russian politician, Chairman of the Duma and Minister of War in the Russian Provisional Government.-Early years:...
. However, this was disputed by the Bolshevik
Bolshevik
The Bolsheviks, originally also Bolshevists , derived from bol'shinstvo, "majority") were a faction of the Marxist Russian Social Democratic Labour Party which split apart from the Menshevik faction at the Second Party Congress in 1903....
Tashkent Soviet of Soldiers 'and Workers' Deputies, who placed him under arrest and sent him back to St. Petersburg. He was freed by order of the Provisional Government and he returned to his home province. Following the October Revolution
October Revolution
The October Revolution , also known as the Great October Socialist Revolution , Red October, the October Uprising or the Bolshevik Revolution, was a political revolution and a part of the Russian Revolution of 1917...
, he became very skilled at playing the violin and taught at an agriculture school that he had founded until his death in 1925.
Honors
- Order of St. Alexander NevskyOrder of St. Alexander NevskyThe Imperial Order of St. Alexander Nevsky was an order of chivalry of the Russian Empire.-History:The introduction of the Imperial Order of St. Alexander Nevsky was planned by Emperor Peter I of Russia...
, with diamonds - Order of St. GeorgeOrder of St. GeorgeThe Military Order of the Holy Great-Martyr and the Triumphant George The Military Order of the Holy Great-Martyr and the Triumphant George The Military Order of the Holy Great-Martyr and the Triumphant George (also known as Order of St. George the Triumphant, Russian: Военный орден Св...
, 4th class, - Order of St. GeorgeOrder of St. GeorgeThe Military Order of the Holy Great-Martyr and the Triumphant George The Military Order of the Holy Great-Martyr and the Triumphant George The Military Order of the Holy Great-Martyr and the Triumphant George (also known as Order of St. George the Triumphant, Russian: Военный орден Св...
, 3rd class, - Order of the White Eagle
- Order of St Vladimir 4th degree
- Order of St Vladimir 3rd degree
- Order of St Vladimir 2nd degree
- Order of St. Stanislaus 3rd degree
- Order of St. Stanislaus 2nd degree
- Order of St. Stanislaus 1st degree.
- Order of St. Anne
Order of St. AnnaThe Order of St. Anna ) is a Holstein and then Russian Imperial order of chivalry established by Karl Friedrich, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp on 14 February 1735, in honour of his wife Anna Petrovna, daughter of Peter the Great of Russia...
3rd degree - Order of St. AnneOrder of St. AnnaThe Order of St. Anna ) is a Holstein and then Russian Imperial order of chivalry established by Karl Friedrich, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp on 14 February 1735, in honour of his wife Anna Petrovna, daughter of Peter the Great of Russia...
2nd degree - Order of St. AnneOrder of St. AnnaThe Order of St. Anna ) is a Holstein and then Russian Imperial order of chivalry established by Karl Friedrich, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp on 14 February 1735, in honour of his wife Anna Petrovna, daughter of Peter the Great of Russia...
1st degree - Legion of Honor, Chevalier, (France)
- Order of the Star of Romania
Order of the Star of RomaniaThe Order of the Star of Romania is Romania's highest civil order. It is awarded by the President of Romania...
, (Romania) - Order of St AlexanderOrder of St AlexanderThe Order of St Alexander was the second highest Bulgarian order during the Kingdom of Bulgaria. It was established by Knyaz Alexander I and named after his patron saint .-History:...
(Bulgaria)