THE RUSSIAN ARMY
A RAPID REORGANISATION LESSONS OF THE LAST WAR With the momory of her humiliating defeat by the Japanese in 1903 before them, those unacquainted with the vast resources of Russia find it hard to believe that, in tho comparatively short space of time that has elapsed since then, the army of the Czar ha-s been completely reorganised. The war 1 was not without its good results to Russia, for it taught her where her weakness lay, and as soon as tho struggle was over she set about the correction of .those faults in her military organisation that had been" largely responsible for her defeat. . M. Wi'tte, the Russian Finance Minister,., in.. 1906 formulated a scheme whereby each year a certain percentage of tho steadily increasing revenue of tho Empire should be devoted to defenco purposes, with tlio result that in tho present year a sum of £53,867,500 was available lor military purposes.' Under the influence of the RussoJapanese. War the reorganisation of the Russian Army began with a . vigorous alteration in.the higher commands. In the'first year 26 of the 38 army corps, and 38 of the 61 infantr.v divisions were entirely reorganised, and in the succeeding two years there were not less than 616 generals discharged, while at the same tune considerable attention was given to the work of the -officers' training corps. By 1911 the officers promoted to the general staiE included 35 colonels, of whom four were 34 years of-age, ten 35 years old, and twentyope 36' years-old. This was not due entirely to . a belief in tho superiority of 'youth over more mature age; but to a great extent it "was the result of the heavy loss of junior officers during the Japanese war. The salaries , and pensions of tho officers were increased, and yet it was necessary to bring back on to the active list officers • who had : been discharged or placed on the reserve list. Drastic Changes. This drastic ■ of the army extended to tlio rank and file. the distinctive regimental uniforms had been abolished in favour of .one universal pattern, the regiments being distinguished only by numbers and small badges. It had been found, howover, that this uniformity was not conducive to strict discipline or esprit do corps, and it was resolved to revert to the'old system of distinctive uni' forms, reviving the badges commemorating L'lie glories of the past. The universal khaki uniform is used on active service only. The reorganisation of the army steadily proceeded until, in'l9o9-10,":the ;reserve cadre (or'instructional) troops and ; the fortress infantry regiments were disbanded because they had proved themselves- quite ■ useless' - during l - the, war, while"i;lf6 corpshad shown itself unreliable during the revolution. .- .' " ; Out of these troops tho following new regiments were formed: —Three army'crops (23rd to 25tli) in Europe, the 3rd Army Corps ih the Caucasus, and the sth. Army. Corps in 'Siberia. This brought the total for uhe Russian army up to 37 army corps. _ The following important innovations were also made:—-To' the infantry and the cavalry wore _ attached machine gun commandos of eight guns each; the cavalry regiments were strengthened with intelligence and mounted pioneer detaohments; tho first line rf I'egular regimental cavalry was equipped with the lance; the field artillery was organised into divisions, after the German system, and was equipped with a modern quick-firing gun; as a corps of artillery there was attached to every army corps a light field howitzer detachment of 12-centimotro guns aiid a heavy'artillery detachment of 15-centimetre howitzers and 10-centimetre field guns.
Mobilisation Plans. The greatest improvement, however, whs made in the arrangements ior mobilisation in the provinces. By the great' I expansion of the empire and the congestioti of the population, and the very scattered railway system, the concentration of the reserves occupied an extraordinarily long time, While the mass of : tho army was gathered- in the unfriendly west frontier provances, the great corn districts were protected with only a few troops. This formed the maul reason for the establishment of tho interior military districts of Moscow and Kazan. Previously there had •been in the'-military districts of Warsaw, Wilma, and Kief together 16 army corps and 16 cavalry divisions. After tho reorganisation there were m these districts 14 army corps awT 14 cavalry divisions. - While there had been yet earlier in tho Moscow and- Kazan districts only 3* army corps . and one cavalry division, there are now formed army corps and three cavalry - divi--6 Great improvements were made _in the organisation of the reservcs. iieforo tho 1906 reorganisation the men released into tlie reserves after a comnloto year's servico were very weak,' and the reserve divisions must have been driven back to torn eitont to "3 ;"g from 300.000 to 455,000. The latest figures siiow what value was placed upon the last years of tlie training of tlmmeu. In leased numbered '27,000, in 191 d /y/, 000, and in 1914 900,000. _ . Under tho new system in the years 1913 ,to 1916 the previously existing force of 1,400,000 men on a peace tooting will be increased by 400,000 men. In 1916, therefore, in the summer months thoro will be 1,800,000 men under training, and durmp; tlie winter months, including the time-expired "one-year" men' who liavo been hold witli the colours, 2,200,200 men. For the present year tho recnut contingent will be increased from 405,000 to 553,000. This increase is in tho first lino.
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Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2251, 10 September 1914, Page 7
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897THE RUSSIAN ARMY Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2251, 10 September 1914, Page 7
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