1 August 1914 year
Russia entered the First World War, the "War of the Three Cousins." The main figures who determined its course were related. And Nicholas II and George V (who bore a portrait resemblance to his cousin), and Kaiser Wilhelm were descendants of Queen Victoria, the "grandmother of all Europe."
The war lasted for Russia 3 years and 7 months. It ended in a "shameful" Brest peace, signed by the Bolsheviks. By this point, the Russian Empire, as well as the Romanov monarchy, which celebrated its 300th anniversary in 1913, no longer existed.
The Sarajevo assassination of a 19-year-old Serb was the pretext for the war. Gavrila Princip shot the Austrian Archduke on July 11 Franz FerdinandAustria-Hungary declared war on Serbia. In response, Russia declared general mobilization on July 30. On August 1, Germany, an ally of Austria-Hungary, declared war on Russia.
Russia fought on the side Entente — this was the name of the military-political bloc of the Russian Empire, Great Britain, and France. The bloc was created as a counterweight Triple Alliance Germany, Austria-Hungary and Italy.
As early as August 17, the Russian army launched an offensive, beginning the East Prussian Offensive, which ended in a crushing defeat. According to some sources, Russia lost up to 250 men killed, wounded, and captured within a month. The battles against the weaker Austro-Hungarians were more successful.
Opened soon Caucasian Front — Russia also had to fight against the Ottoman Empire.
During the war, Russia mobilized over 15 million people. Just under 10% of the population:
The entire state mechanism and the entire national economy are experiencing a completely obvious shortage of people (State Council member Gurko)
Nicholas II's decision to assume command of the front in 1915 proved fatal. Power in the country passed to the unpopular empress and her favorite, Rasputin. Revolution broke out in February 1917. Chaos erupted in the army. In October, the Bolsheviks seized power. In March 1918, the war was over—Russia had lost 780 square kilometers of territory and, with them, 56 million (a third) of its population.
About 2 million Russians died in the war.
