Presidential Library: New Arrivals

The Presidential Library keeps releasing materials provided for digitization by the State Public Historical Library on its portal.

All who take an interest in Russia’s military history of 2nd half of 18th c. — early 20th c. may now discover editions devoted to the Russo-Turkish Wars of 18th–19th cc., the Russo-Japanese War of 1904–1905, and World War I of 1914-1918.

Russo-Turkish Wars

The book by D. F. Maslovski “Larga-Cahul Operation of Count P. A. Rumyantsev (1769-1770)” (Part 1. St. Petersburg, 1892) turns the spotlight on victories of the First Russian Army under the command of Rumyantsev in battles on Larga and Cahul Rivers, which marked a turning point in the course of the Russo-Turkish War of 1768-1774.

The work by lieutenant general, military historian A. I. Mikhailovsky-Danilevsky casts the light on the events of the Russo-Turkish War of 1806-1812. The edition is accompanied by a map of the theatre of war operations and 30 battle plans.

The military conflict between the Russian and Ottoman Empires, which broke out in April 1828 when the Bosphorus strait was closed for Russian ships thus breaking the Akkerman Convention, is in detail revealed in N. A. Lukyanovich’s  “Description of the Turkish War of 1828 and 1829” (Part 1, 2, 3, 4. St. Petersburg, 1844-1847). The edition provides an appendix featuring maps and plans.

The Crimean (Eastern) War of 1853-1856 fought between Russia and the coalition of the British Empire, the French Empire, the Ottoman Empire and the Kingdom of Sardinia for the influence in the Ottoman Empire can be discovered in N. F. Dubrovin’s “History of the Crimean War and Defence of Sevastopol” (Vol. 1, 2. St. Petersburg, 1900) and Ye. P. Kovalevsky’s The War with Turkey and Rupture with Powers of the West in 1853 and 1854 (St. Petersburg, 1871). Hostilities of the Russian Army during the heroic defence of Sevastopol are addressed by a translator, journalist, historian, participant of those events N. V. Berg. His notes (Vol 1, 2. Moscow, 1858) abound in facts, and represent the detailed chronology of historical events, battles, index of commanders and officers who distinguished themselves, lower ranks, medical nurses. Those who want to learn about defenders of Sevastopol may read books by K. V. Lukashevich Malakhov Kurgan (Hill) : (Essays on Defence of Sevastopol) : In memory of General Khrushchov and Admiral Istomin (Moscow, 1905), I. I. Bashmakov The Siege of Sevastopol, or so are the Russians : heroic death of Vice-Admiral Kornilov (Moscow, 1855), P. B. Alabin Four Wars: Notes made in 1849 (Moscow, 1892).

Description of the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-1878, provoked by the rise of national self-consciousness in the Balkans, can be found in A Quarter of a Century ago : 25th Anniversary of Liberation War : 1877-1902 (Moscow, 1902), while the book by S. I. Ponomarev A Word about the War (Kiev, 1878) contains poems devoted to participants of war events in the 1870s.

Russo-Japanese War

The war between the Russian Empire and Japan for control over Manchuria and Korea is revealed in books by Richard von Flekh The Study of the Battle of Mukden : From February 15th to February 25th 1906 (Moscow, 1907), J. I. Laur Tsushima (St. Petersburg, 1911) and in the Review of Battles while Seizure of Land Fortifications of Port Arthur Fortress (St. Petersburg, 1909).

World War I

The general picture of development of Russian economy during the years of World War I is drawn by the book of R. Klaus The War and National Economy of Russia (1914-1917) (Moscow; Leningrad, 1926). A. M. Ustinov’s lecture entitled International and War (Petrograd, 1918) addresses the views of socialist-revolutionaries on the war and revolution. V. S. Konopleva’s Activities of the Cities’ Union in the North-Western and Northern Fronts (Pskov, 1917) gives a review of the work of the Committee of the Northern Front of the Cities’ Union between 1915-1916 which is based on records of General Office, personal recollections of the staff and the committee’s diary.