On the 140th anniversary of the beginning of the Russo-Turkish War, the Presidential Library opens an access to relatively unknown rarities

April 24, 2017, marks the 140th anniversary of the beginning of the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-1878 - one of the biggest events of the last quarter of the XIX century, apart from the history of the Balkan countries, also in the history of Russia, which is reflected in the rare editions included in the electronic fund of the Presidential Library.

Obviously, by 1877 the balance of strength between Russia and Turkey was in favor of Russia. As a result of the military reforms of 1862-1874 the Russian army has become fully equiped, manned, trained and armed, and overall much more combat-capable than during the Crimean War. Thus, the infantry had a Berdan No. 2 rifle of the American designer H. Berdan, perfected by Russian gunsmiths so much that even in the USA it was called a “Russian rifle,” and in Russia it was called “Berdanka.” This rifle was then considered the best in the world.

As V. Lunin writes in his most detailed study of 1900 The Russo-Turkish War of 1877-1878, a situation with the oppressed for centuries by Turkey Balkan peoples was such that on April 24, 1877, the war to Porte was declared, and the Highest Manifesto was promulgated, in which Alexander II stated: “We did not stop trying to persuade the Porte to make changes that could protect the Christians of Bosnia, Herzegovina and Bulgaria from the arbitrariness of local authorities… But our expectations did not live up. With its refuse Turkey makes us to take to up arms.”

Russian generalship by 1877 consisted mainly of former Nicholas’ servicemen, who as far back as in their youth did not shine with talents, and lost what they ever had by their declining years. It was almost entirely Germans: Totleben, Dellinghausen, Zimmermann, and so on. Talented Russian commanders occupied secondary positions and could not influence the high command. For instance, N. N. Stoletov commanded the Bulgarian militia, and the legendary M. D. Skobelev at the beginning of the war served without a position at all, in a state of “volunteer general”.

Meanwhile, in the 1885-year book entitled The actions of squads of General Skobelev in the Russo-Turkish war of 1877-78 A. Kuropatkin tells about the bravery and striking tactical and strategic decisions of the general in the battles for Plevna and Lovcha. It was then that the only chance opened for Russians was to take Constantinople, “the city of cities”: “The main mass of Turkish troops was concentrated in the quadrangle of fortresses near Varna. The second defensive line of the Turks - the Balkans – in general was not controlled. Then, behind the line of the Balkans, to the south of them, the terrain was exposed to Constantinople itself, in which there was a weak overall reserve of troops.” However, none of the generals entrusted with power took up this historic mission.

In 1895 S. Ditmar wrote one of the best books about Skobelev entitled “White general” Mikhail Skobelev. He tells about the winter storming of the Balkans, comparable only with a march of Suvorov through the Alps: “After the surrender of Plevna, Skobelev's division was already prepared for the winter crossing through the Balkans. Soon after that Skobelev was made the chief of the glorious 16th division, which otherwise is called nothing but Skobelev’s. There was a transition through the steep slopes and peaks, covered with snow, along deep gorges. “Guys! We have to cross the Balkans with artillery, with no roads, punching our way in sight of the enemy. The Turkish army is waiting for us in the mountains. We need to take such a road down which an animal does not go… Are we going to make it?” “Yes, we are, Your Excellency!”

One can only be amazed watching at a courage and a patience of the Russian soldier, who tries to overcome inhuman adversities: “There was a real torment with artillery; soldiers, mountain guns on sledges went by pulling, leaning their heads forward, wheezing, dragged them on the straps. It was very painful to climb to the mountains many times, after slipping and sliding down, where they sank to their throats in the snow. Everything was wet on: both a body and a dress… And as soon as you get out, the frost is overtaking you, your shirt is becoming stiff, and your hair is full of ice pellets.”

With his fatherly attitude, his ability to lower a tension with a joke like Suvorov and right in time, Skobelev raised and led the regiments. “During the storming of the Turkish positions, when tired soldiers stopped, saying something like “I am absolutely exhausted, Your Excellency,” Skobelev shouted to them: “My benefactors, cooked cereal will be in the evening, I'll feed you with the cereal; just take over the Turkish battery!” And the soldiers at the end, laughing heartily, strained the last forces and took the enemy's fortification.”

The author's abstract of the candidate's dissertation of O. Yakovlev 1980 entitled The Russo-Turkish War of 1877-1878 and the Russian society from the Presidential Library electronic stock sums up the results of the war: Serbia, Romania and Montenegro, the vassals of Turkey, gained independence. Bulgaria, a poor, disenfranchised province, acquired the status of a principality, with its government and army. Turkey pledged to pay Russia an indemnity of 1410 million rubles, and on account of this amount has given away a number of cities in the Caucasus, along with taken away from Russia after the Crimean War South Bessarabia.

“The social upsurge of the period of the Russo-Turkish war of 1877-1878 has led to increased of political activity of the country's population, - Yakovlev wrote in the abstract of his thesis - During this period, the broad public circles of Russia associated the hopes for internal changes in the country with the end of the war, but, liberating for Bulgaria and other Balkan countries, this war did not cause from the government of Russia itself any concessions to Russian society, which led to an exacerbation of the domestic political situation, the revival of the Zemsky opposition and the growth of revolutionary movements. The war has contributed to the emergence of a revolutionary situation in the late 70s – the early 80s of the XIX century.”