All the tsar's men
Subtitle: Russia's General Staff and the fate of the empire, 1898-1914
By: John W. Steinberg.
Publisher: Woodrow Wilson Center Press; Johns Hopkins University Press
Published: 2010
Place of publication: Washington, D.C; Baltimore
Language: eng
Number of pages: 383
Subjects: Russia. -- Generalʹnyĭ shtab -- History -- 20th century; Russia. -- Armii︠a︡ -- History -- 20th century; Russo-Japanese War, 1904-1905; World War, 1914-1918 -- Russia; Military art and science -- Russia -- History -- 20th century; Imperialism -- History; Russia -- Military policy; Russia -- History, Military -- 1801-1917
Description: "All the tsar's men examines how institutional reforms designed to prepare the Imperial Russian Army for the modern battlefield failed to prevent devastating defeats in both the 1905 Russo-Japanese War and World War I. John W. Steinberg argues that the General Staff officers who devised new educational and doctrinal reforms had the experience, dedication, and leadership skills to defend the empire in the new age of warfare but were continually impeded by institutionalized inefficiency and rigid control from their superiors. These officers, he explains, were operating within a command structure unwilling to grant them the autonomy necessary to effect significant reform, which proved disastrous for the army and -- ultimately -- the empire"--Jacket.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references and index.
Table of contents: title: Military professionals and professionalism in Russia at the beginning of the twentieth century; title: The education of the Russian General Staff, 1898-1904; title: The training of the Imperial Russian Army, 1898-1904; title: The Russo-Japanese War, 1904-1905; title: Reform plans and the politics of reforming the Imperial Army, 1905-1914; title: The drive toward a unified military doctrine; title: Maneuvers, war games, and staff rides, 1905-1914; title: Appendix: Russian General Staff officers in 1914 : a prosopographic study.