Aleksei Brusilov
| Aleksei Alekseevich Brusilov | |
|---|---|
Brusilov in 1917
|
|
| Born |
31 August 1853 Tiflis, Russian Empire (now Tbilisi, Georgia) |
| Died | 17 March 1926 (aged 72) Moscow, RSFSR, Soviet Union |
| Allegiance |
 Russian Empire Russian Republic Russian SFSR
|
| Service/branch |
Imperial Russian Army Red Army |
| Years of service | 1872–1924 |
| Rank | General of the Cavalry |
| Battles/wars |
Russo-Turkish War World War I Polish-Soviet War |
| Awards | see below |
Aleksei Alekseevich Brusilov (Russian: Алексе́й Алексе́евич Бруси́лов; 19 August [O.S. 31 August] 1853 – 17 March 1926) was a Russian general most noted for the development of new offensive tactics used in the 1916 Brusilov Offensive. The innovative and relatively successful tactics used were later copied by the Germans. Born into the aristocracy (his father was a general) Brusilov trained as a cavalry officer, but by 1914 he realized that cavalry was obsolescent in the new style of warfare because of its vulnerability to the machine gun and artillery. Historians portray him as the only Russian leader capable of winning major battles. However, his heavy casualties seriously weakened the Russian army, which was unable to replace its losses. His greatest achievement was the Brusilov offensive. He had a small numerical advantage (600,000 to 500,000), but in 72 hours advanced 50 miles, took 200,000 prisoners, and seized 700 heavy guns.
His war memoirs were translated into English and published in 1930 as A Soldier's Notebook, 1914–1918. After the war he served with the Bolsheviks, and czarist historians avoided praising or even mentioning his historical roles.
Brusilov was born in Tiflis (now Tbilisi, Georgia). His father was Russian, his mother, Anna Luiza Niestojemska, was Polish. Three generations of Brusilovs had served as officers in the tsar's army, his grandfather fighting in the defence against Napoleon's invasion of 1812. His father rose to the rank of Lieutenant General before dying of tuberculosis in 1856. Brusilov's mother died shortly afterwards, and the young orphan was raised by relatives in Kutaisi.
He was educated at home until at the age of 14, he joined the Imperial Corps of Pages in Saint Petersburg in 1867. At the end of his first year, a tutor remarked of Brusilov, "his nature is brisk and even playful, but he is good, straight-forward and clean-living. Of high ability, but inclined to be lazy."
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