War History Network members are aware that wars are fought by the warriors who fill the ranks before and during conflicts.  “Russia’s Fighting Men: 1880-1914” is a study of the men who prepared to defend their nation in the years leading up to World War I.  It is divided into three sections: Russian Officers, Russian Soldiers and Cossacks.  The text is liberally supplemented by photos of the uniformed men who served. 

An army reflects the nation from which it is drawn.  This work examines the ethnic background of the fighting men, education of the officers, the duties, prospects for promotion and lives of the troops.  The fighting men were as multi-lingual and ethnic as the Empire. 

The state of Jewish soldiers opens a window into their communities.  Taxed, but not drafted prior to 1827, they were thereafter subject on the basis of other men, although through quota systems leaving selection to communal authorities, rather than relying on individual conscription.  Enlistment was often a doorway to proselytization, with converts to Christianity receiving either monetary payments or relief from onerous duties. 

I find the section of Cossacks, the legendary horsemen of the steppes, to be of interest.  Often required to provide their own mounts and equipment, they were extremely effective at harassment, ask Napoleon’s Grand Armee, but less so in pitched battle against trained troops.  They brought to mind the Minute Men who followed the British Army from Concord to Boston in April 1775. 

These pages answer questions that come to mind when thinking of an armed force.  How good were they?  “The physical and mental attributes of the Russians are such as to make them the best people of all for war.  They are long enduring, tough and insensitive, and find it easy to withstand the hardships of campaign.  They devour great quantities of raw and uncooked food, the drink spirits like water, and their physical constitution is so hare that they bathe in rivers in the coldest weather.” P. 53 

What was peace time military life like?  Between inadequate funding, minimal duties and less recreation than armies of other nations, many assumed jobs in the civilian economy either for personal gain or for support of their units. The draft was begun by Peter the Great as a lifetime commitment, though later reduced to 25, then six and eventually three years for infantry and four for cavalry. 

Russian characteristics documented aid in understanding the Russia of today.  The army’s corruption is consistent with reports from contemporary Russia and officers’ tendency to follow rules rather than seize the initiative may explain casualty rates among high ranking officers in the war against Ukraine. 

“Russia’s Fight Men” will be helpful to War History Network members interested in the nature of one of Europe’s largest armies in the era preceding the Great War. 

I did receive a free copy of this book without an obligation to post a review.