The Disasters of 1915 and Russia's Widening War - David Stone

Lecture given as part the National WWI Museum and Memorial's 2015 Symposium: Global War, 1915 | Empires at War, Churchill’s Gallipoli and an America Divided

[rockytoptom]

I love this episode. Dr. Stone is great and the topic is one of my favorites.

[JosipRadnik]

Finally someone with some valid knowledge. Thank you for your very good presentation. We should have more of that kind.

[williamtell]

Good lecture as always from this organization. Such a shame that more people don't see the vast historical significance of WWI.

[AlbertSchram]

The lecture's title is awkward. The title of Dr. Stone's excellent book would be more appropriate: "The Russian Army in the Great War: The Eastern Front, 1914-1917"


[00:33] Theme global war, not just Western Front
[02:51] Cast of Russian Characters, deep shortcomings and problematic relationships
[16:10] Development of the war in 1915
[28:45] Ottoman Front
[32:08] German & Austro-Hungarian Empire
[41:34] Consequences: refugees, persecution of Jews, generals fired and Czar takes command
[51:35] Maklakov's speech, the insane driver
[52:40] Q&A

[ericbeyer]

Excellent presentation from Dr. Stone. Please do keep them coming.

[richardwhitfill]

Interesting presentation. Thank you for posting

[williamtell]

"All armies suffer from this problem. It's worse for Russia ... " Such a true and memorable comment. Brilliant.

[apriljourney]

Barbara McDowell Whitt My mother was born in the Lakewood, OH hospital on November 10, 1918. That means she was in utero throughout the Spanish Flu Pandemic . It was a normal pregnancy and birth. She died November 25, 1985. Over the years we sometimes teased her about her birth bringing an end to WWI at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918.

[TomFynn]

One of the reasons the Eastern Front is not in people memory is probably in part due to the names: Przemyśl was as big a fortress as Verdun and caused the Russians all kinds of headaches. But The Battle of Verdun commits itself to memory better than The Battle of That Place No One Can Pronounce.

[steveboshakis]

Well Done Sir pace timing style excellent presentation thank you

[MrQwint]

Listening to this in fall 2022 I can't help but think of Marx's old line 'History repeats itself, first as tragedy, then as farce.'

[davidtraveller]

Great content and excellent presentation, thanks for posting.

[lowellfast]

Very good presentation maps, wish I could have seen them and his tiny laser pointer spots.

[Paeoniarosa]

Excellent speaker and interesting topic. Had no idea that fewer than 50% of the Russian empire were ethnic Russians.

[crockoreptile]

Love this guys passion, also great breakdown

[Alberiana]

would love it if someone can post his following lecture at the same event?

[giovannidepetris]

Just one point: the alliance treaty between italy Austria and Germany clearly stated that ANY decision regarding wars in the balkans must have been agreed upon by all for the alliance to be in effect.
Austria declared war unilaterally to Serbia therefore italy did not feel bound to the treaty
Italy had interests in the balkans that were discounted by Austria when it declared war without consulting that is why the clause was in the pact: no respect of the pact meant no war by italy on the side of the central empires

[williamtell]

Really good speaker. Very enjoyable presentation and a good topic.

[theoutlook]

6:00 -17:00 are particularly insightful in identifying the human factors that made Russia weak at the beginning of WW1. Like this historian says repeatedly, many of the problems that Russia had, all other nations militaries had, but Russia had it worse. Russia had it worse.

[kevinbyrne]

The National World War I Museum and Memorial is located in Kansas City, Missouri.