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Birthday anniversary of Vladimir A. Sukhomlinov, War Minister of the Russian Empire
4 (16) August 1848 in the town of Telshi, Kovno province (now - Lithuania) was born Vladimir A. Sukhomlinov, Russian General of Cavalry, War Minister of the Russian Empire, a member of National Defense (1908-1909), a member of the State Council of the Russian Empire (1911).
In 1861 Sukhomlinov entered the Alexander Cadet Corps in Vilna. But in the summer of 1863 due to the reform of military education and a Polish rebellion, the Corps was disbanded and Sukhomlinov was transferred to St. Petersburg to the 1st military school, after which was enrolled as a cadet in the Konstantin 2nd Military College. A few days later he was transferred to Nikolai Cavalry School, after which in 1867 was admitted to the Life Guards Ulan Regiment of His Majesty quartered in Warsaw.
In 1871, after successfully passing the exams Sukhomlinov was admitted to the General Staff Academy. In 1874 he was promoted to senior adjutant of the 1st Guards Cavalry Division, and in March 1877 – to the rank of chief officer for special duties at the headquarters of the 1st Army Corps.
Sukhomlinov participated in the Russian-Turkish war of 1877-1878. At first he arranged a civil administration in a Bulgarian town of Tyrnovo, and then performed a reconnaissance of Turkish fortifications at Plevna. For distinguished service Sukhomlinov was awarded the Order of St. George 4th class and golden arms. At the end of the Russian-Turkish war, he was appointed affairs manager of Nicholas Academy of the General Staff, being a close associate of the Head of the Academy, General M. I. Dragomirov. In this position, Sukhomlinov supervised practical training in tactics and also lectured at the Nicholas Cavalry School and the Corps of Pages. During his teaching at the Academy, he wrote a series of manuals on tactics. He was also charged with teaching tactics and military history to Grand Dukes Peter Nikolaevich and Sergei Mikhailovich.
In January 1886 Sukhomlinov was appointed Head of Officers Cavalry School and remained in this position for nearly 12 years. During this time, he had written several textbooks and stories, as well as a historical research on Murat. In addition, at various times head of the school wrote for the journals "Scout," "Military Collection" and the newspaper "Russian Invalid". Part of his works Sukhomlinov published under the pseudonym Ostap Bondarenko.
In 1899 Sukhomlinov took over as Chief of Staff of the Kiev Military District; three years later he became assistant commander, and from 1904 - Commander of the Kiev military district. In October 1905, after the riots had taken place in Kiev, Sukhomlinov was appointed to the post of Governor-General of Kiev, Podolia and Volyn. Three years later, Emperor Nicholas II appointed him chief of the General Staff. In this post, Sukhomlinov had been developing new mobilization plans, and serving a member of the Council of National Defense.
In March 1909 Sukhomlinov took over as Defense Minister of the Russian Empire. He was a supporter of the development and use of new equipment; thanks to him in the Russian army were established automotive units, air force. In the regiments were formed machine-gun teams, and in corps – air squadrons. Under Sukhomlinov’s guidance were disbanded reserve and serf troops, as a result, field troops had been strengthened. In 1911 in the Russian army was created the military counter-intelligence and approved "Regulations on the counter-intelligence agencies" and "Instructions for the heads of counter-intelligence agencies."
In the Council of Ministers Sukhomlinov developed a complicated relationship with the Minister of Finance V. N. Kokovtsov, who sought to reduce military spending. In the context of the World War I, when by the spring of 1915 showed a great lack of ammunition and other military equipment, Sukhomlinov was seen as the main culprit for poor supply of the Russian army. In June 1915 he was dismissed from his post as Minister of War, and an investigation into his activities at the ministerial post was soon launched.
In March 1916 Sukhomlinov was discharged from military service, in April he was arrested and imprisoned in the Trubetskoy bastion of the Peter and Paul Fortress during the whole period of investigation. In October he was transferred under the house arrest. His wife E. V. Butovich was also involved as an accomplice.
The trial over Sukhomlinov lasted for a month. He was charged with treason, idle power, and bribery. Most of the charges had not been confirmed, but Sukhomlinov was found guilty of unpreparedness of the army for the war and condemned to perpetual servitude and deprivation of property rights. His wife was acquitted. Servitude was soon replaced by a prison sentence and Sukhomlinov was placed in Trubetskoy bastion of the Peter and Paul Fortress.
After the October Revolution, Sukhomlinov was transferred to a prison "Kresty". In May 1918, he was released under amnesty, after which he went to Finland, and then - to Germany. In exile, he wrote memoirs, trying to rehabilitate himself.
Vladimir A. Sukhomlinov died February 2, 1926 in Berlin.
Lit.: Апушкин В. А. Генерал от поражений В. А. Сухомлинов. Л., 1925; Головин H. H. Военный министр генерал В. А. Сухомлинов // H. H. Головин. Россия в Первой мировой войне. Париж, 1939; То же [Электронный ресурс]. URL: http://militera.lib.ru/research/golovnin_nn/01.html; Думбадзе В. Д. Генерал-адъютант Владимир Александрович Сухомлинов. Пг., 1914.
Works: Великий Князь Николай Николаевич (младший). Берлин, 1925; Воспоминания. М.; Л., 1926; Кавалерийские учебные части в России. СПб., 1893; Мюрат Иоахим-Наполеон, король обеих Сицилий. (Его смерть). СПб., 1896; То же [Электронный ресурс]. URL: http://runivers.ru/bookreader/book18675/#page/1/mode/1up; На большой Смоленской дороге: Из партизанских действий в 1812 г. СПб., 1892-1893; Письмо товарищу эмигранту. I, II. Гельсингфорс, 1919-1920.
Based on the Presidential Library’s materials:
Думбадзе В. Д. Генерал-адъютант Владимир Александрович Сухомлинов. Пг., 1914;