June Offensive

June Offensive

▪ Russian military operation
also called  July Offensive (New Style),  Summer Offensive,  Kerensky Offensive , or  Galician Offensive 

      (June [July, New Style], 1917), unsuccessful military operation of World War I, planned by the Russian minister of war Aleksandr Kerensky (Kerensky, Aleksandr Fyodorovich). The operation not only demonstrated the degree to which the Russian army had disintegrated but also the extent of the Provisional Government's failure to interpret and respond adequately to popular revolutionary sentiment. Temporarily, it also had the effect of strengthening moderate and conservative elements in the country.

      Kerensky's timing was particularly inauspicious. After the February (March) Revolution, popular demands for peace had grown more intense, particularly within the army. Soldiers' committees debated military issues and frequently vetoed officers' orders. Discipline degenerated, and many soldiers made their private peace with the Germans and went home. The first coalition Provisional Government (formed in May 1917) continued to honour the alliances made by the deposed imperial government and hesitated to make a separate peace; it did agree, however, to wage only a defensive war.

      Nevertheless, Kerensky planned an offensive. He speculated that a victory would rally the Russian people behind the Provisional Government and also force the belligerents to make peace. On July 1 (June 18, Old Style), 1917, the Russian army, commanded by General Aleksey A. Brusilov, attacked the Austro-German forces along a broad front in Galicia and pushed toward Lvov.

      Although the Russian effort was initially successful, the soldiers soon refused to leave their trenches and fight. By July 3–4, the offensive had collapsed. On July 6 the Austrians and Germans launched a counteroffensive. They met little resistance and advanced through Galicia and into Ukraine, halting at the Zbruch River.

      The military disaster was immediately overshadowed by the July Days uprising and by the government's fear of a Bolshevik coup d'état. But the June Offensive had serious political consequences. As a result of the army's failure, Kerensky appointed as commander in chief Gen. Lavr G. Kornilov (Kornilov, Lavr Georgiyevich)—who strongly demanded that army discipline be restored—and thereby laid the groundwork for the development of a conservative, military political force and for Kornilov's alleged attempted coup d'etat, known as “Kornilov's Rebellion.”

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать курсовую

Look at other dictionaries:

  • June 26, 2005 — June 26 2005 (Sunday)* Richard Whiteley, who for 23 years presented the Channel 4 game show Countdown, died aged 61. * The Kremlin has called for an inquiry into fighting that took place on June 4, 2005, between Chechens and Avars. Russian… …   Wikipedia

  • June Jones — College coach infobox Name = June Jones Caption = DateOfBirth = birth date and age|1953|2|19 Birthplace = Portland, Oregon DateOfDeath = Sport = Football College = SMU Conference = Conference USA Title = Head Coach Contract = $2,000,000… …   Wikipedia

  • Offensive jihad — Part of a series on Islamic jurisprudence (Fiqh) …   Wikipedia

  • June 2004 — NOTOC June 2004 : January February March April May June July August September October November December See also: June 2004 in sportsEventsJune 1, 2004* RoC Premier Yu Shyi kun is prevented for six hours from delivering a key government report on …   Wikipedia

  • Offensive counter air — Egyptian MiG 21 destroyed by the Israeli Air Force during Operation Focus, at Bir Gifgafa Airfield, June 1967 Offensive Counter Air (OCA) is a military term for the suppression of an enemy s military air power by destroying or disabling the… …   Wikipedia

  • June 2 — Events*455 The Vandals enter Rome, and plunder the city for two weeks. *1098 First Crusade: The first Siege of Antioch ends as Crusader forces take the city. The second siege would later start on June 7. *1615 First Récollet missionaries arrive… …   Wikipedia

  • Chortkiv offensive — Part of Polish Ukrainian War Date 7 June 28 June 1919 Location Eastern Galicia Result Tactical Polish victory …   Wikipedia

  • Vyborg–Petrozavodsk Offensive — Infobox Military Conflict conflict=Vyborg–Petrozavodsk Offensive partof=World War II,Continuation War caption=The start of the Soviet offensive on June 9, 1944. place=Karelian Isthmus/East Karelia, USSR date=June 9 – August 4, 1944 result=Limited …   Wikipedia

  • Easter Offensive — Infobox Military Conflict conflict=Easter Offensive partof=the Vietnam War caption=PAVN 130 mm artillery battery goes into action on the Kontum front date= 30 March 22 October 1972 place=Republic of Vietnam result=Limited North Vietnamese victory …   Wikipedia

  • Combined Bomber Offensive — alias: Allied Bomber offensive [sic] Part of Strategic bombing campaign in Europe …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”