Page:Michael Farbman - Russia & the Struggle for Peace (1918).djvu/91

 Rh and companies preceded or accompanied a general mobilisation. At any rate, such was the practice during previous wars. I am not sure that such an exchange took place during the mobilisation for this war. It is quite likely that the popular enthusiasm for this war induced the officers to trust the men and to make an exception to the rule of exchanged commands this time. Possibly the soldiers themselves actually forgot their hatred of the officers at the beginning of this war. But the hatred was certainly only in abeyance, and ready to emerge and break forth again at a later stage.

There is one thing which at first sight seems to contradict the gloomy picture which I have presented. I refer to the splendid military history of Russia. The Russian army fought well and achieved great victories; the Russian soldier earned his name as a brave and gallant fighter. All this is quite true, but it does not contradict anything that I have said. For the great reputation of the Russian army was made during the wars of the middle of the 19th century, while the rigid discipline which was to make the Russian soldier an obedient instrument of the autocracy only came into prominence during the last 30 or 40 years. And in the two great wars which Russia waged during this period, she was twice defeated. It must also be added that the wars against Turkey had a national and religious stimulus. There was a real enthusiasm for these wars and a real understanding of their justice. To this day the Turk is considered by the Russian peasants and simple people as the enemy. I remember once in Odessa, many years ago, I happened to witness the sending off of the Russian detachments to China during the Boxer rising. A General made a speech to the soldiers and explained to them all about the Boxers and the necessity for the Russian Empire to fight the Chinese. At the close of his speech he asked, "Now, bratsy, whom are you going to beat?" "The Turks, your High Excellency," was the prompt reply. Such was and is the feeling of the Russian soldiers towards