Fraternization in the 8th army of the South-Western front in March-August 1917

Abstract

This paper attempts to explore specifics of fraternization in one of the most efficient armies of the Eastern European Theater during the First World War - the 8th army of the South-Western front. The election of this chronological framework - spring-summer 1917 - was due to the fact that it was during this period of fraternization and its close forms when soldiers of the opposing armies were unprecedentedly widespread on the Russian front in general and in the 8th army in particular. This was due to the fact that after the fall of the monarchy in Russia, the soldiers masses wanted to put an end to the war. Fraternization at the front became possible due to the weakening of the power of the command staff in the conditions of the revolution. The paper presents the facts of the Austro-German side interest in fraternization development, as well as the measures taken by the command of the Russian army and the soldiers committees to stop fraternization. It should be noted that for most Russian soldiers fraternization was of great interest because it allowed them to barter with the military forces of the Quadruple Alliance, which had an opportunity to obtain bread in exchange for any things or alcohol.