Abstract
The issue of the development of military traditions in the Cossack milieu on the eve of the 20th century is a matter of debate in contemporary Russian historiography. A number of scholars (e. g., A.V.Iarovoi and N.V.Ryzhkova) have argued that the Cossacks’ system of historical military traditions remained viable until 1917. Other researchers (e. g., O.V.Matveev) have claimed that the system of Cossack military traditions had actually experienced a crisis and collapsed by then. This paper seeks to establish the truth. To accomplish this, the authors draws upon a set of newly discovered responses from Russian generals to the report of the Maslakovets Commission. The paper shows that the Cossacks’ historical traditions of military training in the stanitsas were forgotten not by the beginning of the 20th century, but by the 1860s. During this time, declining combat capability of the Don units, with 50% of the young Cossacks entering military service by the beginning of the 20th century “poorly” and “unsatisfactorily” prepared, drew the attention of Alexander II. The War Ministry endeavored to revive the Cossacks’ martial games and military training in the stanitsas. However, according to certain Cossack generals, its actions, at the same time, had violated the historical Cossack traditions of military training, causing, by certain testimonies, their total ruin by the beginning of the 20th century. The main conclusion drawn in this paper is that the image of the Cossack as a “dashing equestrian warrior” going back to official pre-revolutionary historiography is highly idealized.
Highlights
The Don Cossacks’ military traditions... their famed “cavalry charge”, their unrivaled art of horseback riding, their personal courage — these have been an object of admiration among numerous military figures and writers, both Cossacks and Europeans
The Cossacks’ key military traditions included habituation to military service in early childhood and militarization of their morals and manners, which, in particular, was reflected in the way they brought up their children and adolescents, as well as their penchant for staging in the stanitsas all kinds of martial games known as shermitsias
It is just that these “martial game” contests were hardly considered of much value
Summary
The Don Cossacks’ military traditions... their famed “cavalry charge”, their unrivaled art of horseback riding, their personal courage — these have been an object of admiration among numerous military figures and writers, both Cossacks and Europeans. I. Krasnov, a high-level official at the Main Administration of Cossack Forces, stated with satisfaction: “The view of the Cossacks’ particular value in serving in cavalry has been voiced in works by top foreign cavalry writers, like Nolan, de Brack, and Azemar. A high-level official at the Main Administration of Cossack Forces, stated with satisfaction: “The view of the Cossacks’ particular value in serving in cavalry has been voiced in works by top foreign cavalry writers, like Nolan, de Brack, and Azemar It has been shared by our celebrated guerilla warriors of 1812, 1813, and 1814”1. As early as the beginning of the 20th century, the government was promoting the idea of the necessity to preserve the Cossacks’ military traditions To this end, they even introduced martial games for children in the stanitsas to help facilitate their “military development”. The sons and daughters of the Don, must only stick to the wonderful examples left to us by our grandfathers and fathers and try to follow in their footsteps”
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
