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Analytic Note (Source 1): The standard historical literature has portrayed Sukhomlinov as advocating at this time a relatively large scale partial mobilization against Austria, based on a misleading account in the memoirs of the chairman of the Council of Ministers.
Source Excerpt (Source 1): "Sukhomlinov said that he had not informed us, since he believed it best that we should learn from the Tsar himself what he had in mind. Then the Tsar, opening a map on the table before him, began to explain, calmly and clearly, the ratio of Russian and Austrian military forces on our frontier, the weakness of our infantry, numbering not over 90 rifles to a company while the Austrian infantry numbered 200, the slowness of our transport, and the consequent necessity for considerably increasing the troops stationed near the frontier."
Source Excerpt (Source 2): "Под нажимом французской дипломатии в высших правительственных сферах России неоднократно обсуждался вопрос о военных мероприятиях против Австро-Венгрии. Однако Россия не была готова к войне." "...Меры по мобилизации (выдвигание кавалерии к границе, вручение мобилизационных билетов запасным в пограничных округах и др), предложенные Сухомлиновым, советом министров отклонены..."
Source Excerpt Translation (Source 2): [FULL] The highest Russian governmental circles discussed the question of military activities against Austria-Hungary multiple times under pressure by French diplomats. Nevertheless, Russia was not ready for a war. Furthermore, the ruling circles in Russia treated the French position with suspicion because while the political and military figures of the Third Republic were broadcasting unofficial promises to the Russian representatives, at the same time the French government stubbornly avoided making any official statements whatsoever. This suspicion was reflected, partially, in the 1912 "Plan for the Defense of Russia in the Event of a General European War" drawn up by the Russian General Staff, where it was stated that "recent experience showed that Russia can hardly count on French assistance in those cases where French interests are not directly affected... The contemporary policy of that country clearly indicates that France will take into account above all its own interests and not the interests of the alliance. Therefore, if at the time of a conflict, French interests are also affected, Russia can then see a faithful and active ally; in the opposite case, France can easily play the same waiting game in the twin alliance, as Italy -- in the triple one. In general, we are not at all guaranteed the kind of energetic diplomatic support by France and the unconditional active cooperation of all its armed forces, as Germany and Austria have already promised to one another on numerous occasions." And the ruling circles in Russia had even lower hopes for active support on the part of England. All these considerations motivated the tsarist government to be especially circumspect regarding its Balkan deals and to refrain from any steps that could drag Russia into a war. As Kokovtsov writes in his Vospominania (Memoirs), on 23 (10) of November, 1912, at a meeting with Nicholas II at which, in addition to himself, Sazonov, Sukhomlinov, Zhilinskiy and the Minister of Railways Rukhlov were present, the Minister of War suggested conducting a mobilization of the whole Kiev and Warsaw districts, as well as preparing for the mobilization of the Odessa district. Kokovtsov, Sazonov and Rukhlov expressed opposition to these measures. On Kokovtsov's suggestion, it was decided instead of mobilization, 'to prolong by 6 months everybodys last service term across Russia and in this way to increase at once our army's membership by a full one-quarter." On December 12 and 18 (November 29 and December 5), 1912 meetings of the Council of Ministers took place also dedicated to the question "Of some measures for military precaution, provoked by the present-day political situation." In the special minutes dedicated to these sessions, it is discussed that the Minister of War addressed the Chairman of the Council of Ministers in confidential letters in which, while noting the fact that "the Austro-Hungarian government has lately initiated military activities directed squarely against Russia and which far exceed the boundaries of precautions brought on by the current political situation," he offered to take the following measures for strengthening the Russian military position on the Austrian border: 1) Strengthen the cavalry units located at the border in the Kiev and Warsaw districts, at the expense of the internal resources of those districts. 2) In addition, move out to the southern front of the Warsaw military district two separate cavalry units from the Moscow military district. 3) Bring up to wartime levels the numbers of the infantry units of the Warsaw and Kiev districts by calling up the reserves for training exercises. In this way, several units with special types of weapons could be brought up to full strength as a set. 4) Increase the number of horses for the cavalry and infantry units in the border areas of the Warsaw and Kiev military districts. 5) Strengthen the defense of the railway bridges with military units, as well as that of some of the bridges on the roadways in the Warsaw and Kiev military districts. 6) Ban the foreign export of horses out of European Russia. Kokovtsov and Sazonov again spoke against Sukhomlinov's proposals. "In the opinion of the Chairman and the Minister of Foreign Affairs -- it is recorded in the Council of Ministers' special minutes from November 29 and December 5, 1912 the political situation at the present time appears tense to a maximum degree and any reckless step on our part can bring about the most frightening of consequences - toward armed conflict with Austria, which in its turn will inevitably lead to a conflict with Germany, i.e., to a Europe-wide war. Meanwhile, we cannot consider the military support to us of all the countries of the Triple Entente as unconditionally secured. In these circumstances, a war with the Triple Alliance led by Germany seems to us at the present time a certain disaster, furthermore since we have no active naval forces in the Baltic Sea and the army has not yet been brought up to a sufficient degree of preparedness, while the internal status of the country is far from the kind of high-patriotic attitude that might permit us to rely on a mighty upheaval of national spirit and intense immediate support." As a result, drawing on the necessity for "further developments of our military preparation to be subordinated to the demand for political prudence and special caution," the Council of Ministers, accepted points 1, 4 and 5 from Sukhomlinov's proposal and "did not pursue [points 2, 3 and 6] for the time being, yet leaving their implementation contingent on the further course of events." In a private letter to Ignatiev, the clerk at the French desk of the headquarters of the General Staff Vineken reported, "In the Council of Ministers, Kokovtsov and Sazonov are the most peace-loving; Tsarskoe [Selo] also seems absolutely opposed to war. Public opinion is rather indifferent; the press and a part of the public figures exaggerate the Slavic movement. The mobilization measures (bringing forward the cavalry at the border, handing out mobilization tickets to the reservists in the border regions, etc.) that Sukhomlinov proposed were turned down by the Council of Ministers, hence a certain annoyance on the part of our boss."
Source Excerpt (Source 3): "Up to October 7, the reports show that Russia- 'without doubt in connection with the Balkan crisis'- had undertaken the following measures: 1. Wide calling for reservists in all circles of Russian Poland for training which is to be ended October 20th (all arms of the years 1905, 1907; parts of the levy of 1904, 1906). 2. Retention of the third year's levy [dritter Prasenzjahr gang] in the same region. 3. Preparedness for a trial mobilization in certain circles of Russian Poland, the carrying out of which, however, is to be ordered later (16th-19th Oct). 4. Completion of the peacetime strength, partial increase of "erhohte Friedenstande" in the region of Warsaw. 5. Completion of certain troop movements." (158-59) "On the other side, Russia had spent eighty million rubles completing the supplies for the army and still retained her third year levy under colors. This meant that the Russian army had been increased by approximately 350,000, of which about 150,000 were kept on the eastern frontier." (257)
Data Sources:<br>
Source 1: https://doi.org/10.5064/F6KW5CXS/B7I3WE <br>
Source 2: https://doi.org/10.5064/F6KW5CXS/C3JQDT <br>
Source 3: https://doi.org/10.5064/F6KW5CXS/7IWEMG
Full Citation (Source 1): V. N. Kokovtsov, Out of My Past (Stanford: Stanford University Press, 1935), pp. 344ff.
Full Citation (Source 2): V. I. Bovykin, Iz istorii vozniknoveniia pervoi mirovoi voiny: Otnosheniia Rossii i Frantsii v 1912-1914 gg. (Moscow: Moskovskii Universitet, 1961), pp. 151-53.
Full Citation (Source 3): E.C. Helmreich, The Diplomacy of the Balkan Wars, 1912-1913 (Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1938), pp, 158-59, 257-58.