Mikhail Zasulich
Encyclopedia
Mikhail Ivanovich Zasulich (December 24, 1843–1910) was a general in the Imperial Russian Army
, noted for his role in the Battle of the Yalu River
during the Russo-Japanese War
of 1904-1905.
and commissioned as a lieutenant in 1863, serving with the 93rd Infantry Regiment in Irkutsk
. He transferred to the Grenadier Regiment of the Life Guards in 1864. He was with this regiment during the Russo-Turkish War (1877-1878), during which he was highly decorated several times for bravery in combat in the Balkans
, especially during the Battle of Philippopolis (1878). He was also promoted to colonel in 1878.
In 1887, Zasulich was assigned command of the 101st Infantry Regiment based at Perm
. He was promoted to Major General
in 1894 and made commander of the 1st Brigade of the 9th Infantry Division, followed by the 1st Brigade of the 2nd Grenadier Division. In 1899, he took command of Osowiec Fortress
in what is now Poland
. The following year, he became commander of the 6th Infantry Division, and was promoted to Lieutenant General
in 1901.
Immediately before the start of the Russo-Japanese War
, Zasulich was given command of the 2nd Siberian Corps, with 16,000 infantry, 5,000 cavalry, and 62 artilliery pieces, which formed the eastern wing of the Russian Manchurian Army. Assigned to prevent the Imperial Japanese Army
from crossing the Yalu River
into Manchuria
, he made a strategic error of spreading his forces piecemeal over a 170-mile front and heavily fortifying the border of town of Antung, where he was convinced the main attack would come. Assuming that the Japanese army amassing near Wiju
upstream from Antung was a feint, he refused requests to redeploy his forces. In the subsequent Battle of Yalu River
, the Russian forces were routed. Zasulich, how had a very low opinion of the Japanese, initially refused General Kuropatkin
's orders to make a phased withdrawal, but as the Japanese army began to completely overwhelm his forces, he had no choice but to make a costly retreat to the north.
Zasulich would subsequently participate in other battles of the war, including the Battle of Tashihchiao
, Battle of Hsimucheng
, and Battle of Liaoyang
as well as the Battle of Mukden
his forces suffered one defeat after another, and his refusal to go on the offensive and continual retreats made him unpopular with his troops.
Citing illness, Zasulich left military service after the end of the war in 1906 with an honorary promotion to full general, and died in 1910.
Imperial Russian Army
The Imperial Russian Army was the land armed force of the Russian Empire, active from around 1721 to the Russian Revolution of 1917. In the early 1850s, the Russian army consisted of around 938,731 regular soldiers and 245,850 irregulars . Until the time of military reform of Dmitry Milyutin in...
, noted for his role in the Battle of the Yalu River
Battle of Yalu River (1904)
The Battle of Yalu River, 30 April to 1 May 1904, was the first major land battle during the Russo-Japanese War...
during the Russo-Japanese War
Russo-Japanese War
The Russo-Japanese War was "the first great war of the 20th century." It grew out of rival imperial ambitions of the Russian Empire and Japanese Empire over Manchuria and Korea...
of 1904-1905.
Biography
Zasulich was a graduate of the Cadet CorpsCadet Corps (Russia)
The Cadet Corps is an admissions-based all boys military academy which prepared boys to become commissioned officers. Boys between the ages of 8 and 15 were enrolled. It was founded in Saint Petersburg, Russian Empire in 1731 by Tsarina Anne. The term of education was seven years...
and commissioned as a lieutenant in 1863, serving with the 93rd Infantry Regiment in Irkutsk
Irkutsk
Irkutsk is a city and the administrative center of Irkutsk Oblast, Russia, one of the largest cities in Siberia. Population: .-History:In 1652, Ivan Pokhabov built a zimovye near the site of Irkutsk for gold trading and for the collection of fur taxes from the Buryats. In 1661, Yakov Pokhabov...
. He transferred to the Grenadier Regiment of the Life Guards in 1864. He was with this regiment during the Russo-Turkish War (1877-1878), during which he was highly decorated several times for bravery in combat in the Balkans
Balkans
The Balkans is a geopolitical and cultural region of southeastern Europe...
, especially during the Battle of Philippopolis (1878). He was also promoted to colonel in 1878.
In 1887, Zasulich was assigned command of the 101st Infantry Regiment based at Perm
Perm
Perm is a city and the administrative center of Perm Krai, Russia, located on the banks of the Kama River, in the European part of Russia near the Ural Mountains. From 1940 to 1957 it was named Molotov ....
. He was promoted to Major General
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
in 1894 and made commander of the 1st Brigade of the 9th Infantry Division, followed by the 1st Brigade of the 2nd Grenadier Division. In 1899, he took command of Osowiec Fortress
Osowiec Fortress
Osowiec Fortress - a 19th century fortress located in north-eastern Poland, originally built by the Russian Empire. The Russian name is Крепость Осовец i.e. Krepost Osovets. In English sources it is variously given as Osowiec , Osovets, Ossovetz, Osovetz and Ossovets...
in what is now Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
. The following year, he became commander of the 6th Infantry Division, and was promoted to Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General....
in 1901.
Immediately before the start of the Russo-Japanese War
Russo-Japanese War
The Russo-Japanese War was "the first great war of the 20th century." It grew out of rival imperial ambitions of the Russian Empire and Japanese Empire over Manchuria and Korea...
, Zasulich was given command of the 2nd Siberian Corps, with 16,000 infantry, 5,000 cavalry, and 62 artilliery pieces, which formed the eastern wing of the Russian Manchurian Army. Assigned to prevent the Imperial Japanese Army
Imperial Japanese Army
-Foundation:During the Meiji Restoration, the military forces loyal to the Emperor were samurai drawn primarily from the loyalist feudal domains of Satsuma and Chōshū...
from crossing the Yalu River
Yalu River
The Yalu River or the Amnok River is a river on the border between North Korea and the People's Republic of China....
into Manchuria
Manchuria
Manchuria is a historical name given to a large geographic region in northeast Asia. Depending on the definition of its extent, Manchuria usually falls entirely within the People's Republic of China, or is sometimes divided between China and Russia. The region is commonly referred to as Northeast...
, he made a strategic error of spreading his forces piecemeal over a 170-mile front and heavily fortifying the border of town of Antung, where he was convinced the main attack would come. Assuming that the Japanese army amassing near Wiju
Uiju
Ŭiju is a kun, or county, in North Pyongan Province, North Korea. The county has an area of 420 km², and a population of 110,018 .-Location:...
upstream from Antung was a feint, he refused requests to redeploy his forces. In the subsequent Battle of Yalu River
Battle of Yalu River (1904)
The Battle of Yalu River, 30 April to 1 May 1904, was the first major land battle during the Russo-Japanese War...
, the Russian forces were routed. Zasulich, how had a very low opinion of the Japanese, initially refused General Kuropatkin
Aleksey Kuropatkin
Alexei Nikolayevich Kuropatkin was the Russian Imperial Minister of War who is often held responsible for major Russian drawbacks in the Russian-Japanese War, notably the Battle of Mukden and the Battle of Liaoyang.-Early years:Kuropatkin was born in 1848 in what is now Pskov, in the Russian...
's orders to make a phased withdrawal, but as the Japanese army began to completely overwhelm his forces, he had no choice but to make a costly retreat to the north.
Zasulich would subsequently participate in other battles of the war, including the Battle of Tashihchiao
Battle of Tashihchiao
The Battle of Tashihchiao was a small-scale land engagement fought on 24 July - 25 July 1904, during the Japanese advance toward Liaoyang in first stage of the Russo-Japanese War. Tashihchiao is located about 25 kilometers [16 miles] southwest of the city of Haicheng, in present-day Liaoning...
, Battle of Hsimucheng
Battle of Hsimucheng
The Battle of Hsimucheng was a minor land engagement of the Russo-Japanese War. fought on 31 July 1904 near Hsimucheng, a hamlet about 20 kilometers [13 miles] southeast of the strategic junction town of Haicheng, on the main road connecting Haicheng with the coast.- Background :On the Japanese...
, and Battle of Liaoyang
Battle of Liaoyang
The Battle of Liaoyang was one of the major land battles of the Russo-Japanese War....
as well as the Battle of Mukden
Battle of Mukden
One of the largest land battles to be fought before World War I, the , the last major land battle of the Russo-Japanese War, was fought from 20 February to 10 March 1905 between Japan and Russia near Mukden in Manchuria...
his forces suffered one defeat after another, and his refusal to go on the offensive and continual retreats made him unpopular with his troops.
Citing illness, Zasulich left military service after the end of the war in 1906 with an honorary promotion to full general, and died in 1910.
Honors
- Order of St. GeorgeOrder of St. GeorgeThe Military Order of the Holy Great-Martyr and the Triumphant George The Military Order of the Holy Great-Martyr and the Triumphant George The Military Order of the Holy Great-Martyr and the Triumphant George (also known as Order of St. George the Triumphant, Russian: Военный орден Св...
, 4th class, 1878 - Order of St. Anne
Order of St. AnnaThe Order of St. Anna ) is a Holstein and then Russian Imperial order of chivalry established by Karl Friedrich, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp on 14 February 1735, in honour of his wife Anna Petrovna, daughter of Peter the Great of Russia...
3rd class with sword and bow, 1878 - Order of St. Stanislaus 2nd degree with swords, 1878
- Order of St. AnneOrder of St. AnnaThe Order of St. Anna ) is a Holstein and then Russian Imperial order of chivalry established by Karl Friedrich, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp on 14 February 1735, in honour of his wife Anna Petrovna, daughter of Peter the Great of Russia...
1st class with sword, 1906 - Order of St Vladimir, 2nd class, 1906