General Aleksei Brusilov

Who was General Brusilov?

General Brusilov was a Russian, considered one of the best generals to have fought in the First World War.

What did General Brusilov do?

General Brusilov commanded several Russian armies and fought at the Battle of Tannenberg, where he showed great skill as a commander.

What was General Brusilov known as?

He was known as 'The Iron General' for his aggressive leadership.

What was the significance of General Brusilov?

General Brusilov was a highly respected commander and was significant for 4 reasons:

• ❖ He led the main Russian attack on the Eastern Front in 1916. The Brusilov Offensive came very close to knocking the Austro-Hungarian forces out the of the war.
• ❖ He created highly successful tactics for assaulting trenches. The Germans copied his tactics and used them in the Ludendorff Offensive of 1918.
• ❖ Despite the success of the Brusilov Offensive his brutal attacks left so many Russians dead that it helped to lead to the collapse of the Russian Army in 1917.
• ❖ He joined the Bolsheviks in 1918 and led the Red Army cavalry during the Russian Civil War.