37–38 German and Russian artillery: Golovine, 32. “Sukhomlinov believed”: ibid., 12. Funny stories: Knox, 220.
39 “General Fly-Off”: Pares, 194.
40 Grand Duke Nicholas: Paléologue, I, 62; Knox, 43.
41 Sukhomlinov and the Grand Duke hated each other: Paléologue, I, 57.
42 “Go to the devil”: Knox, 220.
43 “We hope in six weeks”: Mansergh, 214.
44 “Lunch in Paris”: Pares, 195.
45 France wants 700,000 men on M-15: Golovine, 35; Mansergh, 37.
46 Paléologue urges the Russians to hurry: Golovine, 212–13.
47 Paléologue’s interview with Nicholas: Paléologue, I, 60–1.
48 Paléologue’s interview with Grand Duke Nicholas: ibid., 61–3.
49 Russian strategy in East Prussia: Knox, 56; Tuchman, 65–6.
50 Grand Duke Nicholas leaves St. Petersburg: Knox, 43. Samsonov: ibid., 60. Rennenkampf, ibid., 204–5. The German machine gun: Gilliard, 111.
51 Russian cavalry charges the guns: Pares, 198.
52 Russian invasion of East Prussia: Tuchman, 293, 274. The terrain: ibid., 66.
53 Russians believe Allenstein is Berlin: Knox, 84. “Advancing according to timetable”: Tuchman, 287.
54 “To see the enemy where he does not exist”: Tuchman, 295.
55 Tannenberg. German artillery the decisive factor: Golovine, 133.
56 “The enemy has luck one day”: Knox, 74. Russian losses: Paléologue, I, 107.
57 “We are happy to have made such sacrifices”: Knox, 90. “We owed this sacrifice to France”: Paléologue, I, 106.
58 “If the Russians arrive in Berlin”: Tuchman, 293.
59 “This was perhaps our salvation”: Golovine, 214.
CHAPTER 21 STAVKA
1 Nicholas’s desire to take command of the army: Florinsky, End, 61.
2 “We may be forced to retreat”: Paléologue, I, 56.
3 Stavka: ibid., 302–5; Knox, 46, 233; Hanbury-Williams, 13.
4 “We all attended the little wooden church”: Hanbury-Williams, 246.
5 The Tsar’s train at Stavka: Paléologue, I, 302.
6 Red and blue lines on the maps: N to AF, 3.
7 “I was summoned to meet the Emperor”: Hanbury-Williams, 14.
8 Yorkshire pudding: ibid., 15. “A torchlight procession”: ibid., 18.
9 Nicholas’s comparison of Russia and the U.S.: ibid., 75.
10 “You see what it is to be an autocrat”: ibid., 58.
11 The Tsar walking, rowing: ibid., 40, 56.
12 “We are passing through picturesque country”: N to AF, 16.
13 “My hanging trapeze”: ibid., 13.
14 Alexis to Stavka: Gilliard, 148.
15 “See that Tiny”: AF to N, 182. “Tiny loves digging”: ibid., 192.
16 “Take care of Baby’s arm”: ibid., 225. The Empress went to his empty room: Vyrubova, 127.
17 Gilliard and the Empress: Gilliard, 167–8.
18 “We used to start out immediately after lunch”: ibid., 125.
19 “At his father’s heels”: ibid., 149.
20 The Governor’s house: N to AF, 73; Gilliard, 150; Vyrubova, 143.
21 “It is very cosy”: N to AF, 95. “I read all letters aloud”: ibid., 197.
22 “A thunderstorm broke out”: ibid., 186.
23 “He wakes up early”: ibid., 96. “He always carries his little gun”: ibid., 97.
24 “We go out in the car”: ibid., 96. “Soft sand”: ibid., 184.
25 “Peasant boys”: ibid., 211. “An enormous hotel”: ibid., 227. “He sits on my left hand”: ibid., 96.
26 Alexis at Stavka: Hanbury-Williams, 237–9.
27 “He dragged some of us off after lunch”: ibid., 109.
28 “Wet sleeves and boots”: N to AF, 225.
29 Front-line dressing station: Gilliard, 152. “Very few hands were lifted”: ibid., 154. Four British submarines: ibid., 153.
30 “Alexei crept into every possible hole”: N to AF, 102.
31 The cavalry charge: Gilliard, 154–5.
32 “The Heir! The Angel! The pretty boy!”: N to AF, 108. “Alexei’s cat ran away”: ibid., 284. “Alexei has borne the strain”: ibid., 110.
33 The Empress visits Stavka: Vyrubova, 142–3.
34 “Much easier to get on with”: Hanbury-Williams, 93. “She is so proud of Russia”: ibid., 117.
35 “Baby played the fool”: N to AF, 104. “His elbow would not bend”: ibid., 236.
36 “The Little One is suffering”: ibid., 291. “Baby’s leg hurts”: ibid., 292.
37 “He rarely refers to the Tsarevich’s health”: Hanbury-Williams, 57.
38–39 The nosebleed: Gilliard, 155–6; Vyrubova, 169–70.
40 “Owing to the deep, thick mud”: N to AF, 119. “Tell him that they always finish their zakouska”: ibid., 124.
41 “Thank God, your heart can be quiet”: AF to N, 235. “Baby has got up”: ibid., 240. “Sunbeam is at last going out”: ibid., 243. “He received a charming telegram”: ibid., 248.
42 The snowball: Gilliard, 165n.
43 “He is very proud of his stripes”: Hanbury-Williams, 104.
44 “Papa told me to come to sit with you”: ibid., 138.
CHAPTER 22 “POOR FELLOWS, THEY ARE READY TO DIE FOR A SMILE”
1 Austrian defeat in Galicia: Golovine, 214; Pares, 204–5.
2 “It instructs me to impress”: Paléologue, I, 129.
3 “If you chase two hares”: Knox, 144.
4 “The poor boys were keen as mustard”: ibid., 102.
5 Russian cavalry and infantry tactics: ibid., 103, 109.
6 One million casualties: Golovine, 217.
7 The officers walked erect: Pares, 211. Losses in the Preobrajensky Guard: Knox, 189. In the 18th Division: ibid., 194. “These people play at war”: ibid., 249.
8 3,000 cadets: ibid., 177. 15,000 students: Paléologue, I, 171.
9 “Remember what I am going to say”: Golovine, 66.
10 Officers asked no questions: Knox, 115. German officer shot his stretcher bearers: ibid., 65.
11 “The value of prayer”: Knox, 262. “Poor fellows”: ibid., 262.
12 The German attack at Easter: Pares, 358.
13 New recruits: Golovine, 107. Przemysl fell: Pares, 227. “Nicolasha came running”: N to AF, 38.
14 “Colossal works”: ibid., 48.
15 The Russians storm the Carpathians: Pares, 228–9.
16 The German General Staff decided to destroy Russia in 1915: Golovine, 145. 1,500 guns, 700,000 shells: Knox, 282.
17 “From a neighboring height”: Pares, 230.
18 “Lost all its blood”: ibid., 231. “Poor Nicolasha”: N to AF, 55.
19–20 Arm the infantry with axes: Golovine, 127. “These poor devils had to wait”: Paléologue, II, 34. “Churned into gruel”: Knox, 270, 319.
21 “You know, sir, we have no weapons”: Pares, 232.
22 “We are playing the game”: Golovine, 240.
23 Preserve the army: ibid., 224. “We will retire to the Urals”: Knox, 309. Half the army was destroyed: Golovine, 98.
24 “The spring of 1915”: ibid., 145.
25 20,000 guns: Cornelius Ryan, The Last Battle (New York, Simon and Shuster, 1966), 352.
26 Silent crowds: Meriel Buchanan, 108. “Nitchevo, little sister”: ibid., 121.
27 Anti-Germanism: Almedingen, 137. “I am going to make a row”: AF to N, 37.
28 Nemtsy: Paléologue, I, 238. The story about the Tsarevich: Bruce Lockhart, 102–3.
29 Pianos thrown into the street: ibid., 110.
30 Grand Duchess Elizabeth: Paléologue, II, 13; Almedingen, 143.
31 “All faithful sons of the fatherland”: Paléologue, II, 23.
32 Polivanov: Knox, 415.
33 “Where our retreat will end”: Golovine, 231.
34 The Tsar’s patriotism: Florinsky, End, 60–1. “You have no idea”: Gilliard, 1
37.
35 Alexandra distrusted the Grand Duke: Mosolov, 87. “Nicholas III”: Pares, 250. “Yes, do come. I’ll hang you”: Knox, 334; Buchanan, I, 238.
36 Rasputin’s arguments: Paléologue, I, 286, 341.
37 “Please my angel”: AF to N, 87. “Would to God”: ibid., 89. “I have absolutely no faith in N”: ibid., 97. “N’s fault and Witte’s”: ibid., 100. “I loathe your being at Headquarters”: ibid., 110.
38 “I never discuss an opinion”: Paléologue, I, 305. “All faithful subjects know”: ibid., 261.
39 “Darling mine, I do not agree”: N to AF, 43.
40 “I consider it my duty”: Golovine, 231–2.
41 “The Emperor, white and trembling”: Vyrubova, 123.
42 Private visit to Petrograd: Paléologue, II, 68.
43 Anna and the Empress: Vyrubova, 124.
44 The ministers aghast: Pares, 139; Gilliard, 265.
45 “Gentlemen…. I leave for Stavka”: Vyrubova, 125.
46 The Tsar’s letter: Paléologue, II, 70–1.
47 “God be praised”: ibid., 62–3. “N. came in with a kind, brave smile”: N to AF, 70.
48 “The Grand Duke was really a great soldier”: Pares, 201.
49 Alexandra’s letter to Nicholas: AF to N, 113–16.
50 Relief in England and France: Gilliard, 138–9. Nicholas a figurehead: Golovine, 235; Pares, 275.
51–52 Alexeiev: Knox, 49; Hanbury-Williams, 261. “My cross-eyed friend”: N to AF, 55. “I have such good help”: ibid., 74.
53 The front stabilized: Golovine, 237.
54 Germans transferred: Florinsky, 1333. 1.2 million men: Golovine, 98.
55–56 Hindenburg: Pares, 367. Total casualties were 7.9 million: Golovine, 93.
57 Importance of the military collapse of 1915: Mosolov, 23–4; Florinsky, End, 75.
CHAPTER 23 THE FATEFUL DECEPTION
1 “To some it may seem unnecessary”: Buxhoeveden, 192.
2 Hospitals: Vyrubova, 108–9.
3 “I have seen the Empress of Russia”: ibid., 109–10.
4 “Tsaritsa, stand near me”: ibid., 110.
5 “Very bad wounds”: AF to N, 11. “Three operations”: ibid., 12. “My nose is full of hideous smells”: ibid., 26. “I went in to see the wound of our standard bearer”: ibid., 41. “An officer of the 2nd Rifles”: ibid., 24. “Whole arm was cut off”: ibid., 25. “I had wretched fellows”: ibid., 26.
6 “During an operation a soldier died”: ibid., 31. “A young boy kept begging for me”: ibid., 32. “The young boy gradually getting worse”: ibid., 33.
7 “My poor wounded friend is gone”: ibid., 53.
8 630 letters in a black suitcase: AF to N, Pares’s Introduction, vi; Pares, 248.
9 “I yearn for your kisses”: AF to N, 248. “It was hard bidding you goodbye”: ibid., 3. “I gave my goodnight kiss”: ibid., 14. “I try to forget everything”: ibid., 246.
10 “So much sorrow and pain”: ibid., 256. “We show nothing of what we feel”: ibid., 21. “32 years ago my child’s heart”: ibid., 249. “Our children be equally blessed”: ibid., 267.
11 “My eyes are moist”: N to AF, 169. “I do not know how I could have endured it all”: ibid., 122.
12 “The sun behind the trees”: AF to N, 108. “The pink sky”: ibid., 237. “The Dnieper broke up yesterday”: N to AF, 160.
13 “Baby madly enjoys your bath”: AF to N, 51. “The girls are wild”: ibid., 58. “Baby eats lots of blini”: ibid., 272. “Baby … on the balalaika”: ibid., 310. “Marie, alas”: ibid., 43. “To get brown”: ibid., 334.
14 “He dreads the night”: ibid., 41. “Baby was awfully cheery and gay”: ibid., 318. “This afternoon I spent in Baby’s room”: ibid., 318.
15 “Twenty years have I spent in Russia”: Buxhoeveden, 186.
16 “What has happened to the Germany of my childhood?”: Gilliard, 110 “I have no news of my brother”: ibid., 109.
17 “I blush to have been a German”: Paléologue, I, 239.
18 “I long that our troops”: AF to N, 9. “I do wonder what will be”: ibid., 288.
19 “Forgive me, precious one”: ibid., 62. “Be more autocratic”: ibid., 57.
20 “That horrid Rodzianko”: ibid., 110. “We’re not a constitutional country”: ibid., 145. “For Baby’s sake, we must be firm”: ibid., 305.
21 Rasputin: Gilliard, 141.
22 Rasputin’s call to Anna: Paléologue, I, 137.
23 Anna’s accident: Vyrubova, 118–19; Pares, 223; Paléologue, I, 257.
24 “No, harken unto Our Friend”: AF to N, 86.
25 “I am haunted by Our Friend’s wish”: ibid., 87. “I fully trust in Our Friend’s wisdom”: ibid., 390.
26 “The bedroom was small”: Yussoupov, 203.
27 “All were drawn up the same way”: Mosolov, 153. “A lady in a low-cut dress”: ibid., 153. A supply prepared in advance: Fülöp-Miller, 236.
28 Payment for Rasputin’s services: Mosolov, 148.
29 “Anastasia Shapovalenkova”: Fülöp-Miller, 183. “An unknown woman”: ibid., 184. “Madame Likart”: ibid., 185. “The wife of Colonel Tatarinov”: ibid., 185. These episodes also appear in the Red Archives (Krasnyi Arkhiv), 25, 42, 44, 50.
30 “Maria Gill”: Fülöp-Miller, 188. Katia: ibid., 189. Utilia: ibid., 190; Red Archives, 47, 29, 30.
31 The detectives: Fülöp-Miller, 190. Two angry husbands: ibid., 294; Pares, 298. The Villa Rode: Fülöp-Miller, 196–7; Red Archives, 45.
32 Drunkenness: Fülöp-Miller, 199; Red Archives, 28, 41, 43, 48.
33 Titillated Petrograd: Fülöp-Miller, 200. “The Emperor Tiberius”: Marye, 446.
34–35 The Yar: Paléologue, I, 331. “I was at Yar”: Bruce Lockhart, 125–6. Exposed himself; the “Old Girl”: Paléologue, I, 331. Nicholas summons Rasputin: Pares, 225. “My enemy Dzhunkovsky”: AF to N, 105.
36 “Remember that I need neither the Emperor or yourself”: Paléologue, I, 147.
37 Rasputin’s telegrams: AF to N: 35, 144, 149.
38 “It is getting empty in the villages”: Pares, 253.
39 Rasputin and Paléologue: Paléologue, I, 292–3.
40 Cancel all passenger trains: AF to N, 195.
41 “Brother, go and help them sing”: Fülöp-Miller, 269. Khvostov’s appointment due to Rasputin: Kerensky, Crucifixion, 221.
42 “Responsible government … would be the ruin”: AF to N, 290.
43 Nicholas’s reaction to her letters: Pares, 252.
44 Witte’s death: N to AF, 29. “Do not drag Our Friend into this”: ibid., 298.
45 Nicholas unwilling to deprive Alexandra of Rasputin: Gilliard, 177.
CHAPTER 24 THE GOVERNMENT DISINTEGRATES
1 Fredericks in 1905: Buxhoeveden, 232.
2 “When the Emperor went to war”: Pares, 280.
3–4 “Think, my wify”: N to AF, 71–2. “Yes, truly, you ought to be my eyes and ears”: ibid., 269. “You will truly help me”: ibid., 270. “There is nothing to forgive you for”: ibid., 289.
5 “Speak like a waterfall in Russian”: AF to N, 409.
6 Goremykin: Pares, 194. “He would not last through the winter”: Florinsky, End, 77.
7 “The candles have already been lit around my coffin”: Paléologue, II, 14.
8 “To me, His Majesty is the annointed one”: Florinsky, End, 77.
9 “He sees and understands all so clearly”: AF to N, 103.
10 “I call upon you, gentlemen”: Florinsky, End, 79. “I beg you to in form the Emperor”: ibid., 83. “It is our duty to tell the Tsar”: ibid., 82.
11 “The behavior of some of the ministers”: N to AF, 85.
12 The “Ministerial Leapfrog”: Rodzianko, 239; Florinsky, End, 86–7.
13 “After the middle of 1915”: ibid., 67.
14 “The ministers do not wish to work well”: N to AF, 91. “If in any way”: AF to N, 145. “He cannot bear the idea”: ibid., 219.
15 “I keep wracking my brains�
��: N to AF, 131. “Our Friend told me to wait”: AF to N, 214. “Tomorrow, Gregory sees old Khvostov”: ibid., 216.
16 Stürmer: Florinsky, End, 88; Paléologue, II, 166: Pares, 317.
17 “A bad memory”: Sazonov, 306. “An utter nonentity”: Rodzianko, 178. “False and double-faced”: Pares, 317. “Worse than a mediocrity”: Paléologue, II, 166.
18 “I begat Pitirim”: Pares, 315. “Lovy, I don’t know”: AF to N, 256.
19–20 “Dogs collected”: Pares, 304. “For a few words”: AF to N, 219.
21 Nicholas at the Duma: Rodzianko, 175–6; Paléologue, II, 187: Pares, 308.
22 “Is he not Our Friend’s enemy?” AF to N, 91.
23 Polivanov: Pares, 299. Four automobiles: Rodzianko, 183. “Get rid of Polivanov”: AF to N, 260. “Any honest man”: ibid., 297. “Lovy, don’t dawdle”: ibid., 297. “Oh the relief!”: ibid., 297. “The ablest military organizer”: Knox, 412.
24 “A nice old man”: ibid., 415.
25 “Long-nosed Sazonov”: AF to N, 210. “Such a pancake”: ibid., 156.
26 “Wish you could think of a good successor”: ibid., 305.
27 Sazonov and Poland: Pares, 341; Paléologue, I, 81, 84.
28 “I won all along the line”: Paléologue, II, 297. Dismissed: Sazonov, 313–14; Buchanan, II, 15–18. Nicholas pleased with British decoration of Sazonov: Hanbury-Williams, 119.
29 “I can never hope to have confidential relations”: Buchanan, II, 18. Paléologue’s view: Pares, 344; Paléologue, II, 224, 257.
30 Marye’s interview with Nicholas: Marye, 475.
31 Protopopov: Pares, 379; Vyrubova, 188; Kerensky, Crucifixion, 214. “I chose Protopopov”: Rodzianko, 260. “He was handsome, elegant, captivating”: Kerensky, Crucifixion, 214.
32 “He proposed his tovarich Protopopov”: N to AF, 219. Protopopov’s mission to England, France and Sweden: Paléologue, III, 46. “Yesterday, I met a man I like very much”: N to AF, 223.
33 Protopopov’s health: Paléologue, II, 46; Kerensky, Crucifixion, 214.
34 Badmayev: Paléologue, III, 51–2.
35 “Gregory earnestly begs”: AF to N, 394. “Please take Protopopov”: ibid., 295. “This Protopopov is a good man”: N to AF, 256. “God grant”: ibid., 269. “God bless your new choice”: AF to N, 398. “I hope I shall succeed”: Rodzianko, 213. “I alone shall have the power”: ibid., 214.
Nicholas and Alexandra: The Tragic, Compelling Story of the Last Tsar and his Family Page 73