French works on the Russian Imperial Navy are rare. The same can be said of English and American publications.
The Russian imperial navy is nevertheless an extraordinary navy, because divided between three main theaters: the Baltic, the Pacific and the Black Sea, of which only the first two could be connected (at the cost of great difficulties), the Black Sea remaining throughout its history a sea closed by a hereditary enemy: Turkey.
Exceptional also because it has always strived to develop innovative technical means to be pioneers in several areas such as submarine torpedo or mine warfare; many more ...
But also hampered by harsh climatic conditions, questionable doctrines and bad management of crews.
A story in contrast that saw the navy rebuild in a few years after being almost crushed in the Russo-Japanese war, while the virus of the revolution contaminated it.
This historical work on the Russian Imperial Navy and its ships is based on original archival sources. Thus, the author took as main support of his research the reports of the French naval attachés in Saint Petersburg, particularly provided and documented because of the Franco-Russian alliance. He supported them with the publications of the French war school of the time and then with some Russian books and contemporary specialized journals.
This book includes a historical part developing the evolution of the Navy and its structures (detailed work on advances or technological and industrial deficiencies, arsenals, shipyards, industries, officer corps, training of crews and, of course, conflicts and events, lessons learned, etc.) and a technical part detailing each ship and series of vessels with characteristics and brief histories.
All on 384 pages, enriched with nearly 600 photos and documents.
Discover the 15 pages of this book thanks to PDF.
We talk about it on the Web and in the Press:
- Three seas, therefore three possible fronts and all around the bellicose "friends" at will, everything is perfect in the best of all worlds to make the life of imperial sailors as peaceful as possible and make them the kings of dolce vita marine! ... It is unfortunately not the case, it would even be quite the opposite because the context of the time (and it has hardly changed) is a kind of contempt for living conditions and life itself in general, we understand why around 1915-17 mutinies will multiply everywhere to lead to a few revolutions and sweep entire swathes of bourgeois and feudal societies ...
The Navy will pay the high price by falling deeply which will have very serious and damaging repercussions for a good century ... and this takes its roots in the 1870s, something a bit parallel with the French maritime situation which is relegated to the bottom of the ports (see the book battleships samples) .... it is true that between France and imperial Russia, relations are cordially awaited ...
Marc Saibène rolls out the red carpet here for a powerful, innovative and technically advanced navy, although extremely diversified since it is spread over 3 theaters of operation, namely the Black Sea, the Baltic and a large part of the Pacific, which represents at the time a real headache in technical matters, logistics and employment doctrine ... all permanently disturbed by hidden conflicts and other political vagaries ...
To put it simply how in these conditions have a homogeneous and therefore operational navy ???? ..
You will know it because the Imperial Navy succeeded in relatively pulling out its pin of a game of dupes ... This work all in details and in smoothness, approaches a subject which would be "boring" but which treated with a very fluid approach and essential, happens to be captivating, it is a gold mine in maritime matters, fascinating in terms of reading and when the photos border on the eye crisis, when we think of the work it took to get there , it is absolutely breathtaking in the rendering and the content fruit of a most serious work ...
Coups de chapka to the author who had to work with the samovar to acquire such knowledge. © Marc Debeer - Fleuves & Canaux.
Our readers talk about it:
- This book is extraordinary, I'm halfway through and it's a pure pleasure to read. Step Chiarello.
