Military reform of Alexander 2

The military reform of Alexander 2 became a necessity after the end of the Crimean War. The battle fully illuminated all the defects of the Russian army, showed its inability to withstand the might of the bourgeois countries. The military system required radical changes. The replacement of the minister (instead of Dolgorukov was staged Sukhorzanet) did not change the situation. Some cuts in spending and the liquidation of military settlements could not lead to change.

Assessing what is happening, the king understood that the department needs completely new people and a new approach to the management of the army.

The military reform of Alexander 2 began with the appointment of Dmitry Alekseevich Milyutin as minister. This figure, possessing excellent theoretical training, necessary experience and skills, as well as excellent personal qualities, suited like anyone else for the role of reorganizer of the Russian army.

First of all, the service life was reduced to 16 years (from 25 years). Further it was forbidden to give soldiers for crimes, to apply corporal punishment, which were common in the army. The military reform of Alexander 2 presupposed the introduction of literacy.

Milyutin created a new management system. Formation of military districts allowed eliminating excessive centralization, facilitating the rapid (if necessary) deployment of the army. Together with this, Alexander's military reform 2 touched the Military Ministry itself. The reorganization of the structure implied the transfer of greater powers to the minister. In addition, military educational institutions were reformed. This allowed the introduction of qualitative changes in the officers. Moreover, the judicial reform of Alexander 2 also contributed to the changes. 2

However, the reorganization measures taken were not enough. It was necessary to radically change the entire military affairs, implying the introduction of a new system for the formation of troops. Thus, everything went to the introduction of universal military service in return for the old recruitment. Assumed a new system to accept soldiers for short-term service, after which they were enrolled in the reserve. This method of forming the troops made it possible to conduct through the army a large part of the population. If necessary, those who served the people could always be quickly mobilized. This approach to the formation of troops made it possible to significantly reduce costs. In addition, the service itself was facilitated.

Milutin first attempted to express the idea of changing the way the army was equipped in 1862. However, his words of response were not found. Meanwhile, in Europe, the development of military-technical power, the strengthening of military sentiments among large states continued. In these circumstances, the reorganization of the system of army equipment was necessary. However, its implementation was hampered not only by the resistance of the generals and aristocracy. An effective innovation could be in the presence of a developed system of transport and communications, in the conditions of rapid mobilization of the reserve. By the beginning of the 60s of the 19th century this system was absent in Russia.

By the beginning of the 1970s, the development of a network of railways had facilitated military reforms.

The new draft of the Charter was adopted in 1874, on 1 January. From this moment, universal military service extended to all male population of the state that reached the age of twenty. Thus, in peacetime, there was a relatively small army in Russia, and in the event of war the state had the opportunity to call for supplies and militias, creating massive troops.

In addition, the transformation affected the arms of soldiers. With the new system of formation of troops, a modern system of guns began to be used, and a rifle entered service. At the same time, the construction of the fleet was developing.

Alexander's great reforms in the military sphere contributed to an increase in the fighting capacity of the country's army.