Appointment of V. A. Kanin as Commander of the Baltic Fleet (1915): Materials from the Russian State Archive of the Navy

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DOI 10.28995/2073-0101-2022-2-478-492

Bazhanov, Denis A., Zakharov, Alexandr M.

Herzen State Pedagogical University of Russia, St. Petersburg, Russian Federation

Emelin, Alexey Yu.

Russian State Archive of the Navy, St. Petersburg, Russian Federation

Appointment of V. A. Kanin as Commander of the Baltic Fleet (1915): Materials from the Russian State Archive of the Navy

Abstract

The publication on appointment of V. A. Kanin as commander of the Baltic Fleet is based on institutional approach allowing to consider the fleet headquarters as an institution, the relationships wherein influenced decision-making; and also on source study method allowing to identify features of recording information in specific historical source. Its significance springs from fact that appointment of Vice-Admiral V. A. Kanin as commander of the Baltic Fleet in spring of 1915 led to consolidation of a group of staff officers. This group contributed to his resignation in 1916 and was promotive to formation of the officers’ political position. Relevance of the subject depends on two factors. The death of Admiral N. O. von Essen, who had created and nurtured the fleet, was a borderline for the naval war in the Baltic. The personality of his successor was to determine the further course of events. Another factor was position of those who could influence the decision-making mechanism, directly or indirectly. Essen gathered talented officers, but his death weakened their unity and gave rise to intrigue. The authors study how subjective factors (e.g. origin, likes and dislikes, career aspirations) influenced decision-making. Historians have paid little attention to the aspects of the Baltic Fleet headquarters functioning and to the role of personal factor therein. The publication partially closes the gap. It is to reconstruct the position of various groups of officers, their reaction to the appointment of Kanin. The authors draw on personal provenance sources — letters from V. M. Altfater, head of the naval directorate under the commander-in-chief of the armies of the Northern Front, and from Prince M. B. Cherkassky, flag-captain’s assistant for operational part in the fleet headquarters, stored in the Russian State Archive of the Navy in St. Petersburg. These materials demonstrate A. V. Kolchak’s interest in selection of the new commander. Cherkassky assumed that Kolchak had taken steps to achieve a result that was beneficial to him. Altfater was a possible channel of influence at the headquarters. Another group of officers was consolidating at the headquarters. M. B. Cherkassky played a prominent role in it. Given the situation, his sympathies were not on Kolchak’s side and he was critical of Kanin. That was the group to take the leading position at the headquarters.

Keywords

Personal provenance sources, World War I (1914–18), Baltic Fleet, fleet staff, N. O. von Essen, V. A. Kanin, A. V. Kolchak, V. M. Altfater, M. B. Cherkassky.

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About the authors

Bazhanov Denis Alexandrovich, PhD in History, associate professor, Herzen State Pedagogical University of Russia, department of Russian History (19th – 21st centuries), assistant professor, St. Petersburg, Russian Federation, +7-812-312-44-92, +7-921-630-51-65, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Zakharov Alexandr Mikhailovich, PhD in History, associate professor, Herzen State Pedagogical University of Russia, department of Russian History (19th – 21st centuries), assistant professor, St. Petersburg, Russian Federation, +7-812-312-44-92, +7-900-639-68-60, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Emelin Alexey Yurievich, PhD in History, Russian State Archive of the Navy, associate director, St. Petersburg, Russian Federation, +7-812-312-86-15, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Submitted 15.10.2021, published (for citation):

BAZHANOV, D. A., ZAKHAROV, A. M., EMELIN, A. Yu. Naznachenie V. A. Kanina komanduyushchim Baltiiskim flotom v 1915 g. Po dokumentam Rossiiskogo gosudarstvennogo arkhiva Voenno-morskogo flota [Appointment of V. A. Kanin as Commander of the Baltic Fleet (1915): Materials from the Russian State Archive of the Navy. In Russ.]. IN: Vestnik arhivista / Herald of an Archivist, 2022, no. 2, pp. 478-492. doi 10.28995/2073-0101-2022-2-478-492

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