Russian Turkish war 1877 1878 dates. General situation and plans of the parties

The main causes of the war 1877-1878

1) The aggravation of the Eastern question and the desire of Russia to play an active role in international politics;

2) Russia's support for the liberation movement of the Balkan peoples against the Ottoman Empire

3) Turkey's refusal to meet Russia's ultimatum to end hostilities in Serbia

Exacerbation of the Eastern Question and the beginning of the war.

Year	Event
1875	Revolt in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
April 1876	Revolt in Bulgaria.
June 1876	Serbia and Montenegro declare war on Turkey, in Russia there is a collection of funds to help the rebels and the registration of volunteers.
October 1876	The defeat of the Serbian army near Dyunish; Russia presents an ultimatum to Turkey to stop hostilities.
January 1877	Conference of ambassadors of European countries in Constantinople. Failed attempt to resolve the crisis.
March 1877	The European powers signed the London Protocol obliging Turkey to carry out reforms, but Turkey rejected the proposal.
April 12, 1877	Alexander 2 signed a manifesto on the beginning of the war in Turkey.

The course of hostilities

	Major events of the war
	Capture by Russian troops of Russian fortresses on the Danube
	The transition of Russian troops across the Russian-Turkish border in the Caucasus
	Capture of Bayazet
	Blockade of Kars
	Defense of Bayazet by the Russian detachment of Captain Shtokovich
	Crossing the Russian army across the Danube at Zimnitsa
	The transition through the Balkans of the advanced detachment led by General I.V. Gurko
	Occupation of the Shipka Pass by a detachment of I.V. Gurko
	Unsuccessful assault on Plevna by Russian troops
	Blockade and capture of Plevna
	Assault on Kars by Russian troops
	Capture of the Plevna garrison
	Transition through the Balkans of the detachment of I.V. Gurko
	The occupation of Sofia by the troops of I.V. Gurko
	The crossing of the Balkans by the detachments of Svyatopolk-Mirsky and D.M. Skobeleva
	The battle at Sheinovo, Shipka and on the Shipka Pass. Defeat of the Turkish army
	Blockade of Erzurum
	The offensive of the detachments of I.V. Gurko on Philippopolis and its capture
	The capture of Adrianople by Russian troops
	The capture of Erzurum by Russian troops
	Occupation of San Stefano by Russian troops
	San Stefano peace treaty between Russia and Turkey
	Berlin treatise. Discussion of the peace Russian-Turkish treaty at the international congress

The results of the Russian-Turkish war:

	→	The dissatisfaction of the European powers and the pressure on Russia. Transfer of the articles of the treaty to the discussion of the international congress	→
1. Turkey paid Russia a large indemnity				1. Reduced amount of contribution
2. Bulgaria turned into an autonomous principality, annually paying tribute to Turkey				2. Only Northern Bulgaria gained independence, while the Southern remained under Turkish rule
3. Serbia, Montenegro and Romania gained full independence, their territory increased significantly				3. Territorial acquisitions of Serbia and Montenegro have decreased. They, as well as Romania, gained independence
4. Russia received Bessarabia, Kars, Bayazet, Ardagan, Batum				4. Austria-Hungary occupied Bosnia and Herzegovina, and England occupied Cyprus

Relying on the friendly neutrality of Russia, Prussia from 1864 to 1871 won victories over Denmark, Austria and France, and then carried out the unification of Germany and the creation of the German Empire. The defeat of France by the Prussian army allowed, in turn, Russia to abandon the embarrassing articles of the Paris Agreement (first of all, the ban on having a navy on the Black Sea). The pinnacle of the German-Russian rapprochement was the creation in 1873 of the "Union of the Three Emperors" (Russia, Germany and Austria-Hungary). The alliance with Germany, with the weakening of France, allowed Russia to intensify its policy in the Balkans. The reason for intervention in Balkan affairs was the Bosnian uprising of 1875 and the Serbo-Turkish war of 1876. The defeat of Serbia by the Turks and their brutal suppression of the uprising in Bosnia aroused strong sympathy in Russian society, which wanted to help the "Slav brothers". But there were disagreements in the Russian leadership about the advisability of a war with Turkey. Thus, Minister of Foreign Affairs A.M. Gorchakov, Minister of Finance M.X. Reitern and others considered Russia unprepared for a serious clash that could cause a financial crisis and a new conflict with the West, primarily with Austria-Hungary and England. Throughout 1876, diplomats sought a compromise, which Turkey avoided in every possible way. She was supported by England, which saw in the kindling of a military fire in the Balkans an opportunity to divert Russia from affairs in Central Asia. In the end, after the Sultan's refusal to reform his European provinces, Emperor Alexander II declared war on Turkey on April 12, 1877. Previously (in January 1877), Russian diplomacy managed to settle the friction with Austria-Hungary. She remained neutral for the right to occupy Turkish possessions in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Russia regained the territory of southern Bessarabia, lost in the Crimean campaign. It was also decided not to create a large Slavic state in the Balkans.

The plan of the Russian command provided for the end of the war within a few months, so that Europe would not have time to intervene in the course of events. Since Russia had almost no fleet on the Black Sea, repeating the route of Dibich's campaign against Constantinople through the eastern regions of Bulgaria (near the coast) became difficult. Moreover, in this area there were powerful fortresses Silistria, Shumla, Varna, Ruschuk, forming a quadrangle, in which the main forces of the Turkish army were located. Progress in this direction threatened the Russian army with protracted battles. Therefore, it was decided to bypass the sinister quadrangle through the central regions of Bulgaria and go to Constantinople through the Shipka Pass (a pass in the Stara Planina mountains, on the Gabrovo-Kazanlak road. Height 1185 m.).

Two main theaters of military operations can be distinguished: the Balkan and the Caucasian. The main one was the Balkan, where military operations can be divided into three stages. The first (until mid-July 1877) included the crossing of the Danube and the Balkans by Russian troops. The second stage (from the second half of July to the end of November 1877), during which the Turks carried out a number of offensive operations, and the Russians, in general, were in a state of positional defense. The third, final stage (December 1877 - January 1878) is associated with the offensive of the Russian army through the Balkans and the victorious end of the war.

First stage

After the outbreak of the war, Romania took the side of Russia, letting the Russian troops through its territory. By the beginning of June 1877, the Russian army, led by Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolaevich (185 thousand people), concentrated on the left bank of the Danube. She was opposed by approximately equal in number of troops under the command of Abdul-Kerim Pasha. Most of them were located in the already indicated quadrangle of fortresses. The main forces of the Russian army concentrated somewhat to the west, near Zimnitsa. The main crossing over the Danube was being prepared there. Even further west, along the river, from Nikopol to Vidin, the Romanian troops (45 thousand people) were located. In terms of combat training, the Russian army was superior to the Turkish. But in terms of the quality of weapons, the Turks surpassed the Russians. In particular, they were armed with the latest American and British rifles. The Turkish infantry had more ammunition and trench tools. Russian soldiers had to save shots. An infantryman who used up more than 30 rounds of ammunition (more than half of the cartridge bag) during the battle was threatened with punishment. A strong spring flood of the Danube prevented the crossing. In addition, the Turks had up to 20 battleships on the river that controlled the coastal zone. April and May passed in the fight against them. In the end, Russian troops, with the help of coastal batteries and mine boats, inflicted damage on the Turkish squadron and forced it to take refuge in Silistria. It was only after this that the opportunity for the crossing arose. On June 10, units of the XIV Corps of General Zimmermann crossed the river near Galati. They occupied Northern Dobruja, where they stayed idle until the end of the war. It was a distraction. Meanwhile, the main forces secretly accumulated near Zimnitsa. Opposite it, on the right bank, lay the fortified Turkish point of Sistovo.

Crossing at Sistovo (1877). On the night of June 15, between Zimnitsa and Sistovo, the 14th division of General Mikhail Dragomirov crossed the river. Soldiers crossed in black winter uniforms to remain unnoticed in the dark. The first to land on the right bank without a single shot was the 3rd Volyn company, led by Captain Fok. The following units crossed the river already under heavy fire and immediately went into battle. After a fierce assault, the Sist fortifications fell. Russian losses during the crossing amounted to 1.1 thousand people. (killed, wounded and drowned). By June 21, 1877, sappers built a floating bridge near Sistovo, along which the Russian army crossed to the right bank of the Danube. The next plan was as follows. An advanced detachment under the command of General Joseph Gurko (12 thousand people) was intended for an offensive through the Balkans. To ensure the flanks, two detachments were created - the Eastern (40 thousand people) and the Western (35 thousand people). The eastern detachment, led by the heir Tsarevich Alexander Alexandrovich (future Emperor Alexander III), held back the main Turkish troops from the east (from the side of the fortress quadrangle). The western detachment, led by General Nikolai Kridiger, had the goal of expanding the invasion zone in a westerly direction.

The capture of Nikopol and the first assault on Plevna (1877). Carrying out the assigned task, on July 3, Kridiger attacked Nikopol, which was defended by a 7,000-strong Turkish garrison. After a two-day assault, the Turks capitulated. Russian losses during the attack amounted to about 1.3 thousand people. The fall of Nikopol reduced the threat of a flank attack on the Russian crossings at Sistovo. On the western flank, the Turks had the last large detachment in the Vidin fortress. It was commanded by Osman Pasha, who managed to change the initial stage of the war, which was favorable for the Russians. Osman Pasha did not wait in Vidin for further actions by Kridiger. Taking advantage of the passivity of the Romanian army on the right flank of the allied forces, the Turkish commander left Vidin on July 1 and moved towards the Western detachment of the Russians. Overcoming 200 km in 6 days. Osman Pasha took up defense with a 17,000-strong detachment in the Plevna region. This decisive maneuver came as a complete surprise to Kridiger, who, after the capture of Nikopol, decided that the Turks were finished in this area. Therefore, the Russian commander was inactive for two days, instead of immediately taking possession of Plevna. By the time he woke up, it was already too late. Danger loomed over the right flank of the Russians and over their crossing (Plevna was 60 km from Sistovo). As a result of the occupation of Plevna by the Turks, the corridor for the offensive of Russian troops in the southern direction narrowed to 100-125 km (from Plevna to Ruschuk). Kridiger decided to rectify the situation and immediately sent the 5th division of General Schilder-Schulder (9 thousand people) against Plevna. However, the allocated forces were not enough, and the assault on Plevna on July 8 ended in failure. Having lost about a third of his forces during the attack, Schilder-Schulder was forced to retreat. The damage of the Turks amounted to 2 thousand people. This failure influenced the actions of the Eastern Detachment. He abandoned the blockade of the Rushuk fortress and went on the defensive, since the reserves for his reinforcement were now transferred to Plevna.

Gurko's first Trans-Balkan campaign (1877). While the Eastern and Western detachments were settling in on the Sistov patch, parts of General Gurko quickly moved south to the Balkans. On June 25, the Russians occupied Tarnovo, and on July 2 they crossed the Balkans through the Heineken Pass. To the right, through the Shipka Pass, a Russian-Bulgarian detachment led by General Nikolai Stoletov (about 5 thousand people) advanced. On July 5-6, he attacked Shipka, but was repulsed. However, on July 7, the Turks, having learned about the capture of the Heineken Pass and the movement to the rear of Gurko's units, left Shipka. The way through the Balkans was open. Russian regiments and detachments of Bulgarian volunteers descended into the Rose Valley, enthusiastically received by the local population. The message of the Russian tsar to the Bulgarian people also contained the following words: “Bolgars, my troops have crossed the Danube, where they have already fought more than once to alleviate the plight of the Christians of the Balkan Peninsula ... The task of Russia is to create, not to destroy. appease all nationalities and all confessions in those parts of Bulgaria where people of different origins and different faiths live together ... ". Advanced Russian units appeared 50 km from Adrianople. But this was the end of Gurko's promotion. He did not have enough forces for a successful massive offensive that could decide the outcome of the war. The Turkish command had reserves to repel this bold, but largely improvised onslaught. To protect this direction, the corps of Suleiman Pasha (20 thousand people) was transferred by sea from Montenegro, which closed the road to Gurko's units on the Eski-Zagra - Yeni-Zagra line. In fierce battles on July 18-19, Gurko, who did not receive sufficient reinforcements, managed to defeat the Turkish division of Reuf Pasha near Yeni-Zagra, but suffered a heavy defeat near Eski-Zagra, where the Bulgarian militia was defeated. Gurko's detachment retreated to the passes. This was the end of the First Trans-Balkan Campaign.

Second assault on Plevna (1877). On the day when Gurko's divisions fought under two Zagrams, General Kridiger with a 26,000-strong detachment undertook a second assault on Plevna (July 18). By that time, its garrison had reached 24 thousand people. Thanks to the efforts of Osman Pasha and the talented engineer Teutik Pasha, Plevna turned into a formidable stronghold surrounded by defensive fortifications and redoubts. The scattered frontal onslaught of the Russians from the east and south crashed against the powerful Turkish defense system. Having lost more than 7 thousand people in fruitless attacks, Kridiger's troops retreated. The Turks lost about 4 thousand people. Panic erupted at the Sistov crossing at the news of this defeat. The approaching detachment of Cossacks was mistaken for the Turkish vanguard of Osman Pasha. There was a shootout. But Osman Pasha did not attack Sistovo. He limited himself to an onslaught in a southerly direction and the occupation of Lovcha, hoping from here to come into contact with the troops of Suleiman Pasha advancing from the Balkans. The second Plevna, along with the defeat of the Gurko detachment at Eski-Zagra, forced the Russian troops to go on the defensive in the Balkans. The Guards Corps was called from St. Petersburg to the Balkans.

Balkan theater of operations

Second phase

In the second half of July, Russian troops in Bulgaria took up defensive positions in a semicircle, the rear of which rested on the Danube. Their lines passed in the area of Plevna (in the west), Shipka (in the south) and east of the Yantra River (in the east). On the right flank against the corps of Osman Pasha (26 thousand people) in Plevna stood the Western Detachment (32 thousand people). In the Balkan sector, 150 km long, the army of Suleiman Pasha (brought to 45 thousand people by August) was held back by the Southern Detachment of General Fyodor Radetsky (40 thousand people). On the eastern flank, 50 km long, against the army of Mehmet Ali Pasha (100 thousand people), the Eastern Detachment (45 thousand people) was located. In addition, the 14th Russian Corps (25 thousand people) in Northern Dobruja was held back on the Chernavoda-Kyustenji line by roughly equal numbers of Turkish units. After the success at Plevna and Eski-Zagra, the Turkish command lost two weeks to agree on an offensive plan, thereby missing an opportunity to inflict a serious defeat on the upset Russian units in Bulgaria. Finally, on August 9-10, Turkish troops went on the offensive in the southern and eastern directions. The Turkish command planned to break through the positions of the Southern and Eastern detachments, and then, by joining the forces of the armies of Suleiman and Mehmet Ali, with the support of Osman Pasha's corps, throw the Russians into the Danube.

The first assault on Shipka (1877). At first, Suleiman Pasha went on the offensive. He struck the main blow at the Shipka Pass in order to open the road to Northern Bulgaria and connect with Osman Pasha and Mehmet Ali. As long as the Russians held Shipka, the three Turkish armies remained separated. The pass was occupied by the Orlovsky regiment and the remnants of the Bulgarian militia (4.8 thousand people) under the command of General Stoletov. Due to the approaching reinforcements, his detachment increased to 7.2 thousand people. Suleiman singled out the shock forces of his army against them (25 thousand people). On August 9, the Turks stormed Shipka. Thus began the famous six-day Battle of Shipka, which glorified this war. The fiercest battles unfolded near the rock "Eagle's Nest", where the Turks, regardless of losses, attacked the strongest part of the Russian positions in the forehead. Having shot the cartridges, the defenders of Orlinoye, suffering from terrible thirst, fought off the Turkish soldiers climbing onto the pass with stones and rifle butts. After three days of furious onslaught, Suleiman Pasha was preparing for the evening of August 11 to finally destroy a handful of still resisting heroes, when suddenly the mountains announced a resounding "Hurrah!" The advanced units of the 14th division of General Dragomirov (9 thousand people) arrived in time to help the last defenders of Shipka. Having marched more than 60 km at a fast pace in the summer heat, they attacked the Turks in a furious impulse and drove them back from the pass with a bayonet. The defense of Shipka was led by General Radetsky, who arrived at the pass. On August 12-14, the battle flared up with renewed vigor. Having received reinforcements, the Russians launched a counteroffensive and tried (August 13-14) to capture the heights west of the pass, but were repelled. The fighting took place in incredibly difficult conditions. Especially painful in the summer heat was the lack of water, which had to be delivered 17 miles away. But in spite of everything, desperately fighting from privates to generals (Radetsky personally led the soldiers into attacks), the defenders of Shipka managed to defend the pass. In the battles of August 9-14, the Russians and Bulgarians lost about 4 thousand people, the Turks (according to their data) - 6.6 thousand people.

Battle on the Lom River (1877). While the battles on Shipka were raging, an equally serious threat loomed over the positions of the Eastern Detachment. On August 10, the main army of the Turks, under the command of Mehmet Ali, twice outnumbered, went on the offensive. If successful, the Turkish troops could break through to the Sistovskaya crossing and Plevna, as well as go to the rear of the defenders of Shipka, which threatened the Russians with a real disaster. The Turkish army delivered the main blow in the center, in the Byala region, trying to cut the positions of the Eastern Detachment in two. After fierce fighting, the Turks captured a strong position on the heights near Katselev and crossed the Cherni Lom River. Only the courage of the commander of the 33rd division, General Timofeev, who personally led the soldiers into a counterattack, made it possible to stop the dangerous breakthrough. Nevertheless, the heir Tsarevich Alexander Alexandrovich decided to withdraw his battered troops to a position to Byala, near the Yantra River. On August 25-26, the Eastern Detachment skillfully retreated to a new defensive line. Having regrouped their forces here, the Russians reliably covered the Pleven and Balkan directions. Mehmet Ali's offensive was stopped. During the onslaught of Turkish troops on Byala, Osman Pasha tried on August 19 to go on the offensive towards Mehmet Ali in order to squeeze the Russians from both sides. But his strength was not enough, and he was repulsed. So, the August offensive of the Turks was repulsed, which allowed the Russians to resume active operations. Plevna became the main object of the onslaught.

The capture of Lovcha and the third assault on Plevna (1877). It was decided to start the Pleven operation with the capture of Lovcha (35 km south of Pleven). From here, the Turks threatened the Russian rear at Plevna and Shipka. On August 22, a detachment of Prince Imeretinsky (27 thousand people) attacked Lovcha. It was defended by an 8,000-strong garrison led by Rifat Pasha. The assault on the fortress lasted 12 hours. The detachment of General Mikhail Skobelev distinguished himself in it. Transferring his attack from the right flank to the left, he disorganized the Turkish defense and finally decided the outcome of a tense battle. The losses of the Turks amounted to 2.2 thousand people, the Russians - over 1.5 thousand people. The fall of Lovcha eliminated the threat to the southern rear of the Western Detachment and allowed the third assault on Plevna to begin. By that time, Plevna, well fortified by the Turks, the garrison of which had grown to 34,000, had become the central nerve of the war. Without taking the fortress, the Russians could not advance beyond the Balkans, as they experienced a constant threat of a flank attack from her side. The siege troops were brought up to 85 thousand people by the end of August. (including 32 thousand Romanians). The Romanian king Karol I took the overall command of them. The third assault took place on August 30-31. The Romanians, advancing from the east, took the Grivitsky redoubts. The detachment of General Skobelev, who led his soldiers to attack on a white horse, broke through close to the city from the southwestern side. Despite the deadly fire, Skobelev's soldiers captured two redoubts (Kavanlek and Issa-aga). The path to Plevna was open. Osman threw the last reserves against the broken parts. All day on August 31, a fierce battle was in full swing here. The Russian command had reserves (less than half of all battalions went on the assault), but Skobelev did not receive them. As a result, the Turks recaptured the redoubts. The remnants of the Skobel detachment had to retreat. The third assault on Plevna cost the Allies 16 thousand people. (of which over 12 thousand Russians.). It was the bloodiest battle for the Russians in all the previous Russian-Turkish wars. The Turks lost 3 thousand people. After this failure, the commander-in-chief, Nikolai Nikolayevich, offered to withdraw beyond the Danube. He was supported by a number of military leaders. However, Minister of War Milyutin spoke out strongly against it, saying that such a move would deal a huge blow to the prestige of Russia and its army. Emperor Alexander II agreed with Milyutin. It was decided to proceed to the blockade of Plevna. The blockade works were headed by the hero of Sevastopol Totleben.

Autumn Offensive of the Turks (1877). A new failure near Plevna forced the Russian command to abandon active operations and wait for reinforcements. The initiative again passed to the Turkish army. On September 5, Suleiman attacked Shipka again, but was repulsed. The Turks lost 2 thousand people, the Russians - 1 thousand. On September 9, the positions of the Eastern Detachment were attacked by the army of Mehmet-Ali. However, her entire offensive was reduced to an assault on the Russian positions at Chair-kioy. After a two-day battle, the Turkish army withdrew to its original positions. After that, Mehmet Ali was replaced by Suleiman Pasha. In general, the September offensive of the Turks was rather passive and did not cause any special complications. The energetic Suleiman Pasha, who took command, developed a plan for a new November offensive. It provided for a three-pronged onslaught. The army of Mehmet-Ali (35 thousand people) was supposed to advance from Sofia to Lovcha. The southern army, led by Wessel Pasha, was to take Shipka and move to Tarnovo. The main Eastern army of Suleiman Pasha attacked Elena and Tarnovo. The first attack was supposed to be on Lovcha. But Mehmet-Ali delayed the performance, and in a two-day battle near Novachin (November 10-11), Gurko's detachment defeated his advanced units. The Turkish attack on Shipka on the night of November 9 (in the area of Mount St. Nicholas) was also repelled. After these unsuccessful attempts, the army of Suleiman Pasha went on the offensive. On November 14, Suleiman Pasha delivered a distracting blow to the left flank of the Eastern Detachment, and then went to his shock group (35 thousand people). It was intended for an attack on Elena in order to interrupt communication between the Eastern and Southern detachments of the Russians. On November 22, the Turks delivered a powerful blow to Elena and defeated the detachment of Svyatopolk-Mirsky 2nd (5 thousand people) stationed here.

The positions of the Eastern Detachment were broken through, and the way to Tarnovo, where there were large Russian warehouses, was opened. But Suleiman did not continue the offensive the next day, which allowed the heir to Tsarevich Alexander to transfer reinforcements here. They attacked the Turks and closed the gap. The capture of Elena was the last success of the Turkish army in this war. Then Suleiman again transferred the blow to the left flank of the Eastern Detachment. On November 30, 1877, a strike group of Turks (40 thousand people) attacked units of the Eastern Detachment (28 thousand people) near the village of Mechka. The main blow fell on the positions of the 12th Corps, commanded by Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich. After a fierce battle, the onslaught of the Turks was stopped. The Russians launched a counterattack and drove back those who were advancing behind Lom. The damage of the Turks amounted to 3 thousand people, the Russians - about 1 thousand people. For the Mechka, the heir Tsarevich Alexander received the St. George Star. In general, the Eastern Detachment had to hold back the main Turkish onslaught. In carrying out this task, considerable merit belongs to the heir to the Tsarevich Alexander Alexandrovich, who showed undoubted military leadership talents in this war. Interestingly, he was a staunch opponent of wars and became famous for the fact that Russia never fought during his reign. Ruling the country, Alexander III showed military abilities not on the battlefield, but in the field of solid strengthening of the Russian armed forces. He believed that Russia needed two faithful allies for a quiet life - the army and the navy. The battle at Mechka was the last major attempt by the Turkish army to defeat the Russian troops in Bulgaria. At the end of this battle, the sad news came to the headquarters of Suleiman Pasha about the surrender of Plevna, which radically changed the situation on the Russian-Turkish front.

Siege and fall of Plevna (1877). Totleben, who led the siege of Plevna, strongly opposed the new assault. He considered the main thing to achieve a complete blockade of the fortress. To do this, it was necessary to cut the Sofia-Plevna road, along which the besieged garrison received reinforcements. The approaches to it were guarded by the Turkish redoubts Gorny Dubnyak, Dolny Dubnyak and Telish. To take them, a special detachment was formed led by General Gurko (22 thousand people). On October 12, 1877, after a powerful artillery preparation, the Russians attacked Gorny Dubnyak. It was defended by a garrison led by Ahmet-Khivzi Pasha (4.5 thousand people). The assault was distinguished by stubbornness and bloodshed. The Russians lost over 3.5 thousand people, the Turks - 3.8 thousand people. (including 2.3 thousand prisoners). At the same time, the Telish fortifications were attacked, which surrendered only 4 days later. About 5 thousand people were taken prisoner. After the fall of Gorny Dubnyak and Telish, the garrison of Dolny Dubnyak left their positions and retreated to Plevna, which was now completely blocked. By mid-November, the number of troops near Plevna exceeded 100 thousand people. against the 50,000th garrison, whose food supplies were running out. By the end of November, food in the fortress remained for 5 days. Under these conditions, Osman Pasha tried to break out of the fortress on November 28. The honor of repulsing this desperate onslaught belonged to the grenadiers of General Ivan Ganetsky. Having lost 6 thousand people, Osman Pasha surrendered. The fall of Plevna dramatically changed the situation. The Turks lost their 50,000 army, while the Russians had 100,000 men freed. for the offensive. The victory came at a high cost. The total Russian losses near Plevna amounted to 32 thousand people.

Shipka seat (1877). While Osman Pasha was still holding out at Plevna, on Shipka, the former southern point of the Russian front, the famous winter sitting began in November. Snow fell in the mountains, the passes were covered with snow, and severe frosts struck. It was during this period that the Russians suffered the most severe losses on Shipka. And not from bullets, but from a more terrible enemy - an icy cold. During the "sitting" period, the damage of the Russians amounted to: 700 people from fighting, 9.5 thousand people from diseases and frostbite. Thus, the 24th Division, sent to Shipka without warm boots and sheepskin coats, lost up to 2/3 of its composition (6.2 thousand people) from frostbite in two weeks. Despite exceptionally difficult conditions, Radetzky and his soldiers continued to hold the pass. The Shipka seat, which required extraordinary stamina from the Russian soldiers, ended with the start of the general offensive of the Russian army.

Balkan theater of operations

Third stage

By the end of the year, favorable conditions had developed in the Balkans for the Russian army to go on the offensive. Its number reached 314 thousand people. against 183 thousand people. at the Turks. In addition, the capture of Plevna and the victory at Mechka secured the flanks of the Russian troops. However, the onset of winter sharply reduced the possibility of offensive operations. The Balkans were already covered with deep snow, and at this time of the year they were considered impassable. Nevertheless, at the military council on November 30, 1877, it was decided to cross the Balkans in winter. Wintering in the mountains threatened the soldiers with death. But if the army left the passes for winter quarters, then in the spring the Balkan steeps would have to be stormed again. Therefore, it was decided to descend from the mountains, but in a different direction - to Constantinople. For this, several detachments were allocated, of which the two main ones were Western and Southern. The western one, led by Gurko (60 thousand people), was supposed to go to Sofia with a stop at the rear of the Turkish troops at Shipka. The southern detachment of Radetsky (over 40 thousand people) advanced in the Shipka area. Two more detachments led by Generals Kartsev (5 thousand people) and Dellingshausen (22 thousand people) advanced respectively through Trayanov Val and Tvarditsky Pass. A breakthrough in several places at once did not give the Turkish command the opportunity to concentrate its forces in any one direction. Thus began the most striking operation of this war. After almost half a year of trampling near Plevna, the Russians suddenly took off and decided the outcome of the campaign in just a month, stunning Europe and Turkey.

Battle of the Sheins (1877). South of the Shipka Pass, in the area of the village of Sheinovo, was the Turkish army of Wessel Pasha (30-35 thousand people). Radetsky's plan was to double the coverage of the army of Wessel Pasha with columns of generals Skobelev (16.5 thousand people) and Svyatopolk-Mirsky (19 thousand people). They had to overcome the Balkan passes (Imitlisky and Tryavnensky), and then, having reached the Sheinovo region, deliver flank attacks on the Turkish army stationed there. Radetsky himself, with the units remaining on Shipka, dealt a distracting blow in the center. The winter crossing of the Balkans (often waist-deep in snow) in -20-degree frost was fraught with great risks. However, the Russians managed to overcome the snow-covered steeps. On December 27, the column of Svyatopolk-Mirsky was the first to reach Sheinovo. She immediately entered the battle and captured the front line of the Turkish fortifications. The right column of Skobelev was delayed with the exit. She had to overcome deep snow in harsh weather conditions, climbing along narrow mountain paths. Skobelev's delay gave the Turks a chance to defeat Svyatopolk-Mirsky's detachment. But their attacks on the morning of January 28 were repulsed. To help his own detachment Radetzky rushed from Shipka in a frontal attack on the Turks. This bold onslaught was repelled, but fettered part of the Turkish forces. Finally, having overcome the snowdrifts, Skobelev's units entered the battle area. They swiftly attacked the Turkish camp and broke into Sheinovo from the west. This onslaught decided the outcome of the battle. At 15:00, the surrounded Turkish troops capitulated. 22 thousand people surrendered to captivity. The losses of the Turks killed and wounded amounted to 1 thousand people. The Russians lost about 5 thousand people. The victory at Sheinovo ensured a breakthrough in the Balkans and opened the way for the Russians to Adrianople.

Battle of Philippoly (1878). Due to a snowstorm that broke out in the mountains, Gurko's detachment, moving in a detour, spent 8 days instead of the expected two. Local residents familiar with the mountains believed that the Russians were going to certain death. But they came, in the end, to victory. In the battles of December 19-20, advancing waist-deep in snow, Russian soldiers knocked down Turkish troops from their positions on the passes, then descended from the Balkans and occupied Sofia on December 23 without a fight. Further, at Philippopolis (now Plovdiv), there was the army of Suleiman Pasha (50 thousand people) transferred from eastern Bulgaria. This was the last major barrier on the way to Adrianople. On the night of January 3, the advanced Russian units forded the icy waters of the Maritsa River and entered into battle with the Turkish outposts west of the city. On January 4, Gurko's detachment continued the offensive and, bypassing Suleiman's army, cut off its retreat to the east, to Adrianople. On January 5, the Turkish army began to hastily retreat along the last free road to the south, towards the Aegean Sea. In the battles near Philippopolis, she lost 20 thousand people. (killed, wounded, captured, deserted) and ceased to exist as a serious combat unit. The Russians lost 1.2 thousand people. It was the last major battle of the Russian-Turkish war of 1877-1878. In the battles at Sheinovo and Philippopolis, the Russians defeated the main forces of the Turks beyond the Balkans. A significant role in the success of the winter campaign was played by the fact that the troops were led by the most capable military leaders - Gurko and Radetsky. On January 14-16, their detachments joined in Adrianople. It was the first to be occupied by the avant-garde, headed by the third brilliant hero of that war, General Skobelev. On January 19, 1878, a truce was concluded here, which drew a line under the history of Russian-Turkish military rivalry in South-Eastern Europe.

Caucasian theater of operations (1877-1878)

In the Caucasus, the forces of the parties were approximately equal. The Russian army under the general command of Grand Duke Mikhail Nikolayevich numbered 100 thousand people. Turkish army under the command of Mukhtar Pasha - 90 thousand people. Russian forces were distributed as follows. In the west, the area of the Black Sea coast was guarded by the Kobuleti detachment under the command of General Oklobzhio (25 thousand people). Further, in the Akhaltsikhe-Akhalkalaki region, the Akhaltsikhe detachment of General Devel (9 thousand people) was located. In the center, near Alexandropol, were the main forces led by General Loris-Melikov (50 thousand people). On the southern flank stood the Erivan detachment of General Tergukasov (11 thousand people). The last three detachments made up the Caucasian Corps, which was led by Loris-Melikov. The war in the Caucasus developed similarly to the Balkan scenario. First came the offensive of the Russian troops, then their transition to the defensive, and then a new offensive and inflicting a complete defeat on the enemy. On the day war was declared, the Caucasian Corps immediately went on the offensive with three detachments. The offensive took Mukhtar Pasha by surprise. He did not have time to deploy troops and retreated behind Kars to cover the Erzrum direction. Loris-Melikov did not pursue the Turks. Having united his main forces with the Akhaltsikhe detachment, the Russian commander began to lay siege to Kars. Forward, in the Erzrum direction, a detachment was sent under the command of General Geiman (19 thousand people). South of Kars, the Erivan detachment of Tergukasov advanced. He occupied Bayazet without a fight, and then moved along the Alashkert valley towards Erzrum. On June 9, near Dayar, the 7,000-strong detachment of Tergukasov was attacked by the 18,000-strong army of Mukhtar Pasha. Tergukasov fought off the onslaught and began to wait for the actions of his northern colleague - Geiman. He did not keep himself waiting long.

Battle of Zivin (1877). Retreat of the Erivan detachment (1877). On June 13, 1877, Geiman's detachment (19 thousand people) attacked the fortified positions of the Turks in the Zivina region (halfway from Kars to Erzrum). They were defended by the Turkish detachment of Khaki Pasha (10 thousand people). The poorly prepared assault on the Zivin fortifications (only a quarter of the Russian detachment was brought into battle) was repulsed. The Russians lost 844 people, the Turks - 540 people. The Zivin failure had serious consequences. After her, Loris-Melikov lifted the siege of Kars and ordered to start a retreat to the Russian border. The Erivan detachment, which had gone far deep into Turkish territory, had a particularly hard time. He had to make his way back through the sun-scorched valley, suffering from heat and lack of food. “At that time, camp kitchens did not exist,” recalled officer A.A. Brusilov, a participant in that war, “When the troops were on the move or without a wagon train, like us, the food was distributed from hand to hand, and everyone cooked what he could. Soldiers and officers suffered in the same way." In the rear of the Erivan detachment was the Turkish corps of Faik Pasha (10 thousand people), which besieged Bayazet. And from the front, the numerically superior Turkish army threatened. The successful completion of this difficult 200-kilometer retreat was greatly facilitated by the heroic defense of the Bayazet fortress.

Defense of Bayazet (1877). In this citadel there was a Russian garrison, which consisted of 32 officers and 1587 lower ranks. The siege began on 4 June. The assault on June 8 ended in failure for the Turks. Then Faik Pasha proceeded to blockade, hoping that hunger and heat would be better than his soldiers to cope with the besieged. But despite the lack of water, the Russian garrison rejected offers of surrender. By the end of June, the soldiers were given only one wooden spoon of water a day in the summer heat. The situation seemed so hopeless that the commandant of Bayazet, Lieutenant Colonel Patsevich, spoke at the military council in favor of surrender. But he was shot dead by officers outraged by such a proposal. The defense was led by Major Shtokvich. The garrison continued to stand firm, hoping for help. And the hopes of the bayazets were justified. On June 28, units of General Tergukasov arrived in time to help them, who fought their way to the fortress and saved its defenders. The loss of the garrison during the siege amounted to 7 officers and 310 lower ranks. The heroic defense of Bayazet did not allow the Turks to go to the rear of the troops of General Tergukasov and cut off their retreat to the Russian border.

Battle of the Alagia Heights (1877). After the Russians lifted the siege of Kars and retreated to the border, Mukhtar Pasha went on the offensive. However, he did not dare to give the Russian army a field battle, but took up strongly fortified positions on the Aladzhian heights, east of Kars, where he stood all August. Standing continued in September. Finally, on September 20, Loris-Melikov, who had concentrated a 56,000-strong strike force against Aladzhi, himself went on the offensive against the troops of Mukhtar Pasha (38,000 people). The fierce battle lasted three days (until September 22) and ended in complete failure for Loris-Melikov. Having lost over 3 thousand people. in bloody frontal attacks, the Russians withdrew to their original lines. Despite his success, Mukhtar Pasha nevertheless decided to retreat to Kars on the eve of winter. As soon as the departure of the Turks was indicated, Loris-Melikov launched a second attack (October 2-3). This onslaught, which combined a frontal attack with a flank bypass, was crowned with success. The Turkish army suffered a crushing defeat and lost more than half of its composition (killed, wounded, captured, deserted). Its remnants retreated in disarray to Kars and then to Erzrum. The Russians lost 1,500 men during the second assault. The battle of Aladzhia became decisive in the Caucasian theater of operations. After this victory, the initiative completely passed to the Russian army. In the battle of Aladzha, the Russians made extensive use of the telegraph for command and control for the first time. |^

Battle of Virgo-Bonnu (1877). After the defeat of the Turks on the Aladzhian heights, the Russians again laid siege to Kare. Forward, to Erzrum, Geiman's detachment was again sent. But this time Mukhtar Pasha did not linger on the Zivin positions, but retreated further to the west. On October 15, he joined up near the town of Kepri-Key with the corps of Ishmael Pasha, who had previously acted against the Erivan detachment of Tergukasov, retreating from the Russian border. Now the forces of Mukhtar Pasha have increased to 20 thousand people. Following Ishmael's corps, the detachment of Tergukasov moved, which on October 21 joined with the detachment of Geiman, who led the combined forces (25 thousand people). Two days later, in the vicinity of Erzrum, near Deve Boinu, Geiman attacked the army of Mukhtar Pasha. Geiman began a demonstration of an attack on the right flank of the Turks, where Mukhtar Pasha transferred all the reserves. Meanwhile, Tergukasov decisively attacked the left flank of the Turks and inflicted a severe defeat on their army. Russian losses amounted to just over 600 people. The Turks lost b thousand people. (of which 3 thousand prisoners). After that, the way to Erzrum was opened. However, Geiman stood idle for three days and only on October 27 approached the fortress. This allowed Mukhtar Pasha to strengthen himself and put his disorderly units in order. The assault on October 28 was repulsed, which forced Geiman to move away from the fortress. In the conditions of the onset of cold weather, he withdrew his troops for the winter in the Passinskaya Valley.

The Capture of Kars (1877). While Geiman and Tergukasov were going to Erzrum, Russian troops besieged Kars on October 9, 1877. The siege corps was led by General Lazarev. (32 thousand people). The fortress was defended by a 25,000-strong Turkish garrison led by Hussein Pasha. The assault was preceded by the bombing of the fortifications, which lasted intermittently for 8 days. On the night of November 6, Russian detachments went on an attack, which ended with the capture of the fortress. General Lazarev himself played an important role in the assault. He led a detachment that captured the eastern forts of the fortress and repulsed the counterattack of Hussein Pasha's units. The Turks lost 3 thousand killed and 5 thousand wounded. 17 thousand people were taken prisoner. Russian losses during the assault exceeded 2 thousand people. The capture of Kars actually ended the war in the Caucasian theater of operations.

Peace of San Stefano and Congress of Berlin (1878)

Peace of San Stefano (1878). On February 19, 1878, a peace treaty was concluded in San Stefano (near Constantinople), which ended the Russian-Turkish war of 1877-1878. Russia received back from Romania the southern part of Bessarabia, lost after the Crimean War, and from Turkey the port of Batum, the Kars region, the city of Bayazet and the Alashkert valley. Romania took away the region of Dobruja from Turkey. The complete independence of Serbia and Montenegro was established with the provision of a number of territories to them. The main result of the treaty was the emergence in the Balkans of a new large and virtually independent state - the Bulgarian principality.

Berlin Congress (1878). The terms of the treaty provoked protests from England and Austria-Hungary. The threat of a new war forced Petersburg to revise the San Stefano Treaty. In the same 1878, the Congress of Berlin was convened, at which the leading powers changed the previous version of the territorial structure in the Balkans and Eastern Turkey. The acquisitions of Serbia and Montenegro were reduced, the area of the Bulgarian Principality was cut almost three times. Austria-Hungary occupied Turkish possessions in Bosnia and Herzegovina. From its acquisitions in Eastern Turkey, Russia returned the Alashkert valley and the city of Bayazet. Thus, the Russian side had, in general, to return to the variant of the territorial structure, agreed before the war with Austria-Hungary.

Despite the Berlin restrictions, Russia nevertheless regained the lands lost under the Treaty of Paris (with the exception of the mouth of the Danube), and achieved the implementation (although far from being in full) of the Balkan strategy of Nicholas I. This Russo-Turkish clash completes Russia's fulfillment of its lofty mission to liberate the Orthodox peoples from the oppression of the Turks. As a result of the age-old struggle of Russia for the Danube, Romania, Serbia, Greece and Bulgaria gained independence. The Berlin Congress led to the gradual formation of a new alignment of forces in Europe. Russo-German relations cooled noticeably. On the other hand, the Austro-German alliance strengthened, in which there was no longer a place for Russia. Its traditional focus on Germany was coming to an end. In the 80s. Germany forms a military-political alliance with Austria-Hungary and Italy. Berlin's hostility is pushing St. Petersburg into partnership with France, which, fearing a new German aggression, is now actively seeking Russian support. In 1892-1894. a military-political Franco-Russian alliance is formed. He became the main counterbalance to the "Triple Alliance" (Germany, Austria-Hungary and Italy). These two blocs determined the new balance of power in Europe. Another important consequence of the Berlin Congress was the weakening of Russia's prestige in the countries of the Balkan region. The Congress in Berlin dispelled the Slavophile dreams of uniting the South Slavs into an alliance headed by the Russian Empire.

The death toll in the Russian army was 105 thousand people. As in the previous Russian-Turkish wars, the main damage was caused by diseases (primarily typhus) - 82 thousand people. 75% of military losses were in the Balkan theater of operations.

Shefov N.A. The most famous wars and battles of Russia M. "Veche", 2000.
"From Ancient Russia to the Russian Empire". Shishkin Sergey Petrovich, Ufa.

Lesson on the history of Russia in the 8th grade.

Teacher Kaloeva T.S. MBOU secondary school No. 46. Vladikavkaz.

Topic: Russian-Turkish war of 1877-1878.

Lesson type: Learning a new topic.

Goals:

Educational:

Find out the causes of the war.

the course and consequences of the Russian-Turkish war of 1877-1878;

Find out the goals of the parties

Developing:

develop map skills

develop the ability to highlight the main thing in the text of the textbook,

retelling the material read, posing and solving problems.

Educational:

using the example of the valor and courage of the Russian army to instill a sense of love and pride for the Motherland.

Basic concepts:

Congress of Berlin - June 1878

Plevna

Nikopol

Shipka Pass

Lesson equipment:

Wall map "Russian-Turkish war of 1877-1878";

Presentation for the lesson.

projector;

screen;

a computer;

Lesson plan:

Balkan crisis.

Forces and plans of the parties.

The course of hostilities.

Fall of Plevna. A turning point in the war.

Berlin Congress.

During the classes

I. Organizational moment.

II. Poll.

What are the main directions of the foreign policy of Alexander II. What is foreign policy?(This is the relationship with other states.

What are the main directions?(These are the Middle East, European, Far East and Central Asian directions, as well as the sale of Alaska.)

1. Middle East direction. Russia regained the right to build fortresses and maintain a fleet on the Black Sea. A great merit in this belonged to the Minister of Foreign Affairs A.M. Gorchakov, "Iron Chancellor" of the Russian Empire.

2. European direction. In the 1870s after the London conference in 1871, Russia and Germany came closer. In such a rapprochement, Russia could see a certain guarantee against an attack by Germany, which became extremely strong after the victory over France. In 1873, an agreement was concluded between Russia, Germany and Austria, according to which, in the event of an attack on one of these countries, negotiations on joint actions began between the allies - the "Union of Three Emperors".

3 . Central Asian direction. In the 60-70s of the XIX century, Russian troops under the command of generals Chernyaev and Skobelev conquered the territory of the Khiva and Kokand khanates, as well as the Bukhara emirate. The influence of Russia in Central Asia, which England claimed, was established.

4 .Far East direction. The further liberation of the Far East and Siberia by Russia, the active actions of England and France in China forced the Russian government to turn to clarifying the borders with China.

5 . Sale of Alaska. The decision to sell Alaska for $7.2 million. In addition, Russia sought to strengthen friendly relations with the United States.

What event in Russia's foreign policy at that time could be called a "triumph of Russian diplomacy"?(Russia did not have the right to keep a navy in the Black Sea after the Crimean War. Russia, represented by Chancellor Gorchakov, sought to neutralize the Black Sea by diplomatic means, negotiated and used contradictions between the European powers. At the London Conference (March 1871), this issue was resolved positively. This was the "triumph of Russian diplomacy" and personally A. M. Gorchakov.)

III. Exploring a new topic.

1. Balkan crisis. Do you remember what the "Eastern question" is? (Circle of problems associated with the Ottoman Empire).

Russia's goal in the war:

1. Free the Slavic peoples from the Turkish yoke.

Reason for war: On the initiative of A.M. Gorchakov Russia, Germany and Austria demanded from Turkey to equalize the rights of Christians with Muslims, but Turkey, encouraged by the support of England, refused.

Which Slavic peoples were ruled by the Ottoman Empire?(Serbia, Bulgaria, Bosnia, Herzegovina).

Causes of the war In: Russia and the Liberation Struggle of the Balkan Peoples.

spring1875 The uprising against the Turkish yoke began in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

A year later, in April1876 an uprising broke out in Bulgaria. Turkish punishers suppressed these uprisings with fire and sword. Only in Bulgaria they carved more30 thousands of people. Serbia and Montenegro in summer1876 g. started a war against Turkey. But the forces were unequal. The poorly armed Slavic armies suffered setbacks. In Russia, a social movement in defense of the Slavs was expanding. Thousands of Russian volunteers were sent to the Balkans. Donations were collected all over the country, weapons, medicines were bought, hospitals were equipped. The outstanding Russian surgeon N. V. Sklifosovsky led the Russian sanitary detachments in Montenegro, and the famous general practitioner S. P. Botkin- in Serbia. AlexanderIIintroduced10 thousand rubles in favor of the rebels. Calls for Russian military intervention were heard from everywhere.However, the government acted cautiously, realizing Russia's unpreparedness for a major war. Reforms in the army and its rearmament have not yet been completed. They did not have time to recreate the Black Sea Fleet either. Meanwhile, Serbia was defeated. Serbian Prince Milan turned to the king with a request for help. In October1876 d. Russia gave Turkey an ultimatum: immediately conclude a truce with Serbia. Russian intervention prevented the fall of Belgrade.

Exercise: the war unfolded on 2 fronts: the Balkan and the Caucasian.

Compare the strengths of the parties. Make a conclusion about the readiness of Russia and the Ottoman Empire for war.

Side forces

Balkan front

Caucasian front

Russians

Turks

Russians

Turks

250,000 soldiers

338,000 soldiers

55,000 soldiers

70,000 soldiers

April 12, 1877 . – Alexander II signed a manifesto on the beginning of the war with Turkey

Map work.

The Balkans divided the territory of Bulgaria into North and South. The Shipka Pass connected the northern part of Bulgaria with the southern one. It was a convenient way for the passage of troops with artillery through the mountains. The shortest route to the city of Andrianopol went through Shipka, i.e. in the rear of the Turkish army.

Having crossed the Balkans, it was important for the Russian army to control all the fortresses of northern Bulgaria in order to prevent the Turks from attacking from the rear.

3. The course of hostilities.

Work with the textbook: pp.199-201.

We answer questions:

1. When did the Russian army cross the Danube? - (in June 1877).

2. Who liberated the capital of Bulgaria, Tarnovo? (detachment I.V. Gurko).

3. When did Plevna fall? 9 in November 1877)

4. What was Skobelev called in the troops? ("The White General")

4. San Stefano Peace Treaty.

The successes of the Russian troops, disagreements among the Turkish government, the efforts of the national liberation movement in the Balkans forced the Sultan to offer Alexander II to stop hostilities and start peace negotiations.February 19, 1878 -signing of an agreement between Russia and Turkey.

According to the treaty: Serbia, Montenegro and Romania gained independence. Bulgaria became an autonomous principality within the Ottoman Empire, i.e. received the right to its own government, army, communication with Turkey was limited to the payment of tribute.

Western European states expressed their disagreement with the terms of the San Stefano Treaty. Austria-Hungary and England declared that he violated the terms of the Peace of Paris. Russia faced the threat of a new war, for which she was not ready. Therefore, the Russian government was forced to agree to the discussion of a peace treaty with Turkey at the international congress in Berlin.

5. Berlin Congress and the results of the war.

June 1878 - Congress of Berlin.

Bulgaria was divided into two parts:

Northern was declared a principality dependent on Turkey,

South - the autonomous Turkish province of Eastern Rumelia.

The territories of Serbia and Montenegro have been significantly curtailed.

Russia returned Bayazet fortress to Turkey.

Austria annexed Bosnia and Herzegovina.

England received the island of Cyprus.

( The Berlin Congress worsened the position of the Balkan peoples, liberated by Russia from the Turkish yoke. His decisions showed the fragility of the alliance of the three emperors, revealed the struggle of the powers for the division of the territory of the disintegrating Ottoman Empire. However, as a result of the Russian-Turkish war, part of the Balkan peoples gained independence, and the paths were opened for the remaining Turks under power to fight for freedom.)

Guys, now you will work with the text. Find the mistakes in it and write the correct answer.

Each major event leaves a mark in history, lives in the memory of mankind. The heroism and courage of Russians and Bulgarians were immortalized in monuments. A majestic monument to the glory of Russian and Bulgarian soldiers in memory of the heroic events of those years was built on Shipka in Bulgaria.

Despite the forced concessions to Russia, the war in the Balkans became the most important step in the national liberation struggle of the South Slavic peoples against the Ottoman yoke. The authority of Russian military glory was fully restored. And this happened largely thanks to a simple Russian soldier who showed stamina and courage in battles, amazing endurance in the most difficult conditions of a combat situation.We must always remember that the heroes of the Victory were connected by invisible threads with the heroes of the Russian-Turkish war of 1877-1878, as well as with the Suvorov miraculous heroes, the soldiers of Dmitry Donskoy and Alexander Nevsky and all our great ancestors. And this continuity, in spite of everything, must be preserved in our people forever. And each of you, remembering these events, should feel like a citizen of a great state, whose name is Russia!

And each of us must remember these events, must feel like a citizen of a great state, whose name is Russia!

Heroes of the Russian-Turkish war of 1877-1878

Balkan front:

General Stoletov N.G. - Defense of Shipka.

general Kridener N.P. - Instead of the fortress of Plevna, he took Nikopol.

General Skobelev M.D. - took the suburb of Istanbul - San Stefano.

General Gurko N.V. - liberated Tarnovo, captured the Shipka Pass, occupied Sofia, Adrianople.

General Totleben E.I. - freed Plevna from the Turks.

Caucasian front:

Loris-Melikov M.T. - occupied the fortresses of Bayazet, Ardagan, Kars.

At the end, the lesson is summed up. Grades are given for the lesson.

Homework: P§ 28. Compile a chronological table of the war of 1877-1878. Read the documents on pages 203-204, answer the questions.

The reasons for the Russian-Turkish war (1877-1878), which became an important event in the history of both states, must be known in order to understand the historical processes of that time. The hostilities affected not only the relations between Russia and Turkey, but also world politics in general, since this war also affected the interests of other states.

General list of reasons

The table below will provide a general idea of the factors that led to the outbreak of the war.

*Cause*	*Explanation*
The Balkan issue escalated	Turkey is pursuing a tough policy against the southern Slavs in the Balkans, they resist it and declare war
The desire for revenge for the Crimean War and the struggle for the return of Russia's influence in the international arena	After the Crimean War, Russia lost a lot, and the new war with Turkey made it possible to return it. In addition, Alexander II wanted to show Russia as an influential and strong state.
Defense of the South Slavs	Russia positions itself as a state that is concerned about the issue of protecting Orthodox peoples from the atrocities of the Turks, therefore it provides support to the weak Serbian army
Conflict over the status of the Straits	For Russia, which was reviving the Black Sea Fleet, this issue was fundamental

These were the main prerequisites for the Russian-Turkish war, which led to the outbreak of hostilities. What events immediately preceded the war?

Rice. 1. Soldier of the Serbian army.

Timeline of events leading up to the Russo-Turkish War

In 1875, an uprising took place in the Balkans on the territory of Bosnia, which was brutally suppressed. The next year, in 1876, it broke out in Bulgaria, the massacre was also quick and ruthless. In June 1876, Serbia declared war on Turkey, to which Russia provides direct support, sending several thousand volunteers to strengthen its weak army.

However, the Serbian troops still suffer defeat - they were defeated near Djunish in 1876. After that, Russia demanded guarantees from Turkey for the preservation of the cultural rights of the South Slavic peoples.

What have we learned?

What were the reasons for the Russian-Turkish war - the aggravated Balkan issue, the desire for revenge, the need to challenge the status of the straits in connection with the revival of the Black Sea Fleet and the protection of the interests of the southern Slavs who suffered from the oppression of the Turks. We briefly reviewed the events and outcomes of these events that preceded the war with Turkey, sorted out the prerequisites and the need for military action. We learned what diplomatic efforts were made to prevent it and why they did not lead to success. We also learned what territories were promised to Austria-Hungary and England because they refused to act on the side of Turkey.

The Russian-Turkish war of 1877-1878 is a war between the Russian Empire and its allied Balkan states on the one hand, and the Ottoman Empire on the other. It was caused by the rise of national consciousness in the Balkans. The cruelty with which the April Uprising was crushed in Bulgaria aroused sympathy for the position of the Christians of the Ottoman Empire in Europe and especially in Russia. Attempts to improve the position of Christians by peaceful means were frustrated by the stubborn unwillingness of the Turks to make concessions to Europe, and in April 1877 Russia declared war on Turkey.

Detachment of Don Cossacks in front of the emperor's residence in Ploiesti, June 1877.

In the course of the ensuing hostilities, the Russian army managed, using the passivity of the Turks, to successfully cross the Danube, capture the Shipka Pass and, after a five-month siege, force Osman Pasha's best Turkish army to surrender at Plevna. The subsequent raid through the Balkans, during which the Russian army defeated the last Turkish units blocking the road to Constantinople, led to the withdrawal of the Ottoman Empire from the war.

At the Berlin Congress held in the summer of 1878, the Berlin Treaty was signed, which fixed the return of the southern part of Bessarabia to Russia and the annexation of Kars, Ardagan and Batum. The statehood of Bulgaria was restored (it was conquered by the Ottoman Empire in 1396) as a vassal Principality of Bulgaria; the territories of Serbia, Montenegro and Romania increased, and the Turkish Bosnia and Herzegovina was occupied by Austria-Hungary.

Emperor Alexander II

Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolaevich, commander-in-chief of the Danube army, in front of the main headquarters in Ploiesti, June 1877.

Sanitary convoy for transporting the wounded of the Russian army.

Mobile sanitary detachment of Her Imperial Majesty.

Field infirmary in the village of Pordim, November 1877.

His Majesty Sovereign Emperor Alexander II, Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolaevich and Karol I, Prince of Romania, with staff officers in Gornaya Studen, October 1877.

Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich, Prince Alexander Battenberg and Colonel Skarialin in the village of Pordim, September 1877.

Count Ignatiev among employees in Gornaya Studen, September 1877.

The transition of Russian troops on the way to Plevna. In the background is the place where on December 10, 1877, Osman Pasha delivered the main blow.

View of the tents, which housed the wounded Russian soldiers.

Doctors and nurses of the field infirmary of the Russian Red Cross, November 1877.

Medical personnel of one of the sanitary units, 1877.

Sanitary train carrying wounded Russian soldiers at one of the stations.

Russian battery in position near Korabiya. Romanian coast, June 1877.

Pontoon bridge between Zimnitsa and Svishtov from Bulgaria, August 1877.

Bulgarian holiday in Byala, September 1877.

Prince V. Cherkassky, head of the civil administration in the liberated Russian lands, with his associates in a field camp near the village of Gorna Studen, October 1877.

Caucasian Cossacks from the imperial escort in front of the residence in the village of Pordim, November 1877.

Grand Duke, heir to the throne Alexander Alexandrovich with his headquarters near the city of Ruse, October 1877.

General Strukov in front of the house of the inhabitants of Gornaya Studena, October 1877.

Prince V. Cherkassky at his headquarters in Gornaya Studen, October 1877.

Lieutenants Shestakov and Dubasov, who blew up the Selfi monitor in the Machinsky branch of the Danube River, June 14-15, 1877. The first knights of the St. George Cross in the Russian-Turkish war, June 1877.

Bulgarian governor from the retinue of Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolaevich, October 1877.

Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich with his adjutant in front of the tent in Pordima, 1877.

Guards Grenadier Artillery Brigade.

His Majesty Sovereign Emperor Alexander II, Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolaevich and Carol I, Prince of Romania, in Mountain Studen. The photo was taken just before the assault on Plevna on September 11, 1877.

General I. V. Gurko, Gorn Studena, September 1877.

A group of generals and adjutants in front of the residence of Alexander II in Pordima, October-November 1877.

The advanced frontiers of the Caucasians.