Patriotism examples

Why it is important to remember the events of the First World War

One hundred and ten years ago, fighting broke out that had global significance, shaping the world order and geopolitical landscape for decades ahead. That terrible military disaster engulfed 38 states, home to over 1.5 billion people. The total number of those mobilised reached 73.5 million. The battles that fought between July 28th, 1914 and November 11th, 1918 claimed 10 million lives — a figure equivalent to the total casualties from all European wars over a thousand years — and left 20 million wounded.

Memorial complex in Smorgon, Belarus 

Heroism and courage

Since 1915, the Western Front had been passing through the territory of Byelorussia. Nearly 900,000 residents of Byelorussian provinces were drafted into the army, of which 70,000 gave their lives in battle. Sixty thousand Byelorussian civilians perished due to the wartime hardships. A huge tragedy for the population was the displacement of at least 1.5 million residents to the rear. Our losses are comparable to those of Belgium, which had a similar population size to that of Byelorussian provinces. Any history book on the First World War will highlight Belgium as one of its primary victims. That war is an integral part of our history, and its memory deserves to be honoured appropriately.

Numerous acts of heroism and courage are associated with the battles of that time. Over 1 million soldiers of the Russian army, including thousands of Byelorussians, were awarded St George’s Crosses. Many of those individuals later earned the highest Soviet awards during the Civil War and the 1941-1945 Great Patriotic War.

Major General Aleksandr Sobolev, a native of Vitebsk Region, a St George cavalier and hero of the Brusilov offensive, joined the Red Army voluntarily. In 1919, he received the Order of the Red Banner. After being captured, he refused to go over to the White Guards’ side and was shot by them. Major General and St George cavalier Anton Stankevich, a native of Grodno Region, who joined the Workers’ and Peasants’ Red Army, suffered the same fate. As he was captured, he was offered to defect to the White Guards, but the courageous military man refused the proposal, as well as a ‘comfortable’ diplomatic position abroad. He ascended the scaffold wearing the uniform of an ordinary Red Army soldier and put a noose around his neck himself. Anton Stankevich was posthumously awarded the Order of the Red Banner and is the only of the former generals buried at the Kremlin Wall. Aleksei Tereshkov, a native of Gomel Region, had three St George’s Crosses and three St George’s medals. In 1945, he, holding the rank of lieutenant general, became a Hero of the Soviet Union. Minay Shmyryov, the renowned partisan brigade commander and Hero of the Soviet Union, was awarded four Orders of Lenin and the Order of the Red Star, and had three St George’s Crosses. Marshal of the Soviet Union Konstantin Rokossovsky also received St George’s Cross and three St George’s medals during his service in the Kargopol Dragoon Regiment.
During the Great Patriotic War, wearing St George’s awards alongside Soviet orders and medals was tacitly allowed. St George’s Cross got a second life in the Order of Glory — one of the most honourable military awards in the Red Army. Just like the St George’s Cross, the Order of Glory could only be earned through acts of bravery and loyalty to the military duty on the battlefield.

Impregnable fortress

Historical justice is currently being restored. Belarus has already made significant strides in researching and perpetuating the First World War events. The Institute of History of Belarus’ National Academy of Sciences in liaison with colleagues from universities, local authorities and historians have held a number of scientific conferences, prepared and published collections and monographs as part of the implementation of the state research programme. President Aleksandr Lukashenko has consistently set the task for Belarusian historical studies to recreate an objective picture of the past.
Local lore enthusiasts in Smorgon and Vileika regions led by Boris Tsitovich created a First World War museum complex in the village of Zabrodye, Vileika District, with the highest blessing of Metropolitan of Minsk and Slutsk, Patriarchal Exarch of All Belarus Filaret. Boris Tsitovich’s dedicated efforts to preserve historical memory earned him the Spiritual Revival Award of the President of the Republic of Belarus.
Thanks to the government support, a memorial was unveiled in 2011 at the Minsk Fraternal Military Cemetery honouring soldiers who died during the First World War. With the support of the Union State, a memorial complex commemorating the First World War heroes and victims was solemnly opened in Smorgon in 2014. The significance of the 810-day defence of Smorgon — from September 15th, 1915 to December 5th, 1917 — is on a par with major battles of the First World War, such as the Battles of the Marne, the Somme, Verdun, the Gorlice breakthrough and the Brusilov offensive.

Important note

At the dawn of the 20th century, two opposing blocs of states emerged in Europe — the Triple Alliance, comprising the German and Austro-Hungarian Empires, Italy, and the Entente, which included Great Britain, France, the Russian Empire. The nations involved aimed to establish their dominance both in Europe and globally. The geopolitical situation of other countries forced them to choose which side to take in that confrontation.

Anglo-Saxons’ interests

The Entente allies, led by Great Britain, used the military and economic potential of the Russian Empire to avoid the defeat of their forces in Europe. At the same time, they supported the revolutionary movement in the Russian Empire, and later participated in the military intervention against the Soviet republics. This strategy aligned with the overarching policy of the Anglo-Saxons to weaken their main competitors on the global stage as much as possible.

Preservation of historical memory

What are the key lessons of the First World War for us, Belarusians? First and foremost, we must focus on preventing similar tragedies in the future, preserving peace in our homeland, and being ready to defend the sovereignty of our beloved Belarus with weapons in our hands, should it be necessary. Last but not least, we must not blindly trust the Anglo-Saxon countries and their allies, as their primary concern always lies in their own mercantile interests, for which they are ready to disregard treaties and allied relations.

Today we should remember that the Russian Empire is one of the historical forms of Belarusian statehood. The authorities of that time viewed Belarusians as part of the triune state-forming peoples of the empire — Belarusians, Great Russians and Little Russians. It was the Russian Empire that became the cradle of the Belarusian nation. Therefore, preserving the historical memory of the tragic and heroic events of the First World War is essential for the patriotic education of our younger generation.

By Vyacheslav Danilovich, deputy of the House of Representatives, Doctor of Historical Sciences