The food supply of Russian Army during the First World War (August 1914 – February 1917)

Author(s):  A.N. Moshkin, Dr., Prof., Belgorod State National Research University, Belgorod, Russia, moshkin@bsu.edu.ru

E.A. Gangov, candidate of Sciences, Belgorod State Agrarian University named after V.J. Gorin, Belgorod, Russia, gangovevgeniy@mail.ru

Y.V. Valyaev, candidate of Sciences, Belgorod State Agrarian University named after V.J. Gorin, Belgorod, Russia, rufahnen@rambler.ru

Issue:  Volume 44, №22

Rubric:  Topical issues of russian history

Annotation:  The article deals with the question of the food supply of the Russian Army before and during World War I. In this context, we study the positive and negative aspects of the system. The novelty of the work lies in the use of historical and anthropological approach that allowed to see how changes in the functioning of the food supply were reflected in the psycho-physiological state of the military. The authors describe the structure of the Main Quartermaster Directorate, responsible for the food supply front and rear, explores the types and rules of food supply, both in peacetime and wartime, and also analyze the causes of changes in the quality supplied to the regular army food. The article is based on archival materials, periodicals, memoirs. Exploring the food problem of the Russian army during World War I, the authors revealed a number of problems that hinder domestic Quartermaster Corps timely provide all necessary front: irrational plan preparation and distribution of food; no established mechanism of delivery and transport of food to the front in the ever-changing boundaries of hostilities related to the occurrence or departure of troops; shortage of personnel qualified commanders and abuse of official duties by individual military officials. The various aspects of this article can be used in educational practice.

Keywords:  First World War, frontal life, food supply

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