country or himself for that matter. The decisions he made clearly appeased his ego and were not made by a man who was experienced in leading a nation through a time of transition. His inability to help in Russian military development by allowing those who understood what needed to be fixed and what plans needed to be made are what eventually led to Russian ineffectiveness in the war and his own downfall.Russian inability to recognize changing tactics and weapons of modern warfare is inexcusable but sadly explainable. Because the Czar tended to centralize power and surround himself with “yes men,” he missed the good advice of those in his country who could have helped guide Russia into war. Some of these choices can also be blamed on misconceptions of Russian capabilities, and of its military identity. The military reforms that were not completely halted by inept leaders were otherwise thwarted by the lack of details with which an army mobilizes and fights. Details were not an important aspect for Russian pre-war strategy or estimations.Though the Russian army had repeatedly been proven incapable, there still remained a myth of its invincibility. This myth tended to be held on all sides based on the sheer masses of soldiers and not in any way on its tactics or technical proficiency. The government’s inability to effectively manage resources was never fully accounted for by any of the countries, enemy or ally. One of the reasons for French alliance with Russia and dependence on their assistance against a common enemy was miscalculated military might. France didn’t completely believe the claims quoted to them by Russia, but they did believe in the myth of invincibility and that even if they could conduct only a portion of their men to the front, the reality of a two front war was better than facing Germany alone.Before World War I, the Germans, like Russia, prepared for an imminent conflict, but with much m...
