ZBROJENIA MORSKIE ROSJI W OKRESIE POCUSZIMSKIM (1905–1914)

Abstract

The article presents the stages of the expansion of the Russian navy in the years 1905–1914. In accordance with the analysis of the documents deposited in the Russian archives, the author formulated a thesis statement that the development of the Russian armaments industry speeded up in 1909, i.e. after the realisation of ‘The Small Programme’ of the navy’s expansion. The fact that the ‘The Small Programme’ came into force constituted in the conceptions of admiralty a prelude to pursue “The Act on the Tsarist Russian Navy’ (‘The Great Programme’). The armaments programme was to be realised in the years 1911–1913, in stages, to prevent the Duma from rejecting the act due to the enormous costs of the construction of the oceanic fleet. After the Battle of Tsushima, the parliament adopted a resolution on granting credits for the implementation of two programmes which constituted an integral part of ‘The Great Programme’ of the Russian navy’s expansion. Their realization was to considerably strengthen the battle potential of the Baltic and Black See Fleet. However, these plans were thwarted by the outbreak of the First World War, which slowed down the construction of man y naval vessels.

Keywords

• Russian Imperial Navy
• Russian Navy
• Russia