Facts about Alexander Samsonov

Alexander Samsonov Summary:                 Alexander Samsonov was an extraordinary man. His military capabilities were second to none. He fought every battle that ever involved his country and was successful due largely in part to his planning and planning every detail.

His only and fateful downfall came not so much as a result of his own misjudgment but because of a lack of communication with another officer with whom he had quarreled and as a result of that not only were tens of thousands of men dead but so great was his shame, he took his own life rather than face the consequences of his only catastrophic failure.
 

Alexander Samsonov Fact Sheet: Who was Alexander Samsonov? The following short biography and fact sheet provides interesting facts about the life, times and history of Alexander Samsonov.

Alexander Samsonov Fact File: Lifespan: 1859 - 1914 *** Full Name: Alexander Vassilievich Samsonov *** Occupation: Career Officer in the Imperial Russian Army and General *** Date of Birth: Alexander Samsonov was born on November 14th 1859 *** Place of Birth: Alexander Samsonov was born in Andreevka, Kherson Governorate, Russian Empire *** Family background, early life and childhood: There is no real record of any of this information *** Education: Alexander Samsonov received part of his education at the Kiev Cadet Corps and the elite Nikolaev Cavalry School ***

Alexander Samsonov Fact 1: Alexander Samsonov was born on November 14th 1859 during the period in history when many cultural, political and social upheavals took place across America and Europe.

Alexander Samsonov Fact 2: His next step was to join the Imperial Russian Army when was eighteen years of age.

Alexander Samsonov Fact 3: He began his career as a cornet and was attached to the 12th Hussars Regiment.

Alexander Samsonov Fact 4: Between 1877 and 1978 he took part in the Russo-Turkish War.

Alexander Samsonov Fact 5: Once that conflict was over he then attended the Nikolaevsky Military Academy which was in St Petersburg.

Alexander Samsonov Fact 6: By November of 1888 he had been appointed as senior aide to the staff of the 20th Infantry Division.

Alexander Samsonov Fact 7: From July 2885 to February 1889 he served as the Senior Staff Adjutant to Caucasus Grenadier Division.

Alexander Samsonov Fact 8: Between March of 1890 until July 1896 he worked in various positions at the Warsaw Military District.

Alexander Samsonov Fact 9: As a result of this he would become the commandant at the Elisavetgrad Cavalry School.

Alexander Samsonov Fact 10: In 1900 he commanded a cavalry unit during the Boxer Rebellion.

Alexander Samsonov Fact 11: Between 1904 and 1905 Alexander Samsonov was a commander of a cavalry brigade of the Ussuri Siberian Cossack Division during the Russo-Japanese War.

Alexander Samsonov Fact 12: After the Russian defeat during the Battle of Telissu, Alexander Samsonov was given command of all Russian cavalry forces of the First Siberian Army Corps.

Alexander Samsonov Fact 13: During the Battle of Liaoyang it would be his forces that would protect the Russian flanks.

Alexander Samsonov Fact 14: Although there were those that criticized his leadership skills, others saw him as a imaginative and enthusiastic leader.

Alexander Samsonov Fact 15: In 1905, General Paul von Rennenkampf was massively criticized by Alexander Samsonov for not coming to his assistance during the Battle Mukden. This quarrel made these two men life-long enemies.

Alexander Samsonov Fact 16: Alexander Samsonov became Chief of staff in 1906 to the Warsaw Military District.

Alexander Samsonov Fact 17: By 1909 he would become Governor General of the Russian Tukestan and would also become commander of the Turkestan Military District as well as command of the Semirechye Cossacks.

Alexander Samsonov Fact 18: At the beginning of the First World War he was given command of the Second Army. He would be responsible for the invasion of East Prussia.

Alexander Samsonov Fact 19: As a result of the ongoing feud between himself and General Rennenkampf the communication breakdown meant that Samsonov’s troops who were hoping to converge with those of the General from south-west to north-east did not happen.

Alexander Samsonov Fact 20: His downfall would come when his 150,000 troops were surrounded by German Eight Army. Unable to retreat, barely 10,000 of those troops managed to escape.

Alexander Samsonov Fact 21: Unwilling to face his superior, namely Tsar Nicholas II, on August 30th 1914 he committed suicide near Willenberg.

Alexander Samsonov Fact 20: Two years later, with the assistance of the Red Cross, Alexander Samsonov body be returned to his wife.

Important Events of the era and during the life of Alexander Samsonov include: Queen Victoria’s husband Prince Albert dies, Britain obtains a 99 year lease on Hong Kong from the Chinese and Australia opens its first parliament in Melbourne.

List of Honors Awarded to Alexander Samsonov:
*** Order of St Anne 4th degree 1877 *** Order of St Stanislaus 3rd degree 1880 *** Order of St Anne 3rd degree 1885 *** Order of Stanislaus 2nd degree 1889 *** Order of St Anne 2nd degree 1892 *** Order of St Vladimir 4th degree 1896 *** Order of St Vladimir 3rd degree 1900 *** Order of St Stanislaus 2nd degree with swords 1904 *** Order of St Anne 1st degree 1905 *** Golden Sword to St George 1906 *** Order of St Vladimir 2nd degree 1906 *** Order of St George 4th class 1907 *** Order of the White Eagle with swords 1909 *** Order of St Alexander Nevsky 1913 ***