Aleksei Brusilov

Aleksei Alekseevich Brusilov was a Russian general most noted for the development of new offensive tactics used in the 1916 Brusilov Offensive. The innovative and relatively successful tactics used were later copied by the Germans. Born into the aristocracy Brusilov trained as a cavalry officer, but by 1914 he realized that cavalry was obsolescent in the new style of warfare because of its vulnerability to the machine gun and artillery. Historians portray him as the only Russian leader capable of winning major battles. However, his heavy casualties seriously weakened the Russian army, which was unable to replace its losses. His greatest achievement was the Brusilov offensive. He had a small numerical advantage , but in 72 hours advanced 50 miles, took 200,000 prisoners, and seized 700 heavy guns.

Brusilov was born in Tiflis . His father was Russian, his mother, Anna Luiza Niestojemska, was Polish. Three generations of Brusilovs had served as officers in the tsars army, his grandfather fighting in the defence against Napoleons invasion of 1812. His father rose to the rank of Lieutenant General before dying of tuberculosis in 1856. Brusilovs mother died shortly afterwards, and the young orphan was raised by relatives in Kutaisi.

Source: Wikipedia