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Dmitri Parsky

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Dmitri Pavlovich Parsky
Born29 October [O.S. 17 October] 1866
Tula Governorate, Russian Empire
Died20 December 1921(1921-12-20) (aged 55)
Moscow, Russian SSR
Allegiance Russian Empire
 Russian SFSR
Service/branch Imperial Russian Army
Red Army
Years of service1884–1921
Commands held
Battles/wars

Dmitri Pavlovich Parsky (Russian: Дми́трий Па́влович Па́рский; 29 October [O.S. 17 October] 1866 in Tula – 20 December 1921) was an Imperial Russian Army general during World War I, who fought on the Eastern Front.

Life

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Parsky was born to the family of Pavel Parsky and Natalya Ladyzhenskaya, nobles from the Epifansky district of the Tula Governorate.[1] In 1893 he attended the General Staff Academy.

He was among early generals advocating military reform following the disastrous Russo-Japanese War. He advocated for better education for officers, equal and fair pay, and better prospects for promotion.[2] He advocated soldiers be treated as individuals and their rights under the law be enforced by unit commanders, and a promotion system based on merit.[2]

During World War I, he commanded the 12th Army from 20 July to 9 September 1917 and the 3rd Army from 9 September 1917 to 8 November 1917.[3]

He was the first battle-experienced Tsarist General to offer his services to the Red Army,[4] explaining his viewpoint thus:

"I am far from this Bolshevism you preach. But I am ready to work honourably not only with them, but with anyone, even the Devil and his disciples, if only to save Russia from German slavery."[5]

During the Russian Civil War, he first was commander of the Narva Front and later of the entire Northern Front.

He died of typhus in 1921 and is buried at the Vagankovo Cemetery.[6]

Honours and awards

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References

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  1. ^ "Дмитрий Павлович Парский р. 17 октябрь 1866 ум. 20 декабрь 1921 — Родовод". web.archive.org. 2023-03-30. Retrieved 2024-07-05.
  2. ^ a b Reese, Roger R. (2019). The Imperial Russian Army in peace, war, and revolution, 1856-1917. Modern war studies. Lawrence, Kansas: University Press of Kansas. p. 259. ISBN 978-0-7006-2860-5.
  3. ^ Prit Buttar (2017). The Splintered Empires: The Eastern Front 1917–21. Osprey Publishing. p. 205. ISBN 9781472819857.
  4. ^ From Tsarist General to Red Army Commander by Mikhail Bonch-Bruevich, translated by Vladimir Vezey, Progress Publishers, 1966
  5. ^ The Russian Civil War by Evan Mawdsley, p 83.
  6. ^ Некролог // Известия (газета). — 22 декабря 1921, № 288. — с. 3.