German and Austro-Hungarian Armies in Perception of Russian Officer Corps in 1870s and 1880s

This article examines the views that emerged among the Russian officer corps during the 1870s and 1880s regarding the German and Austro-Hungarian armies. The aim of the study is to illuminate the process of shaping these perceptions, trace their historical dynamics, and identify the factors influencing the transformation of Russian officers’ views during this period. Investigating this topic contributes to a deeper understanding of Russian foreign and military policy in the 1870s and 1880s, a time when a specific balance of power was taking shape in Europe and the outlines of military-political alliances that defined the nature of bloc opposition during World War I began to emerge. The study focuses primarily on the perspectives of the General Staff officer corps, as their responsibilities included the systematic study of foreign armies and the application of this knowledge for Russian military needs. Based on the conducted research, it is concluded that between the 1870s and 1880s, the attitude of the Russian officer corps towards the German army underwent changes that aligned with a sequence of “adversary” — “competitor” — “enemy,” while the Austro-Hungarian army was perceived as Russia’s key “competitor” in the Balkans.

Russian officer corps, German Empire, Austro-Hungary, General Staff, military agents