Military miniatures

The group of enthusiasts of tin military miniatures from Riga, Latvia, introduce to Your attention the collection of tin soldiers (54 and 60 mm scale).

Themes: Army of Napoleon I (1805 - 1815) and Russian Army in the beginning of XX century. As long as first theme is well-known, the second one is needs some comments. Since Tsar's Peter The Great reformations (in the beginning of XVIII century) Russian army wore "an European-style" uniforms. Also "an European - type" infantry and cavalry regiments were raised: grenadiers, musketeers, dragoons, and later - chasseurs, hussars, lancers, cuirassiers etc., and Russian army became regular. Only one type of forces - famous Cossacks - remained irregular and wore a Russian "national - type's" uniform. In 1881 emperor Alexander III ( the true Russian "nationalist" ) have abolished "foreign-type" regiments in cavalry (only dragoons and Cossacks remained ), and also has established a "new national type" of uniform for all army. It was a really progressive event in fact, 'cos an expenses for military uniform's became rather lower ( hussar's dolmans and pelisses, cuirassiers cuirasses and helmets etc. were very nice, but expensive elements of uniform ). Also after US Civil War it became clear for every military specialists, that only dragoon's cavalry tactics is suitable for new times.

But emperor in the same time forgot about regiment's traditions and glorious military history, and it was very negative element for army.

For example: famous Akhtyrka or Mariupol hussars, Novgorod or Astrakhan cuirassiers or Lithuanian lancers etc. were not very glad, when they awoke one morning as "dragoons"…

The new ( and the last ) Russian emperor Nicholas II ( son of Alexander III ) after unsuccessful Russian - Japanese war 1904 - 1905 in a hopes to inspirit army has introduced a "new - old" uniform and has returned the historical old regiment's titles.

This uniform was intended only for parades, of course, 'cos the "field dress' was "khaki" since XX century's beginning.

It were a really beautiful shows: different - colored hussars and lancers, Cossacks and dragoons, cuirassiers and infantry - in the parades in Moscow and St. Petersburg - which were dedicated to 100 -years anniversary of Patriotic War 1812, 200 -years anniversary of the Poltava's victory, or 300 - years anniversary of Romanov's Emperor's Family…

It was real "Last Parade", 'cos all these famous "old" regiments soon went to the Great War battlefields, and during the 1914 - 15 in fact crashed German's plans of invasion into Russia's territory and even saved Paris in august 1914. But price was very high…

We will be glad to establish any contacts with adherents. Igor Zaicev.