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{{Short description|Russian lieutenant-general}}
{{Infobox military person
{{Infobox military person
|name= Alexander Viktorovich Fok
| name = Alexander Viktorovich Fok
|birth_date={{Birth date|1843|09|06}}
| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1843|09|06}}
|death_date= 1926
| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|1926|12|02|1843|09|06}}
|birth_place=
| birth_place =
|death_place=
| death_place =
|image=Alexander Fok.jpg
| image = Alexander Fok.jpg
|caption= Alexander Fok
| caption = Alexander Fok
|nickname=
| nickname =
|allegiance = {{flag|Russian Empire}}
| allegiance = {{flag|Russian Empire}}<br/>{{flag|Kingdom of Bulgaria}}
|branch = [[Imperial Russian Army]]
| branch = [[Imperial Russian Army]]
|serviceyears=1864-1906
| serviceyears = 1864-1906
|rank=[[Lieutenant General]]
| rank = [[Lieutenant General]]
|commands=
| commands =
|battles=[[Russo-Turkish War (1877–1878)|Russo-Turkish War]]<br>[[Boxer Rebellion]] <br>[[Russo Japanese War]]<br>[[First Balkan War]]
| battles =
{{tree list}}
* [[Russo-Turkish War (1877–1878)|Russo-Turkish War]]
* [[Boxer Rebellion]]
* [[Russo Japanese War]]
** [[Battle of Nanshan]]
* [[First Balkan War]]
{{tree list/end}}
|awards= [[File:OrderStGeorge3cl rib.png|30px|link=Order of St. George]] [[Order of St. George]]
| awards = [[File:RUS Order of Saint George 3rd class ribbon 2000.svg|30px|link=Order of St. George]] [[Order of St. George]]
|laterwork=
| laterwork =
}}
}}


'''Alexander Viktorovich Fok''' (also '''Foch''') {{lang-ru| '''Александр Викторович Фок'''}} ; September 6, 1843 – 1926 ) was a [[lieutenant general]] of the [[Imperial Russian Army]] during the [[Russo-Japanese War]].
'''Alexander Viktorovich Fok''' (also '''Foch''', {{langx|ru|Александр Викторович Фок}}; 6 September 1843 – 2 December 1926) was a Russian [[lieutenant general]] of the [[Imperial Russian Army]] during the [[Russo-Japanese War]].


==Biography==
==Biography==
Fok graduated from the Konstantinovskoe Artillery School in [[St. Petersburg]] in 1864, and from 1871-1876 served in the [[Special Corps of Gendarmes]], an elite unformed [[security police]] force responsible for [[state security]]. From 1877-1878, he saw combat in the [[Russo-Turkish War (1877–1878)|Russo-Turkish War]]. From 1900, Fok was commander of the 4th East Siberian Rifle Brigade, and participated in the suppression of the [[Boxer Rebellion]].
Fok graduated from the Konstantinovskoe Artillery School in [[St. Petersburg]] in 1864, and from 1871 to 1876 served in the [[Special Corps of Gendarmes]], an elite uniformed [[security police]] force responsible for [[Security agency|state security]]. From 1877 to 1878, he saw combat in the [[Russo-Turkish War (1877–1878)|Russo-Turkish War]]. From 1900, Fok was commander of the 4th East Siberian Rifle Brigade, and participated in the suppression of the [[Boxer Rebellion]].<ref name= Kowner>Kowner, '' Historical Dictionary of the Russo-Japanese War'', p. 121.</ref>


During the [[Russo-Japanese War]], Fok commanded the 4th East Siberian Rifle Brigade stationed at [[Lüshunkou|Port Arthur]]. He was noted for his precipitous retreat and failure to reinforce Colonel Tretyakov at the [[Battle of Nanshan]], leading directly to the Russian defeat. During the [[Siege of Port Arthur]], Fok was named commander of the fortress and promoted to lieutenant general after the death of General [[Roman Kondratenko]] at the insistence of General [[Anatoly Stessel]]. He was further awarded the [[Order of St. George]] (3rd degree) in October 1904. As commander, Fok constantly refused to commit reserves or reinforcements to front-line units, and after eight months of the siege was one of the first to urge acceptance of the surrender terms extended by Japanese general [[Nogi Maresuke]] at the end of 1904.
During the [[Russo-Japanese War]], Fok commanded the [[4th Siberian Rifle Division (Russian Empire)|4th East Siberian Rifle Division]] stationed at [[Lüshunkou|Port Arthur]]. He was noted for his precipitous retreat and failure to reinforce Colonel [[Nikolai Tretyakov]] at the [[Battle of Nanshan]], leading directly to the Russian defeat. He was relieved of command on 21 August 1904 for refusing direct orders to send reserves forward to reinforce faltering Russian lines at the fortification of East Panlung and West Panlung during the [[Siege of Port Arthur]]. However, he remained on the staff of General [[Anatoly Stessel]], who insisted on naming Fok commander of the landward defenses of Port Arthur and promoting him to lieutenant general after the death of General [[Roman Kondratenko]].<ref name= Kowner /><ref name="Nozhin">Nozhin, Lindsay, Swinton, ''The Truth about Port Arthur'', p. 280</ref> Fok was further awarded the [[Order of St. George]] (3rd degree) in October 1904. As commander, Fok constantly refused to commit reserves or reinforcements to front-line units, and after eight months of the siege was one of the first to urge acceptance of the surrender terms extended by Japanese general [[Nogi Maresuke]] at the end of 1904.


Taken as a [[prisoner of war]] by the Japanese after the fall of Port Arthur, he returned to Russia (and strong public criticism) after the end of the war. He was arrested and brought before a [[court martial]] on his return, but was acquitted and released from military service in 1908.
Taken as a [[prisoner of war]] by the Japanese after the fall of Port Arthur, Fok returned to Russia after the end of the war. Faced with strong public criticism, he was arrested and brought before a [[court martial]] in late 1906 on his return, but was acquitted and released from military service in 1908.<ref name= Kowner />


Fok later participated in the [[First Balkan War|Balkan War of 1912-1913]] as a volunteer in the [[Bulgarian Army]]. He died in 1926.
Fok retired from service, but later participated in the [[First Balkan War|Balkan War of 1912-1913]] as a volunteer in the [[Bulgarian Army]]. He died in 1926 under uncertain circumstances,<ref name= Kowner /> and according to his wish was buried in a mass grave outside [[Svishtov]] in [[Bulgaria]].


==Honors==
==Honors==
*[[File:OrderStGeorge3cl rib.png|30px|link=Order of St. George]] [[Order of St. George]], 3rd class, 1903
*[[File:RUS Order of Saint George 3rd class ribbon 2000.svg|30px|link=Order of St. George]] [[Order of St. George]], 3rd class, 1903


==References==
==References==
*Connaughton, R.M (1988). ''The War of the Rising Sun and the Tumbling Bear—A Military History of the Russo-Japanese War 1904–5'', London, ISBN 0-415-00906-5.
*Connaughton, R.M (1988). ''The War of the Rising Sun and the Tumbling Bear—A Military History of the Russo-Japanese War 1904–5'', London, {{ISBN|0-415-00906-5}}.
*{{cite book | last = Kowner| first = Rotem| year = 2006 | title = Historical Dictionary of the Russo-Japanese War| publisher = The Scarecrow Press | isbn=0-8108-4927-5 }}
⚫
*Jukes, Geoffry. ''The Russo-Japanese War 1904–1905''. Osprey Essential Histories. (2002). ISBN 978-1-84176-446-7.
*Warner, Denis & Peggy. ''The Tide at Sunrise, A History of the Russo-Japanese War 1904–1905''. (1975). ISBN 0-7146-5256-3.
*Jager, Sheila. ''The Other Great Game: The Opening of Korea and the Birth of Modern East Asia'', (2023). {{ISBN|9780674983397}}
⚫
*Jukes, Geoffry. ''The Russo-Japanese War 1904–1905''. Osprey Essential Histories. (2002). {{ISBN|978-1-84176-446-7}}.
*Warner, Denis & Peggy. ''The Tide at Sunrise, A History of the Russo-Japanese War 1904–1905''. (1975). {{ISBN|0-7146-5256-3}}.
*Nozhin, Evgenii Konstantinovich; Lindsay, Alexander Bertram; Swinton, Ernest Dunlop. ''The Truth About Port Arthur''. London. John Murray, Albemarle Street, W. (1908)


==External links==
==External links==
*[http://oldvladivostok.ru/photos/?category=87&p=3 Photo of Fok]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20150514035817/http://oldvladivostok.ru/photos/?category=87&p=3 Photo of Fok]

==Notes==
{{Reflist}}

{{Authority control}}


{{Persondata <!-- Metadata: see [[Wikipedia:Persondata]]. -->
| NAME = Fok, Alexander Viktorovich
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
| SHORT DESCRIPTION =
| DATE OF BIRTH = September 6, 1843
| PLACE OF BIRTH =
| DATE OF DEATH = 1926
| PLACE OF DEATH =
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Fok, Alexander Viktorovich}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Fok, Alexander Viktorovich}}
[[Category:1843 births]]
[[Category:1843 births]]
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[[Category:Russian military personnel of the Russo-Japanese War]]
[[Category:Russian military personnel of the Russo-Japanese War]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Order of St. George of the Third Degree]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Order of St. George of the Third Degree]]
[[Category:Military personnel of the Balkan Wars]]
[[Category:Bulgarian military personnel of the Balkan Wars]]
[[Category:Russian people of the Boxer Rebellion]]
[[Category:Russian people of the Boxer Rebellion]]
[[Category:Russian military personnel of the Russo-Turkish War (1877–78)]]
[[Category:Russian military personnel of the Russo-Turkish War (1877–1878)]]
[[Category:Imperial Russian prisoners of war]]
[[Category:Prisoners of war from the Russian Empire]]
[[Category:Place of birth missing]]
[[Category:Place of death missing]]
[[Category:White Russian emigrants to Bulgaria]]
[[Category:Emigrants from the Russian Empire to Bulgaria]]
[[Category:Russian duellists]]

Latest revision as of 20:32, 21 October 2024

Alexander Viktorovich Fok
Alexander Fok
Born(1843-09-06)6 September 1843
Died2 December 1926(1926-12-02) (aged 83)
Allegiance Russian Empire
 Kingdom of Bulgaria
Service / branchImperial Russian Army
Years of service1864-1906
RankLieutenant General
Battles / wars
Awards Order of St. George

Alexander Viktorovich Fok (also Foch, Russian: Александр Викторович Фок; 6 September 1843 – 2 December 1926) was a Russian lieutenant general of the Imperial Russian Army during the Russo-Japanese War.

Biography

[edit]

Fok graduated from the Konstantinovskoe Artillery School in St. Petersburg in 1864, and from 1871 to 1876 served in the Special Corps of Gendarmes, an elite uniformed security police force responsible for state security. From 1877 to 1878, he saw combat in the Russo-Turkish War. From 1900, Fok was commander of the 4th East Siberian Rifle Brigade, and participated in the suppression of the Boxer Rebellion.[1]

During the Russo-Japanese War, Fok commanded the 4th East Siberian Rifle Division stationed at Port Arthur. He was noted for his precipitous retreat and failure to reinforce Colonel Nikolai Tretyakov at the Battle of Nanshan, leading directly to the Russian defeat. He was relieved of command on 21 August 1904 for refusing direct orders to send reserves forward to reinforce faltering Russian lines at the fortification of East Panlung and West Panlung during the Siege of Port Arthur. However, he remained on the staff of General Anatoly Stessel, who insisted on naming Fok commander of the landward defenses of Port Arthur and promoting him to lieutenant general after the death of General Roman Kondratenko.[1][2] Fok was further awarded the Order of St. George (3rd degree) in October 1904. As commander, Fok constantly refused to commit reserves or reinforcements to front-line units, and after eight months of the siege was one of the first to urge acceptance of the surrender terms extended by Japanese general Nogi Maresuke at the end of 1904.

Taken as a prisoner of war by the Japanese after the fall of Port Arthur, Fok returned to Russia after the end of the war. Faced with strong public criticism, he was arrested and brought before a court martial in late 1906 on his return, but was acquitted and released from military service in 1908.[1]

Fok retired from service, but later participated in the Balkan War of 1912-1913 as a volunteer in the Bulgarian Army. He died in 1926 under uncertain circumstances,[1] and according to his wish was buried in a mass grave outside Svishtov in Bulgaria.

Honors

[edit]

References

[edit]
  • Connaughton, R.M (1988). The War of the Rising Sun and the Tumbling Bear—A Military History of the Russo-Japanese War 1904–5, London, ISBN 0-415-00906-5.
  • Kowner, Rotem (2006). Historical Dictionary of the Russo-Japanese War. The Scarecrow Press. ISBN 0-8108-4927-5.
  • Jager, Sheila. The Other Great Game: The Opening of Korea and the Birth of Modern East Asia, (2023). ISBN 9780674983397
  • Jukes, Geoffry. The Russo-Japanese War 1904–1905. Osprey Essential Histories. (2002). ISBN 978-1-84176-446-7.
  • Warner, Denis & Peggy. The Tide at Sunrise, A History of the Russo-Japanese War 1904–1905. (1975). ISBN 0-7146-5256-3.
  • Nozhin, Evgenii Konstantinovich; Lindsay, Alexander Bertram; Swinton, Ernest Dunlop. The Truth About Port Arthur. London. John Murray, Albemarle Street, W. (1908)
[edit]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d Kowner, Historical Dictionary of the Russo-Japanese War, p. 121.
  2. ^ Nozhin, Lindsay, Swinton, The Truth about Port Arthur, p. 280
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