Kerensky offensive

The Kerensky offensive (Russian: Наступление Керенского), also called the summer offensive, the June offensive (Russian: Июньское наступление) in Russia, or the July offensive in Western historiography, took place from 1 July [O.S. 18 June] to 19 July [O.S. 6 July] 1917 and was the last Russian offensive of World War I, named after the minister of war, Alexander Kerensky. After the abdication of Emperor Nicholas II during the February Revolution, the Russian Provisional Government pledged to fulfill Russia's existing commitments to the Triple Entente, which included launching an offensive in the spring of 1917. The operation was directed at capturing Lemberg and the rest of Galicia from Austria-Hungary. The Southwestern Front of the Russian Army was chosen for the offensive, because it was the least affected by revolutionary agitation and would mostly be fighting Austria-Hungary, which had not fully recovered from the Brusilov offensive. The main attack was launched by the 7th Army and 11th Army, which made a limited advance, though the 11th Army's Czechoslovak Brigade notably captured the town of Zborov from the Austro-Hungarians. Further to the south, General Lavr Kornilov's 8th Army was more successful, pushing back the Austro-Hungarian 3rd Army and creating a breach along the front that was 30 kilometres (19 miles) wide, leading to the capture of the towns of Kalush and Galich. Secondary attacks to assist the main offensive were also launched by the Russian Western, Northern, and Romanian Fronts in other locations, but they were mostly unsuccessful, with the exception of the one in the Romanian theatre. The advance achieved in the first days was in large part due to the volunteer shock battalions that were recruited and organised by the Provisional Government in the spring of 1917. But they were too few in number to hold the line against a counterattack...