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Lavr Georgiyevich Kornilov (August 18, 1870–April 13, 1918) was a Russian army general best known for the Kornilov Affair, an unsuccessful military coup he staged against Kerensky's Provisional Government during the 1917 Russian Revolution.
A Cossack born in Kazakhstan (then Russian Turkestan), Kornilov was a career officer in the Imperial Russian army. Between 1890 and 1904 he led several exploration missions in Eastern Turkestan, Afghanistan and Persia and learned several Central Asian languages. During the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905 he was awarded Cross of St. George for bravery and promoted to the rank of colonel.
He served as military attache in China from 1907-11 and with a rank of major general commanded an infantry division at the start of World War I, but was captured by the Austrians in April 1915. Escaping in July 1916, he was given command of the Petrograd Military District in March 1917, and was appointed Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Provisional Government's armed forces in July 1917.
General Kornilov decided to intervene in the chaotic situation of Russia, because he shared the widespread belief of many middle-class Russians that the country was descending into anarchy and that military defeat would be disastrous for Russian pride and honour. Lenin and his 'German spies', he announced, should be hanged, the Soviets stamped out, military discipline restored and the provisional government 'restructured'.
In August of 1917 Kornilov issued a call to all Russians to 'save their dying land' and ordered his loyal troops to advance on Petrograd. Uncertain of the support of his army generals, Kerensky had to ask for help from other quarters; these included the Bolsheviks' Red Guards.
After his failed coup attempt in September of 1917, Kornilov was placed under house arrest. The Bolsheviks seized power shortly thereafter. Again escaping from his imprisonment, Kornilov made his way to the Don region, where he helped in the formation of the counter-revolutionary Volunteer Army at Novocherkassk with General Mikhail Alekseev. He was killed during fighting against Red forces at the Kuban capital Ekaterinodar in April 1918, when a shell landed on his headquarters.
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