The book includes the memoirs of two officers of the Russian army - Admiral A.D. Bubnov and Infantry General Yu.N. Danilov. Holding senior positions in the Headquarters of the Supreme Commander during the First World War, they both found themselves in the thick of the tragic events that swept Russia at the beginning of the 20th century. Admiral Bubnov, who oversaw the Black Sea theater of operations and was directly involved in the development of the Bosphorus landing operation, seeks to understand the reasons for the failures that befell the Russian army, which he associates primarily with the outbreak of the revolution. The same questions concern General Danilov, who tells about the crisis situation in the country, the first Russian revolution, the work of the State Duma and much more. Both memoirs were written in exile. Their authors were not destined to return to their homeland. But their books have returned to the Russian reader and will certainly arouse great interest among lovers of Russian history.