How to Break the Trenches (2)

Though bearing a superficial resemblance to the elaborate ritual of an Orthodox funeral with its incense and chanting, this ceremony strictly followed the more understated funeral customs traditional to the American South, particularly Georgia, where simplicity and personal connection take precedence over formal liturgy.

Finally, Kokovtsov's turn arrived. With heavy steps and a racing heart, he slowly rose from his cushioned seat, straightening his dark suit jacket before making the long walk forward to approach the polished wooden coffin, knowing this would be his last chance to say goodbye.

Sergei Witte.

The great reformer who compressed hundreds of years of reforms that desperately poor medieval Russia had postponed into 20 years while earning two Tsars' trust.

One capable in both internal affairs and diplomacy who prepared and implemented reforms the empire needed at the right time.