In February 1913, festivities were held in connection with the celebration of the 300th anniversary of the Romanovs' house in Polotsk. Because of the celebration the city was decorated with flags and flowers, in the center illumination was arranged. The official part of the celebrations was a parade of troops with the participation of cadets and services in the churches of the city.
The beginning of the First World War influenced the city life. In August 1914, general mobilization was carried out, the inflow of various army rear services increased. At the end of the year, a car-aviation workshop was opened in the city, a large number of army warehouses with weapons, ammunition, intendant's property were opened. On the western outskirts of the city, the construction of a military airfield began. In the buildings of city institutions and educational institutions, evacuated in 1914-1915 into the interior of Russia, hospitals and infirmaries were opened. In the summer of 1915, the number of refugees from the western districts increased, the population of the city grew in 1,5 times. The institutions of the Zemsky Union, the Union of Cities and other public organizations were engaged in issues of their placement and provision with basic necessities. Industrial enterprises and trade organizations of the city were transferred to the needs of the army.
Thus, Polotsk became an important point of communications and a large base of providing the army in the first years of the war.