Features of the work of the Astrakhan provincial commission for combating desertion during the civil war (1919–1921)

10.54398/1818510X_2023_1_17

Annotation

The little-studied local history aspect of the problem of the Bolshevik government anti-desertion work on the territory of the RSFSR since the creation of the local authority to fight against desertion from February 1919 to December 1921 is considered. The article, which is based on the analysis of archival materials many of which were first put into scientific circulation, shows the process of formation and activity of the Astrakhan governmental committee to fight against desertion. The author focused on the study of the structure of the organs of struggle with desertion, main strategies and methods for returning deserters to the front, as well as preventing the male population of the Astrakhan province from evasion of compulsory military service. On the basis of studied archival materials, it was concluded that the Astrakhan governmental committee to fight against desertion has fulfilled its main task - the return of deserters to the front, having managed to return tens of thousands of deserters to the front for the entire period of its existence. The cessation of desertion as a mass phenomenon was not the result of the work of government bodies, but a combination of objective reasons related to the end of the civil war. Nevertheless, the work carried out had a significant impact on ensuring the protection of the Bolshevik government in the territory of the RSFSR and Astrakhan province, in particular.

Keywords

• Civil war
• Astrakhan province
• deserter
• mobilization
• provincial administration department
• All-Russian Special Commission for Combating Counter-revolution and Sabotage
• the Astrakhan governmental committee to fight against desertion
• RSFSR
• Red Army
• military commissariats
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References

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