I.B.  Belova

DESERTION IN SOVIET RUSSIA IN 1918 – THE FIRST HALF OF THE 1920s(ON THE EXAMPLE OF KALUGA PROVINCE)

Authors

I.B. Belova

Keywords:

DESERTERS, THE STRUGGLE WITH DESERTION, RED ARMY, CIVIL WAR, KALUGA PROVINCE, MILITARY COMMISSARS, BOLSHEVIKS

Abstract

The problem of mobilization evasion in the Red army and illegal abandonment of military service during the Civil war in Russia has not been sufficiently studied. The present article based on the materials of the State Archive of Kaluga Region (including some funds of provincial and district military commissariats, provincial roar Tribunal, the Department and the administrative Department of the province Executive Committee). The author concluded that “the eradication” of desertion was impossible in 1919, as it was expected. This was primarily due to the fact that the extent of desertion was proportionate to support and harbouring of deserters which, against the authorities, was done by almost all the peasant population, who had to bare the main burden of Bolsheviks’ policy of “war communism”.

DESERTION IN SOVIET RUSSIA IN 1918 – THE FIRST HALF OF THE 1920s(ON THE EXAMPLE OF KALUGA PROVINCE)