USSR: Military Policy and Direction Part I: 1917-1939
In the wake of a wounded country, the new Soviet state of the Russian SFSR (Soviet Federative Socialist Republic) sought to consolidate its power, and control the potential damage that ‘enemies of the people’ aimed to do in order to stop the radical new workers’ government from having total control. The Civil War Era: 1917-1920 On 28 January 1918 a decree to establish a Workers’ and Peasants’ Red Army (RKKA, Red Army for short) was hastily put together. [1] The ranks of this Red Army were quickly filled by Lenin’s Red Guards volunteers, the Petrograd garrison, and any other officers and soldiers returning from the fight against Germany. By 22 February the RKKA had twelve thousand men and were organised into four regiments. Lenin knew that peace talks with Germany were to be essential if he was to consolidate his power, else his revolution be at risk. However, Germany broke negotiations and launched a fresh offensive in which the weak defences of the Red Army and R
