The Story of how the Russian Empire was destroyed

The Story of how the Russian Empire was destroyed


Getting acquainted with the biography of Hans von Seeckt and setting out  his biography in the form of a separate essay, Sergei Sergeyevich compared the destruction of the Empire in Germany with the events in Russia in February 1917 (and later).

"It would be good to include a brief description of Russian events in a biographical essay about von Seeckt – for a comparison."

"It is possible to state such thoughts as a separate story and then, if appropriate, to include the relevant text in the biographical essay on von Seeckt."

"Naturally, the destruction of the Russian Empire is a process of enormous scale. To go into details - it is not for a storytelling, but - for a multi-volume historical work (with the involvement of employees of museums, cultural institutions, educational and scientific institutions - would not to forget to thank them if a some sudden case...).

What can be said about the destruction of the Russian Empire - if briefly.

First, it is the destruction of the "common civil state apparatus,"

Secondly, it is the destruction of the army,

Third, it is an attempt to destroy, to exterminate the Romanov dynasty.


1) The destruction of the "common civil state apparatus" was carried out simultaneously

(A) through evasion of acceptance of power by the State Duma, to which the Emperor transferred power during renunciation, and

(B) through the legalization (de facto and de jure) of the Soviets as authorities.

After the formation of the Provisional Committee (of the State Duma), a body with legal pseudo-continuity, and the Provisional Government (a quasi-legal body based on the promise to convene the Constituent Assembly), the destruction of the "common civil state apparatus" began. At the same time, the destruction of the army began.

The "Declaration on the composition and tasks" of the Provisional government, published on 3(16) March 1917, stated, inter alia:

... "The Provisional Committee of the State Duma shall appoint by the Ministers of the First Public Cabinet the following persons, a trust to whose  in the country is ensured by their past social and political activities...

In its present activities, the Cabinet will be guided by the grounds:

(…)

2. Freedom ... with the extension of political freedoms to military personnel within the limits permitted by military-technical conditions.

(…)

4. Immediate preparations for the convening of a Constituent Assembly on the basis of universal, equal, secret and direct suffrage. The Constituent Assembly will establish the form of government and the Constitution of the country.

5. Replacement of the police by the people's militia, subordinate local authorities. With the superiors, elected.

6. Local self-government elections by universal, direct, equal and secret ballot.

(…)

Chairman of the State Duma M. Rodzyanko. President of the Council of Ministers, Prince Lviv. Ministers: Milyukov, Necrasov, Konovalov, Manuilov, Tereshchenko, V. Lviv, Shingarev, Kerensky."

On March 4 (17), 1917, the Minister-Chairman and at the same time the Minister of Internal Affairs, Prince Lviv, ordered the suspension of governors and vice-governors, temporarily placing the duties of governors on the chairmen of provincial Zemstvo councils and assigning them the name of "provincial commissioners of the Provisional government"... The police was to be reformed into a people's militia.

On 4 (17) March, it was decided to abolish the special civil courts, the security offices and the Separate Gendarmerie Corps, including the railway police.

Objectively, the activities of the Provisional Government contributed to the strengthening of the Soviets.

Result. The "General Civil State Apparatus" of the Empire has been eliminated (perhaps, a one week or several days have been enough for this). A.F. Kerensky leaves the Winter Palace, power passes to the Council of People's Commissars headed by Lenin.

The Constituent Assembly was dissolved on 6 (19) January 1918.


2) The Provisional government declared  the victory in the war with Germany and Austria-Hungary one of its objectives. In this regard, the destruction of the army was gradual. It took a relatively long period – from 3(16) March 1917 to (approximately) 14-16 March 1918.

The general assessment about the not the success of the army's actions increased, there were no tangible victories.

On June 18, 1917, the offensive began, which ended in defeat.

The so-called "Kornilov rebellion" (August-September 1917) discredited the leadership of the army, strengthened the political importance of the Soviets and Bolsheviks.

Kerensky's assumption of the post of Commander-in-Chief in late August-early September 1917 meant that a low-component civilian became the Commander-in-Chief.

The murder in the City of Mogilev in the Stavka of the commander-in-Chief the general Dukhonin (who transferred a power to the ensign Dybenko) on November 20 (December 3) 1917 by "armed crowd" was a kind of prediction of the murder of Nicholas II in 1918 . "The Stavka is surrendered, is capitulated." (Without legal grounds, two (former) commanders-in-Chief were killed.)

On January 29 (February 11), 1918 Krylenko sent telegrams to all the headquarters of the Russian army fronts about the end of the war and demobilization of the army.

On March 4, 1918 Krylenko filed an application to the Chairman of the Council of people's Commissars, Lenin, requesting his release from the duty of Supreme Commander-in-Chief and Commissar for Military Affairs. On March 13, 1918, by a resolution of the Council of people's Commissars, Krylenko's request was granted and the post of Commander-in-Chief was abolished.

3 (16 March) 1918 - The final liquidation of the Stavka during the demobilization of the former Imperial army and according the terms of the Brest Peace Treaty.

March 14-16, 1918 - The IV (Extraordinary) All-Russian Congress of Soviets ratified the Brest Peace Treaty.

May 29, 1918 - the Decision of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee, according to which was introduced universal conscription in the formation of the Red Army. (15 (28) January 1918 Decree of the Council of People's Commissars  on the organization of the Workers 'And Peasants' Red Army (the Red Army) (on a voluntary basis)).


3) On the night from 16 to 17 July 1918, Nicholas II with his family, the doctor Botkin and three men servants were killed in Yekaterinburg.

(Krylenko was shot on July 29, 1938).


"Practically complete destruction of the "civil state apparatus" that existed before the renunciation of the Emperor, the destruction of the army, the attempt to destroy the Romanov dynasty.... Russia had to go through economic devastation, military communism, and civil war. Then to recover through the collectivization and the industrialization.... "

"With the state apparatus were lost, for a time, and benchmarks in foreign policy...."

"The German Emperor was overthrown, but he died a natural death. Under the terms of the Versailles peace Treaty, the German armed forces were reduced. were preserved The generals and the officer corps. Their prestige was preserved . "General civil state apparatus" was not destroyed.The Constituent (National) Assembly was convened. On July 31, 1919, the National Assembly adopted the Weimar Constitution," - Sergei Sergeyevich compared the events in Russia and in Germany. – "The careful attitude to the state apparatus... Avoiding too radical changes in society – at least in the period after the abdication of the German Emperor...".


August 16, 2019 05:56


Translation from Russian into English: August 16, 2019 20:38.
Владимир Владимирович Залесский «Рассказ как разрушалась Российская империя».