Out of: "The Development of the Soviet State and Forces 1921-1934"
Stalins seizure of Power and Reforms in the USSR until 1928
After Lenins death in January 1924 Josef Wisarionowitch Dschugashvilli better known as Stalin as "General Secretary of the Communist Party" took control of the Soviet Union.
Allready days later a commission was set up to review the overall military situation of the Union. The results were devastating.
Out of 87.000 men trained to be officers during the civil war only 25.000 remained in service. 30.000 had been killed and rougthly the same number had demobilized. The supply situation was inadequate with lack of weapons and a poor level of food and equipment. Rank and file were demoralized and the officers ill-trained and unprofessional.
As a direct consequence Leon Trotzki, founder of the Red Army, was replaced by Mikahail Frunze, a veteran of the civil war, as Chairman of the Military Council.
Leon Trotzki and his successor Mikaheil Frunze.
Although Frunze died in October after holding office for only 10 months he got a great deal of reforms on the way. Frunze tried to reach a compromise between most communist politicans who saw the army as a proletarian milita and many generals, such as Tukachesvsky, that favoured a professional, modern army, free of political supervision.
Frunze wished to create a modern professional army, with its base in the proletariat that could fight an offensive and total war.
A first step was the introduction of a comprehensiv military service law.
The role of the politcal commissar was downgraded and full command responsibility given to the officers. To counter complaints of the party that the army was politically unreliable the number of communists was increased. By 1925 40% of the 76.000 Red Army officers were members of the Communist Party.
To increase morale several changes were made. Officers got a distinctive uniform that set them apart from rank and file. They also received a generous pay and better housing. But above all they were given the right to tell their men what to do.
This revoced the "Order No. 1 of the Petrograd Soviet" out of 1917 which had given all soldiers the right to challeng their officers. Furthermore a new disciplinary code was introduced which slowly brought back law and order.
Soon afterwards Frunze had to undergo surgery because of chronic stomach complaints. He died shortly after the operation. Foul play has never been proved but he was replaced by Kliment Voroshilov, one of Stalins closest allies.
Stalins new man, Kliment Voroshilov.
Voroshilow was an unispired appointment. He had been a metalworker and boleshevik terrorist. Later he became a political soldier like Stalin. In military matters he was absolute inept and the only thing that qualified him for the post was his undying loyalty towards Stalin.
This however was compensated by the appointment of Mikaheil Tukhachevsky as Chief of Staff. He had served successfully in during the Soviet-Polish War and was considerd energetic and exsperienced.
Mikaheil Tukhachevsky, Chief of Staff of the Red Army.
Tukhachevskys great ambiton was to create a professional army, fired by revolutionary zeal. In 1926 he orderd a complete review of the armed forces.
The results were published in May 1928 under the title "The Future War".
In it Tukhachevsky laid out his idea that a grand offensive had to be supported by thousands of tanks and armoured vehicels together with thousands of aircraft, pouring forward at great speed to deliver an anihilating blow to the enemy.
During the same time the co-operation between Red Army and Reichswehr began. The first agreement was signed as early as 1922 and a second more extensive programme was agreed upon in 1926. Both sides had something to offer each other. The soviets wanted access to to advanced military tecnology and thinking whereas the germans needed a remote place to develop new weapons and tactics which they were denied through the treaty of Versailles.
As mentioned before the offensive was to be the primary cause of the Red Army. It was felt that not only did a revolutionary army have to try to exsport the revolution but also that it fitted the newest and most important tecnological advaced weapons: The tank and the airplane.
Tukhachevskys assumed that an offensive force, using these in combination and large quantities, could penetrate the enemies line of defence and then envelop the main enemy force in a large, sweeping operartion.
In 1928 however the Soviet Unions industry was in no shape to produce the huge quantities of tanks and plans Tukhachevsky longed for.
OOC: Ok next up is the 5 year plan. Stay tuned!
~Lord Valentine~