The October Revolution is one of the most important events in the history of the Soviet Union. The key body that carried out the coup in the country was the Military Revolutionary Committee (MRC). This political unit played a key role in the establishment of Soviet power in the fall of 1917. The Military Revolutionary Committee was the main body of the Petrograd Soviet of Soldiers' and Workers' Deputies. However, the rapid liquidation of the revolutionary committee reduced the degree of historiographic coverage of the driving unit of the revolution. Subsequently, the functions of the Military Revolutionary Committee were transferred in many respects to the Cheka, but their succession was not covered by the Soviet authorities.
Creation of the Military Revolutionary Committee
The formation of the Military Revolutionary Committee took place in October (from 16 to 21), 1917. It consisted not only of the Bolsheviks, as it might seem at first glance, but also of the Socialist-Revolutionaries and Anarchists. The head of the Military Revolutionary Committee was appointed Lazimir, who, by ideological affiliation, was a Left Social Revolutionary. All these actions were performed by the Bolsheviks for the purpose of camouflage. However, L. D. Trotsky became the real leader of the Military Revolutionary Committee. The activities of this historical character, as well asthe activity of the Revolutionary Committee itself was erased from history during the years of the Stalinist regime. This is due to the confrontation between Stalin and Trotsky after Lenin's death. After the death of the leader of the revolution, there was a fierce party struggle.
The purpose of the committee was articulated as opposition to the advancing German army. However, in reality, a huge coordinated headquarters was created to prepare for revolutionary events.
Activities of the Military Revolutionary Committee during the October Revolution
The Military Revolutionary Committee of 1917 was the main legal point for preparing an armed uprising. On October 25, the committee issues Lenin's appeal to overthrow the Provisional Government. At that time, there was a situation of dual power in the country. During the overthrow of power, the Military Revolutionary Committee relied on the Soviet of Workers' and Soldiers' Deputies, the ranks of the guards, sailors, and also on local revolutionary committees. The Red Guard was quite numerous at the time of the revolutionary uprising and numbered about 200 thousand people in more than 100 cities.
On October 25, almost all of Petrograd was under the control of the VRK. On the same day, the revolutionary committee announced that the Provisional Government had resigned its powers and that all power had been transferred into the hands of the Soviets. The next day, the Military Revolutionary Committee organized an armed seizure of the Winter Palace and arrested almost all members of the Government except A. Kerensky, who managed to escape.
These events were the peak of the activities of the Petrograd Military Revolutionary Committee. ATin the future, its functions were gradually transferred to other authorities.
VRK branches in Russian regions
On the basis of the Military Revolutionary Committee of the Petrograd Soviet, a headquarters was created in Moscow, and then in other regions of the country. At the time of the armed uprising, about 40 regional committees operated on the territory of the former empire, which were also involved in preparing the revolution and establishing Soviet power. VRCs existed in various administrative units of the country: provincial, district, volost, district and city committees met.
Special departments of the MRC
Before the October Revolution, a special body for expropriations was created in the structure of the Military Revolutionary Committee, which means “organized robbery”. Premises, cars, money, documents were forcibly seized - everything that could serve the needs of the workers and peasantry.
Also, before the revolution, an investigation commission was created within the framework of the military committee, which carried out investigative, judicial and administrative functions. During the period of the revolution and the formation of Soviet power, this department carried out many arrests and executions. The concept of "counter-revolutionary" was not legally fixed, and any objectionable resident of the country could fall into this category.
Another special division of the VRC is the press department. This body distributed newspapers and printed editions of the Bolsheviks. Also, the printing department censored and closed publications that contradicted the views of the Sovietauthorities. Active foreign propaganda was carried out on the radio. This is due to the desire to ignite a world revolution. This idea was later abandoned by the Soviet government.
Features of the Revolutionary Committee
The main feature of the Military Revolutionary Committee of 1917 was the lack of accountability. The Military Revolutionary Committee was insubordination to the rest of the authorities, and depended only on the Central Committee of the Bolshevik Party.
The second feature is the lack of a legislative framework that could outline the terms of reference of the Military Revolutionary Committee. The Bolshevik Party endowed the Revkom with special functions, but these decrees had no legal force.
The armed forces, which the revolutionary committee owned, gave it the right to carry out any legal and illegal actions. Thus, this body had access to all the economic facilities of the country and could acquire all the necessary benefits and means by military means.
Results of activities of the VRC
In just a month of its actual functioning, the Military Revolutionary Committee has achieved significant success. Thanks to him, the same October Revolution was accomplished, which marked the beginning of a new era in the history of Russia. 184 commissioners were appointed by the committee to various civil institutions. They were endowed with the functions of reorganizing the state apparatus, and also had the right to arrest counter-revolutionaries. After November 10, 1917, part of the functions of the Revolutionary Committee was transferred to the All-Russian Extraordinary Commission, which fought the counter-revolution andsabotage during the establishment of Soviet power throughout the country. December 5, 1917 VRK was liquidated by self-dissolution. On this day, the era of the organ that organized the change of historical paradigms in Russia officially ended.
Military Revolutionary Center
In mid-October, the Central Committee of the Bolshevik Party decided to form the Military Revolutionary Center as a special body within the Military Revolutionary Committee. Historians of the Stalinist period noted that the VRC was the main driving force behind the activities of the Military Revolutionary Committee. However, it is worth paying attention to the peculiarity that the actual head of the VRC, Trotsky, was not included in the activities of this center. I. Stalin became the main leader of the unit, who after the death of Lenin was Trotsky's main rival.
Naval Revolutionary Committee
At the same time as the military council, the naval committee deployed its activities. Its functioning is not particularly covered in historical references, however, it had a significant impact on the management of naval forces during the October Revolution.
The decision to establish the VMRC was made at the II All-Russian Congress of Soviets. Vakhrameev, a representative of the B altic fleet, was elected head of the committee. Lenin and Stalin, as the main party leaders, transferred to the Naval Committee the authority to rally the sailor masses, as well as to protect the maritime borders from external intervention and internal enemies.
The organizational structure of the VMRC was a set of sections, each of which performed its own specific functions. Among the main cells can be called control and technical, military, economic, investigative, economic. Thus, the terms of reference were clearly divided between the various structural units.
