Red Army

The Worker's and Peasant's Red Army, often shortened to the Red Army is the name for the Army of the Soviet Union.

Due to the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1942, the Red Army fragmented and scattered across the former nation, forming the backbone of its numerous successor states and military forces, with the remnants of the Red Army notably participating in the West Russian Revolutionary Front, West Siberian People's Republic, Sverdlovsk, Presidium of the Supreme Soviet, Kazakh SSR, Remnants of the Soviet Pacific Fleet, and the People's Revolutionary Council.

Foundation

The Red Army was founded in January, 1918, by Leon Trotsky at the start of the Russian Civil War to support the newly established Soviet Union in fighting against various new Russian Warlords collectively known as the White Army. Prior to this, militia units and Red Guards units took the helm of defending the nation and newly-formed soviets. However, it became apparent to the Bolshevik leadership that the rag-tag Red Guard units and elements of the former Russian Imperial army who had gone over the side of the Bolsheviks were quite inadequate to the task of defending the new government against external foes.

Therefore, the Council of People's Commissars decided to form the Red Army on 28 January 1918. They envisioned a body formed from the class-conscious and best elements of the working classes. Its role was established, to be the defense of Soviet authority, with the creation of a basis for the transformation of the standing army into a force deriving its strength from a nation in arms, and, furthermore, the creation of a basis for the support of the coming Socialist Revolution in Europe.

Citizens of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic aged 18 or older were eligible for service. Enlistment was conditional upon guarantees being given by a military or civil committee functioning within the territory of the Soviet Power, or by party or trade union committees or, in extreme cases, by two persons belonging to one of the above organizations. In the event of an entire unit wanting to join the Red Army, a collective guarantee and the affirmative vote of all its members would be necessary.

Because the Red Army was composed mainly of peasants, the families of those who served were guaranteed rations and assistance with farm work. Some peasants who remained at home yearned to join the Army; men, along with some women, flooded the recruitment centres. If they were turned away, they would collect scrap metal and prepare care-packages. In some cases, the money they earned would go towards tanks for the Army.

The Council of People's Commissars appointed itself the supreme head of the Red Army, delegating command and administration of the army to the Commissariat for Military Affairs and the Special All-Russian College within this commissariat. Nikolai Krylenko was the supreme commander-in-chief, with Aleksandr Myasnikyan as deputy. Nikolai Podvoisky became the commissar for war, Pavel Dybenko, commissar for the fleet. Proshyan, Samoisky, Steinberg were also specified as people's commissars as well as Vladimir Bonch-Bruyevich from the Bureau of Commissars.

At a joint meeting of Bolsheviks and Left Socialist-Revolutionaries, held on 22 February 1918, Krylenko remarked: "We have no army. The demoralized soldiers are fleeing, panic-stricken, as soon as they see a German helmet appear on the horizon, abandoning their artillery, convoys and all war material to the triumphantly advancing enemy. The Red Guard units are brushed aside like flies." Little did Krylenko know, his words would ring true in the next major conflict the Red Army found itself in.

World War 2

The Red Army during the German Siege of Odessa, 1941

During World War Two, the Red Army was imagined to be a force to be reckoned with. However, it was not able to successfully take over Finland during the Winter War, nor did it stop the Wehrmacht during Operation Barbarossa. This was a result of internal factionalism within the Red Army, but also because the Red Army had to constantly put down small rebellions due to Bukharin's incompetence. Despite the valiant effort of Red Army soldiers and repeated counterattacks attempted against the German invaders, the Red Army would be repeatedly defeated on the field, with the fall of Leningrad, Smolensk, Minsk and Moscow.

Eventually, the Red Army fractured under the repeated blows by the Wehrmacht and was pushed back to the Arkhangelsk–Astrakhan Line (A-A Line), it was here that the frontline units of the Red Army reorganised into the West Russian Revolutionary Front. As a result of the collapse of the Soviet Union, other units in the rear formed the Red Armies of the various Russian breakaway states such as the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet, the People's Revolutionary Council and the West Siberian People's Republic.

Founding of the WRRF and the West Russian War

Main Article : West Russian War

Remnants of the Red Army which found itself in West Russia would end up in the service of the West Russian Revolutionary Front, under the leadership of Marshal Alexander Yegorov as well the Generals Georgy Zhukov and Mikhail Tukhachevsky. With the collaboration of the West Siberian People's Republic, remnants of the Red Army would organise and restructure itself.

Soon, the Red Army, armed with military aid from the US and Japan, launched Operation Suvorov, eventually kickstarting the West Russian War. The Red Army soon stormed across the A-A Line, pushing into the heart of German Occupied Russia.

The West Russian Revolutionary Front would eventually capture approximately 450,000 sq mi (1,150,000 km²) of German territory, pushing back the Russian-German border by a significant distance, whilst almost reaching the cities of Moscow and Leningrad. However, as a result of internal factionalism, the united effort fell apart, resulting in further fracturing, forming the backdrop of the Russian Anarchy.

Although broken and dispersed across all of Russia, numerous units and armies of the warlord states still lay claim to the title of the "Red Army" as they continue serving, in the chaos of the Anarchy.