M. Mysl'. 1983. 294 p.
The history of the civil war in our country was and continues to be an object of ideological struggle and is especially often falsified by bourgeois Sovietologists. Analyzing the past, they develop their concept of counter-revolution, which has become the theoretical basis and methodological basis for the ideological sabotage of our days. Imperialist intervention then and psychological warfare now are phenomena of the same order, and their essence is anti-communism. Consequently, the study of the counter-revolutionary camp and the exposure of bourgeois falsifications of the history of the Great October Revolution and the Civil War is the concrete participation of Soviet scientists in the class struggle of our time, in the battles on the ideological front.
In this regard, the book of Doctor of Historical Sciences, Senior researcher of the Institute of History of the USSR of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR G. Z. Ioffe cannot but attract attention. Until now, the situation inside the reactionary camp during the Civil War has been rarely studied, and the history of the collapse of the White generals ' campaigns has not yet been written. The study of the collapse of Kolchakism is the first work to fill this gap in the study of forces hostile to the revolution .1 The author considers Kolchakism "not as a local, Siberian phenomenon, but as the most important part of the All-Russian counter-revolution" (p. 5).
It is well known that V. I. Lenin was extremely attentive to the situation inside Kolchakia2 . According to Lenin's concept, Kolchakism was defeated in a two-pronged process: the maximum tension of the revolutionary forces directed against Kolchak ("now the whole fate of the revolution is on one card", the essence of the time being experienced is expressed by the slogan "death or victory" 3), and the internal disintegration, "decomposition" of the counter-revolutionary camp 4 . The main direction of G. Z. Ioffe's research is the inner history of the" most frenzied " dictatorship 5, its political demise, not the defeat (this did not fall out of the field of view of Sibirists), but the collapse of the Kolchak region.
The book convincingly shows that Kolchakism is a complex, multi-layered phenomenon; in it, contradictory, heterogeneous currents were intertwined in the most bizarre way, connected in an anti-Soviet channel. The mainstay of Kolchakism in the national districts was local nationalists, who "had the good fortune" to read resolutions like "I would like to flog you"on their petitions. 6 G. Z. Ioffe paints a political picture of events, reveals the essence of the white terror, gives a kind of" spectral analysis " of Kolchakism, shows its various layers. Among the reasons that led to the collapse of the "white cause", the author also names such an important phenomenon in politics as the lack of a high goal that can unite the masses.
The book describes the admiral's associates who performed their last judgment, and Kolchak himself is written reliably and prominently: not "Russian Washington", but a terry-cloth monarchist, "Alexander IV", a sworn enemy of the working people, Bolsheviks, and Soviets. So, on July 25, 1919 (163 days remained to fight fiercely), Kolchak stated in his next order:: "I will fight Bolshevism at the front and in the rear until it is completely annihilated," demanding that the workers ' actions against the imposed terror be suppressed "with determination, without hesitation ,and with the responsibility of the military commanders before the field court for their weakness and dishonesty." 7
The studied material allowed the author to show not a certain forced accident, but awareness of the unbridled bloody bacchanal of the counter-revolution. Kolchak did not play democracy. To match the dictator-executioner were also the fanatics blinded by hatred for the Soviets Annenkov, Bakich, Bochkarev, Kaigorodov, Kappel, Krasilnikov, Semyonov, Ungern and his other associates. They carried out monstrous reprisals against communists, chekists, the first Soviet activists, and revolutionary youth. Sadistic Kappelites in 1918-1919, bandits in the 1920s, fascists
1 In his previous book "The Collapse of the Russian Monarchist Counter-Revolution" (Moscow, 1977), the author devoted only one paragraph to the collapse of Kolchakism.
2 See, for example, Vladimir Ilyich Lenin. Biographical Chronicle, vol. 7, p. 219.
3 Lenin V. I. PSS. Vol. 50, p. 133; vol. 39, p. 246.
4 See ibid., vol. 39, p. 54
5 See ibid., p. 127.
6 TsGAOR USSR, coll.
7 Ibid.
page 134
during the Great Patriotic War, red stars were carved on the bodies of courageous Soviet patriots, defenders of the revolution. This is the logic of the counter-revolution of all times. The author outlined such a connection. Not limited to the events of the winter of 1919-1920, he briefly showed the" exodus " of Kolchakism - white emigration, its links with fascism.
G. Z. Ioffe solves the main research tasks on the basis of an extensive source base. They are attracted by materials coming from polar opposite camps: Kolchakism is revealed not only according to Soviet sources, but also according to documents of the White Guard.
The author paid special attention to white memoirism-sources that allow you to see how the defeated enemy assessed events. These writings sometimes provide information about events that are not reflected in other sources. Extracting information from this range of materials is a time-consuming process that requires the researcher to be as critical as possible and to apply complex methods of searching for truth. The white writings cited in his book expose not only their authors, but also our current class enemies. White Memoirs is the primary source of works by contemporary Sovietologists. And since this is the case, it opens up the possibility that F. has pointed out. Engels: beat the enemy with his "own testimonies" 8 . A critical understanding of the revelations of the defeated generals allowed the author to reveal the backstage game, the continuous chain of intrigues, and the internecine strife in the reaction camp. Lenin wrote about this: "The revelations between them go on from day to day, the struggle goes on in such a way that they expose each other"; " our enemies, infinitely more powerful, were defeated because there was no unity between them, could not be and will not be, and every month of the struggle with us is for them it meant disintegration within their camp. " 9
It is impossible not to support G. Z. Ioffe's general assessment of the "democratic" counter-revolution. In political terms, the Socialist - Revolutionary movement and the Kolchak movement are phenomena of the same anti-Soviet trend. The Socialist-Revolutionary-Menshevik counter-revolution was by no means an innocent victim of Kolchakism. Both dictatorships were characterized by rampant white terror. In their clash, the strongest won. Kolchak's terror was preceded by the monstrous terror of the "Siberian Government". By his order, already at the very beginning of the bloody epic, the White Guards shot 4 thousand workers with their wives and children 10 . Kolchak's coming to power meant the maximum revival of the counter-revolution.
We also note the advantage of the book, as the style of presentation. An interesting, emotionally colored narrative contributes to ideological, patriotic, and civic education.
In general, a very interesting study by G. Z. Ioffe is not without some drawbacks. I would like to see in the book an assessment of the role of the church counter-revolution, which worked for Kolchakism. The" Holy Fathers", as the documents show, voluntarily became accomplices of the White Guard, without experiencing any pangs of conscience, went to any positions, tried to prove the "sanctity" of the struggle against the Soviets, became militarized confessors and fought with weapons in their hands for the return of the earthly goods taken from them in October 1917. Proclaiming the commandment "thou shalt not kill", the clergy in Annenkov's detachments wore chevrons with a skull and crossbones, united in special legions of the "Holy Cross", "regiments of Jesus" 11 . The churchmen strengthened Kolchakism, and their support was very significant for the White Guards. It was necessary to analyze the criminal activities of the Kolchak general E. K. Vishnevsky, and to give a critical analysis of the Harbin notes issued by him later, full of fabrications about the class struggle in Siberia. These notes are now being copied by bourgeois falsifiers who ignore the truth of history.
It was possible to reveal the thesis formulated by S. M. Kirov: "In his (Kolchak's - V. L.) hands is a sword made in the best workshops of imperialism" 12 . Showing the indissoluble connection between internal and external counter-revolution is a task of ever-increasing urgency.
8 K. Marx and F. Engels Soch. Vol. 2, p. 240.
9 Lenin's Collection XXXVIII, p. 296; Lenin V. I. PSS. Vol. 40, p. 168.
10 TsGAOR USSR, f. 393, op. 4, d. 27, ll. 24ob., 38ob., 228ob. and others.
11 TSGASA, call.
12 Kirov S. First of May and Kolchak. - Red Warrior, 1. V. 1919.
page 135
Unfortunately, the book doesn't have a named index. It would be useful to provide it with documentary illustrations. A very valuable photo material exposing the counter-revolution was deposited in the Central State Museum of the USSR, the Central Museum of the Revolution of the USSR. More attention could have been paid to the materials of the Central State Academy of Sciences and the Central State Academy of Sciences of the USSR, where (especially in the former) dozens of funds store valuable information on the topic.
G. Z. Ioffe's monograph is a useful work that solves an important scientific problem and outlines ways to further study the problem. Such questions as the number, personification and typology of the counter-revolution in Siberia, the periodization of its collapse, the origins of banditry, and the failure of the White Guard and nationalist counter-revolution bloc in Siberia in the 1920s as an epilogue to Kolchakism need to be developed. The book will help you study the forces hostile to the Soviets and write new, including generalizing, works on the problem of "revolution and counter-revolution".
page 136
New publications: |
Popular with readers: |
News from other countries: |
![]() |
Editorial Contacts |
About · News · For Advertisers |
![]() 2014-2025, LIBRARY.EE is a part of Libmonster, international library network (open map) Keeping the heritage of Estonia |