Reduction of the Army

Council of People's Commissars, Decree on the Reduction of the Army. November 23, 1917

The Workers' and Peasants' Government of People's Commissars has resolved:

To start gradual reduction of the numerical strength of the army and, pursuant to this, to transfer forthwith to the indefinite reserve soldiers drafted in z899. The ordinance regarding the draftees of other years will be issued later on. Discharged soldiers shall hand over their weapons to the regimental committees which are responsible for their safekeeping.

The Supreme Commander-in- Chief shall announce this forthwith in an army order of the day.

Chairman of the Council of the People's Commissars, VL. UL'IANOV (LENIN).

People's Commissars of Military Affairs, V. A. OVSEENKO (ANTONOV), N. KRYLENKO.

Source: Decrees of the Soviet Government (Moscow: Institute of Marxism-Leninism, 1957), Vol. I, p. 66.

1917

EVENTS February Revolution Formation of the Soviets April Crisis Revolution in the Army July Days Kornilov Affair Bolsheviks Seize Power First Bolshevik Decrees Constituent Assembly Treaty of Brest Litovsk
FOUR KINDS OF STATES Communist Party Building Economic Apparatus Building the Soviets Red Guard into Army State Security
DISINTEGRATION OF THE OLD SOCIETY Depopulation of the Cities Food Supply Conflict with the Church Death of the Old Culture Destruction of the Left The Empire Falls
CREATION OF A NEW SOCIETY New Letters and Dates Culture and Revolution The New Woman Workers Organization Peasant Revolution Organs of the Press Raising Socialist Youth