Conscription, correspondence, and politics in late imperial Russia

Russian History

Volumn 24, Issue 1-2, 1997, Pages 27-40

  Sanborn, Josh ^a,b  

^a University of Chicago ^*

^b UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO   (United States)

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[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

EID: 9944248314     PISSN: 0094288X     EISSN: 18763316     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1163/187633197X00032     Document Type: Review

References (24)

1. The stenographic reports of all the Duma sessions in which the new law was debated are collected in the Rossiiskii gosudarstvennyi voenno-istoricheskii arkhiv RGVIA, f. 2000, op. 3, d. 79, ll. 1146-1459. I would like to thank the John D. and Catharine T. MacArthur Foundation, the Center for the Advancement and Study of Peace and International Cooperation, and the Division of Social Sciences of the University of Chicago for grants which have made this research possible was debated are collected in the Rossiiskii gosudarstvennyi voenno-istoricheskii arkhiv (RGVIA), f. 2000, op. 3, d. 79, ll. 1146-1459. I would like to thank the John D. and Catharine T. MacArthur Foundation, the Center for the Advancement and Study of Peace and International Cooperation, and the Division of Social Sciences of the University of Chicago for grants which have made this research possible
2. The two major works on the 1874 reform are Robert F. Baumann, "The over Universal Military Service in Russia, 1870-1874 (Ph. D. diss., Yale Univ., 1983); Debates over Universal Military Service in Russia, 1870-1874" (Ph. D. diss., Yale Univ., 1983)
3. and P. A. Zaionchkovskii, Voennye reformy 1860-1870 godov v rossii (Moscow: Izdatel'stvo Moskovskogo Universiteta, 1952)
4. RGVIA, f. 2000, op. 3, d. 79, l. 3; RGVIA, f. 2000, op. 3, d. 71, l. 5ob
5. In the most heated session (December 2, 1911) no less than three Duma members were expelled. Two Social Democrats (Tomilov and Voloishnikov) were thrown out for insulting the army and ultra-nationalist V. M. Purishkevich was sent out for improper and uncensored exclamations directed at Tomilov. Both Voloishnikov and Purishkevich received the maximum punishment allowed, fifteen sessions members were expelled. Two Social Democrats (Tomilov and Voloishnikov) were thrown out for insulting the army and ultra-nationalist V. M. Purishkevich was sent out for "improper and uncensored exclamations" directed at Tomilov. Both Voloishnikov and Purishkevich received the maximum punishment allowed - fifteen sessions
6. RGVIA, f. 2000, op. 3, d. 79, l. 1194
7. The new law also divided the third category of exemption into two separate categories, thus creating four categories of exemptions without expanding the number of people who received them separate categories, thus creating four categories of exemptions without expanding the number of people who received them
8. RGVIA, f. 2000, op. 3, d. 79, l. 1244
9. Even rumors of changes in the draft law (and hence a change in the relationship between conscript and state) were enough to spark a barrage of letter-writing to officials in St. Petersburg. RGVIA, f. 2000, op. 3, d. 1159, l. 242. relationship between conscript and state) were enough to spark a barrage of letter-writing to officials in St. Petersburg. RGVIA, f. 2000, op. 3, d. 1159, l. 242
10. In fact, the obstruction was the fault of central authorities. Having focused all their attentions on the forced conscription of reservists in a general mobilization, the mobilization department had completely neglected to address the question of volunteers, and as a result those inflamed with patriotic fervor had to wait several weeks before guidelines concerning their enlistment were produced and sent to local military authorities focused all their attentions on the forced conscription of reservists in a general mobilization, the mobilization department had completely neglected to address the question of volunteers, and as a result those inflamed with patriotic fervor had to wait several weeks before guidelines concerning their enlistment were produced and sent to local military authorities
11. See for instance Rossiiskii gosudarstvennyi istoricheskii arkhiv (RGIA) 1292, op. 5, d. 304, ll. 42, 53 and RGVIA, f. 2000, op. 3, d. 1159, l. 55-56. f. 1292, op. 5, d. 304, ll. 42, 53 and RGVIA, f. 2000, op. 3, d. 1159, l. 55-56
12. That anonymous denunciations predominated is not only my own observation from archival research, but was the conclusion of War Minister A. A. Polivanov in 1915 as well. Ibid., d. 1196, l. 91. from archival research, but was the conclusion of War Minister A. A. Polivanov in 1915 as well. Ibid., d. 1196, l. 91
13. RGIA, f. 1278, op. 5, d. 1193, l. 112
14. This appears to be the case not only because of heightened social tensions regarding military service, but also because the archive of the War Ministry had a policyrior to the revolution, of destroying most of their documents after a specified length of time usually ten years, As a result, it is impossible to say how prevalent correspondence to the War Ministry was before the turn of the century tensions regarding military service, but also because the archive of the War Ministry had a policyrior to the revolution, of destroying most of their documents after a specified length of time (usually ten years). As a result, it is impossible to say how prevalent correspondence to the War Ministry was before the turn of the century
15. RGVIA, f. 2000, op. 3, d. 75, l. 50
16. Likewise, those who traded in military exemptions were often brought down by unsatisfied customers bent on revenge. for instance ibid., d. 75, l. 19. by unsatisfied customers bent on revenge. See for instance ibid., d. 75, l. 19
17. RGIA, f. 1278, op. 5, d. 205, ll. 196-97
18. RGVIA, f. 2000, op. 3, d. 1194, ll. 23-23ob
19. For examples of the latter three cases, see ibid., d. 1246, l. 15; ibid. 400, op. 19, d. 147, ll. 9-10; ibid, f. 2000, op. 3, d. 2694, ll. 70-70ob. The question of Jews and military service is too complicated to deal with in a short article. They were the major exception to the idea that each subject, regardless of his social, religious or national group, should be equal in the eyes of the army. It will suffice here to say that anti-Semitism structured the military's dealing with Jewish conscripts, and the resulting horrid conditions of army life prompted many Jews to avoid serving the tsar, which in turn bolstered the anti-Semitism of state and military officials f. 400, op. 19, d. 147, ll. 9-10; ibid., f. 2000, op. 3, d. 2694, ll. 70-70ob. The question of Jews and military service is too complicated to deal with in a short article. They were the major exception to the idea that each subject, regardless of his social, religious or national group, should be equal in the eyes of the army. It will suffice here to say that anti-Semitism structured the military's dealing with Jewish conscripts, and the resulting horrid conditions of army life prompted many Jews to avoid serving the tsar, which in turn bolstered the anti-Semitism of state and military officials
20. RGIA, f. 1278, op. 5, d. 1193, ll. 106-07
21. RGVIA, f. 2000, op. 3, d. 1159, l. 161; ibid., d. 1221, l. 98
22. See for instance RGIA, f. 1278, op. 5, d. 216, l. 78; RGVIA, f. 2003, op d. 784, l. 23. 2, d. 784, l. 23
23. RGVIA, f. 2000, op. 3, d. 1196, l. 91ob
24. Ibid