740.0011 European War 1939/24791: Telegram
The Chargé in the Soviet Union (Henderson) to the Secretary of State
[Received October; 12—4:10 p.m.]
874. Embassy’s 1369, July 17, 6 p.m., 1941;35 and 729, September 1, 11 a.m. 1942.36 The local paper of today publishes a ukase37 of the [Page 462] Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the U. S. S. R. abolishing the Institution of Military Commissars and Political Workers “in all regiments and divisions, staff units, military academies and institutions of the Red Army at both the front and the rear.”
The preamble to the ukase states that during the period of the civil war which followed the revolution it had been considered necessary to inaugurate the system of military commissars in the Red Army because of lack of confidence in old officers “who at that time did not believe in the firmness of Soviet power or were even alien to it”. It is pointed out that during this period the military commissars played a decisive role in the strengthening of the Red Army in the selection of officers in the political education of the army and in instilling of military discipline.
The preamble goes on to say that in the years following the civil war the position of officers in the Red Army changed fundamentally as a result of their “further growth and education and also under the influence of the successes and victories of the Soviet system in all spheres of life”. It states that the present struggle has hardened the officers of the Red Army and has developed a very large group of new and talented officers who are experienced in battle and fully faithful to their military duty and the honor of their rank. The officers of the Red Army have proved in battle their devotion to the fatherland and have grown in military and political stature.
At the same time, it continues, the military commissars and political workers have improved their military knowledge so that already some of them have become military officers in actual command of troops. Many others can also be used. The preamble concludes by stating that these circumstances indicate that the basis for the existence of the system of military commissars has completely disappeared and that furthermore the continued existence of this system can operate as a brake on the improvement of troop administration and may also place the commissars in a false position. Accordingly the system is abolished.
The ukase establishes complete unity of command and vests it in the military officers who are given full responsibility for the military and political life of each unit, does away with the system of military commissars and political workers in the Red Army and provides that they shall be made “assistant officers” to the military officers at present in command of given units. It also provides for the systematic transfer of additional political officers to the status of military officers.
An order of the Commissariat for Defense is likewise published [Page 463] implementing the foregoing ukase and setting up courses of military training for political officers.
- Foreign Relations, 1941, vol. i, p. 630; this telegram reported the latest re-institution of military, or political, commissars. See also telegram No. 1011, August. 13, 1940, from Moscow, ibid., 1940, vol. iii, p. 211; and ibid., The Soviet Union, 1933–1939, p. 377, footnote 22, p. 519, footnote 13, and p. 746, footnote 27.↩
- Not printed.↩
- The ukase was dated October 9, 1942.↩