Military Revolutionary Committee also known as the Milrevcom (Russian: Военно-революционный комитет, военревком, ВРК) was the name for military organs under soviet (council)s during the period of the Russian Revolution and Russian Civil War. The most notable ones were those of Petrograd Soviet, of Moscow Soviet, and at Stavka. These committees were in charge of preparation and carrying out the revolution. After the revolution they were in charge of the control of the military. The Petrograd Military Revolutionary Committee was created on 16 October 1917.[1] This is the same organisation translated as the Revolutionary Military Committee in Lenin's collected works. The Military Revolutionary Committee proclamation of the disbanding of the Russian Provisional Government, titled "To the citizens of Russia" (facsimile shown opposite) was signed by the Revolutionary Military Committee of the Petrograd Soviet of Workers' and Soldiers Deputies and dated "10am, October 25, 1917". It reads:
| “ | The Provisional Government has been deposed. State power has passed into the hands of the organ of the Petrograd Soviet of Workers' and Soldiers' Deputies - the Revolutionary Military Committee, which heads the Petrograd proletariat and the garrison.
The cause for which the people have fought, namely, the immediate offer of a democratic peace, the abolition of landed proprietorship, workers' control over production, and the establishment of Soviet power - this cause has been secured. Long live the revolution of workers, soldiers and peasants! |
” |
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— To the citizens of Russia[2]
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In Lessons of October, Trotsky argues that the Petrograd Soviet essentially entered a state of armed insurrection before October 25: "From the moment when we, as the Petrograd Soviet, invalidated Kerensky's order transferring two-thirds of the garrison to the front, we had actually entered a state of armed insurrection... the outcome of the insurrection of October 25 was at least three-quarters settled, if not more, the moment that we opposed the transfer of the Petrograd garrison; created the Military Revolutionary Committee (October 16)...".[3] Kerensky's order was issued not long after the Bolsheviks gained a majority in the Petrograd Soviet and Trotsky was elected Chairman (the latter took place on September 26, 1917 Old Style. The Soviet took the view that Kerensky was attempting to remove the revolutionary leaning troops who were following the directions of the soviet, and replace them with ones who would not oppose his orders.
References
- ^ Trotsky, Leon, Lessons of October: "On October 16th the Military Revolutionary Committee was created, the legal Soviet organ of insurrection." Accessed 27/8/07
- ^ Lenin, collected works, Vol 26, p236, (Lawrence and Wishart), 1964
- ^ Trotsky, Leon, Lessons of October Accessed 27/8/07
