PREPARATION OF THE OREL MILITARY DISTRICT FOR THE GREAT PATRIOTIC WAR
Authors:   Central Russian Institute of Management, Branch of RANEPA, ELISEEV A.L. , RODIONOV I.M. ,   Central Russian Institute of Management, Branch of RANEPA
Published: November 2024

The purpose of the article is to consider the formation of military districts during the Russian history. The Orel Military District is an operational and strategic territorial association of the Red Army of the RSFSR and the USSR in 1918-1922, 1938-1941 and 1943-1945. The First Orel Military District was estab-lished by the Supreme Military Council order on March 31, 1918. The Orel Military District included Orel, Kursk, Chernigov and Voronezh provinces. On June 29, 1919, Tambov Province also became the part of the District. The First Orel Military District was however disbanded on March 9, 1922. The territory and the troops were transferred to the Moscow and Kiev Military Districts. The Orel Military District of the 2nd for-mation was established by the USSR People's Commissar of Defense order No. 0154 on July 28, 1938. The second district was based on the 10th Rifle Corps, military units and institutions of the Belarus and Moscow Military Districts. The District included Voronezh, Kursk, Orel provinces, and Tambov region since 1939. At the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, in June 1941, the 20th Army was formed in the Orel Military District.
Based on archival data, the authors identify the peculiarities of the Red Army human resources policy at the beginning of the Great Patriotic War. The Orel Military District main task was to meet the urgent needs of the Belarus and Kiev Military Districts, to rearm the troops, and to ensure their military mobilization capaci-ty. During this period, the recruiting offices work was organized in order to enroll youths and to keep military records. It was worked out during the mobilization in the country since the autumn in 1938. The assigned personnel of military units were of great importance. It should be noted that each part of the Military District was attached to a military unit, and conscripts were forced to serve in the corresponding military units. The soldiers and assigned personnel underwent combat training by means of military training in summer camps, winter staff games, exercises, etc. Special attention was paid to the ideological support of the events held in the country.
Based on archival documents, the authors examine the District's management system, as well as the structure of the military units. The mobilization plans impact on the functioning of the district is analyzed. The district leadership activities for solution of such tasks as organizing combat and political training of military units, mobilizing assigned personnel, and restructuring of the mobilization system are discussed. As a result, the authors identify the features of military mobilization work in the District using the 120th Rifle Division case. The special role of recruiting offices in conscripting citizens for military service is noted.
The research results can be useful for further study of the role of the Soviet Union military structure elements in building up the country’s military potential and increasing the combat capacities of military units at the beginning of the Great Patriotic War.