Empire after Empire: Military Legacy and the Creation of Nation States

Abstract

This article considers the transfer of the military imperial heritage into new hands after 1917, which was especially in demand since this transition took place in an environment of aggravated political, ethnic, and religious conflicts. The most important role in this process was played by the bearers of army practices – soldiers, officers, and generals of various nationalities. A long war was accompanied by a separation of command personnel: military leaders who had not proved their professional worth gave up leadership positions to those who had proved themselves better in leading troops. Breaking the established hierarchical patterns, the turbulence of the revolutionary era allowed many ambitious and talented military leaders to occupy high positions, which was impossible in normal circumstances. The high administrative burden that lay on the generals and officers of the Russian imperial army and the experience of running a military economy prepared them for the role of statesmen in the new states that arose from the ruins of the Russian Empire. Military reserves concentrated in front-line areas made it possible to resolve issues of material support for the national armed forces.