НОВОЕ СЛОВО В БЕЗОПАСНОСТИ РОССИЙСКОЙ РЕСПУБЛИКИ: ВОПРОС ОБ ОРГАНИЗАЦИИ КАЗАЧЬЕЙ АРМИИ В АВГУСТЕ - СЕНТЯБРЕ 1917 Г.

Abstract

The objective of the article is to examine projects aimed at strengthening the security of Russia through the formation of a Cossack (cavalry) army. A similar operational and strategic association owes its practical origin to the Soviet Republic; the Whites also had corresponding projects (in particular, those of P.N. Wrangel). The author of the article managed to establish the fact that projects of creation of such formations existed much earlier, in August - September, 1917, and their realization would not only provide safety of the Russian republic, but also would influence the combat effectiveness of the Russian active army and prospects of the final stage of Russia's participation in the World War I. This determines the scientific novelty of the research. The objectives of the article are to analyze the projects of the formation of the Cossack army of the Russian Republic in the summer-autumn of 1917, as well as the reform of the Cossack cavalry, its division into army and strategic cavalry. After the corresponding reform, the Cossack cavalry (including all 3 Astrakhan Cossack regiments) became the most important operational and strategic tool and reserve of the Russian active army at the final stage of World War I. The article is based on previously unpublished archival documents extracted from the archives of the Russian State Military Historical Archive (RGVIA). Research methods: archive study, historico-comparative analysis and historico-systemic analysis.