Redizdat (Editorial and Publishing Department) was established in 1921 by a decision of the Third Congress of the Communist International. It reported to the secretariat of the International’s Executive Committee. Redizdat was created to establish printing and publishing outlets in Soviet-controlled zones during the Russian Civil War. For example, the Ukrainian branch of Redizdat in concert with Narkomvoen (People's Commissariat for Military Affairs) printed over six million propaganda leaflets. By 1935, Redizdat was dissolved. In 1937, the en...

When the Bolsheviks took control of the government in 1917 they formed a Committee for Military Affairs to establish their military organization. Soon after, a formal reorganization of the nation's armed forces coincided with the dismantling of the War Ministry that had been part of the Russian Provisional Government prior to Bolshevik control. Staff loyal to the Imperial Russian and White Russian commands was "purged" and in their place, military "specialists" were ...