Curtain forces
Encyclopedia
Curtain forces were military forces used by Soviet Russia
in 1918 in the Western and Northern directions (Western Curtain and Northern Curtain respectively). Additionally there were the Southern Curtain and Northeastern Curtain.
with the purpose of "guarding of the interior regions of the state against possible invasion of Germans" and for guarding the demarcation line established by the Brest Peace Treaty. The idea of the Curtain was developed during the efforts to defend Petrograd against the February 1918 German offensive initiated by Erich Ludendorff
, under conditions when the former Imperial Russian Army
was disorganized, but the Red Army
was not formed yet. After initial German successes, in early March a mixture of Red Guards
, Red Army, volunteer and partisan forces stabilized along Narva
and Dnieper
rivers, which was the beginning of the Curtain. The Western Curtain and Northern Curtain were established in places of the former
Western
and Northern
Fronts respectively.
to Novy Oskol
, to protect the Moscow
direction, under the command of V.N. Yegoryev.
and Ural
directions.
and Fronts, as well as the Western Defense Region, were established in place if it.
Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic
The Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic , commonly referred to as Soviet Russia, Bolshevik Russia, or simply Russia, was the largest, most populous and economically developed republic in the former Soviet Union....
in 1918 in the Western and Northern directions (Western Curtain and Northern Curtain respectively). Additionally there were the Southern Curtain and Northeastern Curtain.
History
The Curtain was a defense system created according to the March 5, 1918 directive of the Revolutionary Military CouncilRevolutionary Military Council
Revolutionary Military Council of the Republic or Revvoyensoviet Revolutionary Military Council of the Republic or Revvoyensoviet Revolutionary Military Council of the Republic or Revvoyensoviet (Революционный Военный Совет, Revolyutsionny Voyenny Sovyet; Реввоенсовет, Revvoyensovyet; also...
with the purpose of "guarding of the interior regions of the state against possible invasion of Germans" and for guarding the demarcation line established by the Brest Peace Treaty. The idea of the Curtain was developed during the efforts to defend Petrograd against the February 1918 German offensive initiated by Erich Ludendorff
Erich Ludendorff
Erich Friedrich Wilhelm Ludendorff was a German general, victor of Liège and of the Battle of Tannenberg...
, under conditions when the former Imperial Russian Army
Imperial Russian Army
The Imperial Russian Army was the land armed force of the Russian Empire, active from around 1721 to the Russian Revolution of 1917. In the early 1850s, the Russian army consisted of around 938,731 regular soldiers and 245,850 irregulars . Until the time of military reform of Dmitry Milyutin in...
was disorganized, but the Red Army
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...
was not formed yet. After initial German successes, in early March a mixture of Red Guards
Red Guards (Russia)
In the context of the history of Russia and Soviet Union, Red Guards were paramilitary formations consisting of workers and partially of soldiers and sailors formed in the time frame of the Russian Revolution of 1917...
, Red Army, volunteer and partisan forces stabilized along Narva
Narva River
The Narva is a river flowing into the Baltic Sea, the largest river in Estonia. Draining Lake Peipsi, the river forms the border of Estonia and Russia and flows through the towns of Narva/Ivangorod and Narva-Jõesuu into Narva Bay. Though the river is only 77 km long, in terms of volume...
and Dnieper
Dnieper River
The Dnieper River is one of the major rivers of Europe that flows from Russia, through Belarus and Ukraine, to the Black Sea.The total length is and has a drainage basin of .The river is noted for its dams and hydroelectric stations...
rivers, which was the beginning of the Curtain. The Western Curtain and Northern Curtain were established in places of the former
Western
Western Front (Russian Empire)
The Western Front was a major unit of the Imperial Russian Army during the First World War. It was formed on the base of the Northwestern Front and disbanded in 1918.-Composition:Field Office * 1st Army...
and Northern
Northern Front (Russian Empire)
The Northern Front was a major unit of the Imperial Russian Army during the First World War.-Composition:*1st Army *5th Army *6th Army The Northern Front was a major unit of the Imperial Russian Army during the First World War.-Composition:*1st Army (April 1916 - July 1917, Sept. 1917 - early...
Fronts respectively.
Western Curtain
The Western Curtain (official name: Western Region of Curtain Forces) was established on March 29, 1918, according to the March 5 directive of the Supreme Military Council. It stretched from NevelNevel
Nevel is a town and the administrative center of Nevelsky District of Pskov Oblast, Russia, located on Lake Nevel southeast of Pskov. Population:...
to Novy Oskol
Novy Oskol
Novy Oskol is a town in Belgorod Oblast, Russia, located on the Oskol River, northeast of Belgorod. Population: -External links:*...
, to protect the Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
direction, under the command of V.N. Yegoryev.
Northeastern Curtain
The Northeastern Region of Curtain Forces (Сев.-Вост. участок отрядов завесы) was created by the August 6, 1918 directive of the Supreme Military Council, to protect against allied intervention and White forces from the White SeaWhite Sea
The White Sea is a southern inlet of the Barents Sea located on the northwest coast of Russia. It is surrounded by Karelia to the west, the Kola Peninsula to the north, and the Kanin Peninsula to the northeast. The whole of the White Sea is under Russian sovereignty and considered to be part of...
and Ural
Ural (region)
Ural is a geographical region located around the Ural Mountains, between the East European and West Siberian plains. It extends approximately from north to south, from the Arctic Ocean to the bend of Ural River near Orsk city. The boundary between Europe and Asia runs along the eastern side of...
directions.
Southern Curtain
The Southern Region of Curtain Forces was created by the August 11, 1918 directive of the Supreme Military Council.Disbanding
The Curtain was disbanded by a September 11, 1918 Decree of the Revolutionary Military CouncilRevolutionary Military Council
Revolutionary Military Council of the Republic or Revvoyensoviet Revolutionary Military Council of the Republic or Revvoyensoviet Revolutionary Military Council of the Republic or Revvoyensoviet (Революционный Военный Совет, Revolyutsionny Voyenny Sovyet; Реввоенсовет, Revvoyensovyet; also...
and Fronts, as well as the Western Defense Region, were established in place if it.