People Army of the Committee of Members of the Constituent Assembly - an anti-Bolshevik army during the Russian Civil War

Russian Civil War

The Russian Civil War was a multi-party war that occurred within the former Russian Empire after the Russian provisional government collapsed to the Soviets, under the domination of the Bolshevik party. Soviet forces first assumed power in Petrograd The Russian Civil War (1917–1923) was a...

, which fought at June-September of 1918 in Volga Region

Volga Region

Volga Region is a historical region of Russia that encompasses the territories adjacent to the flow of Volga River. According to the flow of the river, it is usually classified into the Middle Volga Region and Lower Volga Region...

.

In May 1918 there was a Revolt of Czechoslovak Legion

Revolt of Czechoslovak Legion

Revolt of Czechoslovak Legion - armed actions of Czechoslovak Legions in Russian Civil War against Bolshevik authorities during May - August, 1918 in Volga, Siberia and Ural regions...

 on Trans-Siberian Railway

Trans-Siberian Railway

The Trans-Siberian Railway is a network of railways connecting Moscow with the Russian Far East and the Sea of Japan. It is the longest railway in the world...

. At June, 8, Czech Legion captured Samara

Samara, Russia

Samara , is the sixth largest city in Russia. It is situated in the southeastern part of European Russia at the confluence of the Volga and Samara Rivers. Samara is the administrative center of Samara Oblast. Population: . The metropolitan area of Samara-Tolyatti-Syzran within Samara Oblast...

, and several members of the Constituent Assembly

Russian Constituent Assembly

The All Russian Constituent Assembly was a constitutional body convened in Russia after the October Revolution of 1917. It is generally reckoned as the first democratically elected legislative body of any kind in Russian history. It met for 13 hours, from 4 p.m...

, which had been dissolved by the Bolsheviks, organized an Committee of Members of the Constituent Assembly (in russian "Constituent Assembly" was "Uchreditel'noe Sobranie", hence the abbreviation for Committee was "Komuch"). At the same day an undeground officer organisation of Samara under the supervision of Socialist-Revolutionary Party

Socialist-Revolutionary Party

thumb|right|200px|Socialist-Revolutionary election poster, 1917. The caption in red reads "партия соц-рев" , short for Party of the Socialist Revolutionaries...

 began to form the military detachment. On the next day a group of officers of General Staff arrived and helped to organize a military structure. They created a detachment of 350 men, which had two infantry companies, cavalry squadron, mounted artillery etc. Vladimir Kappel

Vladimir Kappel

Vladimir Oskarovich Kappel was a White Russian military leader.During the First World War he was a Chief of the 347th Infantry Regiment's Staff and an officer in the 1st Army's Staff...

 became a chief of this military group. Kappel was monarchist, and didn't like democratic norms, introduced in army by the Socialist-Revolutionary Party, but he wanted to fight against Bolsheviks and agreed to be patient.

At June, 11, Kappel's detachment stormed and captured Syzran

Syzran

Syzran is the third largest city in Samara Oblast, Russia, located on the right bank of Saratov Reservoir of the Volga River. Population: It was founded in 1683 as a fortress, and was granted town status in 1796. One tower from the 17th-century fortress still stands...

, then Stavropol

Tolyatti

Tolyatti , also known as Togliatti, is a city in Samara Oblast, Russia. It serves as the administrative center of Stavropolsky District, although it is administratively separate from it...

, Buguruslan

Buguruslan

Buguruslan is a town in Orenburg Oblast, Russia. Population:...

 and Buzuluk

Buzuluk

Buzuluk is a town in Orenburg Oblast, Russia, located on the Samara, Buzuluk, and Domashka Rivers northwest of Orenburg. Population: It was founded in 1736 as the fortress of Buzulukskaya on the Samara River near the mouth of the Buzuluk River along Russia's southern frontier. It was later moved...

. At July, 21, russian-czechoslovakian detachment under the Kappel's command after 150-km long march stormed and captured Simbirsk; for this victory Kappel was promoted to colonel

Colonel

Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...

. At July, 22, Kappel officially became a head of all KOMUCH forces, which consisted of 2 infantry regiment and several artillery battareies (3000 men in common).

On the meeting in Samara heads of KOMUCH decided, that main strategic goal is to capture Saratov

Saratov

-Modern Saratov:The Saratov region is highly industrialized, due in part to the rich in natural and industrial resources of the area. The region is also one of the more important and largest cultural and scientific centres in Russia...

, but Kappel thought, that Kazan

Kazan

Kazan is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia. With a population of 1,143,546 , it is the eighth most populous city in Russia. Kazan lies at the confluence of the Volga and Kazanka Rivers in European Russia. In April 2009, the Russian Patent Office granted Kazan the...

 should be more important object, and captured Kazan, defended by big but bad-prepared Red Army.

Kappel thought, that this is necessary to use the situation and advance to 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...

 through Nizhny Novgorod

Nizhny Novgorod

Nizhny Novgorod , colloquially shortened to Nizhny, is, with the population of 1,250,615, the fifth largest city in Russia, ranking after Moscow, St. Petersburg, Novosibirsk, and Yekaterinburg...

, but KOMUCH and commanders of Czechoslovakian troops replied that in this case there will no troops for defending Samara, Simbirsk and Kazan. People Army was placed on defence position, and Red Army received a time for regroup.

At the beginning of September Red Army began to advance. Kazan was captured by Red Army

Kazan Operation

Kazan Operation was the Red Army's offensive against the Czechoslovak Legion and the People Army of Komuch during the Russian Civil War.- Background :...

 at September, 5, Simbirsk - at September, 12. During two weeks Kappel's group defended a left bank of Volga River

Volga River

The Volga is the largest river in Europe in terms of length, discharge, and watershed. It flows through central Russia, and is widely viewed as the national river of Russia. Out of the twenty largest cities of Russia, eleven, including the capital Moscow, are situated in the Volga's drainage...

 and after joining with other troops retreated to Ufa

Ufa

-Demographics:Nationally, dominated by Russian , Bashkirs and Tatars . In addition, numerous are Ukrainians , Chuvash , Mari , Belarusians , Mordovians , Armenian , Germans , Jews , Azeris .-Government and administration:Local...

. At June, 23, KOMUCH and Provisional Government of Autonomous Siberia

Provisional Government of Autonomous Siberia

The Provisional Government of Autonomous Siberia , was an ephemeral government for Siberia created by the White movement.After the Bolsheviks' seizure of power in Petrograd, All-Siberian Extraordinary Congress of Delegates from Public Organizations, was convened in Tomsk on December 7, 1917...

 joined in Ufa onto the united Provisional All-Russian Government

Provisional All-Russian Government

The Provisional All-Russian Government or PA-RG was a short-lived government centred in Omsk during the Russian Civil War.It was principally formed from the Komuch, mainly Socialist-Revolutionary Party and Constitutional Democratic Party members based in Samara, and the Provisional Siberian...

. People Army of Komuch and Siberian Army

Siberian Army

Siberian Army - an anti-Bolshevik army during the Russian Civil War, which fought at June, 1918 - July, 1919 in Siberia - Ural Region.- Background :...

 was united in one structure, and became converted into the united Western Army of White Movement.

Sources

• Н.Е.Какурин, И.И.Вацетис "Гражданская война. 1918-1921" (N.E.Kakurin, I.I.Vacietis
  Jukums Vacietis
  Jukums Vācietis was a Latvian Soviet military commander. He was a rare example of notable Soviet leaders who were not members of the Communist Party ....
  
  "Civil War. 1918-1921") - Sankt-Peterburg, "Polygon" Publishing House, 2002. ISBN 5-89173-150-9