Provisional All-Russian Government
Encyclopedia
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
(SRs) and Constitutional Democratic Party
(Kadets) members based in Samara
, and the Provisional Siberian Government
, which consisted mainly of regional politicians and rightist officers and was based at Omsk. The two regimes had previously failed to work effectively together, being by rivalry including a customs war and numerous border disputes.
A State Conference was held at Ufa
between 8–23 September 1918, which resulted in the establishment of this last attempt at a unified anti-Bolshevik
government. It encompassed 170 delegates including some from other regions. But the result was a compromise. The Komuch gained recognition for the SR-dominated Constituent Assembly
as the eventual basis of power. But they also lost their claim to be the legal All-Russian government. In its place a five-man Directory was set up as the embodiment of the new government: This consisted of two SRs, Nikolai Avksentiev
and Vladimir Zenzinov
; the other Directors were Vologodsky, a regional politician and head of the Omsk Provisional Siberian Government, General A. G. Boldyrev and the left Kadet Vinogradov. The day-to-day administration of the government was carried out by a Council of Ministers of whom the majority (10 out of 14) were former members of the Provisional Siberian Government.
The PA-RG was vehemently criticised by Viktor Chernov
, founder of the Socialist-Revolutionary Party (SR). He declared the Ufa Settlement to be unsatisfactory and that "counter-revolutionary" elements were involved in the new government. He advocated that the party should rally the population behind the Constituent Assembly and organise the People's Army as an independent force. This antagonised the right, who identified the PA-RG with the Provisional Government
of Alexander Kerensky
This political crisis was resolved when the Provisional All-Russian Government was overthrown on 17 November 1918. A Cossack
detachment arrested Avksentiev and Zenzinov. Next morning Vologodsky called for a PA-RG Council of Ministers. The Directory was dissolved at its former Minister of War, Admiral Kolchak became Supreme Ruler.
He issued the following manifesto to the population:
The SR leaders in Russia denounced Kolchak and called for him to be killed. Their activities resulted in a small revolt in Omsk
on December 22, 1918, which was quickly put down by Cossacks and the Czech Legion, who summarily executed almost 500 rebels. The SRs opened negotiations with the Bolsheviks and in January 1919 the remnants of the Komuch's People's Army joined the Red Army
.
Omsk
-History:The wooden fort of Omsk was erected in 1716 to protect the expanding Russian frontier along the Ishim and the Irtysh rivers against the Kyrgyz nomads of the Steppes...
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...
.
It was principally formed from the Komuch, mainly 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...
(SRs) and Constitutional Democratic Party
Constitutional Democratic party
The Constitutional Democratic Party was a liberal political party in the Russian Empire. Party members were called Kadets, from the abbreviation K-D of the party name...
(Kadets) members based in 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 the Provisional Siberian Government
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...
, which consisted mainly of regional politicians and rightist officers and was based at Omsk. The two regimes had previously failed to work effectively together, being by rivalry including a customs war and numerous border disputes.
A State Conference was held at 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...
between 8–23 September 1918, which resulted in the establishment of this last attempt at a unified anti-Bolshevik
Bolshevik
The Bolsheviks, originally also Bolshevists , derived from bol'shinstvo, "majority") were a faction of the Marxist Russian Social Democratic Labour Party which split apart from the Menshevik faction at the Second Party Congress in 1903....
government. It encompassed 170 delegates including some from other regions. But the result was a compromise. The Komuch gained recognition for the SR-dominated Constituent Assembly
Constituent assembly
A constituent assembly is a body composed for the purpose of drafting or adopting a constitution...
as the eventual basis of power. But they also lost their claim to be the legal All-Russian government. In its place a five-man Directory was set up as the embodiment of the new government: This consisted of two SRs, Nikolai Avksentiev
Nikolai Avksentiev
Nikolai Dimitrovich Avksentiev was a leading member of the Russian Socialist-Revolutionary Party . He was one of the 'Heidelberg SRs' , like V.M. Zenzinov...
and Vladimir Zenzinov
Vladimir Zenzinov
Vladimir Mikhailovich Zenzinov was a member of Russia's Socialist-Revolutionary Party, a participant of the First , Second , and Third Russian Revolutions, and an author of a number of books.-Biography:...
; the other Directors were Vologodsky, a regional politician and head of the Omsk Provisional Siberian Government, General A. G. Boldyrev and the left Kadet Vinogradov. The day-to-day administration of the government was carried out by a Council of Ministers of whom the majority (10 out of 14) were former members of the Provisional Siberian Government.
The PA-RG was vehemently criticised by Viktor Chernov
Viktor Chernov
Viktor Mikhailovich Chernov was a Russian revolutionary and one of the founders of the Russian Socialist-Revolutionary Party. He was the primary party theoretician or the 'brain' of the party, and was more analyst than political leader.-Early years:...
, founder of the Socialist-Revolutionary Party (SR). He declared the Ufa Settlement to be unsatisfactory and that "counter-revolutionary" elements were involved in the new government. He advocated that the party should rally the population behind the Constituent Assembly and organise the People's Army as an independent force. This antagonised the right, who identified the PA-RG with the Provisional Government
Russian Provisional Government
The Russian Provisional Government was the short-lived administrative body which sought to govern Russia immediately following the abdication of Tsar Nicholas II . On September 14, the State Duma of the Russian Empire was officially dissolved by the newly created Directorate, and the country was...
of Alexander Kerensky
Alexander Kerensky
Alexander Fyodorovich Kerensky was a major political leader before and during the Russian Revolutions of 1917.Kerensky served as the second Prime Minister of the Russian Provisional Government until Vladimir Lenin was elected by the All-Russian Congress of Soviets following the October Revolution...
This political crisis was resolved when the Provisional All-Russian Government was overthrown on 17 November 1918. A Cossack
Cossack
Cossacks are a group of predominantly East Slavic people who originally were members of democratic, semi-military communities in what is today Ukraine and Southern Russia inhabiting sparsely populated areas and islands in the lower Dnieper and Don basins and who played an important role in the...
detachment arrested Avksentiev and Zenzinov. Next morning Vologodsky called for a PA-RG Council of Ministers. The Directory was dissolved at its former Minister of War, Admiral Kolchak became Supreme Ruler.
He issued the following manifesto to the population:
The Provisional All-Russian Government has come to an end. The Council of Ministers, having all the power in its hands, has invested me, Admiral Alexander Kolchak, with this power. I have accepted this responsibility in the exceptionally difficult circumstances of civil war and complete disorganisation of the country, and I now make it known that I shall follow neither the reactionary path nor the deadly path of party strife. My chief aims are the organisation of a fighting force, the overthrow of Bolshevism, and the establishment of law and order, so that the Russian people may be able to choose a form of government in accordance with its desire and to realise the high ideas of liberty and freedom. I call upon you, citizens, to unite and to sacrifice your all, if necessary, in the struggle with Bolshevism.
The SR leaders in Russia denounced Kolchak and called for him to be killed. Their activities resulted in a small revolt in Omsk
Omsk
-History:The wooden fort of Omsk was erected in 1716 to protect the expanding Russian frontier along the Ishim and the Irtysh rivers against the Kyrgyz nomads of the Steppes...
on December 22, 1918, which was quickly put down by Cossacks and the Czech Legion, who summarily executed almost 500 rebels. The SRs opened negotiations with the Bolsheviks and in January 1919 the remnants of the Komuch's People's Army joined 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...
.