1919. Directive about the testing

95 years ago, on January 24, 1919, a secret directive of the Organizing Bureau of the Central Committee of the RCP (b) was published, signed by Yakov Sverdlov and Alexander Zurupa "To all responsible comrades working in Cossack areas." It, in particular, said:

“... Given the experience of the Year of the Civil War with the Cossacks, to recognize the only right merciless struggle with all the tops of the Cossacks through their entirely extermination. No compromises, no half -hearted paths are unacceptable. Therefore, it is necessary

1. Conduct mass terror against the rich Cossacks, exterminating them without exception; To conduct a merciless mass terror in relation to all the Cossacks in general, who took any direct or indirect part in the fight against the Soviet regime. To the middle Cossacks, it is necessary to apply all those measures that give a guarantee from any attempts on his part to new speeches against the Soviet regime.

2. Confiscate bread and force to pour all the excesses to these points, this applies to both bread and all other agricultural products.

3. Take all measures to help the resettled newspaper poor, organizing relocation, where possible.

4. Carry out a complete disarmament, shooting everyone who will find weapons after the deadline ... "

Within the framework of this directive, thousands of Cossacks were shot as hostages, which provoked the Verkhnedon uprising of 1919.