1918 Creation of the Red Army

One hundred years ago, on February 23, 1918, the appeal of the Council of People's Commissars "The socialist fatherland is in danger!", written by Leon Trotsky, was published, as well as the "Appeal of the Military Commander-in-Chief" Nikolai Krylenko, which ended with the words: "All to arms. All to defend the revolution. Pogolovnaya mobilization for digging trenches and the expulsion of trench detachments is entrusted to the soviets with the appointment of responsible commissars with unlimited powers for each detachment. This order is sent as an instruction to all soviets in all cities. "

Later, February 23 became the day of the Red Army, and a legend was born that on this day in 1918 the first detachments of the Red Army stopped the advance of the Germans near Pskov and Narva. In fact, on this and subsequent days, the German troops did not meet serious resistance. On February 26, Boris Pozern, a member of the Northern Front Command, reported to Petrograd about the capture of Pskov: "The city was taken by small German forces. Our trouble is the lack of preparation, and also that no orders can change the pre-prepared mood - not to continue the war."