USSR State Defense Committee
Encyclopedia
The State Defense Committee was an extraordinary organ of state power in the USSR during the German-Soviet War (Great Patriotic War) which held complete state power in the country.
by the Nazi Germany
and by a compound decision of the Presidium of Supreme Soviet of USSR, Council of People's Commissars of USSR, and the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union
. The necessity of creation of the organ were motivated by a complicated situation at the front-lines that required more dictatorial form of government (centralized to a maximum degree). The Supreme Soviet of USSR, however, was not suspended and on June 18, 1942 in Moscow
took place the 9th session of the state government body that consisted of over a thousand of people's deputies.
On June 29 and 30 Stalin, according to several historical records, was in a "depressed state" and moved to the Kuntsevo Dacha
(or Near Cottage-estate). Vyacheslav Molotov
(Narkom of Foreign Affairs) called for a meeting in his cabinet Lavrenty Beria (Narkom of Internal Affairs), Klim Voroshilov (Deputy-Chairman of Sovnarkom), Georgy Malenkov
(member of Sovnarkom bureau), all of whom later also were joined by Anastas Mikoyan
(Narkom of Foreign Trade) and Nikolai Voznesensky
(First Deputy-Chairman of Sovnarkom). It was decided to place Stalin as the head of the committee, due to his authority in the country. In the afternoon all six of them drove to Stalin's cottage-estate for Stalin to accept his functions as the head of state and divide duties in the newly created committee.
On February 3, 1942 the members of the committee also became the chairman of Gosplan
Voznesensky and Mikoyan, while on February 20, 1942 was also included Lazar Kaganovich
(Narkom of Transportation). By the end of the war on November 22, 1944 Nikolai Bulganin
(Chairman of State Bank Directory) replaced Klim Voroshilov in the committee.
Roberts, Geoffrey. Stalin's Wars: From World War to Cold War, 1939-1953. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 2006. ISBN 0300112041 Post-revisionist study of Stalin's wartime and post-war leadership.
General scope
GKO was created on June 30, 1941, a week after the invasion of the Soviet UnionSoviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
by the Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
and by a compound decision of the Presidium of Supreme Soviet of USSR, Council of People's Commissars of USSR, and the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union
Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union
The Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union , abbreviated in Russian as ЦК, "Tse-ka", earlier was also called as the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party ...
. The necessity of creation of the organ were motivated by a complicated situation at the front-lines that required more dictatorial form of government (centralized to a maximum degree). The Supreme Soviet of USSR, however, was not suspended and on June 18, 1942 in 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...
took place the 9th session of the state government body that consisted of over a thousand of people's deputies.
On June 29 and 30 Stalin, according to several historical records, was in a "depressed state" and moved to the Kuntsevo Dacha
Kuntsevo Dacha
The Kuntsevo Dacha was Joseph Stalin's personal residence near the former town of Kuntsevo , where he spent the last two decades of his life and died on 5 March 1953. The building is set in a forest not far from the modern-day Victory Park.The so-called "nearer dacha" was built in 1933-34 to...
(or Near Cottage-estate). Vyacheslav Molotov
Vyacheslav Molotov
Vyacheslav Mikhailovich Molotov was a Soviet politician and diplomat, an Old Bolshevik and a leading figure in the Soviet government from the 1920s, when he rose to power as a protégé of Joseph Stalin, to 1957, when he was dismissed from the Presidium of the Central Committee by Nikita Khrushchev...
(Narkom of Foreign Affairs) called for a meeting in his cabinet Lavrenty Beria (Narkom of Internal Affairs), Klim Voroshilov (Deputy-Chairman of Sovnarkom), Georgy Malenkov
Georgy Malenkov
Georgy Maximilianovich Malenkov was a Soviet politician, Communist Party leader and close collaborator of Joseph Stalin. After Stalin's death, he became Premier of the Soviet Union and was in 1953 briefly considered the most powerful Soviet politician before being overshadowed by Nikita...
(member of Sovnarkom bureau), all of whom later also were joined by Anastas Mikoyan
Anastas Mikoyan
Anastas Ivanovich Mikoyan was an Armenian Old Bolshevik and Soviet statesman during the rules of Vladimir Lenin, Joseph Stalin, Nikita Khrushchev, and Leonid Brezhnev....
(Narkom of Foreign Trade) and Nikolai Voznesensky
Nikolai Voznesensky
Nikolai Alekseevich Voznesensky was the Soviet economic planner who oversaw the running of Gosplan during the German-Soviet War. A protégé of Andrei Zhdanov, Voznesensky was appointed Deputy Premier in May 1940 at the age of thirty-eight. He was directly involved in the recovery of production...
(First Deputy-Chairman of Sovnarkom). It was decided to place Stalin as the head of the committee, due to his authority in the country. In the afternoon all six of them drove to Stalin's cottage-estate for Stalin to accept his functions as the head of state and divide duties in the newly created committee.
Composition
The initial composition of the committee was such:- Chairman - Stalin
- Deputy Chairman - Molotov (until May 16, 1944)
- other members - Beria, Voroshilov, Malenkov (Aviation Industry)
On February 3, 1942 the members of the committee also became the chairman of Gosplan
Gosplan
Gosplan or State Planning Committee was the committee responsible for economic planning in the Soviet Union. The word "Gosplan" is an abbreviation for Gosudarstvenniy Komitet po Planirovaniyu...
Voznesensky and Mikoyan, while on February 20, 1942 was also included Lazar Kaganovich
Lazar Kaganovich
Lazar Moiseyevich Kaganovich was a Soviet politician and administrator and one of the main associates of Joseph Stalin.-Early life:Kaganovich was born in 1893 to Jewish parents in the village of Kabany, Radomyshl uyezd, Kiev Governorate, Russian Empire...
(Narkom of Transportation). By the end of the war on November 22, 1944 Nikolai Bulganin
Nikolai Bulganin
Nikolai Alexandrovich Bulganin was a prominent Soviet politician, who served as Minister of Defense and Premier of the Soviet Union . The Bulganin beard is named after him.-Early career:...
(Chairman of State Bank Directory) replaced Klim Voroshilov in the committee.
Further reading
Glantz, David M. When Titans Clashed: How the Red Army stopped Hitler. Lawrence, KS: University Press of Kansas, 1995. ISBN 070060899 Overview of Eastern Front from Soviet side.Roberts, Geoffrey. Stalin's Wars: From World War to Cold War, 1939-1953. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 2006. ISBN 0300112041 Post-revisionist study of Stalin's wartime and post-war leadership.