The beginning of the last century was a difficult time for Russia, the whirlwind of two revolutions significantly changed the existing state order, the form of government in the country. Many political forces tried to gain power; all these events eventually turned into a bloody civil war.
The formation of the Cheka
One of the leading forces operating in Russia at that time was the Bolsheviks. It was this party, which was characterized by rather radical views on the future of the country, that was able to show the necessary efforts to take power during the events of October 1917. Its most important task was to ensure its ruling function. For this we needed bodies that could quickly respond to all the threats of Bolshevik hegemony in the political horizon of Russia. A special decree signed by V.I. In the same year, Lenin created the All-Russian Extraordinary Commission, whose main task was to combat all manifestations of discontent. A sponge was also created - these are branches of the Cheka on the ground in the provinces of the former Russian Empire. The head of the Cheka was appointed persistent in the fight against opponents of Bolshevism F.E. Dzerzhinsky. Party members hardened in battles and operational work were sent from Moscow to help local branches.
Organizational structure of the Cheka
Gubcheka - these are the bodies that in their activities did not particularly stand on ceremony in the methods of restoring order. The main task was to calm and fight against counterrevolutionaries of various stripes, as well as with foreign agents that Russia was flooded with. At the beginning of its existence, the commission achieved quite good results, in the cities and towns of a vast country a kind of law and order appeared. Banditry, which blossomed violently during the period of revolutionary events, was exterminated by all the laws of wartime. The special instructions of the Cheka emphasized the need for tough measures, up to the shooting without trial and investigation by the local sponge. The interpretation of this word is quite simple: provincial emergency commissions. Understanding their essence is not difficult. Gubcheka is a peculiar punitive organ of the Bolshevik Party and the nascent Soviet power. Lenin was well aware that only tough and even cruel measures would allow him to maintain power.
Problems and achievements of the Chekists
The first year of the existence of the Cheka and local units was the most difficult, due to the poor organizational structure, the practical absence of an agent network, and the lack of experience among employees. Nevertheless, the Bolsheviks were persistent and recruited employees of the former tsarist special services loyal to the Soviet regime, who trained the personnel of the Chekists in the basics of operational and undercover work. The result was not long in coming. Intervention added to the hassle of the Cheka. If effective measures to combat sabotage were possible in the capital's cities, then, as the distance went down, productivity fell at a pace frightening the authorities. New cadres were sent urgently to remote regions of Russia , but no fundamental changes took place. Then the personal responsibility of sponge workers was introduced. This allowed to increase the work of local branches of the Cheka. They were also invited to engage in counterintelligence activities. "Urgent. Secret. Gubcheka" - these are the words that began emergency telegrams from Moscow. Over time, the Cheka became a highly effective organization, and on its basis the famous KGB was created.