Activities of the NKVD of the Far East in the fight against crime in the second half of 1945

This article examines the causes and conditions of the aggravation of the criminal situation in the Far East in the second half of 1945 and the historical experience of local NKVD (Peoples Commissariat of Internal Affairs) bodies in maintaining law and order under the conditions of the Soviet-Japane...

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Main Author: Alexander V. Zhadan
Format: Article
Language:Russian
Published: Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University) 2021-12-01
Series:RUDN Journal of Russian History
Subjects:
Online Access:http://journals.rudn.ru/russian-history/article/viewFile/29572/20053
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author Alexander V. Zhadan
author_facet Alexander V. Zhadan
author_sort Alexander V. Zhadan
collection DOAJ
description This article examines the causes and conditions of the aggravation of the criminal situation in the Far East in the second half of 1945 and the historical experience of local NKVD (Peoples Commissariat of Internal Affairs) bodies in maintaining law and order under the conditions of the Soviet-Japanese war and the first post-war period. Based on the analysis of the documentation of the NKVD departments of Primorye and Khabarovsk territories, including internal administrative documents (orders, plans, etc.), as well as materials of primary party organizations (minutes of party meetings, certificates, memos, etc.), the author draws conclusions about the development of the criminal situation in the region, and discusses the NKVDs ways and directions to ensure law and order. Studying the stated problems, it was possible not only to state the presence of negative dynamics in the number and severity of criminal manifestations, but also to establish that the criminal crisis of the second half of 1945 was caused by the imposition of new socio-economic and political factors (including the amnesty for prisoners, the relocation of large masses of troops, the Soviet-Japanese war, the placement of prisoners of war, demobilization) on the already difficult criminal situation that had developed during the Great Patriotic War. The study largely confirmed the fact repeatedly noted in historiography about the impact of personnel starvation and problems of material support on the effectiveness of the NKVD in the war and post-war period. The archival documents show that the main ways to normalize the operational situation in the Far East region were measures concerning organizational work and operational-search activities, as well as control-methodical and administrative measures. The author concludes that the measures taken allowed the NKVD of the Far East to reverse the explosive growth of serious street crime by the end of 1945. However, this success was only partial - the overall level of criminal activity in the region continued to remain at a fairly high level for several post-war years.
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spelling doaj.art-587edac20bae4a0e92930da3661111692022-12-21T21:25:09ZrusPeoples’ Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University)RUDN Journal of Russian History2312-86742312-86902021-12-0120455556710.22363/2312-8674-2021-20-4-555-56720685Activities of the NKVD of the Far East in the fight against crime in the second half of 1945Alexander V. Zhadan0Vladivostok branch of Far East legal institute Ministry of Internal Affairs of RussiaThis article examines the causes and conditions of the aggravation of the criminal situation in the Far East in the second half of 1945 and the historical experience of local NKVD (Peoples Commissariat of Internal Affairs) bodies in maintaining law and order under the conditions of the Soviet-Japanese war and the first post-war period. Based on the analysis of the documentation of the NKVD departments of Primorye and Khabarovsk territories, including internal administrative documents (orders, plans, etc.), as well as materials of primary party organizations (minutes of party meetings, certificates, memos, etc.), the author draws conclusions about the development of the criminal situation in the region, and discusses the NKVDs ways and directions to ensure law and order. Studying the stated problems, it was possible not only to state the presence of negative dynamics in the number and severity of criminal manifestations, but also to establish that the criminal crisis of the second half of 1945 was caused by the imposition of new socio-economic and political factors (including the amnesty for prisoners, the relocation of large masses of troops, the Soviet-Japanese war, the placement of prisoners of war, demobilization) on the already difficult criminal situation that had developed during the Great Patriotic War. The study largely confirmed the fact repeatedly noted in historiography about the impact of personnel starvation and problems of material support on the effectiveness of the NKVD in the war and post-war period. The archival documents show that the main ways to normalize the operational situation in the Far East region were measures concerning organizational work and operational-search activities, as well as control-methodical and administrative measures. The author concludes that the measures taken allowed the NKVD of the Far East to reverse the explosive growth of serious street crime by the end of 1945. However, this success was only partial - the overall level of criminal activity in the region continued to remain at a fairly high level for several post-war years.http://journals.rudn.ru/russian-history/article/viewFile/29572/20053world war iijapanese prisoners of warlaw enforcement historystalinism
spellingShingle Alexander V. Zhadan
Activities of the NKVD of the Far East in the fight against crime in the second half of 1945
RUDN Journal of Russian History
world war ii
japanese prisoners of war
law enforcement history
stalinism
title Activities of the NKVD of the Far East in the fight against crime in the second half of 1945
title_full Activities of the NKVD of the Far East in the fight against crime in the second half of 1945
title_fullStr Activities of the NKVD of the Far East in the fight against crime in the second half of 1945
title_full_unstemmed Activities of the NKVD of the Far East in the fight against crime in the second half of 1945
title_short Activities of the NKVD of the Far East in the fight against crime in the second half of 1945
title_sort activities of the nkvd of the far east in the fight against crime in the second half of 1945
topic world war ii
japanese prisoners of war
law enforcement history
stalinism
url http://journals.rudn.ru/russian-history/article/viewFile/29572/20053
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