Commissar
At a glance:
- Series: Magill’s Guide to Military History
- Categories: Military History
- Subcategories: Politicians, Diplomats, Communism, Communists
- Curriculum: Russian/Former Soviet States History
In the former Soviet Union, the head of any of the major governmental divisions. Commissars were called ministers after 1946. Two of the most important posts were foreign commissar (entrusted with the conduct of diplomacy) and commissar of war. Commissar also refers to a communist political monitor—an agent whose duties include indoctrination and the detection of political dissenters. Such commissars were attached to Red units during the Russian Civil War (1918-1921) to monitor the performance of officers and to distribute political propaganda among the soldiers. Commissars continued...
[The entire page is 107 words long]
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