Conscription was used by the Soviet Union for the duration of its existence to bolster military function and operations. Conscription was introduced into what would become the Soviet Union in 1918,[1] almost immediately after the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917 to strengthen the forces of the Red Army. Following its introduction, conscription remained a constant presence in the Soviet state until its dissolution in 1991. Various policy amendments changed the volume of conscription intakes and the required length of service, with key changes to policy occurring in 1918, 1938 and 1967.[2] Wartime conscription, specifically during World War II, saw a significant increase in conscription intake as well as a broadening of the pool of candidates available to be conscripted.[3] Unlike in countries without a consistent history of conscription (such as the United States), there was relatively little resistance to conscription policy, as the concept was enshrined in the Soviet constitution as a mandatory requirement of citizenship, regardless of identity or status, and was seen as the national duty of all Soviet military-aged men.
- ^ Jones, Ellen (1982). "Manning the Soviet Military". International Security. 7 (1): 105–131. doi:10.2307/2538691. ISSN 0162-2889. JSTOR 2538691. S2CID 154404042.
- ^ Spivak, Andrew L.; Pridemore, William Alex (2004-11-01). "Conscription and Reform in the Russian Army". Problems of Post-Communism. 51 (6): 33–43. doi:10.1080/10758216.2004.11052188. ISSN 1075-8216. S2CID 62805983.
- ^ Glantz, David (2012-08-14), "Soviet Use of "Substandard" Manpower in the Red Army, 1941–1945", Scraping the Barrel, Fordham University Press, pp. 151–178, doi:10.5422/fordham/9780823239771.003.0008, ISBN 9780823239771