Don Soviet Republic

Sovnarkom), which was led by Red Cossack Fyodor Podtyolkov. An Extraordinary Staff led by Sergo Ordzhonikidze was also established to organize the defense of the republic.^[1]

Lenin to send a representative to the Don, but Lenin had no one to send and instead asked Antonov-Ovseenko to be the chief representative of the Council of People's Commissars, the Sovnarkom. Antonov-Ovseenko could not go himself, but he sent Commissar Voitsekhovskii, who together with Sivers became the real ruler of the district. Voitsekhovskii nationalized the mines and factories, organized forced collectivization of food, extorted money from the bourgeoisie, and introduced a reign of terror. Terror was applied even against members of socialist parties and ordinary workers. The Red general Sivers ordered that anyone who had been a member of the Volunteer Army was to be executed. Dozens of officers were arrested and brutally murdered." This included the execution of Paul von Rennenkampf.^[2]

Tsaritsyn, but Podtyolkov was captured and executed by the Don Cossacks. The Don Republic then took control of the territory of the Don Soviet Republic.^[1] The Don Soviet Republic, however, was not officially abolished by the Soviet government until September as its leaders had remained at Tsaritsyn.^[3][2]