Defense-mass work on the territory of Kazakhstan during the Great Patriotic War

Abstract

This article examines the activities of mass defense organizations in Kazakhstan during the Great Patriotic War. Based on an analysis of domestic and foreign archival documents, as well as historical sources, the authors reveal the crucial role of these structures in preparing citizens for the defense of the Motherland and supplying the front with trained personnel. The focus is on organizations such as the Society for the Assistance of Defense, Aircraft and Chemical Construction (Osoaviakhim) and the Red Cross. These entities became the primary centers for military training, ensuring a flow of qualified combatants for the needs of the active army. The article substantiates that the system of universal military training established in Kazakhstan effectively addressed the task of forming a mobilization reserve. This training, equivalent in its level to that of an individual soldier, encompassed a broad segment of the population, including employees of enterprises, institutions, collective farms, state farms, and students of educational institutions. Consequently, mass defense organizations made a significant contribution to strengthening the country’s defense capability during a most challenging period of its history by ensuring a constant replenishment of the ranks of the defenders.