Khabarovsk
In the beginning of 1918 system of authority was developing in the city. At the meeting of the Far Eastern regional committee of Councils of workers’ and soldiers’ deputies presidium under chairmanship of А.М. Krasnoschekov was elected, and commissariats were formed: military one, that of labor and transport, financial one, that of food supply and agriculture, that of people’s education. Later the Regional committee was given a new name – the Far Eastern Soviet of People’s Commissars (Dalsovnarkom). For propaganda of the Soviet’s policy on April 30 an informational bureau of press headed by S.P. Shepetnov was formed.
On April 4 after a Japanese provocation Japanese and English troops landed in Vladivostok under the pretext of defending their countrymen. In Khabarovsk the IV regional convention of the Councils (Soviets) declared a protest against this landing and urged the local Soviets to form the Red Army and the Red Guard. In May in Vladivostok a revolt of Ussuriysk Cossacks headed by ataman Kalmykov took place which was supported by foreign interventionists. On June 29 the Ussuriysk front was formed. This is how a long war against the White Guard and interventionists began during which Khabarovsk changed hands 3 times.
On September 4 the city was captured by the White Guard with the help of the Japanese, Americans and White Czechs (the Czech corps was one of the biggest force). Massacre of the old authorities and all those who supported them began. An example of it is an execution of 16 former Austrian-Hungarian military musicians in a city park in public. Underground committees were formed in the city; they carried out political work with the people and established connections with partisan units. Several revolts were organized. But in October of 1919 provocateurs betrayed members of the Khabarovsk organization of Russian Communist Party of Bolsheviks. More than 60 party members were arrested including all the leading ones. 23 people were executed.
But partisan movement had its results. Pressed by partisans, on February 13th Cossack troops left the city, and on the 20th partisans came in. Interventionist troops remained in town safeguarding neutrality. Restoration of the Soviet power might have led to a downright clash with the foreigners. That’s why there was made a decision to create the Far Eastern Republic – a buffer state – where power was temporarily given to a Territorial Council which consisted of representatives of the biggest parties including Bolsheviks. But on April 5 of 1920 Japanese troops unexpectedly attacked partisan units, and they were forced to move out to the left bank and explode the bridge behind themselves. Pro-Japanese City Duma was formed in the city which on demand made at a general political walk-out in August handed over power to a special commission of the government of the Far Eastern Republic.