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Kolchak coup[edit]
[1]On November 18, 1918, members associated the left wing of the Directory (Provisional All-Russian Government) were arrested by members of the White Army in Omsk and the subsequent decision of the All-Russian Council of Ministers to transfer sole supreme power to the Minister of Military and Naval Affairs Alexander Kolchak .
Events of November 18[edit]
On the night of November 17, an incident occurred that seemed insignificant to eyewitnesses: at a city banquet in honor of the French General Janin, three high-ranking Cossack officers - the head of the Omsk garrison, Colonel of the Siberian Cossack Army Vyacheslav Ivanovich Volkov. The Directory was irritated as Russian military sergeants demanded the Russian National Anthem "God save the Tsar!" to be performed. The Directory ordered the arrest of the military sergeants for “inappropriate behavior”[1]
Without waiting for their arrest, Volkov then carried out the arrest of the left wing of the Provisional All-Russian Government.[1]
Not a single military unit came out in support of The Directory, The Directory security battalion, consisting of Socialist Revolutionaries, was proactively disarmed by military members apart of the coup. Kolchak did not personally participate in the coup, but was informed by the conspirators.[1]
The next morning, The Council of Ministers met after the arrest of the Social Revolutionaries, the ministers decided on the need to assume full supreme power and then transfer it to an elected person who would lead on the principles of unity of command. The election was held on a secret ballot using closed notes and Admiral Alexander Kolchak was chosen[1]
Kolchak was promoted to full admiral, the exercise of supreme state power was transferred to him and he was awarded the title of Supreme Ruler. All the armed forces of the state were subordinate to him. The Supreme Ruler was given the authority to take any measures, even emergency ones, to ensure the armed forces, as well as to establish civil order and legality.[1]