The Army, the State, and Society

This chapter examines efforts undertaken by General Wrangel to unite the Russian emigration politically under his leadership. To this end, Wrangel created a Russian Council consisting of representatives of various émigré social organizations. This, however, failed to win broad support, and in due course Wrangel disbanded it. Similarly, Wrangel failed to obtain control of the funds of the former Russian state that were held abroad. Instead, the émigré charitable organization Zemgor acquired control of these funds, as well as general responsibility for the provision of humanitarian aid to Russian refugees. The chapter describes the Russian Army's political battles with Zemgor, which many officers regarded as a hostile, left-wing, organization, as well as its battles with the émigré right, in the form of the monarchist Supreme Monarchist Union.