Food Crisis in the Transbaikal Region during the First World War (July 1914 - February 1917)

Abstract

The causes of the food crisis in the Trans-Baikal region during the years of the First World War are studied. Archival materials reveal the specifics of the food supply of the region as a consuming region, dependent on supplies from European Russia, Western Siberia, the Far East, Manchuria. The factors of high cost and deficit of basic food products (sugar, bread, meat) are revealed. It is shown that speculation, violation of railway communication, and food supply for the army played a significant role. The crisis features are characterized: the crisis manifested itself in the high cost and shortage of food products until 1916, it reached particular severity in late 1916 - early 1917. Large cities (Chita, Verkhneudinsk) experienced great difficulties in supplying the population. The proposals of the military governor commissioned to the Special Meeting on Food in the Trans-Baikal Region A. I. Kiyashko on ways to solve the provision problem are analyzed. It is emphasized that the possibilities for the influence of the provincial administration on economic processes were significantly limited; it did not have any unit for supplying or distributing products, regulating prices, or ensuring timely food provision. It is noted that the activity of the administrative and managerial structures of Transbaikal in the conditions of insufficient development and integration of the territory was complicated by the fact that there were not even statistical organizations here.

Keywords

• eastern siberia
• transbaikal region
• world war i
• food crisis
• speculation
• commissioner of the special meeting on food