ACTIVITIES OF REGIONAL NATIONAL SECTIONS AS PART OF THE NATIONAL POLICY DURING THE RUSSIAN CIVIL WAR (ON THE MATERIALS OF THE SMOLENSK REGION)

The article analyses the activity of the national sections as one of the instruments of implementation of the Bolsheviks' national policy during the Civil War. The author, based on the study of regional archival materials, traces the history of the formation and development of these national institutions and evaluates the results of their work. Particular attention is paid to justifying the conclusion of “specializing” each section to suit the needs of the party in certain circumstances to deal with refugees, prisoners of war, colonists, etc.