Commissar Vyacheslav Menzhinsky

[Commissar Vyacheslav Menzhinsk]

Character Name: Vyacheslav Rudolfovich Menzhinsky
Rank: Podpolkovnik (Lieutenant Colonel)
What Army Will You Serve Beneath? : US(American)
Nationality: Russian
Character History:

I understand you do not have Soviet Ranks, but I think it a little unfair that Canadians have theirs, yet Canada was a very small nation which had little impact on the War compared to the USSR. I will happily provide a list of ranks if you wish, and I know a lot about the Soviet Union, so I’ll be happy to help set up the Russian side of the forum is you want.
PS: Although it is probably obivious, I don't want to serve under the US Army...


Born on 25th October 1914, Menzhinsky was the first of ten, six of which died at later dates as children under five. He was born to a poor peasant family which had relocated into the suburbs of Petrograd as Imperial Russia’s industrialisation plan finally got under way. The family to be required more money, which the large city close to the Finish border could produce for them. The father began to work as a weaver in a wool factory in northern Petrograd, but was conscripted into military service to fight the Hun menace that was slowly creeping into the Imperial lands. But during the Second Battle of the Masurian Lakes, he was wounded and transferred to a Guard Regiment in Moscow, prized in protecting the Tsar and his family at the Kremlin.

In March 1917, following demonstrations lead by revolutionaries, the Regiment was ordered to open fire on the protestors by their emperor. Of course, nobody opened fire, and the first revolution began. Menzhinsky, now a Captain, advised Josef Stalin and his personal guard on tactics used by the Tsar forces, and fought at the assault on the Kremlin, being wounded thrice. He fought through the Russian Civil war, and finished the war as a Colonel, minus one arm and an eye.

By this time, the young Menzhinsky was a child of ten, and saw his father as a hero, but his father always maintained that Comrades Lenin and Stalin was the real heroes. He made sure that his oldest son and heir adored the new communist regime. At home he was tutored in Military Knowledge and History, and at the age of fourteen, was sent to Frunze Military Academy, located in Moscow. There he studied many subjects, and at age twenty he entered the Red Army. Following a wave of purges on the military by the CPSU, Menzhinsky quickly excelled through the ranks to a low officer rank. But his career took a different turn one night one fateful night.

During an exercise near the Caspian Sea, a squad of the platoon Menzhinsky was commanding attempted to defect using a raft, and head south to free Iran. When the information was leaked, Menzhinsky moved on the men hours before their planned escape, and following a brief firefight, the six men were shot dead, four of them by Menzhinsky himself.

He was recommended for the NKVD, the most loyal of the communist troops, and studied politics at the Lenin Political-Military Academy. A year later, he joined the units ranks and fought viciously during the Winter War. After being badly injured attacking a large Finish camp with just a platoon of men, he returned to Moscow, and was awarded Commissar Rights, and the rank of Podpolkovnik with it.

As the Great Patriotic War broke out, Menzhinsky was given command of his old unit, and became one of the most feared Political Officers, executing anybody you said a word against the state, or the war. His training also lead him to become an accomplished tactical commander, who used both his own ideas, and the Deep Battle doctrine in unison, proving to be one of the most powerful commanders of the NKVD.

Writing Sample:

The cold air bit into Menzhinsky under the rabbit fur flaps of his Ushenka cap, the star of the People’s Commissariat pinned to the central flap. A cigarette to the left side of his mouth, a pair of binocular lenses revealed the Hun positions dug into the ice baked ground roughly fifty metres ahead. The bastards would be dead any minute. He lowed the binoculars from his eyes, and tucked them into his fur jacket, less any enemy sniper see him and take their chance at a kill. He stepped down from the fire step of the front trench, and barked out an order. “Bring forth the ladders, comrade sappers.” He let his spent tobacco roll fall to earth, not bothering to stamp it out. The -25ºC atmosphere would do it for him.

He turned to his platoon; a motley bunch of conscripts that had been dragged from the gutters of Novgorod to fight for the Great Leader. He doubted any of them had ever fired a weapon outside of training. “Comrades, today we fight for the future of our Soviet, socialist Motherland, and its glorious people. A future that we must be in control of, less those imperialist dog rape our land of its wonderful culture, and amazing recourses. They are jealous, comrades, of our great wealth and power, and the fascists want it for themselves. We tried to give them it comrades, two years ago in Poland; I should know, I was there. But they refused it, then stabbed us in the back like the pigs they are. And comrades, you know what happens to pigs that are greedy. They are SLAUGHTERED!!!” A small cheer rose up from the red cheeked men.

Menzhinsky turned around to face the ladders, and drawing his TT-33, scaled the nearest one. His men followed him, chanting the Motherland’s motto. Workers of the world, unite! Workers of the world, UNITE!! WORKERS OF THE WORLD, UNITE!!! Menzhinsky joined them and charged forward, to victory. All along the five mile front, thousands of troops followed them in a mass attack. Menzhinsky slowed slightly, letting men over take him. Rifles and sub-machineguns fired, and then slowly the front of the block began to fell, as soldiers were struck with Boche bullets.

The commissar noticed as one very young boy, of no more than sixteen slowed then turned around and began to flee back towards friendly lines. Menzhinsky’s actions were fast and slick. He lifted up his pistol and aiming down the sights, practised summary execution on the boy. His family would be visited by the Cheka and sent to Siberia for his actions; they might breed more disloyal soldiers, and their bones would therefore suit the construction of roads rather than the production of offspring.

Menzhinsky turned back around to face the German menace, and charged forward, screaming oaths of honour as he supported his men.

Approved/Denied?: Approved
Staff Notes:

Great application, although LT. Col is to high at the moment, I would love to accept you as major, RP good, and expect a promotion. I will get to adding Russian Ranks now! You are also going to be Russian Forces Commander At The Moment. Welcome to the board, GREAT Application!


~Austin