Raditian Army reforms of 1935

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The Raditian Army reforms of 1935 also knows as the Mrázek Reforms, were a series of sweeping changes to the structure of the Raditian Army. These were undertaken and championed by the contemporary Minister of War Karel Mrázek. The goal of these reforms was to follow up on the Reforms of 1901 and elevate the Raditian military to western standards.

Background

The need for a major re-structuralization was well known to the Raditian Army leadership by late 1920s. Marshal Karel Mrázek, who by that time served as the Chief of the General Staff already, proposed his plans to the Minister of War in 1927. While the administration of President Miroslav Červenka promised to implement Mrázek's plans, it was postponed as a result of the difficult economic situation in the late 1920s and early 1930s. Following the retirement of Mrázek in 1931, it seemed that all planned reforms were halted.

The idea of military reforms resurfaced again with the dismissal of Minister of War Arnošt Švec in 1933. President Augustín Němec, who wished to gain an upper-hand in the chaotical political situation of the 1930s, appointed Mrázek as the new War Minister. The appointment of a former legendary general and a veteran of the Great Estarian War gave the Němec's administration the necessary reputation boost.

Following the economic stabilisation of 1934, Mrázek used his position to pressure the President and the Parliament into approving the necessary legislation. The first bills were introduced in May of 1935.

Creation of General Inspectorates

The 1901 reforms abolished the system of Hetmanates of the Imperial Army. The Army was now organized into seven Army Inspectorates and multiple independent commands and other formations. The very first point of the 1935 Reforms was to consolidate most formations into three 'General Inspectorates' that would report directly to the General Staff.

The most important of those Inspectorates was the General Inspectorate of the Ground Force. The GIGF oversaw the main seven Army Inspectorates and was thus responsible for the overall ground operations.

The second most important was the General Inspectorate of the Air Force. The GIAF was a major step in terms of the operational capability of Raditian military aviation. Prior to the 1935, most 'Air Regiments' were dispersed among the individual army inspectorates. The only permanent central authority on the military aviation was the Long Range Aircraft Command. The LRAF was tasked merely with strategic bombers, zepellins and air transports. Following the creationg the GIAF, the Raditian air units were mostly consolitdated into three Air Inspectorates (North, South, Airlift).

Finally, there was the General Inspectorate of the Support Force. While considered the least-important, highlighted by the fact it was head by a Lieutenant-General, it still acted as a major component of the Army. It oversees independent support formations, such as various military police, engineering, medical, signal and other units. It was also responsible for caretaker detachments of various sizes.

Divisional re-organization

As a result of the 1911 Reforms and some minor changes at the end of Great Estarian War, the infantry divisions of the Raditian Army before the reforms followed the square structure. This meant that the core of each division was organized into two infantry brigades which were subsequently composed of two infantry regiments. Each regiment included four infantry battalions and a machine-gun and a mortar company. Additionally, the division included a single artillery brigade, composed of two light and a single heavy battalion. Other support formations were attached on an ad-hoc basis.

The Mrázek reforms changed it this structure, by getting rid of the battalion level. The companies then became lead by Majors, and all independent battalions were elevated to regiments. The infantry divisions thus consisted of three infantry brigades and one artillery brigade. The three infantry brigades were each composed of three infantry regiments. The mortar and MG companies were eliminated, in favour of combined weapon companies attached to each regiment. Each brigade was to be also supported by three independent companies (an artillery company, an anti-tank company, and a rear support company). Additionally, multiple permanent support units were established at the divisional level. Namely; an engineering regiment, a hospital regiment, a recon regiment, a signal regiment, a proviant regiment, an ordnance regiment, and a platoon-sized military police detachment.

Some infantry divisions were further enhanced by a regiment of 'infantry tank regiments'. These infantry tank regiments were to be composed of three companies of 'medium infantry tanks' and two companies of 'heavy infantry tanks'. The regiment would never operate on its own. Instead, it would attach its companies to the brigades and regiments of the division as necessary. Throughout its history, only around a third of the infantry divisions had such a regiment attached.