Raditian Army reforms of 1935

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. Voivod 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 none of the reforms will take place.

The idea of sweeping 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 First Kryvian 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.

Strategic level re-organization

Army Air Inspectorate

The 1901 reforms abolished the system of Voivodeships of the Tsarist Army. The Army was now organized into seven six Inspectorates and various independent commands. Most 'Air Regiments' were dispersed among these individual army inspectorates. The only central standing operational air command was the Long-Range Bombardment Group. The LRBG was tasked merely with strategic bombers, zeppelins and air transports. Though there was a position called Chief of Aviation who was a member of the General Staff, it was mainly an administrative office. The Chief of Aviation was mainly responsible for the procurement of aircraft and training of pilots.

The newly created Army Air Inspectorate consolidated those under a organization commanded by a single General. The Army Air Inspectorate was further subdivided into three air corps, each leady by a General 2nd Class. The position of the Chief of Aviation was eliminated, instead three minor positions called Chief of Intereceptors, Chief of Bombers and Chief of Air Reconnaisance were created. These reported directly to the Army Air Inspector.

New General Staff positions

Two new positions were created at the General Staff: the Chief of Signals and the Chief of Anti-Air Defense. While the Raditian Army already fielded a large quantity of signal and air defence specialist, these were part of the engineering and artillery troops respectively. Both of these officers held the rank of Lieutenant-General.

The reforms also created the post of the Special Inspector for Motorization, who was a Brigadier. His task was to co-ordinate the procurment of motor vehicles for the various combat branches of the Army.

Divisional re-organization

Infantry

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.

Each brigade was to be supported by four independent companies (an anti-tank company, an engineering company, a supply company, and a signal 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 supply regiment, and a platoon-sized military police detachment.

Some infantry divisions were further enhanced by an infantry tank brigade. These infantry tank brigades were composed of three regiments of T-33 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. Until 1940, when this system stopped being used, only around a fifth of the infantry divisions had such a brigade attached.