The Work of Political Departments in the Kyrgyz SSR in 1942
In collaboration with the district party committees, relying on the rural activists, the political departments launched mass political and organizational work among the workers aimed at boosting agricultural production, monitored the activities of the MTS (Machine and Tractor Stations) and state farms, and ensured the successful execution of crucial fieldwork and timely resolution of military food supply tasks.
The political departments paid great attention to the training of mechanization personnel among women. In 1942 alone, short-term courses trained around 7,000 female tractor drivers and combine operators.
The political departments, together with the district party committees, worked on expanding and strengthening the network of rural primary party organizations.
By the end of 1942, the number of newly established collective farm party organizations and candidate groups in the Frunze and Osh regions reached 135, and 770 production leaders were admitted to the party. During the same period, 33 primary Komsomol organizations were created in the collective farms and state farms of the Frunze region, and 1,586 young men and women joined the ranks of the VLKSM (All-Union Leninist Young Communist League). Special attention was given to the proper placement of production personnel. For this purpose, field teams and groups were formed in the collective farms, assigning them specific planting areas, and in addition to the team leaders, they were also responsible for livestock, agricultural machinery, tools, and vehicles. The harvest plan was communicated to each team and group in a timely manner.
The situation with labor resources and the material and technical base in the villages was even more challenging. The number of able-bodied men in the collective farms of the country decreased by 60% in 1942 compared to 1940, including a 51% reduction in the Kyrgyz SSR. The energy capacity of agriculture declined. In the USSR as a whole, the number of tractors in 1942 was 44% lower than in 1940, the number of grain harvesters decreased by 34%, and the number of trucks decreased by 80%. According to statistics for 1942, there were 4,793 tractors in the MTS, collective farms, and state farms of the Kyrgyz SSR (compared to 5,037 in 1940). They served 75.6% of collective farms and 29% of state farms. The number of trucks in the MTS, state farms, and collective farms decreased sharply, with 77.2% being sent to the front.
Almost all tractors were heavily worn and needed major repairs. The arrival of new tractors and spare parts had effectively ceased by the second half of 1941: in 1938, 458 tractors of various brands arrived at the machine and tractor stations of Kyrgyzstan, in 1939—98, in 1940—32, in 1941—2 "Universals," and in 1942-1943—none.
Establishment of Political Administrations of State Farms in the Kyrgyz SSR during WWII
