Koroljov Maksim Yurievich

In November and December of 1941 the German army was able to capture Caucasus oil fields and objects of the Soviet petroleum industry. To prevent the capture, People’s Commissariat of Petroleum Industry developed methods and instructions of the liquidation. Successful counter-offensive of the Red Army postponed plans of the liquidation. In 1942 the oilfields of Caucasus were in danger again. The Government of USSR had to destroy them to prevent the capture by German army. It was necessary to find effective methods of destruction so that the enemy could not restore the oil production. The article is dedicated to interaction between People’s Commissariat of Petroleum Industry, army and NKVD on the elimination of Caucasus petroleum objects.

This article focused on the development of the management system and organization structure of the soviet oil industry in 1920s-1930s. In the article were analized changes in the structure of government bodies since abolition NEP to the moment of creation of People’s Commissariat of the Oil Industry (Narkomneft). Affected reforms resulted in increased centralization and the growth of bureaucracy. But thanks to these changes, the overall performance of the industry has increased, expressed in an increase in oil production, oil refining and a significant expansion of prospecting geological works. Creation of the Narkomneft became the last stage of the pre-war reforms in the management of the soviet oil industry. The People’s Commissariat of the Oil Industry retained leading government structure over the oil industry until 1946, when it was divided into two People’s Commissars (later ministries) of the oil industry.