Unknown pages of the construction of a powder factory near Samara in the early XX century

Introduction. The creation of the Russian military-industrial complex is one of the little-studied pages of Russian military history. Relevance. The history of the formation and development of the military industry in the pre-revolutionary period is not sufficiently investigated. This publication reveals the questions of constructing the Samara Powder Factory in the early XX century. Results. The article examines the working procedure of the Main Artillery Directorate special commission of the Russian Empire Ministry of War for the fifth powder plant construction near Samara. The reasons and the background of the powder plant creation are analyzed. The main problems faced by the military department during the construction of the powder plant are described. Methods. The study utilized a chronological-problem approach. In preparing this article, both general scientific, general historical, and specialized historical (auxiliary) methods were traditionally utilized. Conclusion. The facts regarding the unfinished construction of the Samara Gunpowder Factory, uncovered during the study and their analysis, revealed the untimely nature of the measures taken by the government and the factory’s management, mismanagement, and the lack of a clear plan and monitoring of the construction stages amidst a complex political climate. This led to the collapse of the project and the closure of the unfinished factory. As a result, the construction of the enterprise was not completed, the remaining part of its property was distributed to other defense plants

Artillery · Christian ministry · Commission · Gunpowder · Ottoman empire · Politics · Samara · Metallurgy and Cultural Artifacts · Ottoman and Turkish Studies · Psycholinguistics and Behavioral Studies