Stavka.

This is coolbert:

Here elaborating on the word Stavka.

The Russian/Soviet high military command. The pinnacle of power, consisting of the most senior military commanders from all services wielding power with great authority but much more than merely military. Also containing political and diplomatic elements!

"Stavka (Russian: Ставка) was the term used to refer to [main] command element of [the] armed forces . . . more formally during the history of Imperial Russia . . . and those of the Soviet Union. In western literature it is sometimes incorrectly written STAVKA in uppercase, although the word is not an acronym."

Please note that Lucas in his book, "War on the Eastern Front" exclusively spells Stavka using upper case [STAVKA]. It would appear Lucas is wrong in this regard. An expert should not be wrong in such a manner!! For shame!!

"Stavka was divided into several departments": [during the Great War]

* "Department of General-Quartermaster (Operations department)"
* "Department of General on Duty (Organisation of troops, supplies, promotions, staff matters)"
* "Department of military transportations"
* "Naval department"
* "Diplomatic chancery (liaison with Ministry of foreign affairs)"

"Stavka of the RKKA during World War II":

"Stavka of the Soviet Armed Forces during World War II (The Great Patriotic War [WW2]), or the headquarters of the 'Main Command of the Armed Forces of the Union of SSR'"

And further elaboration on that title: "General-Quartermaster".

General-Quartermaster has a connotation in the German and Russian/Soviet experience that is different from how the term/title is understood in the American/English military context!!

The General-Quartermaster in the German and Russian/Soviet military is the senior OPERATIONS OFFICER!! Draws up the plans, a practitioner of the operational art at the highest echelon. Exercises also command of military related industry and to some degree also political control!

"in the German Army . . . a Generalquartiermeister did not deal with supplies, but with operational command. He was the most senior officer below an Army's Chief of Staff"

Such a man during the Great War [WW1] was the German Erich Ludendorff.

"in August 1916, . . . Ludendorff . . . chose the title First Quartermaster-General - in which role he directed the operations of the German Armies and wielded power over German politics and industry."

I have made this all clear?

coolbert.