The party looked to the peasant conscript soldiers - many of whom were wearing their first real pair of boots. When the boots had worn out, they’d be ready to listen. When the time came, I was able to take three whole battalions out of the front lines with me - the best day’s work I ever did. But for now, there was nothing to be done. There were too many volunteers. Most of it was mere hysteria.
By the second winter, the boots had worn out... but the line still held. Even Comrade Lenin underestimated both the anguish of that 900-mile long front... as well our own cursed capacity for suffering. Half the men went into action without any arms... irregular rations... led by officers they didn’t trust.
Finally, when they could stand it no longer, they began doing what every army dreams of doing...They began to go home. That was the beginning of The Revolution.
- Yevgraf Zhivago
I am not sure if the reports of the mobilization of Russia is just propoganda, but it seems to have a lot of truth.