Decossackization

[Apoi_Viitor]

Why did this happen?

[Dimentio]

Because the Soviet government probably viewed the cossack lifestyle as inherently reactionary and was unable to accept the idea of cultures espousing values contrarian to those sanctioned by the state.

[ComradeOm]

Its really not hard to understand why the Soviet government was exceptionally wary of a military caste (in)famously loyal to the Tsar and whose leadership was aligned with the White Armies

What is interesting to note, is that the most organised campaigns against the Cossacks (ie, what is typically referred to as 'decossackisation') were largely limited to, or at least most energetically persecuted in, the Don and Kuban hosts. Other hosts were disbanded on the defeat of the Whites and had their lands divided amongst the national republics, but, as usual, it was those who most strongly resisted Soviet rule that suffered the most

Which is not to suggest that the Cossack hosts were themselves monolithic entities. Many of the poorer cossacks did fight in the Red Army during the Civil War