# Universal military service (1874)

URL: https://history-russia.com/timeline/1874-universal-military-service
Categories: main-event

War Minister Dmitry Milyutin introduced universal male conscription in 1874, reducing service from 25 years to six. The same summer thousands of young radicals 'went to the people' in the countryside. Most of the Narodniks were arrested. The reform created a modern mass army.

## Why it matters
The reform created a modern mass army.

Ruler at the time: [Alexander II](https://history-russia.com/rulers/alexander-ii)

## Sources
- [Wikipedia — Dmitry Milyutin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dmitry_Milyutin)
- [Wikipedia — Going to the People](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Going_to_the_People)
- [Wikipedia — Russian Empire](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_Empire)
- [Encyclopaedia Britannica topic lookup — Universal military service](https://www.britannica.com/search?query=Universal+military+service)
- [Wikipedia — Timeline of Russian history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_Russian_history)