It took place de jure in March 1918 to fight the remnants of opposition to Soviet rule.
Initially Vsevobuch engaged mainly the workers; from that summer, it also took poor peasants.
Shortly after the opening of the Eastern Front of World War II a decree of the State Defense Committee was issued on September 17, 1941.
The document proclaimed that military training should be provided without isolation from civilian work.
The Central Department of Vsevobuch was formed within the People's Commissariat of Defense.