The Red Fleet differed significantly from the Red Army in that until the mid-1920s, almost all command posts in it were occupied by officers of the "old fleet," and not by wartime officers, but by personnel who graduated from educational institutions even when they had a tough class selection. Naval officers were a true insular corporation, a caste. What explained the political choice of representatives of this caste? What was the relationship between the fleet and the authorities? How much could sailor leaders and admirals influence political decisions? How did the material and official position of sailors change during the revolutionary upheavals? Finally, were the sailors the faithful "guard of October"?