It has been found that a number of principles underlying the electrochemical mechanism of corrosion fatigue are not confirmed by experiment. The de-ennobling of a metal on cyclic loading is the consequence rather than the cause of the formation of cracks. The protective action of cathodic current is due not to the suppression of local currents (stressed - unstressed sites) but to the formation of an alkaline medium at the specimen, passivating the steel. A scheme has been presented for the processes of corrosion fatigue, taking into account dislocation theory and the Rehbinder effect regarding the decrease in strength of metals due to their adsorption of surface active agents.