Areshchenko T.N. Life of a Red Army soldier during the Great Patriotic War

Vladimir NADEZHDIN

The further the events of the Great Patriotic War go into history, the more various inaccuracies, conjectures, and even falsehoods and lies are layered on them.
Veterans note that in many literary works, television and films, the truth is often distorted, especially when it comes to the details of military life. What was it like, how did the soldiers survive in the cold and heat on the front line, between battles? The editors asked Mikhail Fedorovich ZAVOROTNY, a veteran of the Great Patriotic War who went through it from beginning to end, to answer these and other questions. After the Victory, the former senior sergeant of the Red Army and lieutenant of the Lyudova Army worked in leadership positions in the republic - he was the chairman of the Mogilev Regional Executive Committee and the deputy chairman of the State Planning Committee of the BSSR.

Mikhail Fedorovich, is it possible to talk about some kind of orderliness in the life of soldiers during the Great Patriotic War?
- The life of a soldier can be divided into several categories related to where this or that unit was located. The greatest hardships befell the people on the front line - there was no usual washing, shaving, breakfast, lunch or dinner. There is a common cliche: they say, war is war, and lunch is on schedule. In fact, there was no such routine, much less any menu.
In this regard, I will give one episode. Before the war, I was a cadet at the first Kyiv Artillery School, and when hostilities began, we began to be pushed to the forefront of the defense of the Ukrainian capital. We stopped for a rest at the location of some military unit. There was a field kitchen there, where something was being cooked. A lieutenant in a new uniform with a creaky sword belt approached and asked the cook: “Ivan, what will be for lunch today?” He replied: “Borscht with meat and porridge with meat.” The officer seethed: “What? I have people working on earthworks, and you will feed them borscht with meat! Look, I have meat and borscht!”
But this happened only on rare days of the war. It must be said that then a decision was made to prevent the enemy from seizing the collective farm livestock. They tried to get him out, and where possible, they handed him over to military units.
The situation near Moscow in the winter of 1941-1942 was completely different, when there were forty-degree frosts. There was no talk of any dinner then. We advanced, then retreated, regrouped forces, and as such there was no positional warfare, which means it was impossible to even somehow organize life. Usually once a day the foreman brought a thermos with gruel, which was simply called “food.” If this happened in the evening, then there was dinner, and in the afternoon, which happened extremely rarely, it was lunch. They cooked what they had enough food for, somewhere nearby, so that the enemy could not see the kitchen smoke. And they measured each soldier a ladle into a pot. A loaf of bread was cut with a two-handed saw, because in the cold it turned into ice. The soldiers hid their “rations” under their overcoats to keep them warm at least a little.
Each soldier at that time had a spoon behind the top of his boot, as we called it, an “entrenching tool” - an aluminum stamping. But I must say that it served not only as a cutlery, but was also a kind of “calling card.” The explanation for this is this: there was a belief that if you carry a soldier’s medallion in your trouser pocket-piston: a small black plastic pencil case, which should contain a note with data (last name, first name, patronymic, year of birth, where you were called up from), then you will definitely be killed . Therefore, most fighters simply did not fill out this sheet, and some even threw away the medallion itself. But they scratched out all their data on a spoon. And therefore, even now, when search engines find the remains of soldiers who died during the Great Patriotic War, their names are determined precisely from the spoons.
During the offensive, they were given dry rations - crackers or biscuits, canned food, but they really appeared in the diet when the Americans announced their entry into the war and began to provide assistance to the Soviet Union. The dream of any soldier, by the way, was fragrant overseas sausages in jars.
- Were “front-line hundred grams” really given out?
- Alcohol was given only at the front line. How did this happen? The foreman arrived with a can, and in it was some kind of cloudy liquid of a light coffee color. A pot was poured onto the compartment, and then each was measured with the cap of a 76-mm projectile: it was unscrewed before firing, releasing the fuse. Whether it was 100 or 50 grams and what strength, no one knew. He drank, “bit” his sleeve, that’s all the “drunkenness.” In addition, from the rear of the front, this alcohol-containing liquid reached the front line through many, as they now say, intermediaries, so both its volume and “degrees” decreased.
- Often in films they show that a military unit is located in a village where living conditions are more or less human: you can wash yourself, even go to the bathhouse, sleep on a bed...
- This could only happen in relation to headquarters located at some distance from the front line. But at the very front, the conditions were completely different - extremely harsh.
- How were the soldiers dressed?
- We are lucky in this sense. The brigade in which I served was formed in Siberia, and God bless everyone with the equipment that we had. We had felt boots, regular and flannelette foot wraps, thin and warm underwear, cotton trousers, as well as cotton pants, a tunic, a quilted padded jacket, an overcoat, a balaclava, a winter hat and mittens made of dog fur. And when we arrived near Moscow, we saw other units: the soldiers were poorly dressed, many, especially the wounded, were frostbitten.
- But how long could it be possible to withstand the cold even in the same clothes as the soldiers of your unit? Where did you sleep?
- A person can endure even the most extreme conditions. Most often they slept in the forest: you chop up spruce branches, make a bed out of them, cover yourself with these paws on top, and lie down for the night. Of course, frostbite also happened: my frostbitten finger still makes itself felt: they had to aim the gun.
- But what about the notorious “dugout in three rolls”, “fire beats in a cramped stove”?
- During the entire war, I equipped dugouts only three times. The first was during the reorganization of the brigade in the rear near Moscow. The second was after the hospital, when we, the convalescents, were again trained in military affairs near the city of Pugachev, Kuibyshev region. And the third - when I had the opportunity to serve as part of the partisans of the Army of the People, formed from the local population and Red Army soldiers who escaped from German captivity. All Polish officers served in the First Polish Division, formed in the USSR, and took part in the battles near the town of Lenino in the Goretsky district of the Mogilev region. After appropriate training, 11 officers of the Polish Army and I (the radio operator) were parachuted into the deep rear of the Germans to strengthen the command cadres of the partisan detachments operating in the area of ​​Lodz, Czestochowa, Radomsko, Petrikov. Then, indeed, especially in winter, dugouts were dug, stoves were made from barrels, instead of beds, beds were dug in the ground, which were covered with spruce branches. But such dugouts were a very unsafe place: if a shell hit, then everyone who was there died. When they fought at Stalingrad, they used gullies in the steppe as defensive structures, in which they dug like caves, where they spent the night.
- But, probably, units and subunits were not always on the front line, they were replaced with fresh troops?
“This was not the case in our army; they were taken to the rear only when there was almost nothing left of the unit except its number, banner and a handful of fighters. Then the formations and units were sent for reorganization. And the Germans, Americans and British applied the principle of change. Moreover, soldiers were given leave to travel home. In our entire 5-million-strong army, and today I can say this extremely seriously, only a few received leave for special merits.
- There are famous words of a song from the movie “Shield and Sword”: “I haven’t taken off my tunic for a month, I haven’t unfastened my belts for a month.” Was this really the case?
- We went on the offensive near Moscow on December 5, 1941, and only on April 30, 1942, our brigade was withdrawn for reorganization, because almost nothing was left of it. All this time we were on the front line and there was no talk of any bathhouse or changing of clothes. There was no place to do it and no time. I can give only one example when I had to “wash myself” - forcedly. This was during the liberation of P.I. Tchaikovsky’s homeland - the city of Klin. I saw a clump of hay on the ice of the Ruza River. And since our guns were horse-drawn, I thought: we need to take and feed the horse. And although the frost reached 40 degrees, after walking just a few meters on the ice, I fell into the water. It’s good that we had 3-meter cleaning rods for cleaning cannon barrels. My comrades handed me such a pole and pulled me out of the river. The water immediately froze on me, and it was clear that I had to warm up somewhere. The house of the great composer, which was on fire, saved me. I ran to him, stripped naked and began to warm myself and dry my clothes. Everything ended well, only the dog fur mittens broke after drying out. I had just managed to get dressed and run out of the house when the roof collapsed.
- But if it was not possible to observe basic hygiene rules, then, probably, there was a danger of infectious diseases...
- There was a problem of lice, especially in the warm season. But the sanitary services in the troops worked quite effectively. There were special “vosheboki” - cars with closed van bodies. Uniforms were loaded there and treated with hot air. But this was done in the rear. And on the front line we lit a fire so as not to violate the rules of camouflage, took off our underwear and brought it closer to the fire. The lice just crackled and burned! I would like to note that even in such harsh conditions of unsettled life in the troops there was no typhus, which is usually carried by lice.
- And when did the troops begin to dress in short fur coats, for the supply of which to the USSR, as is alleged, almost all the sheep in Mongolia were put under the knife?
- They talk a lot about them, but in reality very few received such uniforms. The newspaper “Narodnaya Volya” published nine issues of notes by a certain Ilya Kopyl, which allegedly tell the “truth” about the war. He writes: what kind of partisan movement could we be talking about in Belarus? They say these were Moscow NKVD organizations that were dropped from planes wearing chic white sheepskin coats. They organized sabotage against the Nazis, then hid in the forests, and local civilians suffered from such “provocations,” who were dealt with by the angry Germans, even to the point of burning villages.
Moreover, this author, by the way, who served his entire life in the Soviet army, although already in peacetime, insists that there was no Great Patriotic War in Belarus, that Germany, in collusion with the Soviet Union, attacked Belarus. And the struggle on its territory was between the “Moscow partisans” and the police. This is absurd, because the BSSR was an integral part of the USSR! It turns out that our republic attacked itself?!
It turns out that this man, being in the ranks of the Armed Forces of the USSR and then Russia, carried a stone in his soul for 25 years and decided on this pseudo-revelation only when he received a high pension from the state: it is twice as much as that of me, a war veteran, and in further chairman of the Mogilev Regional Executive Committee and deputy chairman of the State Planning Committee of the BSSR.
Personal memories of the war, if I may say so, boil down to the fact that he, then a boy, was treated to a chocolate bar by the “kind” occupiers.
War veterans protested against this publication by picketing outside the editorial office of Narodnaya Volya and demanded an answer from the newspaper's leaders, but the newspaper's editor-in-chief, I. Seredich, explained this by freedom of speech and the press. A shame!
We must understand that the youngest veterans who were called to the front during the Great Patriotic War were born in 1927, and today they are 83 years old. A maximum of 10 years will pass, and there will be no direct participants in the war. Who will defend the truth about the struggle of our people against Hitler's expansion? Therefore, I believe that the republic needs a law that would protect the memory of the war from the encroachments of various kinds of falsifiers. After all, inciting national hatred is punishable in our country! Why do sabotage against the very foundations of the life of our people - its history - go unpunished?! Why are the ideological vertical, the Ministry of Defense, silent?
And if we return to the, frankly, inhuman conditions in which we had to fight, then only our people could withstand all these tests; no French, English or American could endure such hardships and make a decisive contribution to the defeat of the brown plague.

Introduction

History does not know a more large-scale, fierce, destructive and bloody confrontation than the one that our people had to wage against the fascist aggressors. In the war of 1941-1945. The fate of not only the Fatherland, but also many other peoples and countries - essentially all of humanity - was being decided. Military personnel of the internal troops fought shoulder to shoulder with the Red Army against the invaders. The feat of our compatriots who defeated fascism and won the Great Victory is eternal and holy.

The Great Patriotic War will forever remain in the memory of the descendants and successors of the great people of the great country. About thirty million of our compatriots died heroically for the freedom of our Motherland. At times it seemed to the enemy that the collapse of the USSR was inevitable: the Germans were near Moscow and Leningrad, breaking through near Stalingrad. But the fascists simply forgot that for centuries Genghis Khan, Batu, Mamai, Napoleon and others tried unsuccessfully to conquer our country. The Russian people were always ready to defend their Motherland and fight until their last breath. There was no limit to the patriotism of our soldiers. Only a Russian soldier saved a wounded comrade from under heavy fire from enemy machine guns. Only the Russian soldier mercilessly beat the enemies, but spared the prisoners. Only the Russian soldier died, but did not give up.

At times, German commanders were horrified by the rage and tenacity, courage and heroism of ordinary Russian soldiers. One of the German officers said: “When my tanks go on the attack, the earth trembles under their weight. When the Russians go into battle, the earth trembles from fear of them.” One of the captured German officers looked into the faces of the Russian soldiers for a long time and, in the end, sighed and said: “Now I see that Russian spirit that we were told about many times.” Our soldiers performed many feats during the Great Patriotic War. The young guys sacrificed themselves for this long-awaited Victory. Many of them did not return home, disappeared or were killed on the battlefields. And each of them can be considered a hero. After all, it was they who, at the cost of their lives, led our Motherland to the Great Victory. The soldiers died, knowing full well that they were giving their lives in the name of happiness, in the name of freedom, in the name of clear skies and clear suns, in the name of future happy generations.

Yes, they accomplished a feat, they died, but did not give up. The consciousness of his duty to the Motherland drowned out the feeling of fear, pain, and thoughts of death. This means that this action is not an unconscious action - a feat, but a conviction in the rightness and greatness of the cause for which a person consciously gives his life.

Victory in the Great Patriotic War is a feat and glory of our people. No matter how the assessments and facts of our history have changed in recent years, May 9, Victory Day, remains a sacred holiday for our people. Eternal glory to the soldiers of war! Their feat will forever remain in the hearts of millions of people who value peace, happiness, and freedom.

feat hero soldier war

1. The exploits of Soviet soldiers and officers during the Great Patriotic War

The war between the USSR and Nazi Germany was not an ordinary war between two states, between two armies. It was the Great Patriotic War of the Soviet people against the Nazi invaders. From the very first days of the Great Patriotic War, the Soviet people had to deal with a very serious enemy who knew how to wage a major modern war. Hitler's mechanized hordes, regardless of losses, rushed forward and put to fire and sword everything that came along the way. Thanks to iron discipline, military skill and dedication, millions of Soviet people, who looked death in the face, won and remained alive. The exploits of Soviet heroes became a beacon to which other heroic warriors looked up.

Viktor Vasilievich Talalikhin

Born on September 18, 1918 in the village. Teplovka, Volsky district, Saratov region. Graduated from the Borisoglebok Military Aviation School for Pilots. He took part in the Soviet-Finnish war of 1939 - 1940. He made 47 combat missions, shot down 4 Finnish aircraft, for which he was awarded the Order of the Red Star (1940).

In the battles of the Great Patriotic War from June 1941. Made more than 60 combat missions. In the summer and autumn of 1941, he fought near Moscow<#"justify">. Ivan Nikitovich Kozhedub

(1920-1991), Air Marshal (1985), Hero of the Soviet Union (1944 - twice; 1945). During the Great Patriotic War in fighter aviation, squadron commander, deputy regiment commander, conducted 120 air battles; shot down 62 planes.

Three times Hero of the Soviet Union Ivan Nikitovich Kozhedub shot down 17 enemy aircraft on the La-7 (including the Me-262 jet fighter<#"justify">. Alexey Petrovich Maresyev

Maresyev Alexey Petrovich fighter pilot, deputy squadron commander of the 63rd Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment, guard senior lieutenant.

Born on May 20, 1916 in the city of Kamyshin, Volgograd Region, into a working-class family. He was drafted into the Soviet army in 1937. Served in the 12th aviation border detachment. He made his first combat mission on August 23, 1941 in the Krivoo Rog area. Lieutenant Maresyev opened his combat account at the beginning of 1942 - he shot down a Ju-52. By the end of March 1942, he brought the count of downed fascist planes to four

In June 1943, Maresyev returned to duty. He fought on the Kursk Bulge as part of the 63rd Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment and was deputy squadron commander. In August 1943, during one battle, Alexey Maresyev shot down three enemy FW-190 fighters at once.

On August 1943, by the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, Guard Senior Lieutenant Maresyev was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.

Later he fought in the Baltic states and became a regiment navigator. In 1944 he joined the CPSU. In total, he made 86 combat missions, shot down 11 enemy aircraft: 4 before being wounded and seven with amputated legs. In June 1944, Guard Major Maresyev became an inspector-pilot of the Air Force Higher Educational Institutions Directorate. Boris Polevoy's book "The Tale of a Real Man" is dedicated to the legendary fate of Alexei Petrovich Maresyev.

Retired Colonel A.P. Maresyev was awarded two Orders of Lenin, the Order of the October Revolution, the Red Banner, the Patriotic War, 1st degree, two Orders of the Red Banner of Labor, the Order of People's Friendship, the Red Star, the Badge of Honor, "For Services to the Fatherland" 3rd degree, medals, and foreign orders. He was an honorary soldier of a military unit, an honorary citizen of the cities of Komsomolsk-on-Amur, Kamyshin, and Orel. A minor planet of the solar system, a public foundation, and youth patriotic clubs are named after him. He was elected as a deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR. Author of the book "On the Kursk Bulge" (M., 1960).

Even during the war, Boris Polevoy’s book “The Tale of a Real Man” was published, the prototype of the main character of which was Maresyev.

Krasnoperov Sergey Leonidovich

Krasnoperov Sergei Leonidovich was born on July 23, 1923 in the village of Pokrovka, Chernushinsky district. In May 1941, he volunteered to join the Soviet Army. I studied at the Balashov Aviation Pilot School for a year. In November 1942, attack pilot Sergei Krasnoperov arrived at the 765th attack air regiment, and in January 1943 he was appointed deputy squadron commander of the 502nd attack air regiment of the 214th attack air division of the North Caucasus Front. For military distinctions he was awarded the Order of the Red Banner, the Red Star, and the Order of the Patriotic War, 2nd degree.

The regiment commander, Lieutenant Colonel Smirnov, wrote about Sergei Krasnoperov: “Such heroic deeds of Comrade Krasnoperov are repeated in every combat mission. The pilots of his flight became masters of assault. The flight is united and occupies a leading position. The command always entrusts him with the most difficult and responsible tasks. With his heroic exploits, he created military glory for himself and enjoys well-deserved military authority among the regiment’s personnel.” Indeed. Sergei was only 19 years old, and for his exploits he had already been awarded the Order of the Red Star. He was only 20, and his chest was decorated with the Golden Star of the Hero.

Sergei Krasnoperov made seventy-four combat missions during the days of fighting on the Taman Peninsula. As one of the best, he was trusted to lead groups of “silts” on assault 20 times, and he always carried out a combat mission. He personally destroyed 6 tanks, 70 vehicles, 35 carts with cargo, 10 guns, 3 mortars, 5 anti-aircraft artillery points, 7 machine guns, 3 tractors, 5 bunkers, an ammunition depot, sunk a boat, a self-propelled barge, and destroyed two crossings across the Kuban.

Matrosov Alexander Matveevich

Matrosov Alexander Matveevich - rifleman of the 2nd battalion of the 91st separate rifle brigade (22nd Army, Kalinin Front), private. Born on February 5, 1924 in the city of Yekaterinoslav (now Dnepropetrovsk). In October 1942 he entered the Krasnokholmsky Infantry School, but soon most of the cadets were sent to the Kalinin Front. In the active army since November 1942. On February 27, 1943, the 2nd battalion received the task of attacking a strong point in the area of ​​the village of Chernushki (Loknyansky district of the Pskov region). As soon as our soldiers passed through the forest and reached the edge, they came under heavy enemy machine-gun fire. Two machine guns were destroyed, but the machine gun from the third bunker continued to fire at the entire ravine in front of the village. Then Matrosov stood up, rushed to the bunker and closed the embrasure with his body. At the cost of his life, he contributed to the accomplishment of the unit’s combat mission.

A few days later, the name of Matrosov became known throughout the country. Matrosov’s feat was used by a journalist who happened to be with the unit for a patriotic article. Despite the fact that Matrosov was not the first to commit such an act of self-sacrifice, it was his name that was used to glorify the heroism of Soviet soldiers. Subsequently, over 200 people accomplished the same feat, but this was no longer widely publicized. His feat became a symbol of courage and military valor, fearlessness and love for the Motherland.

“It is known that Alexander Matrosov was far from the first in the history of the Great Patriotic War to accomplish such a feat. More precisely, he had 44 predecessors (5 in 1941, 31 in 1942 and 8 before February 27, 1943). And the very first to cover the enemy machine gun with his body was political instructor A.V. Pankratov. Subsequently, many more commanders and soldiers of the Red Army performed the self-sacrificing feat. By the end of 1943, 38 soldiers followed Matrosov’s example, in 1944 - 87, in the last year of the war - 46. The last one in the Great Patriotic War to close the machine gun embrasure with his body was Guard Sergeant Arkhip Manita. This happened in Berlin 17 days before the Victory...

Of the 215 who accomplished the “feat of Matrosov,” the heroes were awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. Some exploits were appreciated only many years after the war. For example, Red Army soldier of the 679th Infantry Regiment Abram Levin, who covered the bunker embrasure with his body in the battle for the village of Kholmets on February 22, 1942, was posthumously awarded the Order of the Patriotic War, 1st degree, only in 1967. There are also documented cases where brave men who performed the “sailor’s” feat remained alive. This is Udodov A.A., Rise R.Kh., Maiborsky V.P. and Kondratyev L.V.” (V. Bondarenko “One Hundred Great Feats of Russia”, M., “Veche”, 2011, p. 283).

The title of Hero of the Soviet Union was posthumously awarded to Alexander Matveevich Matrosov on June 19, 1943. He was buried in the city of Velikiye Luki. On September 8, 1943, by order of the People's Commissar of Defense of the USSR, the name of Matrosov was assigned to the 254th Guards Rifle Regiment, and he himself was forever included (one of the first in the Soviet Army) in the lists of the 1st company of this unit. Monuments to the Hero were erected in St. Petersburg, Togliatti, Velikiye Luki, Ulyanovsk, Krasnoyarsk, Ufa, Dnepropetrovsk, Kharkov, and there are at least several hundred streets and squares of Alexander Matrosov in the cities and villages of the former USSR.

Ivan Vasilievich Panfilov

In the battles near Volokolamsk, the 316th Infantry Division of General I.V. especially distinguished itself. Panfilova. Reflecting continuous enemy attacks for 6 days, they knocked out 80 tanks and killed several hundred soldiers and officers. Enemy attempts to capture the Volokolamsk area and open the way to Moscow<#"justify">. Nikolai Frantsevich Gastello

Nikolai Frantsevich was born on May 6, 1908 in Moscow, into a working-class family. Graduated from 5th grade. He worked as a mechanic at the Murom Steam Locomotive Construction Machinery Plant. In the Soviet Army in May 1932. In 1933 he graduated from the Lugansk military pilot school in bomber units. In 1939 he took part in the battles on the river. Khalkhin - Gol and the Soviet-Finnish War of 1939-1940. In the active army since June 1941, the squadron commander of the 207th Long-Range Bomber Aviation Regiment (42nd Bomber Aviation Division, 3rd Bomber Aviation Corps DBA), Captain Gastello, carried out another mission flight on June 26, 1941. His bomber was hit and caught fire. He flew the burning plane into a concentration of enemy troops. The enemy suffered heavy losses from the explosion of the bomber. For the accomplished feat, on July 26, 1941, he was posthumously awarded the Title of Hero of the Soviet Union. Gastello's name is forever included in the lists of military units. At the site of the feat on the Minsk-Vilnius highway, a memorial monument was erected in Moscow.

9. Zoya Anatolyevna Kosmodemyanskaya (“Tanya”)

Zoya Anatolyevna Kosmodemyanskaya was born on September 8, 1923 in the village of Osino-Gai (now Tambov region). On October 31, 1941, Zoya Kosmodemyanskaya voluntarily became a fighter in the reconnaissance and sabotage unit No. 9903 of the Western Front headquarters. The training was very short - already on November 4, Zoya was transferred to Volokolamsk, where she successfully completed the task of mining the road. On November 17, 1941, Order No. 0428 of the Headquarters of the Supreme High Command appeared, ordering “to destroy and burn to the ground all populated areas in the rear of German troops at a distance of 40-60 km in depth from the front line and 20-30 km to the right and left of the roads. To destroy populated areas within the specified radius of action, immediately deploy aviation, make extensive use of artillery and mortar fire, reconnaissance teams, skiers and partisan sabotage groups equipped with Molotov cocktails, grenades and demolition means.”

And the very next day, the leadership of unit No. 9903 received a combat mission - to destroy 10 settlements, including the village of Petrishchevo, Ruza district, Moscow region. Zoya also went on a mission as part of one of the groups. She was armed with three Molotov cocktails and a revolver. Near the village of Golovkovo, the group with which Zoya was walking came under fire, suffered losses and disbanded. On the night of November 27, Zoya Kosmodemyanskaya reached Petrishchev and managed to set fire to three houses there. After that, she spent the night in the forest and returned to Petrishchevo again in order to fully carry out the combat order - to destroy this settlement.

But within a day the situation in the village changed. The occupiers gathered local residents for a meeting and ordered them to guard their houses. It was a local resident named Sviridov who noticed Zoya at the moment when she tried to set fire to his barn with hay. Sviridov ran after the Germans, and Kosmodemyanskaya was captured. They bullied Zoya terribly. They flogged me with belts, held a burning kerosene lamp to my lips, walked me barefoot through the snow, and tore out my fingernails. Kosmodemyanskaya was beaten not only by the Germans, but also by local residents, whose houses she burned. But Zoya held on with amazing courage. She never gave her real name during the interrogation, she said that her name was Tanya.

November 1941 Zoya Kosmodemyanskaya was hanged by the occupiers. Before her death, she uttered a proud phrase, which later became famous: “There are 170 million of us, you can’t outweigh them all!” On January 27, 1942, the first publication in the press appeared about the feat of Zoya Kosmodemyanskaya - an article by P. Lidov “Tanya” (it was published by Pravda.) Soon it was possible to establish the identity of the heroine, and on February 18 a second article appeared - “Who was Tanya.” Two days before this, a decree was issued on awarding Kosmodemyanskaya the title of Hero of the Soviet Union posthumously. She became the first woman awarded this title during the Great Patriotic War. The heroine was buried at the Novodevichy cemetery in Moscow.

About the feat of Zoya Kosmodemyanskaya, a feature film was made about it already in 1944, monuments to the heroine decorated the streets of Moscow, St. Petersburg, Kiev, Kharkov, Tambov, Saratov, Volgograd, Chelyabinsk, Rybinsk, poems and stories were written about Zoya, and the streets named in her honor, there are several hundred in the cities and villages of the former USSR.

Aliya Moldagulova

Aliya Moldagulova was born on April 20, 1924 in the village of Bulak, Khobdinsky district, Aktobe region. After the death of her parents, she was raised by her uncle Aubakir Moldagulov. I moved with his family from city to city. She studied at the 9th secondary school in Leningrad. In the fall of 1942, Aliya Moldagulova joined the army and was sent to sniper school. In May 1943, Aliya submitted a report to the school command with a request to send her to the front. Aliya ended up in the 3rd company of the 4th battalion of the 54th Rifle Brigade under the command of Major Moiseev. By the beginning of October, Aliya Moldagulova had 32 killed fascists.

In December 1943, Moiseev’s battalion received an order to drive the enemy out of the village of Kazachikha. By capturing this settlement, the Soviet command hoped to cut the railway line along which the Nazis were transporting reinforcements. The Nazis resisted fiercely, skillfully taking advantage of the terrain. The slightest advance of our companies came at a high price, and yet slowly but steadily our fighters approached the enemy’s fortifications. Suddenly a lone figure appeared ahead of the advancing chains.

Suddenly a lone figure appeared ahead of the advancing chains. The Nazis noticed the brave warrior and opened fire with machine guns. Seizing the moment when the fire weakened, the fighter rose to his full height and carried the entire battalion with him.

After a fierce battle, our fighters took possession of the heights. The daredevil lingered in the trench for some time. Traces of pain appeared on his pale face, and strands of black hair came out from under his earflap hat. It was Aliya Moldagulova. She destroyed 10 fascists in this battle. The wound turned out to be minor, and the girl remained in service.

In an effort to restore the situation, the enemy launched counterattacks. On January 14, 1944, a group of enemy soldiers managed to break into our trenches. Hand-to-hand combat ensued. Aliya mowed down the fascists with well-aimed bursts from her machine gun. Suddenly she instinctively sensed danger behind her. She turned sharply, but it was too late: the German officer fired first. Gathering her last strength, Aliya raised her machine gun and the Nazi officer fell to the cold ground...

The wounded Aliya was carried out by her comrades from the battlefield. The fighters wanted to believe in a miracle, and vying with each other to save the girl, they offered blood. But the wound was fatal.

June 1944, Corporal Aliya Moldagulova was posthumously awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.

Conclusion

From the very first days of the Great Patriotic War, the Soviet people had to deal with a very serious enemy. The Soviet people spared neither strength nor life in order to hasten the hour of victory over the enemy. Women also forged victory over the enemy shoulder to shoulder with men. They bravely endured the incredible hardships of wartime, they were unparalleled workers in factories, on collective farms, in hospitals and schools.

Win or die - this was the question in the war against German fascism, and our soldiers understood this. They consciously gave their lives for their Motherland when the situation demanded it.

What strength of spirit was demonstrated by those who did not hesitate to cover with their bodies the embrasure of the enemy bunker that was spewing deadly fire!

The soldiers and officers of Nazi Germany did not perform such feats, and could not have accomplished them. The spiritual motives for their actions were reactionary ideas of racial superiority and motives, and later - fear of fair retribution for crimes committed and automatic, blind discipline.

The people glorify those who fought bravely and died, with the death of a hero, having brought closer the hour of our victory, glorify the survivors who managed to defeat the enemy. Heroes do not die, their glory is immortal, their names are forever included not only in the lists of personnel of the Armed Forces, but also in people's memory. People make up legends about heroes, erect beautiful monuments to them, and name the best streets of their cities and villages after them. More than 100 thousand soldiers, sergeants and military officers were awarded orders and medals of the Soviet Union, and almost 200 military graduates were awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. More than 50 monuments and obelisks were built in honor of the soldiers of the internal troops, about 60 streets and more than 200 schools were named. The exploits of those who defended the life and independence of our Motherland will forever remain in the people's memory.

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The topics of the history of the Great Patriotic War are multifaceted. For many years, the war was described from the point of view of political leadership, the state of the fronts in relation to “manpower” and equipment. The role of an individual in war was illuminated as part of a gigantic mechanism. Particular attention was paid to the ability of the Soviet soldier to carry out the order of the commander at any cost, and the readiness to die for the Motherland. The established image of war was questioned during the Khrushchev “thaw”. It was then that the memoirs of war participants, notes of war correspondents, front-line letters, diaries began to be published - sources that are least susceptible to influence. They raised “difficult topics” and revealed “blank spots”. The theme of man in war came to the fore. Since this topic is vast and diverse, it is not possible to cover it in one article.

Based on front-line letters, memoirs, diary entries, as well as unpublished sources, the authors will still try to highlight some of the problems of front-line life during the Patriotic War of 1941-1945. How the soldier lived at the front, in what conditions he fought, how he was dressed, what he ate, what he did during short breaks between battles - all these questions are important, and it was the solution of these everyday problems that largely ensured victory over the enemy. At the initial stage of the war, soldiers wore a tunic with a fold-down collar, with special pads at the elbows. Usually these covers were made of tarpaulin. The gymnast was worn with pants that had the same canvas linings around the knees. On the feet there are boots and windings. It was they who were the main grief of the soldiers, especially the infantry, since it was this branch of the army that served in them. They were uncomfortable, flimsy and heavy. This type of shoe was driven by cost savings. After the publication of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact in 1939, the USSR army increased to 5.5 million people in two years. It was impossible to put boots on everyone.

They saved on leather, boots were made from the same tarpaulin 2. Until 1943, an indispensable attribute of an infantryman was a roll over the left shoulder. This is an overcoat that was rolled up for mobility and put on so that the soldier did not experience any discomfort when shooting. In other cases, the roll-up caused a lot of trouble. If in the summer, during the transition, the infantry was attacked by German aircraft, then because of the slope, the soldiers were visible on the ground. Because of it, it was impossible to quickly escape to a field or shelter. And in the trench they simply threw it under their feet - it would have been impossible to turn around with it. The soldiers of the Red Army had three types of uniforms: everyday, guard and weekend, each of which had two options - summer and winter. Between 1935 and 1941, numerous minor changes were made to the clothing of the Red Army soldiers.

The field uniform of the 1935 model was made from fabric of various shades of khaki color. The main distinguishing element was the tunic, which in its cut, the same for soldiers and soldiers, resembled a Russian peasant shirt. There were also summer and winter gymnasts. The summer uniform was made from cotton fabric of a lighter color, and the winter uniform was made from woolen fabric, which had a richer, darker color. The officers wore a wide leather belt with a brass buckle decorated with a five-pointed star. The soldiers wore a simpler belt with an open buckle. In field conditions, soldiers and officers could wear two types of gymnasts: everyday and weekend. The weekend tunic was often called a French jacket. The second main element of the uniform was trousers, also called breeches. Soldiers' trousers had diamond-shaped reinforcing stripes on the knees. For footwear, officers wore high leather boots, and soldiers wore boots with windings or tarpaulin boots. In winter, military personnel wore an overcoat made of brownish-gray cloth. Soldiers' and officers' overcoats, identical in cut, nevertheless differed in quality. The Red Army used several types of hats. Most units wore budenovki, which had a winter and summer version. However, at the end of the 30s, summer Budenovka

was everywhere replaced by the cap. Officers wore caps in the summer. In units stationed in Central Asia and the Far East, wide-brimmed Panama hats were worn instead of caps. In 1936, a new type of helmet began to be supplied to the Red Army. In 1940, noticeable changes were made to the design of the helmet. Officers everywhere wore caps; the cap was an attribute of officer power. Tankers wore a special helmet made of leather or canvas. In summer they used a lighter version of the helmet, and in winter they wore a helmet with a fur lining. The equipment of Soviet soldiers was strict and simple. The 1938 model canvas duffel bag was common. However, not everyone had real duffel bags, so after the war began, many soldiers threw away gas masks and used gas mask bags as duffel bags. According to the regulations, every soldier armed with a rifle was required to have two leather cartridge bags. The bag could store four clips for a Mosin rifle - 20 rounds. Cartridge bags were worn on the waist belt, one on each side.

The officers used a small bag, which was made of either leather or canvas. There were several types of these bags, some of them were worn over the shoulder, some were hung from the waist belt. On top of the bag was a small tablet. Some officers carried large leather tablets that were hung from the waist belt under their left arm. In 1943, the Red Army adopted a new uniform, radically different from that used until then. The system of insignia has also changed. The new tunic was very similar to the one used in the tsarist army and had a stand-up collar fastened with two buttons. The main distinguishing feature of the new uniform was the shoulder straps. There were two types of shoulder straps: field and everyday. Field shoulder straps were made of khaki-colored fabric. On the shoulder straps near the button they wore a small gold or silver badge indicating the branch of the military. Officers wore a cap with a black leather chinstrap. The color of the band on the cap depended on the type of troops. In winter, generals and colonels of the Red Army had to wear hats, and the rest of the officers received ordinary earflaps. The rank of sergeants and foremen was determined by the number and width of the stripes on their shoulder straps.

The edging of the shoulder straps had the colors of the branch of the military. Among the small arms in the first years of the war, the legendary “three-line rifle”, the three-line Mosin rifle of the 1891 model, enjoyed great respect and love among the soldiers. Many soldiers gave them names and considered the rifle a real comrade in arms that never failed in difficult battle conditions. But, for example, the SVT-40 rifle was not liked because of its capriciousness and strong recoil. Interesting information about the life and everyday life of soldiers is contained in such sources of information as memoirs, front-line diaries and letters, which are least susceptible to ideological influence. For example, it was traditionally believed that soldiers lived in dugouts and pillboxes. This is not entirely true, most of the soldiers were located in trenches, trenches or simply in the nearest forest without regretting it at all. It was always very cold in the bunkers; at that time, there were no autonomous heating systems or autonomous gas supply, which we now use, for example, to heat a summer house, and therefore the soldiers preferred to spend the night in the trenches, throwing branches at the bottom and stretching a raincoat on top.

The soldiers’ diet was simple: “Shchi and porridge are our food” - this proverb accurately characterizes the rations of soldiers’ kettles in the first months of the war and, of course, a soldier’s best friend is crackers, a favorite delicacy especially in field conditions, for example on a battle march. It is also impossible to imagine a soldier’s life during short periods of rest without the music of songs and books, which gave rise to a good mood and raised spirits. But still, the most important role in the victory over fascism was played by the psychology of the Russian soldier, who was able to cope with any everyday difficulties, overcome fear, survive and win. During the war, the treatment of patients consisted of the use of various ointments; the Demyanovich method was also widespread, according to which naked patients rubbed a hyposulfite solution and then hydrochloric acid into the body - from top to bottom.

In this case, pressure is felt on the skin, similar to rubbing with wet sand. After treatment, the patient may feel itching for another 3-5 days, as a reaction to killed mites. At the same time, many war fighters managed to get sick from these diseases dozens of times. In general, washing in the bathhouse and undergoing sanitary treatment, both the “old men” and the reinforcements arriving at the unit, took place mainly while in the second echelon, that is, without directly participating in the battles. Moreover, washing in the bathhouse was most often timed to coincide with spring and autumn. In the summer, soldiers had the opportunity to swim in rivers, streams, and collect rainwater. In winter, it was not always possible not only to find a ready-made bathhouse built by the local population, but also to build a temporary one ourselves. When one of the Smershev heroes in Bogomolov’s famous novel “The Moment of Truth (In August 1944)” pours out the freshly prepared stew before unexpectedly moving to another place, this is a typical case of front-line life. Redeployments of units were sometimes so frequent that not only military fortifications, but also domestic premises were often abandoned soon after their construction. The Germans washed in the bathhouse in the morning, the Magyars in the afternoon, and ours in the evening. The life of a soldier can be divided into several categories related to where this or that unit was located. The greatest hardships befell the people on the front line; there was no usual washing, shaving, breakfast, lunch or dinner.

There is a common cliche: they say, war is war, and lunch is on schedule. In fact, there was no such routine, much less any menu. It must be said that then a decision was made to prevent the enemy from seizing the collective farm livestock. They tried to get him out, and where possible, they handed him over to military units. The situation near Moscow in the winter of 1941-1942 was completely different, when there were forty-degree frosts. There was no talk of any dinner then. The soldiers either advanced or retreated, regrouped their forces, and there was no positional warfare as such, which means it was impossible to even somehow organize life. Usually once a day the foreman brought a thermos with gruel, which was simply called “food.” If this happened in the evening, then there was dinner, and in the afternoon, which happened extremely rarely, lunch. They cooked what they had enough food for, somewhere nearby, so that the enemy could not see the kitchen smoke. And they measured each soldier a ladle into a pot. A loaf of bread was cut with a two-handed saw, because in the cold it turned into ice. The soldiers hid their “rations” under their overcoats to keep them warm at least a little. Each soldier at that time had a spoon behind the top of his boot, as we called it, an “entrenching tool,” an aluminum stamping.

It served not only as a cutlery, but also as a kind of “calling card.” The explanation for this is this: there was a belief that if you carry a soldier’s medallion in your trouser pocket-piston: a small black plastic pencil case, which should contain a note with data (last name, first name, patronymic, year of birth, where you were called up from), then you will definitely be killed. Therefore, most fighters simply did not fill out this sheet, and some even threw away the medallion itself. But they scratched out all their data on a spoon. And therefore, even now, when search engines find the remains of soldiers who died during the Great Patriotic War, their names are determined precisely from the spoons. During the offensive, dry rations of crackers or biscuits and canned food were given out, but they really appeared in the diet when the Americans announced their entry into the war and began to provide assistance to the Soviet Union.

The dream of any soldier, by the way, was fragrant overseas sausages in jars. Alcohol was only available at the front line. How did this happen? The foreman arrived with a can, and in it was some kind of cloudy liquid of a light coffee color. A pot was poured onto the compartment, and then each was measured with the cap of a 76-mm projectile: it was unscrewed before firing, releasing the fuse. Whether it was 100 or 50 grams and what strength, no one knew. He drank, “bit” his sleeve, that’s all the “drunkenness.” In addition, from the rear of the front, this alcohol-containing liquid reached the front line through many, as they now say, intermediaries, so both its volume and “degrees” decreased. Films often show that a military unit is located in a village where living conditions are more or less human: you can wash yourself, even go to the bathhouse, sleep on a bed... But this could only be the case for headquarters located at some distance from the front line.

But at the very front, the conditions were completely different and extremely harsh. The Soviet brigades formed in Siberia had good equipment: felt boots, regular and flannel foot wraps, thin and warm underwear, cotton trousers, as well as cotton pants, a tunic, a quilted padded jacket, an overcoat, a balaclava, a winter hat and mittens made of dog fur. A person can endure even the most extreme conditions. Soldiers slept, most often, in the forest: you cut spruce branches, make a bed out of them, cover yourself with these paws on top, and lie down for the night. Of course, frostbite also occurred. In our army, they were taken to the rear only when there was almost nothing left of the unit except its number, banner and a handful of fighters. Then the formations and units were sent for reorganization. And the Germans, Americans and British used the principle of rotation: units and subunits were not always on the front line, they were replaced by fresh troops. Moreover, soldiers were given leave to travel home.

In the Red Army, out of the entire 5 million-strong army, only a few received leave for special merits. There was a problem of lice, especially in the warm season. But the sanitary services in the troops worked quite effectively. There were special “vosheka” cars with closed van bodies. Uniforms were loaded there and treated with hot air. But this was done in the rear. And on the front line, the soldiers lit a fire so as not to violate the rules of camouflage, took off their underwear and brought it closer to the fire. The lice just crackled and burned! I would like to note that even in such harsh conditions of unsettled life in the troops there was no typhus, which is usually carried by lice. Interesting facts: 1) A special place was occupied by the consumption of alcohol by personnel. Almost immediately after the start of the war, alcohol was officially legalized at the highest state level and included in the daily supply of personnel.

Soldiers considered vodka not only as a means of psychological relief, but also as an indispensable medicine in the Russian frosts. It was impossible without her, especially in winter; bombings, artillery shelling, tank attacks had such an effect on the psyche that only vodka was the only way to escape. 2) Letters from home meant a lot to the soldiers at the front. Not all soldiers received them, and then, listening to the reading of letters sent to their comrades, everyone felt it as their own. In response, they wrote mainly about the conditions of front-line life, leisure, simple soldier entertainment, friends and commanders. 3) There were moments of rest at the front. A guitar or accordion sounded. But the real holiday was the arrival of amateur artists. And there was no more grateful spectator than the soldier, who, perhaps in a few hours, was about to go to his death. It was difficult for a person in war, it was difficult to watch a dead comrade fall nearby, it was difficult to dig graves in hundreds. But our people lived and survived in this war. The unpretentiousness of the Soviet soldier and his heroism made victory closer every day.

Literature.

1. Abdulin M.G. 160 pages from a soldier's diary. – M.: Young Guard, 1985.

2. The Great Patriotic War 1941-1945: encyclopedia. – M.: Soviet Encyclopedia, 1985.

3. Gribachev N.M. When you become a soldier... / N.M. Gribachev. – M.: DOSAAF USSR, 1967.

4. Lebedintsev A.Z., Mukhin Yu.I. Fathers-commanders. – M.: Yauza, EKSMO, 2004. – 225 p.

5. Lipatov P. Uniforms of the Red Army and the Wehrmacht. – M.: Publishing House “Technology for Youth”, 1995.

6. Sinitsyn A.M. Nationwide assistance to the front / A.M. Sinitsyn. – M.: Voenizdat, 1985. – 319 p.

7. Khrenov M.M., Konovalov I.F., Dementyuk N.V., Terovkin M.A. Military clothing of the Armed Forces of the USSR and Russia (1917-1990s). – M.: Voenizdat, 1999.

When they talk about the Great Patriotic War, they first of all remember the heroism of Soviet soldiers, the soldiers who died at the fronts and in the rear. What happened between battles, how did our soldiers rest? Interesting information about the life and everyday life of soldiers is contained in such sources of information as memoirs, front-line diaries and letters, which are least susceptible to ideological influence. For example, it was traditionally believed that soldiers lived in dugouts and pillboxes. This is not entirely true, most of the soldiers were located in trenches, trenches or simply in the nearest forest without regretting it at all. It was always very cold in the bunkers, because at that time there were no autonomous heating systems or autonomous gas supply. Therefore, the soldiers preferred to spend the night in the trenches, throwing branches at the bottom and stretching a raincoat on top. The soldiers' food was simple: "Shchi and porridge are our food" - this proverb accurately characterizes the rations of soldiers' kettles in the first months of the war and, of course, a soldier's best friend is crackers, a favorite delicacy especially in field conditions, for example on a battle march.

In a number of studies on the history of the Great Patriotic War, the organization of food supplies to Soviet soldiers in 1941 - 1945. is considered mainly from the point of view of more general problems of development of the rear of the Armed Forces. From these studies, it is not clear what and how a Soviet soldier happened to eat. Personally, I got the impression that Soviet soldiers are something like disembodied spirits who do not drink, do not eat, and do not walk in the wind.

In the Red Army, in combat conditions, hot food was provided twice a day - in the morning before dawn and in the evening after sunset. Moreover, everything except bread was served hot. Soup (cabbage soup, borscht) was served both times, the second dish most often had a semi-liquid consistency (mushy porridge). After the next meal, the soldier had no food left with him, which freed him from unnecessary problems, the danger of food poisoning and severity. However, this nutritional scheme also had its drawbacks. In case of interruptions in the delivery of hot food to the trenches, the Red Army soldier remained completely hungry. In reality, the approved nutritional standards could not always be met.

“There is a law of war that is not new:
In retreat - you eat to your heart's content,
On defense - this way and that,
On the offensive - on an empty stomach.”

This rule, derived by the hero of A. Tvardovsky’s poem “Vasily Terkin,” is basically confirmed by the front-line soldiers, although there is no need to talk about food supply in the initial period of the Great Patriotic War. It was during the retreat that the practice of asking for direct food assistance from the residents of the settlements through which they passed became firmly established among Soviet military personnel. On the roads of war, soldiers often had to eat according to the so-called “grandmother’s certificate,” that is, rely on the kindness and goodwill of the local population. Sometimes the owners themselves took the initiative and shared their supplies with the soldiers.

During the offensive, there were objective difficulties for organizing food: on marches, camp kitchens and convoys could not keep up with the troops moving forward. It was difficult to cook food on the go, and it was not allowed to light a fire at night. There is a common cliche: they say, war is war, and lunch is on schedule. In fact, there was no such routine, much less any menu.

As a rule, on the front line, under constant enemy fire, hot meals were delivered in thermoses, most often once, at night. As a result, the soldiers were given dry rations, which was sometimes preferable to hot food. If before the attack the fighters received an “emergency reserve,” then the simple hungry soldier’s wisdom taught: you must eat all the supplies before the battle - otherwise you will kill, and you won’t even try! But experienced front-line soldiers, knowing that in case of an abdominal wound, there is a greater chance of survival with an empty stomach, before the battle they tried not to eat or drink.

From the memoirs of Great Patriotic War veteran Mikhail Fedorovich Zavarotny: “Usually once a day the foreman brought a thermos with gruel, which was simply called “food.” If this happened in the evening, then there was dinner, and in the afternoon, which happened extremely rarely, it was lunch. They cooked what they had enough food for, somewhere nearby, so that the enemy could not see the kitchen smoke. And they measured each soldier a ladle into a pot. A loaf of bread was cut with a two-handed saw, because in the cold it turned into ice. The soldiers hid their “rations” under their overcoats to keep them warm at least a little. Every soldier at that time had a spoon behind the top of his boot, as we called it, an “entrenching tool” - an aluminum stamping.”

The aluminum spoon was not only a cutlery, but also a kind of “calling card”, since the soldiers scratched all their data on it. There was a belief among soldiers that if you carry a soldier’s medallion in your trouser pocket, you will definitely be killed. A soldier's medallion is a small black plastic pencil case, which should contain a note with data indicating the last name, first name, patronymic, year of birth, where he was called up from. Most fighters simply did not fill out this sheet, and some even threw away the medallion itself. Nowadays, when search engines find the remains of soldiers who died during the Great Patriotic War, their names are often determined by spoons.

In the first years of the war, Soviet soldiers had glass water flasks, which were very inconvenient. They often broke, so it was considered lucky to get a captured aluminum flask, which was conveniently attached to the belt. Only since 1943 did our soldiers begin to receive Soviet-style aluminum flasks. Then, the soldiers received personal aluminum bowler hats and mugs.

In defense or in the second echelon of soldiers, the energy expenditure of the body decreased, since there were no grueling attacks, marches and dashes. The kitchens were nearby, so the servicemen got used to regular and even full portions. The daily allowance standards for Red Army soldiers and commanding personnel of combat units of the active army included: 800 g of rye wallpaper bread (in the cold season, from October to March - 900 g), 500 g of potatoes, 320 g of other vegetables (fresh or sauerkraut, carrots, beets , onions, herbs), 170 g of cereals and pasta, 150 g of meat, 100 g of fish, 50 g of fat (30 g of shortening and lard, 20 g of vegetable oil), 35 g of sugar.

Military personnel who smoked were entitled to 20 g of shag daily, 7 smoking books as paper and three boxes of matches monthly. Compared to pre-war norms, only wheat bread disappeared from the main diet, replaced by rye bread. The established allowance standards were not revised during the war, but were supplemented: non-smoking female military personnel were given 200 g of chocolate or 300 g of candy per month in exchange for tobacco allowance (order dated August 12, 1942); then a similar rule was extended to all non-smoking military personnel (order of November 13, 1942).

From letters from front-line soldiers, one gets the impression that food was better at the front than in the rear. In fact, this was not always the case. For the most part, servicemen from the active army reported home about good and even excellent nutrition, dense, satisfying food, in order to reassure their relatives about their situation. An inspection of the food organization in units and formations of the North Caucasus Front at the end of June 1942 showed that “the food is prepared monotonously, mainly from food concentrates. There are no vegetables in the units, although they are available in the front warehouse.” In the 102nd separate engineering and construction battalion, food was given directly to the soldiers, and everyone cooked for themselves “in pots, cans and even in steel helmets.”

From time to time, the diet of front-line soldiers was replenished with battle trophies, when they managed to capture enemy camp kitchens or supplies in warehouses. Many front-line soldiers recall captured pea soup in packets found in warehouses or food vans abandoned by the Germans. Some products surprised Soviet soldiers. For example, a hybrid of ersatz honey with butter in large briquettes, as well as trophy bread, sealed in transparent film with the date of manufacture indicated: 1937 - 1938.

The life of a soldier can be divided into several categories related to where this or that unit was located. The greatest hardships befell the people on the front line - there was no usual washing, shaving, breakfast, lunch or dinner. At the entrance to populated areas there was a bathhouse with a hair breaker, and in the forest there was a dugout. In order to eliminate the disease, commanders of regimental units were instructed to carry out daily inspection of soldiers for lice. The discovery of lice was considered an emergency. Patients were ordered to undergo thorough sanitary treatment. It consisted of washing in a bathhouse, with the obligatory frying of all uniforms, and cutting hair.

Of course, washing in the bathhouse took place when the soldiers were in the second echelon and did not directly participate in the battles. Moreover, washing in the bathhouse was most often timed to coincide with the cold season. In the summer, soldiers had the opportunity to swim in rivers, streams, and collect rainwater. In winter, it was not always possible not only to find a ready-made bathhouse built by the local population, but also to build a temporary one ourselves. Redeployments of units were sometimes so frequent that not only military fortifications, but also domestic premises were often abandoned soon after their construction. For example, Germans washed in the bathhouse in the morning, and Soviet soldiers washed in the bathhouse in the evening. The sanitary service was obliged, together with the senior regiment doctor, to provide the soldiers with a change of linen at least once every 10 days, providing them with linen and soap.

At the initial stage of the war, soldiers wore a tunic without shoulder straps with a fold-down collar, with special pads at the elbows. Usually these covers were made of tarpaulin. The gymnast was worn with riding-breeches, which had the same canvas lining around the knees. Outerwear was worn over underwear, consisting of a shirt and wide trousers made of cotton fabric.

In 1943, the Red Army adopted a new uniform, which was radically different from that used until then. The system of insignia has also changed. The new tunic was very similar to the one used in the tsarist army and had a stand-up collar fastened with two buttons. The main distinguishing feature of the new uniform was the shoulder straps. There were two types of shoulder straps: field and everyday. Field shoulder straps were made of khaki-colored fabric. On the shoulder straps near the button they wore a small gold or silver badge indicating the branch of the military.

It is documented that the name “gymnastyorka” was introduced into official circulation only in March 1942 by personal order of the chief quartermaster of the Red Army, Major General of the Quartermaster Service P.I. Dracheva. Before this decision, the term “shirt” was used in official documentation, and even earlier, “gymnastic shirt”. The term “gymnastic shirt” itself first appears in the order of the Minister of War dated June 18, 1860, which introduced a white linen jacket for generals and officers based on the model that already existed in the cavalry. The order mentions that infantry officers must wear these tunics “on duty only in cases where the lower ranks are wearing the shirts prescribed for gymnastic exercises.” However, a specific order for its establishment has not yet been discovered.

To date, not a single researcher can name with certainty the date that can be considered the starting point of the existence of the tunic as an item of military uniform. Most authors agree that the gymnastic shirt was introduced in the late 50s and early 60s of the 19th century for gymnastic exercises and household work. Apparently, the reason is that the gymnastic shirt was in fact a soldier's undershirt, and it, in turn, was a modified peasant underwear.

The soldiers had boots and bandages on their feet. It was they who were the main grief of the soldiers, especially the infantry, since it was this branch of the army that served in them. They were uncomfortable, flimsy and heavy. This type of shoe was driven by cost savings. After the publication of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact in 1939, the USSR army increased to 5.5 million people in two years. It was impossible to put boots on everyone. They saved on leather and made boots from the same tarpaulin.

Until 1943, an indispensable attribute of an infantryman was a roll over the left shoulder. This is an overcoat that was rolled up for mobility and put on so that the soldier did not experience any discomfort when shooting. In other cases, the roll-up caused a lot of trouble. If in the summer, during the transition, the infantry was attacked by German aircraft, then because of the slope, the soldiers were visible on the ground. Because of it, it was impossible to quickly escape to a field or shelter. And in the trench they simply threw it under their feet - it would have been impossible to turn around with it.

But the rest of the time, the overcoat saved the soldier from cold, fire and rain. The fabric from which the overcoat was made did not get wet and did not ignite, but smoldered even if an open fire came into contact with it. On soldiers' overcoats and on everyday officer's overcoats, there were steel hooks on the edge of the lower hem on the inside. When running, crawling, and during field training, the coat tails could be folded up and hooked onto the waist belt.

In short moments of rest, Soviet soldiers rested, slept with a reserve for the future, and many were engaged in creativity. Our museum has several such items in its collections. This is a beautiful flower vase made from a shell casing, a soap dish made of aluminum, wooden spoons, containers for salt and spices made from bast, and a lamp made from a cartridge for lighting a dugout.

It is also impossible to imagine a soldier’s life during short periods of rest without the music of songs and books, which gave rise to a good mood and raised spirits. But still, the most important role in the victory over fascism was played by the psychology of the Russian soldier, who was able to cope with any everyday difficulties, overcome fear, survive and win.

Everyone knows that this terrible period left an indelible mark on world history. Today we will look at the most amazing historical facts about the Great Patriotic War, which are rarely mentioned in conventional sources.

Victory Day

It’s hard to imagine, but there was a 17-year period in the history of the USSR when Victory Day was not celebrated. Since 1948, May 9 was a simple working day, and January 1 (since 1930 this day was a working day) was made a day off. In 1965, the holiday was returned to its place and marked as a broad celebration of the 20th anniversary of the Soviet victory. Since then, May 9 is again a day off. Many historians attribute such a strange decision of the Soviet government to the fact that it was afraid of active independent veterans on this significant day off. The official order said that people needed to forget about the war and devote all their strength to rebuilding the country.

Imagine, 80 thousand officers of the Red Army during the Second World War were women. In general, during different periods of hostilities there were from 0.6 to 1 million women at the front. Of the fairer sex who voluntarily came to the front, the following were formed: rifle brigade, 3 aviation regiments and a reserve rifle regiment. In addition, a women's sniper school was organized, the students of which went down in the history of Soviet military achievements more than once. A separate company of female sailors was also organized.

It is worth noting that women at war performed combat missions no worse than men, as evidenced by the 87 titles of Hero of the Soviet Union awarded to them during the Second World War. In world history, this was the first case of such a massive struggle of women for the Motherland. In the ranks Great Patriotic War soldier representatives of the fairer sex have mastered almost all military specialties. Many of them served shoulder to shoulder with their husbands, brothers and fathers.

"Crusade"

Hitler viewed his attack on the Soviet Union as a Crusade in which he could resort to terrorist methods. Already in May 1941, when implementing the Barbarossa plan, Hitler relieved his military personnel of any responsibility for their actions. Thus, his charges could do whatever they wanted to civilians.

Four-legged friends

During the Second World War, more than 60 thousand dogs served on different fronts. Thanks to four-legged saboteurs, dozens of Nazi trains were derailed. Tank destroyer dogs destroyed more than 300 enemy armored vehicles. Signal dogs obtained about two hundred reports for the USSR. On ambulance carts, dogs carried at least 700 thousand wounded soldiers and officers of the Red Army from the battlefield. Thanks to sapper dogs, 303 settlements were cleared of mines. In total, four-legged sappers examined more than 15 thousand km 2 of land. They discovered more than 4 million units of German mines and landmines.

Kremlin disguise

As we look, we will more than once encounter the ingenuity of the Soviet military. During the first month of the war, the Moscow Kremlin literally disappeared from the face of the earth. At least that's what it seemed from the sky. Flying over Moscow, the fascist pilots were in complete despair, since their maps did not coincide with reality. The whole point is that the Kremlin was carefully camouflaged: the stars of the towers and the crosses of the cathedrals were covered with covers, and the domes were repainted black. In addition, three-dimensional models of residential buildings were built along the perimeter of the Kremlin wall, behind which even the battlements were not visible. Manezhnaya Square and the Alexander Garden were partially decorated with plywood decorations for the buildings, the Mausoleum received two additional floors, and a sandy road appeared between the Borovitsky and Spassky Gates. The facades of the Kremlin buildings changed their color to gray, and the roofs to red-brown. Never before during its existence has the palace ensemble looked so democratic. By the way, V.I. Lenin’s body was evacuated to Tyumen during the war.

Feat of Dmitry Ovcharenko

Soviet exploits in the Great Patriotic War repeatedly illustrated the triumph of courage over weaponry. On July 13, 1941, Dmitry Ovcharenko, returning with ammunition to his company, was surrounded by five dozen enemy soldiers. The rifle was taken from him, but the man did not lose heart. Snatching an ax from his wagon, he cut off the head of the officer who was interrogating him. Dmitry then threw three grenades at the enemy soldiers, which killed 21 soldiers. The rest of the Germans fled, with the exception of the officer, whom Ovcharenko caught up with and also beheaded. For his bravery, the soldier was awarded the title

Hitler's main enemy

History of the Second World War He doesn’t always talk about this, but the Nazi leader considered his main enemy in the Soviet Union not Stalin, but Yuri Levitan. Hitler offered 250 thousand marks for the announcer's head. In this regard, the Soviet authorities guarded Levitan very carefully, misinforming the press about his appearance.

Tanks made from tractors

Considering interesting facts about the Great Patriotic War, we cannot ignore the fact that due to an acute shortage of tanks, in emergency cases, the USSR Armed Forces made them from simple tractors. During the Odessa defensive operation, 20 tractors covered with armor sheets were thrown into battle. Naturally, the main effect of such a decision is psychological. By attacking the Romanians at night with sirens and lights on, the Russians forced them to flee. As for weapons, many of these “tanks” were equipped with dummies of heavy guns. Soviet soldiers of the Great Patriotic War These cars were jokingly called NI-1, which means “For fright.”

Son of Stalin

Stalin's son, Yakov Dzhugashvili, was captured during the war. The Nazis offered Stalin to exchange his son for Field Marshal Paulus, who was being held captive by Soviet troops. The Soviet commander-in-chief refused, saying that a soldier could not be exchanged for a field marshal. Shortly before the arrival of the Soviet army, Yakov was shot. After the war, his family was exiled as a prisoner of war family. When Stalin was informed about this, he said that he would not make exceptions for relatives and break the law.

The fate of prisoners of war

There are historical facts that make things especially unpleasant. Here's one of them. About 5.27 million Soviet soldiers were captured by the Germans and kept in terrible conditions. This fact is confirmed by the fact that less than two million Red Army soldiers returned to their homeland. The reason for the cruel treatment of prisoners by the Germans was the USSR’s refusal to sign the Geneva and Hague Prisoner of War Conventions. The German authorities decided that if the other side did not sign the documents, then they may not regulate the conditions of detention of prisoners by international standards. In fact, the Geneva Convention governs the treatment of prisoners regardless of whether countries have signed the agreement.

The Soviet Union treated enemy prisoners of war much more humanely, as evidenced at least by the fact that died in the Great Patriotic War 350 thousand German prisoners, and the remaining 2 million returned home safely.

The feat of Matvey Kuzmin

During times Great Patriotic War, interesting facts about which we are considering, the 83-year-old peasant Matvey Kuzmin repeated the feat of Ivan Susanin, who in 1613 led the Poles into an impassable swamp.

In February 1942, a German mountain rifle battalion was stationed in the village of Kurakino, which was tasked with breaking through to the rear of Soviet troops planning a counteroffensive in the Malkin Heights area. Matvey Kuzmin lived in Kurakino. The Germans asked the old man to act as a guide for them, offering food and a gun in return. Kuzmin agreed to the proposal and, having notified the nearest part of the Red Army through his 11-year-old grandson, set off with the Germans. Having led the Nazis along roundabout roads, the old man led them to the village of Malkino, where an ambush awaited them. Soviet soldiers met the enemy with machine gun fire, and Matvey Kuzmin was killed by one of the German commanders.

Air ram

On June 22, 1941, Soviet pilot I. Ivanov decided on an aerial ram. This was the first military feat marked by the title

Best tanker

The most qualified tank ace of the Second World War was rightfully recognized as having served in the 40th Tank Brigade. During three months of battles (September - November 1941), he took part in 28 tank battles and personally destroyed 52 German tanks. In November 1941, the brave tanker died near Moscow.

Losses during the Battle of Kursk

USSR losses in the war- a difficult topic that people always try not to touch upon. Thus, official data on the losses of Soviet troops during the Battle of Kursk were published only in 1993. According to researcher B.V. Sokolov, German losses in Kursk amounted to approximately 360 thousand killed, wounded and captured soldiers. Soviet losses exceeded the Nazi losses seven times.

The feat of Yakov Studennikov

On July 7, 1943, at the height of the Battle of Kursk, Yakov Studennikov, a machine gunner of the 1019th regiment, fought independently for two days. The rest of the soldiers from his crew were killed. Despite being wounded, Studennikov repelled 10 enemy attacks and killed more than three hundred Nazis. For this feat he was awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union.

Feat of the 1378th Regiment of the 87th Division

On December 17, 1942, near the village of Verkhne-Kumskoye, soldiers of the company of Senior Lieutenant Naumov defended a height of 1372 m with two crews of anti-tank rifles. They managed to repel three enemy tank and infantry attacks on the first day and several more attacks on the second. During this time, 24 soldiers neutralized 18 tanks and about a hundred infantrymen. As a result, the Soviet braves died, but went down in history as heroes.

Shiny Tanks

During the battles at Lake Khasan, Japanese soldiers decided that the Soviet Union, trying to outwit them, was using tanks made of plywood. As a result, the Japanese fired at Soviet equipment with ordinary bullets in the hope that this would be enough. Returning from the battlefield, the tanks of the Red Army were so densely covered with lead bullets melted from the impact on the armor that they literally sparkled. Well, their armor remained unharmed.

Camel help

This is rarely mentioned in the history of the Second World War, but the 28 reserve Soviet army, formed in Astrakhan during the battles of Stalingrad, used camels as draft force to transport guns. Soviet soldiers had to catch wild camels and tame them due to an acute shortage of automobile equipment and horses. Most of the 350 tamed animals died in various battles, and the survivors were transferred to farm units or zoos. One of the camels, who was given the name Yashka, reached Berlin with the soldiers.

Removal of children

Many little-known facts about the Great Patriotic War cause sincere sorrow. During World War II, the Nazis took thousands of children of “Nordic appearance” from Poland and the Soviet Union. The Nazis took children from two months to six years old and took them to a concentration camp called Kinder KC, where the “racial value” of the children was determined. Those children who passed the selection were subjected to “initial Germanization.” They were called and taught German. The child’s new citizenship was confirmed by forged documents. Germanized children were sent to local orphanages. Thus, many German families did not even realize that the children they adopted were of Slavic origin. At the end of the war, no more than 3% of such children were returned to their homeland. The remaining 97% grew up and aged, considering themselves full-fledged Germans. Most likely, their descendants will never know about their true origins.

Underage Heroes

Finishing by looking at interesting facts about The Great Patriotic War, it should be said about child heroes. Thus, the title of Hero was awarded to 14-year-old Lenya Golikov and Sasha Chekalin, as well as 15-year-old Marat Kazei, Valya Kotik and Zina Portnova.

Battle of Stalingrad

In August 1942, Adolf Hitler ordered his troops heading to Stalingrad to “leave no stone unturned.” In fact, the Germans succeeded. When the brutal battle was over, the Soviet government concluded that rebuilding the city from scratch would be cheaper than rebuilding what was left. Nevertheless, Stalin unconditionally ordered the city to be rebuilt literally from the ashes. During the clearing of Stalingrad, so many shells were thrown at Mamayev Kurgan that for the next two years even weeds did not grow there.

For some unknown reason, it was in Stalingrad that the opponents changed their methods of fighting. From the very beginning of the war, the Soviet command adhered to flexible defense tactics, retreating in critical situations. Well, the Germans, in turn, tried to avoid mass bloodshed and bypassed large fortified areas. In Stalingrad, both sides seemed to have forgotten their principles and tripled the brutal battle.

It all started on August 23, 1942, when the Germans launched a massive air attack on the city. As a result of the bombing, 40 thousand people died, which is 15 thousand more than during the Soviet raid on Dresden in early 1945. The Soviet side in Stalingrad used methods of psychological influence on the enemy. Popular German music sounded from loudspeakers installed right on the front line, which was interrupted by reports of the latest successes of the Red Army at the fronts. But the most effective means of psychological pressure on the Nazis was the sound of a metronome, which after 7 beats was interrupted by the message: “Every seven seconds, one Nazi soldier dies at the front.” After 10-20 such messages they started tango.

Considering interesting facts about the beginning of the Great Patriotic War and, in particular, about the Battle of Stalingrad, one cannot ignore the feat of Sergeant Nuradilov. On September 1, 1942, the machine gunner independently destroyed 920 enemy soldiers.

Memory of the Battle of Stalingrad

The Battle of Stalingrad is remembered not only in the post-Soviet space. In many European countries (France, Great Britain, Belgium, Italy, and others) streets, squares and gardens were named in honor of the Battle of Stalingrad. In Paris, “Stalingrad” is the name given to a metro station, square and boulevard. And in Italy, one of the central streets of Bologna is named after this battle.

Victory Banner

The original Victory Banner is kept in the Central Museum of the Armed Forces as a sacred relic and one of the most striking memories of the war. Due to the fact that the flag is made of fragile satin, it can only be stored horizontally. The original banner is shown only on special occasions and in the presence of a guard. In other cases, it is replaced with a duplicate, which is 100% identical to the original and even ages the same way.