Article The cold war - Soviet Army

[Иван Феоктистов]

Also a hallmark of the 1950s army was the very frequent and large-scale exercises. The soldiers studied many issues of combat training in practice. Soldiers who showed themselves well in the exercises could receive a new rank. Many by the end of their service became sergeants. Another method of encouraging fighters in their studies was awards. At first, these were the signs of parachutists, as well as the signs of the TRP (Ready for labor and defense - Gotov k trudu i oborone). In 1956, new signs appeared - "Excellent worker of the Soviet army" - "Otlychnik sovetskoy armii". Political workers - "zampolit" played an important role in encouraging the fighters. Fighters who showed great success were placed on the honor roll, they were written about in military newspapers. The political workers of the army of that period were also in the war. These were people about whom one could really say "communist" - these people did not spare their lives for the USSR. They did very good political work, helped the fighters to develop themselves and organize their leisure time. Often they were the initiators of various events - sports competitions, art evenings. A fighter could turn to a political officer in a difficult life situation and ask for advice.

I will attach some diplomas from my collection.

 

[Иван Феоктистов]

Okay. Something I have loaded you with text. I promised movies?)


I want to tell you about the wonderful Soviet film "Maxim Perepelitsa", which was released in 1955.

Maxim Perepelitsa is a cheerful and resourceful guy from a Ukrainian village, a famous person in his native village. He has a fantastic ability to come up with all sorts of fables and shirk work. Having received a summons to the army, wanting to "protect" himself from possible rivals, he sends all the guys in the village "garbuzy" on behalf of his beloved girl Marusya - a traditional sign of refusal in matchmaking in Ukraine, which causes a commotion in the village. The collective farm meeting even wanted to deprive Perepelitsa of the honorary duty to serve in the Soviet army, but Maxim gives his word to improve. In the army, he tries to avoid the difficulties of service, cheats, but here the cunning costs him problems and even arrest in the guardhouse. However, the flexibility of character and a good-natured disposition help him to re-educate. Having shown ingenuity and initiative during the exercises, he receives the rank of junior sergeant, shows real heroism in his native village during his vacation, and Marusya finally reciprocates.

There is a lot of humor in the film - it is easy and pleasant to watch it even more than once. It is very interesting to watch Maxim's changes, how he becomes a more responsible person, a good friend and a fighter. Also, the entire plot of the film takes place in the realities of the army of the 1950s. T-34 \ 85 and Kalashnikov assault rifles, IS-2 tanks and Simonov carbines are just something! If you like the 1950s army surroundings, then be sure to watch this movie. By the way, this was the first Soviet film where a wide audience saw the AK in action. Also a distinctive feature of the film is the song "Soldiers, Let's Go!" (You also translate it as "Soldiers, on the road!"). I think you may have heard it before.

(Quitting smoking is harmful. There was an agronomist in our village. For example, he quit smoking and died! Oh, wait, I got it wrong - he first died, and then he quit smoking!")

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[Иван Феоктистов]

I will also show one educational film. It is one of the few instructional films of the 1950s that has been published. I will give a link to the NSHGO.

The Soviet army takes the conditional city. Artillery, aviation are actively used, as well as a nuclear (!) Strike, followed by an airborne assault from helicopters. There are a lot of Soviet equipment in the film: T-54, BTR-152, ZIS-3. If you remember that the shooting took place in the city of Kaliningrad (Konigsberg), and the conditional enemy runs in German stalhelm and is armed with MP-40, then it becomes difficult to part with the idea that the Soviet army is a landing from the future in 1945, ahahahhaha.

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[Иван Феоктистов]

Okay. Some more photos. I will give a signature to them.

 

[Иван Феоктистов]

Evacuation of the wounded (wounded by weapons of mass destruction - stricken, "porazhennyi").

 

[Иван Феоктистов]

Soviet artillerymen on exercises

 

[Иван Феоктистов]

Rest after exercise

 

[Иван Феоктистов]

 

[Иван Феоктистов]

 

[Иван Феоктистов]

Private. 50th

 

[Иван Феоктистов]

The Alexandrov Ensemble is famous not only for its music performers, but also for its dance groups. Two of my favorite numbers were filmed in 1965. These are "Soldier's Dance" and "Dance of the Cossacks of Zaporozhye". The case when I can't add anything extra. Just look at this.

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[Иван Феоктистов]

"It's hard to learn, easy to fight." The phrase of the famous Russian Generalissimo Suvorov

 

[Иван Феоктистов]

From 1957 to 1967, the head of the USSR Ministry of Defense was Twice Hero of the Soviet Union, Marshal Rodion Malinovsky.

Under Malinovsky in 1956, a new full dress uniform for privates and sergeants appeared. She remained the dress uniform of privates until 1969. Look at her and tell her your opinion.

 

[Иван Феоктистов]

A beautifully new form was featured in the 1960 film "Leap at Dawn".

The script is based on the book "Stronger than the Atom" by Georgy Beryozko about soldiers and commanders, their service and life. The heroes of the film are soldiers and officers of the Soviet airborne troops. The action takes place in peacetime in the airborne division, the formation of young soldiers, their daily combat training are shown, the inner world of young people is revealed in clashes and tense situations when a sense of duty and patriotism are manifested. At first, ordinary soldiers do not get along very well with their commander, they consider him to be overly strict and demanding. However, at a showdown exercise, the commander accomplishes a feat and the attitude of the soldiers towards him changes greatly.

Again, I couldn't find the translated movie, but you can watch it anyway. The film very beautifully and clearly shows the Soviet air force in the early 1960s, the training of soldiers and their demonstration exercises. I think the ending of the film is a bit stretched, but it's still a very interesting picture.

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[Иван Феоктистов]

And already in March 1958, a uniform was introduced for Soviet officers. Prior to this, officers of the Air Force and tank forces had their own, special uniform. In 1958, one uniform was introduced for all. These were the very famous open tunics that served the Soviet army almost until the end of the 1990s.

 

[Иван Феоктистов]

Okay. Now a few more photos and we will slowly move on to 1969. I think this period will be of interest to you more than the rest. Please do not hesitate to ask questions - I feel very uncomfortable.

During combat missions in Operation Danube, meeting with servicemen of the Polish Army on Czechoslovak soil

 

[Иван Феоктистов]

Overcoming the obstacle course. One of the most epic photographs of the Simonov Carbine.

 

[Иван Феоктистов]

Combat vehicle crew: 1968, Central Group of Forces, Czechoslovakia

 

[Иван Феоктистов]

During the joint exercises 'Shumava' in Czechoslovakia.

 

[Иван Феоктистов]

Against the background of the T-62 tank