Nicholas I. Before that, the Russian army successfully fought against the Germans, the French, etc., in Europe, with an average loss ratio of 1: 1. The Napoleonic coalition army loses with the score (although this term is unlikely to be appropriate), 1: 4 in the benefit of Russia, whatever someone would say about «General Frost». However, under Nikolay the First, frightened by the failed palace coup, the system «The officer reports only to a higher authority, and the opinions of subordinates do not mean anything» is brought to the absolute. The concept of trusting communication between commanders and soldiers disappears in principle, it is replaced by an external gloss and daily exercises on drill walking. As a result, the Russian Army lost the Crimean War of 1853, with great difficulty defeated a dilapidated Turkey in 1878, suffered defeat in the Russo-Japanese War of 1905, gave away a fifth of its territories fighting on two fronts, the German Coalition in 1918. Some success accompanies Russia in the conquest of Asia, the Caucasus, and the suppression of uprisings in Poland. However, all these, sorry, transient victories are achieved in the main, by irregular Cossack units. Team spirit, trust communication between commanders and subordinates, military brotherhood in them, definitely, is. However, the bearers of some positive state system, suitable for establishing in new areas of the Empire, for centuries, the formation of the Cossacks are definitely not. If we continue our memories of the greatest Empire of Antiquity, a Roman officer, starting with the centurion (lieutenant, senior lieutenant), is also an engineer, statesman, and even a businessman. He is quite capable, with all knowledge of the matter, to lead the erection of Roman-style buildings, bridges, almost eternal roads, to organize elective local self-government in the Roman model, and also – to create primary, industrial and commercial enterprises. Such is the progressive ancient Roman command system. In addition, the Army and civil society are organized in Rome in such a way that, for example, the mayor (praetor) or some other «civilian» official can easily become an officer of the legion, and the military legate, on the contrary – move freely to the city government.
We can assume that the infusion of mobilized «civil» middle managers into the Red Army was the most beneficial for the latter. The responsible engineer at the plant firmly knows that, in order to achieve a certain goal, it is necessary to prepare the materials, make the necessary coordination, explain to the employees all their tasks, provide the tool. Moreover, he personally answers for the life and health of his «own» workers, and for him (unlike the average Russian officer) they are not at all some kind of «expendable material».
His two-year service in the Soviet, and then the Russian army, the author of the book deserved the right to such an insertion.
A striking example of a «civilian» man who did a lot for the Victory over the fascists was SA Kovpak, the chairman of the kolkhoz, who in the years of the war organized a large-scale guerrilla movement in Ukraine and in Belorussia, received the title of «Major-General.» Reports of hostilities often look like this. … The battalion of the Hitlerites is ambushed. «What are our losses… how many wounded?» – «There are no injured… Only the dead. (Pause) And then, only from the side of the enemy.»
So, in 1944 things are different: «Guys, there are three German tanks in the ravine, let’s burn them? We will act like this, so start the engines. «And it’s not just about money; there was an inner looseness, quite in line with self-discipline. A very dangerous combination for the dictatorship, and we can even assume that the post-war famine was organized in order to suppress the independence that had awakened in people.
The military spirit of the armies is also supported by agitation brigades, the press, radio, mobile film installations, etc. The most popular song in the Soviet Army, with pleasure performed by the soldiers themselves, is a march of artillerymen (author of the text poet and playwright V. Gusev, composer T. Khrennikov). A late version is presented:
Learn, dear mother, find out the wife-friend
Find out the distant house, and my whole family,
What is beating and burning the enemy is our steel blizzard
What will we carry to our homeland
The artillerymen, the exact order given,
Artillerymen, he calls Homeland us!
From hundreds of thousands of batteries, for the tears of our mothers
For our country – fire, fire!
From the post-war songs, one can single out the work on verses and music of the famous songwriter Bulat Okudzhava:
…The planet is burning and spinning
Over our Homeland smoke
So, we need one victory
One at all – we at a price will not stand
We are waiting for the deadly fire
And yet he is helpless
Doubt away, goes into the night separately
Tenth our landing battalion
Only the fight was extinguished
Sounds different order
And the postman will go crazy
Looking for us
The red rocket takes off
Beats machine gun tirelessly
So, we need one victory
One at all – we at a price will not stand
From Kursk and Orel
The war brought us
To the most enemy gates
Such, brother, circumstances
Someday we’ll remember this
And he will not believe himself
And now we need one victory
One at all – we at a price will not stand
The Germans and, to some extent, Americans, the song «Lily Marlen» is popular – the soldier’s remembrance of a date under a lamppost with some pretty girl.
In the armies of the United States and Great Britain, the song about the bomber «Comin’ in on a wing and a prayer» (author of the text Harold Adamson, composer Jimmy McHugh) is revered:
Comin’ in on a wing and a prayer
Though there’s one motor gone
We can still carry on
Comin’ in on a wing and a prayer
What a show, what a fight
Yes we really hit our target for tonight
How we sing as we limp through the air
Look below, there’s our field over there
With our full crew aboard
And our trust in the Lord
We’re comin’ in on a wing and a prayer…
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