Why in the Russian army revive shock units and connections? Another PR campaign or a necessity?
Journalists rushed to look for the origins of the emergence of such units. Fortunately, today the Internet the possibilities are almost limitless. Especially in the field of information retrieval. They recalled the "first" official shock units. Those who covered themselves with glory daredevils during the First World War and remained loyal to the oath after the revolution.
Indeed, in the course of the "trench" war, into which the First World War turned, it became unwise to act in large parts and formations. Prepared defenses, the presence of minefields and obstacles during the attack of ordinary units led to huge losses, often incommensurable with the result achieved. Sharp, even revolutionary changes in battle tactics were required.
"Military Revolutionary" was the commander of the 5-th army cavalry general Peter Plehve. It was he who, by order from October 4 1915, formed units for close combat. Today, many people who are far from the realities of war, with a malicious grin, read the lines from this order. I remember the lack of rifles, axes of arbitrary shape, and shovels ...
Group of grenadiers at the front. The caps as a headdress in the Russian army owe their appearance to aviators, junkers, soldiers of armored and scooter units and grenadiers
However, it was the grenadiers (another name for the shock units) that often ensured the success of military operations at the front. It was these divisions that, at the cost of the lives of their soldiers and officers, breached the enemy’s defenses and made it possible for the main units to attack. Gradually, already from an understanding of the capabilities of the grenadier units, separate shock battalions began to form. Or death battalions. This name did not appear on the nature of the military work being done. Just serving in such a unit almost always ended with either a severe wound or death.
Very often, the death battalions are written as peculiar detachments that were in the rear of the units and did not allow soldiers to desert from the front. Well, the Soviet propaganda densely sat down in the minds of the majority of the people. Remember the movie "Chapaev". The famous episode of mental attack Kappelevtsev. But these units did not sit in the trenches. They were in the rear! Were supposedly detachment. However, even in the post-revolutionary period, with some respect for the courage of these people, the episode was filmed! What strength of spirit and neglect to death were in the hearts of these soldiers and officers. Nothing like? From our great past.
Remind history another death battalion. The one that was recently shown by our cinematographers in the movie "Battalion". Perhaps someone will now say about some "fabulous" of this film. Women in war ... Women who could give odds to most men ... I will not argue. Stupid. Read, who are interested in historical documents. Everything is there. Both bad and good.
The history of the Great Patriotic War again revived the glory of the shock units. I already wrote about this in my articles about the capture of Konigsberg and some other operations of the Red Army. Again, in parts and compounds recruited the most-most. Again the soldiers were going to die. Again performed impossible tasks. And again ... they were in the rear before and after completing the task. What can be interpreted as the work of detachment. True, to the credit of our liberals, I did not see the materials that muddy these brigades with mud. I think genetics is to blame. The heroes of the assault brigades left descendants. But heroism is probably transmitted at the genetic level.
But let us return to the initiative of the head of the Main Directorate of Combat Training of the RF Armed Forces, General Buvaltsev. In particular, to how the honorary title will be appropriated. Again socialist competition? After all, according to the general, the title will be awarded on the basis of a check during the period of training the most combat-ready units and formations. With the presentation of special heraldic signs.
I have heard “screams” about the revival of “socialist competition” in the army for a long time. "Sentry! Again, we will carry out the decisions of the CPSU Congress, no, United Russia ..." And do not distort, gentlemen Democrats? In Soviet times, to receive a pennant at the end of the competition for the study period was oh how honorable. And it was necessary to plow for this pennant, especially in the units "away from Moscow", so ... But in the end, the Soviet Army had enough combat-ready units that were always ready for battle.
Let me remind you, for those who have a tight memory, the very recent history of our country. Chechen war. How many parts could we really put up? Lot? How many combat officers were there? Did the officers go on business trips several times from a good life? From the good life to the war sent to jail after school?
Today we have units, units and even formations both in the army and navywhich in real time can advance into a dangerous area and take the first blow. Crimea and Syria showed it perfectly. So why these units can not be distinguished from the general mass? Why is it not next to the banner of the unit to be the heraldic sign of "drummer"?
I am sure that the majority of readers in the boxes with awards, next to the orders and medals is the sign of "Guard". A badge that was received, from the point of view of modern critics of the army, just like that. A soldier or officer came to the guard unit and received it. Soviet soldiers received a decent "set of signs for demobilization." Remember, "Excellent Soviet Army", "Warrior-athlete", "Specialist 1, 2 or 3 class" and others. However, we keep only the "Guard".
I think the Ministry of Defense has already thought about introducing special marks or chevrons for the shock units. After all, all this was already in our army. And soldiers will always keep these signs. Sign belonging to the subdivision of the heroes.
Today, the ministry has a list of 78 units, units and formations that deserve the proud title of “shock.” Total 78 for all armed forces. Now there is an active work on the verification of these units. And it will be completed by the end of May. So, in the beginning of June we will receive a modern “addition” to the guards units: shock battalions, regiments and divisions. We will receive an incentive for the development of military units.
And all the talk about the fact that the shock unit for the next year may not win the competition or allow any wrongdoing of its servicemen from the evil one. In the guards parts it happens. But even the thought does not arise to deprive a lot of people of an honorary title because of one or several slobs. In my opinion, we just get a slightly different name for the units of constant combat readiness. The army must develop.
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