Uniforms of the Russian army during the Russo-Japanese war of 1904-1905

The uniform of the Russian army during the Russo-Japanese War was white, and the servicemen had to deliberately soil it in the mud to create a kind of camouflage. All uniforms were purchased for funds allocated to specific units. There were no quartermaster warehouses - all equipment was purchased based on the number of military units. Accordingly, with the beginning of the war, the need arose for the mass provision of troops with uniforms.

The white color of the uniform of most European armies of that time was due to the prevailing opinion that it is more difficult to hit a man dressed in white from a rifle weapons at a considerable distance. Military tactics in the early XNUMXth century were not far removed from those used in the era of the Napoleonic Wars. The fighters mostly acted as part of their units without the need to hide from the enemy. The emphasis was on the relative camouflage of the movements of the general mass of military personnel, and not of a specific fighter.

In the midst of the armed conflict, despite the difficulties of quartermaster supply, the Russian army massively began to switch to the use of uniforms of darker shades. Officers, based on personal preferences, ordered uniforms for themselves in various provinces of the empire, delivered to settlements located near the line of contact, by regular mail.

The Japanese easily identified officers who stood out sharply from the general mass of soldiers with their uniforms, and this made them a priority target. Also during the Russo-Japanese War, leather elements of officer uniforms made to order became widespread. Subsequently, an order was issued by the command, according to which the officers were to wear a uniform that did not differ much from the uniform of the rank and file.

Thus, the Russian army quickly adapted to existing conditions, quite quickly making changes to uniforms at the height of the war.

Comments

[Konnick]

The Japanese easily identified officers who stood out sharply from the general mass of soldiers with their uniforms, and this made them a priority target.

And all the same, the officers met the Second World War in blue diagonal riding breeches.

[nepunamemuk]

it still didn't help them.

The text of your comment is too useful and, according to the site administration, does not carry short information

[ycuce234-san]

Also during the Russo-Japanese War, leather elements of officer uniforms made to order became widespread.

In those days, it was already necessary to think about mass steel breastplates and steel helmets - mass industrial production of various stamped products from high-quality steel had already been created and there was a need for protection, including purely demographic, in addition to military.
Stahlhelms will appear in a few years and, in fact, it was possible to get ahead of the time a little by setting up the production of a mass breastplate. Release this protection on time and in large quantities - and the image of Chapaev would not be the same as we are used to: both the real and film-literary Vasily Ivanovich would wear a stalhelm and a bib, instead of an old cloak and hat.