Insignia of the USSR. What military ranks were in the army of the USSR, what shoulder straps were worn by soldiers. Senior command and command staff

The rank insignia introduced in 1943 will remain generally unchanged until the end of the existence of the Soviet Army in December 1991. Basically it will change appearance shoulder straps, but the shoulder straps of army generals will change. Plus, in the seventies, insignia of a new category of military personnel - ensigns - will appear.

The rank scale as of 1955 is as follows:

Insignia on shoulder straps	Ranks of privates and sergeants
without patches	Private
1 narrow patch	corporal
2 narrow patches	Lance Sergeant
2 narrow patches	Sergeant
1 wide patch	Staff Sergeant
1 wide patch and narrow longitudinal patch	foreman
Insignia on shoulder straps	Ranks of junior officers
1 star in one lumen	Ensign
2 stars with one lumen	Lieutenant
3 stars with one lumen	Senior Lieutenant
4 stars with one lumen	Captain
Insignia on shoulder straps	Senior officer ranks
1 star with two gaps	Major
2 stars with two gaps	Lieutenant colonel
3 stars with two gaps	Colonel
	Ranks of generals
1 stars	Major General
2 stars	Lieutenant General
3 stars	Colonel General
4 stars	Army General*
big star	Marshal of the Soviet Union

* The marshals of the military branches on shoulder straps had one large star, the chief marshals of the military branches had the same star framed by a thin laurel wreath. These ranks were equated with the rank of general of the army.

Officers and generals of medical and veterinary services, as well as justice, after the name of the title, respectively, had the prefix "... medical service", "... veterinary service", "... justice".

The officers of the commissary and administrative services after the name of the rank had the prefix, respectively, "... commissary service", "... administrative service".

Air generals, armor tank troops, artillery, engineering troops, signal troops, quartermaster service after the name of the rank had the prefix, respectively, "... aviation", "armored troops", "... artillery", "... engineering troops", "... communications troops", "... quartermaster service ".

Officers of the engineering and technical service in all branches of the military had the appropriate prefixes after the name of the ranks (see the article "Red (Soviet) Army 1943-1959" in the "Military Ranks" section).

Privates and sergeants.

The first rather noticeable change in the insignia of soldiers and sergeants occurred only in 1955.
By order of the USSR Ministry of Defense No. 70 of April 29, 1955, buttons on overcoats were canceled
buttonholes. Instead, emblems are attached to the types of troops , and emblems have been abolished on overcoat shoulder straps.

In the figure on the left, the parade-everyday shoulder straps of soldiers and sergeants arr. December 1955:
1. Foreman of motorized rifle troops.
2. Senior sergeant of motorized rifle troops.
3. Sergeant of the armored forces.
4. Junior sergeant of the automobile troops (technical staff).
5. Artillery corporal.
6. Private motorized rifle troops.

Privates and sergeants wear these epaulettes on full dress uniforms and on tunics. The same shoulder straps are worn on overcoats, but without emblems, which are transferred to the buttonholes.

The width of the narrow stripe is 10 mm, the wide stripe is 30 mm, the foreman's longitudinal stripe is 15 mm. The color of the stripes is yellow for command staff, white for sergeants who are not commanders (technical, administrative staff, etc.).

By order of the USSR Ministry of Defense No. 225 in December 1955, colored piping on shoulder straps and overcoat buttonholes was canceled. The shoulder straps themselves were made double-sided. One side is colored with golden emblems and rank stripes of yellow (for officers) or white (for technical staff and other sergeants not commanders). Opposite side khaki without piping with emblems golden color and stripes on the ranks of red color. The stripes themselves were shifted to the middle of the shoulder strap along the length.
Canceled blue epaulettes in connection with the liquidation of the cavalry as a kind of troops.

In the picture on the right: double-sided shoulder straps of a sergeant of engineering troops.

The protective side of the shoulder straps are worn on tunics and overcoats during field exercises and in wartime. These shoulder straps will be abolished with the introduction of a new uniform for soldiers and sergeants (Order of the USSR Ministry of Defense No. 120 of 08/04/1956).

Order of the USSR Ministry of Defense no. 120 of August 4, 1956, a new uniform is introduced for soldiers and sergeants. To be precise, in fact, only minor changes have occurred in the form itself. Note that the form established by order No. 120 applies only to peacetime. Obviously, in case of war, some changes were supposed.

From the author. Please note that in the description of the shoulder straps of soldiers arr. 1955 no cavalry shoulder straps. I won’t say exactly what regulatory document the cavalry was abolished in the Soviet Army, but in any case, in the order of the USSR Ministry of Defense No. 105 of June 30, 1955, according to the uniform of officers and generals, not a single word or drawing would mention the cavalry uniform, shoulder straps or buttonholes . Consequently, by this date there were no more cavalry in our army.
The oldest branch of the military has gone down in history, outliving itself by more than a hundred years.

The epaulettes of cadets of military schools have not undergone significant changes, with the exception that ciphers have been abolished, stripes by rank have shifted to the middle of the epaulette, and the emblems of the military branches have shifted to the shoulder button.

In the figure on the left, shoulder straps of cadets of military schools arr. 1956:

2. Artillery school cadet with the rank of senior sergeant.
3. A cadet of a tank school with the rank of sergeant.
4. A cadet of an aviation school with the rank of junior sergeant.
5. A cadet of a military engineering school with the rank of corporal.
6. Cadet of the airborne school.

Until 1957, the covert but stubborn struggle of the sergeants of the long-term service continued to differ in their clothes from the sergeants of the military service. The over-conscripts tried to wear a cap instead of a cap, an officer's harness instead of a soldier's belt, half-woolen dark green officer's tunics and breeches instead of cotton soldiers' breeches, chrome officer's boots instead of tarpaulin or cowhide, officer overcoats in everyday uniforms. And at the same time, they stubbornly refused to sew on the sleeves of the stripes for extra-long service. Eventually the Department of Defense gave in. Under the pretext of increasing the authority and importance of the long-term staff, strengthening incentives for long-term service in August 1957, it was decided to switch the provision of long-term servicemen with uniforms from soldier to officer with some restrictions. In particular, they were not issued officer dress and dress uniforms and everyday uniforms out of order. The hated chevrons were replaced with a long-term service badge, on the pendant of which a year of long-term service was knocked out.

In 1958, a new uniform was introduced (Order of the USSR Ministry of Defense No. 70 of March 29, 1958). She touched the soldiers and sergeants a little. The casual field uniform was still a tunic with trousers in boots. However, shoulder straps are now khaki (the same color as the tunic itself).
Buttons and emblems on epaulettes are khaki (dull green), rank patches are red.

From the author. In general, in numerous orders of the military department on the uniform and insignia, starting from the period of the Civil War, for the first time the author found a clear mention of the emblems of a protective color. It seems that earlier protective emblems did not exist at all, including the period of the Great Patriotic War.

There were no changes in the insignia on the dress uniforms. Soldiers and sergeants still wear shoulder straps and insignia arr. 1955
On overcoats in the version of the front-outlet shoulder straps arr. 1955 but without emblems. Golden emblems are worn on overcoat buttonholes.
On the overcoat in the variant of everyday field shoulder straps of a khaki color without emblems. Golden emblems are worn on colored overcoat buttonholes.

From the author. For everyday wear, soldiers and sergeants were introduced a comfortable and warm jacket, which turned out to be very comfortable in the field. Therefore, only colored shoulder straps were worn everywhere on overcoats.

Shoulder straps and insignia of cadets of military schools have not changed in comparison with 1955. As before, they do not have khaki shoulder straps.

From the author. Shoulder straps of cadets of the airborne school are still of the infantry type, i.e. crimson with emblems of the Airborne Forces.
In the book M.M. KhrenovA " Military clothing of the Armed Forces of the USSR and Russia (1917-1990s.)"It is alleged that by order of the USSR Ministry of Defense No. 160 of 1963, the airborne troops were given the form of aviation colors (blue) and at the same time the paratroopers received their famous blue berets and vests stolen from the Navy. The author could not find this order and verify the reliability of these data .
However, A. V. Pecheikin, in his article "Beret in military service" on the website "Center patriotic education and pre-conscription training of youth of the Republic of Bashkortostan "claims that the paratroopers received a beret, and even then a crimson color, only in October 1967 and exclusively for parades in Moscow. According to him, the paratroopers received a blue beret by order of the USSR Ministry of Defense No. 191 dated July 26, 1969.
This coincides with the author's memoirs. In our Kaliningrad Higher Military Engineering School, one company (the 4th company of the 1st battalion) trained military engineering officers for the Airborne Forces. By the parade of November 7, 1968, instead of the usual dress uniform, they were dressed in green overalls without shoulder straps and were given raspberry berets for the parade (only for the parade!) By the parade of November 7, 1969, crimson berets were replaced with blue ones.
Order of the USSR Ministry of Defense No. 191 of July 26, 1969 generally introduced new form clothes since January 1, 1970. It follows that paratroopers have been wearing blue berets, blue shoulder straps and vests only since 1970.

In 1963 (Order of the Minister of Defense of the USSR No. 247 dated November 5, 1963), the insignia of the rank of "foreman" was changed. The former "foreman's hammer" referred to in the soldier's jargon is being replaced by a 30 mm wide patch. walking along the line.

In the picture on the right: shoulder straps of a foreman of motorized rifle troops and a cadet of a military medical school with the rank of foreman.

From the author. Somewhere in the late fifties, military medical schools were liquidated, and the training of medical officers was entrusted to the military faculties of civilian medical institutes. At the same time, cadets of the military faculties wore shoulder straps of combined arms schools with medical emblems.

In 1970 (Decree of the Council of Ministers of the USSR No. 417 of 05/30/1969, announced by order with the introduction of a new uniform for soldiers, sergeants and cadets from January 1, 1970, only three colors of shoulder straps and buttonholes were left: scarlet for motorized riflemen and as combined arms, blue for aviation and airborne forces, and black for all other branches of the military.

In connection with the radical change in the cut of both everyday field and full dress uniforms of soldiers, sergeants and cadets of military schools, all shoulder straps become quadrangular with a beveled upper edge. Emblems of military branches are not attached to shoulder straps on any of the types of uniforms. They are placed on buttonholes, which are now available on all types of uniforms.

On all types of uniforms, including field uniforms, shoulder straps and buttonholes are colored with yellow or golden stripes according to ranks. Emblems of military branches are golden. Only during major military exercises is it prescribed to wear epaulettes and buttonholes of a protective color with protective emblems on the buttonholes and red stripes for ranks.
At the same time, the stripes of sergeants of the technical, medical, veterinary and administrative services are silver or white.
On the overcoat shoulder straps and on the shoulder straps of the front tunics, in the lower part of the shoulder strap, in addition to the foremen, overhead metal letters "CA" are placed. By order of the USSR Ministry of Defense No. 250 of November 1, 1973, the letters "SA" were also introduced on the shoulder straps of foremen.
Letters are not worn on the shoulder straps of the everyday field uniform.
From January 1973 on the shoulder straps of soldiers and sergeants for everyday field uniforms yellow plastic letters "CA" were introduced.

The shoulder straps of the cadets have lost their colored edges. The color of the bason running along the side edges of the shoulder strap in the schools of the command profile is yellow. Rank stripes are also of golden galloon or yellow lace.
Cadets of higher military schools graduating officers with engineering ranks (lieutenant-engineer) and secondary military schools graduating technical service officers (technical service lieutenant) have a white stripe and rank stripes.

In the picture on the right:
1. A cadet of a combined arms school with the rank of foreman.
2. A cadet of the military branches of the command profile with the rank of senior sergeant.
3. Cadet of the technical services school with the rank of sergeant.
4. A cadet of an aviation or airborne school with the rank of junior sergeant.
5. Cadet of the military branch school of the command profile with the rank of corporal.
6. Cadet of an aviation technical school.

By order of the USSR Ministry of Defense No. 81 of 1973, the letter "K" was introduced on the shoulder straps of cadets. On the overcoat and ceremonial tunic there is a metal invoice golden, on an everyday tunic plastic pasted.

In the photo on the right: epaulette arr. 1973 cadet of the combined arms school with the rank of sergeant.

From the author. military personnel with sergeant ranks upon entering a military school retained their ranks and, accordingly, stripes on cadet shoulder straps. They could also be awarded higher ranks when occupying the corresponding sergeant positions. Also, cadets assigned to sergeant positions were usually awarded sergeant ranks.

Cadets with silver galloons were extremely rare. Perhaps there were only a few aviation technical schools, the Omsk Tank Technical School, and the Penza Artillery Technical School.

In 1980 (Order of the USSR Ministry of Defense No. 85 dated March 15, 1980), silver (white) stripes for the ranks of sergeants and silver galloons (white basons) on the shoulder straps of cadets are completely abolished. Since that time, only the golden (yellow) color remains on the shoulder straps of sergeants and cadets.

From the author. Actually, by this time, really silver galloon and stripes were preserved only on the shoulder straps of cadets military schools graduating officers with engineering ranks (lieutenant-engineer) and technical service officers (technical service lieutenant). Sergeants in the army usually did not bother with the question of what stripes they were supposed to. All wore gold (yellow) stripes.

In 1985, a new field uniform was introduced (which did not abolish the previous field uniform), which received the common name "Afghan" (Order of the USSR Ministry of Defense No. 145-84g.). On the new uniform, the same for all categories of military personnel, shoulder straps were an element of the jacket itself (the so-called shoulder straps). The color of such shoulder straps had the color of the uniform itself (gray, khaki, camouflage, sand, etc.). For non-commissioned officers, rank stripes of the same color are on shoulder straps. which is the epaulette itself. Emblems for the military branches of a protective color are placed in the corners of the collar, and they are not at all on the winter jacket.

From the author. This field uniform was first tested as an experimental one in the conditions of the Afghan war from about 1983 and immediately found recognition among the military. They immediately fell in love with her as in 1970 a new soldier's dress uniform. The Afghan has proven to be extremely functional, practical and comfortable to wear in all conditions. It was easy to turn a winter jacket into a demi-season jacket in just by unfastening the warm cotton lining and collar. Even a field cap, for some reason immediately received strange name"faggot", it was very comfortable to wear. She did not fall off her head during any actions of a soldier, unlike the cap, the visor protected her eyes from wind, rain and sun, and the flaps protected her ears in cold weather. It was good to wear this cap under a steel helmet, while the visor of the cap prevented the helmet from slipping over the eyes.
In the author's opinion, the Afghan woman is the best field uniform of our army at all times.
Unfortunately, further changes in the Afghan, especially in post-Soviet times, changed it far from better side. This is especially true of the modern headdress of a copy of the American baseball cap, which may be good on the baseball field, but by no means for a soldier in the field.

In 1988, with the release of the order of the USSR Ministry of Defense No. 250 of March 4, 1988, camouflage colors were introduced on everyday uniforms and buttonholes of soldiers and sergeants. On the shoulder straps there are stripes for ranks in red, and on the buttonholes there are emblems of a protective color. With the winter field uniform, shoulder straps and buttonholes are still colored.

By the same order, soldiers, sergeants and cadets were allowed in hot weather (above +20 degrees) with a full dress uniform not to wear a tunic, but to be in shirts with a tie. For the shirt, khaki shoulder straps with a small checkered surface pattern were developed. Rank patches and yellow cadet bason. Emblems of the armed forces and the letters "CA" and "K", respectively, are placed on the shoulder straps, plastic glued in yellow. On the shoulder straps of foremen and cadets in the rank of foreman, the letters do not fit.

These were the last changes in the insignia of the rank of soldiers, sergeants and cadets of the Soviet Army.

Ensigns.

Shoulder straps of ensigns of a silk bason of a small checkered pattern. Along the axis of the shoulder strap there are two sprockets with a diameter of 13 mm. (similar to the asterisks of junior officers). From the bottom of the shoulder strap to the sprocket and between the sprockets, the distance is 30 mm.
On dress and dress-out uniforms, the color of shoulder straps is determined by the type of troops.
Red shoulder straps for motorized riflemen and combined arms.
* Blue for aviation and airborne troops.
* Black epaulettes for artillery, tank troops, all technical troops (chemical engineering, signal troops, railway, topographic, VOSO service, pipeline units).
* Blue epaulettes for aviation and airborne troops.

On all other types of uniforms, the shoulder strap field is green. At the same time, on the overcoat and everyday uniform the stars are golden, on the field uniform the stars are green. On the shirts there are hexagonal fastened shoulder straps, golden stars. In addition, golden emblems of the military branch are attached to shirt epaulettes.

In the picture on the right:
1. Shirt epaulette of an artillery ensign.
2. Ensign's epaulette for everyday tunic and overcoat.
3. The epaulette of an ensign on a field uniform.
4. Ceremonial epaulette of an ensign of motorized rifle troops and combined arms.
5. Ceremonial epaulette of an ensign of artillery, tank troops and technical troops (chemical engineering, signal troops, railway, topographic, VOSO service, pipeline units).
6. Ceremonial epaulette of an ensign of aviation and airborne troops.

It is allowed to walk without a uniform in hot weather with a parade uniform. At the same time, jury epaulettes with a field of white silk lace with a small checkered pattern were introduced on the shirt. Stars, buttons and emblems in gold.

From the author. The Institute of Warrant Officers was intended to replace the Institute of Ensigns, which was now being abolished. Overtimers in service were encouraged to sign contracts to serve as ensigns. However, in order to become ensigns, a specialized secondary or at least secondary general education was required, which most of them did not have. It was allowed to remain in the service as a re-enlisted until the candidate for ensign graduated from a secondary educational institution. But this was impossible for a large number of reenlisted excellent servicemen, due to the fact that they usually had three to five years of high school, while evening schools began with the seventh grade.
This resulted in the army losing a large number of people with great length of service and service experience (often with war experience), excellent low-level specialists. It should be noted that most of the re-enlisted men occupied a very difficult and responsible position of foremen of companies and, having great experience, they managed perfectly with the mass of soldiers.
Ensigns did not want to replace re-enlisted in these positions, preferring the positions of storekeepers, etc. It was during these years that the adage "We don't need two salaries, give us the keys to the warehouse" was born.
In addition, it turned out to be extremely difficult. Those wishing to enter the service usually did not have the necessary education, and people with education in Siberia, the Urals, Far East Central Asians easily found money work outside the army.
As a result, if in the capital cities the positions of warrant officers were completely filled, then as the size of the city decreased, the percentage of warrant officers quickly decreased. For example, in the city of Lesozavodsk, Primorsky Krai, in the 650th separate airborne battalion, with a staff of warrant officers, there are 28 people, their number never exceeded 12. Of these, not a single one was in the position of foreman of the company.
In May 1973 (Order of the USSR Ministry of Defense No. 170), when the "Arbat Military District" finally realized what they had done, the institute of over-enlisted men was restored. But, as they say, "the train has already left." Such was the price of the hasty and ill-conceived decisions of the Moscow generals, who had long since torn themselves away from the troops.

There was an idea of something similar in the Bundeswehr, but at first they sent a circular to the troops with an order for unit commanders and sergeant majors (!) To express their argumentation opinion on this idea, and when most of the officers and non-commissioned officers spoke out negatively, the idea was safely buried. To this day, there is no such category of military personnel in the Bundeswehr.
It has never been customary in our army to listen to the opinions of those below. But in vain.

On January 12, 1981, a new rank "senior warrant officer" was added to the scale of ranks of the Soviet Army. The insignia of senior warrant officers were shoulder straps with three stars.

From the author. In general, there is some kind of illogicality with the insignia of ensigns. Why two stars and not one? They introduced the rank of senior warrant officer with three asterisks on shoulder straps, then it would be logical to introduce a junior warrant officer with one asterisk. Truly inscrutable are the thoughts and decisions of the residents of the complex of buildings on Frunzenskaya Embankment in Moscow. Especially since then, when the offices of the famous Stalinist marshals and generals, their sons, nephews, and grandchildren, who have grown rapidly in ranks, began to occupy their offices.

In 1985, a new field uniform was introduced (which did not abolish the previous field uniform), which received the common name "Afghan" (Order of the USSR Ministry of Defense No. 145-84g.). On the new uniform, the same for all categories of military personnel, shoulder straps were an element of the jacket itself (the so-called shoulder straps). The color of such shoulder straps had the color of the uniform itself (gray, khaki, camouflage, sand, etc.). Asterisks of a protective color are located similarly to everyday shoulder straps. The khaki emblems are placed in the corners of the summer jacket. There are no emblems on the winter jacket.

Officers.

Order of the USSR Ministry of Defense No. 105 of June 30, 1955 radically changes the uniform of officers. In particular, the front and front doors are being introduced. steel-colored open uniform (in aviation of blue color). Shoulder straps for him are quadrangular of gold or silver galloon with stars of the opposite color, i.e. silver on gold shoulder straps, gold on silver ones. The dimensions of shoulder straps are 14-16 cm long, 6 cm wide. But the shoulder straps of officers of the medical, veterinary and administrative services and justice are narrower. They have a shoulder strap width of 4 cm. The diameter of the stars of junior officers is 13 mm, and that of senior officers is 20 mm.
Emblems have been moved from shoulder straps to uniform collars.

In the photo on the left: colonel of the engineering troops in full dress uniform arr. 1955

Gold lace is assigned to all officers, with the exception of officers of the engineering and technical service, commissary, medical, veterinary and administrative services, and justice, who were assigned a silver lace.

In the picture on the right: the front shoulder strap of the colonel of the troops, who are supposed to have black gaps and the front shoulder strap of the senior lieutenant of the quartermaster service.

* rifle troops - raspberry,
*artillery and aeronautical units - red,
*armored troops - red,
* aviation - blue,

* automobile troops - red,
* quartermaster service - raspberry,
* medical, veterinary, administrative services and justice - red.

Officers wear shoulder straps of the same type on their front and everyday overcoats, and Air Force officers on their everyday field uniforms (open tunic).

On everyday (closed whale spruce) and everyday field uniform (tunic) shoulder straps of the same colors and sizes as on the front
uniform, but shoulder straps are not sewn-in, but hexagonal with a button and golden emblems of military branches (silver emblems in the commissary and veterinary services).

In the picture on the right:
1. Colonel of rifle troops. The same epaulette is combined arms.
2. Engineer-lieutenant colonel or lieutenant colonel of the engineering and artillery service.
3. Major of armored troops.
4. Senior technician-lieutenant of the chemical troops.
5. Colonel of the medical service.
6. Captain of the administrative service.
7. Lieutenant Colonel of Justice.
8. Junior lieutenant of the veterinary service.
9. Junior lieutenant VOSO.
10. Lieutenant colonel of the quartermaster service.
11. Lieutenant Colonel of the Aviation Technical Service or Lieutenant Colonel Engineer.
12. Senior lieutenant of the automobile troops.

From the author. Well, the quartermaster service is clear. These are rear services (clothing, food service, apartment maintenance). VOSO is also understandable - the military communications service. But what kind of mysterious administrative service the author, who grew up in military garrisons and served in the army for 26 years, did not recognize and did not understand. And never in my life did I meet officers of the administrative service. I can only assume that these are some kind of clerical employees of the apparatus of the Ministry of Defense or the apparatus of the General Staff.

As of December 1956, there were no field epaulettes, no protective stars and emblems of the military branches on the officer's uniform. In the order of MO USSR No. 105 of June 30, 1955 it was unequivocally stated that this was a peacetime uniform. Including the field.

According to Khrenov in his book, in December 1956, for the field uniforms of officers, khaki shoulder straps were installed with color gaps according to the types of troops, asterisks and khaki emblems. Shoulder straps are made of protective (dull green) cloth. The gaps were in the form of sewn-on colored ribbons about 5 mm wide.
On the tunic there are hexagonal epaulettes with a button, protective stars and emblems, on the overcoat quadrangular sewn-in with protective stars without emblems, which are placed on the overcoat buttonholes.

From the author. I did not manage to find the order of the Ministry of Defense on the introduction of khaki field shoulder straps, and Khrenov, with all his authority, nevertheless made a number of mistakes in his book. Therefore, I write carefully "... as Khrenov claims ..." so that the reader can double-check the information if possible and desire. Mistakes are inevitable even with careful study of primary sources. I misunderstood something, I just missed something.
And further. It seems that for training in the field, even for exercises, hardly anyone altered shoulder straps and buttonholes for overcoats. Changing shoulder straps on a tunic is a matter of a few minutes, but sewing shoulder straps on an overcoat is a difficult, painstaking and long task. To pierce with a needle a thick overcoat and a hard cardboard of a shoulder strap is entertainment. Yes, and be sure to break a couple of needles while sewing on a shoulder strap.

In 1958, a new uniform was introduced for officers (Order of the USSR Ministry of Defense No. 70 of March 29, 1958). The ceremonial and ceremonial-exit uniform becomes open, green with gold (silver) quadrangular shoulder straps.
Buttonholes on the front and front-dress uniform with a metal gold edging, on the front overcoat the buttonholes are larger and without edging .. The color of the field of the buttonholes:
1. Motorized rifle troops, airborne forces, quartermaster service, justice and combined arms - raspberry.
2. Engineering, chemical, communications, radio engineering, anti-aircraft searchlight, railway, VOSO, topographic service, road, construction and engineering and airfield units - black.
3. Aviation Aeronautical units of the Air Force and engineering airfield units - blue.
4. Medical, administrative and veterinary services - dark green.

Shoulder straps for all branches of the military and services (including medical, veterinary, administrative services and justice) are set in size - length 14-16 cm, width 6 cm. The diameter of the stars of junior officers is 13 mm, senior officers are 20 mm.
* For officers of the command staff, the running galloon is gold, the stars are silver.
*For officers of the engineering and technical service, quartermaster, medical, veterinary and administrative services, and justice, the running galloon is silver, the stars are golden.

Edging of epaulettes and gaps on epaulettes according to the types of troops or services:
*motorized rifle troops, airborne troops, quartermaster service - raspberry,
*artillery, armored troops, automobile troops, aeronautical units, medical, veterinary, administrative services and justice - red,
* aviation - blue,
* engineering, chemical, communications, radio engineering, anti-aircraft searchlight, railway, VOSO, topographic service, road, construction and engineering-airfield units - black,
* engineering and technical staff - according to the color of the gaps of the type of troops of the unit in which the officer serves.

In the picture on the right:
1. Uniform buttonhole of motorized rifle troops, airborne forces, justice and combined arms. All with their emblems
2. Uniform buttonhole of artillery, armored, engineering troops, chemical, communications, radio engineering, anti-aircraft searchlight, railway, VOSO, topographic service, road, construction and engineering and airfield units. All with their emblems.
3. Aviation uniform buttonhole.
4. Uniform buttonhole of medical and veterinary services. All with their emblems.

5. Ceremonial epaulette of a colonel of motorized rifle troops, Airborne Forces.
6. Ceremonial epaulette of an engineer-colonel. Here artillery, armored troops, aeronautic units.
7. Ceremonial epaulette of a colonel of engineering troops, chemical, communications, radio engineering, anti-aircraft searchlight, railway, VOSO, topographic service, road, construction and engineering and airfield units.
8. Ceremonial epaulette of the captain of aviation.
9. Ceremonial epaulette of a lieutenant colonel of the quartermaster service.
10. Ceremonial epaulette of a senior technician-lieutenant of engineering troops, chemical, communications, radio engineering, anti-aircraft searchlight, railway, VOSO, topographic service, road, construction and engineering and airfield units.

The everyday tunic is also green with buttonholes of the same colors as the dress uniform, but without gold edging. Everyday field overcoat with buttonholes of the same colors as the front overcoat.
Shoulder straps sewn-in quadrangular identical for everyday tunic and everyday overcoat, covered with khaki cloth. The gaps on the shoulder straps are the same as on the front shoulder straps. They are colored ribbons. about 5 mm wide. sewn to the shoulder strap. Shoulder straps do not have colored edging. There are no buttons on shoulder straps. All stars are gold.

However, by 1960 the epaulettes began to be covered with a green lace, repeating the pattern of the lace galloon, and the gaps were built into the lace.

In the picture on the left:
1. Overcoat buttonhole of the Airborne Forces.
2. Jacket buttonhole of the armored forces.
3. Overcoat buttonhole of the administrative service.
4. Aviation tunic buttonhole.
5. Everyday epaulette of a colonel of artillery or armored troops.
6. Everyday epaulette of a senior lieutenant engineering troops, chemical, communications, radio engineering, anti-aircraft searchlight, railway, VOSO, topographic service, road, construction and engineering and airfield units.
7. Everyday epaulette of a new sample of an aviation captain.

From the author. I must say that the officer's uniform arr. 1958 was pretty liberal. The officer's ceremonial belt was worn on the ceremonial uniform and overcoat only when in uniform for the ranks. On a daily basis, the harness was not worn at all. Officers in those cases when it was necessary to be with weapons (firing practice, duty, guard duty) had to wear a field uniform, in which the wearing of a harness was mandatory.
I remember how Marshal Grechko, becoming the summer of 1967 defense minister, the first thing he did was put on the officers a harness in everyday uniform and ordered on duty official duties Always wear boots and a harness. Without them, it was possible to walk only in loose trousers, which were allowed to be worn only outside the service, well, or in the service at headquarters from the army headquarters and above.
He himself, when visiting the troops, was always in boots and a harness, which the author personally testifies (visiting the Minister of Defense of the Kaliningrad Higher Military Engineering School in the early summer of 1970).

The summer field uniform was a khaki tunic with khaki buttons. Hexagonal shoulder straps with colored gaps with green stars and emblems of military branches. A khaki cap without colored edging, with a khaki cockade, with a visor and a khaki chin strap. However, by 1960, the field epaulettes began to be covered with a green lace, repeating the pattern of the running galloon, and the gaps were built into the lace.

In May 1962, by order of the USSR Ministry of Defense No. 127, shoulder straps on the front overcoat are replaced from gold to steel-colored shoulder straps.

From the author. Golden shoulder straps are gradually starting to leave the officer's uniform. If on the forms arr. Since 1943 and 1955, gold epaulets are present on all types of both summer and winter uniforms, except for field uniforms, then from 1958 they remain only on parade uniforms and parade overcoats, and from May 1962 they remain only on parade uniforms.
It seems that this was due to the desire of the country's leadership to reduce defense spending, including saving on military clothing. Nevertheless, the lace for shoulder straps was made of real gold, albeit of a very low standard. And it was very expensive. We did not yet know how to use anodizing to make an imitation of gold galloon.

In 1970 (Decree of the Council of Ministers of the USSR No. 417 dated May 30, 1969, announced by order Ministry of Defense of the USSR No. 191 dated July 26, 1969), with the introduction of a new form of clothing from January 1, 1970, the number of colors for officer buttonholes and epaulets is reduced.

The color of the galloons remains the same, and the stars are now on shoulder straps of the same color as the galloon:
* For officers of the command staff, the running galloon is gold, the stars are golden.
*For officers of the engineering and technical service, quartermaster, medical, veterinary and administrative services, and justice, the running galloon is silver, the stars are silver.

Buttonhole field colors:
* red - motorized rifle units, combined arms
* black - artillery, tank, engineering troops, communications troops, technical troops (automobile, chemical and railway troops, parts of the topographic service), road, construction and pipeline parts, military communications service.
* blue - aviation, airfield engineering units and airborne troops.
* crimson - quartermaster, medical, veterinary and administrative services, justice.

The colors of the edging of the front shoulder straps and the colors of the gaps on the shoulder straps of the front, everyday and field:
* blue - aviation, airfield engineering units and airborne troops,
* crimson - quartermaster, medical, veterinary and administrative services, justice.
* red - all other types of troops and services.

In the picture on the right:
1. Overcoat buttonhole to the parade overcoat of motorized rifle troops.
2. Uniform buttonhole of the medical service.
3. Overcoat buttonhole to the parade overcoat of tank troops.
4. Aviation uniform buttonhole.
5. Ceremonial epaulette to the uniform of a colonel of all military branches, except for aviation, airborne forces, quartermaster, medical, veterinary and administrative services, justice.
6. Ceremonial epaulette to the uniform of a lieutenant colonel of the quartermaster, medical, veterinary and administrative services, justice.
7. Ceremonial shoulder strap to the uniform of the captain of the aviation or airborne forces.
8. Shoulder strap to the parade overcoat of a lieutenant colonel all branches of the military, except for aviation, airborne forces, quartermaster, medical, veterinary and administrative services, justice.

From the author. The fate of crimson is interesting. For the first time, rifle regiments received crimson shoulder straps in the second half of the 19th century. Then, with the massive introduction of rifled small arms, they decided to divide the infantry into proper infantry regiments and rifle regiments. The latter, it was believed, were supposed to receive enhanced rifle training and decide the success of the battle through rifle fire, without bringing the matter to a bayonet battle.
Thus, the crimson color became honorary. Both in the Russian Army and in the Red Army, he denoted rifle regiments. Gradually, it began to spread to support services (quartermaster, medicine, veterinary medicine, justice, administration). Obviously to raise their prestige. In 1970, the robin was abolished in motorized rifle troops and as a combined arms one. She remained only in the support services. In this status, the robin lasted until 1988, when it was finally abolished.
But in general, the really raspberry color disappeared by 1970. Everyone who was assigned the raspberry color usually wore red, rightly believing that the difference between the raspberry and red colors is so small that the robin can be neglected. Moreover, it was difficult to purchase raspberry products in the Voentorg, since they were in too little demand, and their trade ordered rarely and little.

The buttonholes for everyday tunic and everyday overcoat are similar to the buttonholes for the front overcoat. Buttonholes for everyday tunic without golden edging.
The epaulettes for everyday overcoats and everyday tunics are without colored edging and are made of silk lace with a pattern repeating the galloon of the front epaulette. The colors of the gaps are similar.

In the picture on the right:
1. Overcoat buttonhole of motorized rifle troops.
2. Jacket collar of aviation or airborne forces.
3. Overcoat buttonhole of justice.
4. Tunic buttonhole of artillery.
5. Shirt shoulder strap senior lieutenant of artillery.
6. Shoulder strap of a colonel of all military branches, except for aviation, airborne forces, quartermaster, medical, veterinary and administrative services, justice.
7. The shoulder strap of the captain of the aviation or airborne forces.
8. The epaulette of a senior lieutenant of the quartermaster or medical, veterinary administrative services, or justice.

The shoulder straps of the summer field uniform and the buttonholes for it are completely similar to the buttonholes and shoulder straps of the everyday uniform, with the exception that the emblems of the branches of the military and the asterisks are khaki (dull green). On the winter field jacket shoulder straps and buttonholes of everyday form. If an everyday overcoat is used as a field overcoat, then the buttonholes and shoulder straps of an everyday overcoat are preserved on it.

From the author. There is some strangeness here. According to the order of the MO USSR No. 250 dated November 1, 1973a faux fur collar appeared on the officer's winter field jacket only in November 1973, and shoulder straps on it were prescribed with golden buttons and golden emblems on colored buttonholes. However, the author, having arrived as a young lieutenant to serve in the 650th ODESPB of the Far Eastern District, already in December 1970 received a jacket with a fur collar, with khaki stars and protective emblems on shoulder straps (since there are simply no buttonholes on the jacket), while my classmate E. Boenichev , having arrived in the same battalion two months earlier, received a jacket without a fur collar with buttonholes and khaki emblems. And on shoulder straps, the stars are also of a protective color.

By order of the Minister of Defense of the USSR No. 108 of April 25, 1975, officers (only officers!) Was established to wear a braided golden cord instead of a black chin strap on everyday caps and gold-edged buttonholes on everyday officer tunics.

In 1980 (Order of the USSR Ministry of Defense No. 85 of March 15, 1980), ceremonial silver epaulettes were completely abolished. The completely crimson color of the buttonholes and the gaps of the shoulder straps have been abolished.
officers quartermaster, medical, veterinary and administrative services, justice receive ceremonial shoulder straps of gold galloon with red edging and red gaps and with golden stars. Everyday and field shoulder straps also received red gaps from them. Crimson buttonholes have been abolished. They have been replaced with red ones.

In 1985, a new field uniform was introduced (which did not abolish the previous field uniform), which received the common name "Afghan" (Order of the USSR Ministry of Defense No. 145-84g.). On the new uniform, the same for all categories of military personnel, shoulder straps were an element of the jacket itself (the so-called shoulder straps). The color of such shoulder straps had the color of the uniform itself (gray, khaki, camouflage, sand, etc.). Clearances on shoulder straps are not provided. Asterisks of a protective color are located similarly to everyday shoulder straps. The khaki emblems are placed in the corners of the summer jacket. There are no emblems on the winter jacket.

From the author. This form, as an experimental one, began to be issued in Afghanistan another year in 1982-83. The officers instantly realized that the harness on her, like on the old one, was a sure pass to the next world. Pashtuns and Dari, who have been fighting all their lives, are excellent shooters. Officers, and local generals too, wore soldier's equipment, which always turned out to be extremely dissatisfied with numerous generals who flew in from Moscow with checks. How about "malicious violation of the uniform." In those days, the discipline of the uniform in the Soviet Army was brought to the limit. Sometimes it even overwhelmed her.
Muscovites always like to inspect where they can profit from something or ask for an order or benefits. In the Far East, red fish and caviar, in Czechoslovakia, Bohemian crystal, in Germany, dinnerware and furniture, in Chernobyl, a mark on a business trip order to participate in the liquidation of the accident. You can’t lure them to the Urals, to Siberia, to Transbaikalia. There is nothing to live here.
Wherein Muscovites, finding themselves under a real threat of fire (what you won’t do for the sake of the order), instantly lost their metropolitan arrogance, hid the general’s hats and belts far away, and put on all the soldiers. Even shoulder straps. "And what, during reconnaissance, it is necessary to disguise the intentions to be in soldier's clothes" - this is how they justified their disguise, not seeing the ironic smirks of the officers, and even worse - the soldiers.

Order of the USSR Ministry of Defense No. 10 of January 18, 1986 abolished the ranks and, accordingly, the emblems on the buttonholes and shoulder straps of the administrative service. They introduced combined arms ranks and, accordingly, shoulder straps, buttonholes and emblems.

By the same order, it is allowed to walk without a uniform in hot weather with a full dress uniform. At the same time, jury epaulettes with a field of white silk lace with a pattern like a gold galloon were introduced on the shirt. Stars, buttons and emblems in gold.

year, which will introduce new (the last in the SA) Rules for wearing military uniforms, change and add new types of military clothing, but will not change anything in the insignia of officers. With these insignia, the Soviet Army, defeated and destroyed not as a result of a war with an external enemy, but by the intrigues of internal enemies (The last composition of the Politburo of the Central Committee of the CPSU, headed by M.S. Gorbachev), who settled in the Kremlin, will go down in history forever.

Generals.

From January to July 30, 1955, a number of changes were made to the uniform of generals, which were canceled by order of the USSR Ministry of Defense No. generals, admirals and officers of the Soviet Army and Navy (for peacetime)".

According to the new Rules, the shoulder straps of generals are hexagonal in shape and have dimensions - length 14-16 cm, width 6.5 cm (5 mm wider than officer shoulder straps). But the shoulder straps of the generals of the medical, veterinary and legal services are narrower. They have a shoulder strap width of 4 cm. The stars of marshals and generals are embroidered with silver (gold) thread. Only chief marshals and marshals of the armed forces, as well as generals of justice, medical and veterinary services, have emblems by the type of troops.

The stars on shoulder straps are embroidered with silver thread and have a diameter of 22 mm (for comparison, the stars of senior officers are only 20 mm). Star of the Marshal of the Soviet Union with a diameter of 50 mm.
But the stars on the shoulder straps of the generals of the medical and veterinary services, as well as justice, have a diameter of 20 mm and are embroidered with gold thread.

* Shoulder straps of the marshals of the Soviet Union in gold galloon with red edging, with a large silver star and the color coat of arms of the USSR.
* Shoulder straps of the chief marshals of the military branches of the gold galloon with a red edging with a large silver star in a thin laurel wreath and with an embroidered emblem of the military branch.
*The epaulettes of the chief marshals of the branches of the armed forces of gold galloon with a red edging with a large silver star with an embroidered emblem of the branch of service.
* Shoulder straps of generals of rifle troops, armored troops, artillery of gold galloon with red edging with silver stars in number by rank.
* Shoulder straps of chief marshals and marshals of aviation generals in gold galloon with a blue edging with a large silver star with an embroidered aviation emblem
* Shoulder straps of aviation generals in gold galloon with blue edging with silver stars numbered according to rank.
* Shoulder straps of the generals of the technical troops (engineering troops, communications troops, radio engineering, anti-aircraft searchlight troops, topographic service, road, construction and engineering and airfield units, chemical troops, automobile troops, railway troops, VOSO), quartermaster service of a gold galloon with a crimson edging with silver stars in number by rank.
*Narrow epaulettes of generals of medical, veterinary services and justice, silver galloon with red edging and gold stars.
* Shoulder straps of the generals of the engineering and technical service of gold galloon with edging according to the type of troops and silver stars according to rank.

In the picture on the right:
1. Shoulder strap of the Marshal of the Soviet Union.
2. Shoulder straps of the Chief Marshal of Artillery.
3. Shoulder strap of the marshal of the armored forces.
4. The epaulette of the general of the army.
5. The epaulette of the colonel-general of the engineering troops.
6. Shoulder strap of the lieutenant general of aviation.
7. The epaulette of the major-general of the commissary service.
8. Shoulder strap of Colonel General of Justice.
9. Shoulder strap of the lieutenant general of the medical service.
10. Shoulder strap of the Major General of the Veterinary Service.

Note that in the Airborne Forces, the edging of shoulder straps is red, like that of the rifle troops. There are no generals in the administrative service. Artillery generals have lost the emblems of artillery on shoulder straps.

Also note that shoulder straps on all types of uniforms are the same in shape, size and color.

On overcoats and summer coats there are buttonholes with gold (silver) edging with a gold oak branch embroidered on the field for marshals of the Soviet Union and a gold (silver) laurel branch for everyone else.

In the picture on the left:
1. Buttonhole of the Marshal of the Soviet Union. Golden edging, golden branch.
2. Buttonhole of the general of rifle troops and airborne forces. Golden edging, golden branch.
3. Buttonhole of the general of technical troops (engineering troops, signal troops, radio engineering, anti-aircraft searchlight troops, topographic service, road, construction and engineering and airfield units, chemical troops, automobile troops, railway troops, VOSO), quartermaster service. Golden edging, golden branch.
4. Buttonhole of the general of artillery and armored forces. Golden edging, golden branch.
5. Buttonhole General of Aviation.
6. Buttonhole of the general of medical and veterinary services. Silver edging, silver branch.
7. Buttonhole of the General of Justice. Silver edging, silver branch.

As of 1958, neither field epaulettes, nor protective stars and emblems of military branches on the general's uniform existed. In the order of MO USSR No. 105 of June 30, 1955, it was clearly indicated that this was a peacetime uniform. Including daily field work.

By order of the USSR Ministry of Defense No. 25 dated March 6, 1956, the marshals and generals were replaced by a daily field closed tunic with an open double-breasted khaki tunic with green shirt and tie. Shoulder straps for this tunic are quadrangular with a beveled top edge.

By order of the USSR Ministry of Defense No. 147 of September 22, 1956, it was established that on the shoulder straps of the marshals of the military branches there is an embroidered golden emblem of the military branch and a large gold embroidered star under which there is a border of the same color as the edging of the shoulder strap. On the shoulder straps of the rest of the generals, there are still stars embroidered with silver. Emblems on shoulder straps only for the generals of justice, medical and veterinary services.

By order of the USSR Ministry of Defense No. 143 of July 22, 1957, marshals and generals are allowed to be out of order in the performance of duties in the premises and on the territory of the unit without a tunic in a light gray shirt with a tie and shoulder straps. Shoulder straps made of the same fabric as the shirt, 5.5 cm wide. Semi-soft strap-on. Gold thread on shoulder straps imitates a general's galloon. Gold embroidered stars.

In 1958, for marshals and generals, as well as for other military personnel, a new uniform was introduced (Order of the USSR Ministry of Defense No. 70 of March 29, 1958).

The ceremonial shoulder straps of marshals and generals did not undergo any changes compared to 1956, with the exception that the shoulder straps of generals justice, medical and veterinary services became the same width as the shoulder straps of the rest of the generals (6 cm). At the same time, the galloon on the shoulder straps of the generals of justice, the medical and veterinary services is silver, the stars are gold, the edging is red. On the shoulder straps of these generals, respectively, are the golden emblems of justice and the medical service and silver of the veterinary service.

In the picture on the right:
1. Ceremonial epaulette of Colonel-General of Justice.
2. Ceremonial epaulette of the lieutenant general of the medical service.
3. Ceremonial epaulette of the major general of the veterinary service.

From the author. In general, the highest general rank is the rank of colonel general. The rank of general of the army is already a combined arms rank and is assigned personally only for particularly outstanding merits in the leadership of troops, as well as the ranks of chief marshals and marshals of military branches. Not even every district commander became an army general.

Shoulder straps for everyday uniforms are similar to ceremonial shoulder straps, but instead of a gold galloon, a green silk lace repeats the pattern of the galloon.

In the picture on the left: above the epaulettes of the chief marshal of artillery, below the colonel general of the technical troops.

The winter field uniform was an everyday overcoat, buttoned up with all buttons and wearing a harness. Shoulder straps and buttonholes as in everyday uniform.
The summer field uniform was a khaki tunic with khaki buttons. Shoulder straps are hexagonal fastened. khaki buttons, stars embroidered with green silk thread.

From the author. Over the course of my many years of officer service, I have seen generals in field uniforms a few times. They neglected her. And even then, if during the war the generals preferred everyday uniforms, believing that they were not exposed to the danger of rifle and machine-gun fire and there was no need for careful disguise for them, then in peacetime, as they say, God himself ordered.
Although ... If we recall the circumstances of the seemingly ridiculous death on February 18, 1945 of the most talented commander, General of the Army Chernyakhovsky I.D. near the town of Melsack East Prussia, it turns out that a German artillery observer spotted a group of five Soviet military men on a hillock, one of whom was in brilliant shoulder straps (the shine is noticeable from very long distances), realized that there was a general among them, and sent one shell there. It is unlikely that he began to spend the projectile, which was in short supply in 1945, simply against a handful of soldiers.

In 1970 (Decree of the Council of Ministers of the USSR No. 417 of May 30, 1969, announced by order of the USSR Ministry of Defense No. 191 of July 26, 1969), a new uniform was introduced. The number of buttonhole colors on the general's overcoats has been reduced. Abolished buttonholes green with silver laurel branch and edging (medical and veterinary services) and red with silver laurel branch and edging (justice). They were given crimson buttonholes with gold edging.

In the picture on the left, the buttonholes for the overcoats of generals:
1. Marshal of the Soviet Union.
2. Combined arms general (motorized rifle, airborne)
3. General of artillery, tank troops.
4. Aviation General.
5. General technical troops (engineering troops, communications troops, radio engineering, anti-aircraft searchlight troops, topographic service, road, construction and engineering and airfield units, chemical troops, automobile troops, railway troops, VOSO), quartermaster, medical, veterinary services, justice.

Shoulder straps to the front dress uniform received a colored edging under the stars, the same as the edging of the epaulettes themselves.

In the figure on the left, shoulder straps for the parade uniform:
1. Marshal of the engineering troops,
2. General of the army.
3. Colonel General (combined arms, motorized rifle, artillery, tank troops, airborne forces).
4. Lieutenant General of Aviation.
5. Major General of the Medical Service.
6. Major General of the Veterinary Service.
7. Colonel General of Justice.

On the ceremonial weekend and everyday overcoat shoulder straps of gray silk lace. In the picture on the right: shoulder strap to the parade-out and everyday overcoat of the chief marshal of the armored forces.

The dress code of 1970 is allowed to walk without a tunic in hot weather in a green shirt with a tie. At the same time, shoulder straps are covered with green bason of a pattern repeating the pattern of galloon.

On everyday uniforms, the general insignia of 1970 did not change compared to 1958.

Since 1970, as a field uniform for generals, a tunic has been used that is similar in cut to the everyday one, on which the general's sewing on the collar is not made with gold, but with green silk thread, like the stars on shoulder straps. The buttons are also khaki.

In 1985, a new field uniform was introduced (which did not abolish the previous field uniform), which received the common name "Afghan" (Order of the USSR Ministry of Defense No. 145-84g.). On the new uniform, general's epaulettes without colored edging and with stars embroidered with green silk thread. There are no emblems on the clothes.

From the author. It is difficult to say whether any of the generals wore this new field uniform. Anyway, I haven't seen any. Generals in my time generally allowed a lot of liberties in clothing, while demanding the strictest observance of it from officers and soldiers. For example, Colonel General Yazov D.T. when he was commander of the Central Group of Forces, he always appeared in exercises in a red leather flight jacket without insignia and a casual cap.

Order of the USSR Ministry of Defense No. 10 of January 18, 1986 it is allowed to walk without a uniform in hot weather with a parade uniform. At the same time, jury epaulettes with a field of white silk lace with a pattern like a gold galloon were introduced on the shirt. Stars, buttons and emblems in gold.

Order of the USSR Ministry of Defense No. 250 of March 4, 1988 of the year, which will put into effect new (the last in the SA) Rules for wearing military uniforms, change and add new types of military clothing, but will change almost nothing in the insignia of generals, except that the crimson color of the edging of epaulettes and overcoat buttonholes will be completely abolished . Only two colors will remain - blue for aviation generals and red for all other generals. The four stars on the epaulettes of an army general will be replaced with one large marshal size with the addition of an emblem in the form of a red star framed by a laurel wreath.

In the picture on the left: the epaulette of an army general arr. 1988 to everyday life.

From the author. I remember that a large star on the shoulder straps of an army general appeared a little earlier than 1988, but the author did not find the corresponding directive document. It was rumored that one of the generals of the army suddenly took offense. Well, of course, sir, he is a marshal, even if he is a marshal of the engineering troops. And the star is big, and on the tie is a marshal's star. And the general of the army, he is just a general, even if there are a lot of stars on shoulder straps. Well, they say, and rushed to correct this "injustice." They gave them new epaulettes and a marshal's star for a tie.
Later, someone was offended on the contrary - they say why the whole general of the army was equated with some kind of marshals of the armed forces. The general of the army is still more important. Give us back four stars. They returned. Well, today the Minister of Defense, General of the Army Shoigu, again walks with big stars on his shoulder straps.
In a word, the general's circus. And you don't need clowns.
It seems that before making decisions about changes in the form, you need to invite, figuratively speaking, an accountant with his eternal question"And how much will it cost?". But seriously, any change should be dictated by urgent need, the requirements of the time, the calculation of the country's capabilities, and should answer the cardinal question "How will this affect the combat capability of the troops?" And do not follow the American fashion and do not drag the shoulder strap from the shoulders to the belly, and then back.

In the order of the Ministry of Defense of 88, the generals of the veterinary service are no longer mentioned.

P.S.
After the coup d'etat in August 1991 (18-21.08.91), organized by the then General Secretary Central Committee of the CPSU and President of the USSR M.S. Gorbachev (the first and last), and as a result of this liquidation with the help of an anti-state conspiracy organized by the then leaders of the union republics Yeltsin (Russia), Shushkevich (Belarus), Kravchuk (Ukraine) and Nazarbayev (Kazakhstan) who joined them, on December 25, 1991, the states under the name of the Soviet Union The Soviet Army will be renamed the United Armed Forces of the Commonwealth Independent States(OVS CIS).
In fact, it will begin to disintegrate into the armies of the former Soviet republics, and now independent sovereign states. Convulsive attempts former Ministry defense of the USSR, to preserve a single Army as an army of the Commonwealth, designed to protect all member countries of the CIS, will lead nowhere. The governments of independent states that have arisen on the ruins of the USSR will even nominally categorically refuse to subordinate their armies to the leadership of the CIS Allied Armed Forces, and in fact they will consist only of military formations located by that time on the territory of Russia.
By 1992, the leadership of Russia, headed by the infamous first Russian president Boris Yeltsin, will give up trying to preserve at least nominally the once mighty and truly invincible Army.
Decree of the President Russian Federation No. 466 of May 7, 1992, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation (RF Armed Forces) will be formed.

August 2017

Sources and literature.

1.O.V. Kharitonov. An illustrated description of the uniforms and insignia of the Red and Soviet Army (1918-1945). Artillery historical Museum Main Artillery Directorate of the USSR Ministry of Defense. 1960
2. M. M. Khrenov et al. Military clothing of the Armed Forces of the USSR and Russia (1917-1990s.) Military publishing house. Moscow. 1999
3. Order of the USSR Ministry of Defense No. 70 of 04/29/1955
4. Order of the Ministry of Defense of the SSR No. 225 of December 30, 1955
5. Order of the USSR Ministry of Defense No. 70 dated March 29, 1958
6. Order of the USSR Ministry of Defense No. 105 of 06/30/1955
7. Order of the USSR Ministry of Defense no. 120 from 4.08.1956
8. Website "Center for Patriotic Education and Pre-Conscription Training of Youth of the Bashkortostan River" (cpvrb.ru/istoria/beret_na_voennoj_sluzhbe/)
9. Order of the USSR Ministry of Defense No. 191 dated July 26, 1969
10. Order of the USSR Ministry of Defense No. 250 dated 04.03. 1988
11. Order of the USSR Ministry of Defense No. 247 dated November 5, 1963
12. Order of the USSR Ministry of Defense No. 85 dated March 15, 1980
13. Order of the USSR Ministry of Defense No. 250 dated November 1, 1973
14. Website "EMBLEMS, SIGNS, UNIFORM OF MILITARY ENGINEERS" (zielenski.narod.ru/photoalbum3-3-0.html)
15. Order of the USSR Ministry of Defense No. 25 dated March 6, 1956.
16. Order of the Ministry of Defense of the USSR No. 147 of September 22, 1956
17. Order of the USSR Ministry of Defense No. 143 of 07/22/1957

The entire period of the existence of the USSR can be divided into several stages according to various epoch-making events. As a rule, changes in the political life of the state lead to a number of cardinal changes, including in the army. The pre-war period, which is limited to 1935-1940, went down in history as the birth of the Soviet Union, and special attention should be paid not only to the state of the material part of the armed forces, but also to the organization of the hierarchy in management.

Before the beginning of this period, there was a kind of disguised system by which the military ranks of the Soviet army were determined. However, the question of creating a more advanced gradation soon arose. Although the ideology did not allow for the direct introduction of a structure similar to the one currently used, for the reason that the concept of an officer was considered a relic of the tsarist era, Stalin could not help but understand that such a ranking would help to clearly establish the boundaries of the duties and responsibilities of commanders.

At modern approach there is one more advantage to the organization of army subordination. The activity of personnel is greatly facilitated, since it was possible to develop individual functionality for each rank. Here it should be noted that the transition to the introduction of officer ranks was being prepared for several years. The very fact that such concepts as “officer” or “general” are returning to everyday life was perceived critically by military leaders.

Military ranks of the Workers 'and Peasants' Red Army

In 1932, a decree of the Council of People's Commissars was published, according to which the previously existing division into conditional categories was abolished. By December 35th, the transition to ranks was completed. But until 1943, the ranks of privates and junior officers still included job titles. The entire contingent was divided into the following categories:

command staff;
military-political;
boss;
military-technical;
economic or administrative;
medical and veterinary;
legal;
private.

If we imagine that each composition had its own specific ranks, it becomes clear that such a system was considered quite complex. By the way, it was possible to put an end to its remnants only closer to the 80s of the XX century. Reliable information on this issue can be obtained from the edition of the military charter of the Armed Forces of the Red Army of 1938.

Find out: What is the color of the shoulder straps of various Russian troops, why are there letters on the shoulder straps

Stalin's strange decision

The totalitarian regime, which was especially pronounced during the Great Patriotic War, did not even allow thoughts contrary to the opinion of I.V. Stalin, and his decision to return shoulder straps and officer ranks to the Red Army was openly criticized not only in the foreign press, but also by the brightest representatives of the Soviet command.

The reform in the army came at the hottest stages of the war. At the beginning of 1943, their former ranks and epaulettes "returned" to the officers. Dissatisfaction was caused by the fact that the builders of communism had long ago renounced these archaisms.

By decision of the Presidium of the USSR Armed Forces, a corresponding Decree was adopted. Until now, historians consider this decision somewhat strange.

Firstly, only a person who clearly understands the ultimate goals can decide to reform the army during the period of active hostilities.
Secondly, there is a certain risk that the soldiers will feel certain steps back in this measure, which will significantly break their morale.

Although the end justifies the means, and there is always a percentage of the probability of a positive outcome of the reform. Naturally, the Western press saw in this the first notes of the loss of the Soviet Union in the Second World War.

It cannot be assumed that the new shoulder straps were an exact copy of the shoulder straps tsarist Russia, and designations, and the titles themselves differed significantly. The lieutenant replaced the second lieutenant, and the captain replaced the staff captain. Personally, Stalin was the initiator of the idea of using stars on shoulder straps of various sizes.

For example, the highest ranks in the army of the USSR since that time were designated by large stars (marshal - one star with a coat of arms). Only later did history find out the real reason for this decision of the leader. At all times, the era of Peter's reforms was revered and evoked a feeling of patriotism. The return to that scheme, which established the rank of each serviceman, should have inspired the fighters of the Red Army. Despite the war, the USSR was preparing for the Great Victory, which means that Berlin must be taken by officers whose ranks are consonant with the ranks of the allied countries. Was it politically motivated? Definitely yes.

Find out: Current generals of the Russian army, a small list

Military ranks in the 50s - 80s of the century

Shoulder straps and ranks in the army of the USSR until the end of its existence were revised more than once. Almost every decade in history was marked by reforms. So, in 1955, the title "Admiral of the Fleet" was abolished, and the title "Admiral of the Fleet of the USSR" was established. Later, everything returned to its place with the interpretation "... for consistency between the ranks of senior officers."

In the sixties, it was decided to designate education by adding the specialty of an engineer or technician. The complete hierarchy looked like this:

junior engineer lieutenant - engineer-captain;
major engineer and so on respectively.
junior technician-lieutenant - captain of the technical service;
major of technical service and further respectively.

By the mid-eighties, the idea was ripe to completely remove the previously existing line between command personnel, to equate the ranks of military personnel with different formations, to establish a single training profile, to bring the ranks of the ground forces and troops into line navy. Moreover, this correspondence does not consist only in consonance. The fact is that more and more exercises began to be carried out, in which several branches of the armed forces are simultaneously involved. For effective management of the army, the names of these genera began to be excluded from the ranks. By a decree of the Presidium of the USSR Armed Forces, military ranks in the Soviet army ceased to contain special articles.

Since 1969, the order of wearing a military uniform has been introduced. It is now subdivided into front, everyday, field and work. The working uniform is only for privates and non-commissioned officers undergoing military service. The shoulder straps of the military personnel of the ground forces, the air force and the navy differ in color. For the category of sergeants, foremen, warrant officers and midshipmen, the following norm is established: SV - red shoulder straps, Air Force - blue, shoulder straps of the USSR Navy - black.

The corporal on the chase wears a cloth strap located across. The shoulder straps of the SV and VVS contain the letters SA, which stands for "Soviet Army". Navy epaulettes differ not only in color, but also in the presence of a gilded letter F. Since 1933, on the purse of a foreman, the strip has been located along, and before that it was supplemented with a transverse strip, forming a semblance of the letter “T”. Obtaining a new rank of senior warrant officer since 1981 is accompanied by the addition of a third star on the shoulder strap.

70 years ago in the Soviet Union, shoulder straps were introduced for the personnel of the Soviet Army. Shoulder straps and stripes in the Navy were canceled in Soviet Russia after October revolution 1917 by decree of the Council of People's Commissars of the RSFSR (they were considered a symbol of inequality).

Shoulder straps appeared in the Russian army at the end of the 17th century. Initially, they had a practical meaning. They were first introduced by Tsar Peter Alekseevich in 1696, then they served as a strap that kept a gun belt or cartridge pouch from slipping off the shoulder. Therefore, the epaulette was an attribute of the uniform of only the lower ranks, since the officers were not armed with guns. In 1762, an attempt was made to use epaulettes as a means of isolating the military personnel of different regiments and isolating soldiers and officers. To solve this problem, each regiment was given shoulder straps of different weaving from a garus cord, and to separate the soldiers and officers, the weaving of shoulder straps in the same regiment was different. However, since there was no single pattern, the shoulder straps performed the task of insignia poorly.

Under Tsar Pavel Petrovich, only soldiers began to wear shoulder straps again, and again only for a practical purpose: to keep ammunition on their shoulders. Sovereign Alexander I returned the function of insignia to shoulder straps. However, they were not introduced in all branches of the military, in the infantry regiments they introduced shoulder straps on both shoulders, in the cavalry - only on the left. In addition, then shoulder straps did not denote ranks, but belonging to one or another regiment. The number on the shoulder strap indicated the number of the regiment in the Russian imperial army, and the color of the shoulder strap showed the number of the regiment in the division: red denoted the first regiment, blue - the second, white - the third, and dark green - the fourth. Army (non-guards) grenadier units, as well as the Akhtyrsky, Mitavsky hussar and Finnish, Primorsky, Arkhangelsk, Astrakhan and Kinburn dragoon regiments were designated in yellow. To distinguish the lower ranks from the officers, the shoulder straps of officers were first sheathed with gold or silver galloon, and a few years later epaulettes were introduced for officers.

Since 1827, officers and generals began to be designated by the number of stars on epaulettes: ensigns had one star each; second lieutenants, majors and major generals have two; for lieutenants, lieutenant colonels and lieutenant generals - three; staff captains have four. On the epaulettes of captains, colonels and full generals there were no stars. In 1843, insignia were also established on the shoulder straps of the lower ranks. So, the corporals got one badge; for non-commissioned officers - two; senior non-commissioned officer - three. The sergeant-major received a transverse stripe 2.5 cm wide for shoulder straps, and ensigns received exactly the same stripe, but located longitudinally.

Since 1854, instead of epaulettes, shoulder straps were also introduced for officers, epaulettes were left only for ceremonial uniforms. Since November 1855, shoulder straps for officers have become hexagonal, and for soldiers - pentagonal. Officers' shoulder straps were made by hand: pieces of gold and silver (rarely) galloon were sewn onto a colored base, from under which the field of shoulder straps shone through. Asterisks were sewn on, gold stars on a silver shoulder strap, silver stars on a golden shoulder strap, of the same size (11 mm in diameter) for all officers and generals. The shoulder strap field showed the number of the regiment in the division or the type of troops: the first and second regiments in the division were red, the third and fourth were blue, the grenadier formations were yellow, the rifle formations were crimson, etc. After this, there were no revolutionary changes until October 1917 of the year. Only in 1914, in addition to gold and silver shoulder straps, were first established field shoulder straps for the army. Field shoulder straps were khaki (khaki), the stars on them were oxidized metal, the gaps were indicated by dark brown or yellow stripes. However, this innovation was not popular among officers, who considered such epaulettes ugly.

It should also be noted that officials of some civilian departments, in particular, engineers, railway workers and the police, had shoulder straps. After February Revolution 1917, in the summer of 1917, black shoulder straps with white gaps appeared in shock formations.

On November 23, 1917, at a meeting of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee, the Decree on the destruction of estates and civil ranks was approved, along with them, shoulder straps were also canceled. True, in the white armies they remained until 1920. Therefore, in Soviet propaganda, shoulder straps for a long period of time became a symbol of counter-revolutionary, white officers. The word "gold chasers" has actually become a dirty word. In the Red Army, military personnel were initially allocated only by position. For insignia, sleeve patches in the form of geometric shapes(triangles, squares and rhombuses), as well as on the sides of the overcoat, they denoted the rank and belonging to the military branch. After the Civil War and until 1943, the insignia in the Workers 'and Peasants' Red Army remained in the form of buttonholes on the collar and sleeve chevrons.

In 1935, personal military ranks were established in the Red Army. Some of them corresponded to the royal - colonel, lieutenant colonel, captain. Others were taken from the ranks of the former Russian Imperial Navy - lieutenant and senior lieutenant. The ranks that corresponded to the former generals were retained from the former service categories - brigade commander (brigade commander), division commander (division commander), commander, army commander of the 2nd and 1st ranks. The rank of major was restored, which had been abolished under Emperor Alexander III. Outwardly, the insignia remained practically unchanged compared to the samples of 1924. In addition, the title of Marshal of the Soviet Union was established, it was already marked not with rhombuses, but with one large star on the collar flap. On August 5, 1937, the rank of junior lieutenant appeared in the army (he was distinguished by one head over heels). On September 1, 1939, the rank of lieutenant colonel was introduced, now three sleepers corresponded to a lieutenant colonel, not a colonel. The colonel now received four sleepers.

On May 7, 1940, general ranks were established. The major general, as in the days of the Russian Empire, had two stars, but they were located not on shoulder straps, but on collar valves. The lieutenant general was given three stars. This is where the similarity with the royal ranks ended - instead of a full general, the lieutenant general was followed by the rank of colonel general (he was taken from the German army), he had four stars. Following the colonel general, the general of the army (borrowed from the French armed forces), had five stars.

On January 6, 1943, by the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, shoulder straps were introduced in the Red Army. By order of the NPO of the USSR No. 25 of January 15, 1943, the decree was announced in the army. In the Navy, shoulder straps were introduced by order of the People's Commissariat of the Navy No. 51 dated February 15, 1943. On February 8, 1943, shoulder straps were established in the People's Commissariats of Internal Affairs and State Security. On May 28, 1943, shoulder straps were introduced at the People's Commissariat for Foreign Affairs. On September 4, 1943, shoulder straps were established in the People's Commissariat of Railways, and on October 8, 1943, in the USSR Prosecutor's Office. Soviet shoulder straps were similar to the royal ones, but there were some differences. So, officer army shoulder straps were pentagonal, not hexagonal; the colors of the gaps showed the type of troops, and not the number of the regiment in the division; the clearance was a single unit with the epaulette field; color piping was introduced according to the type of troops; stars on shoulder straps were metal, silver and gold, they differed in size for senior and junior ranks; ranks were designated by a different number of stars than in the imperial army; shoulder straps without stars were not restored. Soviet officer epaulettes were 5 mm wider than the royal ones and did not have ciphers. Junior lieutenant, major and major general received one star each; lieutenant, lieutenant colonel and lieutenant general - two each; senior lieutenant, colonel and colonel general - three each; captain and general of the army - four each. For junior officers, shoulder straps had one gap and from one to four silver-plated stars (13 mm in diameter), for senior officers, shoulder straps had two gaps and from one to three stars (20 mm). For military doctors and lawyers, the stars were 18 mm in diameter.

Badges for junior commanders were also restored. The corporal received one badge, the junior sergeant - two, the sergeant - three. The senior sergeants received the former broad sergeant-major's badge, and the foremen received the so-called. "hammer".

For the Red Army, field and everyday shoulder straps were introduced. According to the assigned military rank, belonging to any kind of troops (service), insignia and emblems were placed on the field of shoulder straps. For senior officers, the stars were originally attached not to the gaps, but to the galloon field nearby. Field epaulettes were distinguished by a field of khaki color with one or two gaps sewn to it. On three sides, shoulder straps had edgings in the color of the type of troops. Gaps were introduced: for aviation - blue, for doctors, lawyers and commissaries - brown, for everyone else - red. For everyday shoulder straps, the field was made of galloon or golden silk. The silver galloon was approved for everyday shoulder straps of the engineering, quartermaster, medical, legal and veterinary services.

There was a rule according to which gilded stars were worn on silver shoulder straps, and silver stars were worn on golden shoulder straps. Only veterinarians were an exception - they wore silver stars on silver shoulder straps. The width of shoulder straps was 6 cm, and for officers of military justice, veterinary and medical services - 4 cm. troops - black, doctors - green. On all shoulder straps, one uniform gilded button with a star was introduced, with a hammer and sickle in the center, in the Navy - a silver button with an anchor.

The epaulettes of the generals, unlike those of officers and soldiers, were hexagonal. The general's epaulettes were gold with silver stars. The only exceptions were shoulder straps for the generals of justice, medical and veterinary services. They received narrow silver epaulettes with gold stars. Unlike the army, the naval officer's shoulder straps, like the general's, were hexagonal. The rest of the naval officer shoulder straps were similar to those of the army. However, the color of the piping was determined: for officers of the ship, engineering (ship and coastal) services - black; For naval aviation and aviation engineering service - blue; quartermaster - raspberry; for everyone else, including justice officers, red. The command and ship staff did not have emblems on shoulder straps.

Application. Order People's Commissar Defense of the USSR
January 15, 1943 No. 25
"On the introduction of new insignia
and about changes in the form of the Red Army"

In accordance with the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Council USSR dated January 6, 1943 "On the introduction of new insignia for the personnel of the Red Army", -

I ORDER:

1. Set the wearing of shoulder straps:

Field - by military personnel in the active army and personnel of units being prepared for dispatch to the front,

Everyday - by servicemen of other units and institutions of the Red Army, as well as when wearing full dress uniforms.

2. The entire composition of the Red Army to switch to new insignia - shoulder straps in the period from February 1 to February 15, 1943.

3. Make changes to the uniform of the Red Army personnel, according to the description.

4. Enact the "Rules for wearing uniforms by personnel of the Red Army."

5. Allow the wearing of the existing uniform with new insignia until the next issue of uniforms, in accordance with the current terms and supply standards.

6. Commanders of units and chiefs of garrisons strictly monitor the observance of uniforms and the correct wearing of new insignia.

People's Commissar of Defense

I. Stalin.

Introduced in 1943, the system of insignia of military ranks as a whole remained unchanged until the time of the collapse of the USSR, the transformation of the remnants of the Soviet Army into the Russian Army in 1992-94. There were only partial changes.

The first significant change occurred in 1955. By order of the Ministry of Defense of the SSR No. 225 in December 1955, colored piping on the field shoulder straps of soldiers and sergeants was canceled. Instead, green emblems were introduced for them, which were not placed in the center of the shoulder strap, but just below the button. In this regard, the stripes by rank have shifted a little lower in epaulettes. The burgundy and brown patches have been replaced with a single red patch. These shoulder straps began to be called - everyday field.

Since December 1955, the everyday colored shoulder straps of soldiers and sergeants have also lost their colored piping, the emblem has also moved to the button, and the golden (yellow) stripes for command staff and silver (grayish-white) for everyone else have also shifted slightly down. The emblems of the military branches, which in 1955 somewhat changed their appearance, were worn in the same color as the stripes. These shoulder straps remained only on dress uniforms and overcoats. Canceled blue epaulettes in connection with the liquidation of the cavalry as a kind of troops.

Since December 1956, the field shoulder straps of officers have lost colored piping, and the gaps on the field shoulder straps, instead of the color of burgundy (command staff) and brown (all others), have become the same for all categories of officers, but in color according to the type of troops (crimson for motorized rifles and combined arms, red for artillery and tankers, black for all technical troops, blue for aviation). Blue gaps were not introduced in connection with the liquidation of the cavalry as a kind of troops.

In March 1956, by order of the USSR Ministry of Defense No. 25, the stars of the generals, the emblems of the military branches and the stars of the marshals of the military branches became golden.

By 1958, due to the change in the uniform of officers by order of the USSR Ministry of Defense No. 70, the everyday shoulder straps of officers and generals became green with a pattern similar to the pattern on gold shoulder straps. Asterisks on everyday uniforms are preserved in gold and silver.

In 1963, the insignia of the rank of "Foreman" was changed. The former "foreman's hammer" referred to in the soldier's jargon is being replaced by a wide stripe running along the shoulder strap. In the picture on the left is the dress shoulder strap of the foreman of the motorized rifle troops of 1955-62. In the center is the parade epaulette of the foreman of the motorized rifle troops from 1963. On the right is the epaulette of a student of a military combined arms school with the rank of foreman since 1963 (instead of the usual cadet lace on the sides and upper sides of the shoulder straps of a foreman cadet, in addition to the usual foreman's stripe, it has narrower galloons on the sides). The foremen of the cadets have this epaulette for all types of clothing. The foremen have a red patch on everyday field shoulder straps of khaki color.

In 1970 (Decree of the Council of Ministers of the USSR No. 417 of 05/30/1969), with the introduction of a new uniform for soldiers, sergeants and cadets, only three colors of shoulder straps were left: scarlet - for motorized riflemen and as a combined arms, blue - for aviation and airborne forces, and black for all other military branches. Only two colors were left for the openings of officer epaulettes: blue for aviation and the airborne forces, and scarlet for all other branches of the military. Also, the edging of the shoulder straps and clothes of the generals retained only two colors - blue and scarlet. Since January 1973, two letters "SA" were introduced on the shoulder straps of soldiers and sergeants (metal on dress uniforms and plastic on overcoats and everyday uniforms) to distinguish soldiers and sergeants army from sailors, sergeants and foremen of the fleet (letter "F" or for the fleets "SF", "TF", "BF", "Black Sea Fleet"), as well as military personnel of internal troops, border troops and KGB units ("VV", "PV ", "GB"). Somewhat later, the letter "K" was introduced on the shoulder straps of cadets of military schools (Order of the USSR Ministry of Defense No. 81-73g.). Shoulder straps and buttonholes on the full dress and everyday uniforms of soldiers, sergeants and became colored with stripes of yellow (golden) color. Khaki shoulder straps with red stripes remained only on field soldier and sergeant uniforms. The cadets have the same shoulder straps on all types of uniforms. In the figure, the shoulder straps of a junior sergeant of motorized rifle troops.

By the decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR dated 11/18/1971, since 1972, a new category has been added to the scale of ranks of the Armed Forces of the USSR, standing between sergeants and officers "Ensigns and midshipmen". In the army in this category, one rank "ensign" is established. Ceremonial epaulets of ensigns have a chess pattern in red for motorized rifle troops and combined arms, blue for aviation and airborne forces, black for all other military branches. Everyday and field epaulettes of ensigns have the same pattern and green color. Asterisks (two) and emblems (where appropriate) are golden in color on dress and everyday shoulder straps and green on field shoulder straps.

Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of 11/1/1974 changes the insignia of the rank of "Army General". Instead of four general stars in one vertical row, one large star is introduced for them, like the marshals of the armed forces. In place of the emblems of the military branches of the generals of the army, a sewn combined arms emblem is placed. In the figure on the left is the new parade epaulette of the general of the army, on the right is the everyday field epaulette. On the overcoat, the epaulette has a light gray color. In addition to changing shoulder straps, the generals of the army were given a marshal's star for a tie, which previously only the marshals of the Soviet Union, marshals and chief marshals of the military branches had.

From the author. In 74, the long-standing and bitter resentment of the army generals was finally liquidated. Still would. We are equal in rank, if not higher than the marshals and chief marshals of the military branches. But we are still only generals, and those are still marshals. They have a marshal's star in a tie and a big star on shoulder straps, while we have a lot of stars, but they are still small.

By order of the USSR Ministry of Defense No. 85 of March 15, 1980, silver epaulettes for officers of technical services are canceled. all officers for dress uniforms are fitted with only gold epaulettes with golden stars.

in 1985, a new field uniform was introduced, which received the common name "Afghan" (Order of the USSR Ministry of Defense No. 145-84g.). On the new uniform, the same for all categories of military personnel, shoulder straps were an element of the jacket itself (the so-called shoulder straps). The color of such shoulder straps had the color of the uniform itself (gray, khaki, camouflage, sand, etc.). Green stripes were introduced for non-commissioned officers, green stars for ensigns and officers. Only for generals, removable green shoulder straps with the usual general pattern were introduced. The stars were embroidered with green silk. No gaps were made for officers on shoulder straps and ranks could only be distinguished by the size and number of stars. In the figure, from left to right, from top to bottom: 1-Lieutenant General. 2nd lieutenant colonel. 3-Lieutenant. 4-ensign. 5-Senior sergeant. 6-Private.

In 1988, by Order of the USSR Ministry of Defense No. 250 dated March 4, 1988, soldiers, sergeants and cadets without a tunic in a green shirt were introduced to wear dress uniforms. Accordingly, new samples of shoulder straps are introduced. At the same time, a white shirt is introduced for officers and generals to wear without a tunic (uniform). White shoulder straps with blue (aviation and airborne forces) and scarlet (for everyone else) gaps are introduced to this shirt.

In the picture from left to right from top to bottom: Shoulder straps for white shirts:
1 Lieutenant General, 2 Lieutenant of motorized rifle troops. 3-ensign of the tank troops.
Shoulder straps for green shirts:
4- Corporal of motorized rifle troops. 5-Cadet of the combined arms school.

This was the last change in the insignia of the Soviet Army. Since the autumn of 1989, the process of its disintegration will begin along with the process of disintegration of the USSR. After the putsch of August 19-21, 1991 and the liquidation of the USSR by the Belovezhskaya Agreement on December 25, 1991, these insignia will remain in the mythical Joint Armed Forces of the CIS. But in fact, from the autumn of 1991, the emerging national armies of the former Soviet republics of the USSR will introduce their own insignia. In Russia, the creation of the Russian Army will be officially proclaimed by Decree of the President of Russia No. 466 of May 7, 1992. However, the former uniforms and insignia will legally exist until Decree of the President of Russia No. 1010 of May 23, 1994 on the introduction of uniforms and insignia of the Russian Army.

In reality, in 1994-96, the Russian Army still wore the uniform and insignia of the Soviet Army. Only from 1997 will the slow process of transition to new insignia and a new uniform begin. If by the year 2000, officers are mostly wearing new insignia and uniforms, ensigns and cadets to a large extent, then sergeants and soldiers to a greater extent still wear the signs of the Soviet Army. Very often you can find a mixture of old and new. For example, Soviet-style shoulder straps with the letters "SA" have new sergeant insignia. Or, on the shoulder straps of a new model, Soviet sergeant stripes. The mixture of old and new insignia in 2000 is the most diverse.

Sources and literature

1. M.M. Khrenov et al. Military clothing of the Armed Forces of the USSR and Russia (1917-1990s). Moscow. Military publishing house. 1999
2. Rules for wearing military uniforms by servicemen of the Soviet Army and Navy. Introduced by order of the USSR Ministry of Defense No. 250 dated March 4, 1988. Moscow. Military publishing house. 1989

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In the North Caucasus, three types of Cossack units Terek, Kuban and Don were stationed and carried out military service. In 1936 By order of the NKO USSR 67, a special dress uniform was established for these units. For the Terek and Kuban Cossacks, it consisted of a kubanka, a beshmet, a Circassian coat with a hood, a cloak, bloomers and Caucasian boots. The Don Cossacks wore a papakha, kazakin, harem pants and boots as a weekend outfit.

Camouflage clothing appeared in the Red Army as early as 1936, although experiments began 10 years earlier, but it became widespread only during the war. Initially, these were camouflage coats and capes of spotted color spots in the form of amoebas and received the unofficial name of the amoeba of four colors for summer, spring-autumn, desert and for mountainous regions. In a separate row are white camouflage suits for winter camouflage. Much more mass-produced.

Types of fabrics used for sewing uniforms of the Red Army. Name, article Composition of fabric Color Application Diagonal merino art. 1408 khaki wool, steel, dark and light blue uniforms, tunics and breeches of generals Gabardine merino art. 1311 khaki wool, steel, dark and light blue uniforms, tunics and breeches of generals

In the Workers 'and Peasants' Red Army of the Red Army in summer time they wore half boots, they were also boots and boots, in the cold winter time felt boots were issued. The highest command staff in winter could wear winter cloak boots. The choice of shoes depended on the rank of the soldier; the officers always relied on boots and on the position he held. Before the war, there were many improvements and changes in the field

Summer uniforms of the Red Army for the period 1940-1943. SUMMER GYMNASTERIOR OF THE COMMAND AND COMMANDING STAFF OF THE RED ARMY Introduced by order of the People's Commissar of Defense of the USSR 005 of February 1, 1941 The summer tunic is made of a khaki cotton fabric with a turn-down collar fastened with one hook. At the ends of the collar, khaki buttonholes with insignia are sewn on. The gymnast has a chest strap with a clasp

Winter uniform of the Red Army 1940-1945 OVERCOAT Introduced by order of the Revolutionary Military Council of the USSR 733 of December 18, 1926. Single-breasted overcoat made of gray overcoat. Turn-down collar. Clasp hidden on five hooks. Welt pockets without flaps. Sleeves with stitched straight cuffs. At the back, the pleat ends with a slit. The strap is fastened to the posts with two buttons. The overcoat for command and command staff was introduced by order of the People's Commissar of Defense of the USSR

PILOTKA Introduced by order of the People's Commissar of Defense of the USSR 176 of December 3, 1935. The cap for the command staff is made of woolen fabric, uniform with a French tunic. The color of the cap for the command staff of the air forces is blue, for the command staff of the auto-armored troops it is steel, for all the rest it is khaki. The cap consists of a cap and two sides. The cap is made on a cotton lining, and the sides are made of two layers of the main fabric. front

By order of the People's Commissar of Defense of the USSR 005 dated February 1, 1941, a new Standard list of items of clothing items that make up the attire of the junior commanding and rank and file of the Red Army for summer and winter in peacetime and wartime was introduced. FOR PRIVATE COMPOSITION IN THE SUMMER in peacetime I. Uniform 1. Khaki cloth cap. 2. Khaki cotton cap only in combat units for field exercises. 3. Cloth gray overcoat

The clothing of military personnel is established by decrees, orders, rules or special regulations. The wearing of the naval uniform of the naval uniform is mandatory for the military personnel of the armed forces of the state and other formations, where it is provided military service. In the armed forces of Russia, there are a number of accessories that were in the naval uniform of the times of the Russian Empire. These include shoulder straps, boots, long overcoats with buttonholes.

TABLE OF RANKS OF THE USSR MILITARY SERVICE 1935-1945 1935 1 By the Decree of the Central Executive Committee and the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR of September 22, 1935, on the introduction of personal military ranks of the commanding staff of the Red Army and on the approval of the regulation on the service of the command and command staff of the Red Army for the military personnel of the Workers 'and Peasants' Red Army, command and special military ranks of the commanding composition Military ranks of command and command staff of land and air

By order of the Revolutionary Military Council of the Republic 572 of April 3, 1920, sleeve insignia of the Red Army were introduced. A detailed analysis of the history of stripes and chevrons of the Red Army of all periods in the material of the Military Pro. Introduction of sleeve insignia of the Red Army stages, features, symbols Distinctive insignia of the sleeve type are used to identify servicemen of certain branches of the armed forces. To better understand the specifics of the sleeve insignia of the Red Army and the chevrons of the Red Army, we recommend

Black Death so German soldiers during World War 2 called the Soviet marines, dressed in black pea coats. And the Germans perceived the incomprehensible battle cry of the polundra as fall under. When Marines changed into a combined arms uniform, the fighters kept their vests and peakless caps and went on the attack wide open and in demons, biting the ribbons in their teeth. Let the enemies see who they're dealing with. History of the Marine Corps Already in the second half of the 16th century, as part of the crews of ships

The first mass-produced Soviet steel helmet SSH-36 appeared in the Red Army in 1936, and by the end of the year it became obvious that it had a lot of shortcomings. The most fundamental of them were the brittleness of steel and low bullet resistance in bending places. Attempts to improve the helmet led to the emergence of a number of experimental samples, some of them were military tests. Red Army soldiers at the parade in steel helmets SSH-36. http forum.guns.ru In June

Metal helmets, widely used in the armies of the world long before our era, to XVIII century have lost their protective value due to the massive proliferation of firearms. By the period Napoleonic Wars V European armies as protective equipment, they were used mainly in heavy cavalry. Throughout the 19th century, military headdresses protected their wearers at best from cold, heat or rain. Returning to service steel helmets, or

The abundance of uniforms and equipment accepted for supply in the Red Army led to the fact that tankers, even within the same military unit or unit, could be equipped in different ways. The commanders of light tanks of the Red Army and the Wehrmacht shown in the photo look like thousands of tankers looked on the first day of the war. If possible, the most common variants of uniforms and equipment are indicated in the descriptions, but, of course, the material cannot claim to be exhaustive.

The image shows two infantrymen of the Red Army, a Red Army soldier on June 22, 1941 and a victorious sergeant on May 9, 1945. Even from the photo you can see how the uniforms and equipment were simplified over time, something turned out to be too expensive to manufacture in wartime, something did not take root, something the soldiers did not like and was removed from the supply. A individual elements equipment, on the contrary, was spied on by the enemy or taken as a trophy. It's not all about item placement

Afghan slang name used by some military personnel for the name of a set of field summer winter uniforms for military personnel Armed Forces USSR, and later the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation and the CIS countries. The field one was later used as an everyday military uniform due to poor supply of the military personnel of the Soviet Army and the Navy of the USSR, marines, coastal missile and artillery troops and the Air Force of the fleet, which was used in the initial period in SAVO and OKSVA

Until the end of the 70s, the field uniform of the KGB PV was not much different from the one that was in the land Soviet Army. Unless green shoulder straps and buttonholes, and more frequent and widespread use of KLMK summer camouflage suit. At the end of the 70s, in terms of the development and implementation of a special field uniform, some shifts took place, which resulted in the appearance of summer and winter field suits with a hitherto unusual cut. 1.

In 1985, by Order of the Minister of Defense of the USSR 145-84g, a new field uniform was introduced, the same for all categories of military personnel, which received the common name Afghan, the first to receive units and subunits located on the territory of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan. In 1988 In 1988, by Order of the USSR Ministry of Defense 250 of 03/04/88, soldiers, sergeants and cadets without a tunic in a green shirt are introduced to wear a dress uniform. From left to right

From left to right Summer parade of marshals and generals except for the Air Force - for formation. The winter parade of marshals and generals, except for the Air Force, is out of order. Summer parade of marshals and generals of the Air Force - for building and out of order. Summer ceremonial parade of marshals and generals in the Air Force blue cap and trousers. Summer casual marshals and generals - loose trousers out of order. Summer field marshals and generals

Official insignia of the military personnel of the Red Army 1919-1921. With the advent of the RCP b to power in November 1917, the new leaders of the country, relying on the thesis of K. Marx on the replacement regular army the general armament of the working people, led active work to eliminate the imperial army of Russia. In particular, on December 16, 1917, all military ranks were abolished by the decrees of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee and the Council of People's Commissars On the elective beginning and organization of power in the army and On the equalization of the rights of all military personnel.

Insignia of the Red Army military personnel by ranks 1935-40. The period under review covers the time from September 1935 to November 1940. By a decree of the Central Executive Committee and the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR of September 22, 1935, personal military ranks are established for all military personnel, which are strictly correlated with their positions. Each position corresponds to a certain rank. A soldier may have a rank lower than that defined for this position, or the corresponding one. But he can't get

Insignia and buttonholes of the Red Army 1924-1943 The Workers 'and Peasants' Red Army was abbreviated as the Red Army, the term Soviet Army SA appeared later, the beginning of World War II, oddly enough, was met in a military uniform of the 1925 model. The People's Commissariat of Defense, by its order of December 3, 1935, introduced new uniforms and insignia. The old official ranks were partially preserved for the military-political, military-technical.

PERSONAL MILITARY RANKS OF THE MILITARY SERVANTS 1935-1945 PERSONAL MILITARY RANKS OF THE MILITARY SERVICES OF THE LAND AND SEA FORCES OF THE RKKA 1935-1940 Introduced by resolutions of the Council of People's Commissars 2590 for the ground and air forces of the Red Army and Naval Forces of the Red Army of September 22, 1935. Declared by order of the People's Commissar of Defense 144 of September 26, 1935. Private and command staff Political composition

On January 6, 1943, shoulder straps for the personnel of the Soviet Army were introduced in the USSR. Initially, shoulder straps had a practical meaning. With their help, the belt of the cartridge bag was held. Therefore, at first there was only one shoulder strap, on the left shoulder, since the cartridge bag was worn on the right side. In most of the fleets of the world, shoulder straps were not used, and the rank was indicated by stripes on the sleeve, the sailors did not wear a cartridge bag. In Russia, shoulder straps

Uniforms of the Red Army Headwear of the Red Army Patch insignia Patch insignia Patch insignia Patch insignia Patch insignia Patch insignia Patch insignia Patch insignia Patch insignia Patch insignia Patch

This attribute of military equipment has earned a worthy place among others, thanks to its simplicity, unpretentiousness and, most importantly, complete irreplaceability. The name helmet itself comes from the French casque or from the Spanish casco skull, helmet. According to encyclopedias, this term refers to a leather or metal headgear used to protect the head by the military and other categories of persons operating in dangerous conditions by miners,

Name From a Bogatyr to a Frunzev world war in such helmets, the Russians were allegedly supposed to go through the victory parade through Berlin. However, no confirmed evidence of this has been found. But according to the documents, the history of the competition for the development of uniforms for the Workers 'and Peasants' Red Army is well traced. The competition was announced on May 7, 1918, and on December 18, the Republican Revolutionary Military Council approved a sample of a winter headgear - a helmet,

June 3, 1946 in accordance with the decree of the Council of Ministers of the USSR, signed by I. V. Stalin, the Airborne Forces were withdrawn from the Air Force and subordinated directly to the Ministry of the Armed Forces of the USSR. Paratroopers at the November 1951 parade in Moscow. A sleeve badge is visible on the right sleeve of those marching in the first rank. The resolution ordered the head of the Logistics of the USSR Armed Forces, together with the commander of the Airborne Forces, to prepare proposals

The emblem of the Airborne Forces - in the form of a parachute surrounded by two aircraft - is known to everyone. It became the basis for the subsequent development of the entire symbolism of the units and formations of the Airborne Forces. This sign is not only an expression of the serviceman's belonging to the winged infantry, but also a kind of symbol of the spiritual unity of all paratroopers. But few people know the name of the author of the emblem. And this was the work of Zinaida Ivanovna Bocharova, a beautiful, smart, hardworking girl who worked as a leading draftsman at the headquarters of the Airborne

Knapsack of a soldier of the Red Army 1. Knapsack TRAVELING EQUIPMENT OF THE FIGHTER - INFANTRY ARROW Camping equipment fig. with the calculation of wearable reserves is not taken. ASSEMBLING AND FITTING THE ATTACKING EQUIPMENT On the waist belt, put on the following items in sequence,

INSTRUCTIONS FOR FITTING, ASSEMBLY AND SAVING THE UNIFIED TRAVELING EQUIPMENT OF THE COMMANDER STAFF OF THE RKKA RVS USSR Order 183 1932 1. General Provisions overcoats and warm overalls leather uniforms, fur clothes b with waist and shoulder straps in three sizes 1 height namely 1 Equipment

From buttonholes to epaulettes P. Lipatov Uniforms and insignia of the ground troops of the Red Army, internal troops of the NKVD and border troops during the Great Patriotic War The Workers 'and Peasants' Red Army of the Red Army entered World War II in the uniform of the 1935 model. At about the same time, they acquired the usual us the appearance of Wehrmacht soldiers. In 1935, by order of the People's Commissariat of Defense of December 3, new uniforms and insignia were introduced for the entire personnel of the Red Army.

The Soviet system of insignia is unique. This practice is not found in the armies of other countries of the world, and it was, perhaps, the only innovation of the communist government; otherwise, the order was copied from the rules of army insignia of tsarist Russia. The insignia of the first two decades of the existence of the Red Army were buttonholes, which were later replaced by shoulder straps. The rank was determined by the shape of the triangles, squares, rhombuses under the star,

They do not emit a warlike roar, they do not sparkle with a polished surface, they are not decorated with chased coats of arms and plumes, and quite often they are generally hidden under jackets. However, today, without this armor, unsightly in appearance, it is simply unthinkable to send soldiers into battle or ensure the safety of VIPs. Body armor is clothing that prevents bullets from entering the body and therefore protects a person from being shot. It is made from materials that scatter

In the last century, during the Soviet Union, there was a higher rank of generalissimo. However, this title was not awarded to any person during the entire existence of the Soviet Union, except for Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin. The proletarian people themselves asked for this man to be awarded the highest military rank for all his services to the Motherland. This happened after the unconditional surrender of Nazi Germany in the 45th year. Soon that the working people asked for such an honor

We will have to start the story about the introduction of insignia in the Soviet army with some general questions. In addition, a short digression into the history of the Russian state will be useful in order not to formulate empty references to the past. The shoulder straps themselves are a kind of product that is worn on the shoulders in order to indicate the position or rank, as well as the type of troops and service affiliation. This is carried out in several ways by fastening straps, stars, making gaps, chevrons.

The era, a couple of decades long, which begins after the Bolsheviks came to power, marked itself with numerous changes in the life of the former Empire. The reorganization of practically all structures of peaceful and military activities turned out to be a rather lengthy and contentious process. In addition, from the course of history, we know that immediately after the revolution, Russia was swept by a bloody civil war, in which there was intervention. It is hard to imagine that the original rows

Even during the Second World War, detachments of marines instilled terror in German soldiers. Since then, the second name black death or black devils has been attached to the latter, indicating the inevitable reprisal against those who encroach on the integrity of the state. Perhaps this nickname is somehow connected with the fact that the infantryman wore a black pea jacket. Only one thing is known for certain if the enemy is afraid, then this is already the lion's share of victory, and, as you know, the motto is considered a symbol of the marines

Considering all the stages of the creation of the Russian armed forces, it is necessary to delve deeply into history, and although during the time of the principalities there is no question of Russian empire and even more so about the regular army, the birth of such a thing as defense capability begins precisely from this era. In the XIII century, Rus' was represented by separate principalities. Although their military squads were armed with swords, axes, spears, sabers and bows, they could not serve as a reliable defense against extraneous encroachments. United army

Even before the First World War, a uniform appeared in the Russian army, consisting of a protective color of trousers, a shirt-tunic, an overcoat and boots. We have seen her more than once in films about the Civil and Great Patriotic Wars. Soviet uniform from World War II. Since then, several uniform reforms have been carried out, but they mainly affected only the dress uniform. The edgings, shoulder straps, buttonholes changed in uniforms, and the field uniform remained practically unchanged.

Organs and internal troops of the NKVD 1935-1937. Let me remind you that the Internal Troops have undergone numerous reorganizations, renamings, etc. over the years of their existence. With the creation immediately after the October 1917 coup of the Council of People's Commissars, the Council of People's Commissars was immediately created as one of the thirteen people's commissariats, the People's Commissariat for Internal Affairs of the Russian Republic of the NKVD. Then it became known as the NKVD of the RSFSR. Then, as the union republics formed, they added

The Workers 'and Peasants' Red Army of the Red Army entered the Second World War in the uniform of the 1935 model. At about the same time, Wehrmacht soldiers acquired their familiar appearance. In 1935, by order of the People's Commissariat of Defense of December 3, new uniforms and insignia were introduced for the entire personnel of the Red Army. The former official ranks by category were abolished, personal old ones were established for commanders, while they were partly preserved for military-political, military-technical,

In the Red Army, two types of buttonholes were used - everyday color and field protective. There were also differences in the buttonholes of the commanding and commanding staff, so that it was possible to distinguish the commander from the chief. Field buttonholes were introduced by order of the USSR NKO 253 of August 1, 1941, which abolished the wearing of colored insignia for all categories of military personnel. It was ordered to switch to buttonholes, emblems and insignia of a completely green camouflage color.

Soviet mountain gunners in ambush. Caucasus. 1943 Based on the significant combat experience gained during the Great Patriotic War, the Main Directorate of Combat Training of the Main Directorate of Combat Training of the GUBP of the Red Army Ground Forces undertook a fundamental solution to the issues of providing the latest weapons and equipment of the Soviet infantry. In the summer of 1945, a meeting was held in Moscow to discuss all the problems facing combined arms commanders. At this meeting, presentations were made by

Different kinds small arms and bladed weapons that were in service with partisans Trophy weapons of partisans Various independent alterations of copies of Soviet and captured weapons Actions of partisans behind enemy lines, damage to power lines, posting propaganda leaflets, reconnaissance, destruction of traitors. Ambushes behind enemy lines, destruction of enemy columns and manpower Undermining bridges and railways, methods

As a result of the adoption of two decrees on December 15, 1917, the Council of People's Commissars abolished all the ranks and military ranks in the Russian army that remained from the previous regime. The period of the formation of the Red Army. First insignia. Thus, all the soldiers of the Workers 'and Peasants' Red Army organized as a result of the order of January 15, 1918 no longer had any uniform military uniform, as well as special insignia. Nevertheless, in the same year, a badge was introduced for the fighters of the Red Army

Insignia of the Red Army, 1917-24 1. Patch of the infantry, 1920-24. 2. Armband of the Red Guard, 1917. 3. Sleeve patch of the Kalmyk cavalry units of the South-Eastern Front, 1919-20. 4. Chest sign Red Army, 1918-22 5. Patch of the escort guards of the Republic, 1922-23. 6. Sleeve insignia of the internal troops of the OGPU, 1923-24. 7. Patch of armored parts Eastern front, 1918-19 8. Commander's sleeve patch

On the basis of the adopted norms, in a secret mode, a detailed regulation was being prepared on the supply of clothing equipment to the army leading fighting. On June 30, 1941, hastily finalized in connection with the unexpected German attack on the USSR, this information was announced by the chief quartermaster's circular for the information of the entire Red Army. However, at that moment the question was not of supplying the front, but of saving front-line supplies from those areas where the troops were retreating. The beginning of the war was

The uniform of the Red Army 1918-1945 is the fruit of the joint efforts of a group of enthusiastic artists, collectors, and researchers who devote all their free time and money to one common idea. Recreating the realities of the era that disturbs their hearts provides an opportunity to approach the truthful perception of the central event of the 20th century of World War II, which undoubtedly continues to have a profound impact on modern life. Decades of deliberate misrepresentation experienced by our people

We continue to talk about the uniform of the Red Army. This publication will focus on the period 1943-1945, that is, the very height of the Great Patriotic War, attention is paid to changes in the form Soviet soldier that took place in 1943. Senior sergeant of the Air Force with his father, who is a major. Winter and summer uniforms, 1943 and later. The winter tunic looks neat and clean, the summer one is dirty

In the early days. following the Great October Socialist Revolution of 1917, the Bolsheviks began to form armed detachments from proletarians of manual labor, sailors of the tsarist fleet and deserters of the Imperial Russian army. These detachments became known as the Red Guard. February 23, 1918 is considered the official date of the creation of the Red Army. Until 1946, the armed forces were officially called the Workers 'and Peasants' Red Army. Red Army, since 1946 the Soviet Army.

Commanders Vasily Ivanovich Chuikov Born on February 12, 1900 in Serebryanye Prudy, near Venev, Vasily Ivanovich Chuikov was the son of a peasant. From the age of 12, he worked as an apprentice saddler, and when he was 18, he joined the Red Army. In 1918, during civil war, he participated in the defense of Tsaritsyn later - Stalingrad, and in 1919 joined the CPSU b and was appointed regiment commander. In 1925 Chuikov graduated military academy them. M.V. Frunze, then participated

Insignia of the USSR. What military ranks were in the army of the USSR, what shoulder straps were worn by soldiers. Senior command and command staff

Sources and literature.

Military ranks of the Workers 'and Peasants' Red Army

Stalin's strange decision

Military ranks in the 50s - 80s of the century

Sources and literature

Collection of ideal social studies essays

Anti-Soviet rebellion in Hungary (1956)