Titles for a soldier define itofficial position and legal status, that is, his rights, powers and duties. Military ranks provide for the principle of seniority and subordination. Titles are assigned to the military in accordance with their professional training, position in the service, official status, seniority, and merit.
Titles for the military are one of the most importantmotivators of military service, personnel placement and their most effective use. The presence of ranks in the army establishes the relationship of seniority and subordination between the military. A specific military rank gives the soldier the right to a certain allowance and material support, to receive certain benefits.
You can determine the rank of a military man by the signs of distinction. They are shoulder straps, buttonholes and chevrons.
Since the creation of the Red Army (the abbreviation:Workers and Peasants' Red Army) it became necessary to introduce military ranks. Since 1918, as the Red Army developed and strengthened in the army, the names of military ranks and insignia changed several times. Only in 1939-1940 they were finally established, and these titles of the Red Army did not change until 1943.
In December 1917, a new government abolished military ranks in the army by decree. And it was decided to form a new type of army. A decree on this was adopted in early 1918.
In the initial period in the Red Army commanderThe composition was elective. But in the conditions of the growing Civil War, the formation of the armed forces of the young republic began on the principle of conscription. In this situation, it has become urgently necessary to move away from the principle of elected commanders.
It was decided to restore the principle of unity of command in the army and introduce military ranks in the army. The first to strengthen the discipline in his units was the military rank of the division No. 18, I. P. Uborevich
He was warmly supported by the founder of the Red Army,Chairman of the Revolutionary Military Council of the Republic Lev Davidovich Trotsky. It took almost a year to develop and approve a uniform military uniform and decals for the commanders of the army. The first military ranks and insignia of the Red Army were based on their positions. And so that the position of the serviceman was visible, the signs sewn onto the sleeves (diamonds, squares and triangles) were approved.
Warrior rank | Category in the Red Army | Signs on the sleeves | Occupied position |
Private | Red Army man | No signs | Private |
Comot | Comot and equated to him | Star and triangle | Commander branches |
Pomkomvzvoda | Pomkomvzvoda and equated to them | Star and two triangles | Assistant platoon com |
Foreman | Foreman and equated to him | Star and three triangles | Company Chief |
Substation | Submarine and equated to it | Star and square | Commander platoon |
Commerce, Comasca | Commerce and equated to him | Star and two squares | Company commander, Squadron commander |
Combat | Combat and equated to him | Star and three squares | Battalion commander |
Kompolka | Regiment and equated to them | Star and four squares | Regiment commander |
Kombrig | Kombrig, Pomnachiv and equated to them | Star and rhombus | Brigade commander |
Having started | Started and equated to them | Star and two rhombus | Division Head |
Commander | Commander, pomkomfrontta, pomkomkrug and equated to them | Star and three rhombus | Army commander |
Comfronte | Star and four rhombus | Front commander |
Все различительные знаки в соответствии с Order No. 116 of the Revolutionary Military Council of the Republic sewed on the left sleeves of clothing. A little later, the RVSR approves a new military uniform, uniform for the entire Red Army: overcoat, tunic and headdress (“budenovka”). In general, the clothes of an ordinary Red Army man and commanders did not differ significantly. Only insignia indicated the position held.
During the Civil War, the established form inThe Red Army was used along with the uniforms of the tsarist army, civilian clothes and other garments stylized under military style.
At the end of the Civil War begangradual transition of the whole army to uniform uniform sample. It was decided to reduce the cost of production of military uniforms, to eliminate unnecessary elements. In May 1924, summer cotton hats and summer tunic shirts without chest colored flaps, but with two patch pockets on the chest, arrived for military uniform. Almost all items of military clothing have changed.
They set that on the collars of the tunic andJackets sewn cloth buttonholes of rectangular shape, corresponding to the color of the armed forces with the edging of a different shade. The size of the buttonholes determined 12.5 cm by 5.5 cm. The buttonholes sewn onto the collar of the overcoats resembled a rhombus with unequal sides 13 cm by 12.5 cm.
On the buttonholes, along with signs of distinction by category, were attached emblems by specialty of a military man. The size of emblems in size should not be larger than 3 x 3 cm.
Order of the Revolutionary Council of the USSR No. 807 from the middle1924 abolished the sleeve valves with signs indicating the position held by the military, and introduced buttonholes with signs corresponding to the assigned category and the corresponding emblems indicating the specialty of the military. Subsequently, these orders were supplemented with additional orders (№850 and №862). Developed and approved categories. All military personnel were divided into four groups:
Each group, in turn, was divided into categories.
1. Junior commanding and commanding staff:
2. The average commanding and commanding staff:
3. Senior commanding and commanding staff:
4. The highest commanding and commanding staff:
The Council of People's Commissars in 1935decree announces the next reform in the armed forces of the USSR, specifying titles and signs in the Red Army. Established personal ranks of the military.
Учреждается высшее звание – Маршал Советского union. The hallmark for the marshals was the big star on the buttonholes. Simultaneously with the establishment of new military ranks, the command and commanding composition of the Armed Forces is divided into the following areas of service activity:
1. Command.
2. Military-political.
3. Commander, who, in turn, was divided into:
Distinguishing marks on military uniform mainlyhave not been changed. Belonging to one service or family of troops indicated the color of the buttonholes and emblems. Command personnel of all levels sewed a chevron on the sleeves in the form of a corner. The distinctive signs of the various titles on the buttonholes were rhombuses for higher composition, rectangles for the senior composition, squares for the average composition and triangles for the younger composition. An ordinary soldier on his buttonhole did not have insignia.
Знаки персональных званий всех составов servicemen proceeded from previous ranks. So, for example, the two "Kubar" lieutenants on their buttonholes had a junior political officer, military technician of the second rank, junior warlord, etc. The specified ranks of the Red Army existed until 1943. In 1943, moved away from the "bulky" military ranks. For example, instead of the title of "military paramedic" introduced the title of "lieutenant of medical service."
In 1940, continuing the process of assigningpersonal military ranks, the government of the USSR approves the ranks for junior and senior command levels. The titles of sergeants, foremen, lieutenant colonels and generals are legalized.
The Worker-Peasant Red Army met the aggression of fascist Germany in 1941, having the following military insignia on the uniform:
Military ranks of the Red Army | Signs | |
On the buttonhole | On the sleeve | |
Red Army man | Absent | Absent |
The corporal | One yellow clearance in the middle of the buttonhole | |
Lance Sergeant | 1 triangle | Absent |
Sergeant | 2 triangles | |
Staff Sergeant | 3 triangles | |
Foreman | 4 triangles | |
Ensign | One square | Upper square red 10 mm, 1 square from yellow galloon 4 mm, three-millimeter red edging below |
Lieutenant | 2 squares | 2 squares of yellow galloon 4 mm, red clearance between them in 7 mm, three-millimeter red border below |
Senior Lieutenant | Three squares | 3 squares of yellow galloon 4 mm, red gaps between them 5 mm each, a three-millimeter red border below |
Captain | Rectangle | 2 squares from yellow galloon, 6 mm, red clearance between them in 10 mm, three-millimeter red border below |
Major | Two rectangle | 2 squares from yellow galloon: upper 6 mm, lower 10 mm, red gap between them in 10 mm, three-millimeter red border below |
Lieutenant colonel | Three rectangle | 2 squares from yellow galloon: upper 6 mm, lower 10 mm, red gap between them in 10 mm, three-millimeter red border below |
Colonel | Four rectangle | 3 squares from yellow galloon: upper and middle 6mm, lower 10mm, red gaps between them at 7mm, three-millimeter red border at the bottom |
Major General | 2 small yellow stars | Small yellow star, one square from yellow galloon 32 mm, three-millimeter edging below |
Lieutenant general | 3 small yellow stars | Small yellow star, one square from yellow galloon 32 mm, three-millimeter edging below |
Colonel general | 4 small yellow stars | Small yellow star, one square from yellow galloon 32 mm, three-millimeter edging below |
Army General | 5 small yellow stars | A big yellow star, one square of yellow galloon, 32 mm, above the galloon, a red square of 10 mm |
Marshal of the Soviet Union | Big yellow star above the square of oak leaves | A big yellow star, two squares of yellow galloon on a red field. Between galloons oak branches. Below is a red edging. |
The above distinctive signs and titles of the Red Army until 1943 did not change.
In the pre-war years, the NK Internal Affairs consisted of several main directorates (GU): the State Security Directorate, the Internal Security Directorate and the Border Troops, the Glavk Workers 'and Peasants' Police, and others.
In parts of the internal guard and border troopsmilitary posts and ranks were, as in the Red Army. And in the police, the state security in connection with the specifics of the tasks performed were special titles. If you relate, for example, special ranks in state security bodies with army ranks, you get the following: the state security sergeant was equated to the lieutenant of the Red Army, the state security captain to the colonel, and so on.
Thus, since the very formation of the RepublicThe Soviets of the Red Army have always been in the field of special attention of the top leadership of the country. Not only was the weapons and equipment improved, but the equipment of the servicemen was also improved. The photographs show that the 1941 Red Army soldier strikingly differs in clothing and outfit from the 1918 Red Army man. But the military ranks of the Red Army themselves before 1943 were repeatedly changed.
And in 1943, as a result of cardinal reforms, the abbreviation of the Red Army (decoding: Workers 'and Peasants' Red Army) is a thing of the past. The term "Soviet Army" (SA) came into use.
