THE RED ARMY INFANTRYMAN

The largest ground army of the present day is the Red Army. We may better understand it and its capabilities if we know something about the individual soldier in that army; his origin and civilian training, what he gives and what he gets during his military service, and how and what he is taught in the army.
The Red Army soldier is first of all a Russian. He is the product of the special way of life that exists in the U.S.S.R. as the result of heritage from the past and of present conditions. Some 180 nationalities are included in the U.S.S.R. The Krasnoarmeets (the Red Army soldier) may be any of these nationalities, for every male citizen of the U.S.S.R. is equally liable for military service. Under the Universal Military Service law of 1939, all male citizens "regardless of race, nationality, religious belief, educational qualifications, social origin, and position" are subject to military service.
The Soviet Constitution, as well as the Universal Military Service Law, emphasizes the liability of every citizen for military service, for Article 133 states that "the defense of the fatherland is the sacred duty of every citizen of the U.S.S.R."
But from whatever nationality among the Russians he may come, the Red Army recruit goes into the actual military establishment already prepared to carry out his duties as a soldier. He has been a part in a gigantic training program since the first grade of school.
The average Red Army soldier has completed 10 years of schooling if he is from one of the major cities. If he is from a rural district, he will probably have had at least 7 years of schooling. All during these school years, he has been indoctrinated with the thought that military service is an honor and a patriotic obligation. He has been given military drill, and has had his body built up through exercise all through the first 7 years of school. From the eight through the tenth grades, he has been given preconscription training that is similar to our C.M.T.C. program, but more intensive. The program includes some small-arm range training, 2 weeks of summer military camps, and some company tactics. In short, the Red Army soldier gets a large share of what we call "basic training" before he enters the army.
The recruit is called for his period of military service at the age of 19, or at 18 if he has finished middle school (comparable to our high school) at that age. Certain deferments are granted to those not physically fit and to scientists, rural school teachers, and certain essential workers.
In the army, he serves a period of 2 years. Following the period of active service he goes on an "extended furlough." During that time he may go home and hold a job, but is subject to immediate recall in case of emergency, and is subject to brief training periods. The period of extended furlough lasts from the end of the period of active service, until such time as a total of 5 years of military service is completed.
During his period of active service, the soldier undergoes an intensive program of training. He receives training in weapons and tactics, plus a large amount of subjective training and political indoctrination.
The noncommissioned officer in the Red Army is a product of schools that are similar in purpose and operation to our own regimental NCO schools. Noncommissioned officers must serve a period of 3 years, rather than 2 as do the privates. Most students of the noncommissioned schools are selected from among volunteers, though some may be detailed to the school. Before World War II, the NCO school lasted for 9 months. During the war, the time was reduced to 3 months. The working day was increased however from 8 hours to 10 to 12 hours.

The average Red Army recruit enters military service with a good background of preinduction training. He is also well indoctrinated politically, but as a person he is not unlike many an American G.I.
Officers may come from the ranks or from civil life. In either case, the officer is the product of a series of officer schools. Entrance to the schools is based on educational qualifications or upon the passing of an entrance examination. If successful, the candidate will graduate as a junior lieutenant after 2 years. During the war, the period was reduced to 6 months. Further military education is highly selective and competitive and the officer must show his worth before he is admitted to the higher service schools.
Discipline is strict in the Red Army, though under combat conditions there was not too great a difference made between company-grade officers and enlisted men. A deliberate effort is being made to foster an officer corps, and officers are now receiving many privileges that were not accorded to their predecessors before the beginning of World War II.
The Red Army infantryman travels light. He has a minimum of personal equipment. Tents are seldom used and shelter is improvised from local materials. He has been taught the elimination of nonessentials, and improvisation to meet his needs.

The Red Army infantryman travels light. He has a minimum of personal equipment. His uniform is simple and comfortable, consisting primarily of a pullover jacket, baggy trousers, and high-top boots.
Normally the infantryman is armed with a rifle, carbine, or submachine gun. The water-cooled Maxim is the standard heavy machine gun, while the M1927 Degtyarev is the standard light machine gun used by the infantry squad. Some automatic rifles are carried. All small arms are caliber 7.62 millimeter. While many mortars are used in the Red Army, it is not normally considered an infantry weapon and the mortar crew does not come from the infantry. The Red Army infantrymen's weapons are good, and he has proven that he can use them effectively and well.
Though many an American G.I. will grunt derisively when told that other people walk more than he does, it is true that the Soviet infantryman must depend upon his feet for much of his transportation. There are not as many vehicles assigned to infantryman units in the Red Army as in the U.S., and the majority of those assigned must be used for supply, and as prime movers for artillery and antiaircraft guns, and to haul ammunition.
The Red Army soldier has, like his American counterpart, been granted many benefits as a veteran. During his active service career, however, his pay appears to be a pittance by U.S. standards. The Red Army private receives a total of 600 rubles per year, which is very difficult to access in U.S. dollars, since purchasing power of the ruble to the average Soviet citizen is almost nil. Pay scales range from that of the private to that of a General of the Army, which is 60,000 rubles per year. The equivalent of a private first class receives 1,000 rubles per year; a corporal, 2,000 rubles; a sergeant, 3,000 rubles; a first sergeant, 4,200 rubles. The discrepancy between officer and enlisted pay is great. The first lieutenant receives 12.5 times the pay of a private, or 7,700 rubles per year.
The base pay of Red Army personnel is computed according to the position held, as well as the rank. For instance, a captain's base pay may vary from 8,700 rubles to 9,600 rubles depending upon whether he is an infantry company commander or a mortar company commander. Extra pay is given for long service.

Not all of the Soviet G.I.'s are men. Women, such as the soldier shown here (above, right) have a place among Red Army ground troops. Although most women soldiers are in service and medical units, some have played a combat role.
Certain units receive higher pay than others. Guards units, which have distinguished themselves in action, receive double pay in the ranks. There are additional kinds of extra pay for front-line service, up to 100 percent increase over base pay. For instance, in 1942, anti-tank gunners received an increase of 100 percent in their base pay (officers 75 percent) and also got bonuses for each enemy tank destroyed.
Certain extra pay benefits are given those who hold decorations. Decorations also carry with them other benefits, such as free transportation on public conveyances and one round trip ticket per year on the railroads.
As a part of his pay, the soldier receives, in addition, a ration of cigarettes and vodka, movie and theater tickets, and free toilet articles.
The uniform of the Red Army soldier is simple and comfortable. The overhanging shirt, secured at the waist by a wide belt, and the overseas cap with the Red Star emblem are familiar objects to the reader of the daily paper. However, during the war a wide mixture of military and civilian clothing was necessary.
Officers and men wear similar uniforms in the field, but an effort is being made to provide a distinctive officer uniform for garrison and off-duty use.
Both officer and enlisted men wear shoulder boards which carry the rank insignia and the color of the branch of service or grade. Olive drab boards are supposed to be worn in the field, but quite often the brighter, dress boards were used. In combat, the Red Army men preferred the overseas cap to the helmet, and the overseas cap was more often worn.
Various special units have their own distinctive insignia and dress. The winter uniform include the well-known parka and white overpants. Fur hats, padded jackets and overcoats are common articles of winter issue.
Guards badges, signifying crack organizations, and wound stripes are worn on the right-hand side of the blouse. Other decorations are worn on the left. The Red Army man wears the medal, rather than the ribbon as do the U.S. troops.
The rations of the Red Army are not elaborate, but are nourishing and heavy. Standard are rich soups and stews of vegetables and meat, garnished with sour cream if possible. One common dish is "kasha," a sort of porridge of buckwheat. In time of war, living off the country is an established practice of the Red Army.
During his entire army career, and before and after, the Red Army man is subjected to instruction in the doctrines and political philosophy of the Communist Party. Many hours of the preconscription training are devoted to political subjects, and during his army career the soldier hears lectures, sees films, and reads literature prepared to educate him in the accepted soviet political thought. In addition, he receives much instruction in the history and traditions of the Red Army. He is also taught to hate the enemy through lectures and films on enemy atrocities. He hears much of heroic acts of the Red Army and of individual Red Army soldiers.
Women play a definite part in the Red Army. Many service troops are women, and much of the cooking of infantry units is done by women. As distinguished from purely the service troops, many women have been used as snipers and in guerrilla fighting. There have been some instances of women being used as combat unit commanders. Red Army nursing personnel quite often operate much closer to the actual fighting than is customary in other armies, and there have been many instances of the nurses accompanying units in combat, much as our battalion aid men do.
This end product of a continuous training cycle, the Red Army soldier, is a hard, determined, courageous individual who is eager to defend Russia. This obligation has been pointed up by the oath that he now takes individually, and not collectively as was the past practice. Usually on Red Army Day, the 1st of May, the Krasnoarmeets, rededicates himself by repeating his enlistment oath.

Chow in the Red Army is not elaborate, but is nourishing and heavy. Standard are rich soups and stews of vegetables and meat. One common dish is "kasha," a sort of buckwheat porridge.There are a great number of men prepared to carry out the provisions of that oath. The present strength of the Red Army is near the 6,000,000 mark, and behind the men on active service are large numbers of reservists, many of whom are combat veterans of World War II.

Lone Sentry: The Red Army Infantryman (WWII U.S. Intelligence Bulletin, June 1946)

 

Hmmm. Several years ago I read a book written by a defector detailing the Soviet soldier in the Cold War. From what you've posted, many of the stuff that mentioned here were still being done as late as the 1970s and 1980s, if I remember the book right. Thanks for the info. This post helps me get a clearer picture of the evolution of the post World War II Soviet Army.

 

I was born and raised in former USSR, served in the military (1986-1988). So I am really curious were did you get your info from and what time period is it about? If I understand correctly it is all about pre-WW2 time period?
Thanks,

 

Interesting book on the subject:

Amazon.co.uk: Ivan's War: Inside The Red Army, 1939-45: Catherine Merridale: Books

 

Its from a 1946 US Military publication.

"The Red Army Infantryman" from Intelligence Bulletin

[SIZE=-1]The individual Red Army soldier; his origin and civilian training, compensation, service requirements, and training, from the Intelligence Bulletin, June 1946. [Editor's Note: The following article is wartime information on foreign military forces published for Allied soldiers. In many cases, more accurate data on is available in postwar publications.] [/SIZE]

 

Thanks Jeff . I do try and provide the sources for almost all my info and statements lol.

 

Howdy Minsk and welcome to the forum. I do have a question for you. How would you describe the differences of life in the Red Army during the time you served compared to that of wartime?

 

Howdy to you too, and thanks!
For this and future posts, please, excuse my bad English...
I will try to give more detailed feedback from my service experiences over this weekend, but please keep one thing in mind: the branch I served in (VV MVD) is in juristiction of Department of Internal Affairs, not Department of Defence. Lots of things were the same as in regular Armed Forces, but also lots of things were different because we were train to deal with different type of war (such as non-existing front lines, for example, Chechnja) and different missions.

 

No problem on the language. In the late 80's I was on a mission to go to the USSR with the inspectors in accordance with the SALT II treaty and we had GRU escorts. Were they the Military version of the KGB? Is this something similar to what you were assigned?

 

Something like that. Glavoe Razvedovatel'noe Upravlenie (GRU) stands for "Main Reconnaissance/Intelligence Administration". As far as I know, GRU is under DOD and itself is military in it's "nature", while KGB is totally independent organization and was more about politics.
KGB is pretty much what our Homeland Security Admin. might evolve in... Just like in old communist song: "who was nothing became everything." :bow:
But that is topic for a different forum.

 

GRU is the Army intelligence branch, MVD (to which Minsk94 here belonged to) is Department (ministerium) of Internal Affairs, KGB you know about already

GRU - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
KGB - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

Dabro pajalivat Minsk

 

Oh dont tell me you missed me....

 

Can't keep a good man down. Or a bad man for that matter.

 

I've read a lot about Russian soldiers, the article is old because there is little propaganda in it, I would think shortly after WW2. They are quite a tough bunch still. My brother in law was in the airborn, assigned as an infantryman to an airportable BMD-2 unit in the 90s.

Last time we talked he had little to say that was nice about it. That was the 90s though. He hated it. My wifes father who was in it in the 50s was a driver in an ISU-152 and he really has the more normal love/hate relationship you would expect. He said that each battalion had its own little farm, raised its own pigs ect or when on the move they could requisition stuff from collective farms if need be. They were not supposed to live off of the civilian population but there was always barter going on, especially fuel for vodka bartering. They would do chores for the towns people for a little money or in exchange for wanted items. The food they had available was never as good as what the women in the villages made so thats understandable. Along with other reasons for being there.
I guess the farms were always tended by FNGs, beatings were meted out if another group (your neighbors over the hill or up the road) of soldiers stole pigs or vegetables from them, raiding the gardens of other groups was a sport, getting caught by the other group was a beating. You guarded your farm 24hrs a day and you looked for ways to raid the other guys garden 24 hours a day. I guess it was like a little war, good experience too.
This is what he talks about most, I asked him if it was hard or inhuman and he said no, it was not the best life but then what soldier wants to be a soldier?
I wish I could've understood more, even with Anna translating her english wasn't that good. It was very interesting though.

 

Its from a 1946 US Military publication.

"The Red Army Infantryman" from Intelligence Bulletin

[SIZE=-1]The individual Red Army soldier; his origin and civilian training, compensation, service requirements, and training, from the Intelligence Bulletin, June 1946. [Editor's Note: The following article is wartime information on foreign military forces published for Allied soldiers. In many cases, more accurate data on is available in postwar publications.] [/SIZE]

 

I remember something that was said to Feldermarschall Erhard Milch in WW1 by a russian POW.

"Prusski officer,Russki soldier- Whole world Kaput!!"