Frontal 100 grams myth or reality. Legendary one hundred grams
"People's Commissar's One Hundred Grams"- a well-known expression from the description of the life of the military period. It is present in today's memoirs of veterans of the Great Patriotic War ( especially fake veterans). Writers who work in the field of military topics relish write about front-line vodka, commanders love to treat distinguished soldiers to it in feature films. For pseudo-historians, blackening both our army and our war, vodka is an excellent occasion to colorfully paint stories about drunken Red Army men going on the attack, mocking cute German women.
Some blame vodka, and at the same time Stalin, that, accustomed to daily drinking at the front, the soldiers, returning home, became drunkards, became alcoholics, lost their human appearance.
Yes, and true front-line soldiers about the people's commissar hundred grams tell the most different things. There is no unity in their memories. Some of them prove that they never even smelled vodka at the front, while others brag about the liters they drink.
And how was it really? In order not to argue and not to prove that it all happened, or quite the opposite, I will cite several documents from the war period. Basically, these are original documents of 1941-42. For 43-45 years, there are few documents on this subject, mostly minor clarifications on the type of issuance of vodka to scouts.
It is possible that the decree of the State Defense Committee of November 42 operated without significant changes until the end of the war. There may have been subsequent decisions. But whatever it is, read what is there and draw your own conclusions.
On the introduction of vodka for supply in the current Red Army
Establish from September 1, 1941. issuance of vodka 40 degrees in the amount of 100g. per day per person (Red Army soldier) and the commanding staff of the front line troops of the army.
GKO Chairman I. Stalin
I just want to draw the reader's attention to the fact that the people's commissar of defense has nothing to do with it, this is the decision of the State Defense Committee that they gave out vodka only in the active army and only to those who are at the forefront. In the rear districts one could only dream of vodka.
And where did the famous expression "people's commissar's one hundred grams" come from? And why precisely "commissar"?
Perhaps because the army was usually more familiar with the orders of the People's Commissar of Defense than with the decisions of the GKO. Following the Decree of the GKO, an NPO order comes out, which was probably brought to the attention of the personnel:
On the issuance of 100 grams of vodka per day to frontline servicemen of the active army.
In pursuance of the decision of the State Defense Committee of August 22, 1941 No. 562ss, I order:
1. From September 1, 1941, to issue 40 ° vodka in the amount of 100 grams per person per day to the Red Army and the commanding staff of the front line of the army in the field. The flight crew of the Red Army Air Force, performing combat missions, and the engineering and technical staff serving the field airfields of the army in the field, should be given vodka on a par with units of the front line.
2. Military councils of fronts and armies:
a) organize the issuance of vodka only for those contingents that are determined by the decision of the State Defense Committee, and strictly control its exact implementation:
b) ensure the timely delivery of vodka to the front lines of the active troops and organize reliable protection of its stocks in the field;
c) at the expense of the economic apparatus of the units and subdivisions, select special persons who will be responsible for the correct distribution of vodka portions, accounting for the consumption of vodka and maintaining income and expenditure records;
d) order the front-line quartermasters to submit once a ten day to the Main Quartermaster Directorate information about the balances and monthly by the 25th day an application for the required amount of vodka. The application shall be based on the exact number of active front line troops, approved by the military councils of the fronts and armies.
3. The need for vodka for the month of September is determined by the Chief Quartermaster of the Red Army without submitting applications by the fronts. The order to put into effect by telegraph.
Deputy People's Commissar of Defense of the USSR
In the spring of 1942 the order of issuing vodka is changing. The order of the People's Commissar of Defense comes out, announcing a new decree of the State Defense Committee:
On the procedure for issuing vodka to the troops of the army.
1. I declare for the exact and steady implementation of the Decree of the State Defense Committee No. GOKO-1727s dated May 11, 1942 “On the procedure for issuing vodka to the troops of the army in the field” (in the appendix).
2. I entrust the military councils of fronts and armies, commanders of formations and units with responsibility for the correct appointment and distribution of vodka for the allowance of military personnel in accordance with the announced Decree of the State Defense Committee.
3. Order and Resolution of the GOKO to be put into effect by telegraph.
4. Order NCO No. 0320 of 1941 to cancel.
Lieutenant General of the quartermaster service KHRULEV
Application:
Decree of the State Defense Committee No. GOKO 1727c
1. Stop from May 15, 1942. mass daily issuance of vodka to the personnel of the troops of the army in the field.
3. To all other servicemen of the front line, the issuance of 100 g of vodka. per person to produce on the following revolutionary and national holidays: November 7-8, December 5, January 1, February 23, May 1-2, July 19 (National Athlete's Day), August 16 (Aviation Day), September 6 (International Youth Day ), as well as on the day of the regimental holiday (formation of the unit).
I.Stalin
Note that now vodka is only at the forefront, and only for those who achieved success that day, i.e. attacked to no avail. Everyone else only on holidays. In units located outside the rear of the front, only seagulls.
GKO Decree No. 1889
In a change to the GKO resolution of May 11 of this year. The State Defense Committee decides:
1. Stop from May 15, 1942. mass daily issuance of vodka to the personnel of the troops of the army in the field.
3. To all other servicemen of the front line, the issuance of 100 g of vodka. produce on revolutionary and national holidays.
4. Decree of the State Defense Committee of August 22, 1941 No. 562 cancel.
I.Stalin
That's it. By 200 On the day, Stalin thought it was too much, and now vodka is only on the offensive.
Following is the order of the People's Commissar of Defense on this matter:
Order of NPO USSR
On the procedure for storing and issuing vodka to the troops of the army
Despite repeated instructions and categorical demands on the issuance of vodka in the army strictly for its intended purpose and in accordance with established standards, cases of illegal issuance of vodka still do not stop.
Vodka is issued to headquarters, commanders and units that do not have the right to receive it. Some commanders of units and formations and commanders of headquarters and departments, taking advantage of their official position, take vodka from warehouses, regardless of orders and established procedures. Control over the consumption of vodka by the military councils of the fronts and armies is poorly established. Accounting for vodka in units and warehouses is in an unsatisfactory state.
In accordance with the decision of the State Defense Committee of June 6, No. GOKO-1889s, I order:
1. The issuance of 100 grams of vodka per person per day should be made to servicemen only of those units of the front line that are conducting offensive operations.
2. To all other military personnel of the front line, the issuance of vodka in the amount of 100 grams per person should be made on the following revolutionary and public holidays: on the anniversary of the Great October Socialist Revolution - November 7 and 8, on Constitution Day - December 5, on New Year's Day - January 1 , on the day of the Red Army - February 23, on the days of the International Workers' Day - May 1 and 2, on the All-Union Athlete's Day - July 19, on the All-Union Aviation Day - August 16, and also on the day of the regimental holiday (formation of the unit).
3. The release of vodka to armies and formations should be made only with the permission of the chief of logistics of the Red Army on the instructions of the General Staff of the Red Army, on the proposals of the military councils of the fronts and armies.
4. For the storage of vodka, organize special storage facilities at front-line and army food warehouses. Appoint a store manager and one storekeeper from among specially selected honest, verified persons who can ensure the complete safety of vodka. Seal storage facilities after receiving and discharging operations, put guards. Strictly verified persons should be assigned to the guard.
5. Heads of departments of food supply of the fronts and heads of departments of food supply of the armies, all the available vodka in the troops and in warehouses as of June 15, to be strictly accounted for and immediately transferred for storage to the corresponding front and army warehouses.
6. Registration of the release of vodka is carried out by the head of the Main Directorate of Food Supply of the Red Army through the heads of departments and departments of the food supply of the fronts and armies based on the instructions of the head of the rear of the Red Army on the timing of the issuance and the number of units that are allowed to issue vodka.
7. I entrust the military councils of fronts and armies, commanders and military commissars with responsibility for the correct storage, expenditure and accounting of vodka, vodka dishes and containers.
8. The order to put into effect by telegraph.
9. The order of the NCO of 1942 No. 0373 is canceled.
Deputy People's Commissar of Defense of the USSR
Lieutenant General of the quartermaster service KHRULEV
In November 1942 the order of issuing vodka is changing again. First, a GKO decree is issued, and then a new order of the People's Commissar of Defense
1. Start from November 25, 1942. the issuance of vodka to the troops of the army in the following order:
a) 100 g. per person per day: units engaged in direct combat operations and located in the trenches at the forefront; intelligence units; artillery and mortar units attached to and supporting infantry and located in firing positions; combat aircraft crews in the performance of their combat mission;
b) 50g. per person per day: regimental and divisional reserves; subdivisions and units of combat support performing work at the forefront; units performing responsible tasks in special cases, and the wounded, who are in the institutions of the field medical service, as directed by doctors.
2. To all other servicemen of the active army, the issuance of vodka in the amount of 100g. per person per day to produce on the days of revolutionary and national holidays specified by GKO Decree No. 1889 of June 6, 1942.
3. On the Transcaucasian front, instead of 100g. give out vodka 200g. fortified wine or 300g. table wine.
4. The military councils of the fronts and armies set monthly limits for the issuance of vodka.
I.Stalin
Order of NPO USSR No. 0883
On the issuance of vodka to military units of the army from November 25, 1942
1. In accordance with the resolution of the State Defense Committee dated November 12, 1942 No. 2507s from November 25 with. d. to start issuing vodka to the military units of the army in the following order:
a) 100 grams per person per day: subdivisions of units conducting direct combat operations and located in the trenches at the forefront; intelligence units; artillery and mortar units attached to and supporting infantry and located in firing positions; combat aircraft crews in the performance of their combat mission;
b) 50 grams per person per day: regimental and divisional reserves; subdivisions and units of combat support performing work at the forefront; units performing responsible tasks in special cases (construction and restoration of bridges, roads, etc. in especially difficult conditions and under enemy fire), and the wounded who are in the institutions of the field medical service, as directed by doctors.
2. To all military personnel of the active army, the issuance of vodka in the amount of 100 grams per person per day should be made on the days of revolutionary and public holidays, specified by the resolution of the GOKO No. 1889 of June 6, 1942.
3. On the Transcaucasian front, instead of 100 grams of vodka, issue 200 grams of fortified wine or 300 grams of table wine; instead of 50 grams of vodka, 100 grams of fortified wine or 150 grams of table wine.
4. The military councils of the fronts and armies, by orders of the front, the army, set monthly limits for the issuance of vodka to armies - units and produce consumption within the limit set for each month.
5. In spending the monthly limit of vodka, the fronts must report to the Main Directorate of Food Supply of the Red Army in order to receive a limit for the next month. In case of failure to submit a report by the fronts and consumption of vodka by the 10th day of the past month, the head of the Main Directorate of Food Supply of the Red Army for the next month should not ship vodka to the fronts that have not submitted a report.
6. Set a limit on the consumption of vodka for the fronts from November 25 to December 31, 1942 in accordance with the application.
7. Head of the Main Directorate of Food Supply of the Red Army, brig engineer comrade. Pavlov and the head of the Military Communications of the Red Army, Major General of the Technical Troops Comrade. Deliver vodka to Kovalev in the quantities provided for by the limit:
Southwestern, Don and Stalingrad fronts - by November 16, the rest of the fronts - by November 20 of this year.
8. To the head of the Main Directorate of Food Supply of the Red Army to establish constant control over the consumption of vodka in strict accordance with this order.
9. The military councils of the fronts and armies to organize the return of empty containers of vodka to vodka factories and bottling stations of the People's Commissariat of Food Industry attached to the fronts. Military units that have not returned the container should not release vodka.
10. The order to put into effect by telegraph.
Deputy People's Commissar of Defense of the USSR
Lieutenant General of the quartermaster service KHRULEV
Application.
VODKA CONSUMPTION LIMIT FOR SERVICE UNITS OF THE SERVICE ARMY FROM NOVEMBER 25 TO DECEMBER 31, 1942
Name of fronts and individual armies Vodka consumption limit (in liters):
Karelian Front - 364,000
7th Army - 99,000
Leningrad Front - 533,000
Volkhov Front - 407,000
Northwestern Front - 394,000
Kalinin Front - 690,000
Western Front - 980,000
Bryansk Front - 414,000
Voronezh Front - 381,000
Southwestern Front - 478,000
Don Front - 544,000
Stalingrad Front - 407,000
Transcaucasian Front - 1,200,000 (wine)
Total: 5,691,000
Order of NPO USSR No. 031
With the announcement of the norms and procedure for issuing vodka to the technical staff of the Air Force units of the army
In addition to the order of the NPO of 1942 No. 0883 * with the announcement of the norms and procedure for issuing vodka to the personnel of units of the army in the field, I order:
1. In units of the Air Force of the active army and in units of the Air Force based on the territory of military districts, but equated by orders of NGOs to units of the active army, 50 grams of vodka per day per person and technical staff should be dispensed only on the days of sorties for combat missions of aircraft directly serviced them at the airports.
2. The procedure for issuing vodka is established according to a personal list compiled by the command of the air unit, approved by the commander of the air division.
3. Order to announce by telegraph.
Deputy People's Commissar of Defense of the USSR
Order of NPO USSR No. 0323
On the procedure for issuing vodka to the troops of the army
In pursuance of the Decree of the State Defense Committee No. GOKO-3272s dated April 30, 1943, I order:
1. To stop from May 3, 1943, the mass daily distribution of vodka to the personnel of the troops of the army in the field.
2. The issuance of vodka at a rate of 100 grams per person per day should be made to servicemen only of those units of the front line that conduct offensive operations, and the military councils of the fronts and individual armies are responsible for determining which armies and formations to issue vodka.
3. To all other military personnel of the active army, the issuance of vodka in the amount of 100 grams per person per day should be made on the days of revolutionary and public holidays specified in the Decree of the GOKO No. 1889, paragraph 3 of June 6, 1942.
Deputy People's Commissar of Defense of the USSR
Colonel-General of the Quartermaster Service KHRULEV
Order of NPO USSR No. 0384
On the establishment of an additional allowance for military intelligence units at the front.
Taking into account a number of petitions from the military councils of the fronts and the request of the head of the Intelligence Directorate of the General Staff of the Red Army, Lieutenant General Kuznetsov F.F.
I order:
Military intelligence units at the front are to be satisfied not according to norm No. 9, as indicated in the order, but according to norm No. 1, with the issuance in addition to norm No. 1:
Sugar - 15 grams
Sala-bacon - 25 grams
Bread - 100 grams
Vodka - 100 grams
Vodka is issued only on the days of combat missions.
People's Commissar of Defense
Marshal of the Soviet Union I. STALIN
That's it. It doesn't hurt to walk around. There is no reason to blame front-line vodka for the fact that men drank themselves after the war. Under such and such conditions, you will not forget the taste of vodka for the war. And it doesn’t look like the fighters were drunk before the attack. And where else can you get vodka in the war? There are no shops at the front. The local population has nothing to eat, but will they transfer products for moonshine?
Sources and literature:
1. Russian Center for the Storage and Study of Documents of Contemporary History (RTSKHIDNI). Fund 644, inventory 1, files 7,34, 43, 69, 303.
2. Military-historical magazine No. 5-1995.
3.Institute of Military History of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation.Fund
4.Institute of Military History of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation. Fund:
4, inventory 11, case 71, sheet. 191 - 192.
4, inventory 11, file 65, sheet. 413-414.
In units at the forefront, the daily norm of issuing vodka per person reached 200 grams. Photo: Motherland
75 years ago - August 22, 1941 - the USSR State Defense Committee adopted a resolution "On the introduction of vodka for supply in the existing Red
Army". So the famous "People's Commissar's hundred grams" entered, which both ordinary front-line soldiers and generals left warm memories of.
"Vodka is not a luxury, but hygiene!"
There are no absolute teetotalers in war. “I did not try this potion until the winter of 1942,” writes N. Nikulin, who served in the Red Army from November 1941, “until the need forced me. On a frosty day, I fell into a frozen funnel and found myself up to my chest in ice water. There was nothing and nowhere to change into. The foreman saved me. He gave me dry linen (the tunic, overcoat and padded jacket were somehow dried by the fire), rubbed me with vodka and gave a glass of vodka inside, saying: "Vodka is not a luxury, but hygiene! "". In the abundance of such stories, alcohol appears precisely as "salvation", because the narrators know that not every freezing soldier had "a fire, dry linen or a foreman with vodka" at a critical moment.
Front-line soldiers are in solidarity that "vodka in battle, with physical and emotional overstrain is a cure for severe stress." A.V. Pyltsyn, who went through the war as a commander of a rifle platoon and company as part of an officer penal battalion of the 1st Belorussian Front, noted that when issuing alcohol, the combat situation and the physical condition of the military personnel were taken into account. Recalling the participation of his battalion in the Bagration operation, he wrote that due to severe overwork and three sleepless nights that had passed since the start of the offensive, the command staff was given an order from the battalion commander to explain to the soldiers why the people's commissar's "weave" of vodka was not issued before dinner. “The fact is that even these 100 grams of alcohol could aggravate the physical condition if they were taken on a very empty stomach and with such a degree of fatigue. Therefore, we were all given vodka only before the “forward” command was received again.” They drank from mugs, which were filled from standard half-litres, given out at the rate of one for 5 people.
To whom and how much - decided the order
The introduction of alcohol into the daily supply of frontline personnel occurred shortly after the start of the war. Decree of the State Defense Committee (GKO) of the USSR N 562 "On the introduction of vodka for supply in the active Red Army" of August 22, 1941 established, starting from September 1, 1941, the issuance of 40-degree vodka in the amount of 100 grams per person per day Red Army soldiers and commanding staff of the first line of the army (Order of the People's Commissariat of Defense (NPO) of the USSR N 0320 of August 25, 1941). The criteria for the release of vodka changed throughout the war. In 1942-1943. Several decrees of the State Defense Committee of the USSR and orders of the NCO of the USSR were adopted, which regulated a more stringent procedure for issuing vodka in the army and directed against abuses in its distribution.
So, on May 11, 1942, the State Defense Committee ordered to suspend the mass daily issuance of vodka from May 15 (Order NPO of the USSR N 0373 of May 12, 1942). Daily issuance was retained only for military personnel of the front line units who had success in hostilities, in addition, their norm increased to 200 grams of vodka per person per day. All other front line servicemen were entitled to 100 grams on revolutionary and public holidays. On November 12, 1942, by GKO resolution N 2507, 100 grams of vodka per person per day was supposed to be units engaged in direct combat operations (Order NPO USSR N 0883 of November 13, 1942). 50 grams each was supposed to be part of the reserve, support, performing responsible tasks, the wounded (as directed by doctors). The issuance of 100 grams of vodka to all military personnel on holidays was maintained. On the Transcaucasian front, instead of vodka, it was ordered to give out 200 grams of fortified wine or 300 grams of table wine. Order NPO USSR N 0323 dated May 2, 1943 determined the vodka ration of 100 grams per day per person for military personnel of only those parts of the front line that conduct offensive operations. All other servicemen of the active army were issued vodka in the amount of 100 grams only on the days of revolutionary and public holidays3.
A well-known fragment of the film "Only Old Men Go to Battle", where Grasshopper asks to replace compote with his legal 100 grams for a downed plane. Photo: frame from the film
"There are no non-drinkers here, but there are no drunkards either..."
In correspondence with their families, servicemen often spoke on the topic of alcohol consumption, usually reporting that they did not abuse it. Senior Lieutenant A.V. Pershtein, born in 1923, specifically emphasized in a letter to his parents that on the November 7 holiday he "drank no more than 50 grams for appetite (in general, I don't think I'm getting used to drinking vodka)"4. Private V.N. Tsoglin, born in 1925, wrote to his mother that he did not smoke, "but 200 grams is another matter." "Although I often give it to the guys, but sometimes a drink is necessary to raise the spirit. After that, something hot runs through the veins. After that, you do more and think less. It is necessary here."
And yet, wives and mothers were seriously afraid that, due to the regular use of alcohol, an addiction would not develop. The soldiers tried to dissuade them. Politruk D.A. Abaev reprimanded his wife: “With regard to drunkenness, your reminders turn into something bad and insulting ... If you repeat yourself in future letters, I won’t write a word. You need to understand that there are no non-drinkers here, but there are no drunkards, and if you come across such , then they will be demoted, imprisoned, judged and shot mercilessly"6.
Quite freely they wrote home about "Voroshilov's 100 grams" for the New Year, February 23, May 1 and November 7. In addition, they singled out those special holidays that came with the war. Member of the Battle of Stalingrad guards foreman V.V. Syrtsylin wrote to his wife in 1945: "Dear Zinok! Today is the second of February - the day of the defeat of the Germans in Stalingrad - this is our holiday - therefore today I am a little drunk and you will forgive me for this"7.
"I don't like drunk people even from a distance"
Not all military personnel were drinkers and not all were loyal to the use of alcohol by colleagues. The junior lieutenant, political instructor of the company M. Lvovich, born in 1917, who adhered to pre-war habits, explained in a letter to a friend: "Maybe I'm so disposed that the army has not taught me to smoke, drink, or go on unauthorized absences in search" friends of the heart. "But if I have some kind of immanent aversion to this, then with such views I will die, but I will not retreat" 8. It can be seen from the context of Lvovich's letter that categoricalness was born from the rejection of certain situations involving colleagues who "give them 50 grams of alcohol to drink, they, as a rule, will arrange a brawl"9. Probably, based on similar experience, military translator V. Raskin, born in 1920, complained in a letter to a friend: “There are troubles. For example, the prospect of meeting May 1 with vodka. a tent with some full cattle (or several) is simply painful for me"10.
Especially a lot of claims about drunkenness and the accompanying licentiousness are addressed to the rear services. Major General P.L. Pecheritsa, who in November 1942 was appointed a member of the Military Council of the 44th Army, emphasized in his memoirs that drunkenness corroded the rear service apparatus, making it unfit for work. He confirms this with a concrete example: “On the way to the army headquarters, I had to personally encounter major disorders. indifference of workers to their duties. In the village of Kalinovka, in the hospital for the lightly wounded, there was one nurse on duty, and the rest of the staff got drunk on the name day of the head of the hospital "11.
Alcohol in the military environment was bought or "extracted". You could buy it, for example, in Voentorg stores. A.Z. Lebedintsev reported that the next birthday of the Red Army (February 23, 1943) was remembered by him for the arrival of champagne from the former warehouses of Abrau-Dyurso to the dining room of Voentorg, and at pre-war prices. The officers took advantage of the opportunity to "dine" as they were selling two bottles each. Many drank this "noble drink" for the first time in their lives12. As for the extraction of alcohol, remarkable ingenuity could be manifested here. According to N. Nikulin, during his stay in the Estonian city of Tartu, when the stocks of alcohol ran out, "craftsmen began to extract alcohol from university preparations, alcoholized rats, reptiles, tapeworms"13.
"For good and responsible work"
Alcohol often figured as rewards or gifts that military personnel received. Firing platoon commander V.G. Kulnev recalled how once in the middle of the night he was called to the dugout of the regiment headquarters, where he received his first order - the Red Star. Having "screwed" the order, the regiment commander, Hero of the Soviet Union, Guards Colonel I.M. Bogushevich brought a glass of vodka to each recipient. Kulnev, who until that time had not tasted alcohol and divided his 100-gram norm between distinguished soldiers and sergeants "as an encouragement", was at first confused, but then drank vodka "on the fly"14.
DI. Malyshev, who went through the whole war as a driver, reported in his diary that he was once awarded in this way for dismantling and evacuating a Pe-2 aircraft, which was carried out under enemy fire in the Grodno region. "This was a great job, for which we all received gratitude from the company commander. In the evening, the captain called me and the senior of the group and brought us a glass of vodka, saying:" For good and responsible work "15.
Soldiers could be given alcohol by familiar women from the civilian population, with whom close relationships arose. Malyshev's diary mentions a "familiar Marusya the moonshiner", for a month of communication with whom he "drank moonshine, probably the whole sea." “When Klava came,” he writes about “friendship” with another woman, a storekeeper in a medical warehouse, “she always brought me a gift: a bottle of wine or a bottle of alcohol, or good cigarettes”16.
"Cognac three beetroot"
Most often, alcohol was obtained through exchange transactions with the local population or expropriations. Lebedintsev recalled as a real "master of expropriations" an ordinary former convict who took root in the kitchen and became especially skilled in the extraction of moonshine. “Usually he offered a trophy blanket or uniform in exchange for a gorilka, a chicken or a glass of milk. The old women, as always, denied the presence of moonshine in the house, then he took out a compass from his pocket and stood in such a position that the arrow pointed to a bag of grain or under the floor, or in the attic, and showed an arrow, saying that "the device will show the truth." The hostess usually pulled out a hidden "potion" and made an exchange, since the inhabitants were in great need of any clothes so much that they even took soldier's footcloths. In the front-line environment, moonshine appeared under the name "cognac three beetroots"17.
"Guys, here is the fortress!"
At the final stage of the war, the use of alcohol in the army increased, which is confirmed both by official documents18 and by personal testimonies of participants in the events.
The centuries-old history of military battles testifies that cities taken by "big blood" on enemy territory were often given over by commanders to the "mercy of the victors" and served as a kind of compensation for the human victims suffered. This kind of reward included permission for alcoholic libations, which allowed them to relieve stress and free themselves from the fear experienced. The fact that the soldiers of the Red Army in a particularly difficult combat situation expected such compensation from their commanders is evidenced by a fragment of the memoirs of N. Nikulin, where he appropriately interprets the text of the leaflets "from Rokossovsky", distributed in the early spring of 1945 near the walls of Danzig: " Nevertheless, the resistance of the Germans was strong, our losses, as always, were great and the siege of the city dragged on. One fine morning, leaflets fell from the sky on our heads, as well as on Danzig. They said something like the following: "I, Marshal Rokossovsky, I order the Danzig garrison to lay down within twenty-four hours. Otherwise, the city will be stormed, and all responsibility for civilian casualties and destruction will fall on the heads of the German command ... "The text of the leaflets was in Russian and German. It was clearly intended for both warring parties. Rokossovsky acted in the best Suvorov traditions : "Guys, here's a fortress! It has wine and women! Take - walk for three days! And the Turks will answer!" "19.
"They sang Katyusha, in Russian and Magyar"
The joint use of alcohol facilitated the establishment of mutual understanding with the local population. The famous writer Sergei Baruzdin recalled that there was a wary attitude towards Hungary, "who fought against us", but later it softened. "In the evening we were present in one house for a drink. They sang "Katyusha", in Russian and in Magyar, and the owners danced "20.
Countries were remembered, including national drinks: Hungary - fruit vodka "palinka", the Czech Republic - "wonderful" beer, Poland - "bimber". In the memoirs of A.V. Poltsyn "bimber" was described as Polish moonshine, infused with calcium carbide with its burning effect ("rubbish first-class"). Pyltsyn also told how in one Polish city at a dinner with a "living priest" he and his comrades happened to learn the taste of real branded Polish vodka "Vyborova" (selective). Champagne often appeared in the memories of the "officers' banquets" at the end of the war. Describing a banquet at the army headquarters, A.Z. Lebedintsev emphasized that "only French champagne was poured"21.
Alcohol helped to "survive" the joy of the long-awaited Victory Day. "There was not a single sober soldier," says an entry from the front-line diary of Captain E.I. Genkin, taken on May 9, 1945 in the city of Lobau22. Remembering the afternoon of this festive day, when a solemn dinner began for the entire battalion at the local stadium in the suburbs of Berlin, A.V. Pyltsyn especially noted that "not glasses and mugs, but in a peaceful way - glasses (and where did they get them?)" were put on the table. "And each speech ended with a toast, and it was considered a good sign to accompany each toast with a full cup"23.
The war ended, people began to return to peaceful life with its everyday problems, worries and small joys. And miraculously obtained pre-war glasses forever remained a symbol of the long-awaited Victory.
The closer the Victory, the more feasts. War correspondent-cameraman S. Goldstein (sitting on the left) with a group of comrades. Berlin, 1945 Photo: Motherland
Notes
1. Nikulin N.N. Memories of the war. SPb., 2008. S. 177.
2. Pyltsyn A.V. Free kick, or How an officer's penal battalion reached Berlin. SPb., 2003. S. 94, 88, 129.
3. Russian archive. The Great Patriotic War. Orders of the People's Commissar of Defense of the USSR on June 22, 1941-1942. T. 13 (2-2). C 73, 228, 252-253, 365-366; Orders of the People's Commissar of Defense of the USSR 1943-1945. T. 13 (2-3). S. 145.
4. Save my letters...: Collection of letters and diaries of Jews during the Great Patriotic War. Issue. 2. M., 2010. S. 251.
5. Archive of the Research and Educational Center "Holocaust". F. 9. Op. 2. D. 160. L. 10.
6. RGASPI. F. M-33. Op. 1. D. 1454. L. 28-28v.
7. Heroes of patience. The Great Patriotic War in the sources of personal origin. Sat. doc. Krasnodar, 2010. S. 117.
8. Archive of the SPC "Holocaust". F. 9. Op. 2. D. 118. L. 7.
9. Ibid.
10. RGASPI. F. M-33. Op. 1. D. 1400. L. 102.
11. Heroes of patience. S. 228.
12. Lebedintsev A.Z., Mukhin Yu.I. Fathers are commanders. M., 2006. S. 142.
13. Nikulin N.N. Decree. op. S. 143.
14. From soldier to general. Memories of the war. T. 9. M., 2008. S. 207.
15. Memory of the Great Patriotic War in the socio-cultural space of modern Russia: materials and research. SPb., 2008. S. 206-207.
16. Ibid. pp. 195, 198, 200.
17. Lebedintsev A.Z. Mukhin Yu.I. Decree. op. pp. 162, 180.
18. Senyavskaya E.S. 1941-1945: Front generation. Historical and psychological research. M., 1995. S. 199-201, 210-211.
19. Nikulin N.N. Decree. op. S. 176.
20. RGALI. F. 2855. Op. 1. D. 38. L. 37v.
21. Lebedintsev A.Z., Mukhin Yu.I. Decree. op. S. 242.
22. Save my letters... Vol. 1. M., 2007. S. 283.
23. Pyltsyn A.V. Decree. op. S. 243.
In conversations about the Great Patriotic War, along with the T-34 tank and the Il-2 attack aircraft, the so-called "People's Commissar's 100 grams" regularly pop up.
Some call the alcoholic contentment of the soldiers of the Red Army one of the attributes of the Great Victory, others believe that it became the cause of the destructive addiction of not even one, but several generations of Soviet men.
But how was it in reality? Where did the notorious "People's Commissar's 100 grams" come from and what role did they play in the war?
Cup from Peter the Great
The history of supplying soldiers with alcohol began long before the Bolsheviks. Even with Peter I the issuance of portions of "bread wine" to soldiers was introduced.
The tradition turned out to be very stable: from the end of the 18th century until 1908, combatant lower ranks of the Russian army in wartime were supposed to have 3 cups of "bread wine" per week, non-combatants - 2 cups. The volume of one cup was 160 grams. In peacetime, vodka was issued to soldiers on holidays, but not less than 15 cups a year. Plus, each commander had the right to “pour” his subordinates “to maintain health”: as a rule, this meant conducting classes and parades in the cold season or in bad weather.
A similar situation was in the Russian fleet. The only difference is that they drank more there. The marine charter of Peter I ordered the sailor 4 glasses of vodka per week, and starting from 1761, the dose was increased to one glass daily.
Prohibition time
In the last quarter of the 19th century, Russian doctors started a revolt. Under the conditions of changing recruitment into the army from recruitment to universal military service, they found that young people from peasant families who did not drink alcohol in their "citizen" return home already with an acquired bad habit.
The recommendation of the doctors was unequivocal: to stop issuing vodka in the army. But the Russian generals did not agree with this, believing that the dose of vodka given out was insignificant and could not lead to serious consequences.
But in 1908, summing up the results of the defeat in the Russo-Japanese War, one of the reasons for which was the abuse of alcohol among soldiers and officers, the Russian military department decided to stop issuing alcohol in the army. In addition, the sale of hard liquor in soldier buffets was banned.
The People's Commissar asked for "warming up"
The pause in the relationship between alcohol and the army stretched for 32 years. They remembered vodka at the height of the Soviet-Finnish war of 1939/1940. The Red Army suffered heavy losses not only from the actions of Finnish saboteurs, but also from colds, hypothermia and frostbite. People's Commissar of Defense of the USSR Kliment Voroshilov, puzzling over how to solve the problem, he remembered the tradition of "drinking to warm up."
In January 1940, Voroshilov turned to Stalin a request to give soldiers and commanders of the Red Army 100 grams of vodka and 50 grams of fat per day due to severe weather conditions. The leader approved the proposal, and the issuance of alcohol began. At the same time, the norm for tankers was doubled, and the pilots were allowed to give out 100 grams of cognac.
It was then that the issued fat was called "Voroshilovsky ration", and vodka - "People's Commissar's 100 grams." The issuance of alcohol in the Red Army was discontinued along with the end of hostilities.
Front Grams
It was decided to repeat the experience of the Finnish campaign in the summer of 1941. Now, instead of frost, there was the most difficult situation on the fronts, when the soldiers had to withstand the most powerful onslaught of the German military machine.
August 22, 1941 Joseph Stalin signs a secret decree of the State Defense Committee (GKO):
"No. GKO-562s" On the introduction of vodka for supply in the active Red Army.
To establish, starting from September 1, 1941, the issuance of 40 ° vodka in the amount of 100 grams per person per day to the Red Army and the commanding staff of the first line of the army in the field.
Chairman of the State Defense Committee I. Stalin.
August 25, 1941 Deputy People's Commissar of Defense Lieutenant General Andrey Khrulev signs order No. 0320 "On the issuance of 100 grams of vodka per day to the front line servicemen of the army." Along with the fighters fighting on the front line, pilots performing combat missions, as well as the engineering and technical staff of the airfields of the army in the field, should receive vodka.
The issuance of 100 grams was resumed for everyone who was on the front line and fought. Photo: RIA Novosti / Alexander Kapustyansky
Rules of use: to whom and how much was allowed
No one was going to solder the army. The Soviet leadership followed the situation closely and returned to this topic several times during the war.
On June 6, 1942, by a new decree of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief, the mass distribution of vodka in the Red Army was stopped. Stalin himself made changes to the draft resolution, prepared as early as May 11. Now only those military personnel who participated in offensive operations received vodka. The rest of the vodka relied only on holidays. These included revolutionary and public solemn days: the anniversary of the Great October Socialist Revolution (November 7 and 8), Constitution Day (December 5), New Year's Day (January 1), Red Army Day (February 23), days of the International Workers' Day ( May 1 and 2), All-Union Athlete's Day (July 19), All-Union Aviation Day (August 16), day of the regimental holiday (formation of the unit).
On November 12, 1942, the conditions for issuing alcohol were changed again. The issuance of 100 grams was resumed for everyone who was on the front line and fought. Those who served in the rear - divisional and regimental reserves, a construction battalion who worked under enemy fire, as well as the wounded (with the permission of doctors) - were supposed to have 50 grams of vodka per day. On the Transcaucasian front, it was decided to issue 200 grams of port wine or 300 grams of dry wine instead of 100 grams of vodka.On April 30, 1943, GKO decree No. 3272 “On the procedure for issuing vodka to the troops of the army in the field” was issued:
"1. To stop from May 3, 1943, the mass daily distribution of vodka to the personnel of the troops of the army in the field.
2. The issuance of vodka at a rate of 100 grams per person per day should be made to servicemen only of those units of the front line that conduct offensive operations, and it is the military councils of the fronts and individual armies who determine which armies and formations to issue vodka to.
3. To all other servicemen of the active army, the issuance of vodka in the amount of 100 grams per person per day should be made on the days of revolutionary and public holidays.
This rule lasted until 1945. After the victory over Germany and militarist Japan, the issuance of alcohol in the Soviet army was discontinued.
Only the crews of nuclear submarines remained in a "privileged" position, who during military campaigns were given alcohol in the form of dry wine in the amount of 100 grams per day.
For good or for harm - there is no clarity
Among the veterans who went through the war, the attitude to the “People's Commissar's 100 grams” is different. Some believed that such a dose really helped relieve stress and dull the feeling of fear, others believed that vodka did not bring anything good. To drink, by the way, no one forced. The number of those who did not become addicted to either tobacco or vodka during the war is very significant.
Strict control and repeated changes in the rules for issuing alcohol in the direction of tightening show that the Kremlin did not believe in the success of the “drunken army”.
Like the tsarist generals, the Soviet commanders believed that the main problem was not in the "People's Commissar's 100 grams", but in the attempts of some soldiers and officers to achieve a "continuation of the banquet."
At the beginning of the war, during the period of heavy losses of the Red Army, the military received alcohol for the payroll of the unit, dividing between the living portions of alcohol intended for the dead. And in the final phase of the war, large volumes of “trophy” alcohol seized from the Germans, as well as gift alcohol, which were presented to Soviet soldiers by grateful residents of liberated cities and villages, became a headache for the command.
Alcohol abuse was punished ruthlessly: an officer convicted of drunkenness risked a demotion, or even the end of his career. Another question is that even such strict measures did not stop everyone. Doctors still cannot agree on whether the “People's Commissar's 100 grams” saved them from stress and overload, or whether they formed alcohol addiction.
But with all certainty, we can say that the stories about "100 grams" as a factor in Victory are no more true than the claims that the Wehrmacht was defeated not Zhukov With Rokossovsky, but "General Frost".
You can find many references to the use of alcoholic beverages by soldiers to achieve one effect or another in battle. But where did this habit come from in the Russian army, who approved it, and how did alcohol affect the combat effectiveness of the soldiers? And what is "People's Commissar's 100 grams"? It is worth understanding, because the fact that vodka was in the Red Army from the very beginning is a fact beyond doubt.
The history of the emergence of the alcohol norm
It is known that the emperor was the first in Russia to give out alcohol to soldiers. Then it was called The point was that during the campaign the soldiers periodically drank wine, while the officers, if desired, could replace it with cognac. Depending on the severity of the campaign, this rate could be increased or decreased. This was pretty strict. So, the quartermaster, who did not take care of the supply of alcohol in a timely manner, could even be deprived of his head. It was believed that this undermines the morale of the troops.
The tradition was picked up by many Russian tsars and emperors, while it was changed and supplemented many times. For example, wine was issued to guard units in fortresses and cities. At the same time, combatant ranks received three portions a week, non-combatant - two. On campaigns, they drank vodka, which was previously diluted with water and eaten with breadcrumbs. It was customary for officers to give out tea with rum. In winter, sbiten and wine were more relevant.
It was a little different in the Navy - here the sailor was always given a cup, that is, 125 grams of vodka per day, but for misconduct the sailor was deprived of this opportunity. For merit - on the contrary, they gave out a double or triple dose.
How did the "People's Commissar's Grams" appear?
The history of the appearance of the alcohol norm in the Soviet Army, which was called "People's Commissar's 100 grams", originates from the People's Commissar (People's Commissar) of Military and Naval Affairs of the USSR - During the Finnish War, he asked Stalin to allow the issuance of alcohol to the troops in order to warm the personnel in severe frosts. Indeed, then the temperatures on the Karelian Isthmus reached 40 degrees below zero. The people's commissar also claimed that this could raise the morale of the army. And Stalin agreed. Since 1940, alcohol began to enter the troops. Before the battle, the soldier drank 100 grams of vodka and ate it with 50 grams of fat. Tankers were then entitled to double the norm, and the pilots were generally given cognac. Since this caused approval among the soldiers, they began to call the norm "Voroshilov". From the time of the introduction (January 10) to March 1940, the soldiers drank about 10 tons of vodka and about 8 tons of cognac.
In the Great Patriotic War
The official "birthday" of the People's Commissars is June 22, 1941. Then the terrible war of 1941-1945 came to our land - the Great Patriotic War. It was on her first day that Stalin signed order number 562, which allowed the issuance of alcohol to soldiers before the battle - half a glass of vodka per person (fortress - 40 degrees). This applied to those who were directly on the front line. The same was due to the pilots performing combat sorties, as well as to the flight attendants of airfields and engineers with technicians. Responsible for the implementation of the order of the Supreme was the people's commissar of the food industry AI Mikoyan. It was then that for the first time the name "People's Commissar's 100 grams" sounded. Among the obligatory conditions was the distribution of the drink by the commanders of the fronts. The regulation provided for the supply of alcohol in tanks, after which vodka was poured into cans or barrels and transported to the troops. There was, of course, a limitation: it was allowed to transport no more than 46 tanks per month. Naturally, in the summer such a need disappeared, and in winter, spring and autumn the norm was relevant.
It is possible that the idea of giving vodka to the retreating units was prompted by the psychological attacks of the Germans: drunken soldiers went to the machine guns at full height, without hiding. This had a profound effect on the already disadvantaged Soviet troops.
Further application of the norm in the troops
In connection with the defeat of the Red Army near Kharkov, adjustments were made to the order. Now it was decided to differentiate the issuance of vodka. Since June 1942, it was planned to distribute alcohol only in those units that had achieved success in battles with the Nazi invaders. At the same time, the "People's Commissar's" norm was to be increased to 200 grams. But Stalin decided that vodka could only be issued to units conducting offensive operations. The rest could only see her on holidays.
In connection with the battles near Stalingrad, the State Defense Committee decided to restore the old norm - from now on, 100 grams were issued to everyone who went on the attack on the front line. But there were also innovations: artillerymen with mortars, who provided support for the infantry during the offensive, also received a dose. A little less - 50 grams - was poured for rear services, namely reservists, construction troops and the wounded. The Transcaucasian Front, for example, used, by virtue of its location, wine or port wine (200 and 300 grams, respectively). During the last month of fighting in 1942, a lot was drunk. The Western Front, for example, "destroyed" about a million liters of vodka, the Transcaucasian Front - 1.2 million liters of wine, and the Stalingrad Front - 407,000 liters.
Since 1943
Already in 1943 (April), the norms for issuing alcohol were changed again. GKO Decree No. 3272 stated that the mass distribution of vodka in units would be stopped, and the norm would be given only to those units that conduct offensive operations at the forefront. All the rest received "People's Commissar's Grams" only on holidays. The issuance of alcohol was now on the conscience of the councils of the fronts or armies. By the way, such troops as the NKVD and railway troops fell under the limit, since their alcohol consumption was very high.
Many veterans, reminiscing, said that this norm did not exist everywhere. In some parts, for example, it was issued only on paper, but in reality there was no distribution of alcohol. Others, on the contrary, testify that it was practiced, and en masse. So the true state of things is not known for certain.
The issuance of the norm was finally abolished in connection with the defeat of Nazi Germany in 1945. However, the Soviet troops fell in love with this kind of norms so much that the tradition was preserved until the collapse of the USSR. In particular, this was done by the military personnel of the Afghan contingent. Of course, such things were done covertly, since the command would not have patted the soldiers on the head for drinking alcohol during the fighting.
Mentioning a similar alcohol norm in the Red Army, it should also be said that the Wehrmacht, against which she fought, was also not particularly sober. Among the soldiers, the most popular alcoholic drink was schnapps, and the officers drank champagne, which was supplied from France. And, if you do not take into account alcohol, they also did not disdain other substances. So, in order to maintain vigor during the hostilities, the soldiers took medications - "Pervitin", for example, or "Isofan". The first one was called "penzerchocolade" - "tank chocolate". It was sold openly, with the soldiers often asking their parents to send them Pervitin.
Results and consequences of application
Why was alcohol given in the war? There are dozens of different answers to this question, upon closer examination. Which of them will be closest to the truth?
As stated in the decree, alcohol was given out in winter in order to warm the frozen fighters. However, any physician will confirm that alcohol only creates the appearance of warming, in fact, the situation does not change at all.
Also, knowing what effect alcohol has on the human brain, it can be argued that it was taken to raise morale. After all, in many situations when the initiative or recklessness of the soldiers was necessary, they were extinguished by the instinct of self-preservation. Narkomovskaya vodka effectively suppressed along with the main fears. But it also dulled reflexes, perception, and being drunk in a fight is not a good idea. That is why many experienced fighters deliberately refused to drink before the fight. And, as it turned out later, they did the right thing.
The effect of alcohol on the psyche and physical condition
Among other things, vodka had an effective effect if the human psyche was subjected to heavy stress, as is often the case in war. Alcohol saved many fighters from severe nervous shocks or even insanity. However, it is impossible to say with certainty whether alcohol in the war has a positive or negative effect on the army.
Yes, vodka, even if it has all the positive qualities described above, still did harm. One can only imagine the scale of the losses of the army, because alcohol intoxication in battle almost always meant certain death. In addition, the very fact of the constant use of alcohol should not be overlooked, which can cause alcoholism, and in some cases death. also should not be written off. So the "People's Commissar's 100 grams" have both positive and negative sides.
Drunkenness was never supported in the USSR. It is all the more surprising that it, albeit in a limited form, was practiced by the troops. After all, since 1938, several times there were big campaigns against drunkenness in the army. Many of the highest command or party officials were investigated just for the fact of excessive drinking. Accordingly, both the issuance and consumption of booze were kept under strict control. For drunkenness at the wrong time, they could easily be sent to a penal battalion, or even shot without trial or investigation, especially at a time like the war of 1941-1945.
Post-war use in the army
In addition to illegal cases, there was still an official alcohol norm - in the Navy. Combat crews of nuclear submarines were entitled to a daily norm of dry wine (also 100 grams). But, as under Stalin, he was given out only during a military campaign.
Reflection of the term in art
For some reason, the "People's Commissar's 100 grams" are very firmly entrenched in art. Already at that time, one could hear songs with a mention of the alcohol norm. Yes, and the cinema has not bypassed this phenomenon - in many films you can see how soldiers overturn a glass before the battle and shout "For the Motherland! For Stalin!" go on the offensive.
People's Commissar's 100 grams is an order to supply military personnel with vodka, during the writing of which several amendments were used. Why was alcohol given in the war? What effect did it have on the body? What results were achieved after the execution of the notorious order? You will learn about all this in the process of reading the article.
A bit of history
For the first time, as an encouragement and hygiene product, alcohol was given to soldiers during the time of Peter I, who himself was not a teetotaler and did not demand it from others. Although it was under him that drunken alcoholics were hung around their necks as punishment for the heaviest medal "For drunkenness" in history, which was supposed to be worn for one week. It was made of heavy cast iron, the weight of the finished medal is seventeen pounds, which is equal to 6 kilograms 800 grams. The burden is clearly not easy. It was fastened in such a way that it was not possible to remove it by itself.
The shape of the medal resembled a star with a square in the center, on which was written "For drunkenness." The date of its establishment is 1714.
In subsequent times, the tradition of "maintaining health" with the help of military spirits in inclement weather and cold persisted until the beginning of the twentieth century. At that time, the Russians were upset by the results of the war with the Japanese, and alcohol abuse was considered one of the factors of defeat. As a result, it was decided to ban its sale to soldiers and stop issuing wine to the military.
However, later, when during the war between the USSR and the Finns, Red Army soldiers died in large numbers from frostbite, hypothermia and colds, at the initiative of the People's Commissar Voroshilov and with the permission of the leader, they began to issue a strong drink again. Among the people, this directive was called "People's Commissar's 100 grams." The order was issued in 1941.
Legislative acts
In the course of writing the order to supply the soldiers of the Red Army with alcohol, some changes took place. What exactly? This will be discussed further.
First edition
Initially, an order was issued on the introduction of vodka for supply in the active Red Army. The official document - the Decree of August 22, 1941 - contained the following directive: give the Red Army soldiers vodka with a strength of 40 degrees, 100 grams per day, starting from September 1, 1941.
Second edition of the law
However, in addition to achieving purely good goals, this order led to wholesale drunkenness and death of people, as a result of which the procedure for issuing alcohol was changed by GKO Decree No. 1727 of May 11, 1942.
Now all Red Army soldiers used vodka on national and revolutionary holidays: New Year's Day, Red Army Day, International Workers' Day, All-Union Athlete's Day, Aviation Day, International Youth Day, Day of the Great October Socialist Revolution.
As an encouragement, the daily norm of alcohol was increased by 2 times (up to 200 g) and was given every day only on the front line. front and showed success in battles.
Third Edition
But then these rules were revised. According to GKO Decree No. 2507 of November 12, 1942, they began to give out 50 grams of vodka per day to servicemen of the active army: units on responsible missions, units and subunits of combat support, divisional and regimental reserves, wounded in battles on doctor's orders.
Soldiers in the trenches on the front line, participating in hostilities, conducting reconnaissance, Red Army soldiers of mortar and artillery units accompanying the infantry, and crew members on assignments now received 100 grams per day.
Issuance on holidays remained unchanged for everyone. At the same time, general alcohol limits for a month were set. There was also an alternative, taking into account tastes and traditions, for the soldiers of the Transcaucasian Front - you could drink 300 grams of table wine or 200 grams of fortified wine instead of vodka.
Why was alcohol given to soldiers?
In the harsh time of the war of the last century, to relieve the strongest moral and physical stress and as a warming agent, the military received forty-degree alcohol. Its disinfectant property was also important. In the conditions of field operations, swamps and swamps, the cold season, this medicine has become truly saving.
How to dilute alcohol?
The main source material was medical alcohol with a strength of 96 degrees, from which, on the basis of the “ideal” ratio derived by Mendeleev - two measures of alcohol and three measures of water - the coveted vodka with a strength of 40 degrees was obtained. At the same time, it was important to follow the rule that takes into account the specific gravity and properties of the mixed substances: first, water is poured, then alcohol is added to it.
How to dilute alcohol, in those days they knew very well. If it was necessary to obtain alcohol of a different strength, the Fertman table was used, which was a form in which the horizontal line indicated the content of ethyl alcohol in the solution before dilution in volume units, and vertically - after dilution, also in volume units.
The effect of alcohol on the human body
The use of alcohol in small quantities in the context of military operations has the above-described beneficial effects. In addition to the fact that it contains antioxidants and beneficial trace elements, it acts as a metabolic accelerator and adsorbs toxins and toxins. A hot drink lifted the spirit, fear receded and the Red Army men rushed into battle. But this is subject to compliance with the norms, which was not always carried out.
Alcohol was given according to the average composition, but when people died, their dose was divided by the survivors, due to which the volume of consumption grew. Joyful residents of the liberated villages, cities and towns treated the winners with a “glass of wine”.
Scientists have proven that the effect of alcohol on the body is extremely unfavorable. It has a negative impact on almost all organs and systems. Namely:
- on the respiratory system - disrupting the functioning of the lung tissues, provoking an increased risk of tuberculosis, tracheobronchitis, turning into chronic bronchitis, lung enphysema;
- on the human cardiovascular system - destroying red blood cells, worsening the supply of oxygen and causing the development of diabetes, arrhythmia, atherosclerosis, coronary heart disease, increased blood pressure;
- on the stomach - provoking the development of cancer and other equally serious diseases such as gastritis, the chronic stage of pancreatitis, diabetes mellitus, while all cells are destroyed during a chemical burn, tissues atrophy and die, the important hormone insulin ceases to be produced, nutrients cease to be absorbed, food does not break down and gets stuck in the digestive organs;
- on the reproductive system - manifesting itself in damage and atrophy of organs;
- on the brain - causing irreversible changes in the brain, mental disorders, memory and mental development;
- on muscles and skin - developing various skin diseases (boils, ulcers, an allergic reaction) and depletion of the muscle layer due to weakened immunity and failure of the liver to perform its functions. Alcohol causes a decrease in protein synthesis, testosterone levels, a decrease in the overall muscle corset and its tone, the occurrence of an extreme lack of vitamins (A, B, C) and minerals (zinc, calcium and phosphorus).
Fear of relatives of veterans
After the order was issued to supply military personnel with vodka, many of their relatives expressed their concerns in correspondence, because when they were in difficult conditions and with practically free access to alcoholic beverages, there was a high risk of developing alcoholism.
At the same time, the soldiers themselves did not understand such fears, arguing that in such conditions one simply cannot do without warming drinks. In addition, there is a certain norm of drunk, the excess of which was severely punished.
In one of the letters of the political instructor D. A. Abaev to his wife, the military man claimed that her constant reminders of alcohol were becoming a bad habit. In his opinion, the wife should understand that in the conditions of hostilities there are no people who do not drink at all, but absolutely no one gets drunk, since this is fraught with not only serious punishment, but even demotion and execution.
Rejection of the order by the military
But, despite the assertions of the political instructor D. I. Abaev, not all the military found positive moments in signing the order on the introduction of vodka to supply the Red Army.
For example, junior lieutenant and political instructor of the company M. Lvovich turned out to be a strict opponent of the order. In one of the letters to a friend, he noted that the war is not a reason to start smoking, drinking and going AWOL in search of a woman for the night. He claimed that he had certain principles, and he would rather give his life for them than back down.
A similar opinion was shared by the translator V. Raskin, who, in a letter to his friend, said that he was not very happy with the prospect of celebrating the New Year with vodka, since the military lived in tents for several people. He was sure that he would have a "fun" night.
But the largest number of claims were made by Major General P. L. Pecheritsa in relation to the rear servicemen, who, having drunk a daily dose of alcohol, were already unfit for service (perhaps this was what contributed to the changes in the order). P. L. Pecheritsa confirmed his statements with a clear example: having arrived directly from the front in the village of Kalinovka, the military man was unpleasantly surprised at how lax and irresponsible people behaved. Only one nurse was present at the hospital, while other doctors were engaged in drinking alcohol.
It would seem that the small amount of vodka that was allocated to one soldier for the day could not lead to serious problems, but a small dose of alcohol caused a desire to drink more, so the military went to various tricks. Seniors in rank sent young soldiers to nearby shops to buy or even just take alcohol there, because all the prices for the military corresponded to the pre-war period.
"Narkomovskie 100 grams": between myth and truth
Despite all the arguments about the possible benefits or harm done, the pure truth or fiction of the daily use of alcohol during the Great Patriotic War, an unequivocal answer to the question of whether it helped us win or not has not been received. Monitoring the execution of the order and changing the order and norms of issuance in the direction of decreasing prove that the authorities did not have much hope for the success of drunken Red Army soldiers.
During the war, according to the memoirs of front-line soldiers, it was not noted that many were addicted to bad habits, alcohol or smoking, and no one “poured in” by force. The pernicious effect of the "People's Commissar's 100 grams" was manifested only by officers and ordinary soldiers who were already prone to drunkenness in the desire to "continue the banquet." Abuse was mercilessly punished - representatives of the officers caught in drunkenness jeopardized their careers, they could lose their rank.
Veterans opinion
When asking veterans about the pros or cons, you can see a completely different attitude. Someone confirmed the version that the action turned out to be extremely positive and it really helped them to endure all the hardships of this difficult time. For others, group drinking and the subsequent rampage of drunk people, causing harm to health and others seemed to be a clear negative example.
Therefore, it is impossible to say with all accuracy how exactly the order to issue alcohol influenced the victory of the Soviet army, the offensive of the Soviet troops - positively, negatively or neutrally. The fact remains that in memory he left his place in history as an interesting historical fact.