Article The cold war - Soviet Army

[Иван Феоктистов]

Some reenactors from abroad mistakenly use GP-5, GP-5M and GP-4U gas masks. Gas masks GP-5M, by the way, were shown in the idiotic series "Chernobyl" from HBO. Remember - these gas masks were supplied only to the Civil Defense! In the army, these gas masks have never been used. Just as in the Civil Defense of the USSR, PBF gas masks were not used. These gas masks are now in large quantities at various auctions - only GP-5 gas masks were made, three pieces for each citizen of the USSR. Yes, Vasily Ivanovich Chuikov and Alexander Terentyevich Altunin really cared about the civilian population.

 

[Иван Феоктистов]

Damn it! Well, here again I was carried away to the side... Okay. You need to go to sleep in order to finally tell you about the sleeve insignia of the combat arms, why Soviet soldiers had multi-colored shoulder straps, and why in American propaganda KGB officers walk in the uniform of infantry. I hope I did not write this in vain and it was very interesting to someone.

 

[Иван Феоктистов]

We continue our section "What to see". This time I would like to recommend the 1976 film "Spring Call".

Annotation:
Replenishment arrives at the military unit. Senior sergeant Karpenko is given a group of recruits by the superiors, which the sergeant must teach all the necessary skills for conducting combat operations. And for this he needs to establish relationships with recruits and overcome their mistrust. Recruits are derisive, ironic and always confident that they are right. In the process of training, the sergeant will have to face large-scale disagreement from his subordinates and unwillingness to follow orders from his superior.

The film shows very interestingly the everyday life of the Soviet army in the 1970s, the peculiarities of wearing a uniform, including the legendary match that burns for 45 seconds. Among other things, at the end of the film, you can see a very rare work uniform based on the OKZK suit.
I will talk about it later.

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[Иван Феоктистов]

Okay. Let's finish with the equipment of the Soviet Army, after which I will move on. What haven't we talked about yet? About the dining utensils of Soviet soldiers. Every Soviet soldier had an aluminum pot, an aluminum mug, and an aluminum spoon. It looks like a maniacal passion of the military commanders for this metal. In general, the Soviet bowler hat is a very convenient and practical thing. Usually the soldiers used it only as a plate, since the fire covered the kettle with soot and was very dirty. However, in hostilities it was used for its intended purpose. Aluminum mugs appeared in our army before the war and are still in use. Their only problem is that they get very hot from hot drinks. The spoon has the same problem. That is why the soldiers very often wrapped the handle of the mug and the spoon with a thin cord, so as not to burn their hands.

 

[Иван Феоктистов]

Individual means of medical protection. Each Soviet soldier carried an individual AI-1 first aid kit (you have seen it in various games like Metro, Stalker and Tarkov). This first-aid kit contained all the necessary medications that might be needed in case of hostilities. AI-1 contained a radioprotective agent, an antibacterial agent, an antiemetic agent, and two syringe tubes. One contained an anesthetic (promedol), the other - an antidote to organophosphorus toxic substances (sarin, soman, Vi-gases). Athens or Budaxim could be the antidote. This first aid kit has become the subject of black humor. The soldiers joked that it had everything to reach the English Channel and die under a birch tree.

Each AI-1 first aid kit had a shelf life of four years. After the expiration date, the medicines were replaced at the manufacturer's factory. You may also notice that there are some empty spots in the medicine cabinet. These are reserve places where additional medications could be invested depending on the tasks. AI-1 first aid kits went through the Afghan and Chechen wars.

 

[Иван Феоктистов]

Individual dressing package (PPI-1). Individual dressing bag with two cotton pads. Great for bandaging gunshot wounds. PPI-1 was packed in moisture-proof sterile packaging. If necessary, the packaging was torn, the soldier took out the bag, bandaged the wound and secured the bandage with a pin. Also, every Soviet soldier had Esmarch's medical tourniquet to stop bleeding. But I think everyone already knows about him.

 

[Иван Феоктистов]

Individual anti-chemical bags and individual degassing kits. Amazing things. I will try to tell you all in order.

The first Soviet anti-chemical package after the war was called IPP-51. 51 - year of acceptance for supply. IPP-51 were produced until the mid-1960s. In general, it was a very inconvenient thing, moreover, with a very short shelf life. Old IPP-51 were used as training. Later, they were completely replaced by new anti-chemical packages IPP-8

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IPP-8. Individual anti-chemical kit for the eighth model. This is truly epic. At least because it has no expiration date. Yes, I'm not kidding. Since in the USSR the industry was ready in a matter of hours to produce military products instead of peaceful products, IPP-8 was made in bottles of Soviet cologne. But IPP-8 does not smell of perfume ... Imagine the rotten smell of urine. However, what difference does it make if you are wearing a gas mask?

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An individual degassing package (IDP-S) was needed to treat weapons from toxic substances. It was just a hellish thing, so severe that it could compete in lethality with poisonous substances. It was forbidden to degas the IDP-S weapon without gloves and a gas mask - a soldier could injure the skin of his hands or breathe in toxic fumes.

IPP-8 and IDP-S were carried in a gas mask bag. There was a special pocket for them.

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[Иван Феоктистов]

Film "Personal medical equipment". If you cannot go to the NSHGO, I will look for links to YouTube. This is a rather late film, only three films of this series are known. They were filmed between 1986 and 1991, in the last years of the USSR. This particular film tells about all the medicines that I described above. Here you can see the overlay of the dressing bag and the AI-1 first aid kit... And in general, there are a lot of interesting things. And a terrible sound from the beginning makes many of my American acquaintances scared.

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[Иван Феоктистов]

Fuh. It was difficult, but I tried to outline in general all the equipment of the Soviet soldier between 1969 and 1985. The property is few, but it is all very important in the fighting. Now I want to show you one of the artifacts of the Cold War. I think it can better tell me about the weapons and equipment of the Soviet army of that period. "Comrad Ivan", 1979.

 

[Иван Феоктистов]

 

[Иван Феоктистов]

 

[Иван Феоктистов]

 

[Иван Феоктистов]

If you have no questions - write about it. Then I will finally move on to discussing sleeve emblems, chevrons and colored shoulder straps. I will tell you separately about the uniform of the Soviet paratroopers. After that I will recommend a couple of wonderful films about the Soviet army, well, at the end we will move on to discussing soldier's traditions - demobilization albums, the emergence of a non-statutory hierarchy in the Soviet army and about special methods of wearing uniforms in the USSR Armed Forces.

 

[SamWell]

Figure 97. Summer work uniform of soldiers and sergeants

Figure 98. Summer work uniform of soldiers of construction troops

Figure 99. Winter work uniform in a winter insulated jacket. It was about her that I spoke above.

Figure 100. Winter work uniform - quilted jacket (telogreyka)

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could still post a photo of summer work uniform of soldiers and sergeants(its from left?),if you are mention it.Or should I perform your task?

 

[SamWell]

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Also you could mention that vdv tunics had a different collar cut (to show telnyashkas)And the the fact,that borderline troops were issued to wear peaked cap or karatsupovka instead.

 

[SamWell]

Thats what karatsupovka is,if someone is not familar with it.And here camouflage uniform for the motorized-maneuver squads (it some kind of borderline special force)can be seen also.

 

[Иван Феоктистов]

Про ВДВ, честно скажу, попозже хотел рассказать. Там были свои приколы, от униформы для жарких районов до нарукавных эмблем на офицерских кителях. Просто хотел плавно подвести к теме, а следом опубликовать легендарные фильмы "В зоне особого внимания" и "Ответный ход". Ты земляк, если я верно понял? Петросян на аве символизирует

Also you could mention that vdv tunics had a different collar cut (to show telnyashkas)And the the fact,that borderline troops were issued to wear peaked cap or karatsupovka instead.

 

[Иван Феоктистов]

Thats what karatsupovka is,if someone is not familar with it.And here camouflage uniform for the motorized-maneuver squads (it some kind of borderline special force)can be seen also.
View attachment 283264

Руководитель нашего музея Защитников Отечества в Афгане служил в мотоманевренной группе ПВ КГБ СССР, а после мотался по всем горячим точкам 90-х. Мужик, конечно, просто огонь. До кучи, к слову, можно будет сразу затронуть и ВВ МВД СССР, у меня есть несколько замечательных фильмов с ними в запасе. В вопросах униформы ВВ 80-х годов просто кладезь различных интересностей.

 

[SamWell]

Про ВДВ, честно скажу, попозже хотел рассказать. Там были свои приколы, от униформы для жарких районов до нарукавных эмблем на офицерских кителях. Просто хотел плавно подвести к теме, а следом опубликовать легендарные фильмы "В зоне особого внимания" и "Ответный ход". Ты земляк, если я верно понял? Петросян на аве символизирует

Ой.Ты хотел плавно подвести,а я все испортил.Какой я нехороший?
Форма для жарких районов это в любом роде войск был прикол.
Петросян намекает.А мой глориас инглишь таки свидетельствует?

 

[SamWell]

Руководитель нашего музея Защитников Отечества в Афгане служил в мотоманевренной группе ПВ КГБ СССР, а после мотался по всем горячим точкам 90-х. Мужик, конечно, просто огонь. До кучи, к слову, можно будет сразу затронуть и ВВ МВД СССР, у меня есть несколько замечательных фильмов с ними в запасе. В вопросах униформы ВВ 80-х годов просто кладезь различных интересностей.

У меня дед военспецом в сирии был,и афгана прохаживал.
Да вроде униформа ВВ послевоенная мало отличалась от общевойсковой.А вот в плане снаряги и экипа там уже,в перестроечные времена,начало интересное проклевыватся