In our time, the beret is a statutory headdress for many branches of the armed forces and military units from around the world, but this was not always the case. The mass popularization of this form of clothing began only in the second half of the 20th century. The phenomenon of the beret as a uniform headdress will be discussed in this article.
Origin of the beret
Initially, the beret was an element of the national costume of the Celtic peoples who inhabited Britain and Western Europe. This headdress, apparently because of its sophistication and convenience, was adopted by the peoples living in the neighborhood. This is how the beret gained popularity in the Middle Ages. This headdress was especially widespread in the fragmented states of Italy and Germany. There, berets were worn both by civilians of noble birth, whose headdresses were embroidered with gold threads and inlaid with precious stones, and by ordinary people. The style of the beret itself was constantly changing depending on the fashion trends of those times. The headdress of the medieval military was more rustic. Its style was the same for everyone, and even the highest command staff did not sheathe it with gold threads. The beret was also indispensablean attribute of some professions, for example, fishermen in France and painters around the world. Artists still prefer this headdress today.
Despite the fact that berets were worn by the medieval military, officially the beginning of its use as a statutory headdress dates back to the beginning of the 20th century. The fact is that the berets of the medieval military were already replaced in the 18th century with cocked hats, and around the same time a military charter arose in the sense in which it exists today. Therefore, it is believed that the headdress of medieval military personnel was not part of a military uniform, but a civilian accessory, since no one established a uniform uniform for a military man at that time.
Ancient military berets
The first military in the world to wear berets were the Celtic peoples. So, the beret was the uniform of the Scottish highlanders as part of the regular army of the British Empire. It is also known that such a headdress was worn by the Basques, a people living in northern Spain and southern France. They probably borrowed berets from the Gauls, a Celtic people who inhabited the territory of modern France before the arrival of the Romans.
Beret in the armed forces of the world
At the beginning of the twentieth century, military technology made significant progress, in particular, the first tanks were invented. At that time, most of the military personnel of the European powers wore caps. They protect well from the wind, and their visors - from the sun. But in a cramped combat vehicle, the cap was of no use; on the contrary, it prevented the tanker from fulfilling the settasks. The first such inconvenience was noted by the military of the British Empire, and it was on Foggy Albion that the first authorized berets appeared for tank troops. From the beginning of the 20th century until the end of the 2nd World War, the army of the British Empire was one of the most powerful and formidable in the world, so many took an example from it. Perhaps that is why the military beret quickly gained popularity in the armies of other states. After the First World War, a comfortable headdress also attracted the newly appeared landing troops, since it is simply impossible to jump with a parachute in a cap.
Today, the beret is worn by the military all over the world, and not only in tank and airborne troops. Most of all, the Israeli army loves berets. In Tsakhal, there is simply no other uniform headdress. Each branch of the military wears a beret of a certain color. Some units also have their own headgear color.
The social factor of wearing a beret
Among the military branches in the army there is an unspoken hierarchy. For example, the navy, landing troops, and special forces are and have always been considered the elite of the armed forces. Their service is considered the most painful, and the significance for all the armed forces is enormous. At all times, the military elite tried in every possible way to stand out among other branches of the military. During the Second World War, tank troops were also considered elite, since the outcome of the battle largely depended on them. So, for example, the success of the famous Battle of Kursk was achieved mainly thanks to tank troops. SoThe beret, first worn by British tank crews, became established as the distinctive headgear of the military elite. Subsequently, it was adopted by paratroopers, as well as special forces.
Today, the beret is no longer an attribute of the military elite, as it is widely used in various branches of the military. At the same time, the headdresses of the elite still differ from the berets of other military personnel in their stripes, which have been preserved since the times when only elite units had such a right.
Beret in the Soviet Army
The Soviet Army began to use berets later than the armies of other states. The first such uniform headgear appeared in 1941 as an element of the women's summer military uniform of all military branches.
In 1963, berets were introduced for the Marine Corps as field uniform headgear. The decision was caused not so much by military-tactical necessity as by political background. The introduction of berets for Soviet paratroopers was a natural response to the creation by the North Atlantic Alliance of special forces equipped with a similar headgear, the purpose of which was to conduct reconnaissance and sabotage operations on the territory of states friendly to the USSR. Later, berets were also introduced for paratroopers. They also tried to introduce a new dress for the border troops, experimenting with the uniform of Kaliningrad cadets, but it did not take root in the uniform of the Soviet border guards.
The style of the Soviet military beret was the same for all military branches,its front was raised high, the bottom of the headpiece was sheathed in leather substitute, and ventilation holes were left on its sides.
Only in 1989, already at the end of the existence of the USSR, the final form of the beret was introduced, which was worn by absolutely all special forces, including those from the ranks of the USSR Ministry of Internal Affairs.
Beret of the Airborne Forces of the Soviet Army
The airborne troops of the Soviet Union were awarded the wearing of a comfortable and practical beret only in 1967. The beret of the USSR Airborne Forces was designed by the artist Zhuk along with other paratrooper clothing. He was subsequently approved by Colonel-General Margelov as the headdress of the parade uniform of the airborne troops. The approved beret was crimson in color, like that of the landing arms in the armies of other states. Berets were worn by both officers and soldiers. On the officer's sample, a cockade of the air force was sewn on the front, and on the soldier's - a red star with ears of corn. In 1968 the color was changed to blue. This color of the beret of the Airborne Forces of the USSR was also preserved in the active airborne troops of Russia.
Evolution of the headgear of the Soviet Airborne Forces
The beret of the USSR Airborne Forces has undergone a number of changes during its formation as a uniform headdress of the Soviet landing force. It was originally crimson in color. In another way, it is also called the maroon beret of the Airborne Forces. It was created to give the paratrooper uniform a more modern and comfortable look. On its side there was a blue flag, or, as it is also called, a corner. But alreadyin 1968 it was replaced with a blue seamless beret of the Airborne Forces, since, according to the top military leadership, the sky color was more suitable for paratroopers. On soldier's berets, the star with ears of corn was replaced with a star in an oval wreath.
A feature of the new product was also the absence of a clearly regulated corner. The flag got its name because it looked like a right triangle. The corner of the beret of the Airborne Forces of the new sample was necessarily red, but its size could be any.
Only on March 4, 1989, the size of the corner became strictly regulated.
Berets landing in modern Russia
The Russian Federation has kept the headgear of the Soviet landing force almost in its original form. Berets of the Russian Airborne Forces of the same blue color. In front of him, as in the Soviet model, there is a red star in an oval of ears. The corner on the beret of the Airborne Forces is sewn on the left side. It is a Russian tricolor, followed by a St. George ribbon. In the foreground on the right is a golden parachute - the coat of arms of the Airborne Forces.
Beret military landing of Ukraine
Ukraine, like Russia, has inherited the blue color of the dress. In front, the beret of the Airborne Forces of Ukraine has a yellow trident in a blue oval, framed by golden ears of corn. On the right is a red corner, at the bottom left of which is the coat of arms of the Airborne Forces of Ukraine. It is a golden parachute in the ears, at the base of which is the coat of arms of Ukraine. The rest of the beret corresponds to the Soviet model.
Meaning of blueberet for Airborne Forces
The devotion of the paratroopers of Russia and some CIS countries to such a shade of uniform dress is not accidental. The blue beret of the Airborne Forces is one of the symbols of this type of troops. Each recruit or cadet who has fallen into a military landing is obliged to prove in practice that he is worthy of wearing this honorary headdress. Among the tests awaiting young paratroopers will be grueling marches, disassembly and assembly of weapons and, of course, parachuting. But one of the exceptional skills that a young fighter must master is the ability to hit the beret. This means that it must be shaped according to the characteristics of the paratrooper's head, as a result of which he must sit, as required by the regulations. There are many ways to beat off the takes of the Airborne Forces. Some paratroopers simply soak it in a basin of water, while some craftsmen experiment with gasoline and other fuels and lubricants.
In practice, of those who theoretically know how to beat off the Airborne Forces, not everyone copes. Therefore, this task is considered a test along with the forced march and other military skills.
Blue beret in military culture
VDV is not only a military branch and a profession, but also a whole culture. The main manifestation of this culture, of course, is the song. Although paratroopers are rough men, songs about them are often very lyrical. But, for example, the words of the song "VDV" ("Blue Berets" - the group that performs it) show us determined warriors, purposeful and capable of feats. It emphasizesthe importance of friendly relations between soldiers. Another popular song of Russian paratroopers is "Sineva". It poetically describes the sky through the eyes of parachuting troops.
And the leitmotif of all the songs is still the blue beret - the main symbol of the airborne troops.
