You can find many references to the use of alcoholic beverages by soldiers to achieve this or that effect 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 looking into, 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 Emperor Peter I was the first in Russia to give alcohol to soldiers. Then it was called "bread wine". The bottom line 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 supplying the unit with alcohol in a timely manner, could even be deprived of his head. It was believed that it undermines moraletroops.
The tradition was picked up by many Russian tsars and emperors, while it was changed and supplemented many times. Under Nicholas I, 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 the "People's Commissar's Grams" appeared
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 - Kliment Voroshilov. 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 temperature 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 en titled 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". Since Introduction (January 10)until 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 to give 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 of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief. 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 given 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 were conducting offensivefrontline operations. 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.
Definitively, the issuance of the norm was 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.
Similar cases around the world
Referring to a similar alcohol norm in the Red Army, it should also be said that the Wehrmacht, against which she fought, was also not very 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 fighting, the soldiers tookmedicines - "Pervitin", for example, or "Isofan". The first one was called "penzerchocolade" - "tank chocolate". It was sold openly, with 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 this feeling, along with basic 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 in the event that the human psyche was subjected to heavy stress, as is often the case in war. Alcohol saved many fighters from severe nervous shocks or evenmadness. 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. Disciplinary offenses should also 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, 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 en titled to a daily norm of dry wine (also 100 grams). But, as under Stalin, they gave him 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.
