Introduction of shoulder straps in the Red Army
On January 6, 1943, shoulder straps were introduced in the Workers' and Peasants' Red Army.
Shoulder straps have a long history in the Russian army. They were first introduced by Peter the Great back in 1696, but in those days, shoulder straps served only as a strap that kept the gun belt or cartridge pouch from slipping off the shoulder. The shoulder strap was only an attribute of the uniform of the lower ranks: the officers were not armed with guns, and therefore they did not need shoulder straps.
Epaulets began to be used as insignia of rank with the accession to the throne of Alexander I. However, they did not denote ranks, but membership in a particular regiment. The shoulder straps depicted a number indicating the number of the regiment in the Russian army, and the color of the shoulder strap indicated the number of the regiment in the division: red indicated the first regiment, blue the second, white the third, and dark green the fourth. Army (in the sense of non-guards) grenadiers had yellow shoulder straps. The shoulder straps of the Akhtyrsky and Mitavsky Hussars and the Finnish, Primorsky, Arkhangelsk, Astrakhan and Kinburn Dragoon Regiments were also yellow.
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Shoulder straps of the Russian Imperial Army |
Shoulder straps of the Russian Imperial Navy |
Rank insignia of the Red Army 1935-40 |
Shoulder straps of the Red Army (from 01/06/1943) |
To distinguish a soldier from an officer, officer's shoulder straps were first trimmed with galloon, and since 1807, officers' shoulder straps were replaced with epaulettes. Since 1827, officer and general ranks began to be designated by the number of stars on their epaulettes: warrant officers– 1,second lieutenant, major and major general – 2; lieutenant,lieutenant colonel and lieutenant general - 3; staff captain - 4; at captains,colonels and there were no stars on the epaulets of full generals. One star was retained for retired brigadiers and retired second majors - these ranks no longer existed by 1827, but retirees with the right to wear a uniform who retired in these ranks were preserved. Since April 8, 1843, insignia also appeared on the shoulder straps of lower ranks: one stripe went tocorporal ,two to a junior non-commissioned officer, and three to a senior non-commissioned officer. The sergeant major received a 2.5-centimeter-thick transverse stripe on his shoulder strap, andensign- exactly the same, but located longitudinally.
In 1854, shoulder straps were also introduced for officers, leaving epaulettes only on ceremonial uniforms, and until the revolution there were almost no changes in shoulder straps, except that in 1884 the rank of major was abolished, and in 1907 the rank was introduced mediocre ensign .
Shoulder straps were also officials of some civil departments – engineers, railway workers, police .
However, after the October Revolution shoulder straps were canceled together with military and civilian officials (about this).
The first insignia in the Red Army appeared on January 16, 1919. They were triangles, cubes and diamonds, sewn onto the sleeves (See:). In 1922, these triangles, cubes and rhombuses were transferred to sleeve valves (Cm.:). At the same time, a certain color of the valve corresponded to one or another branch of the military. But these valves did not last long in the Red Army - already in 1924, diamonds, kubars and triangles moved to buttonholes. In addition, in addition to these geometric figures, another one appeared - a sleeper, intended for those service categories that corresponded to pre-revolutionary staff officers (See for more details).
In 1935, the Red Army was introduced personal military ranks . Some of them corresponded to the pre-revolutionary ones - colonel, lieutenant colonel, captain. Some were taken from the ranks of the former Tsarist Navy - lieutenant and senior lieutenant. The ranks corresponding to generals remained from the previous service categories - brigade commander, division commander, corps commander, army commander of the 2nd and 1st ranks. The rank of major, abolished under Alexander III, was restored. The insignia, in comparison with the buttonholes of the 1924 model, has hardly changed in appearance - only the four-cube combination has disappeared. In addition, the title of Marshal of the Soviet Union was introduced, no longer designated by diamonds, but by one large star on the collar flap.
On August 5, 1937, the rank of junior lieutenant (one kubar) was introduced, and on September 1, 1939, the rank of lieutenant colonel. Moreover, the three sleepers now corresponded not to a ladle, but to a lieutenant colonel. The colonel received four sleepers.
On May 7, 1940, general ranks were introduced. The major general, as before the revolution, had two stars, but they were located not on the shoulder straps, but on the collar flaps. The lieutenant general had three stars. This is where the similarities with pre-revolutionary generals ended - instead of a full general, the lieutenant general was followed by the rank of colonel general, modeled on the German general oberst. The colonel general had four stars, and the army general who followed him, whose rank was borrowed from the French army, had five stars.
The insignia remained in this form until January 6, 1943, when shoulder straps were introduced into the Red Army. On January 13, they began to enter the troops.
Soviet shoulder straps had much in common with pre-revolutionary ones, but there were also differences: officer shoulder straps of the Red Army (but not the Navy) in 1943 were pentagonal, not hexagonal; the colors of the gaps indicated the type of troops, not the regiment; the clearance was a single whole with the shoulder strap field; there were colored edgings according to the type of troops; the stars were metal, gold or silver, and varied in size for junior and senior officers; ranks were designated by a different number of stars than before 1917, and shoulder straps without stars were not restored.
A junior lieutenant, a major and a major general received one star each. Two each went to a lieutenant, a lieutenant colonel and a lieutenant general, three each went to a senior lieutenant, a colonel and a colonel general, and four went to the captain and general of the army. The shoulder straps of junior officers had one gap and from one to four silver-plated metal stars with a diameter of 13 mm, and the shoulder straps of senior officers had two gaps and from one to three stars with a diameter of 20 mm.
Badges for junior commanders were also restored. The corporal still had one stripe, the junior sergeant had two, the sergeant had three. The former wide sergeant major's stripe went to the senior sergeant, and the sergeant major received the so-called “hammer” for his shoulder straps.
Soviet officer shoulder straps were five millimeters wider than pre-revolutionary ones. No encryption was placed on them. Field and everyday shoulder straps were established for the Red Army. According to the assigned military rank, belonging to the branch of the military (service), insignia (stars and gaps) and emblems were placed on the shoulder straps. For military lawyers and doctors, there were “medium” sprockets with a diameter of 18 mm. Initially, the stars of senior officers were attached not to the gaps, but to the field of braid next to them. Field shoulder straps had a field of khaki color (khaki cloth) with one or two gaps sewn to it. On three sides, the shoulder straps had piping according to the color of the branch of service. Clearances were installed - blue - for aviation, brown - for doctors, quartermasters and lawyers, red - for everyone else. The field of everyday shoulder straps was made of golden silk or galloon. Silver braid was approved for everyday shoulder straps of engineering and command personnel, quartermaster, medical and veterinary services and lawyers. There was a rule according to which silver stars were worn on gilded shoulder straps, and vice versa, gilded stars were worn on silver shoulder straps, except for veterinarians - they wore silver stars on silver shoulder straps. The width of the shoulder straps is 6 cm, and for officers of the medical and veterinary services, military justice - 4 cm. It is known that such shoulder straps were called “oaks” in the army. The color of the piping depended on the type of military service and service - crimson in the infantry, blue in aviation, dark blue in cavalry, a gilded button with a star, with a hammer and sickle in the center, in the navy - a silver button with an anchor. General's shoulder straps of the 1943 model, unlike soldiers' and officers', were hexagonal. They were gold, with silver stars. The exception was the shoulder straps of generals of the medical and veterinary services and justice. Narrow silver shoulder straps with gold stars were introduced for them. Navy officer shoulder straps, unlike army ones, were hexagonal. Otherwise, they were similar to the army ones, but the color of the shoulder straps was determined: for officers of the naval, naval engineering and coastal engineering services - black, for aviation and engineering - aviation service - blue, quartermasters - crimson, for everyone else, including number of justice – red. Emblems were not worn on the shoulder straps of command and ship personnel. The color of the field, stars and edging of the shoulder straps of generals and admirals, as well as their width, were also determined by the branch of the army and service; the field of shoulder straps of senior officers was sewn from a special braid. 
The buttons of the Red Army generals had the image of the coat of arms of the USSR, and the admirals and generals of the Navy had the emblem of the USSR superimposed on two crossed anchors. On November 7, 1944, the location of the stars on the shoulder straps of colonels and lieutenant colonels of the Red Army was changed. Until this moment, they were located on the sides of the gaps, but now they have moved to the gaps themselves. On October 9, 1946, the shape of the shoulder straps of officers of the Soviet Army was changed - they became hexagonal. In 1947, on the shoulder straps of officers transferred to the reserve and retired by order of the Minister of the Armed Forces of the USSR No. 4, a golden (for those who wore silver shoulder straps) or silver (for gold-plated shoulder straps) patch was introduced, which they are required to wear when they put on a military uniform (in 1949 this the patch was cancelled).
In the post-war period, minor changes occurred in the insignia. Thus, in 1955, everyday field double-sided shoulder straps were introduced for privates and sergeants.
In 1956, field shoulder straps for officers with stars and khaki emblems and clearances according to the branch of service were introduced. In 1958, the narrow shoulder straps of the 1946 model for doctors, veterinarians and lawyers were abolished. Silver stars are introduced on gold shoulder straps, and gold stars on silver ones. The colors of the gaps are red (combined arms, airborne troops), crimson (engineer troops), black (tank troops, artillery, technical troops), blue (aviation), dark green (medics, veterinarians, lawyers); blue (the color of cavalry) was abolished due to the liquidation of this type of troops. For generals of the medical, veterinary services and justice, wide silver shoulder straps with gold stars were introduced, for others - gold shoulder straps with silver stars.
In 1963, there were blue gaps for airborne officers. The 1943 model sergeant's shoulder straps with the sergeant's hammer are being abolished. Instead of this “hammer”, a wide longitudinal braid is introduced, like in the pre-revolutionary sub-ensign.
In 1969, gold stars were introduced on gold shoulder straps, and silver stars on silver ones. The colors of the gaps are red (ground forces), crimson (medics, veterinarians, lawyers, administrative services) and blue (aviation, airborne forces). Silver general's shoulder straps are being abolished. All general's shoulder straps became gold, with gold stars framed with edging according to the branch of service.
In 1972, ensign shoulder straps were introduced. Unlike the pre-revolutionary ensign, whose rank corresponded to the Soviet junior lieutenant, the Soviet ensign was equivalent in rank to the American warrant officer.
In 1973, the codes SA (Soviet Army), VV (Internal Troops), PV (Border Troops), GB (KGB Troops) were introduced on the shoulder straps of soldiers and sergeants, and K on the shoulder straps of cadets.
In 1974, new army general shoulder straps were introduced to replace the 1943 model shoulder straps. Instead of four stars, they had a marshal's star, above which was the emblem of motorized rifle troops.
In 1980, all silver shoulder straps with silver stars were abolished. The colors of the gaps are red (combined arms) and blue (aviation, airborne forces).
In 1981, shoulder straps for a senior warrant officer were introduced, and in 1986, for the first time in the history of Russian officer shoulder straps, shoulder straps without gaps were introduced, differing only in the size of the stars (field uniform “Afghan”)
Currently the shoulder straps remain insignia of the Russian army , as well as some categories Russian civil officials .
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Rank insignia of the Red Army 1924-35 |
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On January 6, 1943, the decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR “On the introduction of new insignia for the personnel of the Red Army” was published. This document prescribed the introduction of new insignia to replace the existing ones - shoulder straps for Red Army personnel, as well as the approval of samples and descriptions of new insignia.
A quarter of a century after the revolution, the country's armed forces returned to their historical uniform.
The editorial material of the Krasnaya Zvezda newspaper dated January 7, 1943 emphasized that “today the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR on the introduction of new insignia - shoulder straps for the personnel of the Red Army is published. This event is an important event in the life of the army, because it is designed to further strengthen military discipline and military spirit.” 
The central body of the People's Commissariat of Defense of the USSR reminded that “epaulettes with clear and clear outlines of insignia highlight the Soviet commander and the Red Army soldier, emphasize ranks, military specialty and make it possible to further strengthen military discipline and smartness.”
The main military newspaper of the country wrote on this day:
“We have first-class military equipment, and every day there will be more and more of it. The country sent its sons - loyal warriors - to the fronts, and the mighty strength of the Soviet soldier became famous throughout the world.
The people brought forward from among themselves cadres of commanders, cadres of military intelligentsia - bearers of everything heroic and noble that is in themselves. In fierce battles with the enemy, our soldiers and commanders raised high the honor of Russian weapons. The importance of a commander in an army is great. He has a primary role in battle, in all military life.
The role of the sovereign commander must be emphasized and strengthened in every possible way. This, in particular, will be facilitated by shoulder straps with their clear designations of service seniority.”
“Red Star” recalled that “epaulets were a traditional decoration of the valiant Russian army. We, the legitimate heirs of Russian military glory, take from the arsenal of our fathers and grandfathers all the best that contributed to raising military spirit and strengthening discipline. The introduction of shoulder straps once again confirms the glorious continuity of military traditions, which is so valuable for an army that loves its fatherland and values its native history. Shoulder straps are not only a detail of clothing. This is a sign of military dignity and military honor.”
The newspaper's editorial emphasized that “the content of the military uniform is determined by the fighting spirit of the troops, their glory, their moral strength, their traditions. By putting on shoulder straps - new signs of rank and military honor - we will feel even more clearly the duty that lies with the army defending its homeland from Nazi gangs. The people will give the army these badges of honor, while demanding that the army's honor be maintained on the battlefield."
The article also recalled: “The people have granted great rights to our officers, but at the same time they have imposed great responsibilities on them. To fight selflessly for the homeland, to always feel like an educator of the Red Army masses in everything, to always and in everything instill in the consciousness of your subordinates a feeling of love for the homeland, a correct understanding of your military duty - such is the duty of a Soviet officer.
The shoulder strap must constantly remind the commander of this duty. Wearing shoulder straps should instill in every serviceman a sense of pride that he has the honor of belonging to the valiant Red Army, a sense of pride both for himself and for our entire army.”
“Red Star” especially emphasized on this day: “We put on shoulder straps in the great and difficult time of the Patriotic War. Let us immortalize these signs of military distinction and military honor with new exploits for the glory of our fatherland and our heroic army!” 
Everyone according to their shoulder straps
Particularly interesting is the use of the words “officer” and “officership” in the editorial material of “Red Star”. For the first time since 1917, the word “officer” appeared in the May Day order of the People’s Commissar of Defense in 1942. This document noted that “the Red Army has become more organized and stronger, its officer cadres have become battle-hardened, and its generals have become more experienced and insightful.”However, the word “officer” was officially legalized in the second half of 1943.
Work on new uniforms and insignia began even before the war. According to some reports, the first samples of uniforms and shoulder straps were developed back in 1941.
In the study “Uniforms of the Red Army and the Wehrmacht” by Pavel Lipatov, it is indicated that “new insignia and uniforms began to be developed in mid-1942, taking as a basis the galloon and field shoulder straps of the Russian Imperial Army. They looked for old masters who had once woven gold patterned ribbons and revived a half-forgotten technology. Test samples were cut - lush and archaic double-breasted ceremonial frock coats with gold embroidery and thick epaulettes.”
Temporary technical specifications, which included a description of the emblems and insignia on shoulder straps, were published on December 10, 1942.
According to Pavel Lipatov, the new uniform was initially supposed to be introduced only in the guard, but the Supreme Commander-in-Chief, Comrade Stalin, decided to put shoulder straps on everyone.
The decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR emphasized that insignia - shoulder straps - serve to determine the military rank and affiliation of military personnel to one or another branch of the military (service). According to the assigned military rank, belonging to the branch of the military (service), insignia (stars, gaps, stripes) and emblems are placed on the shoulder straps, and on the everyday shoulder straps of junior commanders, enlisted personnel and military school cadets there are also stencils indicating the name of the military unit (connections).
As noted by researchers of domestic military uniforms, the shape of the shoulder straps of the Red Army was similar to the shoulder straps adopted in the Russian army before 1917. They were a strip with parallel long sides, the lower end of the shoulder strap was rectangular, and the upper end was cut at an obtuse angle. The shoulder straps of marshals and generals have the top of an obtuse angle cut parallel to the bottom edge.
For the first time in Russia, shoulder straps appeared under Peter the Great in 1696. But in those days they were not insignia and were intended to hold the strap of a cartridge or grenade bag on the shoulder of an ordinary soldier.
Then the infantrymen wore, respectively, only one shoulder strap on the left shoulder, the lower edge of which was sewn on, and the upper edge was fastened to the caftan and later to the uniform. In that era, officers, cavalrymen and artillerymen did not have shoulder straps. In other words, they were not present in those branches of the military in which there was no need for them.
Since 1762, shoulder straps have become insignia and determine whether a serviceman belongs to a particular regiment. Under Paul I, shoulder straps again performed only one function - holding the belt of the cartridge bag, but during the reign of Alexander I they again became insignia.
In the armed forces of Soviet Russia, shoulder straps were abolished on December 16, 1917.
The history of Russia includes, as an important component, the history of the Russian army. A significant component of army history is the history of uniforms and their attributes.
Why were shoulder straps needed?
For the first time in the Russian army, shoulder straps were introduced during the reign of Peter I. Tsar Peter I introduced this innovation in the army he created in 1696: soldiers began to wear one shoulder strap on their left shoulder.
The purpose of this innovation was purely practical; the shoulder strap was intended to hold the gun belt or bags that soldiers carried on their shoulders.
Its design was intended precisely for this. A hexagonal flap made of fabric was sewn into the seam of the sleeve on the shoulder on one side, and the opposite edge was fastened with a button near the collar. The fabric from which the shoulder straps were made had to be only red.
Higher ranks, as well as cavalrymen and artillerymen, did not carry guns and bags with them on campaigns, so there were no shoulder straps for their uniforms. For the same reason, in the navy, insignia were attached to the sleeve.
Later, shoulder straps became a noticeable part of the uniform, so they acquired not only practical significance, but also became an element of decoration. When sewing shoulder straps, they began to use hanging cords on the lower edge, forming a brush.
First attempt at use as a badge of honor
The need to introduce some special attributes in order to distinguish soldiers of different regiments had been brewing in the army for a long time, and in 1762 the military departments decided to use shoulder straps for this purpose.
These elements of the uniform were edged with garus cords, which were woven for each regiment in a special way. The shoulder straps of the soldiers differed from the shoulder straps of the officers also in the principle of weaving the cord.
But the goal was not achieved, since the huge variety of woven garus cords could not be remembered.
Return to the old
Paul I (reigned 1796-1801), having come to power, he began to carry out reforms in the army, taking the Prussian army as a model, and decided that the original meaning of the shoulder badge was the most correct.
The shoulder badge - shoulder strap again became an element of military uniform, intended only to hold straps and belts, an indispensable attribute of a soldier's uniform.
A cord woven from gold, silver or colored threads (aiguillette) appears on the right shoulder of the command staff. He fulfilled the task of simultaneously decorating the uniform and the insignia.
Creating New Symbols
Under Emperor Alexander I (reigned 1801-1825), it was decided to create signs of distinguishing military personnel from one regiment from another and an officer from a soldier. In 1802, new shoulder straps were introduced, which had a pentagonal shape.
For soldiers and non-commissioned officers, two shoulder straps were required since 1803. The command staff of the tsarist army now had an shoulder strap on the left shoulder, and the aiguillette was still attached to the right shoulder. For each regiment, these uniform elements were sewn in a specific color.
Soldiers with shoulder insignia:
- red - served in the first regiment;
- white - served in the second regiment;
- yellow - in the third regiment.
Since 1809, all guards regiments had scarlet shoulder straps. Since 1814, yellow shoulder straps began to be worn by grenadier regiments.
For about 100 years, shoulder straps performed two tasks:
- a means of holding the strap of a bag and a gun belt;
- the difference between soldiers of one regiment and soldiers of another regiment.
The color meant only a certain regiment, but there were other signs that needed to be known in order to establish the exact affiliation of the serviceman.
For this they began to use encryption.
Encryptions are colored patterns made from a garus cord, which was used to display the division number, the monograms of high-ranking officials who are the chiefs of the regiment.
Encryptions have been changed and supplemented more than once. Letter designations of units, types of troops, and names of specialties were added. The shoulder straps of the command staff, unlike the soldiers', were outlined around the edge with a gold cord.
In 1807, they decided to distinguish the officer corps in another way and approved the wearing of epaulettes instead of shoulder straps, first on one shoulder, and from 1809 there were two epaulettes.
It was necessary to create a system of insignia for different ranks, and in 1827, additional elements began to be added to the epaulettes of officers - stars, the number of which indicated the rank of the officer. The stars were made in silver (decorated with gold shoulder straps) and gold (decorated with silver shoulder straps).
The number of stars depended on the rank, but the size of the stars did not change.
Three ranks did not receive asterisks: captain, colonel and infantry general (full general); they did not have such signs on their shoulder straps.
In 1843, transverse stripes appeared for non-commissioned officers, which indicated the rank . The stripes were different in different regiments. A gold patch was worn on the shoulder straps of non-commissioned officers who came from the nobility.
Introduction of shoulder straps for officers
In 1854, commanders' epaulettes were replaced with shoulder straps. Officers' shoulder straps are covered with patterns of strips of braid called galloons. They were sewn with gold and silver braid. In addition to the quality of the braid, there were other signs indicating the rank of an officer: the number of strips of braid sewn onto the shoulder straps, their width, and the space between them.
- The rank of chief officer was determined by two stripes, with a gap of 4-5 mm between them.
- The rank of a staff officer was determined by one wide stripe and two narrower ones, also with a certain gap.
- ¾ rank of general - one wide stripe, on which a zigzag pattern was applied.
The main color of the shoulder straps (the background visible through the pattern) corresponded to the color of the regiment.
Since 1855, the shoulder straps of officers began to differ even more from those of soldiers; they became hexagonal. Since 1907, encryption signs have been added to them, indicating the military chief (his monogram) and the division number, made from gold or silver braid, the emblem of the military branches. All stripes, patterns, stars, and braid were sewn on by hand.
From the second half of the 19th century, shoulder straps became the main attribute by which military personnel were distinguished.
Officers' epaulets remained as an element of the ceremonial uniform.
Other categories
In addition to soldiers and officers, musicians, medical workers, and officials served in the army. They all began to wear shoulder straps with their corresponding insignia.
Students of military schools were also given special shoulder straps, by which it was possible to distinguish a cadet of one school from a cadet of another. In the middle of the shoulder strap was embroidered the symbol of the school or the capital letter of the name. Gold or silver galloon was sewn along the edges. Each school had its own color of shoulder straps.
After all the innovations, there were no major changes until 1914. The color and type of stripes, monograms, numbers and letters were slightly modified.
Simplifying the form
In the second half of the 19th century, reforms were carried out in the tsarist army to simplify military uniforms. The huge variety of uniforms, its pomp and pomp interfered with military service.
The development of rifled weapons led to new ways of fighting. In this regard, uniforms had to become more convenient and simpler, frills and decorative elements were reduced. Ordinary cavalrymen, who wore epaulettes before 1881, began to wear shoulder straps.
After the Russo-Japanese War, military uniforms began to be made from cheaper fabrics, and “field” shoulder straps were introduced.
“Field” shoulder straps were simple and discreet. Instead of monograms, inscriptions on them began to be made with oil paints, and troop emblems were made from metal by stamping. The background of the shoulder strap turned green. Soldiers and non-commissioned officers had double-sided shoulder straps (everyday and field), they could be easily and quickly changed.
Although formal military clothing was not abolished, wearing it during the war was considered indecent.
Since 1914, gold and silver braid have ceased to be produced in Russia; shoulder straps with them remained only in the wardrobe of officers. More and more elements were added to the encryption. Symbols indicating the branch of the military, stripes that made it possible to identify specialists, and various edgings were added. The Cossacks used their own codes. There were so many encryptions that they began to take up too much space.
During the war, soldiers stopped observing the statutory rules and began to wear shoulder straps without encryption or with abbreviated inscriptions. In February 1917, after the revolution, the Provisional Government created shock battalions to increase the combat effectiveness of troops and created special shoulder straps for them with the image of a skull.
After the revolution
Having come to power, the Bolsheviks, according to the idea of equality, abolished classes, titles, and titles. Uniforms and insignia were eliminated. Shoulder straps ceased to exist.
But the war continued, now there was a Civil War. To conduct successful military operations, a new army was needed to suppress the resistance offered by the White Army.
In the army, which received the name White, which absorbed various detachments and units of the tsarist army, they continued to wear shoulder straps that had been used previously, but supplemented them with their own signs and monograms. The White Guard officers regained their remaining gold shoulder straps, which is where they got the name “gold chasers.”
In the Red Army, after the abolition of ranks and titles, shoulder straps disappeared accordingly. But the success of military operations without commanders is impossible, and they still appeared in the Red Army. Attributes were introduced that act as insignia to distinguish commanders of different units.
At first these were armbands with the name of the position or several stripes on the sleeve, geometric shapes (diamonds, squares, triangles) made of red fabric or stars on the sleeves or cap. The signs were introduced by each commander independently and were different in different units.
Geometric signs such as red diamonds, squares and triangles spread throughout all parts of the Red Army. However, the lack of a unified approach to the formation of the Army Regulations and the type of uniform led to a huge variety of these signs.
It became clear to the leadership of the Republic that an army without discipline is impossible, and the discipline and patriotism of military personnel increases by wearing a uniform uniform and observing uniform rules. In December 1922, the Red Army decided on the need to introduce a uniform uniform and uniformity of all distinctive insignia among the troops.
Special flaps of different colors were sewn onto the sleeves; the color of the flap depended on the type of military service. Insignia of positions - geometric shapes (triangles, rhombuses and squares) were attached to the valves.
In 1924, sleeve flaps were replaced with buttonholes sewn to the collar. Various symbols were attached to the buttonholes, identifying positions and specialties; the color of the buttonhole was determined by the branch of the military. Buttonholes, as insignia, remained until 1943.
Return of shoulder straps to the Red Army
In 1943, shoulder straps began to be introduced in the Red Army in stages: first for the army and navy, then for railway workers and the police.
The system of insignia in its main part repeated that which existed in the tsarist army. For ordinary and lower ranks, everyday and field shoulder straps were introduced. The color of the material from which the shoulder straps were made determined the type of troops. The stars denoting rank were located along the shoulder straps and had different sizes, unlike the royal shoulder straps. The size of the stars depended on the rank.
Throughout the existence of the Soviet Army, changes in the color of the shoulder straps and the location of the stripes were insignificant. In 1973, letters were added to indicate the branch of the military, for example:
- SA – combined arms badge;
- PB - border troops;
- Black Sea Fleet - Black Sea Fleet.
This system was maintained in the Soviet army until 1993, until the army itself ceased to exist.
After 1993, for a long time, the uniform in the army, including shoulder straps, was mixed; new attributes of the Russian army coexisted with old, Soviet ones. Gradually, Soviet symbols were replaced with Russian symbols.
In 2010, even the location of the shoulder straps was changed: one shoulder strap began to be located on the chest, and the other on the sleeve. This innovation was sharply criticized, was inconvenient for military personnel and did not last long. The shoulder straps returned to the shoulders.
At the beginning of the forty-second year, Stalin called Khrulev and said that it was necessary to somehow distinguish the guard units with a special uniform. The quartermasters quickly prepared several samples and delivered them to the Kremlin. There they looked and came to the conclusion that if only guardsmen began to wear this uniform, then what would the rest look like? We decided to abandon the special uniform for the guards, but introduce shoulder straps for the entire army.
However, Stalin soon lost interest in them. The matter dragged on and there was no end in sight. When Khrulev once again reminded Stalin about them, he began to reproach him: “Why are you bothering with these shoulder straps?” Then he told them to bring him their samples. Artists and craftsmen immediately got to work. They offered several options: they borrowed some from the army uniforms of different countries, and made some themselves. They brought it to Stalin. He looked and quite unexpectedly asked A.M. Vasilevsky, who was standing next to him:
Comrade Vasilevsky, show me what kind of shoulder straps you wore in the old days?
Alexander Mikhailovich was embarrassed. He was a staff captain, but where can he now get shoulder straps, and not even such a high rank? In a word, Stalin gave instructions to the quartermasters:
Show me the shoulder straps that the king had.
We got hold of shoulder straps somewhere in museums and found veterans who served in the old army. Stalin looked and called Kalinin, asked him to come in, and an interesting conversation took place between them, which Andrei Vasilyevich later retold:
“Here, Comrade Kalinin, Khrulev proposes to us to restore the old regime.
Kalinin, slowly, looked at the samples and said:
You see, you and I remember the old regime, but young people don’t remember it. And if young people like this form and can be useful in the war against fascism, then this form should be accepted.
Stalin quickly reacted by exclaiming:
And you, Comrade Kalinin, are for the old regime?”
Kalinin reiterated that he was not for the old regime, but for the benefits that the new form could bring in the fight against the enemy. Probably, Andrei Vasilyevich concluded, our persistence and support for Kalinin had an effect this time, and the decision to introduce shoulder straps was made. The decree will be published tomorrow...
Soon materials were received through TASS for publication in tomorrow's issue of the newspaper. They were located on two lanes. On the first - the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Council on the introduction of new insignia in the army, a description of shoulder straps and their photographs; on the first page - marshals and generals, on the second - officers and enlisted personnel. And when they brought the prints of the strips for signature, Khrulev called me again and said that Stalin wanted to see how the materials about shoulder straps would look in the newspaper and that I needed to go to the Kremlin.
Having captured the still wet stripes, Andrei Vasilyevich and I went to the Kremlin. We were immediately invited to Stalin's office. I laid out the stripes of the “Red Star” on the table, Stalin began to look at photographs of shoulder straps, and re-read the Decree. Then I looked at the second strip. Finally I started reading the editorial.
Shoulder straps are not only decoration, but also order and discipline. Talk about it.
Thinking that there would be more comments, and not relying on my memory, I reached into my pocket for a pencil. As luck would have it, I didn’t take it with me.
It wasn't on the table either. Stalin was holding a long, sharpened red pencil in his hands, and I don’t know how it happened, I pulled it out of his hands and began to write down comments. Molotov and Beria were sitting at the table opposite. Vyacheslav Mikhailovich smiled dryly, but Beria threw an angry, condemning look at me. I took this calmly, did I know what kind of ghoul was in front of me? And Stalin continued:
I must say that the shoulder straps were not invented by us. We are the heirs of Russian military glory. We don't give up on it...
I also wrote down this phrase. While Stalin was looking at the newspaper, pages of Pravda and Izvestia were brought. In these newspapers, all materials about shoulder straps, including photographs, were placed on the inside pages. I thought that this was a big event for the army and the country and the material should start from the front page. Told about it. Stalin agreed and immediately instructed me to tell TASS that other central newspapers should follow the example of Krasnaya Zvezda. I did this willingly, and in addition, I did not deny myself the pleasure of calling the editors of Pravda and Izvestia:
You, friends, will have to break your streaks...
Returning the stripes to me, Stalin said:
There will be conversations tomorrow!..
Apparently, he himself was passionate about this matter...
I made amendments in the edition. And our historians also found for the editorial the remarkable words of M. V. Frunze about appearance and discipline in the Red Army: " ...we often have an attitude towards military bearing, military discipline, external order, as something harmful, non-revolutionary and unnecessary. This is absolute nonsense. Internal conscious discipline must necessarily manifest itself in the external order." . We managed to publish the three-column article “About the Uniform and Shoulder straps” that we had prepared in advance.
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