Military History Research Articles

Опыт организации контроля качества и приемки военной продукции на Кузнецком заводе текстильного машиностроения (завод № 748) в 1941–1943 гг.

The history of the functioning and development of the domestic military-industrial complex is one of the little-studied pages of the military history of Russia. One of its aspects is the history of the national institute of military acceptance. This publication reveals the experience of organizing quality control and acceptance of mortars and mines by the military representation of the Red Army Main Artillery Directorate at the Kuznetsk Textile Machinery Plant (Plant No. 748) in 1941–1943. The main problems faced by production in the second half of 1941 are characterized. The measures implemented by the enterprise and the military representation in the first period of the war, which were aimed at expanding the manufacture of military products as well as reducing their defects, are analyzed and evaluated. Historical-genetic and systemic methods were used in the preparation of the publication. Statistical method was applied as an auxiliary one. It is concluded that during the war, the military representative office was forced to deal with both quality control and acceptance of military products and assistance to the enterprise in mastering the production of mortars and mines. Military inspectors had to balance the need to increase the manufacture of military products and maintain their quality at the proper level. By the end of 1942, the production of military products at Kuztextilmash was established. According to the author, plant No. 748 and the city of Kuznetsk itself made a significant contribution to the victory of the Soviet people in the Great Patriotic War.

Exclusion through Inclusion?: Museum Architecture and the Institutionalization of Critique

Architecture is not only a social product; the social is also constituted through architecture. This holds particularly true for the museum. Museum architecture is a spatialized expression of social order and an infrastructure through which collective imaginations are generated. I will show how the German Bundeswehr uses its principal museum to apply a post-heroic mode of identity formation. The Bundeswehr has to distance itself from the past while it also has to articulate a minimum of historic continuity to legitimize itself. The Military History Museum of the Bundeswehr (Dresden) achieves this through a twofold spatial tactic. First, through a dramatic architectural intervention, and secondly, through the interpretation of this spatial arrangement. Articulated in and through architecture, the ‘critical engagement with the past’ becomes institutionalized. Providing a sociological explanation of why the critical negation of the past became a prominent narrative within German memorial culture, I argue, that it allows for a coherent self-narration below the horizon of historical fractures and multiple conflicts in the refigured modernity. Although a similar discourse is at work at the Humboldt Forum in Berlin, its affirmative architecture, however, contradicts any claims of a ‘critical engagement with the past’.

Особенности разведывательных операций 3-й бригады Русского экспедиционного корпуса на Западном фронте. Декабрь 1916–март 1917 гг.

The article analyzes the preparation and conduct of reconnaissance operations in the area of the French commune of Aubérive using the example of two regiments of the 3rd Special Infantry Brigade of the Russian Expeditionary Forces in France. The common and unique features of the French front inherent in the activities of the Russian troops are highlighted. The basis of the research is a set of unpublished sources from the collections of the Russian State Military Historical Archive, the Bakhmetyev Archive of Columbia University (USA), the archive of the Russian Cultural Center (USA). The author notes that, despite the inconsistency of the actions of artillery and infantry, the raids were quite well thought out, this allowed not only to carry out a combat mission, but also to save personnel.

Research of architectural projects of the building of the Russian Military Historical Museum on the materials of the Military Historical Museum of Artillery, Engineer Troops and Signal Corps

Nowadays, there is an active reconstruction of the old and the creation of new militaryhistorical museums. In the process of this work, the curators set the task of reflecting its purpose through its appearance. It becomes possible understanding by studying the architecture of the museum through the centuries. The paper discusses the architectural projects of the Russian Military Historical Museum which were stored in the archive of the Military Historical Museum of Artillery, Engineer troops and Signal Corps. The reader is informed that it was one of the stages of the work of the Committee on its Structure, created by Emperor Nicholas II’s order. The main ideas about museum buildings in the Russian Empire at the turn of the 19th–20th centuries were mentioned in the article. The main requirement was the correspondence of external and internal content. It was possible to identify common features: as a rule, these were two-storey stone buildings in the neo-Russian style, where, in addition to the exhibition halls, an arsenal, a lobby and a number of additional rooms were provided. The architects, whose projects were highly appreciated, took the palace buildings of the pre-Petrine period as a basis. As a result, the winner of the competition was Vladimir Pokrovsky’s the project which, unfortunately, was not implemented. However, the plot considered in the article is an example of an integrated approach to the organization of the museum, which was not developed in the USSR. The idea of building a Single Military Historical museum at that time did not lose its relevance. However, as a rule, it was assumed that the existing building would be adapted. Consequently, the competition of architectural projects of the Russian Military Historical Museum is one of the few examples in the history of museum construction in Russia when comprehensive work was carried out on the organization of internal and external space.

“Many people… tried to speak Ukrainian”. Ukraine 1917–1919 in the memories of General V. V. Bunyakovsky

The article is devoted to the analysis of unpublished memories of Major General V. V. Bunyakovsky about his life in 1917–1919 in Ukraine. Bunyakovsky’s memories are kept in the Russian State Military Historical Archives and in the State Archives of the Russian Federation, and were originally kept in the Russian Foreign Historical Archives in Prague. The preserved body of the general’s memories covers the period from the First World War to emigration, but one of the most interesting parts concerns the 1917–1919 period. In 1917–1918 Bunyakovsky was a member of the liquidation commission of the Nicholas Military School in Kiev, which he led; in the Ukrainian army of Hetman P. P. Skoropadsky in 1918 he was a member of the commission for the organization of military schools; in the Red Army in 1919 he headed the department of military educational institutions of the People’s Commissariat for Military and Naval Affairs of the Ukrainian SSR. The general was an eyewitness to large-scale historical events, including multiple changes of power in Kiev, met with a number of historical figures of that period and described his impressions in detail. Memories were written during his stay in exile in Serbia in the mid-1920s.

THE FIRST WORLD WAR IN THE WORK OF VICENTE BLASCO IBÁÑEZ

This paper examines the image of the First World War that the Spanish writer and journalist Vicente Blasco Ibáñez creates in his works of history and fiction. The paper deals with journalistic texts written by Blasko Ibáñez, collected in a multi-volume history of the First World War (Historia de la Guerra europea de 1914) and the novel The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (Los cuatro jinetes del Apocalipsis). We interpret the representations of the causes of war, with a special reference to the issue of "modern war" and the news it brings, we find parallels, similarities and differences between the representations in the novel and the historical work. The aim is to question the historical and cultural context in which the author pronounces certain judgments about the war, and then about the German people, with an emphasis on how pre-war Germanophilia turns into Germanophobia expressed in the analysed novel and History.

Pembangunan Tamadun melalui Wakaf Keluarga: Analisis dari Perspektif Sejarah Islam Civilizational Development through Family Waqf: An Analysis from Islamic Historical Perspectives

Islam menganjurkan amalan berwakaf sebagai satu bentuk tuntutan yang digalakkan terutama bagi membantu golongan yang kurang berkemampuan. Dalam sejarah Islam, praktis perwakafan bukanlah sesuatu yang asing dalam kalangan para sahabat dan pemerintah kerajaan Islam termasuk pelaksanaan wakaf ahli/wakaf zurri yang juga dikenali sebagai wakaf keluarga. Wakaf keluarga adalah satu bentuk wakaf yang dibuat oleh pewakaf (waqif) kepada benefisiari (mawquf ‘alaih) yang terdiri daripada seorang atau lebih ahli keluarga bagi tujuan kebajikan. Artikel ini meneliti perkembangan sejarah praktis wakaf keluarga daripada perspektif sejarah Islam. Penelitian artikel ini menggunakan kaedah analisis kandungan teks tematik dimana setiap perbincangan akan dibuat secara bertema menerusi sub-sub tajuk yang berkaitan dan sesuai dengan tajuk artikel. Dapatan artikel ini menunjukkan bahawa wakaf keluarga adalah salah satu bentuk wakaf yang telah diterima dan dipraktiskan dalam sejarah dunia Islam. Namun, pelaksanaan wakaf keluarga di beberapa buah negara termasuk Malaysia telah mengalami pelbagai perkembangan yang berbeza selaras dengan keadaan serta keperluan tempatan dan undang-undang di setiap negara.

조선시대 軍事史의 회고와 연구 동향

조선시대 軍事史의 회고와 연구 동향

Патриотическое воспитание молодежи как элемент борьбы с фальсификациями истории Великой Отечественной войны

The proposed article deals with controversial problems such as the falsification of the Great Patriotic War, the preservation of modern youth historical memory and resistance with attempts to falsify the history of the war.
 The article presents the results of a study among modern young people about the knowledge of the history of the Great Patriotic War and the main directions of history falsification of the war. The purpose of the study is to identify the features of the historical memory of modern youth about the Great Patriotic War. The study was carried out among students in grades 5-11 and students of the Faculty of History. As a consequence, we came to the conclusion that young people know the history of the Great Patriotic War at a low level, and the most susceptible to the influence of falsifiers of the history of the war.
 The main result of the study is methodological recommendations developed for lessons, ex-tracurricular activities, and optional courses for history teachers in order to increase the level of knowledge of the history of the Great Patriotic War and directions of falsification. The work also contains recommendations for the patriotic education of youth.

A Cliché to Be Avoided Like the Plague: The ‘People’s War’ in the History and Historiography of the British Second World War

Abstract The forum shows that I correctly diagnosed the place that ‘people’s war’ has in the historiography of the Second World War; that, if anything, I underestimated the grip that the connected series of beliefs about ‘people’s war’ have come to have over some historians of the British Second World War; and how difficult it is to start a conversation about framing assumptions and the nature of the historiography of the war. In this response I aim to get above the din of detail and try to understand the underlying positions being taken by the respondents. I will try to tease out their rather hidden assumptions, in order to clarify better what is at issue and at stake, thereby making a fresh attempt to take this discussion forward. I will also extend the discussion by considering works that have already rejected the conceptualisation of ‘people’s war’ defended in this forum. I hope that my original paper and the forum itself will together make the case that we need fresh ways of thinking about the British Second World War, as well as suggest that new ways are already in being and that the concept of ‘people’s war’ as currently used by many historians needs to be abandoned.

САБЛЯ ИМАМА ТАШУ-ХАДЖИ САЯСАНСКОГО: К ВОПРОСУ О ПОДЛИННОСТИ ОДНОГО ЭКСПОНАТА

The authors of the essay endeavored to research facts from the military history of the Caucasian War that are related with Tashu-Hadji Sayasanovsky, a campaigner for the third Imam Shamil and a notable leader of the movement for gazavat and Sharia in Chechnya and Dagestan. The study’s major plot is associated with the examination of the legitimacy of the bladed weapon, the owners of which claim it to be a trophy saber of Imam Tashu-Hadji. Despite the local context of this his-torical event, the circumstances associated with the person of Tashu-Hadji naturally increase the collection value of the saber. Summarizing the information about the military campaigns in which Tashu-Hadji took part, the authors expressed their opinion about the most likely circumstances when the saber could actually fall into the hands of the Russian military. The paper pays special emphasis on the examination and analysis of the exhibit owners’ arguments. The authors conclude that, despite the verisimilar and plausible arguments, there are numerous inconsistencies and con-tradictions in the information about the saber of Imam Tashu-Hadji, which is stated by its owners. Thus, the authenticity of the attribution of this collection item is called into question. The article’s materials were published historical evidence, presented by memoirs of Caucasus conquest partici-pants, official correspondence of Russian military officials, works of military historians contem-poraneous with the events, and Arabic-language works of Caucasian Muslim authors.

Industrial potential of the Kazakh SSR during the Great Patriotic War (1941–1945)

The aim of the article is to analyze the activities of various industries of the Kazakh SSR during the Great Patriotic War, aimed at providing raw materials to enterprises of the military-industrial complex and their own production aimed at improving the defense capabilities of the Soviet state. The relevance of the study was determined by the need to identify trends in the development of industry in the Kazakh Republic during the Patriotic War. The source base of the work was the works of Soviet, Russian and Kazakh authors, information from the Archive of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan dedicated to the history of the Great Patriotic War. The peculiarities of technological production aimed at increasing labour efficiency in the coal, non-ferrous, oil, chemical and energy industries of the republic are given. The growth trends of the indicators of these industries are revealed. The main ones are: increase of raw materials extraction at Karaganda coal basin, construction of auxiliary industrial enterprises, such as brick, cement works, explosive materials plant, woodworking plant, etc. In non-ferrous metallurgy, growth of non-ferrous metal output during the war years increased manifold compared to the pre-war periods. In oil industry – growth of high-quality oil production in Western Kazakhstan. In the chemical industry – increase of the list of products through construction of new shops and workshops of the operating enterprises of the chemical industry of the republic. In the energy sphere – construction of new power stations from regional to industrial levels. It is concluded that the identified trends in industrial development in Kazakhstan during the Great Patriotic War were a definite contribution to the improvement of the defensive capability of the USSR and in its victory over Germany.

Perpetuation of the Memory of Russian Military History Events in Russian Monuments of the 18th-19th Centuries: A Comparative Analysis

Perpetuation of the Memory of Russian Military History Events in Russian Monuments of the 18th-19th Centuries: A Comparative Analysis

Золотая Орда глазами современников и очевидцев

The purpose of the study: To show how the Golden Horde was seen – its population, its way of life, appearances, occupations – by representatives of the European (Catholic) and Eastern (Muslim) worlds. Their impressions, set out in the corresponding narratives, not only created the image of this state, but also influenced later ideas about the peoples who inhabited the eastern steppes – “Tartaria”. Research materials: The main source on the history of the Golden Horde/Ulus of Jochi are the narrative works of medieval European and Arab-Persian authors. Most eastern narrativist writers had never visited the territory of this state. They drew their information either from the stories of traveling merchants and envoys, or from the writings of their predecessors in compilations. In this regard, the narratives created by Europeans, from the point of view of source studies, differ favorably from the Arab-Persian ones not only in their information content, but also in the directness of its transmission. Research results and scientific novelty: Almost all the narratives known to us related to the Golden Horde were created for political purposes. Accordingly, their content reflects precisely the political, military and dynastic history of this state. Those few authors who had the opportunity to observe the life of the Golden Horde with their own eyes and from the inside – Plano Carpini, Guillaume (Willem) Rubruk, Marco Polo, Ibn Battuta – recorded approximately the same things in their notes, namely that “Tatars” were nomads who fed on the products of cattle breeding and hunting, were unpretentious in everyday life, unpretentious in clothing, formally Muslims but in fact dual-religionists since they preserved pagan remnant traditions of nomads. It is almost impossible to establish the scale of urbanization of the Golden Horde from these narratives. Thus, from the point of view of historical source study, the available material objectively forms three main empirical directions in the study of the Golden Horde, each of which has its own subject, without intersecting and practically without interacting with each other: the archeology of the Golden Horde nomads, the archeology of settlements (cities), and socio-political history. Therefore, the modern presentation of the history of the Golden Horde has the character of essays which will evidently persist for quite a long time.

БЫЛИННАЯ ТРАДИЦИЯ РУССКОГО УСТЬЯ

Russian epic tradition of the village Russkoe Ustye, standing on the Indigirka River, is the subject of the study. The relevance of the research lies in the need to describe one of the regional epic traditions of Siberia at the modern stage in connection with the work of the Institute of Russian Literature (Pushkin House) of the Russian Academy of Sciences on the series “Bylinas” of the Russian Folklore Code. Accordingly, the purpose and objectives of the study are determined by a systematic approach to material, meaningful in connection with the history of inhabiting the region, the history of the recording epics in the region, and the consistent characteristics of each recorded epic plot. The article reviews the history of inhabiting the Russian Estuary: the discovery of the mouth of the Indigirka by the Cossack Ivan Rebrov in 1638, the construction of the town of Zashiversk in the middle reaches of the Indigirka, inhabiting the mouth of the river from Zashiversk and from the sea. The oral family traditions of the Russkoustians are given. The article also describes the history of the recording epics in Russkoe Ustye and from its inhabitants: political exile I. A. Khudyakov (1867–1869); V. M. Zenzinov (1912); graduate of the ethnographic department of Leningrad State University D. D. Travin (1928); Yakut local historian M. A. Krotov (1931–1932); Yakut writer, member of the ethnographic and linguistic expedition of the Institute of Language, Literature and History of the Yakut branch of the Siberian Branch of the USSR Academy of Sciences N. A. Gabyshev (1946); major Moscow bylinologist Yu. I. Smirnov (1982) and famous ethnomusicologist T. S. Shentalinskaya (1985). The main content of the article is the characteristics of local epics (25 texts). There is an almost complete absence of epics about Ilya Muromets (the only text is “Ilya Muromets and the Idolishche”). The popularity of the plot “Dobrynya and the Serpent” (six variants) is indicated, in which the name of Maria Izyaslavna, absent in European Russia, appears (instead of the traditional Zabava Putjatichna), linking (through the patronymic Izyaslavna) the epics of Russkoe Ustye with the onomasticon of Ancient Russia. The epic “Mikhail Danilovich – the minor hero” (six variants) is analyzed, in which the enemy Titus appears, unknown in the Russian North. It is assumed that this name in Russkoe Ustye was borrowed from the “History of the Jewish War” by Josephus Flavij, a monument of late Antique literature (75–79 A.D.), known in Russia in translation and very popular in the manuscript tradition. Probably one of the lists was brought to Russkoe Ustye. Josephus' Titus is the son of Emperor Vespasian, an enemy of Judea. In the “Arrival of the Lithuanians” (three variants), the names of “our” heroes – Tsar Elizar and his sister Maria Elizarovna (names that are absent in the Russian North) – may also be echoe of the “History of the Jewish War”, where several characters with the name Eleazar are called among the Jews. Other epic plots are also considered – “Surovets”, “Duke Stepanovich”, “Sadko”.

THE INITIAL STAGE OF THE FORMATION OF THE BLACK SEA ARMY IN THE BUGO-DNISTROV MEASURE

The need for mobile fearless units that could oppose the Ottoman army in the last quarter of the 18th century contributed to the formation of an irregular formation from former Zaporizhia, which was later called the Black Sea Army. The army created for participation in the Russian-Turkish war of 1787–1791 left a noticeable mark in the history of the southern Ukrainian region, both in its military and socio-economic history. This article, written on the basis of the analysis of unpublished and published documents by I. Dmytrenko, P. Korolenko and other researchers of the State Archives of the Krasnodar Territory, highlights the process of gathering former Zaporizhia by volunteers from across the Danube and various corners of the Ochakiv Steppe. The author drew attention to the problems that arose during the formation of the army and the benefits that were "generous" to Catherine II.

MINIMISATION OF THE NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF EXPOSURE TO OF THE IMPACT OF INCENDIARY WEAPONS ON THE CIVILIAN POPULATION

Incendiary weapons are understood as incendiary substances and means of their combat use. Incendiary weapons are intended to defeat personnel, destroy and damage weapons and military equipment, structures and other objects. Throughout the history of warfare, incendiary weapons have caused suffering to millions of people who were not directly involved in the armed conflict. The situation remains unchanged today, with civilians being killed, injured or disabled for life, often losing loved ones or property as a result of the use of incendiary weapons. Virtually all existing publications on protecting people from incendiary weapons are focused on the protection of military personnel. There is very little information on how to protect civilians.
 An algorithm of actions for a civilian to minimise the negative effects of the impact of incendiary weapons has been developed. This algorithm includes the following actions: timely warn others about the use of incendiary weapons, help and, if necessary, guide the actions of those who need it (elderly people, children, people in panic); take shelter in the nearest civil defence structure, shelter (shelter). In the absence of such facilities, use underground passages, subway stations, basements and entrances of residential buildings, and shops; in the event of a sudden attack and the absence of nearby civil defence structures, shelters and refuges, use the protective properties of vehicles. It should be borne in mind that cars, buses and vehicles covered with tents provide only short-term protection, as they quickly catch fire.
 Use the protective properties of the terrain (uneven terrain, pits, covered public transport stops, fences, benches, curbs) to reduce the chance of pieces of incendiary material falling on a person; if it is impossible to find any shelter, lie down on the ground. Use local materials available to protect the surface of the body from incendiary weapons (suitcases, backpacks, billboards, paper clips). Burning surfaces are immediately thrown off and extinguished. Use personal respiratory protection equipment (handkerchiefs soaked in liquid, pieces of cloth) and skin protection equipment (cotton jackets, half-coats, raincoats, which are short-term protection equipment and should be immediately discarded if they come in contact with pieces of incendiary mixture); provide first aid to the victims. First aid shall begin with extinguishing by the victims themselves or with the help of surrounding inflammable substances that have got on their skin or clothing. At this point (period), no loss of self-control is allowed. To extinguish a small amount of inflammable substance, it is necessary to cover the burning area with a sleeve, jacket, wet clay, earth or snow. If several pieces of clothing are burning on your person, the flames should be knocked down by rolling them successively on the ground.
 If a significant amount of inflammable substance gets on a person, extinguishing is carried out by covering the victim with clothes, pouring water, covering with earth or sand.

Battles of Pleven: A Glorious Defeat in Military History

The Ottoman-Russian War of 1877-1878 was one of the most important events that marked the last century of the Ottoman Empire. In this war, the armies of both sides faced each other on the Balkan and Caucasian fronts, and the Balkan Front was the war’s center of gravity. Having crossed the Danube, the Russian army quickly advanced south and captured the Shipka pass. Thus, the road to Istanbul was opened for the Russians. In the same days, the Vidin Corps under the command of Osman Pasha came to Pleven and took positions in the city. Before descending to the south of the Balkan Mountains, the Russians decided to capture Pleven and attacked the city three times. In Pleven, the Ottoman forces repelled these attacks and stopped the Russian operation for five months. In this way, they prevented a defeat that would come much earlier for the Ottoman Empire. Osman Pasha halted the Russian army by defending Pleven for five months. In this way, he allowed the Ottoman Commander-in-Chief to change the war’s fate. The Ottoman command, however, could not be able to use this opportunity. Finally, the supplies in the city were exhausted and there was no possibility of defense. Osman Pasha decided to break the siege with a breaktrough operation, but was wounded and had to surrender. Shortly after the fall of Pleven, the Russian armies came to Istanbul and the war ended. Despite the defeat, the defense of Pleven had a great impact and was appreciated all over the world.

Некоторые аспекты военно-патриотического воспитания

The substantive role of batyrs in the education of national patriotism is considered. Horse riding, fights, conquests, love for military affairs developed a special «institute of batyrs», which solved almost all the most complex problems that arose in traditional Turkic-Kazakh society. Military history played an important role in the process of educating young soldiers. The moral and ethical norms that have developed in nomadic society give full reason to believe that the institution of great heroes served as the main source of inspiration for young people and performed an important function of patriotic education. Military-patriotic education is one of the important factors in ensuring military security, especially in the context of the changes that are taking place in the modern world. In all universities where there are military departments, it is necessary to introduce the subject of «Military History». Students studying at military departments should know the theory and practice in the construction of the Armed Forces, the theoretical foundations of military affairs and military art, learn to think about the military and get educated in the spirit of respect and friendship of peoples. The outward-political situation in the world requires enormous responsibility for strengthening the country's defense capability. The study of military history, national spiritual and moral values accumulated from the ancient period, a prerequisite among other areas in the military-patriotic education of students of Higher Educational Institutions. The huge role of the military history of the Kazakhs is revealed, where honor and dignity were the main factor in the development of the civilian position of the younger generation

ПРАВЕДАН И НЕПРАВЕДАН РАТ: СЛУЧАЈ УКРАЈИНЕ

War as a social phenomenon has marked the history of mankind, therefore it is often rightly said that the history of civilization is actually the history of warfare. War and warfare changed its role, its goals and means, and it went from skill or even art as Sun Tzu wrote about it, then Machiavelli who promoted pragmatism as the main characteristic of what he would call the art of government and warfare, to Clausewitz's understanding which is particularly relevant today and which combines war with politics.Therefore, the reason for war is not found in resources, nor in the creation of a community, but either in the war itself or in the lack of political solutions. Although armed operations always come to the fore, because that is what marks it, war also has a whole series of other dimensions - legal, psychological, sociological, social, economic, cultural, and others. Therefore, it can be discussed from various angles, just as, on the other hand, various types of wars can be identified, and not only in a purely military sense. The war (special operation) in Ukraine causes different interpretations. For some it is a just and necessary intervention, for others it is an illegal and unjust armed attack by Russia on a sovereign state. This paper intends to review the different understandings of just and unjust war, and to apply it to the case of Ukraine. Key words: Just, unjust war, types of wars, Ukraine, Russia