One of the first orders of Soviet power was the decree on the abolition of all orders, medals and other insignia of Tsarist Russia, adopted in November 1917. Nevertheless, any state, even based on a communist ideology, needs its rewards.
The Order of the Red Banner was introduced in September 1918, in order to celebrate with it the soldiers and commanders of the Red Army, who showed particular heroism on the fronts of the Civil War. In accordance with the general national policy, similar signs were introduced in other republics in which the power of the working people (Azerbaijan, Armenia, Bukhara, Georgian and Khorezm) triumphed.
In 1922, the formation of a new union state officially took shape. At that time, the order, which was the highest award in the USSR, was the same “Red Banner” (it is the only one, except for the registered weapons). In 1924, it acquires all-Union significance.
As the state apparatus developed, a need arose to distinguish heroes according to the degree of their merits. In addition, the political situation within the country has created a number of embarrassing precedents. For some reason, many gentlemen of the first revolutionary insignia turned out to be "enemies of the people."
In 1930, along with the "Red Star", the following order was established, which is the highest award in the USSR - named after Lenin. In its appearance, all the splendor inherent in the aesthetics of the Stalin era was manifested, and it was made of platinum and gold.
The title of Hero of the Soviet Union was established in 1934. At first, people who were awarded this high distinction received a letter from the CEC, but since it was inconvenient to carry this paper with them, in addition to it, since 1937 they began to hand them a medal in the form of a golden five-pointed star. The Order, which is the highest award in the USSR, with the profile of the leader of the world proletariat, supplemented the image of the most deserved citizen in front of society. A year later, at the highest level, it was decided that not only the military, but also the workers deserve such a sign. The title of Hero of Socialist Labor was introduced for them, along with which they received the CEC diploma, the Order of Lenin and a five-pointed gold medal with the hammer and sickle emblem in the geometric center.
In November of the military of 1943, the Order was established, which is the highest award in the USSR for military commanders and received the name "Victory". He was honored by the military leaders who successfully carried out operations on a frontal scale and radically changed the strategic situation in favor of the Soviet Army. His first gentlemen were marshals and generals. Among them are Zhukov, Vasilevsky, Konev, Rokossovsky, Antonov, and, of course, I.V. Stalin. Foreign citizens also received it, who, according to the Soviet leadership, made a tangible contribution to the defeat of Nazism: Eisenhower, Montgomery, Broz Tito and even the Romanian king Mihai, who declared war on time to his former ally Hitler.
In the postwar decades, many historical facts were repeatedly reevaluated, and the view on the orders of the USSR changed. Photos of military and party leaders, generously hung with awards, sometimes received as a birthday present, did not add to their popular respect. Often they served as a topic for caustic ridicule.
The devaluation, which was the highest award of the USSR, “Star of the Hero”, began in 1956, when G.K. Zhukov, the then Minister of Defense. The medal was the fourth, which grossly violated the statute, but this did not bother the sneakers, as did the marshal himself. I.V. Stalin, by the way, wore only the Star of the Hero of Socialist Labor on a tunic, believing that he did not perform military feats ...
The outrage caused the awarding of the Star of the Hero of Egyptian President Nasser and his commander in chief Amer. Vladimir Vysotsky composed a pamphlet song in which there was a line “it would be better if gold was given in the war ...” and a desire was expressed to select the order.
N.S. Khrushchev was three times a Hero of Socialist Labor and a Hero of the Soviet Union (awarded on the day of his 70th birthday, in 1964). At L.I. Brezhnev had five "Stars" on his chest, like on a good cognac, not counting the numerous other awards, including the Order of Victory. The USSR award system at the end of its existence became more and more amorphous and shapeless, like the country itself.
For real war veterans, the value of the awards lies in the price they had to pay for the peaceful sky above our heads with hard soldiers' labor and blood.