The Battle Order of the Red Star was once the most coveted and honorable award, which could be obtained only by accomplishing a military feat for the good of the country. The appearance of the order is extremely simple and concise. It was made of silver; its weight was thirty-four grams. The red star has always been a symbol of Soviet power, a symbol of the Red Army, as well as the struggle for freedom. And when the question arose about a new military award, there were no questions about how it should look like - it was a red star with five ends. In the center on a round field is a relief depicting a valiant Red Army man with a combat rifle in his hands. The warrior's legs are supported by a combat banner with the inscription: "USSR", under the banner you can see the image of the sickle and hammer. And instead of the edging along the edge of the central part there is a patriotic slogan: “Workers of all countries, unite!” The order was small, the distance from the tip of the beam to the middle of the award was equal to twenty-six and a half millimeters. It is also interesting to understand when and for what was awarded the Order of the Red Star.
History of creation
This order was established and entered the system of awards of the Soviet Union in April one thousand nine hundred and thirty years. The first who was awarded this order was an outstanding commander - Vasily Konstantinovich Blucher.
The Order of the Red Star was awarded to soldiers, officers and senior command staff of the Soviet Army and Navy, as well as to persons serving in state security organs. Also, enterprises, individual military units and other similar organizations were awarded this award. The star was awarded for his contribution to strengthening the defense of the USSR in both peacetime and wartime. In total, more than three million eight hundred thousand awards of this honorable award took place. The last award took place on the fifteenth of December, one thousand nine hundred and ninety-one. It is worth noting the fact that the Order of the Red Star was awarded to all Afghan soldiers who received wounds and shell injuries of moderate severity and higher. The Order of the Red Star was abolished in connection with the collapse of the USSR.
For what was awarded the Order of the Red Star
This order was awarded to ordinary soldiers, the commanding staff of the Red Army and entire collectives that provided significant services to the defense of the Soviet Union. What was awarded the Order of the Red Star? For outstanding activities that contributed to the victories of the Soviet troops.
New Order of the Red Star of the USSR
Over time, the appearance of the award has changed. In the year nineteen eighty, according to the results of the presidium of the military forces of the Soviet Union, the name of the order began to be written without quotation marks, and it itself has noticeably changed.
Now it was a silver convex star with five rays, covered with scarlet enamel. In the first, oldest version of the order, a hammer and a plow were placed in the center on a white background. The second version was approved with the usual Red Army.
The order began to resemble the distinctive sign that the first fighters of the Red Army wore on their chests. The central part was bordered by one of the slogans of the Soviet state, and the name of the country was written in the very lower part in the center. The design of the appearance of the award was developed by the tandem of the artist V. Kupriyanov and sculptor V. Golenitsky.
It is noteworthy that initially, according to tradition, the order was usually worn on the left side of the uniform, and after the war the tradition changed, the soldiers hung it on the right side.
Cavaliers Awards
After only one month after the establishment of the order, the first worthy citizens have already been awarded. The first Order of the Red Star was received by the commander of the Far Eastern Military District V. Blucher for leading the operation in resolving the conflict in the Sino-East railway direction. In the fall, in a slushy and cold season, the Red Army troops defeated the Chinese groups that systematically plundered the border of Soviet territories. For valiant battles, the soldiers of the Blucher army were awarded this order, its troops began to be called the “Red Banner”, more than five hundred ordinary soldiers, as well as officers, wore the Red Star in their buttonhole.
Courage and courage
One of the first among those awarded was six pilots of three Soviet aircraft, which, without any breakdowns or delays, were able to fly more than ten thousand kilometers over the sea, desert lands and mountain ranges. The flight was of the highest complexity, but the Soviet pilots managed truly heroically. In the year nineteen thirty, Voroshilov personally signed an award order for the courage and work done by those participating in the flight, the orders were awarded:
- Ingaunis F.A.
- Shirokov F.S.
- Shestel Y.A.
- Spirin I.T.
- Mezinov A.I.
- Koltsov M.E.
It may seem that, in comparison with battles with opponents on the battlefield, this feat is not so significant and great. But this is not at all true, the mission of these six people was extremely important, and how they were able to return to Moscow on time without the slightest delay is still a mystery.
Awarded teams
The order was also awarded to worthy collectives who showed their best and served for the good of the country. The very first such collective was the publication of the Krasnaya Zvezda newspaper, which is symbolic. The order was awarded to the team for a decade of publishing. Later, the order was often awarded to various Soviet newspapers and magazines.
Mass Award
Most of all the Knights of the Order appeared at the same time in connection with what happened on Lake Hassan. More than two thousand people were awarded this courage for courage. In total, at the time of the beginning of the Second World War, there were a little more than twenty thousand people.
During the war years, the order, like many orders and awards of the USSR, became one of the most popular awards. About three million soldiers were awarded him for their courage in battles with the Nazis, and about two thousand military and rear teams.
Real heroes
This award is discussed when the awards of the Second World War 1941-1945 are listed. Often, veterans of the Great Patriotic War can see this order, and sometimes even two. In history, even the participant of the Second World War, who was awarded three orders of the Red Star, is known, this is I. Mokhov. The third award was received by him for participating in the battles in Austria. A small unit, which was under his command, could withstand the attack more than five hundred fascists. Mokhov himself was wounded, but did not leave the battlefield, but continued to command. It was real courage and courage.
Three times a woman became the holder of the Order of the Red Star - I.N. Levchenko. Four times - the general, commander of the engineering forces, N. Alekseev. And not only they, such heroes, which is surprising, there were many. Awarded the Order of the Red Star of the Second World War are the most courageous and selfless citizens of the country.
There was a case when as many as five orders of the Red Star were received by USSR aviation colonel A. Yakimov. Awards of the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945. - These are the most honorable awards in the history of our country.
Rear reward
There was a variant of the guard, the Order of the Red Star was awarded to representatives of the guard. But the rear was often awarded. And for what they were awarded the Order of the Red Star?
The Order was also awarded for the rear exploits in the war years. In October, one thousand nine hundred and forty-three, he was awarded the number one craft schools in the city of Gorky and the number three in the suburbs.
In the post-war years, orders were awarded to more than eight hundred people who occupied completely prosaic positions: workers, police officers, party workers. Their contribution to the development of the state was also great, and this was taken into account. Only now, over time, the award will be awarded only for military merit.
In those days, for obvious reasons, the Afghan activities of the military, though heroic, were not much advertised. But orders on the form of soldiers who arrived from Afghanistan were present, and among them was often the Order of the Red Star. Often in the buttonholes one could see the Order of the Red Star of the 2nd degree. Although, perhaps, there is nothing strange here. After all, the award was called: the Order of the Red Star for Afghanistan.
The last, if we talk about time, by the decree of the Soviet Union, the citizen V.L. was awarded the Order of the Red Star Razumovich, who was in the rank of midshipman. The decree was signed in December of the ninety-fourth year.
According to statistics, almost thirty-nine thousand people have been awarded the Red Star in the entire history of the existence of the order.
The Order of the Red Star occupied a worthy place in the system of Soviet and Russian military awards and was the second of them in importance. Thanks to the chronographs in which it was fixed, for what and to whom they were given this or that award, we can now judge the valor, courage and courage of Soviet and Russian citizens.