When the rocket troops and artillery have a holiday. Day of the Strategic Missile Forces (Day of the Strategic Missile Forces). Who celebrates the holiday of the rocket troops
This branch of the army was dubbed the “God of War” by Russian soldiers for good reason. It was artillery, like a celestial, that repeatedly decided the fate of the largest and fiercest battles in national history. Russian gunners have always shown mass heroism, often preferring to die near their guns, rather than retreat before the enemy. Artillery has always been famous for its technical excellence and the skill of the gunners themselves.
Over time, the power of artillery only increased, and after the advent of rocket weapons, the truly divine power, which the religions of many peoples attributed to their idols, became available to ordinary mortal people. Congratulating on the Day of the Rocket Forces and Artillery all the soldiers serving now or serving in the past, we thank them for the fact that they always stand guard over our peaceful life and freedom.
Story
The Stalingrad victory, to which it was the artillery that made the main contribution, became the basis for the creation of this holiday. And it was then, in 1942, on November 19, a general offensive began. Soviet troops. Artillerymen of the USSR began spontaneously celebrating this date during the Great Patriotic War itself. However, the official professional artillery holiday was established only in 1988, according to the Decree of the USSR PVS.
After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the traditions of Russian artillery, including festive ones, were not lost. About prestige Armed Forces in general, and the artillery in particular, was taken care of constantly. And already in 2006, the Decree of the President of Russia No. 549 was issued, establishing the official status of the "Artilleryman's Day". It operates to this day. It should not be confused with the "Day of the Strategic Missile Forces", which is celebrated on December 17th.
Traditions
Artillery Day traditions are rich and varied. It is celebrated not only by military personnel, former and present, but also by members of their families. On this day, many guests visit artillery units and formations to:
- attend ceremonial constructions;
- look at demonstration shooting;
- get acquainted with the samples of gun systems in service with the troops.
On the same day, they are traditionally assigned to military personnel regular titles, state and commemorative awards are presented, congratulations and thanks are announced. And at home, everyone involved in the holiday is waiting for a laid table and congratulations from family members and friends.
The Day of Rocket Forces and Artillery is celebrated annually on November 19 by presidential decree. Russian Federation dated May 31, 2006 "On the establishment of professional holidays and memorable days in the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation" as a memorable day, established in recognition of the merits of military specialists in solving the problems of ensuring the defense and security of the state and designed to promote the revival and development of domestic military traditions, and increase the prestige of military service.
Artillery is one of the oldest branches of the military. The first information about the appearance of artillery in Russia dates back to 1382. It was then that when defending Moscow from the troops of Khan Tokhtamysh, Muscovites used against the besiegers the first artillery guns - "mattresses" (guns that fired "shot" - pieces of iron, rubble, small stones) and "great guns".
In an independent branch of the military, capable of ensuring the actions of infantry and cavalry in battle, artillery stood out in the 16th century and before. late XVII For centuries it was served by gunners and pishchalniks. At the beginning of the 18th century, artillery was divided into field (including regimental), siege and fortress artillery. AT late XVIII century, horse artillery finally took shape, and in early XIX centuries, artillery regiments and brigades began to form. Mountain artillery appeared in the 1840s.
AT Russo-Japanese War In 1904-1905, for the first time Russian artillerymen used shooting from closed firing positions; then mortars appeared. By the beginning of the First World War (1914-1918), artillery was subdivided into field (light, horse, mountain), field heavy and heavy (siege). During the war, anti-aircraft and self-propelled artillery was born, and a little later - anti-tank.
Today, the Rocket Forces and Artillery is a branch of the Ground Forces, which is the main means of fire and nuclear destruction of the enemy in the course of combined arms operations (combat actions). They are designed to gain and maintain fire superiority over the enemy; destruction of its means of nuclear attack, manpower, weapons, military and special equipment; disorganization of command and control systems for troops and weapons, reconnaissance and electronic warfare; destruction of long-term defensive structures and other infrastructure facilities; violations of the operation of the operational and military rear; weakening and isolating the enemy's second echelons and reserves; destruction of tanks and other armored vehicles of the enemy that have broken through into the depths of the defense; covering open flanks and joints; participation in the destruction of enemy air and sea landings; remote mining of terrain and objects; lighting support for night operations of troops; smoke, blinding enemy objects; distribution of campaign materials and other tasks.
Organizationally, the Rocket Forces and Artillery consist of rocket, rocket, artillery brigades, including mixed artillery battalions of high power, rocket artillery regiments, separate reconnaissance battalions, as well as artillery of combined arms brigades and military bases.
In accordance with the action plan of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, a set of measures is being carried out aimed at qualitatively improving the structure, combat strength and strength of the Rocket Forces and Artillery.
The Rocket and Artillery Troops are the branches of the ground forces that are especially significant for Russia. They are considered the main means of fire destruction of the enemy in the course of hostilities. Every year, on November 19, people related to these branches of the military celebrate their holiday. On this day, everyone deservedly honors and congratulates the heroes of the occasion. This article will focus on the history and traditions of this significant festival.
Day and artillery (history of the holiday)
The date of this celebration was not chosen spontaneously. On this November day, in 1942, a fierce battle took place near Stalingrad between Soviet soldiers and German occupiers. Artillery fire Soviet army disoriented the enemy and contributed to a decisive offensive, the result of which was the complete expulsion of the Nazis from the occupied land. Throughout the battle of Stalingrad, artillerymen paved the way for tank and infantry units, destroying enemy fortifications.
Artillery troops made a huge contribution to the victory over Nazi Germany. On October 21, 1944, their services to the Fatherland were officially recognized by the country, a professional holiday was established for the military personnel of this type of troops. In honor of this significant event in a large number of cities of our Motherland, salutes from 20 volleys died down. Two decades later, this holiday began to bear the name "and artillery." In 2006, the date of its celebration was finally approved.
History of the formation of artillery
The beginning of the use of tools in Russia dates back to 1382. In that time period, for more than one day, showing unprecedented heroism, the defenders of Moscow repelled the attacks of the troops of Khan Tokhtamysh. They fought defensively with bows, crossbows and cannon fire.
At the dawn of its inception, artillery was poorly organized. It was just an outfit and was used to defend fortress cities. Military conflicts did not decrease over the years, and the importance of artillery began to increase. In the middle of the 16th century, during the period when Ivan the Terrible ruled Russia, artillery became a branch of the military.
Global transformations affected these troops under Peter I. They served as a catalyst for the enhanced development of regular artillery. Artillerymen began to be trained in certain educational institutions. By the end of the 18th century Russian state completed the formation of horse artillery. The Day of Rocket Forces and Artillery was approved in our country in the 20th century.
Traditions of the artillery of the tsarist army
Some traditions of artillery in Imperial Russia had a relationship with the original examination of the moral training of soldiers. An eyewitness of those events described one of the common rituals of that time as follows: “Under the tsar, in the army, a soldier who was afraid of a cannon was “accustomed” as follows.
A similar procedure, only without the use of chairs and ropes, was subjected to themselves by soldiers who fired cannons for the first time. They sat down on the bed and fired from the gun. After this action, the participants in this ritual smeared their faces with soot from a used cartridge case. Gunpowder deposits from the barrel of a cannon on the face are symbols of the main initiation into artillerymen.
In the Russian army, traditions were given great importance. A large number of rituals intertwined with the military history of the state have survived to this day. These include solemn processions, ceremonies for presenting a battle banner, taking an oath by military personnel, and others. On the day of rocket troops and artillery, it is customary to refer to certain traditions of their predecessors.
Years of military hard times
In 1937, the legendary "Katyusha" was created, which personified the beginning of the development of multiple rocket launchers in Russia, in 1941, the first units of the missile forces in our country saw the light of day. During the war with the German invaders, the battles were well-coordinated, various types of troops actively participated in them, but the artillery troops were always in the battles in the main positions.
The outcome of the battle often depended on the professional skill of artillery soldiers. For their invaluable contribution to numerous victories on the battlefields, artillery began to be called the "god of war". The Day of the Missile Forces and Artillery in Russia is the official date for recognizing the military merits of artillerymen.
The development of this type of troops in the USSR
After the end of hostilities, the accelerated development of artillery troops did not end. In the USSR, the development of the latest, more powerful weapons began to be carried out, the combat capability artillery formations was getting higher.
In 1946 it was formed special unit, whose main responsibilities were: testing and launching ballistic weapons, developing the main base for using the combat arsenal of missile units.
Over time in better side the equipment of the rocket and artillery troops with the necessary weapons changed. They took an active part in the military conflict in Afghanistan, in various peacekeeping operations on the territory of our country. Rocket troops and artillery (the day of their holiday dates back to November) have always confirmed their highest level, protecting the interests of our country.
Our days
At present, these troops form an integral part of the ground military forces. They include tactical formations for special purposes. Rocket troops and artillery, as part of the re-equipment and modernization of troops, are replenished with the latest technology, which constantly changes their appearance. According to the Ministry of Defense, Russia ranks first in terms of equipping the army with rocket and artillery weapons.
In the units of these troops, tactical exercises with missile launches and individual firing with military personnel. professional holiday(congratulations on the Day of Missile Forces and Artillery are received by rocket and artillerymen in November), many consider it time to sum up the results for last year. Now, as at all times, the rocket and artillery troops are defending the peace of the Russian people.
Holiday traditions
The Day of Rocket Forces and Artillery is celebrated annually on a large scale. Solemn processions are held throughout the country, where new military equipment is put on public display. Congratulatory speeches on this day are usually combined with cannon volleys and exercises.
At the time when the Day of Missile Forces and Artillery is celebrated, concert programs with the participation of famous artists, various events on the highest level.
By tradition, the holiday is celebrated by all those who have chosen to serve in this branch of the ground forces as their life's work, including cadets undergoing training and veterans who are on a well-deserved rest. Veterans who defended their homeland in war time, waiting for November 19 to meet, remember kind word and honor the memory of their fallen colleagues. This holiday can also be considered by those people who work at enterprises, providing the army of our country with the necessary weapons.
On the Day of the Missile Forces and Artillery, people everywhere deservedly reward and encourage people serving in these troops for their responsible, selfless work.
Finally
The role of the rocket and artillery troops in maintaining the defense capability of our country at the proper level cannot be underestimated. military history Russia is full of examples of courage, courage and courage of people who have connected their lives with this type of troops. The developments of Russian scientists contribute to the development of rocket technology at the highest level.
At present, our army has advanced missile weapons and the latest artillery systems. Rocket troops and artillery reliably protect the interests of Russia.
This memorable day allows you to honor the soldiers, sergeants and officers of the "god of war" - artillery. Realities have made adjustments, and we are celebrating the day of rocket troops and artillery. But the "god of war" remains so.
The holiday was born in the difficult period of the Great Patriotic War. Powerful artillery preparation broke the resistance of the Germans near Stalingrad and allowed our troops to completely destroy the enemy. This happened November 19 1942, and already in 1944, Artillery Day was officially celebrated on this day.
Artillerymen serve in one of the oldest military branches. For the first time, artillery was used by Russian troops in the defense of Moscow from the Tatars in 1382. For a long time in our country, guns were used mainly to protect cities.
Ivan the Terrible began to use artillery as an offensive weapon in all campaigns. Under him, artillery made a breakthrough in its development. Peter I, the great reformer not only of the country, but also of the army, creates the first bombardment company. It was not an independent unit, but was part of the Preobrazhensky Regiment. During this period, the banner of artillery was approved.
The use of artillery at the right moment changed the course of battles and battles more than once. During the years of the Great Patriotic War artillery was called the "god of war". Just before the start of the war, the serial production of the famous Katyushas began. In the summer of 1941, our "girls" showed the Germans the character of the Russian "god of war". The effectiveness of the Katyushas was amazing, at that time there was not only no protection against rocket launchers, but the enemy could not respond with anything like that.
AT postwar period there is a development of missile technologies and, as a result, units are being formed that were armed with missile weapons. During this period, a change appeared in the name of the holiday - the Day of Missile Forces and Artillery. Until recently, the holiday was celebrated on the third Sunday of November. Now old again historical date- November 19.
As a branch of the ground forces, rocket troops and artillery not only have separate units and formations, but also units that are part of other branches of the military. The armament of the units consists of tactical and operational-tactical missiles, large-caliber artillery.
The composition of the actual artillery includes many units that differ in the weapons used: anti-tank, howitzer, mortar, artillery reconnaissance and others.
Artillery is called the "god of war" for a reason. Not a single major operation takes place without the use of rocket troops and artillery. Destruction of nuclear arsenals, accumulation of troops, air defense, command posts, this is not a complete list of the tasks facing this branch of the armed forces.
Units that are part of other branches of the military also solve smaller tasks: covering the crossing, clearing the bridgehead, supporting the landing, and many others.
The gods of war are on guard every day, guarding our peace from any encroachment and threats.
One of the greatest battles in history - the counter-offensive of the Soviet troops near Stalingrad - destroyed the sixth army of Field Marshal Paulus and turned to dust last hopes Reich to win. Among other things, this operation demonstrated for the first time the growing capabilities of Soviet artillery, which deservedly earned the nickname "God of War".
Two years later, on October 21, 1944, the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR will issue a decree on the establishment of "Artillery Day" on November 19 in honor of the victory in Battle of Stalingrad. Even 20 years later, in connection with the ever-increasing role of missile weapons in the conditions cold war, the holiday will be renamed the "Day of the Rocket Forces and Artillery" - which it remains to this day.
This holiday is appreciated not only by gunners and operators of Gradov, Smerch and Iskander. In part, the servants of the new chthonic God of War, the Strategic Missile Forces, also consider him theirs; and air defense fighters who "do not fly themselves and do not give to others."
The funny thing is that the Russian military, for the most part, is not very aware of: the most terrible manifestation of the Russian military power for possible foreign "partners" are not the stamina and ferocity of the infantry, not the power of tanks and not the swiftness of aviation - namely, the merciless severity of artillery strikes.
It all started in the distant and terrible era of the Mongol invasion of Russia. In order to stop the elusive boyar Yevpaty Kolovrat and his rebels, who avenged the troops of Batu Khan for the death of his native Ryazan, the army of the Mongol Empire "inflicted many vices on him, and began to beat him with so many vices, and barely killed him." It is unlikely that in the field battle against the army of Kolovrat, the Mongols came in handy with siege stone throwers ... but Chinese cannons could play a critical role in the death of the brave rebels.
The presence of artillery among the Mongols in Batu's campaign against Russia is still not confirmed by sources, although it was already possible in time. Therefore, what did the chronicler mean by “vices” - siege weapons common for those times (catapults, ballistas), machines for throwing arrows, or, indeed, firearms early period- I don't understand now.
In 1382, Muscovites, defending the walls of the city from the armies of Khan Tokhtamysh, for the first time in Russian history massively used cannons that hit the Khan's troops from the city walls. The capital was eventually taken by deceit, but the Russian princes and governors appreciated the power of artillery fire. A hundred years later, the Cannon Yard was founded in Moscow, where the centralized production of cannons of various types and calibers began.
During the famous standing on the Ugra River, the presence of artillery in the army of Ivan III cooled the ardor of the Horde Khan Akhmat, who eventually preferred to retreat. Sovereign's son Vasily III brought under the walls of Smolensk 300 guns, including heavy siege ones, and recaptured the city from the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. victorious Russian army near Orsha, the great Lithuanian hetman Konstantin Ostrozhsky, who did not have even a shadow of the artillery power of Moscow with his advanced army of the Renaissance, only looked at the walls of Smolensk from a distance and was forced to leave.
Let us clarify that the city fell on the third attempt, and the siege of one of the most important Lithuanian fortresses at that time did not become an easy walk. But the artillery, which the German specialist, master Stefan, was setting up in the Russian troops, really played key role in this campaign.
The gunners brought many victories to Ivan IV "the Terrible", bringing down the walls of Kazan, as well as the cities of Livonia and the Commonwealth, rescuing the sovereign's soldiers in the fields of Molodi and on the walls of Pskov. AT Time of Troubles they forced King Sigismund III, instead of a victorious march to Moscow, to spend the entire military budget under the walls of Smolensk. Russian state XVI-XVII centuries had a huge fleet of artillery of all calibers, and Russian engineers enthusiastically experimented with long-barreled, breech-loading and even rifled artillery.
Pavel Sokolov-Skalya, “The Capture of the Livonian Fortress of Kokkenhausen by Ivan the Terrible”
Alas, all the wealth of the old Russian artillery was lost in the fields near Narva, where the Swedes taught the young sovereign Peter Alekseevich an object lesson in modern European warfare. This lesson has been learned. New artillery nascent Russian Empire created by Yakov Vilimovich Bruce, a descendant of the Scottish kings, the great Russian alchemist and naturalist. Cast from requisitioned monastery bells, the cannons of the "sorcerer from the Sukharev Tower" Bruce destroyed the Swedish army Charles XII near Poltava and opened new era Russian artillery power - which will say a lot of loud words in the fields of Kunersdorf, Borodino, Crimea and Manchuria.
I note that the bells, of course, were not removed from the bell towers - they requisitioned the stored and unused samples. It soon became clear that bell alloy was not very suitable for artillery, and monasteries and temples were left behind.
In the USSR, artillery was paid no less attention, having created a number of advanced models even before the Great Patriotic War, many of which are still fighting. Karelian sculptors B-4 will break through the Mannerheim line, Katyusha BM-13 will instill fear in the best divisions of the Third Reich, and the artillery of the reserve of the Supreme High Command will become the very crowbar against which the best strategists of Germany, the heirs of von Clausewitz and von Schlieffen, will not find a reception.
Now the missile forces and artillery of the Russian Federation constitute one of the most important branches of the ground forces. Their regiments and brigades are armed with thousands of various artillery pieces and rocket systems, constantly replenished with the latest models. From the first "mattresses" and squeakers to tactical missile systems and heavy MLRS, a long and glorious path has been traveled, and the modern descendants of the gunners voivode Shein, Field Marshal Bruce and Marshal Nedelin are unlikely to disgrace the artillery glory of their ancestors.
