The Russian Army DOES change the way they do things.

[Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984]

In 2014 I was in Siberia and I read about how the Russian Army had recently introduced changes that greatly reduced the number of health ailments prevalent among soldiers.

 

Since the time of the Tsars, the soldiers wrapped their feet. The innovation?  Socks!

 

Another innovation?  The soldiers were allowed to wash more than once per week?

 

So, if you think the Russian Army might still be stuck in 19th Century tactics, you might be right. 

[Cold Lake Kid, SASS # 51474]

I guess when you have access to vast numbers of conscriptable young men, their comfort and well being isn't all that important.

I used to hunt with a former USSR soldier who made it to Canada with his wife and his tales of his treatment sure made him a bitter anti-socialist.

[Utah Bob #35998]

Russian soldiers have been nothing but cannon fodder since the invention of the cannon. They may be getting a bit fed up now.

[Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984]

47 minutes ago, Utah Bob #35998 said:

Russian soldiers have been nothing but cannon fodder since the invention of the cannon. They may be getting a bit fed up now.

And before that with the Viking and Mongol invasions. It had to be a cluster goof up by the Brits that they held off the Light Brigade.

[Big Gus, SASS# 66666]

Say what you will they beat the Wehrmacht in the so called great patriotic war. Life of a conscript today is miserable. Few if any competent nco’s. Draconian punishment by the older conscripts is the norm. Now they can’t even follow their own military doctrine. Small wonder the Ukrainian army seems to be on the offensive. 

[Marshal Dan Troop 70448]

When the Berlin Wall came down, we were there and went to visit our family we had not seen since the 50s. We travelled each year back and saw many abandoned left behind Russian soldiers selling their uniforms and insignia's, awards to tourist so they could eat. 7 years later we saw them begging at the railroad stations and in the streets many now in rags of their former selves. So much for taking care of your troops.

[Utah Bob #35998]

58 minutes ago, Big Gus, SASS# 66666 said:

Say what you will they beat the Wehrmacht in the so called great patriotic war. Life of a conscript today is miserable. Few if any competent nco’s. Draconian punishment by the older conscripts is the norm. Now they can’t even follow their own military doctrine. Small wonder the Ukrainian army seems to be on the offensive. 

That was more do to Hitler’s stupidity.

[Subdeacon Joe]

Back in the 1980s I watched a series, "War: A Commentary" by Gwynne Dyer.  One episode dealt with the Soviet Army and had a bit about socks and foot wraps.  "The lucky ones get socks, the rest get pieces of cloth to wrap their feet."  And showed the process of how to wrap your feet in such a way as to minimize blisters.

[Buckshot Bob]

10 hours ago, Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984 said:

 

 

So, if you think the Russian Army might still be stuck in 19th Century tactics, you might be right. 

I just got done watching a Russian convoy get tore up on a FB video. They even shot down 2 helicopters that came in for support. It didn’t say what kind of missile launcher they were using but it sure seems to reduce the effectiveness of their tanks . 

[Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984]

I read a report that Putler personally directed the troop movements at 

Kherson and may have contributed to losing the battle and the capture of his troops.

 

Shades of Adolph if it’s true.

[Patagonia Pete]

Here ... you must have run out!! 

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07PMQB7Q6?SubscriptionId=AKIAINII3XBB4YWNS5LQ&ascsubtag=179647583-16-&linkCode=osi&psc=1&tag=cps_popups-20&th=1

[Marshal Dan Troop 70448]

21 hours ago, Big Gus, SASS# 66666 said:

Say what you will they beat the Wehrmacht in the so called great patriotic war. Life of a conscript today is miserable. Few if any competent nco’s. Draconian punishment by the older conscripts is the norm. Now they can’t even follow their own military doctrine. Small wonder the Ukrainian army seems to be on the offensive. 

Yes, but the way they treated the individual soldiers during WW2 is a chapter in itself. Like 2 men to a firearm, one received the weapon and a clip and his buddy just a clip. If the clip guy got shot, he took the clip. If the weapon bearer was shot he took the weapon and used his clip to reload. No one was allowed to run from the enemy even if overpowered, they were considered deserters and shot immediately by a superior officer. Food was scarce, canteens filled from ditches. If a group of infantry men didn't move out of the way, the tanks were ordered to run over their own men and many did. The Russian individuals, paid a high price to victory, and many casualties were from their own.

[Fort Reno Kid]

Howdy Pards

 

Having watched innumerable programs on History Channel and, particularly, Military History Channel and similar, I have developed an enormous admiration for the common Russian soldiers.  They tend to have historically endured inexperienced/uncaring/incompetent leadership and yet still endure and even prevail despite those obstacles. Cannon fodder? Nicest way to put it. A tactic in WWII was to use human-wave assaults against a point in the frontline until the machine guns of the opposing force burned out. Then and only then could they overwhelm and break thru.

 

In such cases, overwhelming  numbers have often been the deciding factor in successes but at a horrific cost in human lives.

 

Russia, depending upon the source of information, seems to have a static and even declining population. Any number of programs have pointed out the continuing effect of population loss in WWII (every death also eliminated a gene pool) plus continuing difficult living conditions. If you were in Russia would you be enthusiastic about bringing a child into the world?

 

I feel no animosity whatever toward the Russian people. Rather, sympathy for rheir circumstances and hope for them a brighter future without onerous leadership.

 

Just my 2 cents

 

Adios

Fort Reno Kid

 

Keep on the sunny side, always on the sunny side.

 

 

[Utah Bob #35998]

19 hours ago, Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984 said:

I read a report that Putler personally directed the troop movements at 

Kherson and may have contributed to losing the battle and the capture of his troops.

 

Shades of Adolph if it’s true.

It wouldn’t  surprise me. Hitler, having been a low ranking enlisted man, felt he was full of brilliant military strategist know how.

Putin having been a KGB operative perhaps thinks the same.,

Both were full of it. But not military expertise. Egos don’t win battles or wars.

[Patagonia Pete]

Yep .. there are a lot of folks on this forum that think they are brilliant military strategists/experts. 

They keep telling us all the time ... sigh ... 

[Cold Lake Kid, SASS # 51474]

I agree F R Kid. I have no quarrel with the Russian people per se. 

In spite of my Christian upbringing I have an abiding hatred for the Communist leadership and those who are currently running/ruining what could be a great country.

One can only hope, that when the people of Russia awake to their plight and the architects of it, the soldiers will turn their training and weapons on their tormentors,