284:
rewards of Guards status meant that it often acted as a morale booster and increased unit cohesion, with soldiers writing letters home about being awarded the status. Guards status also resulted in higher priority for replacements and equipment than normal units, although they were still often understrength by 1944 due to high casualty rates and their frequent usage in offensives. In an effort to keep Guards units elite, the People's
Commissariat of Defense directed in December 1941 that wounded Guards personnel, excluding only the most seriously wounded, should be sent to hospitals close to the front line so that they could return to their own units, to preserve the "special nature" of their personnel and "military traditions." These efforts were emphasized in a February 1944 General Staff document that warned of locals from occupied territory, potential "criminal elements and traitors to the Motherland," being enlisted into Guards units during the Red Army's hasty late war enlistment of civilians in areas that they passed through. In spite of these efforts, the unit cohesion of Guards units could be affected by replacement quality, as exemplified by army commander
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declined, efforts were made to keep Guards rifle divisions at higher strength: the guards rifle division was authorized 10,670 soldiers compared to the 9,435 of its normal counterpart. On a wider scale, such benefits of Guards status were reflected in the field armies designated Guards, which were assigned one or two tank or mechanized corps to conduct encirclements of German defenders after their success in the
394:
38:
761:
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316:. The Guards armies tended to have proportionally more artillery and tanks assigned than normal field armies. A Stavka order of April 1943 stipulated that Guards corps and armies were to be used only for offensives or counterattacks and withdrawn from the frontline for training instead of suffering losses in prolonged defense.
426:
283:
Guards status was more than just a decoration and had practical benefits for those in such units: enlisted personnel in Guards units received double pay compared to those in other units, and non-commissioned officers and above received 1.5 times the pay of their counterparts in other units. Such
311:
assault gun battalion to replace their towed anti-tank gun unit in
December 1944, which standard rifle divisions did not include until after the end of the war. While normal rifle divisions would become seriously understrength as the war progressed and the manpower pool of infantry conscripts
453:
465:
111:
587:
239:
multiple rocket launchers were designated Guards Mortar units upon formation. Airborne units, already considered elite, were also formed as Guards rather than receiving the status through combat action. Some twenty Guards
279:
to be worn of the right side of the chest in all uniforms to distinguish those in Guards units from others. The institution of distinctive colors was extended to Guards field armies and corps in June 1943.
520:
540:
123:
1174:
263:, which allowed soldiers of Guards units to append the title to their ranks, for example a major in a Guards unit could be referred to as Guards Major and any soldier could be a Guardsman (
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from standard rifle divisions that increased their allocation of personnel, artillery and infantry support weapons. The Guards rifle divisions received an organic
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367:
103:. Practical benefits of the status included double pay for ordinary soldiers and the designation often served as a morale-boosting source of unit pride.
942:"Указ Президента Российской Федерации от 09.05.2022 № 278 ∙ Официальное опубликование правовых актов ∙ Официальный интернет-портал правовой информации"
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288:'s January 1943 evaluation that Guards units were not "all that different" from other divisions, which mentioned desertions from the
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572:
328:
324:
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560:
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235:, and 117 rifle divisions. However, not all Guards units received their status through combat: all artillery units equipped with
31:
251:. The units and formations awarded the Soviet Guard title received special Guards colors in accordance with the decision of the
636:
252:
168:
164:
160:
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631:
363:
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786:Указ Президиума ВС СССР от 11.06.1943 об утверждении образцов Красных Знамён для гвардейской армии и гвардейского корпуса
247:
The introduction of the title marked a shift away from the
Revolutionary symbolism of the Red Army as it referenced the
89:
84:. These units were awarded Guards status after distinguishing themselves in wartime service, and are considered to have
227:. By the end of the war, over 4,500 units, formations, and ships had received the Guards designation, including eleven
131:
The title of Guards within the Soviet Armed Forces was first introduced on 18 September 1941, at the direction of the
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224:
220:
184:
172:
236:
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retained the Guards designations until 2016 when it broke away from its Soviet military traditions due to the
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After the end of the war, the Guards armies that had taken major roles in the final defeat of
Germany and the
896:[Ukaz of the President of Ukraine No. 344/2016] (in Ukrainian). President of Ukraine. 22 August 2016
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58:
248:
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Since the break-up of the Soviet Union, Guards designations for military units have been retained by
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378:. In subsequent years, more Russian units received the title, including several during the
116:
292:. Guards fighter units of the air force also made efforts to retain personnel, with the
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300:
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1153:
1055:
260:
196:
1139:
670:
259:. On 21 May 1942, the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR introduced Guards
244:
Brigades were converted into the 11th–16th Guards Rifle
Divisions in December 1943.
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992:
965:
503:
268:
228:
37:
17:
1129:
The Soviet Guards // "Soviet
Military Review", No. 9, September 1981. pages 37-38
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507:
763:Указ Президиума ВС СССР от 21.05.1942 о введении ... гвардейских военных званий
792:
769:
527:
355:
351:
97:
593:
Reverse side of the flag of the Korean People's Army only for Guards units
336:
1076:
The Soviet
Military Experience: A History of the Soviet Army, 1917–1991
359:
343:
444:
374:
unit to be awarded the title in 2001, for its performance during the
347:
136:
487:
Silver Guards badge worn by enlisted and non-commissioned officers (
966:"64th Detached Motor Rifle Brigade receives honourary Guards title"
916:"22-й отдельной бригаде специального назначения исполнилось 40 лет"
308:
276:
122:
110:
85:
471:
Gilded Guards badge worn by naval officers and warrant officers (
332:
256:
175:, respectively, for their distinguished service during the 1941
127:
The Guards battle flag of the 6th Guards
Fighter Aviation Corps
546:
Naval ensign was used by Guards border ships and boats of the
804:
802:
323:
were rewarded by being chosen as the units to garrison the
726:
724:
722:
1060:
Russia's War: A History of the Soviet Effort: 1941–1945
623:
has an almost complete list of Soviet Guards divisions.
743:
741:
739:
63:
1020:
When Titans
Clashed: How the Red Army Stopped Hitler
296:concentrating twelve aces with over ten victories.
41:
Soviet Guards badge worn by members of Guards units
187:on 18 November 1941, following the actions of the
1175:Military units and formations of the Soviet Union
1097:Soviet Tanks and Combat Vehicles of World War Two
671:"Red Army Guards (US WWII Intelligence Bulletin)"
88:status. The Guards designation originated during
506:was used by Guards warships and warboats of the
8:
997:Colossus Reborn: The Red Army at War 1941–43
335:forces stationed in West Germany during the
1111:Zaloga, Steven J.; Ness, Leland S. (1998).
880:
868:
856:
808:
844:
832:
530:warships and warboats of the Soviet Navy (
327:; they would later become the core of the
1180:Military units and formations of Ukraine
1165:Military units and formations of Belarus
133:Headquarters of the Supreme High Command
36:
27:Former Soviet Union elite military units
1170:Military units and formations of Russia
653:
389:
1039:The Red Army and the Second World War
747:
566:SVG recreation of Soviet Guards badge
368:22nd Separate Guards Spetsnaz Brigade
275:). The decree also introduced Guards
195:title in honor of its late commander
7:
820:
730:
695:Советским Вооружённым Силам — 60 лет
294:9th Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment
1160:Honorary titles of the Soviet Union
1115:. Phoenix Mill: Sutton Publishing.
894:"УКАЗ ПРЕЗИДЕНТА УКРАЇНИ №344/2016"
693:Kobrin, N.I.; Frolov, B.P. (1978).
459:Ukrainian Guards badge (until 2016)
305:table of organization and equipment
621:List of Soviet divisions 1917–1945
25:
1099:. London: Arms and Armour Press.
329:Group of Soviet Forces in Germany
325:Soviet occupation zone of Germany
303:were organized along a different
119:wearing his Guards insignia, 1943
627:List of army units called Guards
598:
586:
571:
559:
539:
526:Naval ensign was used by Guards
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496:
480:
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452:
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424:
408:
392:
380:2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine
92:, its name coming both from the
32:List of army units called Guards
637:List of guards units of Ukraine
253:Presidium of the Supreme Soviet
1041:. Cambridge University Press.
1022:. University Press of Kansas.
999:. University Press of Kansas.
697:(in Russian). Moscow: Znaniye.
632:List of guards units of Russia
415:Current Russian Guards badge (
76:that continue to exist in the
1:
399:Former Russian Guards badge (
141:People's Commissar of Defence
1113:Red Army Handbook 1941–1945
1095:and James Grandsen (1984).
1062:. New York: Penguin Books.
443:Soviet Guards emblem on an
225:10th Guards Rifle Divisions
139:). By order No. 308 of the
64:
1196:
922:(in Russian). 23 July 2016
290:13th Guards Rifle Division
199:. By the end of 1941, the
173:4th Guards Rifle Divisions
29:
1142:, from the U.S. Military
185:8th Guards Rifle Division
53:
1074:Reese, Roger R. (2000).
1037:Hill, Alexander (2017).
946:publication.pravo.gov.ru
299:From March 1942, Guards
881:Glantz & House 2015
869:Glantz & House 2015
857:Glantz & House 2015
809:Glantz & House 2015
431:Belarusian Guards badge
267:) rather than a just a
249:Russian Imperial Guards
845:Zaloga & Ness 1998
833:Zaloga & Ness 1998
231:, six tank armies, 40
128:
120:
94:Russian Imperial Guard
42:
1144:Intelligence Bulletin
1078:. London: Routledge.
157:161st Rifle Divisions
126:
114:
40:
607:Korean People's Navy
580:Korean People's Army
578:Guards badge of the
548:Soviet Border Troops
372:Russian Armed Forces
331:that confronted the
314:Battle of Stalingrad
217:52nd Rifle Divisions
181:316th Rifle Division
78:Russian Armed Forces
70:units and formations
30:For other uses, see
970:President of Russia
859:, pp. 200–201.
733:, pp. 237–239.
716:Glantz 2005, p 188.
707:Zaloga 1984, p 154.
683:Glantz 2005, p 181.
74:Soviet Armed Forces
835:, pp. 24, 28.
660:Overy 1997, p 188.
447:self-propelled gun
376:Second Chechen War
191:and was given the
129:
121:
82:post-Soviet states
43:
18:Guards unit (USSR)
1048:978-1-1070-2079-5
1005:978-0-7006-1353-3
605:Naval ensign for
370:became the first
159:were renamed the
62:
16:(Redirected from
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1093:Steven J. Zaloga
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301:rifle divisions
219:had become the
117:Mikhail Katukov
115:Soviet general
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1134:External links
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673:. March 1946.
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197:Ivan Panfilov
194:
193:Panfilovskaya
190:
186:
182:
179:. The Soviet
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68:) were elite
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39:
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19:
1146:, March 1946
1143:
1112:
1096:
1075:
1059:
1038:
1019:
996:
993:David Glantz
973:. Retrieved
969:
960:
949:. Retrieved
945:
936:
924:. Retrieved
919:
910:
898:. Retrieved
888:
876:
864:
852:
840:
828:
816:
791:– via
785:
778:
768:– via
762:
755:
712:
703:
694:
688:
679:
665:
656:
609:Guards units
504:Naval ensign
417:2011–present
341:
318:
298:
282:
272:
269:Red Army man
264:
246:
229:field armies
192:
130:
90:World War II
46:Guards units
45:
44:
900:17 February
508:Soviet Navy
233:rifle corps
189:Panfilovtsy
1154:Categories
987:References
975:2022-04-18
951:2022-05-14
793:Wikisource
770:Wikisource
748:Reese 2000
528:Red Banner
356:Kyrgyzstan
352:Kazakhstan
265:Gvardeyets
101:Red Guards
80:and other
920:TV Zvezda
821:Hill 2017
731:Hill 2017
552:1950–1964
532:1950–1992
512:1942–1950
489:1942–1961
473:1942–1961
401:1994–2010
211:, 316th,
98:Bolshevik
59:romanized
1058:(1997).
1018:(2015).
995:(2005).
615:See also
337:Cold War
242:Airborne
237:Katyusha
223:through
65:Gvardiya
926:14 June
360:Ukraine
344:Belarus
255:of the
107:History
72:in the
61::
54:Гвардия
50:Russian
1119:
1103:
1082:
1066:
1045:
1026:
1003:
788:
765:
445:SU-122
386:Badges
366:. The
348:Russia
277:badges
215:, and
143:, the
137:Stavka
648:Notes
309:SU-76
261:ranks
205:120th
201:107th
153:153rd
149:127th
145:100th
86:elite
1117:ISBN
1101:ISBN
1080:ISBN
1064:ISBN
1043:ISBN
1024:ISBN
1001:ISBN
928:2022
902:2017
354:and
333:NATO
257:USSR
213:78th
209:64th
171:and
155:and
221:5th
169:3rd
165:2nd
161:1st
1156::
1014:;
968:.
944:.
918:.
801:^
738:^
721:^
382:.
358:.
350:,
346:,
339:.
207:,
203:,
167:,
163:,
151:,
147:,
56:,
52::
1125:.
1107:.
1088:.
1070:.
1051:.
1032:.
1007:.
978:.
954:.
930:.
904:.
795:.
772:.
554:)
550:(
534:)
514:)
510:(
491:)
475:)
419:)
403:)
271:(
135:(
48:(
34:.
20:)
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