Red Army and Vodka

I did post this a year ago but as there was some talk of winning the war (if started between USA and USSR ) by dropping vodka to the Russian troops in 1945 I suppose this should be read first...

Order concerning the purveyance of front-line Red Army servicemen with vodka in the quantity of 100g per day
N 0320 25th of August 1941


According to the State Committee of Defense Decree of the 22nd of August 1941 (¹ 562 cc), I hereby order that:
1. Since the 1st of September 1941 the front-line servicemen and commanders of the Field Forces should receive 100 g of 40-degree vodka each per day.


The Red Airforce airmen, that fulfil combat duties, and the technical personnel, that maintains the field airstrips of the Field Forces, should receive vodka just as the combat front-line troops do.


2. The Military Councils of the Fronts and Armies should take the measures to:

a. Organize the vodka distribution exclusively for the contingents that are defined by the State Committee of Defense Decree and most strictly supervise the exact observance of it.
b. Ensure the timely delivery of vodka on the frontline of the Field Force and organize a reliable guarding service of vodka in the field conditions.
c. At the expense of the purveyance administration of the units and formations, provide the selection of special personnel that should be held responsible for the correct distribution of vodka portions, accounting of the vodka expenditure and conduct the balance sheets.
d. Order the intendants of the Fronts to deliver once in every ten days to the Main Intendant Board the information concerning the remains of vodka and to compose applications for the necessary quantity of vodka every month before the 25th. As a basis for such application the exact number of front-line troops should be taken into account and be ensured by the Military Councils of the Fronts and Armies.


1. The necessary quantity of vodka for the month of September should be established by the Chief Intendant of the Red Army without submissions of applications from the Fronts and Armies.
The order should be made valid via telegraph.


Deputy of People's Commissar of Defense Lieutenant General of Intendance Service Khruljev.
State Committee of Defense Decree
N GOKO-1227 of the 11th of May 1942
Moscow, Kremlin
Concerning the purveyance of Field Force of the Red Army with vodka


1. Since the 15th of May 1942 the mass everyday distribution of vodka among the personnel of the Field Force should be abolished.


2. The existing distribution of vodka should be maintained only among the front-line troops that have exhibited successful conduct of operations against the German invaders; moreover, the portion of vodka from now on should be increased to the 200 g to each serviceman per day.
To achieve this, every month vodka should be delivered to the disposal of the Front Commands in the quantity of 20% of total strength of Front or Army depolyed on the front-line.


3. The remaining personnel of the front-line troops should receive vodka in the quantity of 100 g to each serviceman exclusively on the following revolutionary and social holidays: Great October Socialist Revolution anniversary (7th and 8th of November), the Constitution Day (5th of December), New Year Day (1st of January), Red Army Day (23rd of February), International Labor Days (1st and 2nd of May), All-union Athlete's Day (19th of July), All-union Aviation Day (16th of August) and International Youth Day (6th of September), also on the day of Unit Holiday (unit's formation date).


4. State Committee of Defense Decree N 562 cc of the 22nd of August 1941 should be abrogated.


State Committee of Defense Chairman I. Stalin
Order concerning the rules of vodka mainteinance and distribuition among Field Force troops
N 0470 of the 12th of June 1942


Despite the repeated directions and explicit demands concerning the distribution of vodka among the Field Force troops strictly and purposefully, according to the established portions, up to this time the cases of unlawful vodka distribution take place.
Thus vodka is given to staff personnel, commanders and units that do not have any rights to claim it. Some commanders of units and formations, as well as staff officers, exploiting their ranks and positions, receive vodka from the warehouses, ignoring the orders and established rules.
The control of the vodka expenditure is performed badly by the Military Councils of the Fronts and Armies; accounting of vodka quantities in the units and warehouses is in the unsatisfactory condition.


According to the State Committee of Defense Decree of the 6th of June of this year ¹ GOKO-1889c, I hereby order:
1. The distribution of vodka in the quantity of 100g to each serviceman per day should be performed only in relation to the personnel of the frontline units that conduct offensive operations.


2. The remaining personnel of the front-line troops should receive vodka in the quantity of 100 g to each serviceman exclusively on the following revolutionary and social holidays: Great October Socialist Revolution anniversary (7th and 8th of November), the Constitution Day (5th of December), New Year Day (1st of January), Red Army Day (23rd of February), International Labor Days (1st and 2nd of May), All-union Athlete's Day (19th of July), All-union Aviation Day (16th of August) and International Youth Day (6th of September), also on the day of Unit Holiday (unit's formation date).


3. The distribution of vodka among the personnel of Armies and other formations should be co-ordinated with the Chief Purveyance Officer of the Red Army according to the directions of General Staff and the applications of Military Councils of Fronts and Armies.


4. For the maintenance of vodka special warehouses should be created within Front and Army food stores. The manager of the warehouse and one storekeeper should be chosen out of the specially selected honest, reliable personnel, able to secure total security and safety of the vodka stocks.
The warehouses should be sealed up after the distribution procedures, and guards should be kept at the doors, chosen out of the reliable soldiers.


5. The Chiefs of Purveyance boards of the Fronts and Chiefs of Purveyance departments of the Armies should register all available vodka stocks as of 15th of June and transfer them for the maintenance to the Front and Army warehouses.


6. The registration of the vodka distribution should be performed by the Chief of Red Army's Main Board of Purveyance involving the Chiefs of boards and departments of the Purveyance of the Fronts and Armies according to the directions of the Chief Purveyance Officer of the Red Army concerning the terms of vodka distribution and numerical composition of units liable to it.


7. Military Councils of the Fronts and Armies should be held responsible for the correct maintenance, expenditure and accounting of vodka, vodka bottles and packing.


8. This order should be made valid via telegraph.


9. State Committee of Defense Order N 0373 of 1942 should be abolished.


Deputy of People's Commissar of Defense Lieutenant General of Intendance Service Khruljev.
Order concerning distribution of vodka among the troops of Red Army Field Force since 25th of November 1942
N 0883 13th of November 1942


1. In accordance with the State Committee of Defense Decree of the 12th of November 1942 N 2507c, starting from the 25th of November this year vodka should be delivered to the trooops as follows:


a. 100 g to each serviceman per day should be given to the units, whose troops are directly involved into combat actions and are deployed on the frontline in trenches; to the units on reconnaissance missions; also to artillery and mortar units attached to infantry and deployed on the fire positions; aircraft crews after they fulfil combat missions;


b. 50 g to each serviceman per day should be given to: regimental and divisional reserves; technical service units and formations that work on the front-line; units that fulfil important duties in special circumstances (erection and reconstruction of bridges, highways and other) and in special conditions under enemy fire; wounded personnel deployed within field sanitation service, according to the doctors' directions.


1. The remaining personnel of Red Army Field Force should be given 100 g of vodka to each serviceman per day on the occasion of revolutionary and social holidays mwentioned in the Sate Committee of Defense Decree N 1889 of the 6th of June 1942.


2. Concerning the Transcaucasus Front's troops, instead of 100 g of vodka 200 g of strong wine should be given (or 300 g of table wine); instead of 50 g of vodka 100 g of strong wine or 150 g of table wine should be given.


3. The Military Councils of the Fronts and Armies should establish monthly limits of vodka distribution to the Armies by isssuing Army orders and securing the expenditure within the limit, established for every month separately.


4. Upon the expenditure of monthly limit, the Fronts should report to the Red Army's Main Board of Purveyance in order to receive the next month's limit. In case the Fronts do not submit the reports of vodka expenditure before the 10th day of the coming month to the Chief of Red Army's Main Board of Purveyance, the Fronts that have not submitted the reports will receive no vodka portions.


5. The limits of vodka consumption should be established for each Front for the duration of 25th of November-31st of December 1942 according to the Appendix.


6. The Chief of Red Army's Main Board of Purveyance - Brigade Engineer com. Pavlov and Chief of Red Army's Military Communications-Major General com. Kovaljev-should attend to the fact that vodka portions are delivered to the troops of South-Western, Don and Stalingrad Fronts before the 16th of November, and to the remaining Fronts before the 20th of November, according to the limits.


7. The Chief of Red Army's Main Board of Purveyance should establish permanent control of the vodka expenditure in strict accordance with the current Order.


8. The military Councils of the Fronts and Armies should organize the return of used packing and bottles from vodka to the vodka factories and refineries People's Commissariat of Food Industry, attached to the Fronts.
Units that have not returned the packings should receive no vodka portions.


9. This order should be made valid via telegraph.


Deputy of People's Commissar of Defense Lieutenant General of Intendance Service Khruljev.
Appendix
To the People's Commissariat of Defense Order N 0883


Limits of vodka expenditure for the troops of Red Army's Field Force from 25th of November to 31st of December 1942
Fronts and Separate Armies Limits of vodka expenditure (in litres)
Karelian Front 364 000
7th Army 99000
Leningrad Front 533 000
Volkhov Front 407 000
North-Western Front 394 000
Kalinin Front 690 000
Western Front 980 000
Brjansk Front 414 000
Voronezh Front 381 000
South-Western Front 478 000
Don Front 544 000
Stalingrad Front 407 000
Total: 5 691 000
Transcaucasus Frtont 1 200 000 (wine)
Deputy of People's Commissar of Defense Khruljev.
Order concerning the establishment of vodka portions and distribution procedure among the technical personnel of Airforce units of the Red Amy's Field Force
N 0311 of the 13th of January 1943.
In addition to the People's Commissar of Defense Decree N 0883 of the 1942 concerning the procedure of vodka distribution among Red Army's Field Force personnel, I henceforth order that:
1. 1. In the Airforce units of Red Army's Field Force and in the Airforce units deployed within military districts, but with the People's Commissariat of Defense Orders put on the same foot as the former, 50 g of vodka should be given to each serviceman, including technical personnel, only on the days when operational sorties are flown by the aircraft they directly operate and maintain on the airfields.
2. The order of vodka distribution should be established according to the personal lists, compiled by the commanders of airforce units, approved by an air-division commander.
The order should be made valid via telegraph.
Deputy of People's Commissar of Defense Colonel General of Intendance Service Khruljev.

http://www.1jma.dk/articles/1jmaarticlesvodka.htm

 

Grammes? Why would liquid be measured in weight? Is that some sort of Soviet idiosyncrasy, or what?

 

Come to think of it, perhaps this official distribution in Russia compounded Russia's history of alcoholism, thus contributing to the epidemic of alcohol-related disease in Russia today?

 

Form the book " Ivan´s war"

One Red Army officer:

" If the men did not drink that much we would have been in Berlin 2 years earlier!"

 

What would be a sight would be an order signed by Hitler regarding the distribution of Schnapps

Or maybe that order was filed away together with his orders on the death camps...

 

Did'nt the Royal Navy have a rum ration for it's sailors ?

 

To answer my own question, yes for the lower ratings and not for the officers.

http://www.royalnavalmuseum.org/visit_see_20faq.htm

 

Liquor for the soldiers is and as I see it will most likely always be a part of war. As this is one of the few luxuries that the soldiers can look forward to after their job is done......In some cases the only thing that can keep them sane.

 

I have listened to stories of men who were in the service during the 50's and 60's and alcoholism was a big problem for the US armed forces also. In the barracks they had beer machines for 10 cents a bottle. It probably still is a problem today.

 

good to know they got the job done while drunk

 

Keep in mind that troops going into combat hammered is far from a new phenomanon nore is in unique to Russia. In pretty much every century there have been examples of soldiers having 'something to steady the nerves' be it alcohol or even something more potent. In the British army during the First World War troops were issued rum before battle, up to a pint in some cases although it was probably watered down (more like grog than rum). There are also accounts of massive alcoholism amongst the armies of the central powers.

Ok, buy WW2 things had changed rather. Admittedly there are accounts of French troops during the retreat of 1940 being too drunk to catch trains or be of any use in combat. On the other hand the RKKA maintained it's vodka issue right up until the end of the war. Keep in mind that we are talking about a culture where alcohol was and still is of great importance (though it's difficult to criticise after the drunken, shambling mobs I fought my way through in London the other evening). Maybe it isn't surprising that the Soviet forces retained a system we abolished in the west.

It is interesting though, I've heard Soviet veterans talk of things like shell shock and PTSD with wonderment, one former Soviet officer after watching Saving Private Ryan asked what was wrong with Tom Hanks. 'In the Red Army he would have a bottle of Vodka, a sore head and then get on with his job.' On the other hand there is an account in either 'On the Roads of War' or 'Red Road from Stalingrad' (I forget which) of a unit moving past a distillery, the commander deciding to keep going because the Germans would have ranged it with their artillery. The unit stops several miles down the road but during the night loads of troops vanish, only to be killed when the distillery is shelled. Then consider Cornelius Ryan's accounts of Soviet soldiers drowning in vats of industrial alcohol.

A pretty interesting topic if you ask me.

 

The Germans also issued alcohol to the Einsatzgruppen while they performed their gruesome tasks. Don't know what type but it was issued.

 

Does anyone have any info on alcohol being issued today for the soldiers or not?

 

Out of Curiosity I just weighed out 100g of Vodka and it's just under 6 standard shots. That's not a bad hit of Dutch courage if necked in one go is it.
As far as I know the Royal Navy's daily grog tot was officially stopped in 1970. Black day and favourite subject for many old matelots in the pubs of Pompey. (for the uninitiated grog=watered Rum,introduced when it was decided that 1/2 a pint of neat Rum daily was hindering efficiency somewhat.)
Best drink my 100g now I've poured it, wonder if I'll feel like assaulting Berlin.
Cheers!
Adam.

 

Australian soldiers are entitled to two cans of beer per day to be made available at the CO's time of choosing.

 

I gather from friends that served with German troops in the 90's that they still recieved one or two beers for lunch and dinner, while the French troops recieved wine for thier meals. This is what a Ranger/82nd Airborne friend related. Don't know if it was standard or they were breaking the rules.

 

Wanted to bring this golden oldie back to life...

 

To clarify. 100 grams is 3.5 ounces. So, the 200 grams mentioned for front line troops would be 7 ounces - 7 shots.

That doesn't sound like a paralyzing amount, but I doubt it was distributed evenly. Some soldiers didn't drink (yes, even Russian soldiers) so their buddies got their ration, perhaps in trade. Too, as is done with any ration in any army, the rations of those away at sick call or in the rear for one task or another lost their rations to their comrades. And of course, if you saved your ration for a few days you might well have an entire canteen full of vodka.

 

Also, like in the Winter War, the soviet vodka rations were delivered according to the previous strength reports, which often were seriously lacking behind the reality. Therefore the surviving soldiers often (?) received double - or more - rations...

 

Let us calculate what really means 100g of 40% vodka. By assuming that they used weight percentage, that means 40g of pure substance. Assuming the volume percentage, the result is almost the same – slightly higher. Two cans of American Budweiser 5% beer (475 milliliter) contain about 45-50 grams of alcohol. Two cans, not more!

[SIZE=10pt]Now, with this quantitative knowledge you may judge whether that quantity was really so enormous that the Russian soldiers deserve a label of heavy alcoholics.[/SIZE]


[SIZE=10pt]Maybe they have been given that alcohol to ease the burden of having to fight the aggressor. [/SIZE]