Order, which is the highest award in the USSR and various epochs of Soviet history

One of the first orders of the Soviet government was a decree on the abolition of all orders, medals and other insignia of tsarist Russia, adopted already in November 1917. Nevertheless, any state, even based on communist ideology, needs its rewards.

The Order of the Red Banner was introduced in September 1918, in order to celebrate the fighters and commanders of the Red Army, who displayed special heroism on the fronts of the Civil War. In accordance with the general national policy, similar signs were introduced in other republics, in which the power of the working people (Azerbaijan, Armenian, Bukhara, Georgian and Khorezm) triumphed.

In 1922 the formation of a new union state was formalized. At that time, the Order, which is the highest award in the USSR, is still the same "Red Flag" (it is the only one, except for nominal weapons). In 1924 he acquired the all-Union significance.

As the state apparatus developed, it became necessary to distinguish heroes according to the degree of their merit. Moreover, the political situation inside the country has created a number of embarrassing precedents. Many cavaliers of the first revolutionary mark of difference for some reason turned out to be "enemies of the people".

In 1930, together with the "Red Star" was established the following order, which is the highest award in the USSR - the name of Lenin. In its outward appearance, all the splendor that was characteristic of the aesthetics of the Stalin era was manifested, and it was made of platinum and gold.

The title of Hero of the Soviet Union was established in 1934. At first, people awarded this high distinction received the letter of the CEC, but since this paper was inconvenient to wear, in addition to it, in 1937 they were awarded a medal in the form of a gold five-pointed star. The Order, which is the highest award in the USSR, with the profile of the leader of the world proletariat, supplemented the image of the most deserved citizen before the society. A year later, at the highest level, it was decided that not only the military, but also the workers deserved such a mark. For them, the title Hero of Socialist Labor was introduced, along with which the CEC diploma, the Order of Lenin and a five-pointed gold medal with the emblem "sickle and hammer" in the geometric center were presented.

In November 1943 the Order was established, which is the highest award in the USSR for military achievements and was named "Victory". He was honored with military leaders who successfully conducted operations on the scale of the fronts and fundamentally changed the strategic situation in favor of the Soviet Army. His first knights were marshals and generals. Among them, Zhukov, Vasilevsky, Konev, Rokossovsky, Antonov, and, of course, I.V. Stalin. It was received by foreign citizens who, according to the Soviet leadership, made a tangible contribution to the defeat of Nazism: Eisenhower, Montgomery, Broz Tito and even the Romanian King Mihai, who declared the war to his former ally Hitler in time.

In the post-war decades, many historical facts were repeatedly subjected to reassessment, and the order of the USSR also changed. Photos of military and party leaders, generously hung with awards, sometimes received as a gift for the birthday, did not add to them the people's respect. Often they served as a theme for caustic ridicule.

The devaluation, to which the highest award of the USSR was subjected, "Star of the Hero", began in 1956, when with the formulation "in connection with the 60th anniversary" it was awarded to G.K. Zhukov, then Minister of Defense. The medal was the fourth that rudely violated the statute, but the sycophants did not embarrass, as well as the marshal himself. I.V. Stalin, by the way, wore only the Star of Hero of Socialist Labor on the tunic, believing that he had not committed military feats ...

The indignation was caused by the awarding of the Hero of the Stars by Egyptian President Nasser and his commander-in-chief Amer. Vladimir Vysotsky composed a song-pamphlet in which was the line "it would be better to give gold in the war ..." and expressed the desire to select the order.

N.S. Khrushchev was thrice Hero of Socialist Labor and Hero of the Soviet Union (awarded on the day of his 70th birthday, in 1964). L.I. Brezhnev on his chest were five "Stars", as on a good cognac, not counting other numerous awards, including the Order of Victory. At the end of its existence, the Soviet award system was becoming increasingly amorphous and shapeless, like the country itself.

For true front-line soldiers, the value of awards is the price they have been paid for the peaceful sky over our heads with hard soldier's labor and blood.