What is the difference between the Praetorian Guard and the Imperial Guard?

Janissary: ??

janissary: ??

n. The Janissary of the Turkish Sultan in ancient times, Turkish soldiers, confidants, and minions

Or

lifeguard

Guards:

Guards:

guardsman

Soviet Guards , a name full of glory and honor, a flag that always moves forward, and an invincible group of heroes.

The Guards generally refers to the elite division in the army. The earliest concept of the Guards appeared in the slave society and mainly refers to the retinue of the commander. In the twelfth century, Italy named the elite troops specializing in guarding the national flag "Guardians". This is also the earliest origin of the title "Guardians". In other words, the "Guards" in the traditional sense are actually what we often call the Imperial Guards and the Yulin Army in ancient China. They are a force for retinue and defense, rather than a force used for field battles. As a thing, the Guards also had its own evolution process of development and growth. In modern times, the Guards became more of an honor. Strictly speaking, the Soviet Guards is not a real "Guard", but it is worthy of the glorious title of Guards.

The emergence and growth of the Soviet Guards

During the Great Patriotic War, in order to boost morale, the Soviet Red Army began to award troops, ships, regiments and regiments with outstanding military exploits "near military awards" "Guardian" title. What a genius move. The awarding of honors boosted the Soviet military's fighting spirit, strengthened their team spirit, and exponentially increased their combat effectiveness, making great contributions to the victory of the Great Patriotic War. On September 18, 1941, in compliance with the decision of the Headquarters of the Supreme Command and in recognition of the collective heroism, bravery and tenacious fighting spirit and superb military skills of all personnel, the People's Commissariat of Defense of the Soviet Union issued Order No. 308 to place a group of soldiers at attention. The great meritorious corps was renamed: the 100th Infantry Division (division commander Major General Rusyanov) was renamed

The 1st Guards Rifle Division (later reorganized into the 1st Guards Mechanized Corps); the 127th Infantry Division (division commander A. Colonel Kimenko) was renamed to the 2nd Guards Rifle Division

The 153rd Rifle Division (division commander Major General Gargan) was renamed to the 3rd Guards Rifle Division; the 161st Rifle Division (division commander Colonel Moskvikin) Renamed 4th Guards Infantry Division. These regiments fought to the death with the Germans under the cities of Minsk and Smolensk, and participated in the counterattack of the Western Front and Reserve Front under the city of Yelnya. For example, from June 26 to 28, 1941, troops of the 100th Infantry Division severely damaged the German 35th Infantry Division and the 25th Armored Division in the battle outside Minsk, annihilating an infantry regiment, an armored regiment, and a semi-motorcycle battalion. , destroying more than 100 tanks, 13 armored vehicles, and 23 anti-tank guns. All soldiers of the division fought bravely and resolutely under the city of Yelniya. In early September 1941, the division carried out an offensive during the formation of the 24th Army Assault Group, broke through the German defensive positions north of Yelnya, cut off the Yelnya-Smolensk railway line, and surrounded the place from depth of the German Army Group. The division's resolute and courageous combat actions were of great significance to crushing the German army and regaining Yelnya.

The ranks of the Soviet Guards quickly grew up in the blood and fire of the Great Patriotic War. On September 21, 1941, the 1st Moscow Motorized Rifle Division (division commander Colonel Lidyukov), on September 26, the 107th Infantry Division (division commander Colonel Mironov), the 120th Infantry Division (division commander Major General Petrov) , 64th Division (division commander Colonel Gryaznov) were all awarded the title of Guards and renamed respectively the 1st Guards Moscow Motorized Rifle Division, the 5th, 6th and 7th Guards Rifle Divisions. On November 18, 1941, the 319th Infantry Division (division commander Major General Panfilov) was renamed the 8th Guards Infantry Division due to its extremely heroic and tenacious performance in the defense of Moscow (Volokolamsk). On November 26, 1941, the 78th Infantry Division (division commander Major General Beloborodov) was renamed the 9th Guards Infantry Division due to its success in battles against the Germans in Istria under Moscow. Among the tanks that became the Guards, the 4th Tank Brigade (brigade commander Colonel Katukov) was renamed the 1st Guards Tank Brigade (November 11, 1941). The brigade made outstanding achievements in the defense of Moscow.

In early October, the brigade fought in the 1st Guards Rifle Corps, advancing in the direction of Orel-Tula, and encountered a German assault tank group in the Mtsensk area. The troops of the brigade set up extensive ambushes. Within a few days, they contained multiple assaults by two German armored divisions and destroyed 133 tanks in the battle.

Afterwards, the honorable title of Guards was expanded from a simple army division to various military branches.

The cavalry made a huge contribution to the war history of the Soviet Guards. On November 26 and December 25, 1941, the 2nd Cavalry Corps (Commander Major General Belov), the 3rd Cavalry Corps (Commander Major General Dovator) and the 5th Cavalry Corps (Commander Major General Klyuchodin ) were renamed the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Guards Cavalry Corps respectively.

The artillery fought bravely and tenaciously with the Germans near Moscow. The 440th, 471st, 555th, and 274th Artillery Regiments, and the 289th, 296th, 509th, and 760th Anti-Tank Artillery Regiments. These troops were selected in January 1942 for their heroism, fearlessness, and high degree of organizational discipline in battle. On the 8th, he was also awarded the title of Guards. The 280th Anti-Tank Artillery Regiment (headed by Major Yevremenko) is the first team of the Guards Anti-Tank Artillery. In October 1941, the regiment was attached to the 316th Infantry Division and organized an impregnable anti-tank area in the offensive direction of the German tank group south of Volokolamsk. In the battle on October 25, 37 German tanks were destroyed.

On January 8, 1942, the 36th Motorcycle Regiment and the 12th Signal Corps Regiment were renamed the Guards Regiment.

On December 6, 1941, the 29th Red Banner Fighter Aviation Regiment (headed by Major Yudakov) was the first group of the Guards Aviation. The pilots of this regiment shot down 47 enemy aircraft in just two and a half months after the war broke out. On the same day, the following were renamed the Guards Aviation Regiments: the 526th, 155th and 129th Fighter Aviation Regiments, the 31st Dive Bombing Aviation Regiment and the 215th Assault Aviation Regiment. The 1st Water Torpedo Aviation Regiment (which participated in many air raids on Berlin), the 5th and 13th Regiment of the Red Flag Baltic Fleet Fighter Aviation Regiment, and the 72nd Combined Aviation Regiment of the Red Flag Northern Fleet, demonstrated their heroism by successfully completing various complex combat missions. Spirit, were changed to the Guards Regiment on January 18, 1942. In April 1942, the ships that were awarded the title of Guards were: cruiser "Red Caucasus" (captain, Lieutenant Commander Furuki), destroyer "Fortitude" (captain, Captain Levchenko), "Mardi" "T-205" minesweeper (captain "Captain Meshielsky"), "T-205" minesweeper (captain "Captain Shkrebutienko"), "D-3" submarine (captain "Dev." Captain), submarine "M-171" (captain Starikov, captain), submarine "M-174" (captain Yegorov, captain), submarine "K-22" (captain Starikov, captain) Lieutenant Commander Kotelnikov). On June 18, 1942, the cruiser "Red Crimea" (captain Captain Zubkov) was converted into a guard cruiser.

The unique honor system of the United Guards

In peacetime, the former Soviet Union did not grant the title of Guards to various legions, regiments, troops and ships. However, in order to maintain the fighting tradition, the original Guards title of each unit, ship, corps, and regiment can be transferred to other regiments, corps, units, and ships when it is revoked. The Guards is an honorable title with its own set of honor-granting systems and carriers.

According to the resolution of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union, all units and regiments awarded the title of Guards will be awarded the flag of the Guards. The flag of the Guards Army is made of red silk with gold tassels on the edge. It measures 145x115 cm. There is a Guards badge pattern 60 cm in diameter embroidered in the center of the front. Above it is the slogan "Destroy the German invaders" (Смерть §?§?§T§?§è§ü§ú§T захватчикам) in Russian, and below it is The name of the unit

. There are gold stars, sickles and axes embroidered on three edges of the flag. On the back of the military flag, there is an embroidered portrait of Lenin in the center, with a diameter of 48x46 cm. Above it is the slogan "For Our Soviet Motherland" (За на нашу Советскую Родину), and below it is the Russian abbreviation of the Soviet Union.

The military flagpole is made of wood, 2.5 meters long, 4 centimeters in diameter, dark brown in color, with a metal hoop at the top and two golden ribbons. The flags of other ranks of the Guards are basically the same as the flags of the Guards Army, except that the Guards badge in the center of the flag does not have an oak leaf decoration, and the size is reduced to 38x50 cm.

In accordance with the order of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union on May 21, 1942, the "Guards" badge was issued to the soldiers of the Soviet Army Guards and Corps, and the "Guards" badge was issued to the Navy Guardsmen. A badge made of a rectangular metal sheet with a vertical orange-yellow corrugated ribbon. At the same time, there is a title of Guardsman. According to the order of the People's Commissariat of the Navy on June 19, 1942, the flag of the Naval Guards was established. On July 31, 1942, the "Regulations on the Guards of the Soviet Navy" was promulgated and implemented. The Guards badge should be worn on the right breast.

The Guards played a huge role in the Battle of Stalingrad. The 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Guards Army displayed extraordinary heroism and brave and tenacious fighting spirit in the battle. The 24th, 69th, 21st, 64th, 62nd, 30th and 16th Group Armies were all changed to near-term status due to their repeated military exploits for the motherland in the battle against the Germans and their collective heroism and superb military skills. The Guards units were named the 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 10th and 11th Guards Armies respectively. According to the order of the Headquarters of the Supreme Command on April 16, 1943, the Voronezh Front, the South-Western Front, the Western Front and the Steppe Military District reorganized the Guards Infantry Regiments in their respective armies with the purpose of transforming them into the most experienced and combat-effective units. Corps to be used effectively. Many tank corps and mechanized corps also received the title of Guards. From February to March 1943, the first batch to become Guards Aviation Divisions were: the 220th Fighter Aviation Division (division commander Colonel Ugin); the 226th Assault Aviation Division (division commander Lieutenant Colonel Bolderikhin), the 228th Division ( Division commander Colonel Komarov) and the 243rd Division (commander Colonel Sukhorebrikov); Bombing Aviation Division 263 (commander Colonel Dobesh) and 272nd Division (commander Colonel Kuznetsov), and 3rd Long-Range Aviation Division (Commander Colonel Yukhanov), 17th Division (Commander Air Force Major General Loginov), 24th Division (Commander Colonel Volkov) and 222nd Division (Commander Colonel Titov) . The 102nd Red Flag Air Defense Aviation Division showed superb combat skills in many air battles and was changed to the Guards Aviation Division.

In 1943, the first batch of Guards Tank Army appeared: February 22 - the 4th Guards Tank Army (first formed) and the 5th Guards Tank Army, May 14th - —3rd Guards Tank Army. Their heroic fighting in the Battle of Kursk in 1943 was a model. In 1944, the 1st Tank Army (April 25), the 2nd Tank Army (November 20), the 6th Tank Army (September 12), and the 4th Tank Army (1945) were changed to the Guards Tank Army. Formed for the second time on March 17, 2017). These tank armies retained their designations until the end of the Great Patriotic War.

In the many offensive campaigns from 1943 to 1945, the Guards Corps and Corps usually fought in the decisive direction. The Guards Tank Army used by the Soviet Supreme Command played an extremely important role in rapidly developing battle victories in the depth of enemy defense. In an instruction issued to the commanders of all front armies on April 18, 1943, the Headquarters of the Supreme Command required the Guards regiments and corps to be used in the main assault direction to break through the enemy's defensive positions during the offensive, and to implement resolute counterattacks during the defense.

Relevant treatment, rewards and punishments of the Soviet Guards

On June 11, 1943, the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union made the following additional regulations for the Guards: Guards troops must be The example of the entire army... If the Guards unit is annihilated in a war and loses its flag, is afraid of death, or flees during the battle, its commanding personnel will be sent to a military court, and the unit's Guards title will be deprived and the unit will be stripped of its title. Reorganize.

The various regiments and regiments of the Guards marked their combat history in the offensive campaign of 1944-1945 with brilliant victories.

Many units (ships), regiments and regiments of the Guards were engaged in the defense of Leningrad and Novgorod, in the recovery of the right bank of Ukraine, the Crimean Peninsula, Belarus, and in the attacks on East Prussia, the Vistula-Oder, and Berlin. In major battles such as the annihilation of the Japanese Kwantung Army and the annihilation of Japan's Kwantung Army, he was invincible and invincible. He was commended by the Supreme Command for many times, won government awards, and received honorary titles for conquering important military towns. According to regulations, any unit that wins the title of "Guards" will receive a salary increase, with commanders increasing by half and soldiers receiving double the salary. By the end of the Great Patriotic War, the Soviet Guards had developed into a powerful force. On May 9, 1945, the Soviet armed forces were awarded the title of Guards: 11 combined arms armies and 6 tank armies; 1 cavalry mechanized group; 40 infantry corps, 7 cavalry corps, and 12 tank corps corps, 9 mechanized corps and 14 aviation corps, 217 infantry divisions, 9 airborne divisions, 17 cavalry divisions, 6 artillery divisions, 53 aviation divisions, 6 anti-aircraft artillery divisions, and 7 rocket artillery divisions; 13 motorized infantry regiments, 3 airborne regiments, 66 tank regiments, 28 mechanized regiments, 3 self-propelled artillery regiments, 64 artillery regiments; 1 mortar brigade, 11 fighter anti-tank artillery brigades, 40 Rocket artillery brigade, 6 engineering brigades and 1 railway brigade; 1 fortification area; 18 combat ships and many military (army) units.