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DISCIPLINE AND MILITARY LAW
IN THE SOVIET ARMY
Soviet leaders are placing increasing emphasis on the
armies of other States. Soviet military discipline is
maintenance of strict discipline in the ranks of the postwar
founded on the homogeneity of class interests of the whole
Soviet Army. Stalin's significant Order of the Day of
personnel of the Soviet Army, on their unqualified devo-
23 February 1946 states: "The maintenance of discipline is
tion, and on the feeling of responsibility of each military
the most important duty of the entire personnel of the Red
servant for the task of defending the Socialist Fatherland.
Army.40 The foundation of the Red Army's fighting
Soviet discipline, therefore, can be firmer and stronger,
capacity rests on discipline, which finds its course, above
and can be distinguished by harsher and more severe de-
all, in the conscious attitude of the men and officers. The
mands than discipline in other armies, which is based on
modern Army is complex and can work at capacity only
class subordination. In the ranks of the Soviet Army,
if every hour is producing expected results. This is pos-
theoretically, there can be found only isolated malcontents
sible only if faultless order, based on exact execution of
and violators of discipline. The interests of the defense
statutes, orders, and regulations, prevails."
of the Socialist State demand the application of the sever-
This statement of Stalin undoubtedly was occasioned,
est measures of compulsion to these violators of discipline.
in part, by the fact that a slackening of discipline took
place in the Soviet Army after the end of the war. Al-
Provisions of Disciplinary Regulations of the
though a normal postwar let-down was to be expected, the
Soviet Army
change in the Soviet Army was partly the result of contact
with Western culture and higher living standards and,
The soldier of the Soviet Army is: (1) obligated to
therefore, a phenomenon to be regarded by the Soviet
know thoroughly the military oath, military regulations
rulers as particularly dangerous.
and instructions; (2) execute unquestionably all orders
To meet the problem, the Soviet political leaders acted
and decrees of his superiors and leaders: (3) observe
with customary vigor to insure that any restlessness or
strictly the established order in the Army and to restrain
dissatisfaction did not harden into open opposition to the
others from its violation; (4) fulfill his service obligations
Socialist system. The campaign to counter slackness in
conscientiously; (5) guard all military and state secrets;
discipline has been tied in closely with the campaigns for
and, (6) preserve military and state property to the best
political reindoctrination and for increasing the military
of his ability.
efficiency of the troops. Every effort has been made to
Disciplinary penalties for violations of these directives
impress the Soviet Army man with the idea that (1) the
are imposed by an immediate or higher commander in ac-
Soviet State is the most democratic and progressive in the
cordance with the official "Disciplinary Regulations of
world; (2) it does more for its soldiers than any cap-
the Red Army," provided that the violation is not inte-
italistic state; (3) it is the only country in the world with
tional and that it involves no consciously hostile inten-
no unemployment; (4) the Communist Party has been the
tion against the Soviet State. Such violations include in-
real organizer and inspirer of the victory over Fascist
Germany and Japan; (5) the Soviet Army is the best of
fringement of uniform regulations, submitting complaints
in a manner contrary to the established rule, and similar
all armies and has earned admiration and respect in all
offenses; punishments include public rebuke, denial of
countries; and (6) it must remain efficient, disciplined,
and loyal to its own traditions as well as to Russian mili-
leave, confinement to barracks, etc. The higher the rank
of the commander, the more severe the penalty he has the
tary traditions of the past. It is the declared duty of all
authority to impose.
Soviet Army men to set a personal example of honorable
and disciplined conduct worthy of the Socialist society
Certain crimes automatically exclude the offender from
to which they belong.
the provisions of army discipline as, for example, espion-
age, desertion to the enemy, willful departure from the
Theory of Socialist Discipline
field of battle, and resistance to a person executing an
According to Soviet propaganda, Socialist discipline
order. Such acts, because they immediately endanger the
differs sharply from the discipline maintained in the
State, involve trial and sentence under stringent military
criminal law in a Military Tribunal. In borderline cases,
40 The "Red Army" has been changed officially to the "Soviet
such as the differentiation between AWOL and deser-
Army" since issuance of this order.
tion, the decision rests with the commander.
RESTRICTED
91
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"ocrText": "DISCIPLINE AND MILITARY LAW\nIN THE SOVIET ARMY\nSoviet leaders are placing increasing emphasis on the\narmies of other States. Soviet military discipline is\nmaintenance of strict discipline in the ranks of the postwar\nfounded on the homogeneity of class interests of the whole\nSoviet Army. Stalin's significant Order of the Day of\npersonnel of the Soviet Army, on their unqualified devo-\n23 February 1946 states: \"The maintenance of discipline is\ntion, and on the feeling of responsibility of each military\nthe most important duty of the entire personnel of the Red\nservant for the task of defending the Socialist Fatherland.\nArmy.40 The foundation of the Red Army's fighting\nSoviet discipline, therefore, can be firmer and stronger,\ncapacity rests on discipline, which finds its course, above\nand can be distinguished by harsher and more severe de-\nall, in the conscious attitude of the men and officers. The\nmands than discipline in other armies, which is based on\nmodern Army is complex and can work at capacity only\nclass subordination. In the ranks of the Soviet Army,\nif every hour is producing expected results. This is pos-\ntheoretically, there can be found only isolated malcontents\nsible only if faultless order, based on exact execution of\nand violators of discipline. The interests of the defense\nstatutes, orders, and regulations, prevails.\"\nof the Socialist State demand the application of the sever-\nThis statement of Stalin undoubtedly was occasioned,\nest measures of compulsion to these violators of discipline.\nin part, by the fact that a slackening of discipline took\nplace in the Soviet Army after the end of the war. Al-\nProvisions of Disciplinary Regulations of the\nthough a normal postwar let-down was to be expected, the\nSoviet Army\nchange in the Soviet Army was partly the result of contact\nwith Western culture and higher living standards and,\nThe soldier of the Soviet Army is: (1) obligated to\ntherefore, a phenomenon to be regarded by the Soviet\nknow thoroughly the military oath, military regulations\nrulers as particularly dangerous.\nand instructions; (2) execute unquestionably all orders\nTo meet the problem, the Soviet political leaders acted\nand decrees of his superiors and leaders: (3) observe\nwith customary vigor to insure that any restlessness or\nstrictly the established order in the Army and to restrain\ndissatisfaction did not harden into open opposition to the\nothers from its violation; (4) fulfill his service obligations\nSocialist system. The campaign to counter slackness in\nconscientiously; (5) guard all military and state secrets;\ndiscipline has been tied in closely with the campaigns for\nand, (6) preserve military and state property to the best\npolitical reindoctrination and for increasing the military\nof his ability.\nefficiency of the troops. Every effort has been made to\nDisciplinary penalties for violations of these directives\nimpress the Soviet Army man with the idea that (1) the\nare imposed by an immediate or higher commander in ac-\nSoviet State is the most democratic and progressive in the\ncordance with the official \"Disciplinary Regulations of\nworld; (2) it does more for its soldiers than any cap-\nthe Red Army,\" provided that the violation is not inte-\nitalistic state; (3) it is the only country in the world with\ntional and that it involves no consciously hostile inten-\nno unemployment; (4) the Communist Party has been the\ntion against the Soviet State. Such violations include in-\nreal organizer and inspirer of the victory over Fascist\nGermany and Japan; (5) the Soviet Army is the best of\nfringement of uniform regulations, submitting complaints\nin a manner contrary to the established rule, and similar\nall armies and has earned admiration and respect in all\noffenses; punishments include public rebuke, denial of\ncountries; and (6) it must remain efficient, disciplined,\nand loyal to its own traditions as well as to Russian mili-\nleave, confinement to barracks, etc. The higher the rank\nof the commander, the more severe the penalty he has the\ntary traditions of the past. It is the declared duty of all\nauthority to impose.\nSoviet Army men to set a personal example of honorable\nand disciplined conduct worthy of the Socialist society\nCertain crimes automatically exclude the offender from\nto which they belong.\nthe provisions of army discipline as, for example, espion-\nage, desertion to the enemy, willful departure from the\nTheory of Socialist Discipline\nfield of battle, and resistance to a person executing an\nAccording to Soviet propaganda, Socialist discipline\norder. Such acts, because they immediately endanger the\ndiffers sharply from the discipline maintained in the\nState, involve trial and sentence under stringent military\ncriminal law in a Military Tribunal. In borderline cases,\n40 The \"Red Army\" has been changed officially to the \"Soviet\nsuch as the differentiation between AWOL and deser-\nArmy\" since issuance of this order.\ntion, the decision rests with the commander.\nRESTRICTED\n91"
}