The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1943-04-30
WHAT MAKES THE RED ARMY
STRONG

| NUM-
The courage and strength of the
Red Army has won the admiration
of the world. 1t shattered the myth
ical invincibility of the German Weir
macht for once and for all. 1t was
not destroyed but stood up against
iHtler's best trained and half dozen
satellite nations armed troops and
have several German captive generals
to show for it while Hitler can't show
single Red Army general
The Red Army is recruited from all
over the USSR including Is different
self governing republics, the most
heterogeneous army in the world,
speaking more than a hundred differ
ent dialects, yet working together
with but a single purpose-to win
the war. The youths over IS years
of age are under a two year COM
pulsory training schedule, since ex-
tended for the duration, and its likely
the most democratic army closer at
modern army, with the possible ex
ception of the 4th and 8th Route
armies in occupied China. 1t has
been taught since 1920 to regard its
Motherland as sacred and to look with
suspicion on any outside encroach-
ments. Even in school days, the
youth have ben inculcated with two
main detectives, learn trade and
prepare for national defense = aside
from a general education. They even
have parachute jumps from towers
and military training as part of the
educational curriculum so that when
they join the colors, 500 are either
trained sharp shooters, glider or air.
plane pilots. Another thing in their
favor is the fact that, owing to sani
tary and economic conditions, 900
pass the physical examinations,
whereas some nations reject from 80
to 40 per cent as physically unfit.
When in active service, Red Army
man or woman receive the same pay
as they were getting in private jobs
before joining the army which, of
course, can be raised through promo
ton, and all the party members be-
longing to the Communist party, have
already had considerable political
training. Part of the Red Army's
training is political as well as military
and $500 of the rank-and-file know ex-
actly what they are fighting for which
adds considerably to morale and, in |
stead of being dreaded like the Cos
sacks used to be in Tsarist days, they |
are well liked by the population. |
Furthermore they know their families |
are well taken care of while they are
at the front and their former jobs are
waiting for them when they return
That helps morale Another thing,
they have morale-builders right be-
hind the front-line trenches in the
form of entertainment centers, thea
.rical plays and movies. To Illustrate
Here is detachment going up to the
'front.' for day-break bayonet charge
lrop in to darkened room for Is
)r 20 minute rest; a movie is on
showing some captive Ukranian wom-
IN being prepared for shipping to
GO iiOcoO oSi fohCo vi ldCIOly
slaves, some special ones for the high
culture breeding camps, others to be
Used for soldiers free brothels In
mother place maybe picture is on,
moving schoolyard with a girl
hanging from the outstretched arm of b
4enin's statue with a sign reading:
Play no tricks on the Germans" and i
n Axis soldier standing guard to see
hat no one cuts her down.
After seeing a few sights like these {
he soldiers need no hot toddies to t
race them up in the bitter cold pre-
aratory for most any kind of death {
crying stunts. It's propaganda, tbs Y
rue, but its. such propaganda which i
reduce Liudmila Pavlichenko (the c
niper) with record of 300 Germans /
her score; patriot who throws
imself and explosives under an adj c
ancing German tank to protect a /
threatened position, or the six Kron- t
tad volunteers who dived their bomb S
lg planes into that many German t
'ansports in the Gulf of Finland at A
critical stage of the seige of Lenin- t