D.S. Fedorov¹
Ph.D., Associate Professor N.N. Kladkin¹
M.A. Fedorov¹
L.D. Vlasova^1
1Institute of Physical Culture and Sport of North-Eastern Federal University named after M.K. Ammosov, Yakutsk

Keywords: patriotism, World War II, development of physical culture and sport, training of rising generation, Yakut soldiers on skies, military sports activity, heroism of recreational and professional athletes, traditions, sports events.

Introduction. In the period of the Great Patriotic War there was created a targeted system of traditional mass, military sports activities that played a key role in the military-patriotic education of young people and training of athletes for the reserve of the Soviet Army.

The purpose of the study was to conduct a historical analysis of the organization of sports and military-patriotic training of young people of Yakutia in the pre-war period and during the Great Patriotic War.  

The results of the study and their discussion. In 1926, the national company was reorganized into the Yakut National Military School which was training junior officers and mass military personnel. The School made a significant contribution to the national military personnel training. The representatives of indigenous nationalities entered the School voluntarily. The cadets were involved in weapons and physical training, and studied tactics, gas defence, service regulations and general subjects. At the end of 1920s, 100 cadets, including 61 riflemen and 39 machine-gunners, were trained at the School. According to estimates of D.D. Petrov, about a thousand of junior commanders engaged in mass military activities in Yakutia and other regions of the country has been trained at the School for 15 years of its existence.

In the 1930s, the branch of Osoaviakhim (Union of Societies of Assistance to Defence and Aviation-Chemical Construction) was created in Yakutia. Its goals were to carry out mass military activities and introduce people into military science. The chairmen of the district council of Osoaviakhim organized mass military work in 29 districts. 9068 people were trained as riflemen, machine-gunners, troopers, artillerymen, and signallers. 364 groups of Anti-Aircraft Gas Defence involving 6000 people were organized. These groups arranged people's training. Their work results were as follows: in 1940 during the Anti-Aircraft Gas Defence qualification tests 4390 people were awarded with the badges of the I category, 117 people - II category and 1324 people  - children's category. Anti-Aircraft Gas Defence training sessions involved 1404 people, and 7 chemical contests among the first organizations of Osoaviakhim were conducted with 3000 people participating in them. On 1 April 1940,  90% of the population were engaged in military training within Osoaviakhim organizations. The fulfilment of the plan for the training of machine-gunners was 49.3%, radio operators – by 28.5%, junior commanders – 50%, reserve junior commanders – 77%; specialists of Anti-Aircraft Gas Defence of the I category - 59.4%, II category – 15.6%.

The period of 1939-1940 was very important for the physical culture movement. Nazi Germany occupied Western European countries one after another and approached the borders of the Soviet Union. All military and physical education activities were devolved to the Young Communist League organizations, the Physical Culture Committees, voluntary sports societies and military commissariats. From 1 January 1940 onwards, the new "Ready for Labour and Defence" (GTO) complex was introduced in the USSR and underlay the state physical education system. The new complex was focused on military application for the purposes of military patriotic education. Starting from 1 to 6 January 1940 the 3rd All-Union Ski Cross-country Race was conducted. More than 1200 people participated in regional and republican agitation ski competitions during the year. More than 100 agitation ski tours at the distance ranging from 100 to 600 km were conducted in different parts of the region. The number of people engaged in sports sections reached 2 609 including 350 women. For the first time athletes were awarded with sports categories: 21 skiers were given the 2nd sports category and 18  skiers - the 3rd one. The second most popular sport was athletics. The total number of people engaged in this section was 2 313 including 244 women.

During the war, physical and military education teachers had made a great contribution to the primary and pre-conscription military training of schoolchildren, students of technical colleges, pedagogical universities and workers' faculty. This was promoted by the Decree of the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR of 24 October 1942 on introducing military physical and pre-conscription training of secondary pupils and technical college students from the 1942-43 academic year. Many physical and military education teachers succeeded in it  [2].

Lots of young people participated in ski race organized by trade unions and the Young Communist League in the region. Over 27 thousand people, 81,6% of whom had passed the GTO and BGTO (GTO for children) tests, participated in the ski race in 1945 [4].

The year of 1940 is remarkable for some new types of competition, such as the Yakutsk–Sangar–Yakutsk 339 km-sailing race in honour of the Navy. According to the data, 288 different sports events were held in 1940 with participation of 5580 people, with 102 events with 1675 people engaged only in Yakutsk. 171 instructors were trained on various seminars and courses, the number of recreational athletes amounted to 7701. The physical education staff rose to 352 people and the number of people engaged in sports sections went up to 4943. 13 new records of Yakutia in athletics and speed skating were established during the year. Owing to the introduced new BGTO and GTO complexes the preparation for GTO qualification tests was intensified. In 1940, 304 people were awarded with the BGTO badges, 420 people received the I category GTO badges and 12 people - the II category GTO badges.

During the Great Patriotic War mass military activities became critically important. Those times demanded from every citizen who could bear arms to know well military equipment and be ready to defend the Fatherland at any moment. The population, especially young people, began to engage in systematic training by the GTO complex and actively participate in mass military sports events such as shooting, gas defence, ski and other competitions. The Red Army got thousands of competent military men. During the war, several thousands of Voroshilov Marksman, GTO (Ready for Labour and Defence) and GSO (Ready for Sanitary Defence) badge-holders were trained in military sports organizations of Yakutia. Mass defence institutions such as Osoaviakhim, Red Сross and voluntary sports societies made a great contribution to the training of those people. A letter of Major of the Guards M.P. Kornilov is an evidence of mass patriotism of Yakut soldiers. He wrote: "...as a communist I can't keep aloof at times like these. I must take a direct part and at all costs prove myself in battle..." [3]. This letter is dated August, 12  1941. P.M. Kornilov went through the war and in May 1945 he wrote: "...I am writing these lines from far defeated Germany. I am safe and sound. The joy of victory over the hated enemy imbues me with strength and energy...I've even gained some weight. I can move mountains!" [3]

Young soldier G.D. Protodyakonov who served in the 13th guards division of General A.I. Rodimtsev performed prodigies of valour. He commanded the gun. In the battle for Mamayev Kurgan, Protodyakonov's crew moved into the front line for direct fire. Skilfully disguised, the men destroyed 9 firing-points and 4 blindages of the enemy. According to the memoirs of Marshal of the Soviet Union V.I. Chuikov, one brave Yakut (it was Protodyakonov) destroyed several enemy tanks despite taking aim through a gun barrel. This image is depicted on the famous diorama "Battle of Stalingrad".

The first Yakut who earned the title of the Hero of the Soviet Union, F.K. Popov has covered himself with unfading glory. Colonel Rybchenko and Division Commander Major-General Baranov wrote: "...strong artillery-mortar fire from a favourable position and aviation of the enemy enabled our troops to get to the right bank of the Dnieper. Comrade Popov was one of the first who rushed into the water, despising death, and reached the right bank. He jumped into an enemy trench and destroyed 23 officers and soldiers, and thereby facilitated the crossing of our divisions to the right bank of the River Dnieper". In the age of 20 Fedor Popov was tall and fit. He was one of the active organizers of Osoaviakhim and mass military activities in his native village. He was the winner of various regional and national sports competitions [1]. For example, the 19th separate ski brigade was formed mostly from inhabitants of Yakutia. It consisted of 597 Yakuts. The task of the brigade was to cross more than 30 kilometres on ice of the Lake Ilmen [5].

Conclusion. One of the main directions in the work of the Physical Culture and Sport Committees was military­patriotic, physical and sports training of pupils, young people, students and soldiers subject to Universal military training. The education in the spirit of patriotism, collectivism and love of Fatherland contributed to the development of the striving to protect it. Evidence of this are the heroism, bravery and courage of professional and recreational athletes on the fronts of the Great Patriotic War. Many of them were awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union, were decorated with orders and medals. Army of many thousands of Russian professional and recreational athletes of Yakutia of the first call­up, directed to the firing line of active forces, mercilessly destroying the Nazis. Among them many soldiers fighting for their homeland skillfully combined military skills with stamina. These very self-confident athletes have always been in the firing line, were the first to rush into battle, set an example of courage and heroism.

References

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Corresponding author: kladkin@mail.ru