Military ranks and insignia of the Soviet Union (1918–1935)
In the period from 1918 to 1935 of the young Soviet Union any "bourgeois" military ideas were put under general suspicion by the communists, the new political establishment.
Iconic buildings in Russia already sporting a revolutionary hue alongside Krasnaia also meaning beautiful gave the colour additional propaganda usage to the Bolsheviks.
[13] Despite these positive traits, for centuries a red flag on tall town buildings had a more sinister meaning - a plague outbreak; in the early days of the Civil War this led to White units taking a wide berth around Soviet controlled settlements.
One credible story says that in 1917, members of the Moscow garrison were ordered to wear white tin stars on their caps to differentiate themselves from the mass influx of troops returning from the front against the Central Powers.
Another less reputable story claims that the star was introduced by the large section of Jews in the young government and military who saw the Revolution as the in-progress building of the Promised Land in Russia.
[a][15] In early 1918 it had become apparent that the new model of army was inadequate, both small in number and typically ineffectual in the face of the Germans and Anton Denikin's men.
[17] This new found professionalism along with the Soviets gradually growing control over administrative and manufacturing power lead to greater standardisation and the creation of new insignia in addition to a new rank structure in this period.
[b] One of the greatest weaknesses of the Reds during the Civil War were their ineffectual logistics: this meant that, combined with a lack of discipline surrounding uniform in many units, the introduction of new insignia would only be on paper for large portions of the army.
[22] of the Red Army(in the centre of a silver wreath) On 25 April 1918 by order of the Revolutionary Military Council of the Republic, a Commission on the Elaboration of Uniform was formed.
[26] (all equivalent to sergeant major) On 16 January 1919 the official adoption of the new uniforms and insignia was announced by the Revolutionary Military Council via Order No.
