The Negative Consequences of the Presence of «Campaign-Field Wives» in the Red Army and Partisan Units

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to analyze the possible negative impact of the presence of commanders’ mistresses in the Red Army and partisan units on the overall situation among combat personnel. The author traces the behavior of so-called “campaign-field women” in military units, their attitudes toward rank-and-file soldiers, as well as potential abuses by commanders in matters of awarding decorations to these women or appointing them to staff positions. Scientific novelty. This article represents the first attempt to introduce the problem of non-statutory relationships in the Red Army and partisan units, specifically their intimate aspect into the scholarly discourse and to demonstrate the possible negative consequences of such relationships for morale and the combat situation within the troops. The study employs methods of historical analysis, analytical and deductive approaches, and source studies, drawing on the theoretical frameworks of military anthropology, the history of everyday life, social history, and military psychology.

The analysis of historical materials allows the conclusion that the presence of commanders’ mistresses in the Red Army or partisan units could negatively affect the performance of combat missions and the moral condition of both rank-and-file and command personnel. Numerous cases were recorded in which commanders abused their authority by awarding decorations to their “women,” facilitating the receipt of military ranks, appointing them to positions inconsistent with their status, exempting them from combat service, and similar practices. Romantic relationships often led to a decline in discipline within headquarters and to the deterioration of relations among commanders, especially in cases where several men were involved with the same woman. All of this hindered concentration on combat tasks; therefore, military leadership attempted to conduct appropriate educational work among the troops and, in some cases, resorted to harsher measures, including dismissal from positions, demotion in rank, or referral to a military tribunal.