Cossacks

Noted for their bravery and ferocity on the battle field, the Cossacks were often feared by the modern equipped Nazi hordes. Their legendary prowess on the battlefield was the product of a close knit organization that had it's roots from medieval Russia. As skilled horseman, they were unrivaled in their ability to use their riding skills to out maneuver larger forces and destroy them. As a military organization, they were extremely regimented and dedicated to church and Czar. Over the decades of Czarist rule, they served to project the force of Russia's rulers as effectively as modern day B-1 bombers. They would move into unconquered territories and subdue  any resistance to rule and establish strategic strongholds. As Russia moved into the 20th. century, the role of the Cossack would under go a dramatic change. As political unrest began to build against the ruler of all Russia, the Cossacks were hard pressed to fight a war that sprang up in urban areas. They were the masters of the steppe but at times inept at practicing the dictums of modern urban warfare. Where once the horse, saber and lance ruled the battlefield, they found themselves in a tragic civil confrontation that offered no open spaces and often fought against fellow Cossacks. As a result of the defeat of Czarist rule, the Cossacks were considered suspect when it came to loyalty to the new communist state. Many Cossacks fled Russia and resettled in western Europe, Great Britton and the United States.  Even so, it did not stop Stalin from calling on their courage and martial skill during "the great patriotic war". Even  during the early years of modern firearms in Imperial Russia, it was a challenge to introduce the   rifle to the Cossack. As a horse soldier, they had little regard for such an unwieldy weapon. After all, it's not easy to utilize a weapon that requires both hands during a full charge. Most Cossacks carried a rifle slung behind their back and considered another addition to their ornate uniforms, much like a ceremonial dagger. At best, they considered a rifle

as a good instrument for clubbing a hapless soul that was stupid enough to remain defiant in the face of their ferocious charges. It wasn't until the last few years of Czarist rule that the Cossack began to respect and understand the power of the rifle. As time changed, they realized that the lance and saber could not compete with the machinegun. It was in the early 1900's that they began to ride and shoot with a new found deadly skill. The introduction of the Mosin Nagant " Kazachya I dragunskaya vintovka " or Cossack Rifle allowed the horseman to fire from the saddle with more ease. It was shorter than the standard rifle and better balanced from a sitting position. The fact that it held 5 rounds was important. A typical cavalry engagement was ferocious and brief. A charge would be over and the battle decided in just a few minutes. A horseman had little time to stop and reload. Therefore, a 5 round magazine held a definite advantage over a singleshot weapon. After initial growing pains, the Cossacks began to accept the rifle as a standard weapon even though they still preferred the saber. It was sad that mechanized warfare and urban combat relegated them to the back pages of Russian history until the second world war. Between the world wars, the Cossacks were held in suspicion by the communist leadership. They were regarded as little more than drunken gypsies and enemies of the state. Most military commanders felt that they were out dated and undisciplined. The Cossack reputation for independence from outside command led most field commanders to believe that they were more of a threat than potential enemies. The strongest voice for Cossack integration in the Red Army came in 1936 from  G.K. Zukov who later became the famous Marshal Zukov. Stalin ordered the formation of Cossack units in the first desperate year of the Nazi invasion. The Cossacks performed valiantly and with bravery. They made massed horse mounted attacks against German infantry and were reported to have made a charge against German armor near Stalingrad. It was interesting to note that Germans employed Cossack and Italian cavalry at the same time but they and the Soviet Cossacks never clashed on the field of battle. By the time W.W.II concluded, the great Cossack tradition was over. As a result of battlefield attrition and political oppression, once again the Cossack was an enemy of the state. Many fled into exile in allied occupied western Europe and others returned to the steppes. Those that did not, were subjected to persecution and execution. Ironically, the descendents of the early Cossacks are still a thorn in the side of the Russian government. They recently expressed their discontent over the handling of Chechnya conflict. They criticized the Russian military and threatened to arm themselves and expel the Chechnian rebels if the government could not.