The Navy of the last century

Battleship «Sevastopol» attacs Japanese emplacement in the Takhe bay. P. Pshenichny

The destiny of the Russian Navy didn't establish easily in the last century. The periods of flourishing and victories were changed by difficult times. The economical backwardness of the country, mediocrity of some politicians and Naval Commanders resulted in decay and oblivion. But there always were progressively thinking people, unselfishly enamoured in the sea and the Navy, understanding its significance for Russia. The Navy owes them its life and glory.

The defeat in the Japanese war is considered the most event in the history of the Russian Navy. It was hard for citizens of Russia to grasp what had happened. The Emperor's Navy, the beauty and the pride of the country which was considered its reliable support sustained a total defeat having lost dozens of ships, thousands of sailors and officers. It was a serious lesson for those who rested on their laurels without thinking of perspectives of the Navy's development, rise of fighting efficiency.

The years of the World war I and events which were the result of the high revolutionary activity of the Navy sailors were not very successful for the Navy. The cruiser Aurora which notified the world about the change of the State system by its shot became the symbol of the Great October socialist revolution. The revolution itself riveted steel hulls of ships to moorings for a long time. Thousands of sailors left decks of ships to make a stand for ideals of socialism in the civil war. The Navy disrupted into two camps - red and white. Those who could not submit with the spirit of the revolution left Russia.

During the years of the first pre-war Five-Year Plans The Navy was replenished with great number of new perfectly equipped for that time ships, submarines and military launches of different classes.

Battle of the Baltic Navy ships in the Irbenskiy strait. July 6, 1941 A. Efimov

By the beginning of the Great Patriotic war the Navy included the Red Banner Baltic, the Black sea, the Northern and the Pacific ocean Navies, the Danube, the Pinsk, the Caspian and the Red Banner Amur military flotillas. The Navy met the Great Patriotic war 100% ready having lost during first days of war not a single ship. Fulfilling military tasks at the sea, at coasts and in the air naval sailors wrote new pages in the heroic chronicle of the Navy.

During the war the Soviet Navy sank about 1400 transport ships of the enemy, more than 1300 military ships and auxiliary ships of different classes. The Northern Navy performed more than 830 armed cruises and several thousands of operational flights for defense of 4.5 thousand transport ships of the allied convoys in the activity zone of the Navy. The Navy provided transportation of more than 100 million tons of military and national economic cargoes, 10 million people - the Red Army warriors and population being evacuated by inner waters.

Atomic missile cruiser «Peter the Great» on the campaign. A. Pechatin

The fights died down. Having returned to peaceful constructive labor the Soviet people started the reconstruction of the national economy severely destroyed during the years of the struggle. During the postwar years the new ocean nuclear rocket Navy with optimum balance of forces and means was created in our country.

The modern Navy is a clot of the foremost scientific thought and technology. The scientific and technological progress is most fully realized by creation of nuclear submarines of different purpose. Nuclear rocket ships are its main body. Achievements in nuclear energetic, rocket ship-building, electronics and other fields of science and technique permitted to concentrate all main submarine indicators characterizing the power of the modern Navy: great percussion power, high mobility and secrecy, capacity to realize armor operations at land and naval targets on long distances.

Soviet submariners assimilated ocean space already in the 60-ies, from cold waters of the Arctic till hot equator latitudes of the World ocean. The perfect capacities our nuclear ships demonstrated in 1966 during the group navigation. During one and a half months they covered 25 thousand miles without a single coming to the surface for abovewater position. Within last twenty years Soviet ship-builders created and Naval sailors tried following generations of nuclear submarines. Each one is the new step in development of underwater forces.

Atomic submarine «Kursk». The last berthing. P. Yarkin

However tragedies may happen. Lately Andrew's flag was lowered twice which meant sorrow for perished sailors of the two nuclear rocket submarines Komsomolsk and Kursk.

The Navy does not survive best time today. As before it is an important element of Military Forces of Russia called up to defend interests of Russia at the sea borders. Unfortunately bottles with Champaign were seldom broken against stems of ships which means the birth of new armor units. But after all economical and social storms which shook Russia ship-building rises. New nuclear submarine cruisers and abovewater ships get to military watch of the Navy. As before the Navy goes out to ocean waters to carry Andrew's flag with pride. Honor and glory to it!