HOME | DD

Description
Despite the defections that were taking place, the majority of the Cossack's remained loyal to the Soviet Union, fighting for their country whilst others fought for the German invaders in the hopes of defeating Stalin's rule, also the Germans consider Cossack's descendants of the Goths, rather than simply 'Slavs' like the rest of the Soviet Union, so they were given a more special status and due to the heavy fighting on the Eastern Front, they also were willing to take any anti-Soviet volunteer help they could. Many of the Wehrmacht Cossack's fought for what they hoped would be Cossack autonomy if the Germans were victorious but what was more likely to happen would be that like the Russian Liberation Army also, once their "usefulness" to the Nazis had been fulfilled they'd have brought under Nazi rule by force or executed if they objected, the betrayers would have been betrayed. It's surprising to think they actually expected the Nazi's to hand over the whole of Russia and Ukraine to the Andrey Vlasov and his bunch of "Russian Liberation Army" of defectors and that the Nazis would allow the Cossacks to 'rule themselves' in any way, shape or form.

In the earliest battles, particularly the encirclement of Belostok Cossack units such as the 94th Beloglisnky, 152nd Rostovsky and 48th Belorechensky regiments fought to their deaths and in the opening phase of the war, during the German advance towards Moscow, Cossack's became extensively used for the raids behind enemy lines. For the latter part of the war, although the Cossacks did prove especially useful in reconnaissance and rear guards, the war did show that the age of horse cavalry had come to an end. The famous IVth Guards Kuban Cossack Regiment which took part in heavy fighting in the course of the liberation of Southern Ukraine and Romania was allowed to proudly march on the Red Square in the famous Victory parade of 1945 as demonstrated on the above right soldier.

The traditional dress of the Cossack's consists of a long robe called a 'Cherkeska' (Meaning Circassian in Russian), a traditional item of clothing worn by people of Caucasus, the metal caps on the chest are "Gaziri catridges", these are ornamental imitations of the real paper cartridge tubes used in the musket era. The traditional belt adorned with metal engravings is called a "Poyas Kavkazskiy" which is worn by men in the Caucasus. The fur cap is similar to the 1931 style Ushanka before the earflaps were introduced, the "Kubanka" is a traditional Kuban Cossack headwear and was worn by Wehrmacht Cossacks also but obviously with different insignia. The red robes worn underneath are called a 'Beshmet', this specific piece of clothing was introduced by Order of People's Commissar for Defence of USSR № 67 on the 23rd April 1936 along with the Cherkeska and Kubanka, officers would be piped with gold lace and the 1935 style collar tabs would be worn with blue piping designating cavalry.

The weaponry worn by the Cossacks on the left is a "Kinzhal" Dagger, traditionally worn in the Caucasus, a famous Russian photographer Sergei Prokudin-Gorsky took a series of early colour photographs in the early 1900's in the Caucasus where these daggers are shown worn with the other traditional dress: pix.avaxnews.com/avaxnews/67/8… - In the same photo you can also see the 'Shashka' sword being worn, which is worn by the Cossack on the right, this is the traditional Caucasus sword that was later inherited by the Imperial Russian Army and later the Soviets.

On the left is a Kuban Cossack circa 1936-1941 and on the right is a Kuban Cossack circa 1943-1945, specifically the Moscow Victory Day Parade in 1945.

Description
Despite the defections that were taking place, the majority of the Cossack's remained loyal to the Soviet Union, fighting for their country whilst others fought for the German invaders in the hopes of defeating Stalin's rule, also the Germans consider Cossack's descendants of the Goths, rather than simply 'Slavs' like the rest of the Soviet Union, so they were given a more special status and due to the heavy fighting on the Eastern Front, they also were willing to take any anti-Soviet volunteer help they could. Many of the Wehrmacht Cossack's fought for what they hoped would be Cossack autonomy if the Germans were victorious but what was more likely to happen would be that like the Russian Liberation Army also, once their "usefulness" to the Nazis had been fulfilled they'd have brought under Nazi rule by force or executed if they objected, the betrayers would have been betrayed. It's surprising to think they actually expected the Nazi's to hand over the whole of Russia and Ukraine to the Andrey Vlasov and his bunch of "Russian Liberation Army" of defectors and that the Nazis would allow the Cossacks to 'rule themselves' in any way, shape or form.

In the earliest battles, particularly the encirclement of Belostok Cossack units such as the 94th Beloglisnky, 152nd Rostovsky and 48th Belorechensky regiments fought to their deaths and in the opening phase of the war, during the German advance towards Moscow, Cossack's became extensively used for the raids behind enemy lines. For the latter part of the war, although the Cossacks did prove especially useful in reconnaissance and rear guards, the war did show that the age of horse cavalry had come to an end. The famous IVth Guards Kuban Cossack Regiment which took part in heavy fighting in the course of the liberation of Southern Ukraine and Romania was allowed to proudly march on the Red Square in the famous Victory parade of 1945 as demonstrated on the above right soldier.

The traditional dress of the Cossack's consists of a long robe called a 'Cherkeska' (Meaning Circassian in Russian), a traditional item of clothing worn by people of Caucasus, the metal caps on the chest are "Gaziri catridges", these are ornamental imitations of the real paper cartridge tubes used in the musket era. The traditional belt adorned with metal engravings is called a "Poyas Kavkazskiy" which is worn by men in the Caucasus. The fur cap is similar to the 1931 style Ushanka before the earflaps were introduced, the "Kubanka" is a traditional Kuban Cossack headwear and was worn by Wehrmacht Cossacks also but obviously with different insignia. The red robes worn underneath are called a 'Beshmet', this specific piece of clothing was introduced by Order of People's Commissar for Defence of USSR № 67 on the 23rd April 1936 along with the Cherkeska and Kubanka, officers would be piped with gold lace and the 1935 style collar tabs would be worn with blue piping designating cavalry.

The weaponry worn by the Cossacks on the left is a "Kinzhal" Dagger, traditionally worn in the Caucasus, a famous Russian photographer Sergei Prokudin-Gorsky took a series of early colour photographs in the early 1900's in the Caucasus where these daggers are shown worn with the other traditional dress: pix.avaxnews.com/avaxnews/67/8… - In the same photo you can also see the 'Shashka' sword being worn, which is worn by the Cossack on the right, this is the traditional Caucasus sword that was later inherited by the Imperial Russian Army and later the Soviets.

On the left is a Kuban Cossack circa 1936-1941 and on the right is a Kuban Cossack circa 1943-1945, specifically the Moscow Victory Day Parade in 1945.