On the history of creation of the legendary Kalashnikov

World War II was a severe test for the USSR. All the country, all Soviet people fought for the defense of the Motherland. Kazakhstan as one of the key republics of the Union State became a real arsenal for the front. Production and scientific capacities from the European part of the USSR evacuated here. Kazakhstan along with the Urals and Siberia had large supplies of mineral raw materials for the production of the military machinery for the Red Army, and also provided the front with everything necessary for war to the bitter end. There were research institutes, laboratories, universities here where the best intellectual minds worked over creation of new types of arms that provided a victory over the enemy. In Kazakhstan there were talented scientists from the USSR Academy who in the years of war made the maximum contribution to the victory. More than 20 research institutes were placed in Alma-Ata thanks to which production of different types of arms (torpedoes, artillery shells, depth-charge mortars and air bombs) was developed. During the war there were such powerful fire weapons as artillery, aircraft fleet, tanks, and nearly a half of losses of war armies fell to the share of infantry divisions. In the first years of the war there was an acute shortage in different types of arms. The main role in defense was the equipment of the soldier. The topical issue of the Defense Committee of the country was about creation of new arms which had to surpass the Wehrmacht weapon in technical indicators. Hundreds of volunteer inventors responded to an appeal of the party and the government. The scale of the incoming projects and offers was enormous. For example, tens of various rationalization innovations were on the development of incendiary bombs and mixes. In Kazakhstan, the staff sergeant Mikhail Kalashnikov began developing the future legendary machine gun. The leadership of Kazakhstan provided M.T. Kalashnikov with all conditions for the preparation and assembly of automatic small arms. In 1949 the Kalashnikov was into the Soviet Army service and was one of the best types of post-war arms which have gained universal recognition. For the creation of effective arms Mikhail Trofimovich Kal-ashnikov was awarded by Stalin with the award of the first degree, subsequently he twice became the Hero of Socialist Work, the Winner of the Lenin award, the Hero of the Russian Federation.

Keywords

Authors

References