Front-line hundred grams, which became widely known as "People's Commissars", were introduced on September 1, 1941 on the personal order of I. Stalin. The situation at the front at that time was developing catastrophically and such a "doping" measure was quite adequate to the emerging situation. In the most difficult conditions of physical and psychological stress, the dispensing of vodka was fully justified. The dose was calculated with the assistance of Soviet doctors and could not cause intoxication. In addition, they now forget that during the whole war, the People's Commissars' hundred grams relied only on the soldiers on the front line, the logisticians did not receive vodka every day.
During the war, the standards for dispensing vodka were revised several times. So on May 11, 1942, a decree was issued, which ordered to issue vodka only to soldiers of units conducting offensive operations. The delivery of vodka to all forward units was restored on November 12 before the Stalingrad offensive. At the same time, for the troops of the Transcaucasian front, it was decided to replace 100 grams of vodka with 200 grams of strong or 300 grams of table wine. On May 13, 1943, a decree was adopted, which again allowed the issuance of front-line hundred grams only to soldiers advancing units. At the same time, what specific units and formations should be provided with vodka was to be decided by the leadership of the Military Councils of the front or individual armies. This decree lasted until the end of the war. Only public holidays remained unchanged days for issuing vodka to all servicemen - only 10 days a year. It was the anniversary of the revolution on November 7, 8, Constitution day - December 5, New Year - January 1, February 23 - the day of the Red Army, on the days of international May holidays - May 1, 2, surprisingly, vodka was issued on July 19 on the All-Union Day of the Athlete, August 16, on the All-Union Day of Aviation and on the date of the formation of the corresponding military unit.
The name Narkomovskie 100 grams stuck with the daily vodka ration, most likely since the time of the Finnish war. Then the idea to start supplying the army not only with warm clothes and shells came to the mind of the people's commissar K. Voroshilov. The Red Army at that time was bogged down in the snows of Finland, there were terrible cold weather, and to raise the morale of the troops, Voroshilov ordered to give the soldiers and officers 100 grams of vodka per knock, and the pilots 100 grams of brandy.
If you look deeper, the practice of giving out vodka to soldiers was also in the Russian tsarist army. The so-called "bread wine" was received by the soldiers even under Peter 1. And until 1908, during the hostilities, combatant lower ranks were to receive three glasses (160 grams) of vodka per week, non-combatant 2 glasses each. On holidays in peacetime, it was envisaged to issue 15 glasses a year. In addition to this, there was a tradition in the army when the officer awarded the distinguished fighters at his own expense additionally.
Currently, more and more controversy arises over the issue of when these famous People's Commissars 100 grams were issued, before the battle or after. From the point of view of an ordinary layman, drinking vodka was logical before the moment of the greatest danger, that is, before the attack. It is argued that alcohol eliminates feelings of fear, insecurity and anxiety. Most people feel a sense of euphoria, a surge of mental and physical energy, become more active and active. At the same time, somehow not taking into account the fact that alcohol reduces the acuity of perception, attention, reduces self-control. But all this is applicable only to the everyday environment, while the fight, in its essence, is a terrible stress for a person. During a stressful situation, abrupt changes in metabolism occur, as a result of which a slightly drunk person instantly sober up, but a very drunk person has nothing to do in an attack.
Therefore, having taken the front-line one hundred grams before the attack, the fighter received virtually nothing. All the alcohol received by the body will be destroyed even before the attack by the harmonious norepinephrine (anxiety hormone) or already during the attack by the release of adrenaline (an active hormone) and active muscular work. If, before the attack, take a large dose - 250-300 grams, this will lead to a state of ordinary alcoholic intoxication, and there is little sense from a drunken soldier, even A. Suvorov said: "I will be killed before the fight".
A completely different matter is the acceptance of vodka after the end of a stressful situation, i.e. after the attack. A person should not keep in himself a long internal tension without the ability to throw out the accumulated emotions outward and somehow burn out the available energy by action. It is in this situation that the mood swings brought about by drinking alcohol are best suited. Unreasonable giggle, easy distraction, the inability to think logically, all these signs of drinking alcohol can protect a person from the inside. In this case, alcohol helps to relieve the tension that has accumulated during the fight. That is why the People's Commissar's 100 grams were most often given out after the battle to those who survived, according to the pre-combat lists of the unit's strength.
