Moral factor in combat readiness of personnel and commanders of Air force of Red Banner Baltic fleet on the eve of Soviet-Finnish war of 1938–1939

Abstract

This article discusses the problems of the moral factor formation (moral and psychological state), which is an important factor in the combat readiness of troops on the eve and during the local military conflict. The formation of the moral and political state is considered on the example of the personnel and command staff of The Air force of the Red Banner Baltic fleet. The following factors are considered as forming the moral and psychological state: the combat readiness of the troops, foreign policy events and their perception by the personnel and command staff, the quality of the young replenishment and its mood, political work, the level of discipline in the troops, and such a specific factor characteristic of the second half of the 1930s as the influence of political repression. The main source for writing the work are the political reports of the political Department of the Baltic fleet (Pubalt), the political Directorate of the VV S KBF, parts and units. The study revealed the problems that led to a decrease in the level of combat readiness of the Red Banner Baltic fleet air force, and as a result, the failure of naval pilots to perform combat tasks during the Soviet-Finnish war.