This is a familiar truth that the fights are at the front but the victory is achieved in the rare area. This is the place on the southeast of former Soviet Union where the plants and factories re-equipped for military needs produced necessary aircrafts, tanks, weapons and artillery. Evacuation hospitals were opened in Turkmenistan where wounded soldiers were recovering; refugees who had to leave the places occupied by the enemy were coming here as well. Today, recollecting our compatriots who won the victory at the front, it cannot help saying about those who made everything possible and impossible away from the front line to bring this day of May 9 closer.
In addition to ammunition, Turkmenistan provided military facilities of the country with important strategic material like oil and chemical industry products, cotton, silk, glass items and agricultural crops. Local facilities arranged the manufacturing of army ammunition; more than 70 new types of industrial products that had defensive and national economy significance have been arranged in Turkmenistan.
The movement for making of defensive fund was expanding and everybody was involved into this. School students were gathering scrap metal after classes, their mothers and fathers were working on factories and plants making two and sometimes three production limits per shift, having forgotten that this shift is only eight hours, they simply did not look at watches those days. The children in rural areas were working as the adults in the fields. People donated money for the provision of front with military equipment. Population of the republic gave 170 million roubles in cash and more than 110 million roubles by state bonds for construction of tanks, aircrafts, Turkmenistan Red Crescent air squadron, cannon and other weaponry. 21.5 thousand tons of ferrous and 450 tons of non-ferrous metal was shipped for the front.
In December 1941, several facilities were evacuated from Ukrainian city of Kremenchug to Ashgabat, which personnel started working at Red Hammer plant. From January 1942, the plant that used to produce only civil goods has started making hand grenades and detonators for mines and aviation bombs. Another Ashgabat facility, Red Metallist plant that used to produce house-hold items has started making new items M-82 mines. In general, both plants produced five million hand grenades and more than three million mines, which made their path to the Victory.
Statistics shows that in the first months of the war, Turkmenistan has sent 248 doctors and 662 middle and junior level medical personnel. Altogether, 556 doctors went to the front from medical facilities of the country for the years of the Great Patriotic War. These were experienced medical personnel as well as the graduates of Turkmen State Medical Institute and Ashgabat medical college who after the study went to the front voluntarily. Turkmen doctors worked in evacuation hospitals as well. Many of them were conferred with the state awards. More than seven thousand medics trained b Red Cross and Red Crescent Society of Turkmenistan provided medical assistance in the battle fields in 1941 – 1945. Many of them were awarded with medals and orders for the bravery and courage and junior medical specialist Chariyev was awarded with the Order of Lenin.
Women were making and knitting warm clothes for soldiers days and nights. Of course, every one of them thought that these gloves or socks would go to the detachment were their relatives serve and that those, having put it on, would feel the warmth of native home but it would be good as well if it would go to other soldiers as they are like brothers I the war and have one goal – the Victory. Around 300 railway carriages with warm clothes and gifts for soldiers of the Red Army were sent from Turkmenistan. Turkmen women dreamed of the victory when they were giving away their gold and silver jewelleries, some of which were true masterpieces. For the years of war, Turkmen women have given away almost seven and half tons of silver and gold, which makes around 80 percent of all precious metal gathered in the country those days.
Increased supplies to the front, evacuation of people and industrial facilities required uninterrupted and intensive work of all modes of transport. The load on transport routes grew several times in Turkmenistan. The trains with troops and equipment, food, refugees who had to leave their home occupied by the enemy, wounded soldiers who were received in the hospital opened in Ashgabat and other cities followed by Central Asian Railway via Kransovodsk Seaport. In addition to the honest work done for regulation of increased transport load, Ashgabat railway sent 20 locomotives to help in transportation of military trains to the front. Moreover, for provision of military requirements, Turkmenistan sent more than three thousand vehicles, 125 tractors, around 24 thousand horses and more than two thousand wagons with horse harnesses, which means that the part of the load literally was put on the shoulders of workers and farmers.
Cultural personnel of Turkmenistan also made their contribution. Famous authors, poets, artists, musician of the country went with the concerts to the battle fields encouraging their compatriots and their mates. Sometimes, the concerts were given at the front lines few hours before the battle. Family archives of the soldiers have letters where they informed how they beat the enemy inspired after such concerts.
When the enemy is at the door, the whole family stands up to protect it. However, the doors of this house are always open for those who need help. From the very beginning of the war, Turkmenistan cared of evacuated citizens, families and children of frontline defenders, disabled soldiers of Great Patriotic War. 103 thousand people were evacuated from Baku and Mahachkala to Krasnovodsk just from July to December of 1941. However, the flow of refugees was increasing. People evacuated the territories of Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova, Baltic countries, Caucasus occupied by the enemy. In the second half of 1942, the number of refuges was more than 500 thousand people. Can you imagine how many efforts were required to provide the food and temporarily accommodate half million of old people, women, children and invalids. Turkmen people managed to solve this successfully. All refugees who followed to neighbouring Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kirgizstan and Siberia were provided with medical services and hot food all the way across the territory of Turkmenistan. Additional children facilities were made.
Turkmenistan used not only to transport but also to receive evacuated people. By August 1943, the population of the country increased to 32 thousand people. Understanding the tragedy of people who had no home and who arrived only with few necessary items that could be easily stored in small wooden suitcase, the Government and people of the country gave them a warm welcome, generously sharing this warmth with those who needed it. Houses were built rapidly for evacuated families that were distributed among big cities, land plots for gardens were allocated for those who worked in collective farms. Additional goods were given for supply of military personnel families from the trade funds. Special workshops for repair of footwear and clothes of evacuated people were opened. Having made the fund for assistance of the families of frontline defenders, Turkmenistan citizens shared everything they had. There was no any facility, establishment of farming association that did not make contribution either by material resources or clothes and food.
The war is brutal. Killing the parents it hits the most exposed ones – the children, during the war, all necessary conditions were made for study and recreation of children arriving in Turkmenistan. Part of orphans and children parted with parents were taken by the orphanages while other were taken by Turkmen families.
Many families evacuated to Turkmenistan went home from the country after the war finished. They memorized the country where they had shelter forever. However, there was many people who stayed in Turkmenistan; this hospitable southern region became second home for them. They had new family and new destiny there.
We do not know many names of ordinary workers of rare front who had their own frontline. But kneeling in front of the courage and heroism of the soldiers of the Great Patriotic War, we cannot help bow our heads for the feat of the great army of unknown people – workers, farmers, doctors, teachers and even children whose sacrifice, patience and unity brought cherished Victory closer!
In addition to ammunition, Turkmenistan provided military facilities of the country with important strategic material like oil and chemical industry products, cotton, silk, glass items and agricultural crops. Local facilities arranged the manufacturing of army ammunition; more than 70 new types of industrial products that had defensive and national economy significance have been arranged in Turkmenistan.
The movement for making of defensive fund was expanding and everybody was involved into this. School students were gathering scrap metal after classes, their mothers and fathers were working on factories and plants making two and sometimes three production limits per shift, having forgotten that this shift is only eight hours, they simply did not look at watches those days. The children in rural areas were working as the adults in the fields. People donated money for the provision of front with military equipment. Population of the republic gave 170 million roubles in cash and more than 110 million roubles by state bonds for construction of tanks, aircrafts, Turkmenistan Red Crescent air squadron, cannon and other weaponry. 21.5 thousand tons of ferrous and 450 tons of non-ferrous metal was shipped for the front.
In December 1941, several facilities were evacuated from Ukrainian city of Kremenchug to Ashgabat, which personnel started working at Red Hammer plant. From January 1942, the plant that used to produce only civil goods has started making hand grenades and detonators for mines and aviation bombs. Another Ashgabat facility, Red Metallist plant that used to produce house-hold items has started making new items M-82 mines. In general, both plants produced five million hand grenades and more than three million mines, which made their path to the Victory.
Statistics shows that in the first months of the war, Turkmenistan has sent 248 doctors and 662 middle and junior level medical personnel. Altogether, 556 doctors went to the front from medical facilities of the country for the years of the Great Patriotic War. These were experienced medical personnel as well as the graduates of Turkmen State Medical Institute and Ashgabat medical college who after the study went to the front voluntarily. Turkmen doctors worked in evacuation hospitals as well. Many of them were conferred with the state awards. More than seven thousand medics trained b Red Cross and Red Crescent Society of Turkmenistan provided medical assistance in the battle fields in 1941 – 1945. Many of them were awarded with medals and orders for the bravery and courage and junior medical specialist Chariyev was awarded with the Order of Lenin.
Women were making and knitting warm clothes for soldiers days and nights. Of course, every one of them thought that these gloves or socks would go to the detachment were their relatives serve and that those, having put it on, would feel the warmth of native home but it would be good as well if it would go to other soldiers as they are like brothers I the war and have one goal – the Victory. Around 300 railway carriages with warm clothes and gifts for soldiers of the Red Army were sent from Turkmenistan. Turkmen women dreamed of the victory when they were giving away their gold and silver jewelleries, some of which were true masterpieces. For the years of war, Turkmen women have given away almost seven and half tons of silver and gold, which makes around 80 percent of all precious metal gathered in the country those days.
Increased supplies to the front, evacuation of people and industrial facilities required uninterrupted and intensive work of all modes of transport. The load on transport routes grew several times in Turkmenistan. The trains with troops and equipment, food, refugees who had to leave their home occupied by the enemy, wounded soldiers who were received in the hospital opened in Ashgabat and other cities followed by Central Asian Railway via Kransovodsk Seaport. In addition to the honest work done for regulation of increased transport load, Ashgabat railway sent 20 locomotives to help in transportation of military trains to the front. Moreover, for provision of military requirements, Turkmenistan sent more than three thousand vehicles, 125 tractors, around 24 thousand horses and more than two thousand wagons with horse harnesses, which means that the part of the load literally was put on the shoulders of workers and farmers.
Cultural personnel of Turkmenistan also made their contribution. Famous authors, poets, artists, musician of the country went with the concerts to the battle fields encouraging their compatriots and their mates. Sometimes, the concerts were given at the front lines few hours before the battle. Family archives of the soldiers have letters where they informed how they beat the enemy inspired after such concerts.
When the enemy is at the door, the whole family stands up to protect it. However, the doors of this house are always open for those who need help. From the very beginning of the war, Turkmenistan cared of evacuated citizens, families and children of frontline defenders, disabled soldiers of Great Patriotic War. 103 thousand people were evacuated from Baku and Mahachkala to Krasnovodsk just from July to December of 1941. However, the flow of refugees was increasing. People evacuated the territories of Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova, Baltic countries, Caucasus occupied by the enemy. In the second half of 1942, the number of refuges was more than 500 thousand people. Can you imagine how many efforts were required to provide the food and temporarily accommodate half million of old people, women, children and invalids. Turkmen people managed to solve this successfully. All refugees who followed to neighbouring Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kirgizstan and Siberia were provided with medical services and hot food all the way across the territory of Turkmenistan. Additional children facilities were made.
Turkmenistan used not only to transport but also to receive evacuated people. By August 1943, the population of the country increased to 32 thousand people. Understanding the tragedy of people who had no home and who arrived only with few necessary items that could be easily stored in small wooden suitcase, the Government and people of the country gave them a warm welcome, generously sharing this warmth with those who needed it. Houses were built rapidly for evacuated families that were distributed among big cities, land plots for gardens were allocated for those who worked in collective farms. Additional goods were given for supply of military personnel families from the trade funds. Special workshops for repair of footwear and clothes of evacuated people were opened. Having made the fund for assistance of the families of frontline defenders, Turkmenistan citizens shared everything they had. There was no any facility, establishment of farming association that did not make contribution either by material resources or clothes and food.
The war is brutal. Killing the parents it hits the most exposed ones – the children, during the war, all necessary conditions were made for study and recreation of children arriving in Turkmenistan. Part of orphans and children parted with parents were taken by the orphanages while other were taken by Turkmen families.
Many families evacuated to Turkmenistan went home from the country after the war finished. They memorized the country where they had shelter forever. However, there was many people who stayed in Turkmenistan; this hospitable southern region became second home for them. They had new family and new destiny there.
We do not know many names of ordinary workers of rare front who had their own frontline. But kneeling in front of the courage and heroism of the soldiers of the Great Patriotic War, we cannot help bow our heads for the feat of the great army of unknown people – workers, farmers, doctors, teachers and even children whose sacrifice, patience and unity brought cherished Victory closer!
