The emblem of the Red Cross during the Great Patriotic War was the symbol of hope, courage and firmness of the Soviet military medical personnel. Being in close proximity to the frontline, they carried on their shoulders hundreds of wounded soldiers and commanders from the battlefield, irrespective of exploding shells, firing and constant combings.
Every exhibit, presented in this section of the exhibition, tells us about the heroism of military medical workers during the Battle of Kursk. Here there are – military surgeons, who were standing at operation tables day and night, ready to drop. Here they are – medical assistants and nurses, looking after the wounded and ready to help at any time, at least, with a kind word. Here they are – medical instructors, very young girls, who have just graduated from school and courses of medical workers.
Liubov Yasinskaya, a Red Army nurse, evacuated more than one hundred wounded tank crewmembers. In 1943 she was only 19 years old. It is hard to imagine what kind of courage it was to overcome fear and render assistance to servicemen right under the enemy fire, among burning tanks and endless explosions. Liuba was killed in one of tank attacks in the fights for Krivoi Rog.
Nina Yakovlevna Vishnevskaya. She was awarded the ‘For Courage’ Medal and accomplished her feat on 12 July 1943. On that day, she carried out 14 people from the battlefield. Just imagine that she came back to the battlefield for 14 times to take another wounded person and carry him on her shoulders to the nearest medical and sanitary battalion.
Her comrades-in-arms were the tankmen serving in the same regiment of the 29th Tank Corps of the 5th Guards Tank Army, finally manned in May 1943. The Corps under the command of Major General Ivan Fedorovich Kirichenko participated in combat operations for the first time in the battle near Prokhorovka. Later, Nina Vishnevskaya recalled how the attack was unfolding. Hitler’s soldiers did not expect appearance of such a big number of ordnance on the part of the railroad, which they were protecting.
Moreover, quick and maneuverable T-34 tanks managed to disable much-publicized German “Tigers” from a short distance just with one shot to their sides. Everything was burning, i.e. tanks, self-propelled vehicles, grass, earth. In the fighting on this part of the railroad, tankmen of the 2nd battalion lieutenants Platko and Bondarenko distinguished themselves most of all, having knocked down three enemy vehicles, as well as Komsomol member Mukhamadeyev, who eliminated two German cannons and threw his burning tank with wounded comrades from fire. Being badly wounded, he managed to knock down the flame and refused to leave the battlefield.
Just have a look at the faces in the photographs: what a will to live and defeat the enemy they have got! Thanks to the efforts of military medical workers, nearly 70 percent of wounded Soviet soldiers and 90 percent of sick people recovered. This is just because they just performed their duties honestly, both as human beings and professionals.
Every exhibit, presented in this section of the exhibition, tells us about the heroism of military medical workers during the Battle of Kursk. Here there are – military surgeons, who were standing at operation tables day and night, ready to drop. Here they are – medical assistants and nurses, looking after the wounded and ready to help at any time, at least, with a kind word. Here they are – medical instructors, very young girls, who have just graduated from school and courses of medical workers.
Liubov Yasinskaya, a Red Army nurse, evacuated more than one hundred wounded tank crewmembers. In 1943 she was only 19 years old. It is hard to imagine what kind of courage it was to overcome fear and render assistance to servicemen right under the enemy fire, among burning tanks and endless explosions. Liuba was killed in one of tank attacks in the fights for Krivoi Rog.
Nina Yakovlevna Vishnevskaya. She was awarded the ‘For Courage’ Medal and accomplished her feat on 12 July 1943. On that day, she carried out 14 people from the battlefield. Just imagine that she came back to the battlefield for 14 times to take another wounded person and carry him on her shoulders to the nearest medical and sanitary battalion.
Her comrades-in-arms were the tankmen serving in the same regiment of the 29th Tank Corps of the 5th Guards Tank Army, finally manned in May 1943. The Corps under the command of Major General Ivan Fedorovich Kirichenko participated in combat operations for the first time in the battle near Prokhorovka. Later, Nina Vishnevskaya recalled how the attack was unfolding. Hitler’s soldiers did not expect appearance of such a big number of ordnance on the part of the railroad, which they were protecting.
Moreover, quick and maneuverable T-34 tanks managed to disable much-publicized German “Tigers” from a short distance just with one shot to their sides. Everything was burning, i.e. tanks, self-propelled vehicles, grass, earth. In the fighting on this part of the railroad, tankmen of the 2nd battalion lieutenants Platko and Bondarenko distinguished themselves most of all, having knocked down three enemy vehicles, as well as Komsomol member Mukhamadeyev, who eliminated two German cannons and threw his burning tank with wounded comrades from fire. Being badly wounded, he managed to knock down the flame and refused to leave the battlefield.
Just have a look at the faces in the photographs: what a will to live and defeat the enemy they have got! Thanks to the efforts of military medical workers, nearly 70 percent of wounded Soviet soldiers and 90 percent of sick people recovered. This is just because they just performed their duties honestly, both as human beings and professionals.
