The Tasks of the Military Clergy during the Period of Hostilities in the First World War and Methods for Solving them

Abstract

The presented research is devoted to the study of the problems faced by the military clergy of Russia during the First World War, and methods for solving them. The purpose of the work is to assess the functionality of the military clergy in the structure of the army of imperial Russia in the designated chronological and situational framework. The research methodology is based on a combination of structural, system and comparative analysis. The author comes to the conclusion that with the beginning of hostilities, the list of duties of the military clergy has significantly expanded. The clergy were forced to solve tasks that went beyond the established regulations and required special training, including those related to providing medical care and evacuating the wounded. On the eve of the war, the command most likely failed to adequately assess the tasks facing the military clergy in the upcoming conflict. As a result, the clergy had to develop a method of service directly during the fighting. In general, representatives of the military clergy effectively solved the tasks assigned to them. However, the effectiveness of their work was reduced by such factors as the presence of bureaucratic barriers, restriction of rights in favor of higher-ranking officers, and military-administrative subordination to front-line supplies.