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Michael Kalashnikov. Part-1
Its video is about Michael Kalashnikov life. It's a story of success of a son of Russian farmer and his famous weapons in USSR and in the World. 1948, June 24. The Soviet Army command has taken on control the communication between the West and the East Berlin Sector. It only was the Russian answer to unilateral steps of the Western Allies for division of Germany and the "Federative Republic Germany" formation, which became in practice to the first act of 'Cold War'. The soldiers of this war were scientists and designers. Document: "1949, October 5. Langley, Virginia. Confident. The Soviet Union Army adopted for service a new assault rifle. Due to especially strictly control on the information, the characteristics of this weapon are still unknown. The USSR/East Europe Department Chief. CIA." Until middle 50-th there is no news about the new Russian Assault Rifle in the Soviet or Foreign open sources. The officers and the soldiers were carrying this weapon covered. Vitaly Babakov, TsNII Tochmash leading designer: "The cases of rounds were gathered. The soldiers did it after the exercises". In 1955 the new Russian cinema "Maxim Perepelitsa' was shown for people. In this cinema the newest Soviet secret automatic rifle was shown first time. This assault rifle was included to the list of most important 'invention of the Century' (French 'Liberation'). Today the weapon and the name of its designer became the symbol of intellectual and military power of Russia. For some Nations it became also to a symbol of national liberation. Our documentary is about two 'kalashnikovs': the assault rifle AK and its designer, Michel Timofeevich Kalashnikov. Document: 1929. The "Pravda" newspaper published the article of Josef Stalin "The year of Great Turning Point". The Soviet leader called there for unity of family farms and organization of collective households. Next year the Family of Timofey Kalashnikov, the strong individual farmer, was departed from Altai Mounts region to Siberia. One of his son became latter in the most famous weapon constructor of the 20th century. In 1936, Michael Kalashnikov obtained faked documents and has got a new passport, then he went to Kazakhstan, and started working on the rail-station Matay. In 2 years, he was recruited to the Red Army. There his constructor's talent was demonstrated soon. Document: "1941, January 19. For the head of the Tank School. Kiev special military region. The directive number 435. The student M. Kalashnikov is awarded by a watch for invention of tank resource count. The Commander of KSMR major general Zhukov". After taking the tank school's diploma Kalashnikov has got recommendation for work on 'Voroshilov Plant' (Leningrad). There he was going to finish his invention, but the war was broken. In October 1941, Near Bryansk, the 22 years old tank commander Michael Kalashnikov was wounded. Major General Michael Kalashnikov, the General Constructor of 'Izhmash Plant' (Izhevsk, Udmurtia Republic): " I was wounded by steel fragments on the both side of my body, the shoulder and the chest. Initially I even did not fill anything. I saw the blood and asked my crew: 'who is wounded?' They answered: 'nobody between us', but during short time I lost my consciousness." However, the crew with its heavy wounded commander pushed through the occupied territory and met the fraternal forces. Kalashnikov was sent to Mil. Hospital in Yelets. In the hospital he started to think how to resolve the problem of automatic weapon deficit, that was prominent in the Armor forces. Major General Michael Kalashnikov, the General Constructor of 'Izhmash Plant' (Izhevsk, Udmurtia Republic): "In the hospital I started to think whether it's possible to develop at least a submachine gun, that will be simple enough for its production in any handicraft manufactory". He took vacation for healing, but went to Matay station (Kazakhstan), and in the manufactory of Railway Depot he has made his first submachine gun. With it, he came to Alma-Ata commissariat, but then his initiative was not seen by good eye. Major General Michael Kalashnikov, the General Constructor of 'Izhmash Plant' (Izhevsk, Udmurtia Republic): 'I said there: 'I have made a submachine gun'. They said me: 'Show us!' and then first time I was sent to detention cell'. Despite all these troubles in 1942, the second exemplar of his submachine gun Kalashnikov has shown to authoritative Russian expert of infantry weapon the Academic Blagonravov. He however killed the Kalashnikov's invention, but wrote his conclusion especially noting undisputed engineering talent of Kalashnikov. During that year Kalashnikov was sent for work in Kolomna, on the central weapon testing facility. There he's started working on a hand machine gun and a carbine, but unsuccessfully again. Spring, 1943. The War was reached its turning point, the Red Army took the German Strike group in Stalingrad in tight circle. On the North, the Leningrad siege was broken. In the Hitler suite the need for some 'wonder weapon' is discussed. Such weapon had to be given for Germany infantry. First Rank Capitan Valery Samokhin, a WW2 veteran: "I have saw a well camouflaged Germany soldier that was following to fire on us. I threw on him an anti-tank grenade. We have closed to the German, took the assault rifle, 4 cartridges. It's uncommon weapon, we started to learn it, and found the lettering: 'Trial batch'. Summers, 1943, the most prominent Russian experts of infantry weapon were called to Moscow. Then the Hugo Schmeisser's 'Sturmgewehr' assault rifle was demonstrated for them. Document: '1943, July 24. Moscow. For GABTU (General Artillery&Armor Superintendence) of RKKA (Red Army of Workers and Farmers) Chief Army General Yakovlev. Confident. The shown exemplar of assault rifle is made for using with new 7.62 mm rifle round with reduced power. The conclusion of our experts: 'Sturmgewehr' assault rifle is more advanced that any current infantry weapon, be it our or German. Vasily Degtyaryov, the President of State commission for captured weapon investigation." During half year in 1943 the new intermediate round was developed. It was stronger than the 7.62 round for submachine gun (PPSh), but more weak than the Russian rifle 7.62x54R round. In early 1944 the Defense Ministry of USSR had call for tender on new infantry assault gun for new 7.62 mm intermediate round. The best 15 Russian gun designers took part in that tender. Those whose submachine guns were already entered the Soviet Army service were between them: Shpagin, Degtyarev and Sudayev. One of the wide spread myth: Kalashnikov allegedly copied the German 'Sturmgewehr'. But with all their commonalities in external appearance, two assault guns have big difference in internals structure. And the most important, AK almost 2 kg lighter, than the German.