What do they say when they salute? The legend of the origin of the military greeting

Why is military honor given with the right hand?

The norms and rules of military etiquette are very diverse. They are based on the principles of morality, the provisions of the military oath and military regulations, military traditions and rituals. However, showing heroism in extreme situations is one thing, and daily compliance with the requirements of military etiquette is another. Some of them seem small and therefore unimportant. For example, a military salute. Let us emphasize a detail that is worth paying attention to: if earlier this ritual was called “giving military honor,” today the military regulations seem to return us to the requirements of noble knights: soul to God, life to the fatherland, heart to the lady, honor to no one.
One of the ancient military rituals that has survived to this day is the giving of military honor. In the tsarist army, 2 fingers were applied to the military headdress, in the Soviet and Russian - the palm. This tradition arose among the knights in the 13th century. When, upon meeting in an “open field,” they had no intention of engaging in battle, they raised the visors of their metal helmets. And although they were later replaced by helmets, cocked hats, hats, etc., the custom of raising a hand to the head as a sign of friendliness remained. When meeting each other, the knights, with a movement of their right hand (and many of us, as before at that time, were right-handed) raised the visor of their helmet to show that the face of a friend was hidden behind the armor. Raising their hand to their headgear, modern military personnel repeat this gesture, paying a debt of politeness to their colleague in military uniform.
A soldier whose service takes place in the city has many contacts with other people on the street, in city transport, in shops and other public places. With the fast pace of city life, rush during rush hours, crowded streets, he needs reasonable and optimal behavior in a wide variety of street situations. According to etiquette, a man should walk to the left of a woman, boss or elderly man, since the place on the right is considered honorable when two people are walking down the street. If a woman takes a soldier by the arm, he must be on her right in order to be able to give a military greeting. About 200-300 years ago, men did not leave the house without weapons. Each one had a saber, rapier or dagger hanging on his left side. On the left in order to quickly and more conveniently grab the weapon from the sheath with the right hand. And even before the end of the last century, officials were required to wear a sword in their uniform. And the sword also hung on the left side. To prevent the weapon from hitting his companion’s legs when walking, the gentleman tried to walk to the left of the lady. This has become a custom. Now only military personnel carry weapons, and even then not always. Still, it is correct for a man to walk to the left of a woman, because people here often move to the right, and it would be better if the person you meet accidentally hits you with his shoulder and not your companion. You, as the stronger one, must protect her. But only the military does not obey this rule when they are in uniform. In order to give a military salute to the oncoming military and not touch your companion with your elbow, the soldier’s or officer’s right hand must be free. Therefore, it is more convenient for them to walk on the left rather than on the right.
There is a beautiful legend that one pirate, seeing the English Queen Elizabeth, covered his eyes with his hand: “I am blinded by the beauty of your Majesty.” And that it was from this time that the custom began - to salute with the hand.

Military greeting, or Which hand is used to salute Human society is developing, traditions, views, turns of speech, and the language itself are changing. How obsolete the vocabulary phrases “I have the honor” and “to salute” are falling out of use even in the army. Even the original meaning of these wonderful phrases is distorted. What does it mean to “give honor” There was initially no talk of giving one’s own honor. It was about recognizing the merits of the person meeting halfway, about respect for him. At all times, the youngest, both in age and in rank or title, was the first to greet, recognizing high merits. You can salute either a person or a group of people, or something sacred - a banner or monument to fallen heroes.

A gesture, no matter what it was, was always a sign of recognition of honor in the counter. At all times and among all peoples there were various forms of greetings and expressions of respect: one could bow to the ground, bend the knee or both, prostrate oneself, click one's heels and nod one's bare head. In the dictionaries of V. I. Dahl and S. I. Ozhegov, “to salute” means to greet. And if S. I. Ozhegov’s dictionary describes this greeting only as placing a hand on a headdress, then V. I. Dal gives a whole list of actions. You can salute by bowing, bowing your sword or banner, making a weapon on guard, or beating a drum. The legend of the origin of the military greeting The origin of the greeting with the gesture of the right hand raised to the eyes is attributed to the famous British pirate Francis Drake, who was honored to welcome the English Queen Elizabeth I on board his ship. The legendary pirate did not have an officer rank and became a knight after traveling around the world. Carrying out a secret order from Her Majesty, Drake not only robbed Spanish ships, he discovered many sea routes and made several geographical discoveries.

Legend has it that the pirate captain stood against the sun as the queen ascended the ladder and closed his eyes, placing the palm of his right hand over them. The team lined up behind him harmoniously repeated this gesture. The gallant corsair paid the ugly Elizabeth a compliment, comparing her to the blinding sun, which captivated Her Majesty. Evil tongues claimed that it was for gallantry that Drake was knighted, and the gesture spread throughout the armies of the world. Historical versions of the origin of the military salute One of the historical versions of the origin of salutation refers to knightly traditions. A knight on a horse with reins and a shield in his left hand, having met the same knight, raised the visor of his helmet with his right hand. This gesture spoke of peaceful intentions. The version documented by military regulations says that it was in Great Britain in the 18th century, since hats in elite units became very bulky, that the rule arose not to take them off, but to greet officers by pressing a hand to the hat and bowing. Then they stopped even touching the hat, since the soldiers’ hands were always stained with soot, because they had to set fire to the pressure of the muskets. And with which hand Her Majesty’s guards salute was not specified in the regulations. Most likely, it went without saying that it was right.

Mounted and dismounted officers saluted by raising their bladed weapons, bringing the handle closer to their lips and then moving it to the right and down. The question of which hand the officers salute with did not arise. Military salutation in different countries In the military salutation of any army, they do not bow their heads or lower their eyes, which also speaks of mutual honor, regardless of ranks and ranks, and there is no question about which hand is used to salute in the army - only the right one. But the hand gesture and the turn of the palm may be slightly different. Since the 19th century, in the British Army, the hand raised to the right eyebrow is facing outward. In the British Navy, since the days of sailing ships, when the hands of sailors were stained with tar and tar, and it was undignified to show dirty palms, the palm was turned down in salute. The same greeting is accepted in France. In the US Army, during a greeting, the palm is turned down, and the hand, held slightly forward, seems to shield the eyes from the sun. In the Italian army, the palm is placed above the visor in front.

In Tsarist Russia until 1856 and today's Poland, the military salute was performed with the index and middle fingers. Since 1856 after the Crimean War in the Soviet Army and today's Russian Army, honor is given with the entire palm facing down. The middle finger looks at the temple, touching the visor of the uniform cap. Hence the synonyms for the expression “salute” - to take one’s salute, to salute. The hand with which Russian military personnel salute is stipulated by the Charter of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. Rules of Etiquette There is military etiquette that all military personnel must follow. Its rules are determined not only by traditions and rituals, principles of morality and ethics, but also by the provisions of the military oath and regulations. But there is also an etiquette common to all, according to which, for example, a man, as a support and protector in the past, also with a weapon on his side, should walk to the left of his companion. But exceptions to the general rules also depend on which hand they salute in Russia and beyond. Military men in uniform always walk to the woman's right so as not to touch her with their elbow during a military salute. However, there are exceptions to this rule. If a soldier in uniform walks with a companion on his arm, then he should be to her right so that his hand remains free for the military greeting. Differences in performing the military salute The military salute in all countries is given with the right hand. The question of which country salutes with the left hand arises when high government officials, through oversight or inexperience, violate the rules of giving military honor, which are either enshrined in regulations or are an unshakable tradition.

A serious difference can be considered not with which hand one salutes, but only with the presence or absence of a headdress when saluting. It would seem that if the gesture of the right hand arose when simplifying the procedure for removing a headdress, then a uniform cap or cap is required in such a ritual. But no. Army traditions in the United States began to take shape after the victory of the northern army in the Civil War of the North and South in the second half of the 19th century. The winning army was formed from volunteers without combat skills and dressed in ordinary clothes, often without hats. Honor was given by simply placing a hand on the head. Since then, in the US Army, honor is given regardless of the presence of a uniform cap or cap on the head. Giving military honor, or, in the modern interpretation of the Russian military regulations, a military salute, is a ritual overshadowed by the centuries-old traditions of the armies of all countries of the world.

Even those people who are very far from the army and military service and have nothing to do with it are well known military greeting ritual. In the language of encyclopedias, a military salute is a greeting from military personnel or armed forces of different countries, established in accordance with governing documents.

The military salute is referred to as military rituals, traditions or military etiquette. Previously, the military salute was also called a salute, a salute, a salute, and it can also be designated by the word “trump.” At the same time, there are a sufficient number of hypotheses for the origin of this army ritual.

According to one version The military greeting came to us from the Middle Ages, being a knightly tradition. When meeting each other, the knights raised the visors of their helmets with a movement of their hands to show that their friend’s face was hidden under it (this version does not take into account the fact that all the knights had their own coats of arms on their shields, clothes, flags, this was enough to the friend managed to identify the friend).

According to another version By raising the visor of their helmet, they demonstrated their peaceful intention. This was done with the right hand to show that the knight was not yet ready to start the battle and did not have aggressive intentions. Such a gesture seemed to indicate that “there is no weapon in my right hand now.”

At the same time, among peoples who were deprived of heavily armed cavalry (Mongols, Indians who inhabited North America), the greeting salute consisted of a simple demonstration of an open right hand. The most romantic version of the appearance of the military greeting is also attributed to the era of chivalry. With this gesture, the knight at the tournament closed his eyes, protecting himself from the dazzling beauty of the beautiful lady of his heart, who was watching his performance.

But, most likely, the military greeting in the form in which we know it today appeared in Great Britain. The version that such a greeting originated in the British Isles in the 18th century is documented by military regulations. In those years, in many armies of the world, junior military ranks, when greeting their senior ranks, took off their hat or other headdress. This was the case in the UK, but over time, headgear, especially in elite units, became very bulky, so that the salute was reduced to the usual raising of the hand to the headgear and touching the visor.

The greeting known to all of us first took shape in 1745 in the regiment of the Coldstream Guards, an elite unit of the Queen of England’s personal guard. At the same time, the military’s equipment was constantly changing, and the gesture was slightly transformed.

Over time, even the very touch of the headdress with the hand disappeared. According to one version, replacing the removal of headdresses with simply raising your hand to them may be associated not just with heavy and bulky headdresses, but also with the widespread use of firearms. The first samples of small arms could hardly be called perfect. The soldiers' hands were almost always stained with soot, since they had to set fire to the oppressive muskets, and their hands also got dirty when reloading small arms. Thus, dirty hands covered in soot could cause damage to the headdress when trying to remove it for greeting.

Military salute in Great Britain

At the same time, in the military greeting of any army in the world, they do not lower their eyes or bow their heads, which speaks of mutual honor, regardless of ranks, ranks or ranks. There is also no question of which hand is used to salute in the army. Always right. At the same time, the hand gesture itself and the turn of the palm may differ slightly in different countries of the world.

For example, starting from the 19th century, in the British army, the hand raised to the right eyebrow was facing outward with the palm. This greeting has been preserved in the army and air force, at the same time in the royal navy since the days of sailing ships, when the hands of sailors were stained with tar and tar, and showing dirty palms was undignified; during a military salute, the palm was turned down. Exactly the same greeting was accepted in France.

In the American army, the greeting could have been taken from the English navy. At the same time, in the USA, during a military salute, the palm is turned down, and the hand, which is moved slightly forward, seems to shield the eyes from the sun. In the Italian army, the palm is placed above the visor in front.

For many, it may be a revelation that in the German army during the Second World War, soldiers and officers did not “zig” right and left, as can often be seen in feature films. Throughout almost the entire war, Wehrmacht units adopted a standard military salute with the right hand raised to the head, which was prescribed in the regulations. The introduction of the party or Nazi salute in the Wehrmacht occurred only on July 24, 1944, immediately after the unsuccessful assassination attempt on Adolf Hitler, which was organized by officers.

In the Russian Empire, until 1856, the military salute was not performed with the entire palm, but only with the index and middle fingers. To this day, this greeting has been preserved in the Polish armed forces. Since 1856, after the end of the Crimean War, in the army of Tsarist Russia, and then the Soviet Army and the modern Russian army, the military salute is given with the entire palm. The middle finger looks at the temple, lightly touching the visor of the uniform cap. This, by the way, is where the synonyms for giving military honor or a military salute arose - to take the salute, to salute, etc.

Currently, the rules of military salutation in the Russian Federation are also mandatory for persons who have already been discharged from military service when they wear military uniforms. In the Russian Armed Forces, the military salute is performed with the fingers of the right hand closed and the hand straightened. Unlike the armies of some other states, with the head uncovered, the military salute in the Russian army is performed without raising a hand by means of the serviceman taking the line position.

Military salute in Poland

When moving in formation, the military greeting is carried out as follows: the guide puts his hand to the headdress, and the formation presses his hands at the seams. All together they take a marching step and turn their heads as they pass by the commanding officers they meet. When passing towards units or other military personnel, it is enough for the guide to perform the military salute.

At the same time, in the Russian army, when meeting, a junior in rank is obliged to greet the senior in rank first, and a senior in rank may perceive failure to perform a military greeting during a meeting as an insult. If the serviceman is not wearing a headdress, the greeting is performed by turning the head and assuming a combat position (body straightened, arms at sides).

But not in all countries a military salute to senior ranks is the duty of a serviceman. For example, in modern units of the Israel Defense Forces, the procedure of saluting upon seeing a senior in rank is mandatory only during the course of a young soldier. In all other cases, the military salute is not an obligation, but is the right of the serviceman. In parallel with this, prisoners in Israeli military prisons (an analogue of the domestic guardhouse) are completely deprived of this right.

Military salute in Russia

In all countries, the military salute is given exclusively with the right hand. The question of which country salutes with the left hand usually arises when high-ranking government officials, due to inexperience or oversight, violate the rules of military salutation, which are either an unshakable tradition or enshrined in regulations. A serious difference in a military salutation is not what hand is used to salute, but only the presence or, conversely, absence of a headdress on the soldier during this military ritual.

The well-known expression today “you don’t put your hand to an empty head” in Russia is usually remembered in the same context with the tradition of military greetings in the United States. In the American army, it is not mandatory for a soldier to wear a headdress when raising his hand to his head. Historians justify this difference as follows. During the Civil War between the North and South (1861-1865), the northerners won. History, as we know, is written by the winners, who form certain traditions. Unlike the Southern army, the Union army that won the war was composed primarily of volunteers. Many of these volunteers, especially early in the war, wore civilian clothing. From this we can conclude that the rank and file of the northern army sometimes had no headdresses at all - hence the tradition of military greetings, regardless of whether the soldier had a headdress on or not.

Military salute in the USA

At the same time, the military greeting, which looks natural in peacetime, fades into the background or even further during hostilities. In many conflicts of the 20th century, statutory conventions and military chain of command posed a threat to the lives of senior officers. In popular culture, this is well reflected in the American films Saving Private Ryan and Forrest Gump, in which there are episodes where soldiers receive a beating from more experienced comrades for giving the military salute to their commanders. During combat, this helps enemy shooters and snipers determine their priority target.

History of military greeting November 6th, 2013

According to one version, this comes from the Middle Ages: the military greeting is a knightly tradition. When meeting each other, the knights lifted the visor of their helmet with a movement of their hands to show that their friend’s face was hidden behind the armor. Or they raised their visor to show their peaceful intentions.

According to another version, the tradition of modern military greeting originates on the island of Great Britain. In many armies of the world, junior ranks greeted senior ranks by removing their hats, as was the case in the British army, but by the 18th and 19th centuries, soldiers’ hats had become so bulky that this greeting was reduced to a simple touch of the visor. The greeting we know took shape in 1745 in the Coldstream Regiment, an elite guard unit of the Queen of England’s personal guard.

In the regimental regulations of the guards it was written: “Personnel are ordered not to raise their hats when they pass by an officer or address him, but only to press their hands to their hat and bow.” In 1762, the charter of the Scots Guards clarified: “Since nothing disfigures a headdress and contaminates the lacings like removing a hat, in the future, personnel are only ordered to raise their palm to their hat with a short gesture when passing by an officer.” Such an innovation caused some resistance, but, as we see, it still took root.

At the same time, great importance is attached to the fact that during a military greeting they do not bow their heads or lower their eyes, this means that military personnel of different ranks are free people serving one state. By the middle of the 19th century, the military salute in Great Britain had undergone new changes: the hand brought to the headdress (more precisely, to the right eyebrow) is facing outward with the palm. This tradition continues to this day.

In the USA, the hand is brought slightly forward, as if closing the eyes from the sun, and the palm looks at the ground. The American gesture was influenced by the traditions of the British Navy: back in the days of sailing ships, sailors used pitch and tar to seal cracks in the wooden parts of the ship so that they would not let sea water through. At the same time, the hands were protected with white gloves, but showing a dirty palm was undignified, so in the navy the greeting hand turned 90 degrees down. The military salutes the same way in France.

In Tsarist Russia, the military saluted with two fingers (this tradition still remains in Poland), and in the Soviet and modern Russian army they salute with the entire palm facing down, with the middle finger looking at the temple.

By the way, let us emphasize a detail that is worth paying attention to: if earlier the ritual was called “giving military honor,” today the Russian military regulations seem to return us to the requirements of noble knights: “soul to God, life to the fatherland, heart to the lady, honor to no one!” (as the author of this statement L.G. Kornilov says?). Now this ritual is called the “military salute”

According to the charter of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, all military personnel when meeting or overtaking are required to greet each other and must strictly observe the rules of giving military salute I established by the drill regulations of the RF Armed Forces.

Military salute it is the embodiment of respect, cohesion, camaraderie, and a manifestation of culture.

There are also those who believe that the custom of giving military honor in the armies of the world is associated with the name of the famous pirate Francis Drake.(about the history of piracy and in particular about DRAKE).

This is, of course, more of a joke version, but still :-)

"I'M BLINDED!"

Having completed in 1577-1580. circumnavigating the world, Drake sent a letter to Queen Elizabeth describing his exploits. Interested in the pirate's personality, and even more interested in the treasures he had looted, the queen visited Drake's ship. When she climbed on board, Drake, pretending to be blinded by her beauty (according to contemporaries, Elizabeth was extremely ugly), shaded his eyes with his palm.

Since then, in the English fleet this gesture has allegedly been used to salute...

LEFT OR RIGHT?

This may be true, but most likely it is just a beautiful legend, although it has many supporters. However, let us see whether the need to salute does not entail inconvenience.

According to etiquette, a man should walk to the left of a woman, since the place on the right is considered honorable. If a woman takes a soldier by the arm, he must be on her right in order to be able to give a military greeting. About 200-300 years ago, men did not leave the house without weapons. Each one had a saber, rapier or dagger hanging on his left side. On the left - in order to quickly and more conveniently grab the weapon from the sheath with the right hand. To prevent the weapon from hitting his companion on the legs when walking, the gentleman tried to walk to the left of his lady.

In general, it is correct for a man to walk on the left, because people here often move to the right, and it is better for the person you meet to accidentally hit you with his shoulder, and not your companion. Only the military does not obey this rule when they are in uniform. In order to give a military salute and not hit your companion with your elbow, the soldier’s or officer’s right hand must be free. Therefore, it is more convenient for them to walk on the right rather than on the left.

THEY DON'T PUT A HAND TO THE EMPTY HEAD?

In the Russian army, honor is given only when wearing a headdress, but in the American army... In America, honor is given not “to an empty head,” but in any case. It's all about the story. It should be taken into account that in the USA the traditions of the army of the Northerners (as winners) have been preserved mainly, which was created from volunteers, often dressed, at first, in ordinary clothes and did not have combat habits. Hence the salutation without military uniform and headdress, which sometimes simply did not exist. Accordingly, when the uniform appeared, honor was given by placing a hand on the head, regardless of the presence of a headdress.

Times have changed, morals have changed

Officers or soldiers who carried a sword or saber, no matter whether mounted or on foot, saluted by raising the weapon, bringing the handle closer to the lips, then moving the weapon to the right and down. This form of greeting dates back to the Middle Ages and is associated with religion, when a knight would kiss the hilt of his sword, symbolizing the Christian cross. Then it became a tradition when taking an oath.

Raising your hand in greeting instead of taking off your hat had practical implications. As the soldiers lit the fuses of their muskets, their hands became dirty with soot. And removing the headdress with dirty hands meant rendering it unusable. Therefore, by the end of the 18th century, honor began to be given by simply raising one’s hand.

In the imperial period, saluting included not only raising the hand to the headdress, but also a variety of bows, curtsies and other elements, depending on the rank of the person being met and the meeting place.

Giving military honor. History of the origin of the ritual

The famous military theorist General M.I. Dragomirov stated: “Giving military honors is not a toy or amusement for someone’s curiosity, but an external expression of the fact that people belong to a great partnership, the purpose of which is to lay down one’s soul for one’s friend.”

The ritual has a long history. There is a literary version of the origin of this ritual:

Since in 1588, the pirate Drake, meeting the English Queen Elizabeth (known for her lack of beauty) on board a ship, pretended to be blinded by her beauty, and therefore was forced to shade his eyes with his palm, since then the military greeting has become a tradition.

There are other versions as well. When meeting, the warriors raised their hand not holding a weapon as a sign of greeting.

Later, when meeting, knights raised the visor of their helmet as a sign of acquaintance and greeting. Thus, moving the open right hand towards the headdress when greeting later became a ritual of giving military honor.

The rules of honor between military ranks were improved under each emperor and were established by the middle of the 18th century.

All officers and all lower ranks, without exception, when meeting, had to greet each other by putting their right hand to the visor.

They saluted generals, members of the imperial family, officers of their regiment, banners, and standards. Military funeral processions were saluted by military personnel, standing at the front. The same honor was given to monuments.

During the imperial period, the military greeting was called saluting, as it included not only raising the hand to the headdress, but also various bows, curtsies and other elements, depending on the rank of those encountered or entering the room. Depending on the place of execution (in an open area or indoors), the implementation of the greeting also differed.

Giving military honor by a soldier (Cossack):

If a soldier meets with a commander who is supposed to salute, then he must, four steps before the commander, place his right hand on the right side of the lower edge of his cap or cap so that the fingers are together, the palm is slightly turned outward, and the elbow is at shoulder height; at the same time look at the boss and follow him with your eyes. When the boss passes him a step, then lower his hand;

When meeting with the boss, who is supposed to be saluted by standing in front, he, not reaching four steps to the boss, takes the last step and another full step with his foot, while taking it out, he should turn his shoulders and body in front and then, at the same time as placing his foot, raise right hand to the headdress, turning the head towards the boss's side. When saluting, you should stand according to the rules of the “stance”. When the boss passes him by a step, he turns in the direction he was going and begins to move with his left foot, lowering his right hand with the first step.

The lower ranks saluted, standing at the front:

To the Sovereign Emperor, Sovereign Empress and all Persons of the Imperial Family, all generals, admirals, the head of the garrison, their regimental, squadron and hundred commanders, their staff officers, as well as banners and standards.

Without standing in front, but placing only a hand on the headdress, they salute:

To all staff chief officers, military doctors, class officials of their regiment, reserve and retired generals, staff and chief officers (when they are in uniform); ensigns, estandard cadets and sub-warrants; palace grenadiers; to all sergeants, sergeants and those lower ranks to whom they are subordinate. And privates, in addition, to all non-commissioned officers of their regiment, non-combatant senior rank, as well as to all privates who have the Insignia of the Military Order.

If the lower rank leads the horse by the reins, then to salute he goes to the side of the horse that is closer to the leader and takes both reins in the hand closest to the horse; and in the other hand he takes the ends of the reins and turns his head to the boss.

In the Guards Regiment, all officers had to say “YOU” to each other, regardless of the difference in rank and years. All officers of the Guards Cavalry traditionally greeted each other and, in addition, shook hands when they met, regardless of whether they knew each other or not.

From that time on, honor should also be given to officers of foreign armies.