Military salute, or which hand salutes

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:54

Human society is developing, traditions, attitudes, turns of speech, the language itself are changing, finally. As obsolete phrases “I have the honor” and “salute” go out of use even in the army. Even the original meaning of these wonderful phrases is distorted.

What does it mean to salute

There was no talk of saluting one's own honor initially. It was said about the recognition of the merits of a person who comes forward, about respect for him. At all times, the youngest was the first to greet both by age and by rank or rank, recognizing high merits. You can salute both a person or a group of people, as well as something sacred - a banner or a monument to fallen heroes.

The gesture, whatever it may be, has always been a sign of recognition of honor in the opposite. At all times and all peoples have had various forms of greetings and expressions of respect: you could bow to the ground, kneel or both, prostrate, click your heels and nod your bare head.

In the dictionaries of V. I. Dahl and S. I. Ozhegov "to salute"- it means to greet. And if the dictionary of S. I. Ozhegov describes this greeting only as putting a hand on a headdress, then V. I. Dal gives a whole list of actions. You can salute with a bow, bowing a sword or banner, making a weapon on guard, breaking a drum roll.

Legend about the origin of the military salute

The origin of the greeting with a 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 a trip around the world. Fulfilling Her Majesty's secret mission, Drake not only robbed Spanish ships, he opened many sea routes and made several geographical discoveries.

Legend says that the captain of the pirates stood against the sun when the queen was going up the ladder, and covered his eyes, putting the palm of his right hand to them with a visor. The team lined up behind him repeated this gesture in unison. The gallant corsair complimented the ugly Elizabeth by comparing her to the blinding sun, which won Her Majesty over. 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 military salute

One of the historical versions of the origin of saluting refers to knightly traditions. A knight on a horse with reins and a shield in his left hand, meeting the same knight, raised his right handhelmet visor. This gesture spoke of peaceful intentions.

A version documented by military regulations says that it was in Great Britain in the 18th century, since headgear in elite units became very cumbersome, that a rule appeared not to take them off, but to greet officers, pressing a hand to a hat and bowing. Then they even stopped touching the hat, since the hands of the soldiers were always stained with soot, because they had to set fire to the oppression of muskets. And with what hand the guardsmen of Her Majesty salute, the charters did not specify. Most likely, it was meant to be right.

Equestrian and foot officers saluted by raising cold 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 salute in different countries

In the military salute of any army, they do not bow their heads and do not lower their eyes, which also speaks of mutual honor, regardless of ranks and ranks, and there is no question of which hand is saluted in the army - only with the right hand.

But the gesture of the hand 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 has been turned with the palm 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 unworthy to show dirty palms, the palm was turned down in greeting. The same greeting is accepted in France. In the US Army, during a salute, the palm is turned down, and the hand extendeda little forward, as if covering his eyes from the sun. In the Italian army, the palm is extended 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 whole palm, which is turned down. At the same time, the middle finger looks at the temple, touching the visor of the uniform cap. Hence the synonyms of the expression "salute" - to salute, salute.

The way Russian servicemen salute is enshrined in the Charter of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.

Etiquette rules

There is a military etiquette that all military men must follow. Its rules are determined not only by traditions and rituals, the principles of morality and ethics, but also by the provisions of the military oath and regulations.

But there is also a common etiquette for all, according to which, for example, a man as a support and protector in the past, also with a weapon on his side, should go to the left of his companion. But exceptions to the general rules depend on which hand they salute in Russia and not only. Soldiers in uniform always go to the right of the woman, so as not to hit her with their elbow during a military salute. However, there are exceptions to this rule as well. If a soldier in uniform walks with a companion arm in arm, then he should be to her right so that the hand for the military salute remains free.

Differences when performing a military salute

Military salute in all countriesgiven with the right hand. The question of which country salutes with the left hand arises when high government officials, through negligence or inexperience, violate the rules for saluting military honor, which are either enshrined in charters or are an unshakable tradition.

A serious difference can be considered not with which hand they salute, but only the presence or absence of a headdress when saluting.

It would seem that if the gesture of the right hand arose during the simplification of the procedure for removing the headgear, then a uniform cap or cap is obligatory 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 victorious army was formed from volunteers without combat skills and dressed in ordinary clothes, often without hats. Honor was given simply by placing a hand on her head. Since then, in the US Army, honor is given regardless of the presence of a uniform cap or cap on the head.

The salutation of military honor, or, in the modern interpretation of the Russian military regulations, the military salute is a ritual overshadowed by centuries-old traditions of the armies of all countries of the world.