The evolution of the criteria of military achievement: an analysis of the Statute of St. George in the conditions of the First World War

the article examines the transformation of the criteria of military achievement in the conditions of the First World War through the analysis of the Statute of St. George. The author reveals how the changed nature of the fighting and the mass characterization of the army influenced the practice of awarding awards and the perception of heroism. Based on the analysis of normative documents, memoir literature, front-line correspondence and historical research, shifts in understanding the feat are revealed: from an emphasis on individual valor to recognition of collective courage and moral qualities such as self-sacrifice and initiative. Special attention is paid to the role of the Statute of St. George as an instrument of ideological mobilization and social engineering, reflecting the cultural and political changes of the era. The influence of social, gender and institutional factors on the formation of the hero's image and the practice of awarding is also considered. The scientific novelty of the work lies in an integrated approach to the study of the award system as a reflection of the transformation of military culture and historical memory in Russia at the beginning of the 20th century, as well as in identifying socio-cultural and institutional factors influencing the reassessment of individual and collective achievement. The article solves the problem of insufficient attention to the dynamics of the award system in Russian historiography.

St. George's Statute, military feat, heroism, World War I, award policy, military culture, historical memory, state symbols, individual feat, collective courage