Scientific potential of military medicine in the Great Patriotic War (1941–1945)

Reconstruction of the historical and scientific-practical heritage of the military-medical and scientific potential of the country during the Great Patriotic War is of enduring relevance. Already by 1940, more than 250 specialized scientific institutions were created in relation to theoretical, preventive and clinical medicine in which more than 21,000 scientific workers worked (of them 2394 doctors and 5025 candidates of sciences). During the war, the scientific potential of military medicine continued to be strengthened (4 academicians, 22 honored scientists, 275 professors, 556 associate professors, 306 doctors and 1199 candidates of sciences).

The Military Medical Academy played an important role in solving scientific problems. Active scientific work continued not only in the departments and laboratories of the Academy, but also at the fronts. Scientists of the academy prepared many instructions and instructions on various issues of military medicine, which contributed to the improvement of the system of medical support for troops on the basis of military field medical doctrine. For the first time, methods have been developed for planning medical support for combat and issues of organizing medical support for army and front-line operations.

The practical significance of the principles of the military field doctrine developed during the Great Patriotic War was repeatedly confirmed by the experience of medical support of Soviet troops during the war in Afghanistan, as well as in the provision of medical assistance during counter-terrorist operations in the North Caucasus (9 figs, bibliography: 5 refs).