The life of a Russian soldier was a virtual torture. This torture, as has been said, was the very aim of the system, and was intended to make the soldier into an absolutely obedient machine without a will or a soul of his own. But not only the soldiers—the officers themselves, especially in the lower ranks, were similarly dragooned. They had to obey unquestioningly, and to undergo as many humiliations. And the more they themselves were humiliated by their superiors, the more heavily they worked the soldiers, the more drastically they tortured them. Only the soldier had no one upon whom to revenge himself. He simply accumulated dull hatred and dissatisfaction and tried, if he got the chance, to forget himself in a debauch of drunkenness and sensuality.
It would take me too far afield if I were to begin to cite instances of Russian discipline and of its methods. I will merely give one example of the many humiliations an officer had to undergo; it will probably help the reader to realise how the whole system worked.
When a Russian officer, no matter of what rank, entered a restaurant or a café, he first had to look round the whole place to see if any other officer of higher rank were present. If he found one, he had to approach him, salute him and ask his permission to remain. Only after receiving permission might he sit down and order anything to eat or drink. In the meantime, all officers of lower rank than the newly-arrived officer had to stand up at the salute and wait until they were invited to sit down by the newcomer. Soldiers certainly were never supposed to go to a place which officers were likely to frequent. Again, in theatres, all officers had to stand up during the intervals facing the Imperial box—no matter whether one of the Imperial family were present or the box was empty. Only when the performance began again were they allowed to sit down in their places. Privates as a rule could not visit theatres at all. Only in rare cases could they get a permit, and then only for the gallery.
