Training of foreign military specialists was a task of national importance. This issue was once not subject to wide publicity. In previous issues, our magazine first described how Soviet officers trained Egyptian military personnel, including its current President, M. H. Mubarak. Continues the forgotten history of another essay. Retired Colonel Nikolai Ivanovich GAPEENOK, a front-line pilot and Hero of the Soviet Union, shared his memories with our correspondent Vasily Khoreshko.

The program without Marx

Time is fleeting. It seems that quite recently a large group of Syrian officers visited us at the Yuri Gagarin Air Force Academy. I unwittingly found myself in the center of attention when the head of the academy announced that one of the old guard of teachers is also present here who once studied with Hafez Assad. The entire audience applauded, thereby expressing respect for the Syrian president. In 1990, on the occasion of his 60th birthday, I was invited to a reception at the embassy. And before that, the ambassador visited me in Monino and asked me to make a gift inscription on my photo to the president: they say that the picture will be given to him among other messages for the anniversary. It is clear that this is not about my person, but about the signs of an unforgettable time. The late Hafez al-Assad was a loyal friend of our country, and I am proud to have known this extraordinary man intimately.

In 1964, I was called to the General Staff and offered to go to Syria to train students at the military academy there. I was assigned as a senior member of the group. Our teaching "landing" would be an honor for an educational institution of the highest rank. Professors, candidates of sciences. All without exception, not only with long experience, but also with combat experience. Pilots of various profiles-fighters, bombers, attack aircraft-had a solid flight time of hours. Besides me, there were three other frontline Heroes of the Soviet Union-Semyon Andrianovich Lebedev, Gavriil Nikolayevich Yeletskikh and Gennady Sergeevich Dubenok. In short, the native state did not try to help in the formation of the young republic, but seriously. So the Russian eagles were next to the " patron saint of lions "(this is how the name of Hafez al-Assad is translated) and his associates.

We flew to Damascus under the guise of a trade union delegation. From now on, the place of our service was the so-called Red House. First of all, we were naturally interested in the training program. "What program? - the owners expressed genuine surprise. "We are fully counting on you." None of us expected such a turnaround. But if you've taken up the drawbar, don't say you haven't. I gathered my own people, and together we compiled the content of academic subjects. A few days later, they offered an extensive two-year training course for approval. However, such compulsory subjects as Marxism-Leninism, foreign language, etc. were thrown out of it. Specialists from two more academies (combined arms named after M. V. Frunze and Air Force Engineering named after N. E. Zhukovsky) were attracted to give lectures. Senior officers (including the commander of Aviation Brigade X. Asad) studied in the staff group, and in the second group - squadron commanders.

Chain of command in Arabic

I will not go into the subtleties of training. I can only say that we managed to establish a clear educational process. A small problem that the teachers initially encountered was how to give grades in exams. We got used to the five-point system at home and did not immediately get used to the hundred-point system adopted by the Syrians. Once, after taking a difficult exam, they began to wonder: how to certify whom? One listener showed solid knowledge, deserves the highest mark, but the other answered far from brilliantly... We discuss it aloud and see that the interpreter, Major Ghazi, is frowning. What's the matter? And he is so frank: "Only Allah is one hundred percent drawn.

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The first listener will get 94 points in full. As for the second one, you clearly underestimate him, you can't offend such a person - you know how much weight he has in the party!" We were not going to please anyone and adapt to someone else. The only thing we've got on our minds is not to rush to sum up the results, so as not to make a mistake.

It should be noted that the Syrian military observes subordination, as they say, not out of fear, but out of conscience. The head of the academy with the rank of Major-General had no right to examine the senior in rank, so that, God forbid, he would not lower himself in the eyes of a lower-ranking officer. A rather delicate situation arose on the eve of state examinations, when X. Assad already wore the shoulder straps of a lieutenant general (he was put in charge of the country's aviation). What should I do to avoid violating traditional etiquette and evaluate knowledge regardless of faces? We were set up in Moscow like this: they say that you are responsible for everything. Previously, I decided to go to the headquarters of the Syrian Air Force - to consult personally with the commander. It was a palace that I passed through without hindrance: the sentries knew me well. I bluntly told Asad that if he was examined separately from the rest of the audience, then there would be no avoiding misinterpretations: "Let's say we give you a high rating - who will believe that you did not get it through fraud?"That's right! The General exclaimed, struck by the argument. "I'll take the exam with everyone else."

And, it should be noted, he honestly earned his 95 or 96 points and confirmed the reputation of the first student. I came to graduation in uniform - for the first time, and for two years I came to classes in civilian clothes. He was absent only in emergency cases. There were conflicts in the country that we only knew about. Once there was a day-long shootout in the Syrian capital. The next morning, Hafez al - Assad appeared at the academy as if nothing had happened-cheerful, calm and collected. Knowing his qualities and abilities, it was easy to predict that this man had a great future ahead of him. In the four years I'd known him, he'd risen from brigade commander to defense minister. He was always friendly and attentive to the Soviet staff, and never failed the teaching staff. It is emphasized that respect for teachers is generally characteristic of Syrians.

From the reference book " The Arab East: historical facts and outstanding personalities "(author E. M. Savicheva). "Guided by national and political beliefs, Hafez al-Assad became a military pilot and at the same time imbued with the ideas of pan-Arabism and national socialism. A political movement has emerged in Syria on this basis... In 1963, his party came to power. He soon became Air Force Commander and then Defense Minister. The failure of the Arab states in the June 1967 war with Israel exacerbated internal political differences. X. Assad headed the "military wing", which in November 1970 ousted opponents. Since then, he has been the general Secretary of the ruling party and president of the country ."

How to fight in Russian?

My listeners often asked me to talk about the Great Patriotic War, about my personal participation in battles.

I never dreamed of being a military pilot. True, he was engaged in the design of flying models. I lived in the Vitebsk region and went to school 23 kilometers away from the village until the 5th grade. When the movement "Komsomolets - to the plane" began, I was summoned to the Komsomol district committee and handed a ticket. I tried to talk myself out of it as best I could, saying that I had not yet received a secondary education. I was given an ultimatum: either you go to aviation, or the Komsomol ticket is on the table.

I had to go to Leningrad. Here are the twists of fate: thanks to this city (Northern Palmyra, as it was grandly called in the old days) A quarter of a century later, I also saw the real Palmyra (the junction of the caravan routes of ancient Syria). None of my fellow countrymen believed that I would be accepted. The head teacher doubted my literacy, remembering how I stubbornly adhered to the Belarusian spelling when writing dictation: as it is heard, so it is written, and in Russian it turned out that I made a mistake in literally every word. The school doctor was not sure that I would pass on health: I am far from a heroic appearance. What was immaculate about me was my suit (after all, my father was a tailor, and he did his best for me). I passed the entrance exams, but without waiting for the results (not believing that they would be positive), I came to the admissions committee for documents. "You what?" "they asked me. "I'm no good." "Good, good, go home safely - we'll call you." I was the youngest among the cadets of the Civil Air Force School. In 1939, they extended our training for another year, transferring us to the military aviation school in Balashov. The air smelled of thunderstorms, and we were preparing for this storm in ' 41. They thoroughly studied the theory, and practiced at the helm of a high-speed SB bomber.

The beginning of the war found me on the Leningrad Front in a young regiment - only the leadership was experienced. The Pe-2 dive bomber was in service, and I had to retrain for it. I will not forget the first dive bombing: not that I barely hit the landfill. I see that I didn't pass the training test, so I tell the navigator: "Let's go in from level flight, drop the bomb, and I'll dive down-you see, and they won't notice the trick." The trick was a success, but my heart is not right, although I calm myself down: "What the hell, I gave up this dive: it seems that you will definitely aim, and the bomb will go to hell." And then they realized that they needed an accurate calculation when diving, so that the car did not spin, then the bomb would go where it was needed like a cute one. And so they sharpened up: they didn't miss a pinpoint target. After all, for example, to destroy a bridge from a horizontal flight, we estimated that it would take a hundred planes. And we managed with one squadron. Once an enemy railway junction was completely destroyed, and before us two regiments were unsuccessfully operating one after the other. Our crew completed 93 successful dive bombing missions. I memorized the manual for flight personnel, which was compiled by Major General of Aviation I. S. Polbin-a virtuoso of bomber strikes.

From the encyclopedic reference book "Heroes of the Soviet Union". "The Guard bomber pilot Captain N. I. Gapeenok made 198 combat sorties during the war years. For his well-aimed attacks on the enemy, he was called the first sniper-dive bomber in the regiment ."

Acute situations are innumerable. Sometimes, they beat you from all sides, you don't know what to do, you turn to Pe-2 as if it were alive: "Well, my friend, help me out!" If you make a sharp turn , you'll jump out. After the war, my former commanders confessed that there were cases when we sent you without hoping that you would return. They didn't do it on a whim - they were guided by an order. And our crew trained hard before completing each task. We get on the plane , and the introductory notes start pouring in. The shooter shouts to me: commander, enemy from below, from behind, at such and such a distance, and I "maneuver" according to the situation. They kept making fun of us for playing biryulki! Pranksters... Not one of them was brought to reason by a real fight. You should not rely on luck, but build up your experience. Here is how A. I. Pokryshkin (I am far from thinking of equating myself with the legendary ACE). He also came up with a whole science of training a pilot on the ground, worked out in detail all the elements of air training with beginners.

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attacks. For clarity and instructiveness, I used both the simplest models and drawings, as well as original devices. That's why Pokryshkin's principle, verified by the fiery sky, worked: "Height - speed-maneuver-fire".

Both my own and the Arab officers (who listened to me with open mouths) I have always advised you in a friendly way: if you want to fight confidently and stay alive, do not rely on anyone. Do not be lazy to hone your piloting technique and air combat skills.

The secret of Damascus Steel

At the first meeting, when introducing himself to the audience, he said with a smile: "I am one of the Golden Horde. This was the name given to graduates of the 1951 Air Force Academy. After all, a good hundred Gold Star cavaliers and a dozen double Heroes studied with me. And you, I have no doubt, have yet to become heroes."

In Syria, we did two classes, and each course was prepared as it should be. Extensive material on the tactics of combat operations of aviation was consolidated in group exercises and exercises. We were able to conduct maneuvers led by Hafez al-Assad. Tanks were firing, an air raid was being carried out - in short, everything was as it should be. Our cameramen - teachers of the Frunze Military Academy - created a very instructive atmosphere. All types of combat were reproduced-offensive, withdrawal, counterattack... Unfortunately, the Syrians did not have a real combat operation. In fact, they are a brave people, with a long tradition of military honor. They are rightly proud of their history. Suffice it to recall that during the Crusades, Damascus successfully withstood several sieges. A fierce battle with the knights eventually ended in the victory of the Saracens (as the Arabs were called in the Middle Ages). The war of modern history, which we have witnessed, is marked by black pages for Syrians (in June 1967, Israel attacked Syria and cut off part of its territory). Fortune changed the Syrian soldiers. They threw tanks and parachuted out of planes without waiting for a direct collision with the enemy. As I was told, the panic mood was over after Order X. Assad is an analogue of Stalin's "not a step back". To live up to his name, Assad encouraged brave men who fought like lions and tried deserters. It was then that they began to fight for real, and the enemy felt firsthand what the Syrian "iron will" means. And it was no mystery to anyone how steel was tempered. The Soviet "anvil" played an important role. Without boasting, we laid the foundation for military academic education in Syria. We prepared a replacement from among the graduates, gave them the teaching methodology.

From the "Book of Edification" of the Syrian Emir Osama ibn Munqiz, XI century. "It is reason that impels man to rush against swords, spears, and arrows out of disgust at the disgrace and actions of a coward."

Damascus in ancient times was famous for the production of first-class steel. Often the city was besieged for the sake of iron, which in those days was revered for a rare and noble metal. And the invaders were even more eager to reveal the secret of the iron-making art. However, artisans knew how to keep secrets.

The descendants of the Damascus masters inherited many of the qualities of their forefathers. Despite their seeming nonchalance, they are able to hide where necessary. How many times have we, Soviet officers, been photographed together with Hafez al-Assad and other statesmen? Nevertheless, we never received the promised photos, not even a collective picture at the academy's graduation events. For the same reasons, we also hid photographic evidence of training specialists from friendly countries in Central Asia. As soon as I got out into the city and picked up an amateur movie camera, an escort would immediately appear and offer to show me the most beautiful views of Damascus with polite insistence. Who is how rich among their officers, who has what source of income is also a closed topic, at least for us. However, at one airfield I met a technician who admitted that he was the owner of the plant, and serves - because the military has a big tax discount.

My Syrian colleagues and I have outlined measures to prevent leaks of classified information. They introduced workbooks that were forbidden to be taken out of the academy. However, these requirements were violated, and students admitted that they often work at home with documents and a map. In one class, when testing the performance of tactical tasks, I put one officer as an example. Suddenly, the entire audience burst out laughing. "He's fine," someone explained loudly. "He has two wives, and both of them are vying to paint the map of their beloved spouse."

By agreement, teachers gave the Russian text of the lecture in advance for translation. However, our students did not rely too much on these translations, preferring the live speech of the lecturer. Especially since some of them spoke decent Russian. As a rule, I sketched a diagram on the blackboard for each combat episode I analyzed. Sometimes it was burdensome, and the details were overlooked. Syrian friends suggested it: "Comrade Colonel, why are you suffering?! Let's reproduce the necessary drawings! "" How many days will it take?" I asked, not suspecting that, unlike us, there was a long-time "registered" copier here. I was surprised that enough was enough

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fifteen minutes. I was even more surprised when the copied diagrams were quickly brought to me. I then distributed them to my students as a supplement to my notes.

At some point, I was overwhelmed by a request: tell us yes, tell us about the MiG-23 plane. Why such interest? After all, they were armed with MiG-15 and MiG-21. I turned to the experienced fighter pilot S. A. Lebedev. He knew all the latest supersonic fighter designs perfectly well, but decided that in this case it was not worth trumping his knowledge. What should I do? Truthful information is not subject to disclosure. If you start lying , you'll lose the trust of your listeners. I tried to dissuade myself: they say, the time will come, we will include the latest modification of the MiG in the theme. And how did they agree: couldn't you be more specific? For good luck, my wife persuaded me to go see a new movie in the capital's "Ambassador" cinema. There is a newsstand in the lobby. I noticed a colorful booklet with an image of an airplane. I came closer - I can't believe my eyes: a MiG-23 with all its "giblets" and characteristics. The Italians somehow managed to publish it. Monsieur, I say I'll buy it. The next day I give a lecture-again a question about the notorious plane. Then, in all seriousness, I say,"I had a hard time getting it for you." I pull the magazine out of my briefcase. Laughter erupted. They value a joke as much as sincerity. After all, in fact, I was tested for how truthful I was. I'd be good if I told them a lot of lies.

At the height of their studies, three or four students left the course. It turned out that the US Air Force Academy allocated several places to Syrian servicemen. Less than a year later, they returned. I approached one of them: I wonder how they teach in America. "Mostly guided tours and seminars," he says. "There's a lot of praise for American power." "And in the seminars?" - "There is already a different method - we are required to lay out everything we know. Whoever tells you more will get a higher score." "Clever idea! I couldn't resist. "You've been asked for information." What was extracted under torture in the Middle Ages is now being lured away by a strained caress." "That's what we figured out, and we didn't say much about it." Later, I reflected that, in contrast to the American one, our Russian method of training foreigners deserved the motto "open soul". Our trait is to share everything generously, sometimes to the detriment of our own interests. But now, in our strategic partnership with foreign countries, we have clearly taken the wrong direction: more shows, less rough work.

"Every tree has its own shadow..."

The acquaintance with the most ancient civilization and the richest culture left a vivid impression. Imagine: the very name "Rus" was known to the Syrians in the first half of the VI century and recorded in one of the Syrian chronicles.

You can talk for a long time about the everyday side of that business trip abroad. They settled Soviet families in private apartments, where everything - from furniture to dishes - was provided for a comfortable life. The owners of private shops have taught our wives to go with string bags. Everything you wanted, including the pork you didn't like here, was delivered to your home on demand. A delivery boy on a motorcycle brought in the food he ordered and laid it out in the kitchen. The honesty is amazing! The most picky housewives, checking the paid bills, were convinced that an extra penny was not taken. During the first week, I learned 300 Syriac words, and then it got even better. We bowed to the locals... And what kind of good relations have developed with the pets of our aviation faculty! Everyone tried to be helpful, to give them a ride in their private car after school, especially those who had luxury Chevys. I remember one of my listeners, a squadron leader, persuaded me and my wife to go sightseeing in Damascus and gave us a ride to a cafe where we were greeted like royalty. The next day at the academy, I inadvertently bragged about how we had been treated earlier. "And in what place?" - the interlocutors were curious. And when they realized exactly where, they said in a disappointed voice: "Ah, so this is his own cafe."

An Arabic proverb says: "Every tree has its own shade - every country has its own customs." And we're used to slow conversations over small cups of tea. And at banquets and receptions, they immediately guessed who among the Syrians lived in the USSR and picked up our experience in drinking.

Pilots of a distant country, chicks of the Russian nest. I had a chance to meet someone after many years. One day in Monino, the head of the Department of Fighter Aviation calls me: "Nikolai Ivanovich, come in!" I enter the office to meet my former pupil Puli Khuri with a hug. I came to defend my dissertation. He was a captain, and now a general, in full regalia. "I am very grateful to you, teacher," he thanks me, " Your lessons have gone well. In the war, my knowledge of the anti-aircraft maneuver saved my life." I don't know how true his words are, but I know they have a touch of Oriental courtesy in them, and I'm still touched. This is the very moment when pathos is appropriate. "My dear friend, - I address him as the representative of all my students. - I am glad that the Soviet school is not forgotten. So, our mission of good will was not in vain! So let us remember and cherish what once bound us together!"

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