Russia’s Joan(s) of Arc of World War I: Women Soldiers as Saviors of the Nation

During the Great War, thousands of Russian women became combatants. Not only did these female soldiers exceed historical precedents numerically, but many did so in a unique way, as part of all-female military units organized in 1917. Lauded by many for their patriotic devotion, these women were often compared to one of the most famous historical examples of female soldiering: Joan of Arc. Analogies to Joan of Arc were invoked early on in the war, when individual women disguised themselves as men to enter the fighting. But the comparison became even more poignant after the fall of the tsarist regime in 1917. The Russian army was suffering from a number of serious problems: war-weariness, low morale, declining discipline, desertion, and fraternization. There was considerable concern that the soldiers would be unable to successfully execute the upcoming offensive, planned to allow Russian to exit the war victoriously. Discussions of the “health” of the army consumed military authorities. The organization of all-women combat units was undertaken with the idea that they would restore morale and battle-readiness to the wavering troops. Women who volunteered to serve as soldiers were seen not only as those willing to sacrifice their lives for the defense of the nation, but like the medieval French heroine, as those that would inspire the men to continue fighting, and ultimately, lead the nation to victory and save it from destruction. Like Joan of Arc, Russia’s women soldiers of World War I were perceived in religious terms, endorsed by the Russian Orthodox Church, as carrying out a sacred mission. And as with the legacy of Joan of Arc, Russia’s women soldiers were embraced by progressive women as demonstrative of women’s contributions and abilities, which would justify their demands for increased rights.