Rasputitsa


Rasputitsa is a Russian term for two seasons of the year when travel on unpaved roads or across country becomes difficult, owing to muddy conditions from rain or melting snow. It is applied to both spring and autumn. The word "rasputitsa" is also used to refer to the condition of roads during both periods.

Effects

Civil

The term is applied to muddy road conditions in Belarus, Russia and Ukraine, which are caused by the poor drainage of underlying clay-laden soils found in the region. Roads are subject to weight limitations and closures during the period in certain districts of Russia. The phenomenon was a hindrance in the early 20th century in the Soviet Union since 40% of rural villages were not served by paved roads.

Wartime

Rasputitsa seasons of Russia are well known as a great defensive advantage in wartime. Common nicknames include General Mud and Marshal Mud. A spring thaw probably saved Novgorod from conquest and sacking during the 13th-century Mongol invasion.
During the French invasion of Russia in 1812, Napoleon found the mud a great hindrance.
On the Eastern Front during the Second World War, the months-long muddy period slowed the German advance during the Battle of Moscow and may have helped save the Soviet capital from German occupation.
The advent of motorised warfare had the disadvantage that while tanks could operate effectively in summer or in winter, they proved less useful in spring and autumn,
when the functioning of an efficient railway system really came into its own.

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