The ODD and OVERLOOKED Soviet Army Hat: the Panamanka

Everyone calls this the "Afghanka" hat... but that's actually wrong. This iconic Soviet panama (or panamanka) became famous during the Soviet-Afghan War in the 1980s. But here's the twist... It wasn't created for Afghanistan at all. It was much older! The hat was officially adopted by the Red Army in 1938 for troops serving in the scorching heat of Central Asia, the Caucasus, and Crimea. And evidence suggests an even earlier version was already worn by the NKVD as early as 1935. Its wide brim protected soldiers from the blazing sun, while twelve ventilation holes kept it cool. It was even designed to be worn underneath a steel helmet. This simple hat appeared everywhere: from the Battle of Khalkhin Gol against Japan in 1939, to World War II, the Soviet occupation of Iran, and decades later... Afghanistan. So the famous "Afghanka" hat? It was already a veteran long before the first Soviet soldier ever crossed the Afghan border.