Participation in wars: World War I. Civil war in Russia. The Second World War
Participation in battles:

(Aleksandr Mikhaylovich Vasilevsky) Soviet military leader and statesman, one of the most prominent commanders of World War II

Chief of the General Staff of the Red Army Vasilevsky Alexander Mikhailovich went down in history World War II as one of the main authors of major strategic operations.

Vasilevsky was born on September 17, 1895 in the village of Novaya Golchikha near Kineshma in the family of a poor priest.

In 1909 he graduated from the theological school in Kineshma and entered the Kostroma theological seminary. In the summer of 1914, the First World War began, and Vasilevsky, who entered the last class of the seminary, decides to take final exams as an external student in order to go to the army.

In the winter of 1915, Vasilevsky was sent to the Alekseevsky Infantry School, located in Lefortovo.

After an accelerated course, Vasilevsky sent to the reserve battalion, stationed in Rostov (Veliky), and in the fall, as a company commander, he volunteered for the South-Western Front.

In the spring of 1916, the regiment in which Vasilevsky served, as part of the troops of the 9th Army, took part in the famous Brusilovsky breakthrough. After Romania entered the war, the regiment went to the new Romanian front.

After the start of revolutionary unrest and the collapse of the army, Vasilevsky retires on vacation and goes home. Here he begins to work as a teacher at a local school.

In 1919 Vasilevsky was drafted into the Red Army and sent to a reserve battalion stationed in the city of Efremov. The campaign against Moscow by the army of A.I. Denikin forced the Bolsheviks to temporarily appoint former officers to responsible command positions. So Vasilevsky became the commander of the regiment of the Tula Infantry Division. But Vasilevsky's regiment did not have to participate in the battles with Denikin, since the enemy did not reach Tula.

In December, the Tula division was sent to the Western Front, where the offensive of the Polish troops was expected. Under the command of Tukhachevsky, Vasilevsky took part in several offensive operations: on the Berezina, near Smorgon, Vilna.

In 1926, Vasilevsky, already a regiment commander, completed a year of training at the Shot course.

Then, after almost a twelve-year stay in the 48th division, he was sent by order of the people's commissar to the newly formed Combat Training Directorate of the Red Army, which checked the combat readiness of the troops and practiced new forms of combined arms combat.

In 1936, Vasilevsky was promoted to the rank of colonel, and in the autumn of that year, by order of the people's commissar, he was enrolled in the first set of students at the Academy of the General Staff.

Arrests among the top military leaders of the Red Army in 1937-1938. accelerated the promotion of young specialists to their places. At the end of August, Vasilevsky was appointed head of the department of operational art (army operation) of the academy, and a month later - head of the department of the General Staff. And from now on, Vasilevsky's military activities will be connected with the General Staff.

He headed the department of operational training until June 1939. In connection with the impending war, work in the General Staff was strained to the limit. Vasilevsky had to personally participate both in the development of military campaigns of 1939-1940. (battles at Khalkhin Gol, a campaign in Western Ukraine and Western Belarus in the autumn of 1939, the Soviet-Finnish war), and in the rearmament of the Red Army. A prominent military scientist, who worked for many years as Chief of the General Staff, played a significant role in educating Vasilevsky as a first-class General Staff officer. B.M. Shaposhnikov. In the same years, personal relationships between Vasilevsky and Stalin.

In November 1940, Vasilevsky, as a military expert, took part in a trip to Berlin as part of a delegation led by Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars V.M. Molotov.

Already in February 1941, Germany began to gradually concentrate troops near the Soviet borders. The General Staff had to, taking into account the alarming information received daily, make adjustments to the existing plan to repel the impending attack.

In the spring, measures began to mobilize reservists, to transfer troops to the borders from the depths of the country, and to build new defensive structures. However, these activities could not be fully completed.

On June 22, the war began. A few days later, the Headquarters of the Supreme High Command was created, first headed by People's Commissar of Defense S.K. Timoshenko, and then headed by I.V. Stalin. Vasilevsky also became a member of the Headquarters.

B. M. Shaposhnikov was again appointed chief of the General Staff, and Vasilevsky was appointed his deputy and head of the operational department. Since then, his meetings with Stalin have become almost daily. One of the main topics of the reports to the Supreme Commander was the formation of strategic reserves.

The main direction was the central one, on which the main masses of the Nazi troops aimed at capturing Moscow were concentrated. But the General Staff was not able to predict in time the enemy’s plan, which planned to encircle significant masses of troops of the Western, Reserve and Bryansk fronts near Vyazma and Bryansk, and later advance on Moscow with infantry formations from the west, and cover the capital with tank groups from the north and south. On September 30, Operation Typhoon began; the enemy managed to break through the front and encircle four Soviet armies in the Vyazma region.

Representatives of the State Defense Committee V.M. Molotov and K.E. Voroshilov arrived there to hold the most stringent defense measures in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bGzhatsk and Mozhaisk, and Vasilevsky as a representative of the Headquarters. Budyonny, who lost contact with his troops, was removed from command of the Reserve Front, the commander of the Western Front, General Konev, was threatened with a tribunal. saved the situation G.K. Zhukov, who took command of the Western Front and took Konev as his deputy.

As a result of the threat looming over Moscow, most of the General Staff was evacuated to Kuibyshev. Only a task force of ten people remained in Moscow to serve the Headquarters, which Vasilevsky was entrusted to lead.

In the midst of the battle for Moscow, on the personal instructions of Stalin, Vasilevsky was awarded the rank of lieutenant general.

At the end of November, Shaposhnikov fell ill, and the duties of Chief of the General Staff were temporarily assigned to Vasilevsky. His name is associated with the leadership of the offensive of the Kalinin Front (commander I.S. Konev), the first to launch a counteroffensive on the night of December 5, as well as the coordination of the actions of the Southwestern Front to liberate Rostov-on-Don.

Despite carefully conducted reconnaissance, the Soviet command failed to accurately find out the plans of the enemy. The General Staff still believed that significant German reserves were concentrated in the central direction, while the Wehrmacht was preparing the main offensive in the Caucasus in order to seize oil sources.

It was decided to conduct several separate operations near Leningrad, Smolensk, Kharkov and in the Crimea.

In May 1942, due to a serious illness, Shaposhnikov was relieved of his duties as Chief of the General Staff. The latter were assigned to Vasilevsky. He was given the rank of Colonel General.

In May, a losing streak began again for the Red Army. At the very beginning of the month, German troops broke into the Crimea. The last stage has begun defense of Sevastopol, which lasted until July 4th. In the same days, operations were launched in the Kharkov region. At first they were successful, but soon the German troops themselves went on the offensive and by mid-May went to the rear of the troops of the Southwestern Front and launched an offensive south in the direction of the Caucasus and Stalingrad.

By the end of August, Vasilevsky arrived in the Stalingrad region on the South-Eastern Front, commanded by A.I. Eremenko. The headquarters ordered to take all necessary measures to mobilize the population, but not to surrender Stalingrad. After a conversation with Stalin, Vasilevsky decided to concentrate two or three armies from the Stavka reserve to the north and northwest of Stalingrad and to eliminate parts of the enemy that had broken through with their forces. Soon Zhukov arrived there, and Vasilevsky flew to Moscow.

At the end of September, Vasilevsky again returned to the South-Eastern Front, where the situation was carefully studied in the course of preparing an offensive in order to encircle the entire German group in Stalingrad. The operation was prepared in the strictest secrecy, only a few of the top command leadership knew about it.

Vasilevsky still controlled the South-Eastern Front, which received the name of Stalingrad. The plan of the operation provided for a strike on the Romanian troops standing on the flanks of the German group, a breakthrough in their defenses by the tank and mechanized corps of the Stalingrad and Southwestern Fronts with their further connection in the Kalach region.

Already in the first days of the offensive, which began on November 19, Vasilevsky understood that the German command would try to help his encircled group and release it. Therefore, he insisted before Stalin on the creation of a sufficiently strong outer ring of encirclement, and behind them reserves of mobile troops.

At the final stage Battle of Stalingrad Vasilevsky led the fighting to repel attempts to unblock the encircled group and its final liquidation. On his initiative, one of the best armies - the 2nd Guards was thrown against the Don Army Group, which was trying to unblock the encircled 6th Army Paulus.

For participation in the defeat of the German group in the Stalingrad region, Vasilevsky was awarded the Order of Suvorov, I degree (No. 2).

After the Battle of Stalingrad, the German command decided to prepare an offensive from the Kursk ledge, which had developed as a result of the fighting in the winter and spring of 1943. This time, the intelligence of the General Staff revealed the enemy's plan in a timely manner. It was decided not to be the first to go on the offensive, but to take up a tough defense, knock out German tanks, wear down the enemy in defensive battles, and only then go on the offensive by introducing accumulated reserves.

The troops of the Central Front under the command of K.K. Rokossovsky and Voronezh - under the command of I.F. Vatutin, as well as the troops of the Bryansk and the left wing of the Western Fronts.

On July 5, the German offensive began on the Kursk Bulge, repelled by the connection of the Central and Voronezh fronts. The culmination of the defensive battles was the famous tank battle near Prokhorovka on July 12, in which up to 1200 tanks and self-propelled guns took part. On the same day, the Bryansk and Western fronts went on the offensive, and on July 15, the troops of the Central Front.

In August, the battle for the Donbass began, in which Vasilevsky was entrusted with coordinating the actions of the Southwestern and Southern fronts. Vasilevsky's activities were connected with these fronts during the battle for the Dnieper, as well as during the liberation of Melitopol, Krivoy Rog, Zaporozhye and the beginning of the liberation of Crimea.

In the next year, the troops of the fronts, whose actions were coordinated by Vasilevsky, liberated Nikopol, Nikolaev, and Odessa during the spring thaw and reached the Dniester. On the day of the liberation of Odessa on April 10, Vasilevsky was awarded the Order of Victory (No. 2).

In the summer, the main hostilities were transferred to Belarus, where the troops of four fronts launched Operation Bagration.

At the suggestion of Vasilevsky, the two armies that liberated the Crimea were transferred to Belarus, and the former department of the 4th Ukrainian Front also went there. Vasilevsky was ordered to coordinate the actions of the 1st Baltic and 3rd Belorussian fronts, commanded by young generals I.Kh.Bagramyan and I.D.Chernyakhovsky.

On June 22, the offensive of the fronts began. In the first days of the fighting, Vitebsk was liberated, to the west of which about 5 German divisions were in the pocket. On June 27, Orsha was liberated. Soviet troops crossed the Berezina. On July 3, the troops of the 3rd and 1st Belorussian fronts met in Minsk. The liberation of the Baltic states began, which Vasilevsky did not leave until the very new city.

From the Baltic states, the fighting moved into East Prussia, which abounded in fortified areas. At first, Vasilevsky continued to coordinate the actions of the 1st Baltic and 3rd Belorussian fronts. But after the death of Chernyakhovsky, Vasilevsky personally led his troops. He asked Stalin to release him from the post of chief of the General Staff and appoint AI Antonov, former chief of the Operations Directorate of the General Staff, to his place.

Decisive battles unfolded on the Zenland Peninsula and near Koenigsberg. On April 6, the assault on the fortified city, covered by a chain of forts, began. Four armies stormed Koenigsberg, and by the end of the fourth day of the assault, the garrison of the fortress capitulated.

Even before the end of the Great Patriotic War, in the summer of 1944, Vasilevsky announced his forthcoming appointment to the post of commander of the Soviet troops in the Far East in the war with Japan. Immediately after the end of the East Prussian operation, Vasilevsky was recalled to Moscow, where he began to prepare a war plan.

Vasilevsky's idea was to simultaneously strike from the side of Transbaikalia, Primorye and Amur to the center of Northeast China. The fighting was to be deployed on the territory of about 1.5 million square meters. km and to a depth of 200-800 km. The Soviet troops were to cut the Japanese Kwantung Army into pieces and then defeat it. The troops of the Trans-Baikal Front (commander Marshal of the Soviet Union R.A. Malinovsky), the 1st and 2nd Far Eastern (commanders Marshal of the Soviet Union K.A. Meretskov and General M.A. Purkaev) and the ships of the Pacific Navy and the Amur Flotilla.

A huge mass of troops and equipment was secretly transferred to the Far East and Mongolia.

On August 9, the offensive began, ending on August 17. The 600,000-strong Japanese army surrendered to Soviet troops. It was the last act of World War II.

In March 1946 Vasilevsky was again appointed chief of the General Staff, almost simultaneously he became deputy minister, and then the first minister of defense. In 1949-1953. he was the Minister of the Armed Forces of the USSR, in 1953-1957. - First Deputy Minister of Defense.

Then, due to illness, he retired and since 1959 was in the group of general inspectors of the USSR Ministry of Defense.

18(30).09.1895–5.12.1977

Marshal of the Soviet Union,
Minister of the Armed Forces of the USSR

Born in the village of Novaya Golchikha near Kineshma on the Volga. The son of a priest. He studied at the Kostroma Theological Seminary. In 1915, he completed courses at the Alexander Military School and, with the rank of ensign, was sent to the front of the First World War (1914–1918). Head-captain of the tsarist army. Having joined the Red Army during the Civil War of 1918–1920, he commanded a company, battalion, and regiment. In 1937 he graduated from the Military Academy of the General Staff. Since 1940, he served in the General Staff, where he was caught by the Great Patriotic War (1941-1945). In June 1942, he became chief of the General Staff, replacing Marshal B. M. Shaposhnikov in this post due to illness. Of the 34 months of his tenure as Chief of the General Staff, AM Vasilevsky spent 22 directly at the front (pseudonyms: Mikhailov, Alexandrov, Vladimirov). He was wounded and shell-shocked. In a year and a half of the war, he rose from Major General to Marshal of the Soviet Union (02/19/1943) and, together with Mr. K. Zhukov, became the first holder of the Order of Victory. Under his leadership, the largest operations of the Soviet Armed Forces were developed. A. M. Vasilevsky coordinated the actions of the fronts: in the Battle of Stalingrad (Operations Uranus, Little Saturn), near Kursk (Operation Commander Rumyantsev), during the liberation of Donbass (Operation Don ”), in the Crimea and during the capture of Sevastopol, in battles in the Right-Bank Ukraine; in the Belarusian operation "Bagration".

After the death of General I. D. Chernyakhovsky, he commanded the 3rd Belorussian Front in the East Prussian operation, which ended in the famous "star" assault on Koenigsberg.

On the fronts of the Great Patriotic War, the Soviet commander A. M. Vasilevsky smashed Hitler's field marshals and generals F. von Bock, G. Guderian, F. Paulus, E. Manstein, E. Kleist, Eneke, E. von Busch, V. von Model, F. Scherner, von Weichs and others.

In June 1945, the marshal was appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Soviet Forces in the Far East (pseudonym Vasiliev). For the quick defeat of the Kwantung Army of the Japanese, General O. Yamada in Manchuria, the commander received a second Gold Star. After the war, from 1946 - Chief of the General Staff; in 1949-1953 - Minister of the Armed Forces of the USSR.

The urn with the ashes of A. M. Vasilevsky was buried on Red Square in Moscow near the Kremlin wall next to the ashes of G. K. Zhukov. A bronze bust of the marshal is installed in Kineshma.

Marshal A. M. Vasilevsky had:

• 2 Gold Stars of the Hero of the Soviet Union (07/29/1944, 09/08/1945),
• 8 orders of Lenin,
• 2 orders of "Victory" (including No. 2 - 01/10/1944, 04/19/1945),
• order of the October Revolution,
• 2 orders of the Red Banner,
• Order of Suvorov 1st degree,
• order of the Red Star,
• Order "For Service to the Motherland in the Armed Forces of the USSR" 3rd degree,
• a total of 16 orders and 14 medals;
• honorary nominal weapon - a checker with the golden Emblem of the USSR (1968),
• 28 foreign awards (including 18 foreign orders).

V.A. Egorshin, Field Marshals and Marshals. M., 2000

Vasilevsky Alexander Mikhailovich

Born on September 16 (September 30), 1895 in the village. Novaya Golchikha, Kineshma district, Ivanovo region, in the family of a priest, Russian. In February 1915, after graduating from the Kostroma Theological Seminary, he entered the Alekseevsky Military School (Moscow) and completed it in 4 months (in June 1915). In 1926 he graduated from the "Shot" courses, in 1937 - the 1st course of the Military Academy of the General Staff of the Red Army, and by Order of the People's Commissar of Defense of the USSR of December 11, 1938 "he was given all the rights of a graduate of the Academy of the General Staff of the Red Army."

He began military service in the tsarist army from June 1915 as a junior company officer in a reserve battalion, and from September 1915 to December 1917 - company commander and acting battalion commander in the "409 Novokhopersky regiment of the 103rd infantry division of the 9th, 4th and 8th armies on Southwestern and Romanian Front.

In the Red Army from May 1919 to November 1919 - assistant platoon commander, company commander, for two months - battalion commander: from January 1920. to April 1923 - assistant commander of the regiment; until September - acting commander of the regiment, until December 1924 - head of the divisional school and until May 1931 - commander of the rifle regiment.

In his characterization in 1935, it was noted that he "... has a fairly strong character, shows his initiative ...".

In October 1937, he was appointed head of a department in the General Staff (until May 1940). His evaluation emphasized that he was “a firm, energetic and resolute commander. Able to organize work and transfer his knowledge and experience to subordinates. Hardworking and persistent."

From May 21, 1940 to August 1, 1941 - Deputy Chief of the Operational Directorate of the General Staff.

With the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, A.M. Vasilevsky - Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Red Army - Head of the Operational Directorate (08/01/1941–01/25/1942): First Deputy Chief of the General Staff - Head of the Operational Directorate; First Deputy Chief of the General Staff (April 25, 1942–June 26, 1942).

From June 26, 1942 - Chief of the General Staff of the Red Army, and from October 15, 1942 - at the same time Deputy People's Commissar of Defense of the USSR. From February 20 to April 25, 1945, he was commander of the troops of the 3rd Belorussian Front, and then, until June 1945, again deputy people's commissar of defense of the USSR.

In June-October 1945, A. M. Vasilevsky was the Commander-in-Chief of the Soviet troops in the Far East.

After the end of the war, from March 22, 1946 to March 6, 1947, he was Chief of the General Staff of the USSR Armed Forces.

From March 24, 1949 to February 26, 1950 - Minister of the Armed Forces of the USSR and Minister of War of the USSR (until March 16, 1953).

In the future, the military career of A. M. Vasilevsky often changed dramatically. For three years (from 03/16/1953 to 03/15/1956) he was the first deputy minister of defense of the USSR, but on March 15, 1956 he was relieved of his post at his personal request, but after 5 months (08/14/1956) again appointed Deputy Minister of Defense of the USSR for military science.

In December 1957, he was "dismissed due to illness with the right to wear a military uniform", and in January 1959 he was again returned to the cadres of the Armed Forces and appointed Inspector General of the Group of General Inspectors of the USSR Ministry of Defense (until December 5, 1977).

A. M. Vasilevsky was twice awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union (07/29/1944 and 09/08/1945). He was awarded 8 Orders of Lenin (05/21/1942, 07/29/1944, 02/21/1945, 09/29/1945, 09/29/1955, 09/29/1965, 09/29/1970, 09/29/1970). 1975); Order of the October Revolution (02/22/1968), Honorary weapon with a golden image of the State Emblem of the USSR (02/22/1968); 2 Orders of the Red Banner (November 3, 1944, June 20, 1949): Order of Suvorov, I degree (January 28, 1943); Orders of the Red Star (1939), "For Service to the Homeland in the Armed Forces of the USSR" III degree (04/30/1975). He was twice awarded the Order of Victory (04/10/1944, 09/06/1945), and was also awarded 13 medals of the USSR and 28 orders and medals of foreign states.

Military ranks; brigade commander - assigned on 08/16/1938, division commander - 04/05/1940, major general - 06/04/1940, lieutenant general - 10/28/1941, colonel general - 05/21/1942, army general - 01/18/1943, Marshal of the Soviet Union - 02/16/1943

Member of the CPSU since 1938, member of the Central Committee of the CPSU (1952-1961), deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR (1946-1958).

Marshals of the Soviet Union: personal affairs are told. M., 1996

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Marshal A. M. Vasilevsky was born in 1895 on September 30 (according to the new style). He was Chief of the General Staff during the Second World War and took an active part in the development and implementation of almost all major military operations. In February 1945 he was appointed commander of the 3rd Belorussian Front and led the Koenigsberg offensive.

Biography of Alexander Vasilevsky (briefly)

The birthplace of the future Soviet military figure was with. New Golchikha. Vasilevsky himself believed that he was born on September 17 (old style) - on the same day as his mother. He was the fourth of eight children. In 1897 the family moved to the village. Novopokrovskoye. Here Vasilevsky's father began his service as a priest in the Ascension Church. After a while, Alexander entered the parish school. In 1909, after graduating from the Kineshma Theological School, he entered the Kostroma Seminary. The diploma allowed him to continue his studies in a secular educational institution. In the same year, Vasilevsky took part in a strike of seminarians who opposed the government's ban on entering institutes and universities. For this he was expelled from Kostroma. However, a few months later he returned to the seminary, after the demands of the rebels were partially satisfied.

World War I

The future Marshal Vasilevsky dreamed of becoming a land surveyor or an agronomist. However, the war radically changed his plans. Before the start of his last class at the seminary, he and several of his classmates took their exams externally. In February, he entered the Alekseevsky military school. After an accelerated four-month course, Vasilevsky went to the front as an ensign. Between June and September, he was in several spare parts. As a result, he was transferred to the Southwestern Front, where he served as a half-company commander at the 409th Novokhopersk Regiment. In the spring of 1916 he was awarded the rank of commander. After a while, his company was recognized as the best in the regiment. Vasilevsky took part in this rank in May 1916. Subsequently, he received the post of staff captain. During his stay in Romania, in Ajud Nou, Vasilevsky learns about the beginning of the October Revolution. In 1917, having decided to leave the service, he quits.

Civil War

At the end of December 1917, while at home, Alexander learns that he was elected commander by the soldiers of the 409th regiment. At that time, the unit belonged to the Romanian Front, commanded by Gen. Shcherbachev. The latter supported the Central Rada, which declared the independence of Ukraine from the Soviets that had recently come to power. The military department advised Alexander not to go to the regiment. Following this advice, he stayed with his parents until June 1918 and was engaged in agriculture. From September 1918, Vasilevsky taught at elementary schools in the villages of Podyakovlevo and Verkhovye in the Tula province. In the spring of the following year, he was drafted into the ranks of the Red Army in the 4th reserve battalion. In May, he was sent to the Stupino volost as commander of a detachment of 100 people. His tasks included the implementation of food requisitioning and the fight against gangs. In the summer of 1919, the battalion was transferred to Tula. Here the 1st Rifle Division is being formed in anticipation of the approach of the troops of Gen. Denikin and the Southern Front. Vasilevsky is appointed commander, first of a company, and then of a battalion. Since the beginning of October, he has been given command of the 5th rifle unit, which is located in the sector of the fortified area on the southwestern side of Tula. However, it was not possible to take part in hostilities, since the Southern Front stopped near Kromy and Orel at the end of October. In December, the division was sent to fight the invaders. At the request of Vasilevsky, he was appointed assistant commander. As part of the 15th Army, he participates in battles with Poland.

WWII

From the first day, Vasilevsky, with the rank of major general, participated in In 1941, on August 1, he was appointed head of the Operations Directorate. From October 5 to October 10, during the battle for Moscow, he was a member of a group of GKO representatives who ensured the accelerated dispatch of troops that had left the encirclement and retreated to the Mozhaisk line. When organizing the defense of the capital and the subsequent counteroffensive, it was Marshal Vasilevsky who played one of the main roles. led the task force in Moscow in the midst of the battles - from October 16 to the end of November. He led the first echelon of the General Staff serving the Stavka. The main responsibilities of the 10-member group were:

Marshal Alexander Mikhailovich Vasilevsky: activities before the end of the war

On February 16, 1943, he received the next rank. The High Command raises Vasilevsky to the marshals. This was rather unusual, since 29 days earlier he had received the rank of Marshal Vasilevsky and coordinated the actions of the Steppe and Voronezh fronts during the Battle of Kursk. Under his leadership, the planning and conduct of operations to liberate the Crimea, Right-Bank Ukraine and Donbass took place. On the day of the expulsion of the Germans from Odessa, Marshal Vasilevsky was awarded. Before him, only Zhukov received this award from the moment of its establishment. It was during the operation "Bagration" he coordinated the actions of the 3rd Belorussian and 1st Baltic fronts. Under his leadership were the Soviet forces during the liberation of the Baltic states. Here, since July 29, he participated in the direct conduct of the offensive.

East Prussian operation

Stalin was in charge of its planning and leadership of the initial stage. Marshal Vasilevsky at that moment was in the Baltic. But Stalin and Antonov had to go to. In this regard, Vasilevsky was recalled from the Baltic. During a conversation with Stalin, which took place on the night of February 18, he asked to be relieved of his duties as chief of the General Staff, since he spent most of his time at the front. In the afternoon, news was received of the death of Chernyakhovsky, who commanded the 3rd Belorussian Front. Stalin appoints Vasilevsky as commander. In this position, he supervised

last years of life

After the death of Stalin, Marshal Vasilevsky was the first deputy minister of defense, but in 1956 he was relieved of his post at his personal request. In mid-August of the same year, he took up the post of Minister for Military Affairs. In December 1957, Marshal Vasilevsky was dismissed due to illness. From 1956 to 1958 he served as the first chairman of the Committee of Veterans of the Great Patriotic War. In subsequent years, he took an active part in the work of similar organizations. The military leader died in 1977, on December 5. Like other marshals of Victory, Vasilevsky was cremated. The urn with his ashes is in the Kremlin wall.

Vasilevsky

Alexander Mikhailovich

Battles and victories

Soviet military leader and statesman, one of the most prominent commanders of World War II.

Vasilevsky was actually the third figure in the Soviet military leadership in 1942-1945 after Stalin and Zhukov. His assessments of the military-strategic situation were unmistakable, and the Headquarters sent the Chief of the General Staff to the most critical sectors of the front. The pinnacle of military leadership is the unprecedented Manchurian operation.

Vasilevsky was born in the village of Novaya Golchikha, Kineshma district, Kostroma province (now Kineshma district, Ivanovo region) in the family of a priest. “My childhood was spent in constant need,” he recalled, “in labor for the sake of a piece of daily bread ... My father’s meager salary was not enough even for the most urgent needs of a large family. All of us, young and old, worked in the garden and in the field. He graduated from the theological school in Kineshma (1909) and the theological seminary in Kostroma (1914). But he passed the final exams at the seminary as an external student ...

“The war (World War I. - Auth.) overturned all my previous plans,” Alexander Mikhailovich recalled. - I dreamed, after graduating from the seminary, to work for three years as a teacher in some rural school and, having saved a small amount of money, to enter either an agronomic school or the Moscow Land Survey Institute. But now, after the declaration of war, I was overwhelmed with patriotic feelings. The slogans about the defense of the fatherland captured me. Therefore, unexpectedly for myself and for my family, I became a military man. Together with several classmates, Vasilevsky obtained permission to take exams externally and was sent to study in Moscow, at the Alekseevsky Military School.

The priest's son Vasilevsky became a military man unexpectedly for himself and his family - he was captured by the patriotic upsurge of 1914.

After four months of accelerated training in May 1915, Vasilevsky, with the rank of ensign, was sent to Rostov, to a reserve battalion, and from there, with a marching company, to the front. How this happened is told in Marshal's memoirs. “We gathered all the officers,” says Alexander Mikhailovich. - It was necessary to appoint a company commander from those who wanted to go to the front. They were asked to volunteer. I was sure that a forest of hands would immediately rise up, and first of all, this would be done by officers who had long been in the reserve battalion. To my great surprise, nothing of the kind happened, although the battalion commander repeated the appeal to "gentlemen officers" several times. Dead silence reigned in the hall. After several rather harsh reproaches against his subordinates, the old colonel finally said: “After all, you are officers of the Russian army. Who will defend the Motherland? ... I was very ashamed of all the officers who were in the hall ... seeing that none of the older ones expressed a desire to accompany the company going to the front, I and several other ensigns declared their readiness ... Recalling this fact, I would like to note that it is completely unbelievable for officers of the Soviet Armed Forces.

Baptism of fire A.M. Vasilevsky accepted near the city of Khotyn, commanding a half-company of the 409th Novokhopersk Regiment of the 103rd Infantry Division of the 9th Army of the Southwestern Front. In the spring of 1916 he was appointed company commander. “After some time,” Alexander Mikhailovich recalled, “the regiment commander, Colonel Leontyev, recognized her as one of the best in the regiment in terms of training, military discipline and combat capability. It seems to me that success was due to the trust that the soldiers had in me.

In May 1916, the army, in which Vasilevsky served, participated in the offensive, which went down in history as the Brusilovsky Breakthrough. "The hardening that I acquired during the offensive helped me in the future, and the experience of organizing military operations on the scale of various units came in handy during the years of the Civil War."

Commanded a battalion, staff captain. After the revolution in November 1917, he retired on leave and went home to Kineshma. At this time, the general meeting of the regiment, in accordance with the principle of election in force at that time, elected Vasilevsky as its commander. However, the local Council of Deputies did not let Alexander Mikhailovich go back to the army, appointing him an instructor of general education (universal training of the population in military affairs was carried out in accordance with the decree of the Soviet government on the organization of the Workers 'and Peasants' Red Army) of the Ugletsky volost of Kineshma district. In August 1918, having read an advertisement in the newspaper about recruiting personnel for work in the schools of the Tula province, Vasilevsky applied and was sent as a teacher to one of the rural schools in the Novosilsky district. In the spring of 1919, Vasilevsky was drafted into the Red Army by the district military registration and enlistment office and appointed commander of a detachment sent to help the commission to combat the kulaks and banditry. “This short period was of exceptional importance for my later life and work. - Alexander Mikhailovich later recalled. - Becoming a red commander ... I realized that military service is my only vocation ... The Soviet Motherland needs its own army, its own command personnel, including military specialists. And I swore to faithfully serve the people's power. "Soviet Russia or death!" - these are the words that then became the motto of millions of people, including my motto.

In August 1919, in connection with the approach of the White Guard troops of General A.I. Denikin, the Tula province was declared under martial law. Vasilevsky was first appointed commander of a company, then a battalion, and already in October - the newly formed 5th Infantry Regiment of the Tula Infantry Division. The regiment did not have to participate in battles with Denikin, since they failed to break through to Tula. In December 1919, the Tula Division (48th Infantry) was sent to the Western Front, where it participated in the war with Poland. At the request of Vasilevsky, who believed that he did not have enough combat experience, before the start of hostilities he was transferred to the position of assistant (deputy) regiment commander, and then appointed commander of a separate battalion. After the signing of a peace treaty with Poland, the division in which Vasilevsky served participated in the fight against the gangs of S. Bulak-Balakhovich.

After the Civil War, Vasilevsky headed the divisional school for junior officers, and then served as commander of the 143rd Red Banner Regiment for four years. In 1926, he completed a year-long training at the department of commanders of regiments of the shooting-tactical courses "Shot". In 1928, he was appointed commander of the 144th regiment, which was considered lagging behind in the division, weak in discipline and training. Two years later, the regiment took first place at the divisional inspection check.

During this period, V.K. Triandafillov - Chief of Operations and Deputy Chief of Staff of the Red Army, one of the largest Soviet military theorists of that time, whose name is associated with the development of the theory of a deep operation, which outlined the methods of offensive operations equipped with modern military equipment (tanks and aviation) troops. Triandafillov trained as a corps commander, where A.M. Vasilevsky. “As commander of the 144th regiment, for two years I actually almost constantly studied and worked under his leadership,” Alexander Mikhailovich testified. At the initiative of Triandafillov, in 1931, Vasilevsky was transferred to Moscow, by order of the People's Commissar of Defense, to the central office, and appointed to the Combat Training Directorate of the Red Army. Then, in 1934-1936, he served as head of the combat training department of the headquarters of the Volga Military District, and in the fall of 1936 he was enrolled as a student in the newly created General Staff Academy. Many fellow students of Vasilevsky from this, the first set of the Academy, became outstanding commanders and entered their names in the annals of the Great Patriotic War: A.I. Antonov (Chief of the General Staff at the final stage of the war), front commanders I.Kh. Bagramyan, N.F. Vatutin, L.A. Govorov, P.A. Kurochkin, chiefs of staff of the fronts M.V. Zakharov, M.I. Kazakov, G.K. Malandin, L.M. Sandalov, commanders K.D. Golubev, S.G. Trofimenko and others.

In 1937, as a result of the "purge" in the Red Army, many vacancies appeared, to fill which, without completing their studies, students of the Academy were sent. In August 1937, Vasilevsky was unexpectedly appointed head of the logistics department of the Academy, and a month later - head of the department for operational training of the highest command staff of the General Staff of the Red Army. “Then, of course, I did not know that within the walls of the General Staff I would be destined to spend a number of years filled with difficult work, the most difficult in my life,” Alexander Mikhailovich later wrote in his memoirs.

In 1938, Vasilevsky was awarded the rank of brigade commander, he joined the CPSU (b). In 1939, while remaining head of the operational training department, he was appointed concurrently as deputy chief of the operational department of the General Staff. During the Soviet-Finnish war, Chief of the General Staff B.M. Shaposhnikov temporarily made Vasilevsky his deputy for operational issues, since I.V. Smorodinov went to the front. A.M. Vasilevsky wrote in his memoirs: “Remembering that time, again and again I feel a sense of deep gratitude to dear B.M. Shaposhnikov for his great help to me with a kind word, advice and instructions in the hard work I am doing. When, after breaking through the Mannerheim Line, the Finnish government asked for peace, Vasilevsky was included in the Soviet delegation at the talks, preparing proposals for establishing new borders between the USSR and Finland, and then appointed head of the mixed commission for demarcation of the border and its final clarification on the ground.

As a result of the Soviet-Finnish war, serious changes took place in the apparatus of the People's Commissar of Defense. New People's Commissar instead of K.E. Voroshilov became S.K. Timoshenko. Vasilevsky, who was awarded the rank of division commander, was appointed first deputy head of the operations department. In this position, under the leadership of B.M. Shaposhnikov, and then who replaced him as Chief of the General Staff K.A. Meretskov and G.K. Zhukov, he participated in the development of an operational plan for a future "big war" with Germany and its satellites, the threat of aggression from which was becoming more and more real. In November 1940, Vasilevsky was included in the Soviet delegation that was leaving for negotiations in Berlin. “All members of the delegation,” recalled Vasilevsky, “took the general impression of the trip: the Soviet Union must be, as never before, ready to repel fascist aggression.”

Shortly after the start of the Great Patriotic War, in August 1941, Vasilevsky was appointed Deputy Chief of the General Staff, Chief of the Operational Directorate. From that moment on, he regularly began to participate in the meetings of the Headquarters, daily accompanied Shaposhnikov during the meetings of the latter with the Supreme Commander-in-Chief I.V. Stalin. “At that time, we spoke about ourselves more in a critical spirit,” Alexander Mikhailovich later wrote in his memoirs, “and did not always pay due attention to the courage and courage shown by Soviet soldiers in the fight against the enemy ... The start of the war was not only a period when our army experienced setbacks. In those days, she also showed the will to fight, stamina, heroism.

In October 1941, a state of siege was declared from Moscow, and the evacuation of government offices began. The General Staff was also evacuated. At the Headquarters, a task force of ten people was left, headed by Vasilevsky. In the most difficult days of the battle for Moscow, he, in fact, did not leave Stalin, doing a huge amount of work to analyze changes at the front and develop operational and strategic proposals, on the basis of which decisions were made. The following fact testifies to the significance of the work of the Vasilevsky group at Headquarters: as Alexander Mikhailovich recalled, “Stalin himself set a rest for me from 4 to 10 in the morning and checked whether this requirement was being met. Cases of violation caused extremely serious and extremely unpleasant conversations for me. October 28 Vasilevsky was awarded the rank of lieutenant general.

The General Staff returned to Moscow at the end of November, joining in the preparation of the counteroffensive, however, since B.M. Shaposhnikov fell ill, the duties of Chief of the General Staff were temporarily assigned by Stalin to Vasilevsky.

From June 1942 to February 1945, Vasilevsky headed the General Staff, being at the same time (since October 1942) Deputy People's Commissar of Defense of the USSR. He took part in the development and implementation of the largest strategic operations of the Great Patriotic War.

Together with G.K. Zhukov stood at the origins of the plan to encircle and defeat the Nazi troops near Stalingrad. During Operation Uranus, as a representative of the Supreme Command Headquarters, he coordinated the actions of the Soviet fronts. At the critical moment of the battle, when the Germans attempted to release the Paulus army with a counterattack by the Manstein group, Vasilevsky achieved the adoption and implementation of the decision to switch the 2nd Guards Army to the Kotelnichesky direction in order to disrupt the enemy’s plan, despite the doubts of the Supreme Commander and the categorical objections of K.K. Rokossovsky and N.N. Voronova. In January 1943, Vasilevsky coordinated the actions of the Soviet fronts in a successful offensive operation on the Upper Don.

The contribution of the General Staff and personally A.M. Vasilevsky at the turning point of events at the front was so significant that Stalin at the beginning of 1943 twice awarded him the next ranks, first as an army general, and after only a month - as a Marshal of the Soviet Union.

In 1943 A.M. Vasilevsky actively participated in the preparation and implementation of the defeat of the enemy on the Kursk Bulge. Together with G.K. Zhukov defended the idea of ​​holding the Battle of Kursk-Oryol on the basis of a deliberate defense option with a subsequent transition to a counteroffensive. Vasilevsky became a direct witness of the fierce tank battle near Prokhorovka, watching it from the command post of the 5th Guards Tank Army. A telegram sent by him a day later to Stalin said: “Yesterday I personally observed a tank battle of our 18th and 29th tank corps with more than 200 enemy tanks southwest of Prokhorovka. As a result, the battlefield was strewn with burning German and our tanks for an hour. Over the course of two days of fighting, Rotmistrov's 29th Tank Corps (Army) lost up to 60% of tanks irretrievable and temporarily out of action and 30% of tanks lost to the 18th Tank Corps. The Battle of Kursk, in which the Wehrmacht lost 30 divisions and its best tank troops, completed a turning point in the Great Patriotic War.

In 1944, during the liberation of Crimea, Vasilevsky coordinated the actions of the 4th Ukrainian Front, a separate Primorsky Army, the forces of the Black Sea Fleet and the Azov military flotilla; during the liberation of the Right-Bank Ukraine - the actions of the 3rd and 4th Ukrainian fronts; during the liberation of Belarus (Operation Bagration) and the Baltic republics - the actions of the 3rd and 2nd Belorussian fronts, the 1st and 2nd Baltic fronts.

Alexander Mikhailovich spent the lion's share of the time in the troops: out of 34 months of the war as Chief of the General Staff, he spent 22 months at the fronts, without ceasing to simultaneously direct the work of the General Staff, which testifies to his highest organization and efficiency.

Of the 34 months of the war as Chief of the General Staff, he spent 22 months at the front.

Vasilevsky supported young and talented military leaders: it was he who noticed the outstanding abilities of the chief of staff of the front A.I. Antonov, invited him to work in the General Staff, won Stalin's confidence in him. Thanks to Vasilevsky, a young talented general I.D. was appointed commander of the 3rd Belorussian Front. Chernyakhovsky.

After the death of Chernyakhovsky A.M. Vasilevsky was appointed commander of the 3rd Belorussian Front (February 1945) and at the same time a member of the Supreme Command. At the post of Chief of the General Staff, on the recommendation of Alexander Mikhailovich himself, he was replaced by A.I. Antonov.

The troops of the 3rd Belorussian Front were faced with the task of defeating the East Prussian grouping of the enemy and taking Koenigsberg. “Having taken command of the front,” recalled I.Kh. . With the firmness inherent only in very strong-willed military leaders, he outlined a sequence of actions. First, the defeat of the Heilsberg grouping, then the assault on Koenigsberg, and finally, the crushing of the enemy troops on the Zemland Peninsula. Having entrusted me with everything that was connected with the preparation of the assault on Koenigsberg, he seemed to have completely devoted himself to organizing the Hejlsberg operation and led it with extraordinary concreteness and scrupulousness. As soon as the denouement in Hejlsberg became visible, Alexander Mikhailovich switched to Koenigsberg and in a short time completed the defeat of the East Prussian grouping of the enemy.

Hitler declared Koenigsberg "an absolutely impregnable bastion of the German spirit", "the best German fortress in the history of Germany." The assault on the city by Vasilevsky's troops began on April 6, 1945, and three days later it was taken. During the assault on Koenigsberg, bomber aircraft were widely used, including long-range, heavy artillery, and armored forces. The defense of the city could not resist the use of massive means of destruction and the attacking potential of units and formations of the 3rd Belorussian Front.

Personally commanding the troops, Vasilevsky sought to limit losses with his well-thought-out decisions. So, the plan for the capture of Koenigsberg was developed in such a way as to weaken the enemy earlier and only after that proceed to storm the city. According to Army General M.A. Gareev, during this operation, such features of Vasilevsky's military leadership talent as prudence and caution appeared. Vasilevsky himself said the following about this: “I think that every military leader, whether he is a unit or division commander, an army or front commander, should be moderately prudent and cautious. He has such a job that he is responsible for the lives of thousands and tens of thousands of soldiers, and his duty is to weigh, think over, and look for the most optimal ways to accomplish a combat mission. Calculation and caution within the framework of necessity, in my opinion, are not a negative, but a positive quality of a military leader.

During the war years, A.M. Vasilevsky made a brilliant career. Twice during the war years he was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union, and was twice awarded the highest military order "Victory" (1944 and 1945), and the only Soviet military leader received this award as chief of the General Staff, and as front commander. He, like no one else, could objectively assess the actions of the High Command of the Red Army and the generals in leading the armed struggle. Vasilevsky, for example, considered the belated organization of the Voronezh Front in 1942 as his own mistake as chief of the General Staff. “I must say,” Alexander Mikhailovich honestly admitted in his memoirs, “that one of the features of the war is that it requires quick decisions. But in the constantly changing course of hostilities, of course, not only correct, but also not entirely successful decisions were made.

After the capitulation of Germany, A.M. Vasilevsky was appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Soviet troops by the Headquarters of the Supreme Command for the Far East. He planned, prepared and led the Manchurian strategic offensive operation (August 9-September 2, 1945), during which the Japanese Kwantung grouping was defeated. It is rightly considered that the Manchurian operation became the pinnacle of A.M. Vasilevsky, a kind of result of his military activity. It impresses with the grandeur of its conception, the thoroughness of its preparation, its effective implementation, the skilful interaction of the forces of the ground forces, aviation, and navy, and the imposing results achieved. In terms of spatial scope (1.5 million square kilometers, the width of the offensive front is 2,700 kilometers, the depth of advance of the troops of three fronts is from 200 to 800 kilometers), such a strategic operation has not been carried out in the entire history of wars. The losses of the Kwantung group in killed amounted to 83.7 thousand people, captured - about 650 thousand. The irretrievable losses of the Soviet troops - 12 thousand people. Quite characteristic, says General of the Army M.A. Gareev, that “those who recently write a lot about how our army“ filled up the enemy with corpses ”do not like to remember this operation.”

The Manchurian operation became the pinnacle of A.M. Vasilevsky. In terms of its spatial scope, such a strategic operation has not been carried out in the entire history of wars.

After the war, Marshal A.M. Vasilevsky - Chief of the General Staff, Deputy Minister, 1st Deputy Minister, Minister of the Armed Forces of the USSR (in 1950-1953 - Minister of War). In 1953-1957 - deputy. Minister of Defense of the USSR. In 1957, at the insistence of N.S. Khrushchev, he was dismissed. Subsequently, Vasilevsky told K. Simonov that he received this news from Zhukov, who at that time was his deputy. They were driving with Zhukov in a car, and the following conversation took place:

“- How, Sasha, don’t you think that you need to study the history of the war?

This question was unexpected for me, Vasilevsky said, but I immediately understood what was behind this, and directly asked Zhukov:

- What, George, how to understand this? Do you understand that you need to retire? It's time to go?

And Zhukov just answered directly:

- Yes. There was a discussion of this issue, and Khrushchev insists on your resignation.

I resigned after that."

Since 1959, Vasilevsky was in the group of general inspectors of the Ministry of Defense. He died in Moscow at the age of 83. Urn with ashes in the Kremlin wall.

A.M. Vasilevsky was actually the third, after I.V. Stalin and G.K. Zhukov, a figure in the Soviet military leadership in the period 1942-1945. He, like Zhukov, occupied a special place in the Headquarters of the Supreme High Command, systematically and fully engaged in the management of the armed forces on a strategic scale.

An interesting look at the relationship between Vasilevsky and Zhukov. Army General S.P. Ivanov, who knew them well, noted that there was not even a shadow of rivalry between the two outstanding generals. A.M. Vasilevsky “quite definitely gave the palm to G.K. Zhukov", and he, for his part, "always behaved with the Chief of the General Staff as an equal with an equal."

According to the testimony of all who knew him, Vasilevsky was distinguished by self-control, determination, strong will and other qualities necessary for a commander, and at the same time - correctness, great tact, trust in subordinates and respect for their dignity. Vasilevsky did not tolerate approximate data and an unprofessional approach. He had deep professional knowledge, the ability to quickly understand a complex operational and strategic situation and make the best decision. Vasilevsky defended his position on specific operational-strategic issues, if it diverged from Stalin's opinion, with dignity, with weighty arguments - and often achieved success.

Marshal A.M. Vasilevsky remained in history as one of the greatest strategists and commanders of the Great Patriotic War, and the Second World War as a whole. “I am happy and proud,” he wrote in his memoirs, “that in the most difficult time for the Motherland I could take all possible part in the struggle of our valiant Armed Forces and, together with them, experienced the bitterness of our failures and the joy of victory.”

NIKIFOROV Yu.A., Ph.D., Institute of World History of the Russian Academy of Sciences

Marshal A.M. Vasilevsky:

I have to tell young people about the main value in human life. Motherland is our main wealth. Appreciate and cherish this wealth. Think not about what the Motherland can give you. Think about what you can give to the Motherland. This is the main key to a well-meaning life.

In Soviet, and even in progressive foreign literature, the opinion of Vlasov as an opportunist, self-seeker, careerist, traitor has long and irrefutably established itself. Only the renegade A. Solzhenitsyn, who went over to the service of the most reactionary imperialist forces, in his cynical anti-Soviet work "The Gulag Archipelago" sings and praises Vlasov, the Vlasovites and other traitors to the Soviet Motherland, glorifies them because they hated the Soviet order, went against their own Fatherland ... Solzhenitsyn claims that Vlasov was persuaded to go over to the side of the Nazis by the fact that he and his army were abandoned by the Soviet high command to their fate. ... During these events, I held the post of First Deputy Chief of the General Staff and I can responsibly confirm the extremely serious concern that the Supreme Commander-in-Chief showed from day to day about the fate of the troops of the 2nd Shock Army, about the issues of providing all possible assistance to them.

Marshal G.K. Zhukov:

Alexander Mikhailovich was not mistaken in his assessment of the operational-strategic situation. Therefore, it was him that I.V. Stalin sent to the responsible sectors of the Soviet-German front as a representative of the Headquarters. In the course of the war, Vasilevsky's talent as a large-scale military leader and a deep military thinker unfolded in its entirety. In cases where I.V. Stalin did not agree with the opinion of Alexander Mikhailovich, Vasilevsky knew how to convince the Supreme Commander with dignity and weighty arguments that in the given situation no other decision than he proposes should be made.

Army General S.M. Shtemenko:

The better I got to know him, the more I felt deep respect for this soldierly simple and invariably modest, sincere man, a military leader with a capital letter.

Army General M.A. Gareev:

Marshal of the Soviet Union A.M. Vasilevsky proved to be a truly outstanding commander during the Great Patriotic War. He gave all the officers a wonderful example of how much can be achieved if the desire for a great goal, loyalty to military duty and talent are organically combined with complete dedication to the interests of the cause and selfless work.

Compositions

Literature

Marshal A.M. Vasilevsky - strategist, commander, man. M., 2000

Three Marshals of Victory: Based on the materials of scientific conferences dedicated to the 100th anniversary of Marshals G.K. Zhukova, A.M. Vasilevsky, K.K. Rokossovsky. Under total ed. Marshal of the Soviet Union V.G. Kulikov. M., 1999

Stavitsky I.V.(comp.), Photo album “A.M. Vasilevsky. M., 1991

Rzheshevsky O.A., Sukhodeev V.V.Marshal A.M. Vasilevsky and the work of his whole life / Modern and recent history. 2005. №3

Internet

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General of Infantry (1914), Adjutant General (1916). Active participant in the White movement in the Civil War. One of the organizers of the Volunteer Army.

Olsufiev Zakhar Dmitrievich

One of the most famous commanders of Bagrationov's 2nd Western Army. He always fought with exemplary courage. He was awarded the Order of St. George 3rd degree for heroic participation in the Battle of Borodino. He distinguished himself in the battle on the Chernishna (or Tarutinsky) River. The award to him for participating in the defeat of the vanguard of Napoleon's army was the Order of St. Vladimir, 2nd degree. He was called "general with talents". When Olsufiev was captured and was delivered to Napoleon, he said to his entourage the famous words in history: "Only Russians know how to fight like that!"

Stalin Joseph Vissarionovich

He personally took part in the planning and implementation of ALL offensive and defensive operations of the Red Army in the period 1941-1945.

Karyagin Pavel Mikhailovich

Colonel Karyagin's campaign against the Persians in 1805 does not resemble real military history. It looks like a prequel to "300 Spartans" (20,000 Persians, 500 Russians, gorges, bayonet charges, "This is crazy! - No, this is the 17th Jaeger Regiment!"). A golden, platinum page of Russian history, combining the slaughter of madness with the highest tactical skill, delightful cunning and stunning Russian impudence

Platov Matvei Ivanovich

Military ataman of the Don Cossack army. He began active military service at the age of 13. A member of several military companies, he is best known as the commander of the Cossack troops during the Patriotic War of 1812 and during the subsequent Foreign Campaign of the Russian Army. Thanks to the successful actions of the Cossacks under his command, Napoleon's saying went down in history:
- Happy is the commander who has Cossacks. If I had an army of Cossacks alone, then I would conquer all of Europe.

Rumyantsev-Zadunaisky Pyotr Alexandrovich

Most Serene Prince Wittgenstein Peter Khristianovich

For the defeat of the French units of Oudinot and MacDonald at Klyastits, thereby closing the road for the French army to St. Petersburg in 1812. Then in October 1812 he defeated the Saint-Cyr corps at Polotsk. He was the Commander-in-Chief of the Russian-Prussian armies in April-May 1813.

Govorov Leonid Alexandrovich

Stalin (Dzhugashvili) Joseph Vissarionovich

Comrade Stalin, in addition to the atomic and missile projects, together with General of the Army Antonov Alexei Innokentyevich, participated in the development and implementation of almost all significant operations of the Soviet troops in the Second World War, brilliantly organized the work of the rear, even in the first difficult years of the war.

Kuznetsov Nikolai Gerasimovich

He made a great contribution to the strengthening of the fleet before the war; conducted a number of major exercises, became the initiator of the opening of new maritime schools and maritime special schools (later Nakhimov schools). On the eve of Germany's sudden attack on the USSR, he took effective measures to increase the combat readiness of the fleets, and on the night of June 22 he gave the order to bring them to full combat readiness, which made it possible to avoid the loss of ships and naval aviation.

Budyonny Semyon Mikhailovich

Commander of the First Cavalry Army of the Red Army during the Civil War. The First Cavalry Army, which he led until October 1923, played an important role in a number of major operations of the Civil War to defeat the troops of Denikin and Wrangel in Northern Tavria and the Crimea.

Senyavin Dmitry Nikolaevich

Dmitry Nikolaevich Senyavin (August 6 (17), 1763 - April 5 (17), 1831) - Russian naval commander, admiral.
for courage and outstanding diplomatic work shown during the blockade of the Russian fleet in Lisbon

Bagration, Denis Davydov...

The war of 1812, the glorious names of Bagration, Barclay, Davydov, Platov. An example of honor and courage.

Udatny Mstislav Mstislavovich

A real knight, recognized as a fair commander in Europe

Rurikovich Svyatoslav Igorevich

He defeated the Khazar Khaganate, expanded the boundaries of Russian lands, successfully fought with the Byzantine Empire.

Shein Mikhail Borisovich

He led the Smolensk defense against the Polish-Lithuanian troops, which lasted 20 months. Under the command of Shein, repeated attacks were repulsed, despite the explosion and a breach in the wall. He held and bled the main forces of the Poles at the decisive moment of the Time of Troubles, preventing them from moving to Moscow to support their garrison, creating an opportunity to assemble an all-Russian militia to liberate the capital. Only with the help of a defector, the troops of the Commonwealth managed to take Smolensk on June 3, 1611. The wounded Shein was taken prisoner and was taken away with his family for 8 years in Poland. After returning to Russia, he commanded an army that tried to return Smolensk in 1632-1634. Executed on boyar slander. Undeservedly forgotten.

Margelov Vasily Filippovich

The author and initiator of the creation of technical means of the Airborne Forces and methods of using units and formations of the Airborne Forces, many of which embody the image of the Airborne Forces of the USSR Armed Forces and the Russian Armed Forces that currently exists.

General Pavel Fedoseevich Pavlenko:
In the history of the Airborne Forces, and in the Armed Forces of Russia and other countries of the former Soviet Union, his name will remain forever. He personified a whole era in the development and formation of the Airborne Forces, their authority and popularity are associated with his name, not only in our country, but also abroad ...

Colonel Nikolai Fedorovich Ivanov:
Under more than twenty years of Margelov's leadership, the landing troops became one of the most mobile in the combat structure of the Armed Forces, prestigious service in them, especially revered by the people ... The photograph of Vasily Filippovich in demobilization albums went from the soldiers at the highest price - for a set of badges. The competition for the Ryazan Airborne School blocked the figures of VGIK and GITIS, and applicants who failed their exams for two or three months, before snow and frost, lived in the forests near Ryazan in the hope that someone would not withstand the stress and it would be possible to take his place .

Shein Mikhail Borisovich

Governor Shein - the hero and leader of the unprecedented defense of Smolensk in 1609-16011. This fortress decided a lot in the fate of Russia!

Shein Alexey Semyonovich

The first Russian generalissimo. Leader of the Azov campaigns of Peter I.

Paskevich Ivan Fyodorovich

The armies under his command defeated Persia in the war of 1826-1828 and completely defeated the Turkish troops in Transcaucasia in the war of 1828-1829.

Awarded all 4 degrees of the Order of St. George and the Order of St. Apostle Andrew the First-Called with diamonds.

Rumyantsev Petr Alexandrovich

Russian military and statesman, during the entire reign of Catherine II (1761-96) who ruled Little Russia. During the Seven Years' War he commanded the capture of Kolberg. For the victories over the Turks at Larga, Kagul and others, which led to the conclusion of the Kyuchuk-Kainarji peace, he was awarded the title of "Transdanubian". In 1770 he received the rank of Field Marshal. Cavalier of the orders of the Russian St. Andrew the Apostle, St. Alexander Nevsky, St. George 1st class and St. Vladimir I degree, the Prussian Black Eagle and St. Anna I degree

Gorbaty-Shuisky Alexander Borisovich

Hero of the Kazan War, the first governor of Kazan

Karyagin Pavel Mikhailovich

Colonel, Chief of the 17th Jaeger Regiment. He showed himself most clearly in the Persian Company of 1805; when, with a detachment of 500 people, surrounded by a 20,000-strong Persian army, he resisted it for three weeks, not only repulsing the attacks of the Persians with honor, but taking fortresses himself, and finally, with a detachment of 100 people, made his way to Tsitsianov, who was going to help him.

Rurikovich (Grozny) Ivan Vasilyevich

In the variety of perceptions of Ivan the Terrible, they often forget about his unconditional talent and achievements as a commander. He personally led the capture of Kazan and organized military reform, leading the country, which simultaneously waged 2-3 wars on different fronts.

Bobrok-Volynsky Dmitry Mikhailovich

Boyar and governor of the Grand Duke Dmitry Ivanovich Donskoy. "Developer" of the tactics of the Battle of Kulikovo.

Kotlyarevsky Petr Stepanovich

Hero of the Russo-Persian War of 1804-1813 At one time they called the Caucasian Suvorov. On October 19, 1812, at the Aslanduz ford across the Araks, at the head of a detachment of 2221 people with 6 guns, Pyotr Stepanovich defeated the Persian army of 30,000 people with 12 guns. In other battles, he also acted not by number, but by skill.

Chichagov Vasily Yakovlevich

He excellently commanded the Baltic Fleet in the campaigns of 1789 and 1790. He won victories in the battle of Eland (15/07/1789), in Revel (02/05/1790) and Vyborg (06/22/1790) battles. After the last two defeats, which were of strategic importance, the dominance of the Baltic Fleet became unconditional, and this forced the Swedes to make peace. There are few such examples in the history of Russia when victories at sea led to victory in the war. And by the way, the battle of Vyborg was one of the largest in world history in terms of the number of ships and people.

Stalin (Dzhugashvilli) Joseph

Kolchak Alexander Vasilievich

A person who combines the totality of knowledge of a naturalist, scientist and great strategist.

Skopin-Shuisky Mikhail Vasilievich

I beg the military-historical society to correct the extreme historical injustice and add to the list of 100 best commanders, the leader of the northern militia who did not lose a single battle, who played an outstanding role in liberating Russia from the Polish yoke and unrest. And apparently poisoned for his talent and skill.

Yulaev Salavat

The commander of the Pugachev era (1773-1775). Together with Pugachev, having organized an uprising, he tried to change the position of the peasants in society. He won several dinners over the troops of Catherine II.

Kolchak Alexander Vasilievich

Prominent military leader, scientist, traveler and discoverer. Admiral of the Russian Fleet, whose talent was highly appreciated by Sovereign Nicholas II. The Supreme Ruler of Russia during the Civil War, a real Patriot of his Fatherland, a man of tragic, interesting fate. One of those military men who tried to save Russia during the years of unrest, in the most difficult conditions, being in very difficult international diplomatic conditions.

Dubynin Viktor Petrovich

From April 30, 1986 to June 1, 1987 - Commander of the 40th Combined Arms Army of the Turkestan Military District. The troops of this army made up the bulk of the Limited Contingent of Soviet Troops in Afghanistan. During the year of his command of the army, the number of irretrievable losses decreased by 2 times in comparison with 1984-1985.
On June 10, 1992, Colonel-General V.P. Dubynin was appointed Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces - First Deputy Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation
His merits include keeping the President of the Russian Federation B. N. Yeltsin from a number of ill-conceived decisions in the military sphere, primarily in the field of nuclear forces.

Loris-Melikov Mikhail Tarielovich

Known mainly as one of the secondary characters in the story "Hadji Murad" by L.N. Tolstoy, Mikhail Tarielovich Loris-Melikov went through all the Caucasian and Turkish campaigns of the second half of the middle of the 19th century.

Having shown himself excellently during the Caucasian War, during the Kars campaign of the Crimean War, Loris-Melikov led intelligence, and then successfully served as commander-in-chief during the difficult Russian-Turkish war of 1877-1878, having won a number of important victories over the united Turkish troops and in the third once captured Kars, by that time considered impregnable.

Dovator Lev Mikhailovich

Soviet military leader, major general, Hero of the Soviet Union. Known for successful operations to destroy German troops during the Great Patriotic War. The German command appointed a large reward for the head of Dovator.
Together with the 8th Guards Division named after Major General I.V. Panfilov, the 1st Guards Tank Brigade of General M.E. Katukov and other troops of the 16th Army, his corps defended the approaches to Moscow in the Volokolamsk direction.

Brusilov Alexey Alekseevich

One of the best Russian generals of the First World War. In June 1916, the troops of the Southwestern Front under the command of Adjutant General Brusilov A.A., simultaneously striking in several directions, broke through the enemy’s defense in depth and advanced 65 km. In military history, this operation was called the Brusilovsky breakthrough.

Pokryshkin Alexander Ivanovich

Air Marshal of the USSR, the first three times Hero of the Soviet Union, a symbol of victory over the Nazi Wehrmacht in the air, one of the most successful fighter pilots of the Great Patriotic War (WWII).

Participating in air battles of the Great Patriotic War, he developed and "tested" in battles a new tactic of air combat, which made it possible to seize the initiative in the air and eventually defeat the fascist Luftwaffe. In fact, he created a whole school of aces of the Second World War. Commanding the 9th Guards Air Division, he continued to personally participate in air battles, scoring 65 air victories over the entire period of the war.

Barclay de Tolly Mikhail Bogdanovich

In front of the Kazan Cathedral there are two statues of the saviors of the fatherland. Saving the army, exhausting the enemy, the battle of Smolensk - this is more than enough.

Oktyabrsky Philip Sergeevich

Admiral, Hero of the Soviet Union. During the Great Patriotic War, the commander of the Black Sea Fleet. One of the leaders of the Defense of Sevastopol in 1941 - 1942, as well as the Crimean operation of 1944. During the Great Patriotic War, Vice Admiral F.S. Oktyabrsky was one of the leaders of the heroic defense of Odessa and Sevastopol. Being the commander of the Black Sea Fleet, at the same time in 1941-1942 he was the commander of the Sevastopol Defense Region.

Three orders of Lenin
three orders of the Red Banner
two orders of Ushakov 1st degree
Order of Nakhimov 1st class
Order of Suvorov 2nd class
Order of the Red Star
medals

Kazarsky Alexander Ivanovich

Captain Lieutenant. Member of the Russian-Turkish war of 1828-29. He distinguished himself in the capture of Anapa, then Varna, commanding the Rival transport. After that, he was promoted to lieutenant commander and appointed captain of the Mercury brig. On May 14, 1829, the 18-gun brig "Mercury" was overtaken by two Turkish battleships "Selimiye" and "Real Bey". Having accepted an unequal battle, the brig was able to immobilize both Turkish flagships, one of which was the commander of the Ottoman fleet himself. Subsequently, an officer from the Real Bey wrote: “In the continuation of the battle, the commander of the Russian frigate (the infamous Raphael, which surrendered without a fight a few days earlier) told me that the captain of this brig would not give up, and if he lost hope, then he would blow up the brig If in the great deeds of ancient and our times there are feats of courage, then this act should overshadow all of them, and the name of this hero is worthy to be inscribed in gold letters on the temple of Glory: he is called Lieutenant Commander Kazarsky, and the brig is "Mercury"

Kosich Andrey Ivanovich

1. During his long life (1833 - 1917) A. I. Kosich went from non-commissioned officer to general, commander of one of the largest military districts of the Russian Empire. He took an active part in almost all military campaigns from the Crimean to the Russian-Japanese. He was distinguished by personal courage and bravery.
2. According to many, "one of the most educated generals of the Russian army." He left many literary and scientific works and memoirs. He patronized the sciences and education. He has established himself as a talented administrator.
3. His example served the development of many Russian military leaders, in particular, Gen. A. I. Denikin.
4. He was a resolute opponent of the use of the army against his people, in which he disagreed with P. A. Stolypin. "The army should shoot at the enemy, not at its own people."

Stalin Joseph Vissarionovich

The largest figure in world history, whose life and state activity left the deepest mark not only in the fate of the Soviet people, but also of all mankind, will be the subject of careful study of historians for more than one century. The historical and biographical feature of this personality is that it will never be forgotten.
During Stalin's tenure as Supreme Commander-in-Chief and Chairman of the State Defense Committee, our country was marked by victory in the Great Patriotic War, massive labor and front-line heroism, the transformation of the USSR into a superpower with significant scientific, military and industrial potential, and the strengthening of our country's geopolitical influence in the world.
Ten Stalinist strikes - the common name for a number of major offensive strategic operations in the Great Patriotic War, carried out in 1944 by the armed forces of the USSR. Along with other offensive operations, they made a decisive contribution to the victory of the countries of the Anti-Hitler coalition over Nazi Germany and its allies in World War II.

The greatest commander of the Second World War. Two people in history were awarded the Order of Victory twice: Vasilevsky and Zhukov, but after the Second World War, it was Vasilevsky who became the Minister of Defense of the USSR. His military genius is unsurpassed by ANY military leader in the world.

Bennigsen Leonty Leontievich

Surprisingly, a Russian general who did not speak Russian, who made up the glory of Russian weapons at the beginning of the 19th century.

He made a significant contribution to the suppression of the Polish uprising.

Commander-in-Chief in the Battle of Tarutino.

He made a significant contribution to the campaign of 1813 (Dresden and Leipzig).

Khvorostinin Dmitry Ivanovich

Outstanding commander of the second half of the XVI century. Oprichnik.
Genus. OK. 1520, died on August 7 (17), 1591. At the voivodship posts since 1560. Participated in almost all military enterprises during the independent reign of Ivan IV and the reign of Fyodor Ioannovich. He has won several field battles (including: the defeat of the Tatars near Zaraisk (1570), the Battle of Molodinskaya (during the decisive battle he led the Russian troops in Gulyai-gorod), the defeat of the Swedes at Lyamits (1582) and not far from Narva ( 1590)). He led the suppression of the Cheremis uprising in 1583-1584, for which he received the boyar rank.
According to the totality of the merits of D.I. Khvorostinin is much higher than M.I. Vorotynsky. Vorotynsky was more noble and therefore he was more often entrusted with the general leadership of the regiments. But, according to the commander's talents, he was far from Khvorostinin.

Ivan the Terrible

He conquered the Astrakhan kingdom, to which Russia paid tribute. Destroyed the Livonian Order. Expanded the borders of Russia far beyond the Urals.

Eremenko Andrey Ivanovich

Commander of the Stalingrad and South-Eastern fronts. The fronts under his command in the summer-autumn of 1942 stopped the advance of the German 6th field and 4th tank armies on Stalingrad.
In December 1942, the Stalingrad Front of General Eremenko stopped the tank offensive of the group of General G. Goth on Stalingrad, in order to unblock the 6th army of Paulus.

Vladimir Svyatoslavich

981 - the conquest of Cherven and Przemysl. 983 - the conquest of the Yatvags. 984 - the conquest of the natives. 985 - successful campaigns against the Bulgars, the taxation of the Khazar Khaganate. 988 - the conquest of the Taman Peninsula. 991 - the subjugation of the White Croats. 992 - successfully defended Cherven Rus in the war against Poland. in addition, the saint is equal to the apostles.

Stalin Joseph Vissarionovich

He was the Supreme Commander during the Great Patriotic War, in which our country won, and made all strategic decisions.

Kolchak Alexander Vasilievich

Russian admiral who gave his life for the liberation of the Fatherland.
Scientist-oceanographer, one of the largest polar explorers of the late 19th - early 20th centuries, military and political figure, naval commander, full member of the Imperial Russian Geographical Society, leader of the White Movement, Supreme Ruler of Russia.

Suvorov Alexander Vasilievich

The great Russian commander, who did not suffer a single defeat in his military career (more than 60 battles), one of the founders of Russian military art.
Prince of Italy (1799), Count of Rymnik (1789), Count of the Holy Roman Empire, Generalissimo of the Russian land and sea forces, Field Marshal of the Austrian and Sardinian troops, grandee of the Sardinian kingdom and prince of royal blood (with the title "king's cousin"), knight of all Russian orders of their time, awarded to men, as well as many foreign military orders.

Stalin Joseph Vissarionovich

Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces of the USSR during the Great Patriotic War. Under his leadership, the Red Army crushed fascism.

Stalin Joseph Vissarionovich

The commander-in-chief of the Red Army, which repelled the attack of Nazi Germany, liberated Evroppa, the author of many operations, including "Ten Stalinist strikes" (1944)

Kappel Vladimir Oskarovich

Without exaggeration - the best commander of the army of Admiral Kolchak. Under his command, in 1918, Russia's gold reserves were captured in Kazan. At the age of 36 - lieutenant general, commander of the Eastern Front. The Siberian Ice Campaign is associated with this name. In January 1920, he led 30,000 "Kappelevites" to Irkutsk to capture Irkutsk and release the Supreme Ruler of Russia, Admiral Kolchak, from captivity. The death of the general from pneumonia largely determined the tragic outcome of this campaign and the death of the Admiral ...

Suvorov Alexander Vasilievich

He is a great commander who did not lose a single (!) Battle, the founder of Russian military affairs, brilliantly fought battles, regardless of its conditions.

Alexander Mikhailovich Vasilevsky (September 18 (30), 1895 - December 5, 1977) - Soviet military leader, Marshal of the Soviet Union (1943), chief of the General Staff, member of the Headquarters of the Supreme High Command. During the Great Patriotic War, as Chief of the General Staff (1942-1945), he took an active part in the development and implementation of almost all major operations on the Soviet-German front. From February 1945 he commanded the 3rd Belorussian Front, led the assault on Königsberg. In 1945, he was commander-in-chief of the Soviet troops in the Far East in the war with Japan. One of the greatest commanders of World War II.
In 1949-1953 - Minister of the Armed Forces and Minister of War of the USSR. Twice Hero of the Soviet Union (1944, 1945), holder of two Orders of Victory (1944, 1945).

Ermak Timofeevich

Russian. Cossack. Ataman. Defeated Kuchum and his satellites. Approved Siberia as part of the Russian state. He devoted his whole life to military work.

Gurko Joseph Vladimirovich

Field Marshal General (1828-1901) Hero of Shipka and Plevna, Liberator of Bulgaria (a street in Sofia was named after him, a monument was erected). In 1877 he commanded the 2nd Guards Cavalry Division. To quickly capture some of the passes through the Balkans, Gurko led an advance detachment, composed of four cavalry regiments, an infantry brigade and a newly formed Bulgarian militia, with two batteries of horse artillery. Gurko completed his task quickly and boldly, won a series of victories over the Turks, ending with the capture of Kazanlak and Shipka. During the struggle for Plevna, Gurko, at the head of the troops of the guard and cavalry of the western detachment, defeated the Turks near Gorny Dubnyak and Telish, then again went to the Balkans, occupied Entropol and Orkhanie, and after the fall of Plevna, reinforced by the IX Corps and the 3rd Guards Infantry Division , despite the terrible cold, he crossed the Balkan Range, took Philippopolis and occupied Adrianople, opening the way to Constantinople. At the end of the war, he commanded military districts, was a governor-general, and a member of the state council. Buried in Tver (settlement Sakharovo)

Muravyov-Karssky Nikolai Nikolaevich

One of the most successful commanders of the middle of the 19th century in the Turkish direction.

Hero of the first capture of Kars (1828), leader of the second capture of Kars (the biggest success of the Crimean War, 1855, which made it possible to end the war without territorial losses for Russia).

Voronov Nikolai Nikolaevich

N.N. Voronov - commander of the artillery of the Armed Forces of the USSR. For outstanding services to the Motherland Voronov N.N. the first in the Soviet Union were awarded the military ranks of "Marshal of Artillery" (1943) and "Chief Marshal of Artillery" (1944).
... carried out the general leadership of the liquidation of the Nazi group surrounded near Stalingrad.

Suvorov Alexander Vasilievich

according to the only criterion - invincibility.

Stalin Joseph Vissarionovich

He was the Supreme Commander of the USSR during the Great Patriotic War! Under his leadership, the USSR won the Great Victory during the Great Patriotic War!

Svyatoslav Igorevich

Grand Duke of Novgorod, from 945 Kyiv. Son of Grand Duke Igor Rurikovich and Princess Olga. Svyatoslav became famous as a great commander, whom N.M. Karamzin called "Alexander (Macedonian) of our ancient history."

After the military campaigns of Svyatoslav Igorevich (965-972), the territory of the Russian land increased from the Volga to the Caspian, from the North Caucasus to the Black Sea, from the Balkan Mountains to Byzantium. Defeated Khazaria and Volga Bulgaria, weakened and frightened the Byzantine Empire, opened the way for trade between Russia and Eastern countries

Chapaev Vasily Ivanovich

01/28/1887 - 09/05/1919 life. Head of a division of the Red Army, participant in the First World War and the Civil War.
Cavalier of three St. George's crosses and the St. George medal. Cavalier of the Order of the Red Banner.
On his account:
- Organization of the county Red Guard of 14 detachments.
- Participation in the campaign against General Kaledin (near Tsaritsyn).
- Participation in the campaign of the Special Army against Uralsk.
- An initiative to reorganize the Red Guard detachments into two regiments of the Red Army: them. Stepan Razin and them. Pugachev, united in the Pugachev brigade under the command of Chapaev.
- Participation in battles with the Czechoslovaks and the People's Army, from whom Nikolaevsk was recaptured, renamed in honor of the brigade in Pugachevsk.
- Since September 19, 1918, the commander of the 2nd Nikolaev division.
- From February 1919 - Commissar of Internal Affairs of the Nikolaevsky district.
- From May 1919 - brigade commander of the Special Alexander-Gai Brigade.
- Since June - the head of the 25th Infantry Division, which participated in the Bugulma and Belebeev operations against Kolchak's army.
- The capture by the forces of his division on June 9, 1919 of Ufa.
- The capture of Uralsk.
- A deep raid by a Cossack detachment with an attack on the well-guarded (about 1000 bayonets) and located in the deep rear of the city of Lbischensk (now the village of Chapaev, West Kazakhstan region of Kazakhstan), where the headquarters of the 25th division was located.

Stalin Joseph Vissarionovich

Stalin during the Patriotic War led all the armed forces of our country and coordinated their combat operations. It is impossible not to note his merits in the competent planning and organization of military operations, in the skillful selection of military leaders and their assistants. Joseph Stalin proved himself not only as an outstanding commander who skillfully led all fronts, but also as an excellent organizer who did a great job of increasing the country's defense capability both in the pre-war and war years.

A short list of military awards I.V. Stalin received during the Second World War:
Order of Suvorov, 1st class
Medal "For the Defense of Moscow"
Order "Victory"
Medal "Gold Star" Hero of the Soviet Union
Medal "For the Victory over Germany in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945"
Medal "For the Victory over Japan"

Suvorov Alexander Vasilievich

For the highest art of military leadership and boundless love for the Russian soldier

Barclay de Tolly Mikhail Bogdanovich

It's simple - It was he, as a commander, who made the greatest contribution to the defeat of Napoleon. He saved the army in the most difficult conditions, despite misunderstanding and heavy accusations of betrayal. It was to him that our great poet Pushkin, practically a contemporary of those events, dedicated the verse "Commander".
Pushkin, recognizing the merits of Kutuzov, did not oppose him to Barclay. To replace the common alternative “Barclay or Kutuzov”, with the traditional resolution in favor of Kutuzov, Pushkin came to a new position: both Barclay and Kutuzov are both worthy of the grateful memory of their descendants, but everyone honors Kutuzov, but Mikhail Bogdanovich Barclay de Tolly is undeserved forgotten.
Pushkin mentioned Barclay de Tolly even earlier, in one of the chapters of "Eugene Onegin" -

Thunderstorm of the twelfth year
It has come - who helped us here?
The frenzy of the people
Barclay, winter or Russian god?...

Denikin Anton Ivanovich

One of the most talented and successful commanders of the First World War. A native of a poor family, he made a brilliant military career, relying solely on his own virtues. Member of the REV, WWI, graduate of the Nikolaev Academy of the General Staff. He fully realized his talent commanding the legendary "Iron" brigade, then deployed into a division. Participant and one of the main characters of the Brusilov breakthrough. He remained a man of honor even after the collapse of the army, a prisoner of Bykhov. Member of the ice campaign and commander of the All-Russian Union of Youth. For more than a year and a half, having very modest resources and far inferior in number to the Bolsheviks, he won victory after victory, freeing a huge territory.
Also, do not forget that Anton Ivanovich is a wonderful and very successful publicist, and his books are still very popular. An extraordinary, talented commander, an honest Russian man in a difficult time for the Motherland, who was not afraid to light a torch of hope.

Prince Monomakh Vladimir Vsevolodovich

The most remarkable of the Russian princes of the pre-Tatar period of our history, who left behind great fame and a good memory.

Kotlyarevsky Petr Stepanovich

Hero of the Russo-Persian War of 1804-1813
"General Meteor" and "Caucasian Suvorov".
He fought not in numbers, but in skill - first, 450 Russian soldiers attacked 1,200 Persian sardars in the Migri fortress and took it, then 500 of our soldiers and Cossacks attacked 5,000 askers at the crossing over the Araks. More than 700 enemies were exterminated, only 2,500 Persian fighters managed to escape from ours.
In both cases, our losses are less than 50 killed and up to 100 wounded.
Further, in the war against the Turks, with a swift attack, 1000 Russian soldiers defeated the 2000th garrison of the Akhalkalaki fortress.
Then, again in the Persian direction, he cleared Karabakh of the enemy, and then, with 2,200 soldiers, defeated Abbas-Mirza with a 30,000-strong army near Aslanduz, a village near the Araks River. In two battles, he destroyed more than 10,000 enemies, including English advisers and artillerymen.
As usual, Russian losses were 30 killed and 100 wounded.
Kotlyarevsky won most of his victories in night assaults on fortresses and enemy camps, preventing the enemies from coming to their senses.
The last campaign - 2000 Russians against 7000 Persians to the fortress of Lankaran, where Kotlyarevsky almost died during the assault, lost consciousness at times from blood loss and pain from wounds, but still, until the final victory, he commanded the troops as soon as he regained consciousness, and after that he was forced to be treated for a long time and move away from military affairs.
His feats for the glory of Russia are much cooler than the "300 Spartans" - for our generals and warriors more than once beat the 10-fold superior enemy, and suffered minimal losses, saving Russian lives.

General Ermolov

Nakhimov Pavel Stepanovich

Romanov Petr Alekseevich

Behind the endless discussions about Peter I as a politician and reformer, it is unfairly forgotten that he was the greatest commander of his time. He was not only an excellent rear organizer. In the two most important battles of the Northern War (the battles of Lesnaya and Poltava), he not only developed battle plans himself, but also personally led the troops, being in the most important, responsible areas.
The only commander I know of was equally talented in both land and sea battles.
The main thing is that Peter I created a national military school. If all the great commanders of Russia are the heirs of Suvorov, then Suvorov himself is the heir of Peter.
The Battle of Poltava was one of the greatest (if not the greatest) victory in Russian history. In all other great predatory invasions of Russia, the general battle did not have a decisive outcome, and the struggle dragged on, went to exhaustion. And only in the Northern War did the general battle radically change the state of affairs, and from the attacking side the Swedes became the defender, decisively losing the initiative.
I think that Peter I deserves to be in the top three in the list of the best commanders of Russia.

Vorotynsky Mikhail Ivanovich

“The compiler of the charter of the guard and border service” is, of course, good. For some reason, we have forgotten the battle of YOUTH from July 29 to August 2, 1572. But it was precisely from this victory that Moscow's right to a lot was recognized. The Ottomans were recaptured a lot of things, they were very sobered by the thousands of destroyed Janissaries, and unfortunately they helped Europe with this. The battle of YOUTH is very difficult to overestimate

Nevsky Alexander Yaroslavich

He defeated the Swedish detachment on July 15, 1240 on the Neva and the Teutonic Order, the Danes in the Battle of the Ice on April 5, 1242. All his life he "won, but was invincible." He played an exceptional role in Russian history in that dramatic period when Russia was hit from three sides - the Catholic West, Lithuania and the Golden Horde. He defended Orthodoxy from Catholic expansion. He is revered as a holy saint. http://www.pravoslavie.ru/put/39091.htm Marshal of the Soviet Union. Chief of Staff of the Southwestern Front, then at the same time the headquarters of the troops of the Southwestern direction, commander of the 16th (11th Guards Army). From 1943 he commanded the troops of the 1st Baltic and 3rd Belorussian fronts. He showed military leadership talent and especially distinguished himself during the Belarusian and East Prussian operations. He stood out for his ability to prudently and flexibly respond to imminent changes in the situation.

K.K. Rokossovsky

The intelligence of this marshal connected the Russian army with the Red Army.

Brusilov Alexey Alekseevich

An outstanding commander of the First World War, the founder of a new school of strategy and tactics, who made a huge contribution to overcoming the positional impasse. He was an innovator in the field of military art and one of the most prominent military leaders in Russian military history.
Cavalry General A. A. Brusilov showed the ability to manage large operational military formations - the army (8th - 05.08. 1914 - 03.17. May 21, 1917), a group of fronts (Supreme Commander-in-Chief - May 22, 1917 - July 19, 1917).
The personal contribution of A. A. Brusilov manifested itself in many successful operations of the Russian army during the First World War - the Battle of Galicia in 1914, the Battle of the Carpathians in 1914/15, the Lutsk and Czartoryi operations in 1915 and, of course, in the Offensive of the South-Western Front in 1916 city ​​(the famous Brusilovsky breakthrough).

The Great Patriotic War found Major General Vasilevsky in the General Staff, in the position of Deputy Chief of Operations. Less than two months later, he was appointed Chief of Operations and Deputy Chief of the General Staff. As you know, Shaposhnikov was the Chief of the General Staff.

Together with Shaposhnikov, Vasilevsky participates in meetings of the Headquarters in the Kremlin. And in December 1941, during Shaposhnikov's illness, Vasilevsky acted as chief of the General Staff.

A. M. Vasilevsky played a key role in organizing the defense of Moscow and the counteroffensive, which began at the end of 1941. In these tragic days, when the fate of Moscow was being decided, from October 16 to the end of November, he led the task force to serve the Headquarters. The responsibilities of the group included knowing and correctly assessing the events at the front, constantly informing the Headquarters about them, in connection with changes in the front situation, reporting their proposals to the Supreme High Command, quickly and accurately developing plans and directives. The task force, as can be seen from this list of duties, was the brain and heart of the grandiose military operation, called the Battle of Moscow.

In April 1942, Vasilevsky was promoted to the rank of Colonel General, and in June of the same year he took the post of Chief of the General Staff.

All the time of the Battle of Stalingrad, Vasilevsky, as a representative of the Headquarters, was in Stalingrad, coordinating the interaction of the fronts. He plays a decisive role in repulsing the Manstein group. In January 1943, Vasilevsky was awarded the rank of General of the Army, he was awarded the Order of Suvorov, 1st degree. And in less than a month, which is extremely unusual, he became a Marshal of the Soviet Union.

It was Vasilevsky who came up with the idea of ​​conducting a defensive operation, with a subsequent transition to a counteroffensive during the Battle of Kursk. It was he who convinced Stalin and other representatives of the General Staff to do just that. In the midst of the Battle of Kursk, he coordinated the actions of the Voronezh and Steppe fronts. Vasilevsky personally observed the tank battle near Prokhorovka from the position of his command post.

Vasilevsky planned and directed operations to liberate Donbass, Crimea and southern Ukraine. On the day of the capture of Odessa in April 1944, Vasilevsky was awarded the Order of Victory. He became the second holder of this order. The first was Zhukov.

When Sevastopol was liberated, in early May 1944, Vasilevsky personally drove around the city, and his car came across a mine. Marshal was wounded. The wound was light, but he had to be treated in Moscow for some time.

However, already at the end of May, Marshal Vasilevsky was leaving for the front to command the actions of the 1st Baltic and 3rd Belorussian fronts during Operation Bagration. For the liberation of the Baltic states and Belarus, on July 29, 1944, Vasilevsky was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union with the Order of Lenin and the Gold Star medal.

In February 1945, the commander of the 3rd Belorussian Front, Chernyakhovsky, died. Vasilevsky was appointed in his place. In this position, he led the assault on Koenigsberg - an operation that was included in all military textbooks.