The personality of this man is firmly connected with the White movement and the island of Crimea - the last stronghold and fragment of the Russian Empire.

Biography and activities of Peter Wrangel

Baron Pyotr Nikolaevich Wrangel was born on August 15, 1878 in the city of Novoaleksandrovsk. Wrangel's ancestors were Swedes. For several centuries, the Wrangel family of many famous military leaders, sailors and polar explorers. Peter's father was an exception, preferring the career of an entrepreneur to a military career. He saw the same with his eldest son.

The childhood and youth years of Pyotr Wrangel passed in Rostov-on-Don. There he graduated from a real school. In 1900 - the gold medal of the Mining Institute in St. Petersburg. In 1901, the mining engineer Wrangel was called up for a mandatory one-year military service. He serves as a volunteer in the prestigious Life Guards Cavalry Regiment. However, Wrangel does not like to serve in peacetime. He prefers to become an official for special assignments under the Irkutsk Governor-General and retires only with the rank of cornet. This continues until .

Then Wrangel returns to the army, actively participates in hostilities, and is awarded the Anninsky weapon for bravery. Wrangel's long letters home from the battlefields, being revised by his mother, were published in the journal Historical Bulletin. In 1907, Wrangel was introduced to the emperor and transferred to his native regiment. He continues his education at the Nikolaev Academy of the General Staff. In 1910 he completed his studies, but did not remain with the General Staff.

In August 1907, Olga Ivanenko, daughter of a chamberlain and maid of honor of the Empress's court, became Wrangel's wife. By 1914, the family already had three children. Wrangel became the first Knight of St. George in the outbreak of the World War. His wife accompanied Wrangel on the fronts of the war, worked as a nurse. Wrangel often and for a long time talked with. The baron commands the Cossack units. Wrangel rose through the ranks not quickly, but fully deserved.

Unlike many liberal intellectuals and colleagues - and Denikin, Wrangel met with hostility the February Revolution and the decrees of the Provisional Government, undermining the very foundation of the army. His then insignificant rank and position made him an outsider of the big political game among the highest ranks of the army. Wrangel, as best he could, actively opposed the elected soldiers' committees and fought to maintain discipline. Kerensky made an attempt to involve Wrangel in the defense of Petrograd from the Bolsheviks, but he defiantly resigned.

After the October Revolution, Wrangel was reunited with his family in the Crimea. In February 1918, the revolutionary sailors of the Black Sea Fleet arrested the baron, and only the intercession of his wife saves him from inevitable execution. German troops occupy Ukraine. Wrangel meets with the Ukrainian hetman Skoropadsky, his former colleague. Commander-in-Chief Denikin in 1919 appoints Wrangel commander of the so-called. Volunteer army. However, their personal relationship is hopelessly damaged.

In April 1920, Denikin was deposed, and Wrangel was elected the new commander. Wrangel was at the head - the last piece of Russian land, still free from the Bolsheviks, only seven months. The defense of Perekop covered the evacuation of the civilian population. In November 1920, the remnants of the White Army left Russia forever through Kerch, Sevastopol, Evpatoria. Wrangel died of transient consumption on April 25, 1928 in Brussels. According to one version of modern historians, it was provoked by agents of the OGPU.

• The legendary white Circassian coat of Wrangel under the pen of Makovsky in the poem "Good!" turned into black - for the sake of sound expressiveness.

Petr Nikolaevich

Battles and victories

Russian military leader, participant in the Russian-Japanese and First World Wars, lieutenant general (1918), Knight of St. George, one of the leaders of the White movement in Russia during the Civil War, head of the defense of Crimea (1920).

The “last knight of the Russian Empire” and “black baron” Wrangel became famous as one of the largest leaders of the White movement and Russian emigration, but not many people know him as a talented cavalry officer who distinguished himself during the First World War.

Baron Pyotr Nikolayevich Wrangel was born on August 15 (27), 1878 in a family that belonged to an old Baltic noble family, which traced its history back to the 13th century from Henrikus de Wrangel, a knight of the Teutonic Order. P.N. himself Wrangel was a direct descendant of the Swedish field marshal German the Elder (17th century): his great-grandson Georgy Gustav was a colonel under Charles XII, and his son Georg Hans (1727-1774) became a major in the Russian army. Being in the Russian service, the Wrangels (not only in the direct line of Peter Nikolayevich) were participants in almost all the wars that Russia waged in the 18th-19th centuries, held high positions in the public service, and some became well-known public figures. Since the Wrangel family managed to intermarry with many noble families, among the ancestors of the “black baron” was the “Arap of Peter the Great” A.P. Hannibal (great-grandfather of A.S. Pushkin).

Father of the future leader of the White movement N.E. Wrangel worked for the Russian Society of Shipping and Trade (the largest shipping company in the country), and also served on the board of several coal-mining joint-stock companies in Rostov. It was here, in the South of Russia, that the Wrangel family estate was located, where Pyotr Nikolaevich spent his childhood. From a very early age, he was distinguished from his peers by his high growth, strength, agility and extraordinary mobility. His father loved hunting, which he took his sons to: “I was a passionate hunter and I didn’t hit a large animal badly with a bullet, but, alas, I was a poodle every now and then. I never learned to shoot in flight from excessive vehemence, and the boys, to their great pride and my embarrassment, soon put me in my belt, especially Peter.

After the tragic death of the youngest son Vladimir, the Wrangel family moved to St. Petersburg in 1895. My father managed to find his place in financial circles thanks to his connections with S.Yu. Witte (then Minister of Finance) and A.Yu. Rotshtein (director of the St. Petersburg International Commercial Bank). Petr Nikolayevich entered the Mining Institute, the leading educational institution of the empire for the training of engineering personnel. The institute itself at that time was a "hotbed" of freethinking. Young Wrangel, a convinced monarchist and a nobleman to the marrow of his bones, stood out from the general student mass, was accepted in high society. Having shown brilliant results in his studies, in 1901 he graduated from the institute with a gold medal.

After that, Pyotr Nikolaevich, as a "volunteer", was drafted into the Life Guards Horse Regiment (where the Wrangels traditionally served), one of the elite regiments of the guards cavalry, which was part of the 1st brigade of the 1st guards cavalry division. The emperor himself was the honorary commander of the horse guards. A year later, having passed the exam in the 1st category at the Nikolaev Cavalry School, P.N. Wrangel received the first officer rank of cornet. However, the young and violent disposition of the hereditary nobleman played a cruel joke on him: due to a drunken stunt, which the commander of the regiment Trubetskoy became an accidental witness, the candidacy of Pyotr Nikolaevich was voted out during the officer's vote, which determined the possibility of further service in the regiment.

Leaving military service, he went to the disposal of the Irkutsk Governor-General A.I. Panteleev as an official for special assignments. However, not even two years had passed before the Russo-Japanese War began, and Pyotr Nikolaevich voluntarily joined the Manchurian army, where he ended up with the rank of cornet in the 2nd Argun Cossack regiment. He was a member of the detachment of the famous General P.K. von Rennenkampf, one of the best cavalry commanders of the time. Note that it was in the Trans-Baikal Cossack regiments that officers from the guards cavalry served, who stood up to defend their country. The period of the Russo-Japanese War gave the young baron useful contacts that helped him in his future career.

Wrangel became a member of numerous transitions and skirmishes with the enemy. During the battle on the river. Shahe, he was an orderly at the detachment of General Lyubavin, communicating between him and General Rennenkampf, as well as the cavalry of General Samsonov. In December 1904, "for distinction in cases against the Japanese," Wrangel received the rank of centurion. In May 1905, he was transferred to the 2nd hundred of the Separate Intelligence Division, and after the end of hostilities he was assigned the rank of cavalier. As P.N., who served with him, wrote: Shatilov: "In the Manchurian war, Wrangel instinctively felt that fighting was his element, and combat work was his vocation." According to the memoirs of N.E. Wrangel, General Dokhturov (a descendant of the famous hero of the war of 1812) spoke of Pyotr Nikolaevich as follows: “I talked a lot with your son, collected detailed information about him. He will be a real soldier. Let him stay in the service even after the war. He will go far."

After the end of the Russo-Japanese War, Wrangel was transferred to the 55th Finnish Dragoon Regiment (with the rank of staff captain), from where he was almost immediately assigned to the Northern Detachment of the Retinue of Major General Orlov, who was involved in the suppression of revolutionary uprisings in the Baltic states. During the revolution, loyalty to the throne was generously rewarded. Already in May 1906, Nicholas II personally deigned to welcome Peter Nikolayevich the Order of St. Anna of the 3rd class, and at the beginning of 1907, also not without the help of the emperor, he again entered the service in the Life Guards Horse Regiment, the commander of which (until 1911) was General Khan Nakhichevan.

Coming from a rich and noble family, a guards officer, he quickly became his friend in the highest circles. He married the daughter of the chamberlain of the Imperial Court and a large landowner, Olga Mikhailovna Ivanenko, the maid of honor of Empress Alexandra Feodorovna. Among Wrangel's colleagues in the regiment were representatives of the imperial dynasty: Vl.kn. Dmitry Pavlovich and Prince. John Konstantinovich. As General P.N. Shatilov: “He was a secular man who loved society, the most beautiful dancer and conductor at balls and an indispensable participant in officer comradely meetings. Already in his youth, he had an amazing ability to express his opinion on all sorts of issues with unusual vividness, figuratively and briefly. This made him an extremely interesting conversationalist.” His fondness for Piper Heidsick champagne earned him the nickname "Piper". The baron, who had a bright charisma, was not without a certain noble arrogance, which was only intensified by a nervous character. This affected relations with people of lower status. So, in one store, he felt that the clerk was rude to his mother and threw him out the window.

In the interwar years, Wrangel entered the elite Nikolaev Academy of the General Staff, where he again showed brilliant academic abilities - now in mastering the military sciences. As his son Alexei Petrovich said: “Once, at an exam in higher mathematics, Wrangel got an easy question, he quickly coped with it and wrote down the solution. His neighbor, a Cossack officer, got a difficult ticket, and Wrangel exchanged with him, receiving in return a decidedly new, more difficult task, which he also successfully coped with. This episode was also included in the memoirs of Wrangel's classmate at the Academy of Marshal B.M. Shaposhnikov, however, the participants are rearranged in them, and the baron is exposed in an unsightly light, as if he could not cope with a complex mathematical problem and actually forced the Cossack to give him a ticket. Considering that Pyotr Nikolaevich had a gold medal from the Mining Institute of Engineering, Shaposhnikov's version of his mathematical mediocrity does not seem plausible. In 1910, Wrangel graduated from the academy as one of the best, but he did not want to leave for a staff position, and therefore he was soon sent to the Cavalry Officer School, after which he returned to his regiment in 1912. Here Wrangel received command of His Majesty's squadron, in 1913 - the rank of captain and the 3rd squadron.

I'm not fit to be a general staff officer. Their task is to advise the bosses and put up with the fact that the advice will not be accepted. I'm too fond of carrying out my own opinion.

P.N. Wrangel

From the very beginning of the First World War, Wrangel was at the front. Together with his regiment, he ended up in the cavalry corps of Khan of Nakhichevan, who acted on the right flank of the 1st Russian army of General von Rennenkampf. Already on August 16, the cavalry crossed the border of East Prussia in the Shirvindt area (now the village of Pobedino, Kaliningrad region). Before the Russian troops, the 8th German army was unfolding, which was gathering in the area of ​​​​the river. Angerapp to give a decisive battle.

After crossing the border, Rennenkampf's troops fought their way forward. On August 19 (6), the commander decided to send a cavalry corps around the left flank of the enemy in the direction of Insterburg. Nakhichevansky (admittedly, an incompetent general) failed to fulfill the order. In the area of ​​​​the village of Caushen (now the village of Kashino), he unexpectedly ran into the 2nd Landwehr Brigade. Despite their maneuverability advantage, the cavalrymen dismounted and became involved in a protracted battle. Several attempts to go on the attack were repulsed. However, by the end of the day, the situation was objectively leaning towards the Russians: the training of our cavalry (compared to the German reserves), as well as numerical and fire superiority, had an effect. The Germans began to retreat, leaving two guns as cover, whose limbers were hit by our artillery fire.

It was at this time that the famous feat of P.N. Wrangel, who, along with his squadron, was in reserve. As the commander of the Life Guards Horse Regiment, General B.E. Hartmann: “Wrangel could not find a place for himself from impatience. News of casualties, of dead comrades, reached him and only strengthened his protest against the fact that he had to remain in the rear when his comrades were fighting. Finally, he couldn't bear it. By this time, Lieutenant Gerschelman drove up to the head of the 1st Guards Cavalry Division, General Kaznakov, from the observation post of His Majesty's 1st Battery and reported that the enemy's guns were in a difficult situation and that if the dismounted units were helped with fresh forces, the guns could be captured. Hearing this, Wrangel began to literally beg to be allowed to attack him ... ”Having received permission, he led a decisive attack on horseback. The Germans fired several volleys that hit the horses (a horse was killed near Wrangel), the Russian guards reached the guns and captured them (later they were exhibited as trophies in Petrograd).

It was this Kaushensky battle that was repeatedly replicated in various articles and memoirs of white émigrés. And there is nothing surprising here: it was the first (and in fact, the only one of its kind) equestrian attack of the First World War, the first serious combat episode of the Russian guards cavalry, and - a formal victory. The Germans retreated, but Nakhichevan did not pursue: heavy losses and high ammunition consumption forced him to withdraw his cavalry to the rear. Due to its absence on the right flank during the Gumbinnen battle, the 1st Army was almost completely defeated. Rennenkampf negatively assessed the tactical actions of the Nakhichevan cavalry in this battle.

However, she did not take heroism, and given that among the dead and distinguished were representatives of many noble families, this clash became known in high society and at court. Khan Nakhichevansky also contributed to the dissemination of information, apparently trying to use it in intrigues against Rennenkampf. One way or another, but this caused a stream of St. George awards, which, by the way, bypassed the heads of divisions. If, nevertheless, we abstract from the general context, then one cannot but recognize the heroism of many officers, and first of all, Baron Wrangel, who, among others, became a Knight of the Order of St. George 4th Art. (one of the first in the outbreak of the war).

Later, together with his regiment, Wrangel participated in the advance deep into East Prussia towards Koenigsberg, which was accompanied by separate skirmishes. In early September, the 1st brigade of the 1st Guards Cavalry Division was withdrawn from the front and placed at the disposal of the commandant of the Kovno fortress, General V.N. Grigoriev. On the way to the rear of the Life Guards, the Horse and Cavalier Guard regiments stopped in Insterburg (now Chernyakhovsk, Kaliningrad Region), where the headquarters of the 1st Army was located. On September 5 (August 23) a solemn parade was held here. As V.N. Zvegintsev: “To the sound of regimental marches, cavalry general von Rennenkampf walked around the line, greeted the regiments and thanked them for their combat work. At the end of the prayer service, the Cavalier Guards and Horse Guards presented for the St. George's Crosses and medals were called before the formation, and the army commander, in the name of the Sovereign Emperor, distributed the first military awards. At the end of the ceremonial march, the regiments dispersed to their apartments to the sounds of trumpeters and called songwriters. Soon they were loaded into trains and sent to Kovno. It should be noted that in modern Chernyakhovsk a memorial plaque was erected in memory of this parade.

A few days later, the 1st Army began a hasty retreat to the border, and then beyond the river. Neman. The withdrawal of troops was accompanied not only by fierce fighting, but also by panic in the rear. While in Kovno, Wrangel paid a friendly visit to Rennenkampf, during which he proposed using parts of the guards cavalry to restore order. This idea was supported by the commander. As a result, on September 15-16 (2-3), two squadrons of the Life Guards Cavalry Regiment (including the one commanded by Pyotr Nikolayevich himself) were sent to the Mariampol region, where they quickly managed to restore order in the rear of the 20th corps.

By mid-September, the situation at the front had changed dramatically. The Germans invaded the territory of Russia, capturing the August forests. At the same time, in Galicia, Russian troops defeated the Austro-Hungarians, and therefore the Germans, saving their ally, transferred the main forces from East Prussia.

In mid-September, on the basis of the guards cavalry brigade, the Consolidated Cavalry Division was formed, General P.P. Skoropadsky (in 1918 hetman of Ukraine), and the chief of staff - captain P.N. Wrangell. At first, the division was intended for the defense of Warsaw, but then it was transferred to the 10th Army, with which at the end of September it participated in the battles for the return of the Augustow forests. During them, parts of the weakened 8th German Army (the main forces at that time were developing an offensive against Warsaw) were forced out of the border. The division limited itself to individual clashes, undermining bridges, as well as reconnaissance, delivering a number of valuable information. Bad weather conditions and supply problems had a negative impact on the horse composition. Already on October 6 (September 23), when it was not possible to develop a further offensive, the Consolidated Division was reorganized into the Guards Cuirassier Division, which was taken to rest in the Baranovichi region, where the Headquarters of the Supreme Commander was located. Here the horse guards took over the duties of its protection. Wrangel was appointed deputy commander of the Life Guards Cavalry Regiment for the combat unit.

P.N. Wrangel with a cadet

In October Emperor Nicholas II visited Headquarters. At his command, Wrangel was awarded the Order of St. Vladimir IV degree with swords and a bow. In the diaries of the autocrat, there was such an entry dated October 23 (10): “Friday .... After the report, Barka received Kostya, who had returned from Ostashevo, and the company. L.-Gv. Horse shelf bar. Wrangel, the first Knight of St. George in this campaign. Already in December, an appointment was made to the Suite (adjutant wing), which testified to Wrangel's special closeness to the person of the sovereign. A few days later he received the rank of colonel.

Wrangel returned to the front only in January 1915. At first, his division was located on the river. Pilitsa, and a month later it was transferred to the 10th Army: by that time it had been forced out of East Prussia beyond the Neman and Beaver rivers with heavy losses. At the end of February, an offensive was launched by the armies of the North-Western Front, which went down in history under the name of the Prasnysh operation. On March 2, in the area of ​​Mariampol, the 3rd Corps went on the offensive, and the 1st Brigade of the 1st Guards Cavalry Division was sent to guard its right flank.

Our units gradually moved forward. On March 5 (February 20), having assumed command of two squadrons, Wrangel led them across the enemy retreating from the village of Daukshe. Despite the frost and the fact that in the ravines the horses fell into the snow and slid along the icy hillocks, the horse guards managed to jump out onto the road along which the enemy retreated, capturing 14 prisoners, 15 horses, four charging boxes and two wagons with a wagon. For this feat, P.N. Wrangel was awarded the St. George weapon.

In the future, the horse guards remained in the area, mainly conducting reconnaissance. The situation changed at the end of April 1915, when the Germans concentrated their main forces on the Russian front, seeking to withdraw Russia from the war. At the beginning of May (according to the new style), the front in the Gorlitsa region was broken through, our armies of the Southwestern Front began to retreat. A deadly threat hung over the troops stationed in Russian Poland from all sides. Supply problems and the growing demoralization of the personnel only exacerbated the situation, while the fate of the country depended on the stamina of these troops.

Colonel Wrangel took part in the defensive battles of the North-Western Front. In early June, as part of his division, he fought at the Kozlovo-Rudsky positions, on the outskirts of the strategic fortress of Kovno. He personally directed the actions of various squadrons, which had a particularly hard time due to the low morale of neighboring infantry units. Only by mid-June, the Kozlovo-Rudsky forests were finally abandoned, and the horse guards withdrew to the Neman.

The established calm only preceded the storm. In June, a new 5th Army of the talented General P.A. began to form in this direction. Plehve, which was supposed to prevent the enemy from entering our rear. After some time, the cavalry corps of General Kaznakov was created, which included the 1st Guards Cavalry Division. Combat clashes began in July, the 5th Army defended itself and gradually retreated, and the cavalry corps covered its left flank. Only by the end of the month, the troops broke away from the enemy, entrenched themselves, and the cavalry retreated beyond the river. Svent. As the German General Pozek later wrote: “It should be noted that the Russian cavalry that stood against us fully completed its task - to delay the enemy’s advance, buy time and cover the withdrawal of its units.” Colonel Wrangel, of course, also made his contribution.

In the future, he, along with his regiment, participated in the battles on the river. Svente, and in September - in the elimination of the Sventsyansky breakthrough, when the German cavalry went deep into our rear. In October, when the situation at the front had already calmed down, Pyotr Nikolaevich was appointed commander of the 1st Nerchinsk regiment of the Ussuri cavalry brigade (later deployed into a division), commanded by the famous General A.M. Krymov ("the third checker of the Russian army"). The brigade had been fighting for several months in cooperation with the guards cavalry, and therefore its strengths and weaknesses were known to Wrangel. When translating, by the way, he was given the following description: “Outstanding courage. Understands the situation perfectly and quickly, very resourceful in a difficult situation. Under his leadership, such well-known future leaders of the White movement in the east as Baron von Ungern and Ataman Semyonov fought in the Nerchinsk regiment.

In 1916, the Ussuri Division was transferred to the Southwestern Front, where it took part in the Brusilov breakthrough. In mid-August, the Nerchintsy withstood a heavy battle with the 43rd German regiment, and in mid-September, during the fighting in the Carpathians, they captured 118 prisoners, as well as a large amount of weapons and ammunition. For this, the Nerchinsk regiment received gratitude from the emperor, and Tsarevich Alexei was appointed its chief.

At the end of 1916, the Ussuri division was transferred to the Romanian front. Wrangel himself in mid-January 1917 was appointed commander of the 1st brigade of the Ussuri cavalry division, and a little later, for military merit, he received promotion to major general.

Wrangel's attitude to the cardinal political changes that the February Revolution brought was sharply negative. Of course, he was aware of the difficulties that Russia faced during the First World War. He also saw the gradually growing discontent and disintegration of the parts. However, all this could not be a reason for him to support the political opportunism of the Februaryists. When the manifesto of Grand Duke Mikhail Alexandrovich was read out about his unwillingness to accept the throne, Pyotr Nikolaevich declared: "This is the end, this is anarchy." The beginning of the collapse of the army only confirmed the correctness of these words.

With the fall of the Tsar, the very idea of ​​power fell, in the concept of the Russian people all obligations binding it disappeared, while power and these obligations could not be replaced by anything corresponding.

P.N. Wrangel

Soon Wrangel broke up with his boss, General Krymov, who took command of the entire 3rd Cavalry Corps. Either the split occurred over political issues, or the conflict consisted in a view of the role of the army in consolidating power - as a result, Wrangel refused to take command of the Ussuri Cavalry Division and left for Petrograd. Here he tried to create his own underground military organization, which was supposed to carry out a military coup and appoint L.G. Kornilov. However, at the end of April, he left the post of commander of the Petrograd Military District and left for the army, putting an end to the implementation of Wrangel's plans.

Only in the second half of July, at the height of the summer offensive of 1917, did he receive a new appointment - the head of the 7th Cavalry Division. Arriving at the front, Wrangel began by putting the quartermaster service in order. In the future, the division carried out active operations to cover the retreat of decaying infantry units. Wrangel was appointed commander of the Consolidated Corps, which operated at the junction of two armies. Sometimes it was necessary to resort to force to restore order and prevent looting. As the chief of staff, Colonel V.N. von Dreyer: “Wrangel, very brave and independent, in fact, did not need a chief of staff; he decided everything himself. Sometimes he only asked my opinion; personally gave orders, rushed at a gallop throughout the day from one regiment of the division to another, but often lost control of the battle .... It was easy to serve with him in the war, but not always pleasant, before that he was a restless person. He always wanted to do something, did not give anyone a moment's rest, even in those days when standing in reserve for weeks, there was absolutely nothing to do.

The withdrawal of the Consolidated Corps was accompanied by separate battles. So, on July 25 (12), he withstood the onslaught of enemy cavalry. Then the enemy opened a powerful artillery fire, panic began in the troops. Wrangel decided to act by his own example. Later he wrote his memoirs: “I commanded “attention” and, sitting down at the table, demanded tea for myself. A new projectile roared through the air and hit somewhere nearby, exploded. One fragment, buzzing loudly, fell near the table so that I, without getting up from my chair, could bend down to take it. I picked up the fragment and, turning to the nearest regiment, shouted to the soldiers: “Take the guys, hot one, for tea for a snack!” and tossed the shard to the nearest soldier. In one minute, faces brightened, laughter was heard, there was not a trace of recent anxiety ... From that day on, I felt that the regiments were in my hands, that that psychological connection between the commander and subordinates, which is the power of each army, was established. The next day, a telegram was received: “I ask you to personally accept and convey to all the officers, Cossacks and soldiers of the Consolidated Cavalry Corps, especially the Kinburn Dragoons and the Donets, my heartfelt gratitude for the dashing actions of the corps on July 12, which ensured a calm withdrawal of units at the junction of armies. Kornilov. Wrangel was awarded a special St. George's Cross 4th Art. with a laurel branch (a soldier's insignia awarded to officers).

During the Kornilov speech, Wrangel decided to stay on his side, but he did not take decisive action. As you know, the Kornilov uprising failed, and a threat hung over Wrangel. The situation was corrected by General D.G. Shcherbachev (at that time the actual commander-in-chief of the Romanian front), who called him to him. In September, Wrangel was appointed commander of the 3rd Cavalry Corps, but he never took command: General P.N. took him into his own hands. Krasnov.

After the October Revolution and the actual dispersal of the Headquarters, Wrangel went to his family in Yalta. Here he lived until the spring of 1918, survived the arrest by the revolutionary authorities and only miraculously escaped execution. Then Pyotr Nikolaevich left for Kyiv, however, from the offer of cooperation from P.P. Skoropadsky refused, deciding to join the Volunteer Army, which was increasingly active in southern Russia.

Only in September 1918 did Baron Wrangel arrive in the "white" Yekaterinodar. Here he was very warmly received by A.I. Denikin, who gave him command first of a brigade, and then of the 1st cavalry division. It is worth noting that in those days in the Volunteer Army, only participants in the Ice Campaign (beginning of 1918) were tried to be promoted to senior command posts, but an exception was made for Pyotr Nikolayevich: he was a well-known cavalry commander, and the White movement needed his talent . As a close friend of the Denikin family D.V. Lekhovich: “The services that Wrangel rendered to the army lived up to expectations. From the very beginning, he showed himself to be an outstanding cavalry commander, well versed in a combat situation, able to take responsibility and make decisions on the spot. Appreciating the qualities of a commander in him - the art of maneuver, impulse and energy, General Denikin, completely trusting Wrangel, with sincere joy promoted him in his service.

Wrangel fought in the Maykop direction. Already in October, Armavir was captured, and in November - Stavropol. By the end of the year, Pyotr Nikolaevich received command of the corps, as well as the shoulder straps of a lieutenant general. And on December 31 (according to the old style), a large group of Reds was defeated near the village. Holy Cross (now Budennovsk). At the end of January 1919, during the next reorganization of the White troops, Wrangel became the commander of the Caucasian Volunteer Army, which very quickly liberated the entire North Caucasus from the enemy.

In May, he took command of the Kuban Army, which, under his command, stopped the advance of the 10th Red Army and forced them to retreat to Tsaritsyn. However, Wrangel did not limit himself to individual successes: he launched an offensive against this heavily fortified city, which fell at the end of June. Not only Wrangel's talent for maneuver played a role here, but also the presence of tanks that broke through the barbed wire.

The successes of the White Guards in the spring-summer of 1919 literally intoxicated the commander-in-chief A.I. Denikin, who, seeking to develop success, in early July gave the "Moscow Directive", which aimed to capture the capital. Wrangel protested: he advised attacking Saratov and joining forces with Kolchak. The "Black Baron" (Wrangel was nicknamed so for his traditional uniform - a black Cossack Circassian coat with gazyrs) was forced to obey his superiors and organize a further offensive. However, exhausted by previous battles, Wrangel's army could not successfully move forward: it was soon thrown back to Tsaritsyn, where it entrenched itself, repelling one enemy attack after another.

In the autumn of 1919, the Reds regrouped and defeated the White units advancing on Moscow. In December, Wrangel received the Volunteer Army, which fought in the strategic direction, but he failed to stop the retreat. Arriving in the troops, he was faced with their decay, rampant drunkenness and robberies. Pyotr Nikolaevich tried to restore order, but, alas, by the time he was appointed, time had been lost.

Against this background, a conflict with Denikin began to flare up. Wrangel demanded decisive, tough measures, and his criticism often took on the character of "I told you so." Denikin did not like this, who believed that he violated the chain of command (especially when he began to distribute a critical report throughout the army). All this coincided with a political confrontation, when certain right-monarchist circles expressed dissatisfaction with the commander in chief and wanted the popular Wrangel to take his place. However, at the beginning of 1920, he was removed from the command of the Volunteer Army, went to the rear, and then was forced to emigrate to Turkey altogether.

The exile did not last long. Dissatisfaction with Denikin was gaining momentum, and he was forced to give in. In April, he resigned and, under pressure from certain circles, appointed P.N. Wrangel, who soon arrived in Russia.

The war years greatly changed Peter Nikolaevich: the young horse guard turned into a brave cavalryman, a lover of secular amusements into a statesman and a deeply religious person, an arrogant nobleman into a hero beloved by the troops, and "Piper" into a "black baron".

Having headed the Armed Forces of the South of Russia, Wrangel managed to create literally a miracle, for some time inhaling hope for the possibility of success. He reorganized the troops, began to actively fight against looting and the decomposition of personnel, and the created government of A.V. Krivoshein initiated a series of long-awaited (and already belated) reforms. Foreign policy was actively developing, in particular, cooperation with France, which was recognized by the white government de facto. The summer offensive brought individual victories, but all this only delayed the sad end: the forces of the opponents were unequal. The autumn offensive of the Reds put an end to the revived illusions. Wrangel had to give the order to evacuate.

Ruler of the South of Russia and Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Army.

Russian people. Left alone in the fight against the rapists, the Russian army is waging an unequal battle, defending the last piece of Russian land where law and truth exist.

In the consciousness of the responsibility lying on me, I am obliged to foresee all accidents in advance.

By my order, the evacuation and boarding of ships in the ports of Crimea has already begun for all those who shared the path of the Cross with the army, the families of military personnel, officials of the civil department, with their families, and individuals who could be in danger in the event of the arrival of the enemy.

The army will cover the landing, bearing in mind that the vessels necessary for its evacuation are also in full readiness in ports, according to the established schedule. To fulfill the duty to the army and the population, everything has been done within the limits of human strength.

Our further paths are full of uncertainty.

We have no other land except Crimea. There is no state treasury. Frankly, as always, I warn everyone of what awaits them.

May the Lord send strength and wisdom to all to overcome and survive the Russian hard times.

General Wrangel

In exile

In exile, the "black baron" tried to maintain the combat effectiveness of the Russian troops. The Russian All-Military Union (ROVS) was created - the largest military organization in exile. Wrangel became chairman, who sought to establish its activities. His life was cut short for everyone unexpectedly: he became seriously ill and died suddenly in 1928. Considering the fate of some of his successors as chairman of the ROVS (generals Kutepov and Miller liquidated by the NKVD), it is not surprising that the death of Pyotr Nikolayevich Wrangel was also the result of intelligence operations.

PAKHALYUK K., Member of the Russian Association
historians of the First World War

Literature

Memories of General Baron P.N. Wrangel. M., 1992. Part 1.

The commander-in-chief of the Russian army, General Baron P.N. Wrangell. On the tenth anniversary of his death on April 12/25, 1938, Ed. A.A. von Lampe. Berlin, 1938.

Dreyer V.N. At the end of an empire. Madrid, 1965.

History of L.Gv. Cavalry Regiment / Ed. A.P. Tuchkova, V.I. Vuicha. Paris, 1964. V.3.

Cherkasov-Georgievsky V.G. General P.N. Wrangell. The last knight of the Russian Empire. M., 2004.

Internet

Margelov Vasily Filippovich

Creator of the modern Airborne Forces. When for the first time the BMD parachuted with the crew, the commander in it was his son. In my opinion, this fact speaks of such a remarkable person as V.F. Margelov, everyone. About his devotion to the Airborne Forces!

Barclay de Tolly Mikhail Bogdanovich

Full Knight of the Order of St. George. In the history of military art, according to Western authors (for example: J. Witter), he entered as the architect of the strategy and tactics of "scorched earth" - cutting off the main enemy troops from the rear, depriving them of supplies and organizing a guerrilla war in their rear. M.V. Kutuzov, after taking command of the Russian army, in fact, continued the tactics developed by Barclay de Tolly and defeated Napoleon's army.

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.

Nevsky, Suvorov

Undoubtedly holy noble prince Alexander Nevsky and Generalissimo A.V. Suvorov

Rokhlin Lev Yakovlevich

He headed the 8th Guards Army Corps in Chechnya. Under his leadership, a number of districts of Grozny were taken, including the presidential palace. For participation in the Chechen campaign, he was presented with the title of Hero of the Russian Federation, but refused to accept it, saying that “he has no moral right to receive this award for military operations on the territory of his own countries".

Golovanov Alexander Evgenievich

He is the creator of the Soviet long-range aviation (ADD).
Units under the command of Golovanov bombed Berlin, Koenigsberg, Danzig and other cities in Germany, attacked important strategic targets behind enemy lines.

Izylmetiev Ivan Nikolaevich

Commanded the frigate "Aurora". He made the transition from St. Petersburg to Kamchatka in a record time for those times in 66 days. In the bay, Callao eluded the Anglo-French squadron. Arriving in Petropavlovsk, together with the governor of the Kamchatka Territory, Zavoyko V. organized the defense of the city, during which the sailors from the Aurora, together with the local residents, threw into the sea an outnumbering Anglo-French landing force. Then he took the Aurora to the Amur Estuary, hiding it there .After these events, the British public demanded trial of the admirals who lost the Russian frigate.

Blucher, Tukhachevsky

Blucher, Tukhachevsky and the whole galaxy of heroes of the Civil War. Don't forget Budyonny!

Shein Mikhail

Hero of the Smolensk Defense 1609-11
He led the Smolensk fortress in the siege for almost 2 years, it was one of the longest siege campaigns in Russian history, which predetermined the defeat of the Poles during the Troubles

Spiridov Grigory Andreevich

Became a sailor under Peter I, participated in the Russian-Turkish war (1735-1739) as an officer, finished the Seven Years' War (1756-1763) as rear admiral. The peak of his naval and diplomatic talent reached during the Russian-Turkish war of 1768-1774. In 1769, he led the first transition of the Russian fleet from the Baltic to the Mediterranean Sea. Despite the difficulties of the transition (among those who died from diseases was the admiral's son - his grave was recently found on the island of Menorca), he quickly established control over the Greek archipelago. The Chesme battle in June 1770 remained unsurpassed in terms of loss ratio: 11 Russians - 11 thousand Turks! On the island of Paros, the Aouz naval base was equipped with coastal batteries and its own Admiralty.
The Russian fleet withdrew from the Mediterranean Sea after the conclusion of the Kuchuk-Kainarji peace in July 1774. The Greek islands and the lands of the Levant, including Beirut, were returned to Turkey in exchange for territories in the Black Sea region. Nevertheless, the activities of the Russian fleet in the Archipelago were not in vain and played a significant role in world naval history. Russia, having made a strategic maneuver with the forces of the fleet from one theater to another and having achieved a number of high-profile victories over the enemy, for the first time forced to talk about itself as a strong maritime power and an important player in European politics.

Zhukov Georgy Konstantinovich

Successfully commanded the Soviet troops during the Great Patriotic War. Among other things, he stopped the Germans near Moscow, took Berlin.

Denikin Anton Ivanovich

Russian military leader, political and public figure, writer, memoirist, publicist and military documentary.
Member of the Russo-Japanese War. One of the most productive generals of the Russian Imperial Army during the First World War. Commander of the 4th Rifle "Iron" Brigade (1914-1916, since 1915 - deployed under his command into a division), 8th Army Corps (1916-1917). Lieutenant General of the General Staff (1916), commander of the Western and Southwestern Fronts (1917). An active participant in the military congresses of 1917, an opponent of the democratization of the army. He expressed support for the Kornilov speech, for which he was arrested by the Provisional Government, a member of the Berdichevsky and Bykhov sittings of generals (1917).
One of the main leaders of the White movement during the Civil War, its leader in the South of Russia (1918-1920). He achieved the greatest military and political results among all the leaders of the White movement. Pioneer, one of the main organizers, and then commander of the Volunteer Army (1918-1919). Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the South of Russia (1919-1920), Deputy Supreme Ruler and Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Army, Admiral Kolchak (1919-1920).
Since April 1920 - an emigrant, one of the main political figures of the Russian emigration. The author of the memoirs "Essays on Russian Troubles" (1921-1926) - a fundamental historical and biographical work about the Civil War in Russia, the memoirs "The Old Army" (1929-1931), the autobiographical story "The Way of the Russian Officer" (published in 1953) and a number of other works.

Baklanov Yakov Petrovich

An outstanding strategist and a mighty warrior, he earned respect and fear of his name from the invincible highlanders who forgot the iron grip of the "Thunderstorm of the Caucasus". At the moment - Yakov Petrovich, a model of the spiritual strength of a Russian soldier in front of the proud Caucasus. His talent crushed the enemy and minimized the time frame of the Caucasian War, for which he received the nickname "Boklu" akin to the devil for his fearlessness.

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.

In the conditions of the decomposition of the Russian state during the Time of Troubles, with minimal material and human resources, he created an army that defeated the Polish-Lithuanian interventionists and liberated most of the Russian state.

Zhukov Georgy Konstantinovich

He made the greatest contribution as a strategist to the victory in the Great Patriotic War (it is also the Second World War).

Rumyantsev-Zadunaisky Pyotr Alexandrovich

Chernyakhovsky Ivan Danilovich

To a person to whom this name does not say anything - there is no need to explain and it is useless. To the one to whom it says something - and so everything is clear.
Twice Hero of the Soviet Union. Commander of the 3rd Belorussian Front. The youngest front commander. Counts,. that of the army general - but before his death (February 18, 1945) he received the title of Marshal of the Soviet Union.
He liberated three of the six capitals of the Union Republics captured by the Nazis: Kyiv, Minsk. Vilnius. Decided the fate of Keniksberg.
One of the few who pushed back the Germans on June 23, 1941.
He held the front in Valdai. In many ways, he determined the fate of repelling the German offensive on Leningrad. He kept Voronezh. Freed Kursk.
He successfully advanced until the summer of 1943. Having formed the top of the Kursk Bulge with his army. Liberated the Left Bank of Ukraine. Take Kyiv. Repelled Manstein's counterattack. Liberated Western Ukraine.
Carried out the operation Bagration. Surrounded and captured by his offensive in the summer of 1944, the Germans then humiliatedly marched through the streets of Moscow. Belarus. Lithuania. Neman. East Prussia.

Uvarov Fedor Petrovich

At the age of 27 he was promoted to general. Participated in the campaigns of 1805-1807 and in the battles on the Danube in 1810. In 1812 he commanded the 1st artillery corps in the army of Barclay de Tolly, and later - the entire cavalry of the combined armies.

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

Sheremetev Boris Petrovich

Dolgorukov Yury Alekseevich

An outstanding statesman and military leader of the era of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, prince. Commanding the Russian army in Lithuania, in 1658 he defeated hetman V. Gonsevsky in the battle of Verki, taking him prisoner. This was the first time after 1500 when a Russian governor captured the hetman. In 1660, at the head of an army sent under Mogilev, besieged by the Polish-Lithuanian troops, he won a strategic victory over the enemy on the Basya River near the village of Gubarevo, forcing hetmans P. Sapieha and S. Czarnetsky to retreat from the city. Thanks to the actions of Dolgorukov, the "front line" in Belarus along the Dnieper was preserved until the end of the war of 1654-1667. In 1670, he led an army sent to fight against the Cossacks of Stenka Razin, in the shortest possible time suppressed the Cossack rebellion, which later led to the Don Cossacks swearing allegiance to the tsar and the transformation of the Cossacks from robbers into "sovereign servants".

Drozdovsky Mikhail Gordeevich

He managed to bring his subordinate troops to the Don in full force, fought extremely effectively in the conditions of the civil war.

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).

Suvorov Alexander Vasilievich

Outstanding Russian commander. He successfully defended the interests of Russia both from external aggression and outside the country.

Skopin-Shuisky Mikhail Vasilievich

A talented commander who proved himself during the Time of Troubles at the beginning of the 17th century. In 1608, Skopin-Shuisky was sent by Tsar Vasily Shuisky to negotiate with the Swedes in Novgorod the Great. He managed to agree on Swedish assistance to Russia in the fight against False Dmitry II. The Swedes recognized Skopin-Shuisky as the undisputed leader. In 1609, with the Russian-Swedish army, he came to the rescue of the capital, which was under siege by False Dmitry II. In the battles near Torzhok, Tver and Dmitrov, he defeated detachments of adherents of the impostor, liberated the Volga region from them. He removed the blockade from Moscow and entered it in March 1610.

Tsesarevich and Grand Duke Konstantin Pavlovich

Grand Duke Konstantin Pavlovich, the second son of Emperor Paul I, received the title of Tsarevich in 1799 for participation in the Swiss campaign of A.V. Suvorov, retaining it until 1831. In the Battle of Austrlitz, he commanded the Guards Reserve of the Russian Army, took part in the Patriotic War of 1812, and distinguished himself in the foreign campaigns of the Russian Army. For the "battle of the peoples" at Leipzig in 1813 he received the "golden weapon" "For courage!". Inspector General of the Russian Cavalry, since 1826 Viceroy of the Kingdom of Poland.

Chernyakhovsky Ivan Danilovich

The only one of the commanders, who on 06/22/1941 carried out the order of the Stavka, counterattacked the Germans, threw them back in his sector and went on the offensive.

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.

Antonov Alexey Inokent'evich

Chief strategist of the USSR in 1943-45, practically unknown to society
"Kutuzov" World War II

Humble and dedicated. Victorious. The author of all operations since the spring of 1943 and the victory itself. Others gained fame - Stalin and the commanders of the fronts.

Kornilov Vladimir Alekseevich

During the outbreak of the war with England and France, he actually commanded the Black Sea Fleet, until his heroic death he was the immediate superior of P.S. Nakhimov and V.I. Istomin. After the landing of the Anglo-French troops in Evpatoria and the defeat of the Russian troops on the Alma, Kornilov received an order from the commander-in-chief in the Crimea, Prince Menshikov, to flood the ships of the fleet in the roadstead in order to use sailors to defend Sevastopol from land.

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.

Benigsen Leonty

An unfairly forgotten commander. Having won several battles against Napoleon and his marshals, he drew two battles with Napoleon, losing one battle. Participated in the battle of Borodino. One of the contenders for the post of commander-in-chief of the Russian army during the Patriotic War of 1812!

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.

Saltykov Petr Semenovich

One of those commanders who managed to exemplary defeat one of the best commanders of Europe in the 18th century - Frederick II of Prussia

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.

Stalin Joseph Vissarionovich

People's Commissar of Defense of the USSR, Generalissimo of the Soviet Union, Supreme Commander. Brilliant military leadership of the USSR in World War II.

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

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!

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

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).

Alekseev Mikhail Vasilievich

An outstanding member of the Russian Academy of the General Staff. The developer and executor of the Galician operation - the first brilliant victory of the Russian army in the Great War.
Saved from the encirclement of the troops of the North-Western Front during the "Great Retreat" of 1915.
Chief of Staff of the Russian Armed Forces in 1916-1917
Supreme Commander of the Russian Army in 1917
Developed and implemented strategic plans for offensive operations in 1916-1917.
He continued to defend the need to preserve the Eastern Front after 1917 (the Volunteer Army is the basis of the new Eastern Front in the ongoing Great War).
Slandered and slandered in relation to various so-called. "Masonic military lodges", "conspiracy of generals against the Sovereign", etc., etc. - in terms of emigrant and modern historical journalism.

Kolovrat Evpaty Lvovich

Ryazan boyar and governor. During the Batu invasion of Ryazan, he was in Chernigov. Having learned about the invasion of the Mongols, he hastily moved to the city. Having caught Ryazan all incinerated, Evpaty Kolovrat with a detachment of 1700 people began to catch up with Batu's army. Having overtaken them, he destroyed their rearguard. He also killed the strong heroes of the Batyevs. He died on January 11, 1238.

Suvorov Alexander Vasilievich

A commander who has not lost a single battle in his career. He took the impregnable fortress of Ishmael, the first time.

Brusilov Alexey Alekseevich

During the First World War, the commander of the 8th Army in the Battle of Galicia. On August 15-16, 1914, during the Rogatin battles, he defeated the 2nd Austro-Hungarian army, capturing 20 thousand people. and 70 guns. Galich was taken on August 20. The 8th Army takes an active part in the battles near Rava-Russkaya and in the Battle of Gorodok. In September he commanded a group of troops from the 8th and 3rd armies. September 28 - October 11, his army withstood the counterattack of the 2nd and 3rd Austro-Hungarian armies in the battles on the San River and near the city of Stryi. During the successfully completed battles, 15 thousand enemy soldiers were captured, and at the end of October his army entered the foothills of the Carpathians.

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.

Gavrilov Petr Mikhailovich

From the first days of the Great Patriotic War - in the army. Major Gavrilov P.M. from June 22 to July 23, 1941 led the defense of the Eastern Fort of the Brest Fortress. He managed to rally around him all the surviving fighters and commanders of various units and subunits, close the most vulnerable places for the enemy to break through. On July 23, he was seriously wounded by a shell explosion in the casemate and was captured in an unconscious state. He spent the war years in the Nazi concentration camps of Hammelburg and Revensburg, having experienced all the horrors of captivity. Liberated by Soviet troops in May 1945. http://warheroes.ru/hero/hero.asp?Hero_id=484

Momyshuly Bauyrzhan

Fidel Castro called him a hero of World War II.
He brilliantly put into practice the tactics developed by Major General I.V. Panfilov of fighting with small forces against an enemy many times superior in strength, which later received the name "Momyshuly's spiral".

Ushakov Fedor Fedorovich

The great Russian naval commander, who won victories at Fedonisi, Kaliakria, at Cape Tendra and during the liberation of the islands of Malta (Ioanian Islands) and Corfu. He discovered and introduced a new tactic of naval combat, with the rejection of the linear formation of ships and showed the tactics of "alluvial formation" with an attack on the flagship of the enemy fleet. One of the founders of the Black Sea Fleet and its commander in 1790-1792

Denikin Anton Ivanovich

The commander, under whose leadership the white army with smaller forces for 1.5 years won victories over the red army and captured the North Caucasus, Crimea, Novorossia, Donbass, Ukraine, the Don, part of the Volga region and the central black earth provinces of Russia. He retained the dignity of the Russian name during the Second World War, refusing to cooperate with the Nazis, despite his uncompromisingly anti-Soviet position

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.

Prophetic Oleg

Your shield is on the gates of Tsaregrad.
A.S. Pushkin.

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.

Margelov Vasily Filippovich

Rurikovich Svyatoslav Igorevich

The great commander of the ancient Russian period. The first Kyiv prince known to us, having a Slavic name. The last pagan ruler of the Old Russian state. He glorified Russia as a great military power in the campaigns of 965-971. Karamzin called him "Alexander (Macedonian) of our ancient history." The prince freed the Slavic tribes from vassalage from the Khazars, defeating the Khazar Khaganate in 965. According to the Tale of Bygone Years, in 970, during the Russian-Byzantine war, Svyatoslav managed to win the battle of Arcadiopol, having 10,000 soldiers under his command, against 100,000 Greeks. But at the same time, Svyatoslav led the life of a simple warrior: “On campaigns, he didn’t carry carts or cauldrons with him, he didn’t cook meat, but, thinly slicing horse meat, or beast, or beef and roasting it on coals, he ate like that; he didn’t have a tent , but slept, spreading a sweatshirt with a saddle in their heads - the same were all the rest of his warriors... And sent to other lands [envoys, as a rule, before declaring war] with the words: "I'm going to you!" (According to PVL)

Yudenich Nikolai Nikolaevich

October 3, 2013 marks the 80th anniversary of the death in the French city of Cannes of a Russian military figure, commander of the Caucasian Front, hero of Mukden, Sarykamysh, Van, Erzurum (due to the complete defeat of the 90,000th Turkish army of Russia, Constantinople and the Bosphorus with the Dardanelles retreated), the savior of the Armenian people from the complete Turkish genocide, holder of three orders of George and the highest order of France, the Grand Cross of the Order of the Legion of Honor, General Nikolai Nikolayevich Yudenich.

Romodanovsky Grigory Grigorievich

An outstanding military leader of the 17th century, prince and governor. In 1655, he won his first victory over the Polish hetman S. Pototsky near Gorodok in Galicia. Later, being the commander of the army of the Belgorod category (military administrative district), he played a major role in organizing the defense of the southern border of Russia. In 1662, he won the biggest victory in the Russian-Polish war for Ukraine in the battle of Kanev, defeating the traitorous hetman Y. Khmelnitsky and the Poles who helped him. In 1664, near Voronezh, he forced the famous Polish commander Stefan Czarnecki to flee, forcing the army of King Jan Casimir to retreat. Repeatedly beat the Crimean Tatars. In 1677 he defeated the 100,000-strong Turkish army of Ibrahim Pasha near Buzhin, in 1678 he defeated the Turkish corps of Kaplan Pasha near Chigirin. Thanks to his military talents, Ukraine did not become another Ottoman province and the Turks did not take Kyiv.

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.

Slashchev-Krymsky Yakov Alexandrovich

Defense of the Crimea in 1919-20 “The Reds are my enemies, but they did the main thing - my business: they revived great Russia!” (General Slashchev-Krymsky).

Ushakov Fedor Fedorovich

During the Russian-Turkish war of 1787-1791, F.F. Ushakov made a serious contribution to the development of the tactics of the sailing fleet. Based on the totality of the principles of training the forces of the fleet and military art, having absorbed all the accumulated tactical experience, F. F. Ushakov acted creatively, based on the specific situation and common sense. His actions were distinguished by decisiveness and extraordinary courage. He did not hesitate to reorganize the fleet into battle formation already at a close approach to the enemy, minimizing the time of tactical deployment. Despite the prevailing tactical rule of finding the commander in the middle of the battle formation, Ushakov, implementing the principle of concentration of forces, boldly put his ship in the forefront and at the same time occupied the most dangerous positions, encouraging his commanders with his own courage. He was distinguished by a quick assessment of the situation, an accurate calculation of all success factors and a decisive attack aimed at achieving complete victory over the enemy. In this regard, Admiral F.F. Ushakov can rightfully be considered the founder of the Russian tactical school in naval art.

Ermolov Alexey Petrovich

Hero of the Napoleonic Wars and the Patriotic War of 1812. Conqueror of the Caucasus. Smart strategist and tactician, strong-willed and brave warrior.

Chuikov Vasily Ivanovich

Soviet military commander, Marshal of the Soviet Union (1955). Twice Hero of the Soviet Union (1944, 1945).
From 1942 to 1946 he was commander of the 62nd Army (8th Guards Army), which distinguished itself in the Battle of Stalingrad. He took part in defensive battles on the distant approaches to Stalingrad. From September 12, 1942 he commanded the 62nd Army. IN AND. Chuikov received the task of defending Stalingrad at any cost. The front command believed that Lieutenant General Chuikov was characterized by such positive qualities as determination and firmness, courage and a broad operational outlook, a high sense of responsibility and consciousness of his duty. The army, under the command of V.I. Chuikov, became famous for the heroic six-month defense of Stalingrad in street battles in a completely destroyed city, fighting on isolated bridgeheads, on the banks of the wide Volga.

For unparalleled mass heroism and steadfastness of personnel, in April 1943, the 62nd Army received the guards honorary title of Guards and became known as the 8th Guards Army.

Antonov Alexey Innokentievich

He became famous as a talented staff officer. Participated in the development of almost all significant operations of the Soviet troops in the Great Patriotic War since December 1942.
The only one of all the awarded Soviet military leaders with the Order of Victory in the rank of army general, and the only Soviet holder of the order who was not awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.

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!

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 .

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

Uborevich Ieronim Petrovich

Soviet military leader, commander of the 1st rank (1935). Member of the Communist Party since March 1917. Born in the village of Aptandriyus (now the Utena region of the Lithuanian SSR) in the family of a Lithuanian peasant. He graduated from the Konstantinovsky Artillery School (1916). Member of the 1st World War 1914-18, second lieutenant. After the October Revolution of 1917 he was one of the organizers of the Red Guard in Bessarabia. In January - February 1918 he commanded a revolutionary detachment in battles against the Romanian and Austro-German invaders, was wounded and captured, from where he fled in August 1918. He was an artillery instructor, commander of the Dvina brigade on the Northern Front, from December 1918 the head of the 18 divisions of the 6th Army. From October 1919 to February 1920 he was commander of the 14th Army during the defeat of the troops of General Denikin, in March - April 1920 he commanded the 9th Army in the North Caucasus. In May - July and November - December 1920 the commander of the 14th Army in battles against the troops of bourgeois Poland and the Petliurists, in July - November 1920 - the 13th Army in battles against the Wrangelites. In 1921, assistant commander of the troops of the Ukraine and Crimea, deputy commander of the troops of the Tambov province, commander of the troops of the Minsk province, led the fighting in the defeat of the gangs of Makhno, Antonov and Bulak-Balakhovich. From August 1921 commander of the 5th Army and the East Siberian Military District. In August - December 1922 Minister of War of the Far Eastern Republic and Commander-in-Chief of the People's Revolutionary Army during the liberation of the Far East. He was commander of the North Caucasian (since 1925), Moscow (since 1928) and Belorussian (since 1931) military districts. Since 1926 he was a member of the Revolutionary Military Council of the USSR, in 1930-31 he was deputy chairman of the Revolutionary Military Council of the USSR and head of armaments of the Red Army. Since 1934 he has been a member of the Military Council of the NPO. He made a great contribution to the strengthening of the defense capability of the USSR, the education and training of command personnel and troops. Candidate member of the Central Committee of the CPSU (b) in 1930-37. Member of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee since December 1922. He was awarded 3 Orders of the Red Banner and Honorary Revolutionary Weapons.

Vasilevsky Alexander Mikhailovich

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.

Skopin-Shuisky Mikhail Vasilievich

During his short military career, he practically did not know failures, both in battles with the troops of I. Boltnikov, and with the Polish-Liovo and "Tushino" troops. The ability to build a combat-ready army practically from scratch, train, use Swedish mercenaries on the spot and during the time, select successful Russian command personnel for the liberation and defense of the vast territory of the Russian northwestern region and the liberation of central Russia, persistent and systematic offensive, skillful tactics in fight against the magnificent Polish-Lithuanian cavalry, undoubted personal courage - these are the qualities that, despite the little-knownness of his deeds, give him the right to be called the Great Commander of Russia.

Active participant in World War I and civil wars. Trench general. He spent the entire war from Vyazma to Moscow and from Moscow to Prague in the most difficult and responsible position of front commander. Winner in many decisive battles of the Great Patriotic War. Liberator of a number of Eastern European countries, participant in the storming of Berlin. Underestimated, unfairly remained in the shadow of Marshal Zhukov.

Wrangel Petr Nikolaevich - a white general, nicknamed the Black Baron, commander of the Armed Forces of the South of Russia and the Russian Army. Brave, courageous, tall, in a black Circassian coat and cloak, he terrified the enemies.

Pyotr Nikolayevich was born on August 15, 1878. in Novoaleksandrovsk, Kovno province (now Zarasai, Lithuania) in a family of Baltic Germans.

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His Lower Saxon ancestors have lived in Estonia since the 13th century. In the XVI-XVIII centuries, branches of this surname settled in Prussia, Sweden and Russia, after 1920 - in France, the USA and Belgium.

In the Wrangel family for several centuries there were famous navigators, military leaders and polar explorers. Peter Nikolayevich's father did not follow in the footsteps of famous ancestors and chose a different path. He dreamed of the same fate for his son, whose childhood and youth were spent in Rostov-on-Don.

• Comes from a noble family. The family tree of his ancestors dates back to the 13th century. The motto of the clan was the saying: "You will break, but you will not bend" ("Frangas, non flectes").
• The name of one of the ancestors who died in the Patriotic War of 1812 is immortalized on the wall of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior.
• An island in the Arctic Ocean was named after the ancestor (F.P. Wrangel).
• His father was a writer, art critic and antiquarian, his mother was a museum worker.

Brief biography of Wrangel before the Civil War

In 1900, Wrangel graduated from the Mining Institute in St. Petersburg, received an engineering degree and a gold medal. In 1901 he was called up for military service. The service takes place in the Life Guards Cavalry Regiment in the status of a volunteer. Performs the duties of an official for special assignments under the Governor-General of Irkutsk.

Wrangel

He retires with the rank of cornet. In 1902 he entered the Nikolaev Cavalry School in St. Petersburg. For courage and participation in hostilities in the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905, he is awarded the Anninsky weapon. In 1907, they are presented to the emperor and transferred to their native regiment. He continued his studies at the Nikolaev Guards Academy and graduated in 1910.

At the beginning of the First World War, he was already a captain of the horse guards. In the very first battles, he distinguished himself by the fact that on August 23, in a fierce attack near Kaushen, he captured a German battery. Among the first officers, he was awarded the Order of St. George, 4th degree, and on October 12, 1914, he received the rank of colonel.

Wrangel

In the autumn of 1915 he was sent to the Southwestern Front as commander of the 1st Nerchinsk Regiment of Transbaikal Cossacks. Wrangel rose through the ranks not very quickly, but deservedly so. Often, Nicholas II became his interlocutor, with whom they spoke for a long time on topics of concern to them.

Unlike Kornilov and many colleagues, Wrangel did not support the February Revolution and the Provisional Government. He believed that revolutionary decrees and government actions were undermining the foundation of the army. He held a minor position and found himself an outsider in this political struggle.

Edikst

He fought for discipline and opposed the elected soldiers' committees. Tried to prove that renunciation would worsen the situation in the country. wanted to involve him in the defense of Petrograd, but he resigned. After the revolution, Wrangel is reunited with the family, which at that time settled in the Crimea.

Civil War

In February 1918, the baron was arrested by the sailors of the Black Sea Fleet. The intercession of his wife saves him from execution. During the occupation of Ukraine by German troops in Kyiv, a meeting took place between Wrangel and Hetman Skoropadsky, who had previously been colleagues.

Helpful Hints

Petr Nikolayevich was disappointed with the Ukrainian nationalists who surrounded Skoropadsky, as well as his dependence on the Germans. He goes to the Kuban and joins General Denikin, who instructs him to curb one rebellious Cossack division. Wrangel not only calmed the Cossacks, but also created a unit with excellent discipline.

In the winter of 1918-1919, he leads the Caucasian army, occupies the Kuban and Terek basins, Rostov-on-Don, and in June 1919 takes Tsaritsyn. Wrangel's victories confirm his talent. During the conduct of hostilities, he maximally limited the violence inevitable in such conditions, and severely punished robberies and looting. At the same time, the soldiers respected him very much.

Chapaev

In the summer of 1919, three armies of Denikin moved to Moscow, one of them was commanded by Wrangel. His army advanced through Nizhny Novgorod and Saratov, but suffered heavy losses during the capture of Tsaritsyn. Wrangel criticized Denikin's plan and considered it a losing one. He was convinced that the attack on Moscow had to be carried out on one front.

As a result, the troops were defeated by the Red Army. To prevent a catastrophe, Wrangel was sent to Kharkov, but upon arrival there, he only made sure that the White Army was destroyed. An attempt at a conspiracy against Denikin failed, and Wrangel was again sent to the Kuban.

white movement

In March 1920, the White Army had new losses, as a result of which it hardly managed to cross over to the Crimea. Denikin was blamed for the defeat. In April, after his resignation, Wrangel became the new commander-in-chief. "Russian Army" - this was the name given to the white forces that continued to fight against the Bolsheviks.

Livejournal

Wrangel is looking for not only a military solution to problems, but also a political one. In the Crimea, a provisional republican government was created to unite the people who were disillusioned with the Bolsheviks. Wrangel's political program included theses about the land, which should belong to the people and provided job security for the population.

At that time, the white movement no longer received the support of the British, but Wrangel independently reorganized the army, numbering about 25 thousand soldiers. He hoped that the war of the Council of People's Commissars with Pilsudski's Poland would divert the forces of the Reds, and he would be able to strengthen his positions in the Crimea, after which, launch a counteroffensive.

Pyotr Wrangel at the head of the White movement | Livejournal

The attack of the Reds on April 13 on the Isthmus of Perekop was easily repulsed. Wrangel went on the attack, reached Melitopol and captured the lands adjacent to the peninsula from the north. In July, a new Bolshevik offensive was repelled, but already in September, after the end of the war with Poland, the Communists sent reinforcements to the Crimea.

Defeat and evacuation

The number of Red Army troops was 100,000 infantry units and 33,600 cavalry units. The Bolsheviks outnumbered the Whites by four times. I had to retreat behind the Perekop Isthmus. The first attempt by the Reds to break through was stopped, but Wrangel was aware that the offensive would resume. The decision was made to prepare for evacuation.

Venagid

For seven months, General Wrangel was at the head of the Crimea - the last stronghold of the Russian land, free from the Bolsheviks. On November 7, 1920, troops under the command of Frunze broke into the Crimea. The civilian population was evacuated under the cover of the defense of Perekop. While the pressure of the enemy was held back by the troops of General Kutepov, Wrangel was engaged in the evacuation of the population. Landing of 126 ships was organized in five Black Sea ports.

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Within three days, 146,000 people were evacuated, including 70,000 soldiers. To help the refugees who went to Turkey, Yugoslavia, Bulgaria, Greece and Romania, the French battleship Waldeck-Rousseau was dispatched. Peter Nikolaevich ended up in Istanbul, then he settled in Belgrade. He led the white movement of emigrants, in 1924 he refused to lead, transferring it to Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolayevich.

Personal life

In August 1907, Wrangel marries Olga Mikhailovna Ivanenko, the daughter of a chamberlain and a lady-in-waiting of the Empress's court. His wife accompanies him on the fronts, working as a nurse. By 1914, he already had three children, later a fourth was born. The children of Peter Nikolaevich and Olga Mikhailovna are Elena, Natalia, Peter and Alexei. The wife survived her husband by 40 years and died in 1968 in New York.

Pyotr Wrangel and Olga Ivanenko | Edikst

Death

Pyotr Nikolaevich died on April 25, 1928 in Brussels from infection with tuberculosis. The family believed that he was poisoned by an undercover agent of the GPU. On October 6, 1929, his body was reburied in Belgrade in the Church of the Holy Trinity. After him, there were photos, notes, memoirs and memoirs, quotes from which can be found in the works of modern historians and biographers.

Wrangel Petr Nikolayevich (born August 15 (August 27), 1878 - death April 25, 1928) Baron, lieutenant general, participant in the Russian-Japanese, World War I and Civil Wars, commander of the Armed Forces of the South of Russia and the Russian Army.

He was awarded the Order of St. George of the 4th degree (1914), the soldier's St. George's Cross (1917) and other orders. Author of memoirs "Notes: in 2 parts" (1928).

Origin

The Wrangel family, leading its genealogy from the 13th century, was of Danish origin. Many of its representatives served under the banners of Denmark, Sweden, Germany, Austria, Holland and Spain, and when Livonia and Estonia finally gained a foothold in Russia, the Wrangels began to faithfully serve the Russian crown. There were 7 field marshals, 18 generals and 2 admirals in the Wrangel family (the islands in the Arctic and Pacific oceans are named after one of them, F. Wrangel).

Many of the representatives of the Wrangel family in Russia devoted their lives to a military career. However, there were those who refused it. One of them was Nikolai Georgievich Wrangel. Abandoning a military career, he became the director of the Equitebl insurance company, which was located in Rostov-on-Don. Nikolai Georgievich had the title of baron, but there were no estates or fortune. He inherited the title to his son, Pyotr Nikolaevich Wrangel, who became one of the most famous military figures of the early 20th century.

Education

Wrangel Pyotr Nikolaevich was born in Novoaleksandrovsk on August 27, 1878. He received his primary education at home, and then entered the Rostov real school. After graduating from college, Peter went to St. Petersburg, where in 1896 he successfully passed the exams at the Mining Institute.

The title of baron and family ties allowed the young Pyotr Wrangel to be accepted in high society, and higher education made it possible for him to serve military service, mandatory for Russian citizens, for only one year and choose the place of service himself.

Russo-Japanese War 1904-1905

Pyotr Wrangel graduated from the Institute in 1901 and in the same year he joined the Life Guards Cavalry Regiment as a volunteer. The following year, he was promoted to cornet, having passed the exams for an officer's rank at the Nikolaev Cavalry School. Then, having retired to the reserve, he went to Irkutsk as an official for special assignments under the Governor General. The outbreak of the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905. found him in Siberia, and Wrangel, again enters active military service, and goes to the Far East. There, Pyotr Nikolayevich was enrolled in the 2nd Argun regiment of the Transbaikal Cossack army.

December 1904 - Pyotr Wrangel was promoted to centurion - "for distinction in cases against the Japanese." During military operations, for courage and courage, he receives his first military orders - St. Anna of the 4th degree and St. Stanislav. 1905 - service in a separate division of scouts of the 1st Manchurian army and by the end of the war, ahead of schedule, received the rank of podsaul. During the war, Wrangel strengthened his desire to become a regular military man.

Revolution 1905-1907

First Russian Revolution 1905-1907 walked through Siberia, and Pyotr Nikolaevich, as part of the detachment of General A. Orlov, took part in pacifying the riots and eliminating the pogroms that accompanied the revolution.

1906 - with the rank of headquarters captain, he was transferred to the 55th Finnish Dragoon Regiment, and the next year he was a lieutenant of the Life Guards Horse Regiment.

1907 - Pyotr Nikolaevich Wrangel entered the Nikolaev Military Academy of the General Staff, from which he graduated in 1910 among the best - seventh on the list. It should be noted that the future Marshal of the Soviet Union B. Shaposhnikov studied on the same course with Wrangel.

1911 - he takes a course at an officer cavalry school, having received a squadron under his command, becomes a member of the regimental court in the Life Guards Cavalry Regiment.

World War I

The outbreak of the First World War brought Pyotr Nikolaevich to the front. Together with the regiment in the rank of captain of the guard, he became part of the 1st Army of the North-Western Front. Already in the first days of the war, he was able to distinguish himself. 1914, August 6 - his squadron attacked and captured a German battery. He was awarded the Order of St. George 4th degree. After the unsuccessful East Prussian operation, the Russian troops retreated, but, despite the fact that there were practically no active hostilities, Wrangel was repeatedly awarded for bravery and heroism. He was promoted to colonel and awarded the St. George golden weapon. For him, the rank of officer had a lot of meaning, and he said that he owed his personal courage to set an example for his subordinates.

October 1915 - Pyotr Nikolaevich was transferred to the South-Western Front and took command of the 1st Nerchinsk Regiment of the Transbaikal Cossack Host. When translating, he was given the following description by his former commander: “Outstanding courage. Understands the situation perfectly and quickly, very resourceful in a difficult situation.

Under his leadership, the regiment fought in Galicia and took part in the famous Brusilov breakthrough. 1916 - Wrangel Pyotr Nikolaevich was promoted to major general and he becomes commander of the 2nd brigade of the Ussuri Cavalry Division. By the end of the war, he was already at the head of a division.

Wrangel was a monarchist in his convictions, but he often criticized in conversations both the highest command staff and personally. He associated failures in the war with the weakness of the command. He considered himself a true officer and made high demands both on himself and on anyone who wore officer shoulder straps. Wrangel repeated that if an officer admits that his order may not be carried out, then "he is no longer an officer, there are no officer epaulets on him." He enjoyed great respect among fellow officers and ordinary soldiers. He considered military prowess, intelligence and honor of the commander and strict discipline to be the main ones in military affairs.

Civil War

Wrangel with his wife Olga Ivanenko

Pyotr Nikolaevich accepted the February Revolution immediately and swore allegiance to the Provisional Government. But the collapse of the army, which began soon, had a very hard effect on her state of mind. Not wanting to continue to take part in this, Pyotr Nikolaevich, citing illness, went on vacation and left for the Crimea. For almost a year, he led a very secluded life, practically did not communicate with anyone.

1918, summer - Wrangel decides to act. He comes to Kyiv to the former commander of the Life Guards Horse Regiment, General, and now Hetman Skoropadsky, and becomes under his banner. However, the hetman did not care much about the revival of Russia, he fought for the "independence" of Ukraine. Because of this, conflicts began to arise between him and the general, and soon Wrangel decided to leave for Yekaterinodar to.

Having joined the Volunteer Army, Wrangel received a cavalry brigade under his command, with which he participated in the 2nd Kuban campaign. Having extensive combat experience behind him, without losing courage, determination and courage, Pyotr Nikolaevich very soon gained recognition as an excellent commander, and the 1st Cavalry Division was entrusted with his command, and after 2 months the entire 1st Cavalry Corps.

In the army, he enjoyed great prestige and often addressed the troops with bright patriotic speeches. His orders were always distinguished by clarity and precision. 1918, December - he was promoted to lieutenant general. It should be noted that Wrangel under no circumstances allowed a weakening or violation of discipline. For example, during successful operations in Ukraine, cases of looting became more frequent in the Volunteer Army. Many commanders turned a blind eye to this, justifying the actions of their subordinates by the poor supply of the army. But the general did not want to put up with this and even used public executions of marauders in the units entrusted to him as an edification to others.

Successful operations in the south greatly increased the front of the offensive. At the end of May 1919, a decision was made to create a new Caucasian army for operations on the Lower Volga. Pyotr Nikolaevich Wrangel was appointed commander of the army. The offensive of the Caucasian army began successfully - they were able to take Tsaritsyn and Kamyshin and undertake a campaign against Saratov. However, by the autumn of 1919, large Red forces were drawn up against the Caucasian army, and its victorious offensive was stopped. In addition, all reserves were transferred from the general to the Volunteer Army, which was advancing towards Tula and Moscow, which greatly weakened the Caucasian army.

Having suffered a crushing defeat under the counterattacks of the Southern Front, the Volunteer Army retreated. The remnants of the White armies were brought together in one corps under the command of Kutepov, and Wrangel was instructed to go to the Kuban to form new regiments. By this time, the disagreements between him and Denikin, which began in the summer of 1919, reached their highest point. General Wrangel criticized Denikin both for the methods of military leadership, and for questions of strategy, and for his civil policy. He opposed the undertaken campaign against Moscow and insisted on joining with. The result of the disagreement was that Wrangel was forced to leave the army and go to Constantinople.

Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the South

March 1920 - Denikin resigns and asks the Military Council to find a replacement for him. The new Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the South was elected (unanimously) Wrangel Petr Nikolayevich.

Having taken office, Pyotr Nikolayevich began first of all to put the army in order and began to reorganize it. The generals whose troops were distinguished by indiscipline, Pokrovsky and Shkuro, were fired. The commander-in-chief also changed the name of the army - now it has become known as the Russian Army, which, in his opinion, should have attracted more supporters to its ranks. He himself and the “Government of the South of Russia” created by him tried to create a new state on the territory of Crimea, which could fight the Soviets as an example of a better state system. The reforms carried out by the government were not successful, and the support of the people was not received.

1920, the beginning of summer - the Russian army numbered 25,000 people in its ranks. Wrangel carried out a successful military operation to capture Northern Tavria, taking advantage of the fact that the main forces of the Reds were in Poland. In August, he sent an amphibious assault to the Kuban, which, not meeting the support of the Cossacks there, returned to the Crimea. 1920, autumn - the Russian army tried to take active steps to capture the Donbass and break through to the Right-Bank Ukraine. The size of Wrangel's army by this time had reached 60,000 people.

Fall of white Crimea

But soon hostilities in Poland were stopped, and 5 armies were thrown against the Russian army, including two cavalry armies under the command of M.V. Frunze, numbering more than 130,000 people. It took the Red Army just one week to liberate Northern Tavria, break through the Perekop fortifications and break into the Crimea. The Russian army, unable to resist the numerically superior enemy, began to retreat. Nevertheless, General Wrangel managed to make this retreat not a disorderly flight, but an organized withdrawal of units. Tens of thousands of soldiers of the Russian army and refugees were sent from the Crimea to Turkey on Russian and French ships.

Emigration

In Turkey, Baron Wrangel stayed for about a year, staying with the army, maintaining order and discipline in it. During this year, the soldiers of the Russian army gradually dispersed around the world, and many went back to Russia. At the end of 1921, the remnants of the Russian army were transferred to Bulgaria and Yugoslavia.

Instead of the collapsed Russian army in Paris, the Russian All-Military Union (ROVS) was founded, which had departments in countries where former officers and members of the White movement found shelter. The goal of the ROVS was to preserve officer cadres for future struggle.

Until his death, Baron Wrangel remained the head of the EMRO and did not stop fighting the Bolsheviks. The ROVS carried out extensive intelligence work and had a combat department that developed plans for carrying out armed actions on the territory of the USSR.

Wrangel Pyotr Nikolaevich died in Brussels on April 25, 1928, several months before his 50th birthday. His body was transported to Yugoslavia and solemnly buried in Belgrade in the Russian Church of the Holy Trinity.

The "Black Baron" of the white movement belonged to a noble and old noble family of the Baltic Germans, who was very famous in Russia. Unlike other representatives of the Wrangel family, his father was not a military man, but an industrialist and financier. Pyotr Nikolaevich was born not far from present-day Kaunas in Lithuania on August 15, 1878, but he spent his childhood in Rostov-on-Don. There he graduated from the Rostov real school, after which he entered the Mining Institute in St. Petersburg. Having received the specialty of a mining engineer (with a gold medal), Wrangel in 1902 passed the exams at the Nikolaev Cavalry School and was promoted to cornet. After that, having retired from the army, he left for Irkutsk, where he worked as an official under the governor. When the war with Japan began, Wrangel volunteered for the 2nd Verkhneudinsk Regiment of the Transbaikal Cossack Army. In December 1904, the cornet Wrangel received the title of centurion "for distinction in cases against the Japanese" and was awarded the Order of St. Anna 4th degree and St. Stanislav 3rd degree with swords and a bow. After the war, he was transferred to the 55th Finnish Dragoon Regiment with the rank of staff captain. From there he was immediately assigned to the Northern Detachment of the Retinue of Major General Orlov, in which he took part in the suppression of revolutionary uprisings in the Baltic states. For this, in 1906, Nicholas II personally granted Wrangel the Order of St. Anna, 3rd class. In 1907, under the patronage of the Emperor, with the rank of lieutenant, he entered the service in the Life Guards Horse Regiment, and in 1910 he graduated from the Nikolaev Academy of the General Staff. After her, there was a study at the Officer Cavalry School, and in 1912 Wrangel became commander of His Majesty's squadron.

With the outbreak of the First World War, he was with his regiment from the first day at the front. On August 6, 1914, commanding his squadron, Wrangel swiftly captured artillery positions near Kausheny in East Prussia. For this feat he was awarded the Order of St. George of the 4th degree and became one of the first of his gentlemen awarded in this campaign. In September 1914, Captain Wrangel became chief of staff of the Consolidated Cavalry Division, commanded by General Pavel Skoropadsky. And two months later he received the rank of colonel and became the adjutant wing of His Majesty's retinue, which testified to his special closeness to the Emperor. In June 1915 he was awarded the St. George's weapon for bravery. In October 1915, Wrangel became commander of the 1st Nerchinsk regiment of the Ussuri division of the Transbaikal Cossack army. Baron von Ungern and Ataman Semenov, well-known in the future leaders of the White movement in the east, fought under his command. In 1916, the Ussuri Division was transferred to the Southwestern Front, where it took part in the Brusilov breakthrough. Being true to the idea of ​​monarchy, Wrangel met the February Revolution sharply negatively, so the Provisional Government had no authority in his eyes. In the summer of 1917, already being a major general, he was awarded the soldier's St. George's Cross of the 4th degree with a laurel branch for military merit. During the August speech of General Kornilov, Wrangel, being his supporter, could not send his cavalry corps to support him, after which he resigned.

Baron Wrangel during the Civil War

After the Bolsheviks came to power, Wrangel left with his family for Yalta, where he lived as a private person until the spring of 1918. He was arrested by the Sevastopol Cheka, but was soon released and, before the arrival of the Germans, he hid in the Tatar villages. After the expulsion of the Bolsheviks, he decides to re-enter the military service and goes to Kyiv, where his former boss Pavlo Skoropadsky was proclaimed the Hetman of Ukraine. But Wrangel did not stay long in Kyiv. Convinced of the weakness of the Hetman's political position, in August 1918 he left for Yekaterinodar, where he joined the Volunteer Army. Since Wrangel had an excellent reputation in military circles, Denikin gave the 1st Cavalry Division under his command. As one of the volunteers later recalled, “The services that Wrangel rendered to the army lived up to expectations. From the very beginning, he showed himself to be an outstanding cavalry commander. In October, battles began for Armavir and Stavropol, and by the end of 1918 the entire North Caucasus was controlled by the Volunteer Army. The 11th Soviet Army was defeated, and its remnants retreated to Astrakhan. For skillful command, Wrangel received the rank of lieutenant general and received the 1st cavalry corps under his command.

In January 1919, after the reorganization of the Dobroarmiya, Wrangel became the commander of the Caucasian Volunteer Army, and in February the Kuban Rada awarded him the Order of the Salvation of the Kuban, 1st degree. Then Wrangel almost died of typhus, but soon recovered and in May took command of the Kuban army. Thanks to his skillful leadership, the heavily fortified Tsaritsyn was taken by storm in June. Arriving there, Denikin, in a state of euphoria, publishes the "Moscow Directive", in which he designated Moscow as the main direction of attack. According to Wrangel, this order "was a death sentence for the troops of the South of Russia," since before going to Moscow, one should first strengthen at the Yekaterinoslav-Tsaritsyn line and create a large cavalry group in the Kharkov region as a reserve for the offensive. And most importantly, to direct the main blow in the Volga region, to connect with Kolchak, after which the combined white armies could hit the reds with a vengeance. Denikin did not heed Wrangel's arguments, which caused an open confrontation between them, which was aggravated by the belonging of each of them to different social groups. The son of a serf and a representative of the baronial family harbored hostility towards each other at a deep level. After the defeat of the Dobrarmiya, Wrangel was dismissed in February 1920 and left for Istanbul, but in April, after Denikin's resignation, he returned to the Crimea and assumed the post of commander-in-chief of the All-Russian Union of Youth. For the next six months, he struggled to find allies for the White Cause. An agreement was signed on the autonomy of the Don, Kuban, Terek and Astrakhan and the independence of the Mountain Federation of the North Caucasus was recognized. A military alliance was concluded with the army of the UNR Directory and unsuccessful attempts were made to win over the Makhnovists. To create a new social base, a land reform was carried out in the interests of the prosperous and middle peasantry. But all these measures were taken too late, and Wrangel's forces in the fight against Bolshevism were unequal.

After the breakthrough of the Perekop line by the Red Army, on October 29, 1920, an evacuation order was issued. On November 3, a squadron of 126 ships went to the open sea and headed for the Turkish coast, and in total about 145 thousand people left the Crimea. For more than two years, the remnants of the White Army were in a military camp in Galipolli, after which they settled in Bulgaria and Serbia, who agreed to accept them. Wrangel himself, with his family and headquarters, moved to Belgrade, where he created the Russian All-Military Union, which united the members of the White movement in exile. In 1927 he moved to Brussels, where he got a job as an engineer in one of the firms, but on April 25, 1928 he died suddenly of tuberculosis. There is an assumption that he was poisoned by an NKVD agent. On October 6, 1929, Wrangel's ashes were reburied in the Russian Church of the Holy Trinity in Belgrade. On September 14, 2007, in the Serbian city of Sremski Karlovci, where Wrangel lived, a monument was solemnly unveiled to him in the form of a bronze bust on a granite pedestal. Also in 2012, a memorial plaque was installed on the wall of the house where he was born in the Zarasai region of Lithuania.