The fate of millions of people depended on their decisions! This is not the whole list of our great commanders of the Second World War!

Zhukov Georgy Konstantinovich (1896-1974) Marshal of the Soviet Union Georgy Konstantinovich Zhukov was born on November 1, 1896 in the Kaluga region, into a peasant family. During the First World War, he was drafted into the army and enrolled in a regiment stationed in the Kharkov province. In the spring of 1916 he was enrolled in a group sent to officer courses. After studying, Zhukov became a non-commissioned officer, and went to the dragoon regiment, in which he participated in the battles of the Great War. Soon he received a concussion from a mine explosion, and was sent to the hospital. He managed to prove himself, and for the capture of a German officer he was awarded the St. George Cross.

After the civil war, he graduated from the courses of the red commanders. He commanded a cavalry regiment, then a brigade. He was an assistant inspector of the cavalry of the Red Army.

In January 1941, shortly before the German invasion of the USSR, Zhukov was appointed Chief of the General Staff, Deputy People's Commissar for Defense.

He commanded the troops of the Reserve, Leningrad, Western, 1st Belorussian fronts, coordinated the actions of a number of fronts, made a great contribution to achieving victory in the battle of Moscow, in the battles of Stalingrad, Kursk, in the Belorussian, Vistula-Oder and Berlin operations. Four times Hero of the Soviet Union , holder of two Orders of Victory, many other Soviet and foreign orders and medals.

Vasilevsky Alexander Mikhailovich (1895-1977) - Marshal of the Soviet Union.

Born on September 16 (September 30), 1895 in the village. Novaya Golchikha, Kineshma district, Ivanovo region, in the family of a priest, Russian. In February 1915, after graduating from the Kostroma Theological Seminary, he entered the Alekseevsky Military School (Moscow) and completed it in 4 months (in June 1915).
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.
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Rokossovsky Konstantin Konstantinovich (1896-1968) - Marshal of the Soviet Union, Marshal of Poland.

He was born on December 21, 1896 in the small Russian town of Velikiye Luki (former Pskov province), in the family of a Pole railway engineer Xavier-Josef Rokossovsky and his Russian wife Antonina. After the birth of Konstantin, the Rokossovsky family moved to Warsaw. In less than 6 years, Kostya was orphaned: his father was in a railway accident and, after a long illness, died in 1902. In 1911, his mother also died. With the outbreak of World War I, Rokossovsky asked to join one of the Russian regiments heading west through Warsaw.

With the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, he commands the 9th mechanized corps. In the summer of 1941, he was appointed commander of the 4th Army. He managed to somewhat restrain the advance of the German armies on the western front. In the summer of 1942, he became commander of the Bryansk Front. The Germans managed to approach the Don and, from advantageous positions, create threats for the capture of Stalingrad and a breakthrough to the North Caucasus. With a strike by his army, he prevented the Germans from breaking through to the north, towards the city of Yelets. Rokossovsky participated in the counteroffensive of the Soviet troops near Stalingrad. His ability to conduct combat operations played a large role in the success of the operation. In 1943, he led the central front, which, under his command, began a defensive battle on the Kursk salient. A little later, he organized an offensive, and liberated significant territories from the Germans. He also led the liberation of Belarus, implementing the plan of the Headquarters - "Bagration"
Twice Hero of the Soviet Union

Konev Ivan Stepanovich (1897-1973) - Marshal of the Soviet Union.

Born in December 1897 in one of the villages of the Vologda province. His family was a peasant. In 1916, the future commander was drafted into the tsarist army. In the First World War, he participates as a non-commissioned officer.

At the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, Konev commanded the 19th Army, which participated in battles with the Germans and closed the capital from the enemy. For the successful leadership of the army, he receives the rank of colonel general.

Ivan Stepanovich during the Great Patriotic War managed to be the commander of several fronts: Kalinin, Western, Northwestern, Steppe, second Ukrainian and first Ukrainian. In January 1945, the First Ukrainian Front, together with the First Belorussian Front, began the offensive Vistula-Oder operation. The troops managed to occupy several cities of strategic importance, and even liberate Krakow from the Germans. At the end of January, the Auschwitz camp was liberated from the Nazis. In April, two fronts launched an offensive in the Berlin direction. Soon Berlin was taken, and Konev took a direct part in the storming of the city.

Twice Hero of the Soviet Union

Vatutin Nikolai Fedorovich (1901-1944) - army general.

He was born on December 16, 1901 in the village of Chepukhin, Kursk province, into a large peasant family. He graduated from four classes of the Zemstvo school, where he was considered the first student.

In the early days of the Great Patriotic War, Vatutin visited the most critical sectors of the front. The staff worker turned into a brilliant combat commander.

On February 21, the Headquarters instructed Vatutin to prepare an attack on Dubno and further on Chernivtsi. On February 29, the general was heading to the headquarters of the 60th Army. On the way, his car was fired upon by a detachment of Ukrainian Bandera partisans. The wounded Vatutin died on the night of April 15 in a Kiev military hospital.
In 1965, Vatutin was posthumously awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.

Katukov Mikhail Efimovich (1900-1976) - marshal of the armored forces. One of the founders of the tank guard.

He was born on September 4 (17), 1900 in the village of Bolshoe Uvarovo, then the Kolomna district of the Moscow province, in a large peasant family (his father had seven children from two marriages). schools.
In the Soviet Army - since 1919.

At the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, he took part in defensive operations in the area of ​​the cities of Lutsk, Dubno, Korosten, showing himself to be a skillful, proactive organizer of a tank battle with superior enemy forces. These qualities dazzlingly manifested themselves in the battle near Moscow, when he commanded the 4th tank brigade. In the first half of October 1941, near Mtsensk, on a number of defensive lines, the brigade steadfastly held back the advance of enemy tanks and infantry and inflicted enormous damage on them. Having made a 360-km march to the Istra orientation, the brigade M.E. Katukova, as part of the 16th Army of the Western Front, fought heroically in the Volokolamsk direction and participated in the counteroffensive near Moscow. On November 11, 1941, for brave and skillful combat operations, the brigade was the first in the tank troops to receive the title of Guards. In 1942, M.E. Katukov commanded the 1st Tank Corps, which repelled the onslaught of enemy troops in the Kursk-Voronezh direction, from September 1942 - the 3rd Mechanized Corps, In January 1943 he was appointed commander of the 1st Tank Army, which was part of the Voronezh, and later 1 th Ukrainian Front distinguished itself in the Battle of Kursk and during the liberation of Ukraine. In April 1944, the Sun was transformed into the 1st Guards Tank Army, which, under the command of M.E. Katukova participated in the Lvov-Sandomierz, Vistula-Oder, East Pomeranian and Berlin operations, crossed the Vistula and Oder rivers.

Rotmistrov Pavel Alekseevich (1901-1982) - chief marshal of the armored forces.

Born in the village of Skovorovo, now in the Selizharovsky district of the Tver region, in a large peasant family (had 8 brothers and sisters) ... In 1916 he graduated from a higher primary school

In the Soviet Army since April 1919 (he was enrolled in the Samara workers' regiment), a participant in the Civil War.

During the Great Patriotic War, P.A. Rotmistrov fought on the Western, Northwestern, Kalinin, Stalingrad, Voronezh, Steppe, Southwestern, 2nd Ukrainian and 3rd Belorussian fronts. He commanded the 5th Guards Tank Army, which distinguished itself in the Battle of Kursk. In the summer of 1944, P.A. Rotmistrov with his army participated in the Belarusian offensive operation, the liberation of the cities of Borisov, Minsk, Vilnius. From August 1944 he was appointed deputy commander of the armored and mechanized troops of the Soviet Army.

Kravchenko Andrey Grigoryevich (1899-1963) - Colonel General of the Tank Forces.
Born on November 30, 1899 on the Sulimin farm, now the village of Sulimovka, Yagotinsky district, Kyiv region of Ukraine, in a peasant family. Ukrainian. Member of the CPSU (b) since 1925. Member of the Civil War. He graduated from the Poltava Military Infantry School in 1923, the Military Academy named after M.V. Frunze in 1928.
From June 1940 to the end of February 1941 A.G. Kravchenko - chief of staff of the 16th Panzer Division, and from March to September 1941 - chief of staff of the 18th mechanized corps.
On the fronts of the Great Patriotic War since September 1941. Commander of the 31st Tank Brigade (09/09/1941 - 01/10/1942). Since February 1942, he was deputy commander of the 61st Army for tank troops. Chief of Staff of the 1st Tank Corps (03/31/1942 - 07/30/1942). He commanded the 2nd (07/2/1942 - 09/13/1942) and 4th (from 02/07/43 - 5th Guards; from 09/18/1942 to 01/24/1944) tank corps.
In November 1942, the 4th Corps participated in the encirclement of the 6th German Army near Stalingrad, in July 1943 - in a tank battle near Prokhorovka, in October of the same year - in the battle for the Dnieper.

Novikov Alexander Alexandrovich (1900-1976) - Air Chief Marshal.
Born on November 19, 1900 in the village of Kryukovo, Nerekhtsky District, Kostroma Region. Educated at the teacher's seminary in 1918.
In the Soviet Army since 1919
In aviation since 1933. Member of the Great Patriotic War from the first day. He was the commander of the Northern Air Force, then the Leningrad Front. From April 1942 until the end of the war - commander of the Red Army Air Force. In March 1946, he was illegally repressed (together with A. I. Shakhurin), rehabilitated in 1953.

Kuznetsov Nikolai Gerasimovich (1902-1974) - Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union. People's Commissar of the Navy.
Born on July 11 (24), 1904 in the family of Gerasim Fedorovich Kuznetsov (1861-1915), a peasant in the village of Medvedki, Veliko-Ustyug district, Vologda province (now in the Kotlas district of the Arkhangelsk region).
In 1919, at the age of 15, he joined the Severodvinsk flotilla, attributing two years to himself in order to be accepted (the erroneous 1902 year of birth is still found in some reference books). In 1921-1922 he was a combatant of the Arkhangelsk naval crew.
During the Great Patriotic War, N. G. Kuznetsov was chairman of the Main Military Council of the Navy and Commander-in-Chief of the Navy. He promptly and energetically led the fleet, coordinating its actions with the operations of other armed forces. The admiral was a member of the Headquarters of the Supreme High Command, he constantly traveled to ships and fronts. The fleet prevented an invasion of the Caucasus from the sea. In 1944, N. G. Kuznetsov was awarded the military rank of Admiral of the Fleet. On May 25, 1945, this rank was equated with the rank of Marshal of the Soviet Union and marshal-type shoulder straps were introduced.

The hero of the USSR,Chernyakhovsky Ivan Danilovich (1906-1945) - army general.
Born in the city of Uman. His father was a railway worker, so it is not surprising that in 1915 his son followed in his father's footsteps and entered the railway school. In 1919, a real tragedy happened in the family: because of typhus, his parents died, so the boy was forced to leave school and take up agriculture. He worked as a shepherd, driving cattle into the field in the morning, and every free minute he sat down for textbooks. Immediately after dinner, I ran to the teacher for clarification of the material.
During the Second World War, he was one of those young military leaders who motivated soldiers by their example, gave them confidence and gave faith in a brighter future.

Outstanding Russian commanders

The heroic chronicle of our Fatherland preserves the memory of the great victories of the Russian people under the leadership of outstanding commanders. Their names to this day inspire the defenders of the Fatherland to military deeds, are an example of the fulfillment of military duty, a manifestation of love for their native land.

Commanders of Imperial Russia

One of the most famous Russian commanders is Alexander Vasilievich Suvorov (1730 - 1800), Generalissimo, Count Rymniksky, Prince of Italy.

Suvorov began active military service in 1748 as a soldier. Six years later he was awarded the first officer rank - lieutenant. He received his baptism of fire in the Seven Years' War (1756 - 1763), where the future great commander of Russia gained vast experience in managing the army, learning about its capabilities.

In August 1762, Suvorov was appointed commander of the Astrakhan infantry regiment. And from next year, he already commanded the Suzdal Infantry Regiment. At this time, he created his famous "Regimental Institution" - an instruction containing the basic provisions and rules for the education of soldiers, internal service and combat training of troops.

In 1768 - 1772, with the rank of brigadier and major general, Alexander Vasilyevich participated in hostilities in Poland against the troops of the gentry of the Bar Confederation. Commanding a brigade and separate detachments, Suvorov made swift forced marches and won brilliant victories near Orekhovo, Landskrona, Zamosc and Stolovichi, captured the Krakow castle.

In 1773, Suvorov was transferred to the active army, which participated in the Russian-Turkish war of 1768-1774. He was assigned to the 1st Army of Field Marshal P. Rumyantsev, where he began to command a separate detachment, with which he made two successful campaigns across the Danube and defeated large Turkish forces at Turtukai in 1773 and at Kozludzha in 1774.

With the beginning of the Russian-Turkish war of 1787-1791, Suvorov led the defense of the Kherson-Kinburn region, which the Turks threatened from the sea and from the fortress of Ochakov. On October 1, 1787, Suvorov's troops destroyed the many thousands of enemy troops that had landed on the Kinburn Spit. The commander personally participated in the battle, was wounded.

The year 1789 gave him two victories, brilliant in military leadership, at Focsani and at Rymnik. For the victory on the Rymnik River, he was awarded the highest military order of Russia - St. George, I degree.

On December 11, 1790, Russian troops under the command of Suvorov captured the strongest Turkish fortress of Izmail, and the attackers were numerically inferior to the enemy garrison. This battle has no equal in world history, being the pinnacle of the military glory of an outstanding commander.

In 1795 - 1796 Suvorov commanded troops in Ukraine. During this time, he wrote his famous Science of Victory. With the accession of Paul I, Alexander Vasilyevich opposed the introduction of Prussian orders alien to the Russian army, which caused the emperor and the court to be hostile towards him. In February 1797, the commander was dismissed and exiled to his estate Konchanskoe. The link lasted for about two years.

In 1798 Russia joins the 2nd anti-French coalition. At the insistence of the allies, Emperor Paul I was forced to appoint Suvorov as commander-in-chief of the Russian-Austrian army in Northern Italy. During the Italian campaign of 1799, the troops under the command of Suvorov defeated the French in battles on the Adda and Trebbia rivers, as well as at Novi.

After that, the Russian commander planned a campaign in France. However, he was ordered to leave the Austrian troops in Italy and go to Switzerland to join the corps of General A. Rimsky-Korsakov. The famous Suvorov Swiss campaign of 1799 began. Having passed through the barriers of the French troops, overcoming the Alpine heights, the Russian troops heroically broke through to Switzerland.

In the same year, the commander received a decree from the emperor to return to Russia. He was rewarded for the Italian and Swiss campaigns with the title of Prince of Italy and the highest military rank of Generalissimo. By that time, the cavalier of all Russian orders of the highest degree also had the title of Austrian Field Marshal General.

Generalissimo Suvorov went down in military history as a brilliant commander. For all the time of his military activity, he did not lose a single battle, and almost all of them were won with the numerical superiority of the enemy.

He became one of the founders of Russian military art, having created his own military school with a progressive system of training and education of troops. Having discarded the outdated principles of cordon strategy and linear tactics, he developed and applied in military practice more advanced forms and methods of conducting armed struggle, which were far ahead of their time. He brought up a galaxy of Russian commanders and military leaders, among whom were M. Kutuzov and P. Bagration.

Field Marshal Mikhail Illarionovich Golenishchev-Kutuzov (1745 - 1813), who went down in Russian history as the savior of the Fatherland from the Great Army of the French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte during the Patriotic War of 1812, became the successor of the Suvorov military leadership traditions.

Born in the family of a military engineer, lieutenant general. In 1759 he graduated from the artillery and engineering school and was left there as a teacher. In 1761, he received the rank of ensign and was appointed company commander of the Astrakhan Infantry Regiment. Then he was adjutant of the Revel Governor-General, again served in the army.

Member of the Russian-Turkish war of 1768 - 1774, in 1770 he was transferred to the South in the 1st Army. He happened to be a student of such great Russian commanders as P. Rumyantsev-Zadunaisky and A. Suvorov-Rymniksky. He took part in large field battles - at Larga and Cahul. Distinguished himself in the battle of Pipesty. He showed himself to be a brave, energetic and enterprising officer. He was appointed chief quartermaster (chief of staff) of the corps.

In 1772 he was transferred to the 2nd Crimean Army. In July 1774, in a battle against a Turkish landing near Alushta near the village of Shumy (now Kutuzovka), commanding a battalion, he was seriously wounded in the temple and right eye. After treatment abroad, he served for six years under the command of Suvorov, organizing the defense of the Crimean coast.

Kutuzov received the glory of a military leader during the Russian-Turkish war of 1787-1791. At first, he and his huntsmen guarded the border along the Bug River. In the summer of 1788 he took part in the battles near Ochakovo, where he received a second severe wound in the head. Then he participated in the fighting near Akkerman, Kaushany, Bendery.

In December 1790, during the assault on the fortress, Ishmael commanded the 6th column of attackers. In a victory speech, Suvorov praised Kutuzov's actions. He was appointed Izmail commandant. Promoted to lieutenant general, he repelled an attempt by the Turks to take possession of Ishmael. In June 1791, he crushed it with a sudden blow; 23,000th Ottoman army under Babadag. In the battle of Machinsky, skillfully maneuvering the troops, he demonstrated the art of victorious tactics.

In the Russo-Austrian-French War of 1805 he commanded one of the two Russian armies. In October of this year, he made the famous retreat march from Braunau to Olmitz, leading the army out of danger of being surrounded. During the maneuver, the Russians defeated Murat's troops near Amstettin and Mortier near Burenstein. Contrary to the opinion of Kutuzov, Emperor Alexander I and the Austrian Emperor Franz I went on the offensive against the French army. On November 20, 1805, the Battle of Austerlitz took place, in which the Russian commander-in-chief was actually removed from command of the troops. Napoleon won one of his biggest victories.

It was Kutuzov who had to victoriously end the Russian-Turkish war of 1806-1812. In its penultimate year, when the war with Turkey came to a standstill, Kutuzov was appointed commander-in-chief of the Moldavian army. In the battle of Ruschuk in 1811, having only 15 thousand troops, he inflicted a complete defeat on the 60 thousand Turkish army.

At the beginning of the Patriotic War of 1812, Kutuzov was elected head of the St. Petersburg and Moscow militias. After the Russian troops left Smolensk, under the pressure of broad public opinion, the emperor appointed Kutuzov commander-in-chief of the entire Russian army, approving the opinion of a special government committee. On August 17, the commander arrived at the army retreating towards Moscow. The noticeable superiority of Napoleon's Great Army in strength and the lack of reserves forced the commander-in-chief to withdraw the army inland.

Not having received the promised large reinforcements, Kutuzov gave the French a general battle on August 26 near the village of Borodino. In this battle, Russian soldiers dispelled the myth of Napoleon's invincibility. Both sides suffered huge casualties in the Battle of Borodino. The French lost most of their largest regular cavalry in Europe. The Battle of Borodino brought Kutuzov the rank of Field Marshal.

After the military council in Fili, Kutuzov decided to leave the capital and withdraw the army to the south, to the Tarutinsky camp. Residents also left Moscow; the Napoleonic army entered the huge deserted city and began to loot. Soon the capital was almost completely burned. The Tarutino march put the French army in an extremely disadvantageous position, and it soon left Moscow.

The Russian army launched a counteroffensive. It was organized in such a way that the French troops were continuously attacked by Russian vanguard troops, flying cavalry detachments and partisans. All this led to the defeat of the remnants of the Great Army on the banks of the Berezina River and their flight abroad. Thanks to Kutuzov's tactics, the huge Grand Army ceased to exist as a military force, and Napoleon himself left it and went to Paris to create a new army.

For the skillful leadership of the Russian army in 1812, Field Marshal Kutuzov was awarded the highest military award of Russia - the Order of St. George I degree and became the first in the history of the country to have all four degrees of the order. He also received the honorary title of Prince of Smolensk.

In January 1813, the Russian army, led by Kutuzov, began its foreign campaigns. But the health of its commander-in-chief was undermined, and he died in Silesia. The body of the commander was embalmed and sent to the Russian capital. There Kutuzov was buried in the Kazan Cathedral.

He devoted more than 50 years of his life to military service, becoming a great Russian commander. He was well educated, had a subtle mind, knew how to remain calm even in the most critical moments of battles. He carefully considered each military operation, trying to act more with maneuvers, using military cunning, and not sacrificing the lives of soldiers. He managed to oppose the great European commander Napoleon Bonaparte with his own strategy and tactics. The Patriotic War of 1812 became the subject of Russia's military pride.

Field Marshal Pyotr Alexandrovich Rumyantsev-Zadunaisky (1725 - 1796), who glorified himself during the reign of Empress Catherine II the Great, was also a great Russian commander.

The talent of the military leader Rumyantsev was revealed during the Seven Years' War of 1756-1763. First he commanded a brigade, then a division. Rumyantsev became a true hero of the battles near Gross-Jegersdorf in 1757 and Kunersdorf in 1759. In the first case, the entry of the Rumyantsev brigade into the battle decided the outcome of the clash between the Russian army and the Prussian army: King Frederick II was defeated, and his troops fled from the battlefield. In the second case, the Rumyantsev regiments again found themselves in the very center of the battle, demonstrating stamina and a desire to defeat the enemy.

In 1761, at the head of the corps, he successfully led the siege and capture of the Kolberg fortress, which was defended by a strong Prussian garrison.

With the beginning of the Russian-Turkish war of 1768-1774, Rumyantsev became the commander of the 2nd Russian army. In 1769, the troops under his command took the fortress of Azov. In August of the same year - he was the commander of the 1st Russian army in the field. It was at this post that the talent of the great commander was revealed.

In the summer of 1770, Russian troops won brilliant victories over the superior forces of the Turkish army and the cavalry troops of the Crimean Khan - in the battles of Larga and Cahul. In all three battles, Rumyantsev demonstrated the triumph of offensive tactics, the ability to maneuver troops and achieve complete victory.

Near Cahul, the 35,000-strong Russian army clashed with the 90,000-strong Turkish army of Grand Vizier Khalil Pasha. From the rear, the Russians were threatened by the 80,000-strong cavalry of the Crimean Tatars. However, the Russian commander boldly attacked the fortified positions of the Turks, knocked them out of the trenches on the heights and turned them into a wholesale flight, capturing all the enemy artillery and a huge camp with a large convoy. He was awarded the Order of St. George, I degree, for the brilliant Kagul victory.

Moving along the Prut River, the Russian army reached the Danube. Then the commander transferred the fighting to the Bulgarian right bank, leading an attack on the Shumla fortress. Turkey hurried to conclude the Kyuchuk-Kaynardzhi peace treaty with Rumyantsev, which secured Russia's access to the Black Sea. For the victories won over the Turks, Field Marshal became known in history as Rumyantsev-Zadunaisky.

After the victorious end of the war, the commander was also appointed commander of the heavy cavalry of the Russian army. With the beginning of a new Russian-Turkish war of 1787-1791, he became the head of the 2nd Army. However, he soon came into conflict with the most powerful man of the reign of Catherine II - the favorite of the Empress G. Potemkin. As a result, he was actually removed from command of the army, and in 1789 he was recalled from the theater of operations to perform governor-general duties in managing Little Russia.

As a great commander, Field Marshal Rumyantsev-Zadunaisky contributed a lot of new things to Russian military art. He was a skilled organizer of troop training, applied new, more progressive forms of combat. He was a staunch supporter of offensive strategy and tactics, which after him was creatively developed by the Russian military genius A. Suvorov. For the first time in the history of military art, he used battalion columns for maneuvering on the battlefield and attacks, laid the foundation for the formation of light jaeger infantry, operating in loose formation.

Marshals of the Great Patriotic War

The most famous commander of the war of the Soviet people against Nazi Germany and its satellites was Georgy Konstantinovich Zhukov (1896 - 1974), Marshal of the Soviet Union, four times Hero of the Soviet Union.

Since 1915, he has been in the Russian army, a participant in the First World War, a non-commissioned officer, and was awarded two St. George's crosses. In the Red Army since 1918. During the Civil War, a Red Army soldier, platoon and cavalry squadron commander. Participated in battles on the Eastern, Western and Southern fronts, in the elimination of banditry.

After the Civil War, he commanded a cavalry squadron, regiment and brigade. Since 1931, assistant inspector of the Red Army cavalry, then commander of the 4th Cavalry Division. Since 1937, the commander of the 3rd cavalry corps, since 1938 - the 6th cavalry corps. In July 1938 he was appointed deputy commander of the Belarusian Special Military District.

In July 1939, Zhukov was appointed commander of the 1st Army Group of Soviet Forces in Mongolia. Together with the Mongolian army, the encirclement and defeat of a large grouping of Japanese troops on the Khalkhin Gol River was carried out. For the skillful leadership of the operation and the courage shown, he was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.

Since July 1940, Zhukov commanded the troops of the Kyiv Special Military District. From January to July 30, 1941 - Chief of the General Staff - Deputy People's Commissar of Defense of the USSR.

Zhukov's leadership talent was revealed during the Great Patriotic War. From June 23, 1941, he was a member of the Headquarters of the Supreme High Command. From August 1942 - First Deputy People's Commissar of Defense of the USSR and Deputy Supreme Commander-in-Chief I.V. Stalin.

As a representative of the Headquarters, in the first days of the war, he organized a counterattack on the Southwestern Front in the area of ​​​​the city of Brody, thereby frustrating the intention of the Nazis with their mobile formations to break through to Kyiv on the move. In August - September 1941, General Zhukov commanded the troops of the Reserve Front and carried out the Yelninskaya offensive operation. And in September of the same year he was appointed commander of the Leningrad Front.

In October 1941, Zhukov headed the Western Front, whose main task was the defense of Moscow. During the Battle of Moscow in the winter of 1941-1942, the troops of the front, together with the troops of the Kalinin and South-Western fronts, went on a decisive offensive and completed the rout of the attackers. Nazi troops and threw them back from the capital by 100 - 250 km.

In 1942-1943, Zhukov coordinated the actions of the fronts near Stalingrad. During the Battle of Stalingrad, five enemy armies were defeated: two German, two Romanian and Italian.

Then he coordinated the actions of the Soviet troops in breaking the blockade of Leningrad, together with A. Vasilevsky - the actions of the troops of the fronts in the Battle of Kursk in 1943, which became an important stage in the victory of the Soviet Union over Nazi Germany. In the battle for the Dnieper, Zhukov coordinated the actions of the Voronezh and Steppe fronts. In March - May 1944 he commanded the 1st Ukrainian Front. In the summer of 1944, he coordinated the actions of the 1st and 2nd Belorussian fronts during the Belorussian strategic offensive operation.

At the final stage of the Great Patriotic War, Marshal of the Soviet Union Zhukov commanded the troops of the 1st Belorussian Front, which carried out the Vistula-Oder operation of 1945, the defeat of the Nazi troops of Army Group A (Center), the liberation of Poland and its capital Warsaw. During these operations, Soviet troops advanced 500 km and entered the territory of Nazi Germany.

In April - May 1945, the troops of the 1st Belorussian Front, together with the troops of the 1st Ukrainian and 2nd Belorussian Fronts, carried out the Berlin operation, which ended with the capture of the capital of Germany. On behalf of and on behalf of the Supreme High Command, on May 8, 1945, in Karlshorst (southeastern part of Berlin), Zhukov accepted the surrender of the armed forces of Nazi Germany.

Zhukov's leadership talent was manifested in the participation and development of the largest strategic offensive operations of the Great Patriotic War. He possessed great willpower, a deep mind, the ability to quickly assess the most difficult strategic situation, predict the possible course of hostilities, was able to find the right decisions in critical situations, took responsibility for risky military operations, had brilliant organizational talent and personal courage.

The fate of the commander after the war turned out to be difficult: under I. Stalin, N. Khrushchev and L. Brezhnev, he was in disgrace for almost a quarter of a century, but courageously and steadfastly endured all the hardships that fell to his lot.

Another major Soviet commander during the Great Patriotic War was Marshal of the Soviet Union Ivan Stepanovich Konev (1897 - 1973).

He was drafted into the Russian army in 1916. Member of the First World War, served as a non-commissioned officer in the artillery battalion. During the Civil War - county military commissar, commissar of an armored train, rifle brigade, division, headquarters of the People's Revolutionary Army of the Far Eastern Republic. He fought on the Eastern Front against the Kolchak troops, the forces of Ataman Semenov and the Japanese invaders.

After the Civil War, the commissar of a rifle brigade and division. Then he was the commander of the regiment and the deputy commander of the division. In 1934 he graduated from the Military Academy named after M.V. Frunze. He commanded an infantry division, a corps. He was commander of the 2nd Separate Red Banner Far Eastern Army. In 1940 - 1941 he commanded the troops of the Trans-Baikal, North Caucasian military districts.

During the Great Patriotic War, he was in senior command positions - he commanded the 19th Army of the Western Front, the Western Front, the Kalinin, North-Western, Steppe, 2nd Ukrainian and 1st Ukrainian Fronts. The troops under the command of Konev participated in the battle of Moscow, in the Battle of Kursk, in the liberation of Belgorod and Kharkov. Konev especially distinguished himself in the Korsun-Shevchenko operation, where a large group of Nazi troops was surrounded. .

This was followed by participation in such major operations of the Second World War as the Vistula-Oder, Berlin and Prague. During the encirclement of Berlin, he skillfully maneuvered the tank armies of the 1st Ukrainian Front.

For military successes he was awarded the highest military order "Victory". Twice Hero of the Soviet Union, Hero of the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic, Hero of the Mongolian People's Republic.

Konev, who received the title of Marshal of the Soviet Union in 1944, was distinguished during the Great Patriotic War by his ability to prepare and conduct large-scale front-line operations, including the encirclement and destruction of large enemy groups. He skillfully carried out offensive operations with the forces of tank armies and corps, applied combat experience in the training and education of troops in the post-war period.

Marshal of the Soviet Union Konstantin Konstantinovich Rokossovsky (1896 - 1968) was also a prominent Soviet commander during the Great Patriotic War.

In the Russian army since 1914. Member of the First World War, junior non-commissioned officer of the dragoon regiment. In the Red Army since 1918. During the Civil War, he commanded a squadron, a separate cavalry division and a cavalry regiment.

After the Civil War, he commanded a cavalry brigade, a cavalry regiment, a separate cavalry brigade, which participated in battles with the White Chinese on the CER. After that, he commanded a cavalry brigade and division, a mechanized corps.

He began the Great Patriotic War as commander of a mechanized corps. Soon he became commander of the 16th Army of the Western Front. From July 1942, commander of the Bryansk Front, from September of the same year - Don, from February 1943 - Central, from October of the same year - Belorussian, from February 1944 - 1st Belorussian, and from November 1944 until the end of the war - 2nd Belorussian Front.

Rokossovsky participated in many major operations of the Great Patriotic War, his troops won many victories over the Nazi troops. He is a participant in the Battle of Smolensk in 1941, the Battle of Moscow, the Battles of Stalingrad and Kursk, the Belorussian, East Prussian, East Pomeranian and Berlin operations.

He is one of the most capable Soviet commanders, who skillfully and effectively commanded the fronts. Marshal of the Soviet Union Rokossovsky demonstrated his art of military leadership in the decisive battles of the war. He was twice awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union and the highest Soviet military order "Victory". He commanded the Victory Parade in Moscow.

After the war, he was appointed commander-in-chief of the Northern Group of Forces. In 1949, at the request of the government of the Polish People's Republic, with the permission of the Soviet government, he left for Poland and was appointed Minister of National Defense and Deputy Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the PPR. Rokossovsky was awarded the military rank of Marshal of Poland.

Rokossovsky did a lot for the development of the Soviet Armed Forces in the post-war period, taking into account the experience of the Second World War and the scientific and technological revolution in military affairs. Author of memoirs "Soldier's Duty".

Marshal of the Soviet Union Alexander Mikhailovich Vasilevsky (1895 - 1977) was also an honored commander of the Great Patriotic War.

He can rightly be called a unique military leader, happily combining the qualities of a brilliant commander and an outstanding staff worker, a military thinker and a large-scale organizer. Being the head of the operational department at the beginning of the war, and from May 1942 until February 1945, the head of the General Staff, Alexander Mikhailovich, out of 34 months of the war, only 12 worked directly in Moscow, and 22 - at the fronts, carrying out orders from the Headquarters.

As chief of the General Staff, he led the planning and preparation of almost all major strategic operations of our Armed Forces, he solved the cardinal issues of providing the fronts with people, equipment, and weapons.

As a representative of the Headquarters of the Supreme High Command, he successfully coordinated the actions of the fronts and types of the Armed Forces in the Battles of Stalingrad and Kursk, during the liberation of Donbass, Belarus, and the Baltic states. Replacing General of the Army I.D. Chernyakhovsky, at the head of the 3rd Belorussian Front successfully led the offensive in East Prussia. It was our army, led by him as the commander-in-chief of the Soviet troops in the Far East, that in September 1945 "finished its campaign in the Pacific."

“Having become acquainted with the style and methods of his work directly in front-line conditions,” wrote Marshal of the Soviet Union I.Kh. Bagramyan, - I was convinced of his ability to unusually quickly navigate the situation, deeply analyze the decisions made by the front and army command, skillfully correct shortcomings, as well as listen and accept the reasoned considerations of subordinates.

For subordinates, since he was 100 percent sure of them, Alexander Mikhailovich stood by the mountain. When in July 1942 the first deputy chief of the General Staff, General N.F. Vatutin, in his place, on the recommendation of Vasilevsky, A. I. Antonov was nominated. But Stalin, even agreeing to this appointment, did not immediately believe and appreciated Antonov. And for several months he had to establish himself in the opinion of the Supreme, performing responsible tasks in the troops. Vasilevsky, believing that a better candidate could not be found, dragged a double burden on himself, worked both for himself and for his deputy, while Alexei Innokentevich was going through a kind of probationary period.

Vasilevsky received his first Order of Victory for the successful coordination of the actions of the 3rd and 4th Ukrainian fronts in the preparation of the operation to liberate the right-bank Ukraine and Crimea in the spring of 1944. And here he had to fully show his character.

At the end of March, at the direction of Stalin, Marshal K.E. came to Vasilevsky at the headquarters of the 4th Ukrainian Front to finalize the plan for the Crimean operation. Voroshilov. Like Alexander Mikhailovich, he was a representative of the Headquarters, but in a separate Primorsky army, General A.I. Eremenko, who operated in the Kerch direction.

After getting acquainted with the composition of the forces and means of the 4th Ukrainian Front, Voroshilov expressed great doubt about the reality of the plan. Like, the enemy has such powerful fortifications near Kerch, and then there is Sivash, Perekop. In a word, nothing will come of it if you do not ask the Headquarters for an additional army, artillery and other means of reinforcement.

The opinion of the old cavalryman made even the commander of the 4th Ukrainian Front, General F.I. Tolbukhin. Following him and the chief of staff of the front, General S.S. Biryuzov nodded his head.

Vasilevsky was surprised. After all, not so long ago, together with the commander of the front, they made all the calculations and came to the conclusion that there were quite enough forces for the successful conduct of the operation, which they reported to the Headquarters. Then there were no objections, but now, when everything has already been approved by the Headquarters and there are no grounds for revising the plan of operation, objections suddenly follow. From what? In response, Tolbukhin noted, not too confidently, that getting reinforcements is always a good idea.

This is where the character of Vasilevsky affected. Alexander Mikhailovich told Voroshilov that he was immediately contacting Stalin, reporting everything to him and would ask the following: since Tolbukhin refuses to carry out the operation under these conditions, he himself, at the head of the 4th Ukrainian Front, will conduct the Crimean operation.

Against the backdrop of conviction and a well-reasoned recruitment of a representative of the Headquarters, the arguments of the opponents somehow immediately withered. Tolbukhin admitted that he jumped to conclusions, did not think carefully. Voroshilov, in turn, assured that he would not interfere in the actions of the 4th Ukrainian Front. But for the report to the Headquarters, which Vasilevsky was supposed to draw up, he would give his comments. And then he refused to comment.

Here Vasilevsky’s answer to the gentle reproach of one military leader comes to mind: “As for my “prudence” and “caution” ... then, in my opinion, there is nothing wrong with them if a sense of proportion is observed. I think that every military leader, whether it be the commander of a unit or division, the commander of an army or a front, should be moderately prudent and cautious. He has such a job that he is responsible for the lives of thousands and tens of thousands of soldiers, and his duty is to weigh his every decision think over, look for the most optimal ways to accomplish a combat mission ... "

The operation to liberate the Crimea was, as Vasilevsky intended, successful. In just 35 days, our troops broke into the powerful enemy defenses and defeated almost 200,000 enemy groupings. Although for the marshal himself, this victory almost turned into a tragedy. On the second day after the liberation of Sevastopol, while driving through the ruined city, his car ran into a mine. The entire front end, instead of with the motor, was turned around and thrown to the side. Just miraculously, the marshal and his driver survived ...

For the second time, Marshal Vasilevsky was awarded the Order of Victory for the successful leadership of the military operations of the 3rd Belorussian and 1st Baltic fronts already in the final of the war to eliminate the East Prussian grouping of the enemy and capture Koenigsberg. The citadel of Prussian militarism collapsed in three days.

Here it is appropriate to refer to the opinion of the former commander of the troops of the 1st Baltic Front, Marshal Baghramyan, who in those days worked very closely with Alexander Mikhailovich. “In East Prussia A.M. Vasilevsky with honor passed the most difficult military leadership exam and showed his full potential as a military strategist on a large scale, as well as excellent organizational skills.

All the commanders of the front, and these were highly experienced generals, such as N.I. Krylov, I.I. Lyudnikov, K.N. Galitsky, A.P. Beloborodov, unanimously declared that the level of leadership ... was beyond praise.

In the opening remarks, one should note the importance of the topic, emphasize the role of generals and military leaders in the war, and show their close connection with the soldier masses.

When considering the first question, taking into account the interests of the listeners, it is desirable to reveal the military talent of several military leaders of Imperial Russia, to show their best human qualities, to name the reasons for success in the most important battles and wars.

In the course of the disclosure of the second question, it is desirable to name the Soviet commanders of the Great Patriotic War and major military leaders of a kind of troops, to reveal their merits to the Fatherland, to show their close connection with the soldier masses and care for them.

At the end of the lesson, it is necessary to draw brief conclusions, answer questions from the audience, and give recommendations on how to prepare for the conversation (seminar).

1. Alekseev Yu. Field Marshal Rumyantsev-Zadunaisky // Landmark; - 2000. No. 1.

2. Alekseev Yu. Generalissimo Alexander Vasilievich Suvorov // Landmark. - 2000. No. 6.

5. Rubtsov, Yu. Georgy Konstantinovich Zhukov, Orientir. - 2000. No. 4.

4. Rubtsov Yu. Konstantin Konstantinovich Rokossovsky // Orientir. -2000. No. 8.

5. Sokolov Yu. Outstanding Russian commanders through the eyes of contemporaries (IX - XVII centuries). - M, 2002.

Captain 1st rank reserve,
Candidate of Historical Sciences Alexey Shishov

Among the associates of Peter the Great, Boris Petrovich Sheremetev occupies a special place. It was he who had the honor of winning the first major victory at Erestfer over the previously invincible Swedes. Acting cautiously and prudently, Sheremetev taught Russian soldiers to field warfare, tempered them by moving from smaller to larger tasks. Using offensive tactics with a limited goal, he recreated the morale and combat capability of the Russian troops and deservedly became the first field marshal in Russia.

Boris Petrovich Sheremetev was born on April 25, 1652. He belonged to an old aristocratic family, originating, like the Romanovs, from Andrei Kobyla. The surname Sheremetevs originated from the nickname Sheremet, which was worn by one of the ancestors at the end of the 15th century. The descendants of Sheremet are already mentioned as military leaders in the 16th century. Since that time, the Sheremetev family began to supply boyars.

Boris Sheremetev's career usually began for the offspring of a noble family: at the age of 13 he was granted a stewardship. This court rank, which provided closeness to the king, opened up wide prospects for promotion in ranks and positions. However, Sheremetev's stewardship dragged on for many years. Only in 1682, at the age of 30, he was granted a boyar.

Petr Semenovich Saltykov (1698–1772)

The winner of Frederick the Great - "a gray-haired, small, unpretentious old man, in a white landmilitsky caftan, without any decorations and without pomp - had the happiness from the very beginning ... to fall in love with the soldiers." He was loved for his simplicity and accessibility and respected for his equanimity in battle. P. S. Saltykov possessed to a large extent common sense and combined great civil courage with military courage. The campaign of 1759 put him above all the commanders of the anti-Prussian coalition.

Pyotr Semenovich Saltykov was born in 1698 in the village of Marfino, Moscow province. His father, Semyon Andreevich, was a close relative of the wife of John V, Tsaritsa Praskovya Feodorovna, and successfully made a career at court. In 1714, the offspring of a noble family entered the guard and was sent by Peter the Great to France to study maritime affairs. Pyotr Semenovich lived in a foreign land for about 20 years, but did not acquire love for naval service.

Pyotr Alexandrovich Rumyantsev-Zadunaisky (1725–1796)

The founder of Russian military doctrine was Petr Alexandrovich Rumyantsev. Looking always and first of all at the root of the matter, he understood the originality of Russia and the whole difference between the Russian and European military systems - the difference that followed from this originality.

In the era of domination throughout Europe of soulless Prussian theories, formalism and automatic - "fuhtelnaya" - training, Petr Aleksandrovich Rumyantsev was the first to put forward moral principles as the basis for the education of troops, and he separated moral training from training "physical". The 60-70s of the 18th century are rightly called the "Rumyantsev" period in the history of the Russian army, the period of brilliant victories of the most advanced army in the world.

The future commander was born in 1725. His father was Alexander Ivanovich Rumyantsev, one of the associates of Peter I, and his mother was Maria Andreevna, the granddaughter of the famous boyar Matveev. In the sixth year, the boy was enrolled as a soldier in the guard, and then the teaching began.

Alexander Vasilyevich Suvorov-Rymniksky (1730–1800)

Suvorov's "The Science of Victory" - the greatest monument of the Russian military genius - remains surprisingly relevant to this day. It was written not just for the military, but for the miraculous heroes. And it does not matter whether these miraculous heroes are armed with flintlock guns or the most modern weapons. A. V. Suvorov completed the development of the Russian military doctrine and formulated its basic principles: originality, the predominance of a qualitative element over a quantitative one, national pride, a conscious attitude to one's work, initiative, and the use of success to the end. And the crown of everything is victory, "won with little blood." Grateful descendants with deep respect and love pronounce the name of Generalissimo Suvorov, which is the honor and glory of Russia.

Alexander Vasilievich Suvorov was born on November 13, 1730 in Moscow. His father, General-in-Chief Vasily Ivanovich Suvorov, godson of Peter I, his mother, Evdokia Fedosyevna Manukova, died when Alexander was not even 15 years old. Suvorov spent his early childhood at home, where he received home education and upbringing. He studied the necessary subjects, as well as foreign languages: French, German and Italian. The young man studied very diligently, but in a certain direction. After all, Suvorov was the son of a general, lived in a military environment, read books mainly of a military content - it is natural that he only dreamed of a military career. However, the father believed that Alexander was not suitable for this, for he was small, weak and frail. Suvorov the father decided to send his son to the civil service.

Fedor Fedorovich Ushakov (1744–1817)

Admiral Ushakov was able to accomplish the unprecedented - he took the strongest French fortress on the island of Corfu with an attack from the sea. The great Suvorov responded to this feat with inspired words:

Hooray! Russian fleet! Now I say to myself: why was I not even a midshipman at Corfu!

The sailing fleet of Russia reached its peak by the end of the 18th century - it had a significant number of first-class ships, experienced captains and well-trained sailors. He went to the expanses of the Atlantic and the Pacific Ocean. The fleet also had an outstanding naval leader - Fedor Fedorovich Ushakov.

He was born in 1744 in the village of Burnakovo, Yaroslavl province. The father, a retired Transfiguration officer, believed that his son would follow in his footsteps. However, the boy dreamed of the sea, of ships and naval service. 1761 decided the fate of Ushakov. He entered the Naval gentry cadet corps.

Mikhail Illarionovich Golenishchev-Kutuzov (1745–1813)

The historical significance of the activities of M. I. Kutuzov was deeply and correctly determined by A. S. Pushkin: “The glory of Kutuzov is inextricably linked with the glory of Russia, with the memory of the greatest event ... of history. His title: savior of Russia; his monument: the rock of St. Helena! .. Kutuzov alone was clothed in a people's power of attorney, which he so wonderfully justified!

The future commander was born on September 16, 1745 in St. Petersburg. He came from an old noble family that played a prominent role in the history of Russia. Mikhail's father, Illarion Matveevich, was a well-known military engineer and a versatile educated person. He began military service under Peter I and stayed in it for more than 30 years. Dismissed due to illness, retired with the rank of lieutenant general, I. M. Kutuzov served further in the civil department, showing great talent in this field.

The history of the generals of Russia originates from the formation of the Old Russian state. Throughout the entire period of its existence, our ancestors were drawn into military conflicts. The success of any combat operation depends not only on the technical equipment of the army, but also on the experience, heroism, and skill of the military leader. Who are they, the great generals of Russia? The list can be endless, as the history of Russia contains many heroic pages. Unfortunately, within the framework of one article it is impossible to mention all the worthy people, many of whom we literally owe our lives. However, we will still try to remember some names. Let us make a reservation right away that the outstanding commanders of Russia presented below are not more courageous, smarter or braver than those honored people whose names were not included in our article.

Prince Svyatoslav I Igorevich

The list of "Great generals of Russia from ancient Russia" would be incomplete without the name of the Kyiv prince Svyatoslav Igorevich. He was only three years old when he officially became a prince after the death of his father. His mother Olga took over the principality. When the prince grew up, it didn’t matter he did not want to deal with administrative affairs.The only thing that worried him was military campaigns and battles.He was practically not in the capital.

The goal of Svyatoslav the First

Svyatoslav saw his main mission in building a huge Slavic empire with its capital in Pereyaslavets. At that time, the city belonged to the no less powerful Bulgarian principality. First of all, the prince of Russia defeated the powerful eastern neighbor - the Khazar Khaganate. He knew that Khazaria was a rich, large and vast state. Svyatoslav first sent messengers to the enemies with the words: "I'm going to you" - which meant a warning about the war. In the history textbooks, this is interpreted as courage, but in fact it was a military trick: the Kievan prince needed to gather together a disparate, motley mercenary army of the Khazars in order to defeat them with one blow. This was done in 965. After the victory over the Jewish Khazaria, Svyatoslav decided to consolidate his success. He turned north from Khazaria and destroyed the most faithful ally of the enemies - the Volga Bulgaria. After these events, not a single centralized powerful state remained to the east of Russia.

In 970-971, Svyatoslav invades Bulgaria as an ally of Byzantium, but then unexpectedly unites with the Bulgarians and defeats the greatest empire of that time. However, the Russian prince miscalculated: a horde of Pechenegs attacked Kyiv from the east. Ambassadors from Kyiv informed the prince that the city might fall. Svyatoslav sent most of the army to help the capital. He himself remained with a small squad. In 972, he was surrounded and died in a battle with the Pechenegs.

Alexander Nevskiy

The great commanders of Russia also lived in times of political fragmentation. One of them is Alexander Nevsky, elevated to the rank of saints. His main merit is that he defeated the Swedish and German feudal lords and thereby saved the Novgorod Republic from capture.

In the 13th century, the Swedes and the Germans decided by joint efforts to subjugate Novgorod. The situation was most favorable:

1. Almost all of Russia had already been captured by the Mongol-Tatars.
2. At the head of the Novgorod squad stood a young and inexperienced Alexander Yaroslavovich.

The Swedes miscalculated first. In 1240, without the help of the allies, they decided to subjugate these lands. On the ships, a landing force of selected Swedish knights set off. The Scandinavians knew all the slowness of the Novgorod Republic: before the war it was necessary to convene a veche, to make a decision to convene an army. However, the enemy did not take into account one thing: at the hand of the Novgorod governor there is always a small squad, which is personally subordinate to the commander. It was with her that Alexander decided to suddenly attack the Swedes, who had not yet had time to land. The calculation was correct: panic began. There was no question of any rebuff to the small detachment of Russians. Alexander received the nickname Nevsky for his courage and ingenuity, and deserves a place in the list of "the best commanders of Russia."

The victory over the Swedes was not the only one in the career of the young prince. Two years later, the turn came to the German knights. In 1242, he defeated the heavily armed feudal lords of the Livonian Order on Lake Peipus. And again, it was not without ingenuity and a desperate gesture: Alexander positioned the army so that it was possible to carry out a powerful attack on the enemy's flank, pushing them back to the thin ice of Lake Peipus. As a result, he could not stand the heavily armed troops and cracked. Knights in heavy armor cannot even lift themselves off the ground without assistance, let alone swim out of the water.

Dmitry Donskoy

The list of famous commanders of Russia will be incomplete if it does not include Prince Dmitry Donskoy. He got his nickname thanks to a brilliant victory at the Kulikovo field in 1380. This battle is notable for the fact that Russians, Tatars, and Lithuanians took part in it on both sides. Modern history textbooks interpret it as a liberation struggle against the Mongol yoke. In fact, it was a little different: Murza Mamai illegally seized power in the Golden Horde and ordered him to pay tribute to Moscow. Prince Dmitry refused him, since he was a descendant of the khan's family, and did not intend to obey the impostor. In the 13th century, the Moscow dynasty of Kalita became related to the Khan dynasty of the Golden Horde. There was a battle on the Kulikovo field, where the Russian troops won the first victory in history over the Mongol-Tatars. After that, Moscow decided that it could now repulse any Tatar army, but paid for it with a defeat from Khan Tokhtamysh in 1382. As a result, the enemy plundered the city and its environs.

The military merit of Donkoy on the Kulikovo field was that he first used a reserve - an ambush regiment. At a critical moment, Dmitry brought in fresh forces with a swift attack. Panic began in the enemy camp, as they did not expect such a turn: no one had ever used such tactics in military battles before.

Alexander Suvorov (1730-1800)

Outstanding commanders of Russia have lived at all times. But the most talented and brilliant among all can rightfully be considered Alexander Suvorov, Honored Generalissimo of the Russian Empire. All the genius of Suvorov is difficult to convey in ordinary words. Main battles: Kinburn battle, Fokshany, Rymnik, assault on Prague, assault on Izmail.

It is enough to tell in detail how the assault on Ishmael took place in order to understand the whole genius of this man. The fact is that the Turkish fortress was considered the most powerful and impregnable in the world. She survived many battles in her lifetime, was subjected to blockade several times. But all this is useless: the walls withstood cannon shots, not a single army in the world could overcome their height. The fortress also withstood the blockade: there were supplies for a year inside.

Alexander Suvorov proposed a brilliant idea: he built an exact model of the walls of the fortress and began to train soldiers to storm them. In fact, the commander for a long time created a whole army of special forces to storm impregnable fortresses. It was at this time that his famous phrase arose: "hard in learning - easy in battle." Suvorov was loved in the army and among the people. He understood the gravity of the soldier's service, tried, if possible, to ease it, did not send the soldiers into a senseless meat grinder.

Suvorov sought to motivate his subordinates, encouraged those who distinguished themselves with titles and awards. His phrase: "The soldier who does not dream of becoming a general is bad" became winged.

The commanders of Russia in subsequent eras tried to learn from Suvorov all his secrets. The Generalissimo left behind the treatise "The Science of Victory". The book is written in simple language and almost all consists of winged phrases: “Take care of the bullet for three days, and sometimes for a whole campaign”, “Throw the bad boy from the bayonet! - a dead man on a bayonet scratches his neck with a saber, etc.

Suvorov was the first to start defeating Napoleon's French army in Italy. Prior to this, Bonaparte was considered invincible, and his army - the most professional. His famous crossing of the Alps to the rear of the French is one of the best military decisions of all times and peoples.

Mikhail Illarionovich Kutuzov (1745-1813)

Mikhail Kutuzov - a student of Suvorov, participated in the famous assault on Izmail. Thanks to the Patriotic War of 1812, he forever included his name in the list of brilliant military leaders. Why are Kutuzov and Suvorov the most beloved heroes of their era? There are several reasons here:

1. Both Suvorov and Kutuzov are Russian commanders of Russia. This was important at that time: almost all leading positions were occupied by assimilated Germans, whose ancestors came in whole groups during the time of Peter the Great, Elizabeth and Catherine II.
2. Both commanders were considered "from the people", although this was a delusion: both Suvorov and Kutuzov were nobles with a large number of serfs on their estates. They got such fame because they were not alien to the difficulties of an ordinary soldier. Their main task is to save the life of a warrior, to retreat, rather than throw battalions to certain death in senseless battles for the sake of "honor" and "dignity".
3. In almost all battles, the brilliant decisions of the commanders really deserve respect.

Suvorov did not lose a single battle, while Kutuzov lost the main battle of his life - the battle of Borodino. However, his retreat and abandonment of Moscow is also among the greatest maneuvers of all times and peoples. The famous Napoleon slept through an entire army. By the time he realized this, it was already too late. Subsequent events showed that leaving the capital was the only right decision in the war.

Barclay de Tolly (1761-1818)

The list of "Famous Generals of Russia" often undeservedly lacks one brilliant man: Barclay de Tolly. It was thanks to him that the famous Battle of Borodino took place. By his actions, he saved the Russian army, completely exhausted Napoleon long before Moscow. Also, thanks to him, the French lost almost their entire army not on the battlefields, but during campaigns. It was this brilliant general who created the scorched earth tactics in the war with Napoleon. All warehouses on the way of the enemy were destroyed, all unexported grain was burned, all cattle was taken away. Napoleon saw only empty villages and burned fields. Thanks to this, the army did not go to Borodino in the main course, but barely made ends meet. Napoleon did not even imagine that his soldiers would starve, and his horses would fall from exhaustion. It was Barclay de Tolly who insisted on leaving Moscow at the council in Fili.

Why was this brilliant commander not honored by contemporaries and descendants do not remember? There are two reasons:

1. It was a Russian hero that was needed for the Great Victory. Barclay de Tolia did not fit the role of the savior of Russia.
2. The general considered his task to weaken the enemy. The courtiers insisted on giving battle to Napoleon and defending the honor of the country. History has shown that they were greatly mistaken.

Why did the emperor support Barclay de Tolli?

Why did the young and ambitious Alexander the First not succumb to the provocations of the court generals and did not order a battle on the border? This is due to the fact that Alexander had already burned himself once because of the advice of such subjects: “in the battle of the three emperors” near Austerlitz, Napoleon defeated a large Russian-Austrian army. The Russian emperor then fled from the battlefield, leaving a trail of shame behind him. He didn't want to experience something like this the second time. Therefore, Alexander the First fully supported the actions of the general and did not succumb to the provocations of the courtiers.

List of battles and battles fought by Barclay de Tolly

Many commanders of Russia of all times did not even have half the experience that the general had behind him:

• assaults on Ochakov, Prague;
• Battle of Borodino, Battle of Smolensk;
• battles at Preussish-Eylau, at Pultusk; near Leipzig;
• battles at Bautzen, at La Rotierre, at Fer-Champanoise; under Kulm;
• the siege of Thorn;
• the capture of Paris.

We covered the topic “The Greatest Generals of Russia from Ancient Russia to the 20th Century”. Unfortunately, many brilliant and talented families were not included in our list. We list the names of the commanders of Russia during the Second World War.

Georgy Zhukov

Four times the hero of the Soviet Union, the owner of many domestic and foreign military awards, Georgy Konstantinovich enjoyed unquestioned authority in Soviet historiography. However, an alternative history has a different point of view: the great commanders of Russia are military leaders who took care of the lives of their soldiers, did not send them in tens of thousands to certain death. Zhukov, according to some modern historians, is a "bloody executioner", "village upstart", "Stalin's favorite." Without a share of regret, he could send entire divisions into the boilers.

Be that as it may, but Georgy Konstantinovich deserves credit for the defense of Moscow. He also participated in the operation to encircle the troops of Paulus near Stalingrad. The task of his army was a diversionary maneuver, designed to tie down significant German forces. He also participated in breaking the blockade of Leningrad. Zhukov owns the development of Operation Bagration in the swampy forests of Belarus, as a result of which Belarus, part of the Baltic states, and Eastern Poland were liberated.

A huge merit of Zhukov in the development of the operation to capture Berlin. Georgy Konstantinovich predicted a powerful attack by German tank forces on the flank of our army just before the assault on the German capital.

It was Georgy Konstantinovich who accepted the surrender of Germany in 1945, as well as the Victory Parade on June 24, 1945, timed to coincide with the defeat of the Nazi forces.

Ivan Konev

The last on our list of "Great commanders of Russia" will be Marshal of the Soviet Union Ivan Konev.

At the time of the war, the marshal commanded the 19th Army of the North Caucasian District. Konev managed to avoid encirclement and captivity - he brought the army command from the dangerous sector of the front in time.

In 1942, Konev, together with Zhukov, led the first and second Rzhev-Sychev operations, and in the winter of 1943, the Zhizdrinskaya. Entire divisions were destroyed in them. The strategic advantage gained in 1941 was lost. It is these operations that are blamed on both Zhukov and Konev. However, the marshal justified his hopes in the Battle of Kursk (July-August 1943). After her, Konev's troops carried out a number of brilliant operations:

• Poltava-Kremenchug.
• Pyatikhatskaya.
• Znamenskaya.
• Kirovograd.
• Lviv-Sandomierz.

In January 1945, the First Ukrainian Front under the command of Ivan Konev, in alliance with other fronts and formations, carried out the Vistula-Oder operation, liberated Krakow and the Auschwitz concentration camp. In 1945, Konev with his troops reached Berlin, participated in the formation of armies in the Berlin offensive operation under the command of Zhukov.

Russia has always been rich in outstanding commanders and naval commanders.

1. Alexander Yaroslavich Nevsky (c. 1220 - 1263). - a commander, at the age of 20 he defeated the Swedish conquerors on the Neva River (1240), and at 22 - the German "dog-knights" during the Battle of the Ice (1242)

2. Dmitry Donskoy (1350 - 1389). - commander, prince. Under his leadership, the greatest victory was won on the Kulikovo field over the hordes of Khan Mamai, which was an important stage in the liberation of Russia and other peoples of Eastern Europe from the Mongol-Tatar yoke.

3. Peter I - Russian Tsar, an outstanding commander. He is the founder of the Russian regular army and navy. He showed high organizational skills and the talent of a commander during the Azov campaigns (1695 - 1696), in the Northern War (1700 - 1721). during the Persian campaign (1722 - 1723) Under the direct leadership of Peter in the famous Battle of Poltava (1709), the troops of the Swedish king Charles XII were defeated and captured.

4. Fedor Alekseevich Golovin (1650 - 1706) - Count, Field Marshal General, Admiral. Companion of Peter I, the greatest organizer, one of the creators of the Baltic Fleet

5 Boris Petrovich Sheremetyev (1652 - 1719) - Count, General - Field Marshal. Member of the Crimean, Azov. He commanded an army in a campaign against the Crimean Tatars. In the battle at Eresfer, in Livonia, a detachment under his command defeated the Swedes, defeated Schlippenbach's army at Hummelshof (5 thousand killed, 3 thousand prisoners). The Russian flotilla forced the Swedish ships to leave the Neva for the Gulf of Finland. In 1703, he took Noteburg, and then Nienschanz, Koporye, and Yamburg. In Estonia, Sheremetev B.P. occupied by Wesenberg. Sheremetev B.P. besieged Derpt, which surrendered in 13 IL 1704. During the Astrakhan uprising Sheremetev B.P. was sent by Peter I to suppress it. In 1705 Sheremetev B.P. took Astrakhan.

6 Alexander Danilovich Menshikov (1673-1729) - His Serene Highness Prince, associate of Peter I. Generalisimo of the Naval and Land Forces. Member of the Northern War with the Swedes, battles near Poltava.

7. Pyotr Alexandrovich Rumyantsev (1725 - 1796) - Count, Field Marshal General. Member of the Russian-Swedish war, the Seven Years' War. The biggest victories were won by him during the first Russian-Turkish war (1768 - 1774), especially in the battles of the Ryaba Mogila, Larga and Cahul and many other battles. The Turkish army was defeated. Rumyantsev became the first holder of the Order of St. George, I degree and received the title of Transdanubian.

8. Alexander Vasilyevich Suvorov (1729-1800) - His Serene Highness Prince of Italy, Count Rymniksky, Count of the Holy Roman Empire, Generalissimo of the Russian land and sea forces, Field Marshal of the Austrian and Sardinian troops, grandee of the Sardinian kingdom and prince of royal blood (with the title "cousin King"), holder of all Russian and many foreign military orders awarded at that time.
Not once in any of the battles given by him was he defeated. Moreover, in almost all these cases, he convincingly won with the numerical superiority of the enemy.
he stormed the impregnable fortress of Izmail, defeated the Turks at Rymnik, Focsany, Kinburn, etc. The Italian campaign of 1799 and the victory over the French, the immortal crossing of the Alps was the crowning achievement of his military leadership.

9. Fedor Fedorovich Ushakov (1745-1817) - an outstanding Russian naval commander, admiral. The Russian Orthodox Church canonized as a righteous warrior Theodore Ushakov. He laid the foundations of new naval tactics, founded the Black Sea Navy, talentedly led it, winning a number of remarkable victories in the Black and Mediterranean Seas: in the Kerch naval battle, in the battles of Tendra, Kaliakria, and others. Ushakov's significant victory was the capture of the island of Corfu in February 1799 city, where the combined actions of ships and land landing forces were successfully used.
Admiral Ushakov conducted 40 naval battles. And they all ended with brilliant victories. The people called him "Naval Suvorov."

10. Mikhail Illarionovich Kutuzov (1745 - 1813) - the famous Russian commander, Field Marshal General, His Serene Highness Prince. Hero of the Patriotic War of 1812, full cavalier of the Order of St. George. He fought against the Turks, Tatars, Poles, French in various positions, including the Commander-in-Chief of the armies and troops. Formed light cavalry and infantry that did not exist in the Russian army

11. Mikhail Bogdanovich Barclay de Tolly (1761-1818) - prince, outstanding Russian commander, field marshal general, minister of war, hero of the Patriotic War of 1812, full cavalier of the Order of St. George. He commanded the entire Russian army at the initial stage of the Patriotic War of 1812, after which he was replaced by M.I. Kutuzov. In the foreign campaign of the Russian army of 1813-1814, he commanded the combined Russian-Prussian army as part of the Bohemian army of the Austrian field marshal Schwarzenberg.

12. Pyotr Ivanovich Bagration (1769-1812) - prince, Russian infantry general, hero of the Patriotic War of 1812. A descendant of the Georgian royal house of Bagration. The branch of the Kartalin princes Bagrationov (ancestors of Peter Ivanovich) was included in the number of Russian-princely families on October 4, 1803, with the approval by Emperor Alexander I of the seventh part of the “General Armorial

13. Nikolai Nikolaevich Raevsky (1771-1829) - Russian commander, hero of the Patriotic War of 1812, cavalry general. For thirty years of impeccable service, he participated in many of the largest battles of the era. After the feat near Saltanovka, he became one of the most popular generals of the Russian army. The struggle for the Raevsky battery was one of the key episodes of the Battle of Borodino. By the time in 1795 the Persian army invaded the territory of Georgia, and, fulfilling its obligations under the Treaty of Georgievsk, the Russian government declared war on Persia. In March 1796, the Nizhny Novgorod regiment, as part of the corps of V. A. Zubov, went on a 16-month campaign to Derbent. In May, after ten days of siege, Derbent was taken. Together with the main forces, he reached the Kura River. In difficult mountainous conditions, Raevsky showed his best qualities: "The 23-year-old commander managed to maintain full order of battle and strict military discipline during the exhausting campaign."

14. Alexei Petrovich Ermolov (1777-1861) - Russian military leader and statesman, participant in many major wars that the Russian Empire waged from the 1790s to the 1820s. Infantry General. Artillery general. Hero of the Caucasian War. In the campaign of 1818, he led the construction of the Groznaya fortress. Under his command were the troops sent to subdue the Avar Khan Shamil. In 1819, Yermolov began the construction of a new fortress - Sudden. In 1823 he commanded military operations in Dagestan, and in 1825 he fought with the Chechens.

15. Matvey Ivanovich Platov (1753-1818) - count, cavalry general, Cossack. Participated in all wars of the late XVIII - early XIX century. Since 1801 - ataman of the Don Cossack army. Participated in the battle of Preussisch-Eylau, then in the Turkish war. During the Patriotic War, he first commanded all the Cossack regiments on the border, and then, covering the retreat of the army, had successful business with the enemy near the town of Mir and Romanovo. During the retreat of the French army, Platov, relentlessly pursuing her, inflicted defeats on Gorodnya, the Kolotsk Monastery, Gzhatsk, Tsarevo-Zaimishcha, near Dukhovshchina and while crossing the Vop River. For merit he was elevated to the dignity of a count. In November, Platov occupied Smolensk from battle and defeated the troops of Marshal Ney near Dubrovna. At the beginning of January 1813 he entered the borders of Prussia and overlaid Danzig; in September, he received command of a special corps, with which he participated in the battle of Leipzig and, pursuing the enemy, captured about 15 thousand people. In 1814 he fought at the head of his regiments in the capture of Nemur, at Arcy-sur-Aube, Cezanne, Villeneuve.

16. Mikhail Petrovich Lazarev (1788-1851) - Russian naval commander and navigator, admiral, holder of the Order of St. George IV class and discoverer of Antarctica. Here in 1827, commanding the warship "Azov", MP Lazarev took part in the Battle of Navarino. Fighting with five Turkish ships, he destroyed them: he sank two large frigates and one corvette, burned the flagship under the flag of Tagir Pasha, forced the 80-gun ship of the line to run aground, after which he set it on fire and blew it up. In addition, "Azov" under the command of Lazarev destroyed the flagship of Muharrem Bey. For participation in the Battle of Navarino, Lazarev was promoted to rear admiral and awarded three orders at once (Greek - "Commander's Cross of the Savior", English - Bani and French - St. Louis, and his ship "Azov" received the St. George flag.

17. Pavel Stepanovich Nakhimov (1802-1855) - Russian admiral. Under the command of Lazarev, M.P. made in 1821-1825. circumnavigation on the cruiser frigate. During the voyage he was promoted to lieutenant. In the Battle of Navarino, he commanded a battery on the battleship "Azov" under the command of M. P. Lazarev as part of the squadron of Admiral L. P. Heiden; for distinction in battle he was awarded on December 21, 1827 the Order of St. George IV class No. 4141 and promoted to lieutenant commander. In 1828 took command of the Navarin corvette, a captured Turkish ship, formerly bearing the name Nassabih Sabah. During the Russo-Turkish War of 1828–29, commanding a corvette, he blockaded the Dardanelles as part of a Russian squadron. During the Sevastopol defense of 1854-55. showed a strategic approach to the defense of the city. In Sevastopol, Nakhimov, although he was listed as the commander of the fleet and port, but since February 1855, after the flooding of the fleet, he defended, by appointment of the commander in chief, the southern part of the city, leading the defense with amazing energy and enjoyed the greatest moral influence on the soldiers and sailors who called him "father - a benefactor."

18. Vladimir Alekseevich Kornilov (1806-1855) - Vice Admiral (1852). Member of the Navarino battle of 1827 and the Russian-Turkish war of 1828-29. Since 1849 - chief of staff, since 1851 - the actual commander of the Black Sea Fleet. He advocated the rearmament of ships and the replacement of the sailing fleet with steam ones. During the Crimean War - one of the leaders of the Sevastopol defense.

19. Stepan Osipovich Makarov (1849 - 1904) - He was the founder of the theory of ship unsinkability, one of the organizers of the creation of destroyers and torpedo boats. During the Russian-Turkish war of 1877 - 1878. carried out successful attacks on enemy ships with pole mines. He made two round-the-world trips and a number of Arctic voyages. Skillfully commanded the Pacific squadron during the defense of Port Arthur in the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905.

20. Georgy Konstantinovich Zhukov (1896-1974) - The most famous Soviet commander is generally recognized as the Marshal of the Soviet Union. The development of plans for all major operations of the united fronts, large groupings of Soviet troops and their implementation took place under his leadership. These operations always ended in victory. They were decisive for the outcome of the war.

21. Konstantin Konstantinovich Rokossovsky (1896-1968) - an outstanding Soviet military leader, Marshal of the Soviet Union, Marshal of Poland. Twice Hero of the Soviet Union

22. Ivan Stepanovich Konev (1897-1973) - Soviet commander, Marshal of the Soviet Union, twice Hero of the Soviet Union.

23. Leonid Alexandrovich Govorov (1897-1955) - Soviet commander, Marshal of the Soviet Union, Hero of the Soviet Union

24. Kirill Afanasyevich Meretskov (1997-1968) - Soviet military leader, Marshal of the Soviet Union, Hero of the Soviet Union

25. Semyon Konstantinovich Timoshenko (1895-1970) - Soviet military leader, Marshal of the Soviet Union, twice Hero of the Soviet Union. In May 1940 - July 1941 People's Commissar of Defense of the USSR.

26. Fedor Ivanovich Tolbukhin (1894 - 1949) - Soviet military leader, Marshal of the Soviet Union, Hero of the Soviet Union

27. Vasily Ivanovich Chuikov (1900-1982) - Soviet military leader, Marshal of the Soviet Union, during the Great Patriotic War - commander of the 62nd Army, which especially distinguished himself in the Battle of Stalingrad. 2-time hero of the USSR.

28. Andrei Ivanovich Eremenko (1892-1970) - Marshal of the Soviet Union, Hero of the Soviet Union. One of the most prominent commanders of the Great Patriotic War and World War II in general.

29. Radion Yakovlevich Malinovsky (1897-1967) - Soviet military leader and statesman. Commander of the Great Patriotic War, Marshal of the Soviet Union, from 1957 to 1967 - Minister of Defense of the USSR.

30. Nikolai Gerasimovich Kuznetsov (1904-1974) - Soviet naval figure, Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union, headed the Soviet Navy (as People's Commissar of the Navy (1939-1946), Minister of the Navy (1951-1953 ) and Commander-in-Chief)

31. Nikolai Fedorovich Vatutin (1901-1944) - army general, Hero of the Soviet Union, belongs to the galaxy of the main commanders of the Great Patriotic War.

32. Ivan Danilovich Chernyakhovsky (1906-1945) - an outstanding Soviet military leader, army general, twice Hero of the Soviet Union.

33. Pavel Alekseevich Rotmistrov (1901-1982) - Soviet military leader, Hero of the Soviet Union, Chief Marshal of the armored forces, doctor of military sciences, professor.

And this is only a part of the commanders who are worthy of mention.