Ministry of Education of the Republic of Belarus

Belarusian State University

Faculty of Humanities

Abstract on the Great Patriotic War

on the topic “Commanders of the Great Patriotic War”

Performed :

1st year student, group 3

departments communication design

Trusevich Anna

1. Zhukov Georgy Konstantinovich

2. Rokossovsky Konstantin Konstantinovich

3. Vasilevsky Alexander Mikhailovich

4. Timoshenko Semyon Konstantinovich

5. Tolbukhin Fedor Ivanovich

6. Meretskov Kirill Afanasyevich

7. Malinovsky Rodion Yakovlevich

8. Konev Ivan Stepanovich

9. Kuznetsov Nikolay Gerasimovich

Zhukov Georgy Konstantinovich

Four times

Born on November 19 (December 1), 1896 in the village of Strelkovka, Ugodsko-Zavodskaya volost, Maloyaroslavets district, Kaluga region (now Zhukovsky district, Kaluga region), in the family of peasants Konstantin Artemyevich and Ustinya Artemyevna Zhukov.

At the beginning of May 1940, G.K. Zhukov was received by I.V. Stalin. This was followed by his appointment as commander of the Kyiv Special Military District. In the same year, a decision was made to assign the ranks of general to the senior command staff of the Red Army. G.K. Zhukov was awarded the rank of Army General.

In December 1940, a meeting was held at the General Staff with the participation of district and army commanders, members of Military Councils and chiefs of staff. Army General G.K. Zhukov also made a report there. He emphasized that an attack on the USSR by Nazi Germany is inevitable. The Red Army will have to deal with the most powerful army in the West. Based on this, Georgy Konstantinovich put forward the most important task of accelerating the formation of tank and mechanized formations, strengthening the Air Force and air defense.

At the end of January 1941, G.K. Zhukov was appointed Chief of the General Staff - Deputy People's Commissar of Defense of the USSR. Relying on his closest assistants, he quickly got used to this multifaceted and very responsible position. The General Staff carried out a great deal of operational, organizational and mobilization work. But G.K. Zhukov immediately noticed significant shortcomings in his activities, as well as in the work of the People's Commissar of Defense and the commanders of the military branches. In particular, in case of war, no measures were taken to prepare command posts from which it would be possible to control all the Armed Forces, quickly transmit Headquarters directives to the troops, and receive and process reports from the troops.

The activities of the General Staff under the leadership of G.K. Zhukov intensified significantly. First of all, it was aimed at successfully preparing our army for war in a short time. But time was already lost. On June 22, 1941, the troops of Nazi Germany attacked the USSR. The Great Patriotic War began.

In August-September 1941, G.K. Zhukov, commanding the troops of the Reserve Front, successfully carried out the first offensive operation in the history of the Great Patriotic War. Then an extremely dangerous situation developed near Yelnya. A ledge had formed there, from which the German tank and motorized divisions of Army Group Center, led by Field Marshal von Bock, were preparing to attack our troops, crush them, and deal them a mortal blow. But Georgy Konstantinovich figured out this plan in time. He threw the main artillery forces of the Reserve Front against the tank and motorized divisions. Seeing dozens of tanks and vehicles go up in flames, the field marshal ordered the armored forces to be withdrawn and replaced with infantry. But that didn't help either. Under powerful fire, the Nazis were forced to retreat. The dangerous ledge was eliminated. The Soviet Guard was born in the battles near Yelnya.

When an extremely critical situation developed near Leningrad and the question arose about whether this glorious city on the Neva should exist or not, Georgy Konstantinovich Zhukov was appointed commander of the troops of the Leningrad Front on September 11, 1941. At the cost of incredible efforts, he manages to mobilize all reserves and rouse everyone who was able to contribute to the defense of the city to fight.

Since August 1942, G. K. Zhukov has been the first deputy people's commissar of defense of the USSR and deputy supreme commander-in-chief. He coordinated the actions of the fronts near Stalingrad, during the days of breaking the siege of Leningrad, in the battle of Kursk, and in the battles for the Dnieper. In April 1944, troops under his command liberated many cities and railway junctions and reached the foothills of the Carpathians. For particularly outstanding services to the Motherland, Marshal of the Soviet Union G. K. Zhukov was awarded the highest military award - the Order of Victory No. 1.

In the summer of 1944, G. K. Zhukov coordinated the actions of the 1st and 2nd Belarusian Fronts in the Belarusian Strategic Operation. Well-planned and well-provided with logistics, this operation was completed successfully. The destroyed Minsk and many cities and villages of Belarus were liberated from the enemy.

On August 22, 1944, G. K. Zhukov was summoned to Moscow and received a special task from the State Defense Committee: to prepare the troops of the 3rd Ukrainian Front for the war with Bulgaria, whose government continued to cooperate with Nazi Germany. On September 5, 1944, the Soviet government declared war on Bulgaria. However, on the territory of Bulgaria, Soviet troops were met by Bulgarian military units with red banners and without weapons. And crowds of people greeted Russian soldiers with flowers. G.K. Zhukov reported this to J.V. Stalin and received instructions not to disarm the Bulgarian garrisons. Soon they opposed the fascist troops.

In April–May 1945, front troops under the command of Marshal of the Soviet Union G.K. Zhukov, in cooperation with the troops of the 1st Ukrainian and 2nd Belorussian Fronts, successfully carried out the Berlin offensive operation. Having defeated the largest group of Nazi troops, they captured Berlin. On May 8, 1945, G. K. Zhukov, on behalf of the Soviet Supreme High Command, accepted the surrender of Nazi Germany in Karlshorst. This is the brightest and most brilliant page in the biography of the outstanding commander Georgy Konstantinovich Zhukov. The second outstanding event in his life was the Victory Parade on Red Square. He, the commander who made a huge contribution to the defeat of fascism, had the honor of hosting this historical parade.

While retired, Georgy Konstantinovich accomplished his last feat. Despite his poor health (heart attack, stroke, inflammation of the trigeminal nerve), he did a truly gigantic job, personally writing a truthful book about the Great Patriotic War - “Memories and Reflections.” The book began with the words: “I dedicate it to the Soviet Soldier. G. Zhukov." On June 18, 1974 at 14.30 Georgy Konstantinovich died.

Rokossovsky Konstantin Konstantinovich

Born on December 21, 1896 in the small Russian town of Velikiye Luki (formerly Pskov province), in the family of a Pole railway driver, Xavier-Józef Rokossovsky, and his Russian wife Antonina.

With the outbreak of World War I, Rokossovsky asked to join one of the Russian regiments heading west through Warsaw.

After the October armed uprising, he served in the Red Army as an assistant detachment chief, commander of a cavalry squadron and a separate cavalry division. For the battle against Kolchak he was awarded the Order of the Red Banner. Then Rokossovsky commanded cavalry regiments, brigades, divisions, and corps. On the Eastern Front he took part in battles against the White Czechs, Admiral Kolchak, Semenov's gangs, and Baron Ungern. For the last operation he was awarded the second Order of the Red Banner.

In August 1937, he became a victim of slander: he was arrested and accused of having connections with foreign intelligence services. He behaved courageously, did not admit guilt to anything, and in March 1940 he was released and fully restored to civil rights.

From July to November 1940, K.K. Rokossovsky commanded the cavalry, and from the beginning of the Great Patriotic War - the 9th mechanized corps. In July 1941, he was appointed commander of the 4th Army and transferred to the Western Front (Smolensk direction). The Yartsevo group of troops, led by Rokossovsky, stops the powerful pressure of the Nazis.

During the German offensive on Moscow, Rokossovsky commanded the troops of the 16th Army and led the defense of the Yakhroma, Solnechnogorsk and Volokolamsk directions. In the decisive days of the battle for the capital, he organizes a successful counter-offensive of the troops of the 16th Army in the Solnechnogorsk and Istra directions. During the bold operation, enemy strike forces trying to bypass Moscow from the north and south were defeated. The enemy was driven back 100–250 km from Moscow. The Wehrmacht suffered its first major defeat in the war, and the myth of its invincibility was dispelled.

In July 1942, during the German breakthrough to Voronezh, K.K. Rokossovsky was appointed commander of the Bryansk Front. In those days, the enemy managed to reach the great bend of the Don and create a direct threat to Stalingrad and the North Caucasus. The front troops covered the Tula direction with their right wing, and the Voronezh direction with their left, with the task of holding the occupied line (northwest of Voronezh) and stopping the enemy’s advance into the interior of the country. With a counterattack from the front forces, Rokossovsky thwarted the Germans’ attempt to expand the breakthrough to the north towards Yelets.

In 1943, the Central Front, led by Rokossovsky, first successfully carried out a defensive battle on the Kursk Bulge, and then, having organized a counteroffensive west of Kursk, defeated fascist troops here, liberated from the invaders the entire territory east of the Sozh and Dnieper rivers from Gomel to Kyiv, capturing a number of bridgeheads on western bank of the Dnieper.

At the end of 1943 and in January 1944, commanding the troops of the 1st Belorussian Front, K.K. Rokossovsky led the offensive operations of the front troops on the territory of Belarus. As a result of these operations, a wide bridgehead was conquered west of the Dnieper River, the cities of Mozyr, Kalinkovichi, Rechitsa, Gomel were liberated, bridgeheads were captured on the western bank of the Dnieper to the Drut River north of Rogachev and on the Berezina River south of Rogachev. This made it possible to begin preparations for the Bobruisk-Minsk operation.

On June 23, Rokossovsky, according to the Headquarters plan, began the Belarusian strategic operation “Bagration” (06.23-08.29). It was one of the largest operations of the Second World War. As a result of the decisive actions of the troops of the 1st Belorussian Front, with the assistance of the 2nd and 3rd Belorussian Fronts, one of the most powerful enemy groups - Army Group Center - was defeated. During the first five days of hostilities, front troops broke through enemy defenses in a 200-kilometer area and advanced to a depth of more than 100 km. 17 enemy divisions and 3 brigades were completely destroyed, 50 divisions lost more than half of their strength. Deeply enveloping the German 4th Army from the south, the front troops reached lines favorable for a rush to Minsk and the development of an offensive against Baranovichi. For carrying out this very complex and talentedly carried out strategic operation, K. K. Rokossovsky was awarded the title of Marshal of the Soviet Union.

The continuation of the strategic operation of 1944 was the Minsk offensive operation (June 29 - July 4). It began without a pause and in the absence of a previously prepared defense by the enemy. By the end of July 3, the troops of the 1st Belorussian Front reached the southeastern outskirts of Minsk, where they united with units of the 3rd Belorussian Front, thereby completing the encirclement of the main forces of the 4th and separate formations of the 9th German armies. The successful actions of the Belarusian fronts were assisted by units of the 1st Baltic Front. The task of the Headquarters of the Supreme High Command - encircling the enemy's Minsk group and capturing Minsk - was completed ahead of schedule. The liquidation of the encircled enemy group was carried out on July 5–11.

Developing an offensive west from Minsk, the troops of the 1st Belorussian Front captured Brest at the end of July, liberated the southwestern regions of Belarus, the eastern regions of Poland and captured important bridgeheads on the Vistula - north and south of Warsaw. And again the award - on July 29, K. K. Rokossovsky was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.

The marshal of two countries and peoples - Soviet and Polish - deserved many kind words, reviews and characteristics. But G.K. Zhukov said more precisely than anyone else: “Rokossovsky was a very good boss... I’m not even talking about his rare spiritual qualities - they are known to everyone who served at least a little under his command... More thorough, efficient, hardworking and By and large, it’s hard for me to remember a gifted person. Konstantin Konstantinovich loved life, loved people.”

For military exploits accomplished during the Civil and Great Patriotic Wars, K. K. Rokossovsky was twice awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union and awarded the Order of Victory, seven Orders of Lenin, six Orders of the Red Banner, the Order of Suvorov I degree and Kutuzov I degree, and also many medals. He was awarded a number of foreign awards: Poland - the Order of Virtuti Military, 1st class with a star and the Grunwald Cross, 1st class, France - the Order of the Legion of Honor and the Military Cross, Great Britain - the Knight's Commander's Cross of the Order of the Bath; Mongolia - Order of the Red Banner.

Konstantin Konstantinovich died on August 3, 1968 at the age of 72. An urn with his ashes was buried on Red Square in the Kremlin wall. A bronze bust of him was installed in the city of Velikiye Luki, Pskov region.

Vasilevsky Alexander Mikhailovich

Twice Hero of the Soviet Union, Marshal of the Soviet Union

Born on September 18 (30), 1895 in the village of Novaya Golchikha, Kineshma district, Ivanovo region. Father, Mikhail Alexandrovich, was first a psalm-reader, and later a priest. Mother, Nadezhda Ivanovna, was raising eight children.

In 1919, Vasilevsky began serving in the Red Army as an assistant platoon commander in a reserve regiment. But soon he took over a company, then a battalion, and again went to the front. As an assistant commander of the 429th Infantry Regiment of the 11th Petrograd Infantry Division, he fought with the White Poles.

For more than twelve years, A. M. Vasilevsky served in the 48th Infantry Division. He took turns commanding all the regiments that were part of it.

In May 1931, he was transferred to the Combat Training Directorate (UBP) of the Red Army, took part in organizing exercises, and in the development of Instructions for conducting deep combat. Service under the leadership of such luminaries of military thought as the head of the Combat Training Directorate A. Ya. Lapinsh and Army Commander A. I. Sidyakin enriched him. Communication with the heads of inspections gave a lot: infantry - Vasilenko, artillery - Grendal, engineering troops - Petin. Deputy People's Commissar Tukhachevsky and Chief of Staff of the Red Army Egorov worked closely with the UBP.

At the same time, Vasilevsky met his future comrade-in-arms, Georgy Konstantinovich Zhukov. At the same time, his brilliant staff abilities first appeared. And their friendship with the great military theorist Triandafillov developed them. It was Triandafillov who first discovered his staff talent. He achieved Vasilevsky’s transfer to the People’s Commissariat apparatus, constantly mentored him, edited his first article himself and took it to Voenny Vestnik. From 1931 to 1936, Alexander Mikhailovich attended the staff service school at the People's Commissariat of Defense and the headquarters of the Volga Military District. By May 1940, he became deputy head of the Operations Directorate. And this is one of the key figures in the structure of the General Staff.

The events on Khasan, Khalkhin Gol, the beginning of World War II, the campaign to the west of Belarus and Ukraine, the victory, albeit with a bitter aftertaste, over Finland - these are just the main milestones of those terrible years. And in all these events, the General Staff and its Operational Directorate played a decisive role.

Since the fall of 1938, brigade commander Vasilevsky practically moved into an ancient building on Arbat Square. Suffice it to say that Vasilevsky was the main executor of the plan for the strategic deployment of the Armed Forces of the Soviet Union in the event of aggression in the West and East. This document, compiled by Vasilevsky on May 15, 1941, developed a victory strategy in the event of an enemy attack: “to cover the concentration and deployment of our troops and prepare them to go on the offensive.” Vasilevsky insisted on the inadmissibility of the construction of airfields and the placement of warehouses and arsenals near the border. Opponents of the General Staff, deputy people's commissar of defense Kulik, Mehlis, Shchadenko, close to Stalin, and people's commissar Timoshenko himself were against it and achieved their goal.

During the battle of Moscow, Alexander Mikhailovich became a lieutenant general, received his first slight wound, and became even closer to the front commander G.K. Zhukov. At the most critical moments of the defense, Vasilevsky softened as best he could the Supreme’s anger towards Zhukov, Rokossovsky, Konev.

It was Vasilevsky who strongly supported the decision to launch a counterattack with all the forces of the fronts. On December 1, 1941, historic order No. 396 was issued on our counter-offensive near Moscow, signed “Headquarters of the Supreme High Command. I. Stalin, A. Vasilevsky.”

On June 24, 1942, in the most difficult time for the country and the Red Army, Alexander Mikhailovich became chief of the General Staff.

It was then that the military leadership talent of A. M. Vasilevsky began to flourish. Planning and development of operations of the Red Army, resolution of the most important issues of providing the fronts with everything necessary, training of reserves were combined with practical work in the troops as a representative of Headquarters. From that time on, his fate was closely intertwined with the fate of another great commander - G.K. Zhukov. Their long, devoted friendship will begin with the hardest defensive battles near Stalingrad. The Germans reached the Volga, most of the city was in their hands, and Vasilevsky and Zhukov proposed to the Supreme Commander a plan for future victorious operations. Working in the General Staff and the troops, they prepared a plan for a counteroffensive, encirclement and destruction of the most powerful Wehrmacht group at that time of the war.

On February 16, by Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, A. M. Vasilevsky was awarded the title of Marshal of the Soviet Union. Over the course of several war months, he rose from major general to marshal, becoming the second military leader in this war after Zhukov to receive this highest military rank. He is awarded orders, including the Order of Suvorov, 1st degree, for No. 2.

In the summer of 1943, Vasilevsky faced new challenges. Hitler had one last chance for a decisive offensive. There was little doubt that we should wait for him at the Kursk Bulge. Intelligence only confirmed this. For the Soviet command, the question was the methods and forms of confronting the enemy. Vasilevsky and Zhukov insisted on conducting a defensive operation followed by a counteroffensive and defeating the enemy. The frontline command, especially the southern front of the Kursk Bulge, proposed a preemptive offensive operation. The Supreme Commander hesitated, not even hoping for a powerful, defense in depth. But this was not the first time for Vasilevsky to convince Stalin and take responsibility for himself. He shared it with Zhukov. He went as a representative of Headquarters to the northern front of the arc to Rokossovsky, and Vasilevsky went south to Vatutin.

Until the spring of 1944, Alexander Mikhailovich Vasilevsky stayed in the south to lead the planning and conduct of operations of the Southern and Southwestern (later 3rd and 4th Ukrainian) fronts. At the same time, he remained the Chief of the General Staff. But by that time, the Supreme Commander himself had acquired that confidence and conviction of a military leader, which allowed him to calmly accept the arguments and objections of his subordinates, having his own option in reserve. Stalin certainly mastered the most complex science of combat control. And the presence of Vasilevsky’s own nominee, his first deputy and academy classmate A.I. Antonov, was already at hand, making this confidence firm. Headquarters and the General Staff worked efficiently, and Vasilevsky calmly switched his attention to front-line operations.

The Belarusian offensive operation “Bagration” was perhaps the most brilliant, classic in concept and execution offensive operation of the Second World War. It is no coincidence that it was studied and continues to be studied in all military educational institutions in the world. Everything was present here: strict theory, and practice calculated before the actions of each soldier, and the initiative of the lower command level, and the creativity of the highest. There were frontal attacks, detours, envelopments, encirclements and the complete defeat of the enemy. Alexander Mikhailovich Vasilevsky fought in familiar places, but now he led not units into battle, but entire armies and fronts. For Operation Bagration he was awarded the high title of Hero of the Soviet Union.

In February 1945, after the death of the commander of the 3rd Belorussian Front, I. D. Chernyakhovsky, Vasilevsky was appointed to his place. Soon the 1st Baltic Front also came under his command. Under his leadership, the troops completed the defeat of the East Prussian enemy group and stormed the fortified city of Königsberg. Ahead were the Victory salute, the Victory Parade, in which Vasilevsky walked at the head of the column of the 3rd Belorussian Front.

Twice Hero of the Soviet Union, twice holder of the highest military order "Victory" A. M. Vasilevsky was also awarded eight Orders of Lenin, the Order of the October Revolution, six Orders of the Red Banner, the Order of Suvorov 1st degree, the Order of the Red Star and "For Service to the Motherland in the Armed Forces of the USSR » III degree, many other domestic and foreign orders and medals.

Having lived a long and glorious life, Marshal of the Soviet Union A.M. Vasilevsky died on December 5, 1977. He was buried on Red Square near the Kremlin wall. He forever went down in history as one of the great commanders of our Motherland.

Timoshenko Semyon Konstantinovich

Twice Hero of the Soviet Union, Marshal of the Soviet Union

Born on February 6 (18), 1895 in the village of Furmanka (now Furmanovka), Kilisky district, Odessa region.

In 1914 he was drafted into the tsarist army. He took part in the First World War as an ordinary machine gunner on the Western Front. In 1917, as part of the 1st Black Sea Red Guard detachment, he participated in the liquidation of the Kornilov revolt.

In August 1920, S.K. Timoshenko took command of the 4th Cavalry Division. It caused very serious damage to Wrangel’s troops and Makhno’s gang. For courage and heroism in the battles of the Civil War, S. K. Timoshenko was awarded two Orders of the Red Banner. Soon Semyon Konstantinovich was entrusted with command of the 3rd Cavalry Corps. In 1922 and 1927 he graduated from higher academic courses, and in 1930 he completed courses for single commanders at the Military-Political Academy. In 1933, S.K. Timoshenko was appointed to the post of deputy commander of the troops of the Belarusian Military District. At that time it was commanded by the talented military leader I.P. Uborevich. The two heroes of the Civil War together successfully conducted exercises in the area of ​​Slutsk and other garrisons in order to increase the combat readiness of the troops. In those years, S.K. Timoshenko became close to G.K. Zhukov. They carried this relationship through many years and trials.

In September 1935, S.K. Timoshenko received a new appointment - deputy commander of the Kyiv Military District. Two years later, a new position - commander of the troops of the North Caucasus Military District. Four months later, S.K. Timoshenko took over the Kharkov Military District, and in February 1938, the Kiev Special Military District.

In September 1939, under his command, the armies of the Kyiv OVO, united into the Ukrainian Front, made a historic campaign in Western Ukraine.

The purpose of the campaigns of 1939–1940 was to assist the peoples of Western Ukraine, Western Belarus and Northern Bukovina, forcibly torn away from Soviet Russia during the Civil War, in their struggle to restore Soviet power and reunite with the USSR. In addition, the invasion of Poland by the Nazi army in September 1939 not only created a direct threat of fascist enslavement of the population of Western Ukraine and Western Belarus, but also posed a danger to the western borders of the USSR. For outstanding services in leading troops and decisive actions during the war with Finland, Semyon Konstantinovich Timoshenko was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.

In May 1940, Marshal of the Soviet Union S.K. Timoshenko became People's Commissar of Defense of the USSR. In this position, he took the maximum possible measures aimed at rearming the Red Army with more powerful military equipment and automatic weapons, strategic regrouping of military units, strengthening the state border, training command personnel, strengthening discipline in the troops, and reorganizing units and formations.

G.K. Zhukov, who then commanded the troops of the Kyiv Special Military District, noted that during 1940 exercises were often held. Many of them were personally attended by People's Commissar of Defense S.K. Timoshenko. In the winter of 1940/41, a large operational-strategic war game took place. In his speech during the summing up of its results, the People's Commissar of Defense said that in 1941 the troops would be able to prepare in a more purposeful and organized manner. First of all, because they have already settled in new areas of deployment.

But these plans were not destined to come true... The Great Patriotic War broke out.

The most important and difficult time has come for S.K. Timoshenko. He becomes chairman of the High Command Headquarters. But on August 8, 1941, J.V. Stalin, who headed the Headquarters of the Supreme High Command, was appointed Supreme Commander-in-Chief. This caused a reshuffle in the People's Commissariat of Defense. S.K. Timoshenko was appointed Deputy People's Commissar of Defense and became part of the Headquarters of the Supreme High Command.

In July 1941, Marshal of the Soviet Union S.K. Timoshenko was appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Western Direction.

From September 1941 to June 1942, S.K. Timoshenko was the commander-in-chief of the South-Western direction. Under his leadership, a counteroffensive of Soviet troops near Rostov-on-Don in 1941 was prepared and carried out.

On July 12, 1942, the Stalingrad Front was created. S.K. Timoshenko is appointed commander of this front. The role of this front is difficult to overestimate. The troops of the Stalingrad Front took on the blows of superior enemy forces and stopped the advance of the Nazi troops for some time. In October 1942, S.K. Timoshenko took command of the Northwestern Front. In the most difficult conditions, the troops of this front liquidated the enemy’s Demyansk bridgehead and reached the Lovat River. And from March to June 1943, Marshal Timoshenko, already as a representative of the Headquarters, coordinated the actions of the Leningrad and Volkhov fronts, and in June–November 1943 - the North Caucasus Front and the Black Sea Fleet.

After the end of the Great Patriotic War, Marshal of the Soviet Union S.K. Timoshenko commanded the troops of the Baranovichi Military District for less than a year. From 1946 to 1949, he headed the South Ural Military District, formed in November 1941. Semyon Konstantinovich considered the Belarusian Military District his homeland. Taking over the district in 1949, he led it for 11 consecutive years. Under his leadership, many troop exercises, command and staff games, and field training under conditions of the use of atomic weapons were held here.

As a member of the CPSU Central Committee and a deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, he provided real assistance to Belarus in solving many economic problems.

For great successes on the fronts and courage shown in battles and battles, for his contribution to strengthening the Soviet Armed Forces, S. K. Timoshenko was twice awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union, awarded the Order of Victory, five Orders of Lenin, the Order of the October Revolution, five Orders of the Red Banner, three Orders of Suvorov, 1st degree, honorary weapons, many medals of the USSR, as well as foreign orders.

S.K. Timoshenko died on March 31, 1970 at the age of 75. He was buried on Red Square near the Kremlin wall.

Tolbukhin Fedor Ivanovich

Hero of the Soviet Union, Marshal of the Soviet Union

Born on June 16, 1894 in the village of Androniki, Danilovsky district, Yaroslavl province, in the family of a middle peasant.

In August 1918 he joined the Red Army as a military specialist. In 1919 he graduated from the staff service school. During the Civil War, he was the military leader of the Sadyrevsky and Shagotsky volost commissariats of the Yaroslavl province, assistant chief of staff and chief of staff of the division, head of the operational department of the army headquarters, and participated in battles against white troops on the Northern and Western fronts. After the end of the Civil War, he served as chief of staff of a rifle division and corps. In 1930 he graduated from the Advanced Training Course for Commanding Officers, and in 1934 from the Military Academy named after M. V. Frunze. From September 1937 - commander of a rifle division, and from July 1938 - chief of staff of the Transcaucasian Military District. In June 1940 he received the rank of major general.

From 1941 to 1942, General Tolbukhin held the position of chief of staff of the Transcaucasian, Caucasian and Crimean fronts. In March 1942, due to the failures of the offensive actions taken by the Crimean Front, he was relieved of the post of chief of staff of this front and transferred to the post of deputy commander of the troops of the Stalingrad District. Since July 1942, he has commanded the 57th Army, which, while defending the southern approaches to Stalingrad, did not allow the Wehrmacht 4th Tank Army to reach the city, and then participated in the dismemberment and destruction of the enemy group surrounded on the Volga. On January 19, 1943, the army commander was awarded the rank of lieutenant general.

After a short command of the 68th Army on the Northwestern Front in March 1943, F.I. Tolbukhin was appointed commander of the Southern Front. From that time until the end of the Great Patriotic War, he commanded the fronts operating on the southern wing of the Soviet-German front: from October 1943 - the 4th Ukrainian, from May 1944 until the end of the war - the 3rd Ukrainian. The first of the operations he carried out as a front commander was the Mius offensive of 1943, which had the goal of pinning down and, under favorable conditions, in cooperation with the Southwestern Front, defeating the Donbass enemy group and preventing the transfer of its forces to the area of ​​the Kursk salient, where the decisive battles were taking place.

The troops of the Southern Front, having launched an offensive on July 17, penetrated the defenses of the 6th German Army (reformed to replace the one destroyed at Stalingrad) to a depth of 5–6 km and created a bridgehead on the Mius River in the area of ​​Stepanovka and Marinovka. In order to prevent the complete collapse of its so-called “Mius Front”, which covered the Donbass, the German command was forced to weaken the group near Kharkov, transferring three of its best tank divisions from there against Tolbukhin’s troops. In order to avoid unjustified losses due to a powerful enemy counterattack, by order of the Headquarters, the front troops were withdrawn to their original position by August 2, and the Germans stormed virtually empty places.

In the next Donbass operation, the 5th Shock Army, operating in the direction of the main attack, broke through the enemy defenses and went 10 km deeper on the first day. In order to prevent the pace of the offensive from slowing down, F.I. Tolbukhin brought the 4th Guards Mechanized Corps into the breakthrough zone, which by the end of the next day advanced another 20 km to the west and crossed the Krynka River.

Developing an attack on Amvrosievka, the troops split the 6th German Army into two parts. Then F.I. Tolbukhin undertook an unprecedentedly daring maneuver with the forces of the 4th Guards Cavalry Corps. Turning sharply from the Amvrosievka area to the south, during the night of August 27 he penetrated 50 km into the enemy’s defenses. On August 30, the cavalrymen, together with the approaching units of the 4th mechanized corps, struck from the rear with the assistance of the Azov military flotilla, completely defeated the Taganrog group of Germans. Their 6th Army faced the threat of a “new Stalingrad.” The commander of Army Group South, Field Marshal E. Manstein, obtained Hitler's consent to withdraw it and other forces to the previously prepared positions of the Eastern Wall. Tolbukhin's troops disrupted their planned retreat. On September 8, 1943, they liberated Stalino (Donetsk), and on September 21 they reached the strongest section of the “Eastern Wall” - the Molochnaya River.

On October 20, 1943, the front was renamed the 4th Ukrainian. During the next - Nikopol-Krivoy Rog - operation, carried out from January 30 to February 29, 1944, together with the 3rd Ukrainian Front, three right-flank armies of the 4th Ukrainian Front: 3rd Guards, 5th Shock and 28th - by February 8, they completely knocked the Germans out of the bridgehead, crossed the Dnieper in the Malaya Lepetikha area and, together with the troops of the 3rd Ukrainian Front, liberated Nikopol.

F.I. Tolbukhin skillfully maneuvered forces and means in the operation to liberate Crimea. When the armies of the first echelon, which had previously created a bridgehead beyond Perekop and on Sivash, crushed the enemy’s first defensive line, the front commander, sensing the turning point, on the morning of April 11, 1944, brought the 19th Tank Corps into the breakthrough, which immediately captured Dzhankoy. The enemy, under threat of encirclement, fled from the Perekop positions, as well as from the Kerch Peninsula, where the Separate Primorsky Army began its offensive. In order to break into Simferopol on the shoulders of the enemy, Fyodor Ivanovich allocated a powerful mobile group, which, in addition to the 19th Tank Corps, also included a rifle division mounted on vehicles, and an anti-tank artillery brigade equipped with standard vehicles.

Having thoroughly studied the situation, Army General F.I. Tolbukhin came to the conclusion that it was necessary to deliver the main blow in this operation from the Kitskansky bridgehead on the Dniester, which was not very convenient in many respects, and not in the Chisinau direction, as the Headquarters recommended. He managed to defend his point of view. Having misled the enemy through a series of camouflage measures, he concentrated powerful forces at Kitskan and ensured that even on the second day from the start of the operation, the commander of the opposing Army Group “Southern Ukraine”, Colonel General G. Friesner, was still expecting the main attack of the 3rd Ukrainian Front in the Chisinau direction, kept there the bulk of the forces of the Dumitrescu army group and its reserves.

On September 8, 1944, the 3rd Ukrainian Front entered Bulgaria with three armies in order to expel the remnants of German troops from this country and create the preconditions for their defeat in the territory of Yugoslavia, Hungary and Czechoslovakia. This operation, which began bloodlessly, actually ended bloodlessly on the second day. In connection with the transfer of power in Bulgaria to the government of the Fatherland Front and its declaration of war on Germany, Headquarters ordered the operation to be stopped on the evening of September 9 and the troops to be stopped at the achieved lines. Then, at the request of the government of the Fatherland Front, Soviet troops, having completed a 500-km march, reached the Yugoslav-Bulgarian border. Tolbukhin again carried out an operational maneuver and brought his troops into cooperation with the Bulgarian army. On September 12, 1944, he was awarded the highest military rank - Marshal of the Soviet Union.

Marshal Tolbukhin, the first of the country's commanders, had the extraordinary task of conducting an operation with coalition forces in the vast Balkans. In the period from September 28 to October 20, 1944, his troops, in cooperation with the People's Liberation Army of Yugoslavia with the participation of troops of the Bulgarian Fatherland Front, carried out the Belgrade operation, liberated Belgrade and most of Serbia, and then joined in carrying out, together with the 2nd Ukrainian Front, the Budapest operations. The armies of the 3rd Ukrainian, overcoming stubborn enemy resistance, crossed the Danube to lakes Balaton and Velence. On December 20, they broke through the fortifications of the Margaret Line southwest of the Hungarian capital. The main forces created an external encirclement front, and part of the forces, uniting in the Esztergom area with the troops of the 2nd Ukrainian Front, closed the encirclement ring of the enemy in Budapest itself.

Hitler once again gave firm assurances that he would help rescue those surrounded. The commander of the “South” group, Colonel General G. Friesner, having received additional forces for this, boastfully promised to “bath Tolbukhin in the Danube.” But this turned out to be an empty threat... On February 13, a specially created group, which included formations of the 2nd and 3rd Ukrainian Fronts, took Budapest.

Of all the front commanders, he was perhaps the most modest, unpretentious in personal terms, tolerant and attentive to his subordinates. He was distinguished by a high general level of culture, concern for the timely and complete material supply of troops, the desire to smash the enemy primarily with artillery and aviation, if possible not to throw troops into the attack when enemy firing points had not yet been destroyed or reliably suppressed, and to achieve victory with little loss of life.

Meretskov Kirill Afanasyevich

Hero of the Soviet Union, Marshal of the Soviet Union

Born on June 7, 1897 in the village of Nazaryevo, Zaraisky district, Ryazan province, into a poor peasant family.

In 1935, K. A. Meretskov was appointed chief of staff of the Special Red Banner Far Eastern Army (OKDVA), which was commanded by V.K. during the Civil War. Blucher. In 1936, Kirill Afanasyevich went to Spain as an adviser to the Chief of the General Staff of the Republican Army, and then to the Chairman of the Defense Junta of Madrid. The situation requires him to solve three problems. This is the strengthening of the defense of Madrid, the organization of the work of the General Staff, the formation, training and introduction into battle of republican and international brigades. For the defense of Madrid and the defeat of the Moroccan Corps on the Harima River, K. A. Meretskov was awarded the second Order of the Red Banner, and for the defeat of the Italian Expeditionary Force in the Guadalajara region - the Order of Lenin. This was the first victory over fascism.

Upon returning from Spain in 1937, he was appointed Deputy Chief of the General Staff. Then, in September 1938, he assumed the post of commander of the Volga Military District, and from 1939, the Leningrad Military District. During the Soviet-Finnish War of 1939–1940, without being relieved from the leadership of the district, he commanded the 7th Army and ensured a breakthrough of the Mannerheim Line on the Karelian Isthmus. In 1940 he was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.

In the summer of the same year, Kirill Afanasyevich received the rank of army general and was appointed first as Deputy People's Commissar of Defense, and then as Chief of the General Staff. During this period, he organizes and participates in the consistent conduct of tactical divisional exercises in military districts with live shooting - the highest form of troop training. In December, at the General Staff, with the direct participation of K. A. Meretskov, a meeting of the leadership of the People's Commissariat of Defense, military districts and armies is held. During the gathering, the results of the year are summed up, the scope of military operations in the USSR and the West is summarized, uniform requirements for tactics and operational art are developed and specified, and tasks are set for the speedy implementation of these requirements in the training of troops.

In January 1941, K. A. Meretskov transferred the position of Chief of the General Staff to G. K. Zhukov and again became Deputy People's Commissar of Defense of the USSR. On the evening of June 21, 1941, I received an order from the People's Commissar of Defense, Marshal of the Soviet Union, S.K. Timoshenko: “Perhaps a war will begin tomorrow. You need to be a representative of the High Command in the Leningrad Military District...”

At a meeting of the District Military Council on the first day of Hitler's aggression, the army general proposed a number of urgent measures. Their implementation served as the most important prerequisite for the stability of the defense against the Finnish troops who went on the offensive. Meretskov also recommended immediately preparing defensive positions on the Luga River.

On the second day of the war, the Headquarters of the Main Command of the Armed Forces of the USSR was created. It also included K. A. Meretskov. On the same day he was summoned to Moscow. And in the evening, in Stalin’s reception room, Kirill Afanasyevich was arrested on false charges fabricated by Beria and his satraps.

The difficult situation at the front prompted I.V. Stalin to remember the talented military leader and, in early September, return him to combat formation, appointing him as a representative of the Supreme Command Headquarters on the North-Western and Karelian fronts, and then appoint him as commander of the 7th separate army, operating in two isolated each other. from each other in groups: the Northern Operational Group in the Petrozavodsk direction and the Southern Operational Group defending on the Svir River. Since that time, many pages of the heroic struggle of Soviet soldiers against the invaders in the north-west are associated with the name of K. A. Meretskov.

In October-November 1941, the Germans made great efforts to take Leningrad before the onset of cold weather. In an attempt to create a second, deeper blockade ring, they managed to break through the defenses of the 4th Separate Army on Volkhov and rush to Tikhvin in large forces with the intention, after capturing it, to unite with the Finns on Svir and intercept communications to Murmansk.

On December 17, 1941, Headquarters appointed K. A. Meretskov as commander of the Volkhov Front, created by combining forces operating east of the Volkhov River. Commanding this and then the Karelian fronts, the commander prepared and carried out a number of successful offensive operations. Completing the Tikhvin operation, on December 27, 1941, his troops reached the Volkhov River and captured several bridgeheads on its left bank.

On the appointed day, the Volkhov Front began the operation. The 4th and 52nd armies, understaffed and not provided with material resources, went on the offensive. And only as they arrived from the Headquarters reserve, the 59th and 2nd shock armies were introduced into the battle. The troops experienced an acute shortage of automatic weapons, transport, communications, food and fodder. The offensive took place in a heavily snow-covered, wooded and swampy area, with no roads.

To achieve success, Kirill Afanasyevich focuses his efforts on ensuring the actions of the most equipped 2nd Shock Army of General N.K. Klykov. On January 17, this army managed to break through the first enemy defensive line. By the end of the month, it had advanced 75 km, cut the Novgorod-Leningrad railway and reached the approaches to Lyuban. However, the 54th Army of the Leningrad Front was able to reach the approaches to Lyuban only in March.

By this time, the German command had transferred more than a dozen divisions to the Lyuban direction and, having ensured overwhelming superiority, began to squeeze the 2nd strike force into a deep “sack.” To the misfortune of this and other armies, on April 23, the Headquarters transformed the Volkhov Front into an operational group as part of the Leningrad Front, and K. A. Meretskova was appointed deputy commander-in-chief of the Western direction. In May, at his request, he was appointed to the army, commander of the 33rd Army.

It is not difficult to imagine the state of mind of a military commander forced to leave his post, even with promotion to a higher one, when the troops that began the operation under his leadership found themselves in an emergency situation. The then commander of the Leningrad Front, General I. S. Khozin, who persistently sought the decision taken by Headquarters, was unable to effectively control the actions of all the troops he had accepted over a vast space. He was also unable to carry out the belated order from Headquarters to withdraw the 2nd Shock Army from the “bag”. General Vlasov, who was appointed commander in place of the sick Klykov at the end of April, finally plunged the army into disaster by his inaction and then by going over to the enemy’s side.

In June 1942, Meretskov was summoned to Headquarters and again appointed commander of the recreated Volkhov Front. With great difficulty, he managed to rescue part of the forces of the 2nd strike, saving it from complete extermination. He was able to prepare the next one in more detail - the Sinyavinsk operation. Conducted jointly with the Leningrad Front, with the assistance of the Baltic Fleet and the Ladoga Military Flotilla from August 12 to October 10, 1942, it led to the disruption of the German Operation Nordlich (Northern Lights), which envisaged a new “decisive” assault on the city in September.

It was possible to break the blockade of Leningrad in January 1943 during Operation Iskra. This was an important result of the coordinated activities of the commanders of the two sister fronts.

At this time, a representative of Headquarters, K.E. Voroshilov, arrived at the command post of the division that had wedged itself into the enemy’s position, accompanied by K. A. Meretskov. It was at this moment that a group of Nazis, supported by assault guns, broke through to the divisional command post. A small number of personal guards, headquarters workers and signalmen entered the battle with them. Soon two of our tanks, called by the commander from the 7th brigade, arrived to help them. Together with the soldiers defending the command post, they immediately attacked and drove back the Nazis. A little later, a tarred and smoked tankman entered the dugout to the military commanders from top to bottom and reported: “Comrade Army General, your order has been carried out. The enemy who broke through was defeated and driven back!”

Recognition of the commander's skill and merits was the awarding of the title of Marshal of the Soviet Union to him on October 26, 1944. June 24, 1945 Marshal of the Soviet Union K.A. Meretskov led the combined regiment of the Karelian Front at the Victory Parade.

Malinovsky Rodion Yakovlevich

Twice Hero of the Soviet Union, Marshal of the Soviet Union

At the age of 16, Rodion Malinovsky became a soldier of the First World War - a carrier of cartridges in the machine gun company of the 256th Elisavetgrad Infantry Regiment of the 64th Infantry Division. Six months later, he replaced the wounded number two of the machine gun crew. Many times he repelled enemy infantry and cavalry attacks. In March 1915, private machine gun team Rodion Malinovsky was awarded the St. George Cross, IV degree and promoted to corporal.

In 1939, Malinovsky was appointed senior teacher at the M. V. Frunze Military Academy. In March 1941, he was appointed to the Odessa Military District as commander of the 48th Rifle Corps. The headquarters of this association was located in the Moldovan city of Balti.

Here on June 22, 1941, the Great Patriotic War found the corps commander. The enemy significantly outnumbered the defenders in numbers and military equipment. But parts of the corps held out heroically. For several days they did not leave the state border along the banks of the Prut River. But the forces were too unequal.

A special page in the life of General Malinovsky is Stalingrad. In August 1942, in order to hold Stalingrad, the 66th Army was created, reinforced with tank and artillery units. R. Ya. Malinovsky was appointed its commander. In September-October 1942, army units, in cooperation with the 24th and 1st Guards armies, went on the offensive north of Stalingrad. They managed to pin down a significant part of the forces of the 6th German Army and thereby weaken its strike force attacking directly on the city.

In October 1942, R. Ya. Malinovsky was deputy commander of the Voronezh Front. Then he left for Tambov, in the area of ​​which the 2nd Guards Army was urgently being formed. It was intended to participate in the defeat of the Nazi group of troops at Stalingrad. General Sergei Semenovich Biryuzov was appointed chief of staff. Rodion Yakovlevich was united with him by military fate for many years.

The actions of the 2nd Guards Army are a glorious and bright page in the annals of the history of the Great Patriotic War. This army was prepared for combat by December 1942. Its advance to Stalingrad began at the most critical period of the great battle. Then the German command, in order to save its numerous troops who found themselves surrounded, threw the last but powerful tank reserves of Army Group Don into battle. The Soviet command promptly decided to immediately advance the 2nd Guards Army towards the main enemy forces. In conditions when enemy tanks with troops on board were already close, Army Commander Malinovsky threw regiments into battle as they arrived. Reinforced with artillery and tanks, they stopped the advance of the Nazis. Then, in cooperation with the 5th and 51st armies, Malinovsky's 2nd Guards Army stopped and defeated Manstein's troops. Nothing - neither December frosts, nor snow drifts, nor the fierce resistance of the fascist German troops of Army Group Don - could disrupt the implementation of the strategic plan of the Soviet command.

Since February 1943, R. Ya. Malinovsky was again the commander of the Southern Front, and since March - the Southwestern Front. (On October 20, 1943, the Southwestern Front was renamed the 3rd Ukrainian Front.) Front troops under the command of Army General Malinovsky participated in a number of offensive operations.

A special place among them is occupied by the Zaporozhye operation, carried out by troops of the Southwestern Front on October 10–14, 1943. The balance of forces at the start of this operation was in favor of the Soviet troops. This made it possible to break through the enemy’s well-fortified lines in four days and reach the near approaches to Zaporozhye. The front commander decided, without giving the enemy a break, to capture the city in a night assault with the participation of 200 tanks and self-propelled artillery units. This plan of R. Ya. Malinovsky was successfully realized. Early in the morning, Soviet troops broke into the city. On the evening of October 14, an order from the Supreme Commander-in-Chief was transmitted by radio. It noted that the troops of the Southwestern Front captured the large regional and industrial center of Ukraine, the city of Zaporozhye - one of the important strongholds of the Germans in the lower reaches of the Dnieper. In commemoration of the victory, 31 formations and units began to be called “Zaporozhye”.

In this operation, as in a number of subsequent ones, Rodion Yakovlevich showed his ability to make creative, non-standard solutions that stunning the enemy with ingenuity and surprise. Thus, during the capture of Zaporozhye, he carried out a night assault unprecedented in military history. Three armies and two corps simultaneously participate in it. As a result of the operation, the situation on the southern wing of the Soviet-German front significantly improved. And the troops of the Southwestern Front, having expanded the captured bridgeheads on the Dnieper, continued the offensive in the Krivoy Rog direction. Then they defeated the enemy group in Melitopol. This contributed to the isolation of German troops in Crimea.

In May 1944, Army General R. Ya. Malinovsky received the 2nd Ukrainian Front from Marshal of the Soviet Union I. S. Konev. By that time, he had already established himself as a commander who knew how to accurately determine his forces and the enemy’s plans, taking into account the combat capabilities of his troops, accurately determine the direction of the main attack, closely interact with the command of neighboring fronts and armies, and act decisively and prudently.

On August 20, after a powerful artillery barrage, the troops of the 2nd Ukrainian Front broke through the entire depth of the enemy’s defenses on the first day of the offensive and advanced 16 km forward. Army General Malinovsky, contrary to the expectations of the enemy, ordered the 6th Tank Army to enter the breakthrough in the middle of the same day. This decision of the front commander made it possible to ensure a high tempo of the offensive, and ultimately the encirclement of the main group of enemy troops. In a short time, Army Group “Southern Ukraine” was defeated. The collapse of the enemy's defenses on the southern wing of the Soviet-German front changed the entire military-political situation in the Balkans.

For his courage and great services in the defeat of the Kwantung Army, Rodion Yakovlevich Malinovsky was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. 48 times the Supreme Commander-in-Chief in his orders declared gratitude to the troops commanded by R. Ya. Malinovsky.

Rodion Yakovlevich Malinovsky died on March 31, 1967 after a serious and long illness. He was buried on Red Square near the Kremlin wall. The memory of the outstanding commander is unquenchable. His name was given to the Military Academy of Armored Forces and the Guards Tank Division. In Moscow, Kyiv, and a number of other cities there are Marshal Malinovsky streets.

Konev Ivan Stepanovich

Twice Hero of the Soviet Union, Marshal of the Soviet Union

Born on December 28, 1897 in the village of Lodeino, Shchetkinsky volost, Nikolsky district, Vologda province (now Podosinovsky district, Kirov region), in a peasant family.

In 1926, Konev successfully completed advanced training courses for senior command personnel at the Military Academy named after M. V. Frunze. And in 1934 he completed his studies at a special faculty of the same academy. He successively commands a regiment, division, corps, army, troops of the Trans-Baikal, then the North Caucasus military districts. In July 1938, he was awarded the rank of corps commander, and in March 1939 - army commander of the 2nd rank.

On the night of June 26, 1941, I. S. Konev received an order to urgently redeploy units of the 19th Army from Ukraine to the Vitebsk area. A defensive line was created there with the main line along the line Sushchevo, Vitebsk, and the Dnieper River. Here, first on the distant (Yelnya - Smolensk), and then on the near approaches to Moscow, the 19th Army took part in bloody battles, covering the capital from the enemy. For successful military operations, Konev was awarded the rank of Colonel General.

On September 12, 1941, a high appointment followed - commander of the troops of the Western Front. Konev commanded this front for just one month. But I’ve probably never experienced such a severe strain of strength. It was from this time until the end of the war that Konev fought as commander of the front troops. Ivan Stepanovich headed Kalininsky (from October 1941), again Western (August 1942 - February 1943), Northwestern (from March 1943), Stepnoy (from July 1943), 2nd Ukrainian (from October 1943) and 1st Ukrainian (May 1944 - May 1945) fronts.

The greatest successes in battles with the Nazi hordes were achieved by the troops of the Steppe, and later the 1st and 2nd Ukrainian Fronts. Taking part in the famous Battle of Kursk in 1943, the troops of the Steppe Front, as a result of a swift counter-offensive, liberated Belgorod and Kharkov from the enemy with a powerful blow and crossed the Dnieper in its middle reaches.

The Korsun-Shevchenko operation of early 1944 was a classic operation in encircling and destroying a huge group of enemy troops. It is rightly called “Stalingrad on the Dnieper”. In this operation, I. S. Konev largely outplayed Field Marshal E. Manstein. First, having regrouped his troops in completely impassable conditions, Konev delivered an unexpected powerful blow to the enemy forces. As a result, about 80 thousand people, more than 230 tanks and assault guns were surrounded in the Zvenigorodka area. And when E. Manstein attempted a breakthrough, Konev prevented it by transferring his 5th Guards Tank Army to the threat area. For his excellent leadership of the troops of the 2nd Ukrainian Front, Army General I. S. Konev was awarded the title of Marshal of the Soviet Union in February 1944.

In the spring of 1944, a new major operation was launched - the Uman-Botoshan operation. And again success: the enemy was defeated, the front troops were the first to reach the State border of the USSR - with Romania and Czechoslovakia.

Complex military-political tasks were solved by the troops of the 1st Ukrainian Front under the command of Marshal Konev in the Lvov-Sandomierz offensive operation in the summer of 1944. One front carried out two simultaneous strategic strikes against enemy forces.

“In the Lvov-Sandomierz operation,” Hero of the Soviet Union General of the Army P. Lashchenko later wrote, “by decision of Ivan Stepanovich, two tank armies were successively introduced into the battle along a narrow six-kilometer corridor, penetrated by rifle formations, in conditions when the Nazis carried out a counterattack with the aim of close the gap in your defense. As a participant in that battle, the degree of risk of the marshal is especially clear to me. Another thing is clear: this risk was justified, supported by comprehensive support for the introduction of tank armies, the subsequent actions of which predetermined the defeat of the fascist group.”

During this very complex operation, eight enemy divisions were surrounded and defeated in the area of ​​the city of Brody, the western regions of the USSR and the southeastern regions of Poland were liberated, and the vast Sandomierz bridgehead on the western bank of the Vistula was occupied.

The commander's talent is again adequately appreciated. On July 29, 1944, Ivan Stepanovich Konev was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. Thousands of soldiers from his front received high awards.

On January 12, 1945, troops of the 1st Ukrainian Front, together with the 1st Belorussian Front, began the largest offensive operation - the Vistula-Oder operation. In mid-January, tankers captured the city of Czestochowa. Two days later, as a result of a complex outflanking maneuver by the 3rd Guards Tank and 59th Combined Arms Armies, Krakow was liberated. At the same time, the entire Upper Silesian industrial region was cleared of the enemy. He began to produce products necessary for Poland. On January 27, troops of the 1st Ukrainian Front liberated the Nazi concentration camp Auschwitz, where at that time there were several thousand prisoners.

On the morning of April 17, troops of the 1st Ukrainian and 1st Belorussian Fronts, with the assistance of the 2nd Belorussian Front and the Baltic Fleet, began the largest offensive operation in the Berlin direction of the entire war.

On April 18, troops of the 1st Ukrainian Front broke through the enemy defenses erected along the Oder and Neisse rivers, reached the Spree River and created conditions for the successful development of the offensive. On April 25, the Berlin group of German troops was cut into two parts and surrounded in the Berlin area and to the southeast of it. At the same time, a meeting took place between soldiers of the 1st Ukrainian Front on the Elbe River near the city of Torgau and the Americans.

A day earlier, tankers of the 1st Ukrainian and 1st Belorussian fronts met southeast of Berlin. The joint destruction of the troops of the Berlin garrison began. On April 30, the red Banner of Victory hoisted over the Reichstag, and on May 2, Berlin capitulated.

According to the plan approved by the Headquarters, in addition to the 1st Ukrainian Front, troops of the 2nd Ukrainian (R. Ya. Malinovsky) and 4th Ukrainian (A. I. Eremenko) fronts took part in the Prague operation of Prague, moving around Prague from the southeast and east. The main blow to Field Marshal Schörner's Army Group Center was delivered by the troops of the 1st Ukrainian Front, advancing from the Berlin and Dresden directions through the impassable Ore Mountains. The forced march was unprecedentedly difficult and rapid: it took only five days and nights. This was the last offensive operation carried out under the leadership of Marshal I. S. Konev. On the morning of May 9, joyful Prague residents greeted Soviet soldiers with flowers.

Until the very last days of his life, which ended on May 21, 1973, Ivan Stepanovich carried out great and very important work on the heroic and patriotic education of Soviet people, especially young people. He headed the Central Headquarters of the All-Union Campaign to the places of revolutionary, military and labor glory of the Soviet people. It was under him that this popular youth movement reached its greatest flowering. By telling the truth about the massive feats shown during the years of the last war, Ivan Stepanovich instilled in young men and women a passionate love for the Motherland, for their people.

Ivan Stepanovich Konev was repeatedly awarded for outstanding services to the Fatherland. He became the Marshal of the Soviet Union, he was twice awarded the high title of Hero of the Soviet Union (1944, 1945), he was awarded the highest military order of Victory, seven Orders of Lenin, the Order of the October Revolution, three Orders of the Red Banner, two Orders of Suvorov I degree, two Order of Kutuzov, 1st degree, Order of the Red Star, honorary weapon, and many other state awards. Among his awards are 27 foreign orders, the highest awards of the USA - the Order of Honor, France - the Order of the Legion of Honor. On the eve of the 100th anniversary of Ivan Stepanovich, at the British Embassy in Moscow, the widow of Marshal Antonina Vasilievna and daughter Natalia Ivanovna, the British Minister of Defense presented the highest English award that I. S. Konev was awarded after the Second World War - the “Order of the Cleansing Font”. He is a Hero of the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic and a Hero of the Mongolian People's Republic.

The memory of the outstanding commander is imperishable. The urn with his ashes was buried on Red Square in the Kremlin wall. The name of I. S. Konev was given to a street in Moscow. In the homeland of Ivan Stepanovich, in the village of Lodeyno, Podosinovsky district, Kirov region, his bronze bust was installed.

Kuznetsov Nikolay Gerasimovich

Hero of the Soviet Union, Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union

In the fall of 1920, Kuznetsov was transferred to Petrograd and enrolled in the Central Fleet Crew. From December 6, 1920 to May 20, 1922, he studied at the preparatory school at the Naval School (later the M. V. Frunze Naval School), to which he was transferred in September 1922. On October 5, 1926, he graduated from college with honors, receiving the rank of commander of the Red Red Army Fleet, and was enrolled in the middle-ranking command corps of the Red Army Navy. He was given the right to choose a fleet

In November 1933, Captain 2nd Rank Kuznetsov was appointed commander of the cruiser Chervona Ukraine. He remained in this position until August 15, 1936.

This period of service for the young commander was marked by important events: a single-ship combat readiness system was developed; later it was adopted by all USSR fleets. A method of emergency heating of turbines was also developed, which made it possible to prepare turbines in 15–20 minutes instead of 4 hours (later adopted in all fleets), firing main caliber guns at the highest cruiser speeds and at the maximum target detection distance. The movement “Fight for the first salvo” was launched on the cruiser. For the first time, gunners began to use aircraft to correct an invisible target. In the navy, many started talking about methods of organizing combat training “according to the Kuznetsov system.”

In 1935, the cruiser "Chervona Ukraine" took first place in the Naval Forces of the Red Army. For his success in organizing the combat training of the cruiser in the same year, Kuznetsov was awarded the Order of the Badge of Honor.

In December 1935, Kuznetsov was awarded the Order of the Red Star “for outstanding services in organizing the underwater and surface Naval Forces of the Red Army and for success in the combat and political training of the Red Navy.”

Since August 1936, he has worked as a naval attaché and chief naval adviser, as well as the leader of Soviet volunteer sailors in Spain. He did a lot to ensure that the Republican fleet fulfilled its tasks. His work in helping the Republican fleet was highly appreciated by the Soviet government: in 1937 he was awarded the Orders of Lenin and the Red Banner. In July 1937, Kuznetsov returned to his homeland and in August of the same year was appointed deputy commander of the Pacific Fleet, and from January 10, 1938 to March 28, 1939, he was commander of this fleet.

As the commander of the fleet on the Far Eastern borders of the country, Kuznetsov closely monitors the situation, the provocations of the Japanese military at Lake Khasan in 1938, takes measures to increase the combat readiness of the fleet (the first directives on operational readiness are being worked out here on a fleet scale), personally visits the battle area, organizes assistance to ground forces. For this activity, Kuznetsov was awarded the combat badge “Participant in the battles at Lake Khasan.” On February 23, 1939, the commander of the Pacific Fleet was one of the first in the fleet to take the military oath (new text) and swear to defend the Motherland, “not sparing one’s blood and life itself to defeat the enemy.”

In December 1937, by decree of the Central Executive Committee and the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR, the People's Commissariat of the USSR Navy was created; in March 1938, N. G. Kuznetsov was introduced to the Main Military Council of the Navy under the People's Commissariat of the Navy.

On March 28, 1939, N. G. Kuznetsov was appointed Deputy People's Commissar of the Navy, and on April 28, 1939 (at age 34), two years and two months before the start of the Great Patriotic War, he was appointed People's Commissar of the USSR Navy.

The first problem that confronted the young People's Commissar was to find a place for the People's Commissariat of the Navy and his position as People's Commissar in the then established system of management of the Armed Forces. This has not been documented. Each People's Commissariat was controlled by one of the Deputy Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars, and some were personally led by J.V. Stalin. The newly created People's Commissariat of the Navy also found itself in this group.

At the end of July 1939, N.G. Kuznetsov led the exercises of the Baltic Fleet forces, and in September, in the Northern Fleet, together with the headquarters and the Military Council of the fleet, he developed new combat training plans that corresponded to the international situation.

Kuznetsov made decisions without looking at the top. At the beginning of 1941, the People's Commissar ordered to open fire on foreign reconnaissance aircraft without warning if they violated our borders and appeared over fleet bases. On March 16–17 of the same year, foreign aircraft were fired upon over Libau and Polyarny. For such actions, Kuznetsov received a reprimand from Stalin and a demand to cancel the order. Kuznetsov canceled this order, but issued another: do not open fire on the intruders, send fighters and force the intruder aircraft to land on our airfields.

In February 1941, the People's Commissar assigned the fleets the task of forming the combat core of the fleet to repel enemy attacks and cover the coast and developing operational plans that would form the basis for the actions of the fleets in the initial period of the war. He personally led this work, making instructions to the General Staff of the Navy.

In May 1941, on the instructions of N.G. Kuznetsov, the fleets increased the composition of the combat core, strengthened ship patrols and reconnaissance. On June 19, by order of the People's Commissar of the Navy, all fleets switched to operational readiness No. 2, bases and formations were asked to disperse forces and strengthen surveillance of water and air, and prohibit the dismissal of personnel from units and ships. The ships received the necessary supplies, put the material part in order; a certain duty was established. All personnel remained on the ships. Political work among the Red Navy men was intensified in the spirit of constant readiness to repel an enemy attack, despite the TASS report of June 14, refuting rumors of a possible German attack on the USSR.

On June 21, 1941, after receiving a warning from the General Staff at 23:00 about a possible attack on the USSR by Nazi Germany, the People's Commissar of the Navy, with his directive No. 3N/87, at 23:50, announced to the fleets: “Immediately switch to operational readiness No. 1.” Even earlier, his verbal order was conveyed to the fleets by telephone. The fleets carried out the order by 00.00 on June 22 and were already in full combat readiness when at 01:12 on June 22, the military councils of the fleets received a second detailed directive from the People's Commissar of the Navy Kuznetsov “on the possibility of a surprise attack by the Germans” No. 3N/88.

On June 22, 1941, all fleets and flotillas of the USSR met aggression on combat alert, and on the first day of the war did not suffer losses either in the naval personnel or in the naval air force.

Having received reports from the fleets about fascist air raids on bases, N.G. Kuznetsov, under his own responsibility, announced the beginning of the war to the fleets and ordered them to repel aggression with all their might. He gave the command to the fleets to begin implementing the plans developed on the eve of the war. Minefields were laid, submarines were deployed, and ships and aircraft launched strikes against enemy targets. The People's Commissar ordered the Main Naval Staff not to lose control of the fleets, to control the situation on them, to be aware of all orders of the People's Commissariat of Defense, and to frequently inform the General Staff about events in the fleets.

During the war, organizing interaction between the Navy and ground forces in order to defeat the enemy was one of the main directions in the activities of the People's Commissariat and the Main Naval Staff of the Navy. Kuznetsov proved himself to be an outstanding organizer of interaction between naval forces and ground forces. He acted as the People's Commissar of the Navy, a member of the State Defense Committee and a representative of the Supreme High Command Headquarters on the use of naval forces on the fronts (1941–1945), as the Commander-in-Chief of the USSR Navy (from February 1944), as a member of the Supreme High Command Headquarters (from February 1945). During the war, Kuznetsov, on orders from Headquarters and on his own initiative, traveled to the fronts and fleets, where his presence was necessary to resolve the most difficult situations that required organizing and coordinating the activities of fleets in joint operations with artillery units. By order of the People's Commissar of the Navy, his deputies, the chief and other employees of the General Staff went to the fleets. He personally reported to Headquarters on the situation on the fronts where the naval forces were operating, made his proposals, plans of operations developed at the General Staff, and sought decisions. He directly personally participated in the development of plans for conducting operations, including those the concept of which originated at the Supreme Command Headquarters.

In July 1941, the People's Commissar of the Navy proposed to the General Headquarters to launch bombing attacks on Berlin using naval aviation from airfields on the island of Ezel. Headquarters agreed, placing all responsibility on Kuznetsov. During the period from August 8 to September 5, 1941, nine raids were carried out on Berlin, in which dozens of Navy Air Force aircraft took part. The bombings caused some damage to the German capital, but it is difficult to overestimate the moral and political significance of these raids at that time.

LITERATURE:

KHAMETOV M. N. In the sky of the Arctic: About twice Hero of the Soviet Union B. F.

Safonov / Preface. A. Maryamova. - M.: Politizdat, 1983. - 110 p.: ill.

STUPIN E. On the wings of immortality // Sov. warrior - 1988. - No. 12. - P. 31.

Zhukov G.K. Memories and reflections (volume 1, 2, 3). 1984

Zhukova M.G. Georgy Zhukov. 1974

Shubina T. G. Encyclopedia of military art 1997.

Master of Environments Marshal Konev: Portuguese R. Yauza Eksmo 2007 Great commanders of World War II

Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin - Chairman of the State Defense Committee, People's Commissar of Defense and Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the USSR. In the spring of 1942, the Red Army, on Stalin's initiative, launched a series of offensives on several fronts, after which the initiative passed to the Red Army until the end of the war. With the outbreak of war, Stalin became Chairman of the State Defense Committee, People's Commissar of Defense and Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the USSR. In the order of the Headquarters of the Supreme High Command No. 270 of August 16, 1941 it was said: “Commanders and political workers who, during battle, tear off their insignia and desert to the rear or surrender to the enemy, are considered malicious deserters, whose families are subject to arrest as families of those who violated the oath and deserters who betrayed their homeland." Soviet soldiers who escaped encirclement or returned from captivity ended up in filtration camps, after which the vast majority returned to the front (up to 95% among soldiers, less among officers). However, after the war, many former prisoners were arrested and convicted. In total, up to 80% of former prisoners passed through the Gulag. During the war, the USSR, unlike other countries, did not provide assistance to its prisoners of war through the Red Cross; Stalin’s phrase was widely known: “We have no prisoners, we have traitors.” At the beginning of the war, the Volga Germans were deported to Siberia and Central Asia; in 1944, Crimean Tatars, Chechens and some other peoples of the Caucasus were deported on charges of aiding the enemy. During the war, Stalin was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union, awarded two Orders of Victory and the Order of Suvorov, 1st degree. On March 6, 1943, Stalin was awarded the title of Marshal of the Soviet Union, and on June 27, 1945, the specially introduced highest military rank of Generalissimo of the Soviet Union. After the end of the war, Stalin continued to head the military department for some time (until February 1946 - People's Commissar of Defense, and until March 1947 - Minister of the USSR Armed Forces).

Georgy Konstantinovich Zhukov (1896 - 1974) In June 1939 he was sent to the area of ​​the Soviet-Japanese conflict. On August 20, 31, 1939, he carried out a successful encirclement operation and defeated a group of Japanese troops under General Komatsubara on the Khalkhin Gol River. Widely used tank units to solve the problem. For this operation, Corps Commander Zhukov was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. G.K. Zhukov, one of the organizers of the victory at Stalingrad in January 1943, successfully carried out Operation Iskra, during which a breach was finally made in the blockade of Leningrad. In January 1943, Zhukov was awarded the title of Marshal of the Soviet Union. Zhukov led the Red Army's largest offensive operation in 1944, Bagration, which resulted in the liberation of Belarus. At the Battle of Kursk in July 1943, Zhukov coordinated the actions of Soviet troops on the southern flank and achieved a decisive victory. Soviet successes in the summer and autumn of 1943 completed a radical turning point in the Great Patriotic War.

Rokossovsky Konstantinovich - (1896 - 1968) K.K. Rokossovosky - Marshal of the Soviet Union. During the Battle of Moscow, Rokossovsky commanded the 16th Army and led the defense of the cities near Moscow: Volokolamsk, Solnechnogorsk, Yakhroma. At the most crucial moment of the battle for Moscow, the army launches a counteroffensive, which turns out to be very successful. During the operation, German troops trying to bypass Moscow from the south and north were defeated. 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 to capture Stalingrad and break through to the North Caucasus. With a blow from his army, he prevented the Germans from trying to break through to the north, towards the city of Yelets. Rokossovsky took part in the counter-offensive of Soviet troops near Stalingrad. His ability to conduct combat operations played a big role in the success of the operation. In 1943, he led the central front, which, under his command, began defensive battles on the Kursk Bulge. A little later, he organized an offensive and liberated significant territories from the Germans. He also led the liberation of Belarus, implementing the Headquarters plan - “Bagration”, this was one of the largest operations of the Second World War.

Voroshilov Kliment Efremovich (1881 - 1969) Voroshilov Kliment Efremovich - Marshal of the Soviet Union. Voroshilov organized the First Socialist Detachment in Lugansk, with which he defended Kharkov from German troops. Kharkov surrendered, and in April Voroshilov’s troops, transformed into the 5th Army under his command, began the defense of Lugansk, defeating two German infantry divisions, capturing 2 batteries, 20 machine guns, 2 aircraft and a convoy.

Konev Ivan Stepanovich (1897 - 1973) Ivan Stepanovich Konev - Soviet commander, Marshal of the Soviet Union, twice Hero of the Soviet Union. In the spring of 1943, I. S. Konev was appointed commander of the Steppe Front. Already at the first stage of the battle on the Kursk Bulge, Konev had to introduce the 5th Guards Tank and 5th Guards Armies into the Voronezh Front, which played a decisive role in the battle of Prokhorovka. At dawn on August 5, 1943, the troops of the Steppe Front launched an assault on Belgorod and by the evening of the same day the city was completely cleared of Germans. To commemorate this victory, as well as the liberation of Orel, the first salute of the war was fired in Moscow on August 5. On July 13, 1944, the Lvov-Sandomierz operation began. During the Lvov-Sandomierz operation, eight enemy divisions were surrounded and defeated in the area of ​​the city of Brody, the western regions of the USSR and the southeastern regions of Poland were liberated, and the vast Sandomierz bridgehead on the western bank of the Vistula was occupied. This operation was included in the history books of military art.

Timoshenko Semyon Konstantinovich (1895 - 1970) Semyon Konstantinovich Timoshenko Marshal of the Soviet Union (1940), twice Hero of the Soviet Union. On July 2, 1941, Timoshenko was appointed commander of the Western Front, and on July 10, Commander-in-Chief of the Western Direction. In July-September 1941, troops under the command of Timoshenko were able to delay the advancing German units for more than a month in the Battle of Smolensk (a task that no one could have done better, which even Zhukov reluctantly admitted). At the end of November 1941, Timoshenko commanded the counter-offensive of Soviet troops near Rostov-on-Don. On November 28, the city was taken, which became one of the first victories of the Red Army in 1941.

Tolbu khin Fedor Ivanovich (1894 - 1949) Tolbu khin Fedor Ivanovich - Soviet military leader, Marshal of the Soviet Union, Hero of the Soviet Union (posthumously), People's Hero of Yugoslavia, Hero of the People's Republic of Bulgaria (posthumously), holder of the Order of Victory ". Tolbukhin's troops liberated Romania, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia, Hungary and Austria. During the operation to liberate Romania, Tolbukhin proved himself not only as a strategist, but also as an outstanding diplomat, gaining the trust of King Michael. He, in turn, did everything so that the Romanian army would withdraw from the war with the Soviet Union and turn its arms against the German Reich. Tolbukhin liberated Bucharest, Sofia, Belgrade, Budapest, and his soldiers fought so that these cities would not suffer in the terrible war that fascism unleashed.

Bagramyan Ivan Khristoforovich (1897 - 1982) Ivan Khristoforovich Bagramyan - Soviet military leader, twice Hero of the Soviet Union, holder of seven Orders of Lenin, Marshal of the Soviet Union. In 1941, he participated in the Kyiv defensive operation, Yelets and Rostov offensive operations. Bagramyan’s decision in the Oryol operation, where the 11th Guards Army dealt a crushing blow to the enemy’s flank, was original and bold. I command the 1st Baltic Front, actively participated in the liberation of Belarus, in particular in the Vitebsk-Orsha operation in 1944. I participated in the East Prussian operation and defeated the Tilsit and Zemland enemy groups.

Vasilevsky Alexander Mikhailovich (1895 -1977) Vasilevsky Alexander Mikhailovich Marshal of the Soviet Union. Under his leadership, the largest operations of the Soviet Armed Forces were developed. A. M. Vasilevsky coordinated the actions of the fronts: in the Battle of Stalingrad (Operation Uranus, Little Saturn), near Kursk (Operation Commander Rumyantsev), during the liberation of Donbass (Operation Don "), in the Crimea and during the capture of Sevastopol, in the battles in Right Bank Ukraine; in the Belarusian Operation Bagration. In June 1945, the marshal was appointed Commander-in-Chief of Soviet troops in the Far East. For the quick defeat of the Kwantung Army of the Japanese under General O. Yamada in Manchuria, the commander received a second Gold Star. After the war, from 1946 - Chief of the General Staff; in 1949-1953 - Minister of the Armed Forces of the USSR.

Govorov Leonid Aleksandrovich (1897 - 1955) Leonid Aleksandrovich Govorov - Soviet military leader, Marshal of the Soviet Union, Hero of the Soviet Union. He had a difficult mission: preparation and implementation of artillery support for breaking through the Mannerheim Line. He copes with this task successfully and is awarded the Order of the Red Star. On December 1, the Nazis made another serious attempt to break through to Moscow. Govorov urgently went to the village of Akulovo, where parts of V.I. Polosukhin’s division and an anti-tank artillery reserve were transferred. Having encountered powerful resistance, German tank units turned towards Golitsyno. In April 1942, Lieutenant General of Artillery L. A. Govorov was appointed commander of the Leningrad Group of Forces, and a huge responsibility fell on the shoulders of L. A. Govorov. For 670 of the 900 days of the siege, he led the heroic defense of Leningrad and created a defense that was invincible to the enemy. There were still many offensive operations ahead: Mginskaya and Krasnoselsko-Ropshinskaya, Novgorod-Luga and Vyborgskaya, Tallinn and Moonsundskaya landing operations. And in each of them he put his will, his knowledge, his heart.

Meretskov Kirill Afanasyevich (1897 - 1968) Kirill Afana Syevich Meretsko - Soviet military leader, Marshal of the Soviet Union, Hero of the Soviet Union. Meretskov's leadership talent was most clearly revealed during the Great Patriotic War, when he commanded troops of a number of armies, the Volkhov and Karelian fronts. As a result of Operation Iskra and his direct participation, it was possible to break the blockade of Leningrad. In August 1945, troops of the 1st Far Eastern Front under the leadership of K. A. Meretskov successfully carried out an offensive operation in Eastern Manchuria and North Korea, defeating selected formations of the Kwantung Army.

Shaposhnikov Boris Mikhailovich (1882 -1945) During the Great Patriotic War (1941-1945), Chief of Staff of the Western Direction, Chief of the General Staff of the Red Army, Deputy People's Commissar of Defense of the USSR, Head of the Military Academy of the General Staff, Marshal of the Soviet Union. With his direct participation, proposals were developed for the preparation and conduct of the most important operations of the Soviet troops in 1941-1942. : Battle of Smolensk. Counter-offensive near Moscow and the general offensive of the Red Army in the winter of 1941-1942.

Malinovsky Rodion Yakovlevich (1898 - 1967) Rodion Yakovlevich Malinovsky - Soviet military leader and statesman. Commander of the Great Patriotic War, Marshal of the Soviet Union. Twice Hero of the Soviet Union, People's Hero of Yugoslavia. Minister of Defense of the USSR In December 1941, commander of the Southern Front. After defeat during the Kharkov operation and loss of rank, he rehabilitated himself in the Kotelnikov operation near Stalingrad. Later he commanded the troops of the Southwestern Front, renamed the 3rd Ukrainian Front. Conducted the Donbass, Lower Dnieper, Zaporozhye, Nikopol-Krivoy Rog, Bereznegovato-Snigirev, and Odessa offensive operations. In May 1944, Malinovsky was transferred as commander to the 2nd Ukrainian Front, which, together with the 3rd Ukrainian Front, continued the offensive in the southern direction, defeating the troops of the German army group “Southern Ukraine” during the Iasi-Kishinev strategic operation. In October 1944, Malinovsky inflicted a severe defeat on the enemy in eastern Hungary during the Debrecen operation and reached the immediate approaches to Budapest. In the spring of 1945, for the complete defeat of enemy troops in the Vienna operation, Malinovsky was awarded the highest Soviet military order "Victory".

Chuikov Vasily Ivanovich (1900 - 1982) Chuikov Vasily Ivanovich - Twice Hero of the Soviet Union, Marshal of the Soviet Union. Commander of the 62nd Army (8th Guards), which particularly distinguished itself in the street battles for the besieged Stalingrad. Army commander Chuikov introduced new close combat tactics to his troops. It was in the stubborn battles in Stalingrad that a new tactical unit was born - the assault group. Under his control, the 62nd Army successfully completed the crossing of the Dnieper, the assault on Zaporozhye, the Vistula, Oder and Berlin operations.

Vatutin Nikolai Fedorovich (1901 - 1944) In August 1940, Vatutin was appointed head of the operational department of the General Staff. From the very first days of the War, Lieutenant General Vatutin proved himself to be a talented commander. During the most difficult period of the Battle of Stalingrad, Nikolai Fedorovich took command of the Southwestern Front. Subsequently, he participated in the development and conduct of Operation Little Saturn, during which the most powerful German group at Stalingrad was encircled and destroyed. Thus, Nikolai Fedorovich Vatutin made a significant contribution to the two most successful encirclement operations carried out by Soviet troops. The successful completion of the Battle of Stalingrad was highly appreciated by Headquarters: on January 28, 1943, Nikolai Fedorovich received the Order of Suvorov. The Kyiv offensive operation can be considered the apogee of his military career. From the end of 1943 to January 1944, Vatutin’s troops carried out the Zhitomir-Berdichev operation. This encirclement became the second in scale after the Battle of Stalingrad.

Chernyakhovsky Ivan Danilovich (1907 - 1945) Ivan Danilovich Chernyakhovsky is an outstanding Soviet military leader, army general, twice Hero of the Soviet Union. I. D Chernyakhovsky is the youngest commander of the front troops. Despite his 38 years of age, thanks to his innate leadership talent, he was able to inflict crushing blows on the enemy - first, when he commanded a division, then a tank corps and a combined arms army, and from April 1944 - the 3rd Belorussian Front. During the Battle of Kursk, with the help of infantry and vehicles, he “exposed” almost 90 km of the front. After such a stunning breakthrough in the fascist camp, during which wide water barriers were overcome and conditions were provided for the exit of Soviet troops towards the capital of Ukraine - Kyiv. A distinctive feature of his command style was that he forced the enemy to flee, sometimes without coming into contact with him and suffering minimal losses. When the troops of his front entered Lithuania and fought for the liberation of its capital, Vilnius, the commander, in order to save the ancient city from destruction, ordered not to bomb it, not to fire from heavy guns. The city was taken as a result of a roundabout maneuver and avoided destruction. Also, troops under the command of I. D. Chernyakhovsky ensured the defense of Leningrad and participated in the liberation of Belarus and East Prussia.

Dmitry Mikhailovich Karbyshev (1880 - 1945) Dmitry Mikhailovich Karbyshev, Lieutenant General of the Engineering Troops, Professor of the Military Academy of the General Staff, Doctor of Military Sciences, Hero of the Soviet Union. He was surrounded, shell-shocked and taken prisoner in an unconscious state. The valuable prisoner was offered an apartment, access to libraries, and a staff of assistants in exchange for cooperation with the Wehrmacht. But he refused. He was tortured for months and not allowed to sleep. Every time the fascists thought that the general was about to break, they repeated the proposal. They didn't wait. The officer ended his journey in the Mauthausen camp. On February 18, after brutal torture, he was doused with water in the cold until he died.

Panfilov Ivan Vasilyevich (1893 - 1941) Ivan Vasilyevich Panfilov - Soviet military leader, major general, Hero of the Soviet Union. A platoon of tank destroyers of the 316th division under the leadership of I.V. Panfilov on November 16, 1941, during fierce battles, stopped the advance of 50 enemy tanks for 4 hours, destroying 18 of them, which went down in history as the feat of 28 Panfilov heroes.

Dovator Lev Mikhailovich (1903 - 1941) Lev Mikhailovich Dovator - Soviet military leader, major general. Hero of the Soviet Union. A group under the command of Dovator carried out a raid behind enemy lines in the Smolensk region. During this time, the Dovatorians destroyed over 2,500 enemy soldiers and officers, 9 tanks, more than 200 vehicles, and several military warehouses. Hitler's command placed a large monetary reward on Dovator's head and created special detachments to capture him.

Kovpak Sidor Artemyevich (1887 - 1967) Kovpak Sidor Artemyevich commander of the Putivl partisan detachment, member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Ukraine, major general. Twice Hero of the Soviet Union. Commander of the 1st Ukrainian Partisan Division. During the raid, the partisans fought about two thousand kilometers, destroyed and wounded more than 3,800 Nazis, blew up 19 military trains, 52 bridges, 51 warehouses, disabled power plants and oil fields near Bitkov and Yablonov.

Pavlov Dmitry Grigorievich (1897 - 1941) Dmitry Grigorievich Pavlov - Soviet military leader, army general. Hero of the Soviet Union. The commander of the Western Front took upon himself the first and main blow of the Nazi troops. In a short time, the front troops in Western Belarus and Minsk were defeated. A few days later he was accused of cowardice and inaction, deprived of his awards and executed. In 1957 he was posthumously rehabilitated, in 1965 he was restored to the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.

Shumilov Mikhail Stepanovich (1895 -1975) In August 1942, Major General Mikhail Stepanovich Shumilov was appointed commander of the 64th Army, which for about a month held back the 4th Tank Army under the command of Hermann Hoth on the distant approaches to Stalingrad, thanks to which industrial businesses located in the south of the city continued to operate.

Antonov Alexey Innokentyevich (1896 - 1962) Alexey Innokentyevich Antonov - Soviet military leader, army general, who worked at the headquarters of the Southern Front, took an active part in the development of all important campaigns and strategic operations of the Armed Forces, such as liberation of Rostov-on-Don, "Citadel", "Bagration". A.I. participated in the preparation and holding of the Yalta and Potsdam conferences. The only general awarded the Order of Victory. The remaining gentlemen of this highest order held the rank of no lower than marshal.

Kuznetsov Nikolai Leontievich (1909 - 1966) Nikolai Leontievich Kuznetsov - captain of the Soviet Army, participant in the Great Patriotic War, Hero of the Soviet Union. During the fighting in Germany. On April 14, 1945, in a battle near the village of Goltsov, Kuznetsov’s battalion successfully broke through 5 lines of German defense. On the night of April 16-17, during the battle for the city of Guzov, Kuznetsov’s battalion broke into the castle and cleared it, after which it hoisted the Red Banner over it.

Kuznetsov Nikolai Gerasimovich (1904 - 1974) Nikolai Gerasimovich Kuznetso - Soviet naval leader, Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union. During the war, Kuznetsov promptly and energetically led the fleet, coordinating its actions with the operations of other Armed Forces. He was a member of the Headquarters of the Supreme High Command and constantly traveled to ships and fronts. The fleet prevented an invasion of the Caucasus from the sea. Naval aviation and the submarine fleet played a major role in countering the enemy. The Navy provided assistance to the allies, and in addition, accompanied ships sailing under Lend Lease. A significant role was given to maritime education and taking into account the experience of the war.

Klochkov Vasily Georgievich (1911 - 1941) Klochkov Vasily Georgievich - military commissar. On November 16, 1941, at the head of a group of tank destroyers, he participated in repelling numerous enemy attacks. 18 enemy tanks were destroyed. Words addressed to the soldiers: “Russia is great, but there is nowhere to retreat - Moscow is behind us!” - attributed to him, became known throughout the country. During the battle, Vasily Klochkov died after throwing himself under an enemy tank with a bunch of grenades.

Pechersky Alexander Aronovich (1909 - 1990) Alexander Aronovich Pechersky is an officer of the Red Army, the leader of the only successful uprising in the death camp during the Second World War. Having been captured, Lieutenant Pechersky suggested abandoning the idea of ​​solitary escapes and starting an uprising. Most of the prisoners supported Lieutenant Pechersky's plan. His plan was this: the rebels, one by one, should kill the camp leadership and some of the guards, seize weapons and get out to freedom. On October 14, 1943, the Nazis began to be lured one by one into the workshops under plausible pretexts such as trying on a uniform. Here they were strangled and killed with blows from a hatchet. On October 14, the rebels managed to almost silently deal with 11 SS men and a number of Ukrainian police officers. However, then the surviving guards raised the alarm. After this, the prisoners of Sobibor made a breakthrough. Having broken down the gate, they managed to break free.

Nuradilov Khanpasha Nuradilovic (1922 - 1942) Khanpasha Nuradilovic Nuradilov - machine gunner, commander of a machine gun platoon, Hero of the Soviet Union. The young machine gunner received his baptism of fire near the village of Zakharovka, in Ukraine in 1941. The soldier remained the only survivor of his crew and, being wounded, stopped the advance of an entire fascist unit (he destroyed 120 Nazis and captured 7). In January 1942, he independently killed 50 fascists with a machine gun and suppressed 4 enemy machine gun nests. Kh.N. died near Stalingrad, and his name is carved on one of the plates of the monument to the Mamayev Kurgan assembly. For his courage and heroism, the sergeant was posthumously awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.

Fedorov Alexey Fedorovich (1901 - 1989) Fedorov Alexey Fedorovich - commander of the Chernigov-Volyn partisan unit, 1st secretary of the Chernigov and Volyn underground regional party committees, major general. By March 1942, the Chernigov partisan detachment led by A.F. Fedorov carried out 16 battles, destroying about a thousand Nazis, 33 highway and railway bridges, derailed 5 enemy trains, blew up 5 warehouses, 2 factories. In addition, in order to intensify mass political work among the population of the occupied areas, the partisan unit of A.F. Fedorov until November 1942 published 33 leaflets with a total circulation of 500 thousand copies. An outstanding operation carried out by the Chernigov-Volyn unit was an operation that went down in history as the “Kovel Knot”. From July 7, 1943 to March 14, 1944, partisans under the command of A.F. Fedorov destroyed 549 enemy trains with ammunition, fuel, military equipment and manpower on the lines of the Kovel railway junction.

Mikhail Alekseevich Egorov (1923 - 1975) Mikhail Alekseevich Egorov: hero of the Soviet Union, sergeant of the Red Army. Born into a peasant family in the village of Ermoshenki. Together with junior sergeant Meliton, Kantaria hoisted the Victory Banner on the roof of the Reichstag (according to the official Soviet version - the first) during the Battle of Berlin. For his accomplished feat, by Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR dated May 8, 1946, he was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union with the Order of Lenin and the Gold Star medal.

Kantaria Meliton Varlamovich (1920 - 1993) Kantaria Meliton Varlamovich was born in the Georgian village of Jvari into a peasant family. From 1940 to 1946 he served in the army and was a participant in the Great Patriotic War, from its beginning to its end. In 1941 he was seriously wounded, but after recovery he returned to duty. Also, together with Mikhail Egorov, they hoisted the Victory Banner over the Reichstag. The photograph of the installation of the banner went around the whole world, becoming the official symbol of the victory of the Soviet troops and the end of the Great Patriotic War. For the accomplished feat, Meliton Kantaria was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union with the Order of Lenin and the Gold Star medal.

Richard Sorge (1895 - 1944) “An outstanding intelligence officer who operated in Japan and provided the Soviet leadership with information about the preparation of a German attack on the USSR.” Nickname "Ramsay".

Sailors Alexander (1924 -1943) In October 1942, he was drafted into the army and sent as a cadet to the infantry school. In November 1942, he voluntarily went to the front and was enlisted as a private in the 254th Guards Rifle Regiment of the 56th Guards Rifle Division (Kalinin Front). On February 23, 1943, in the battle for the village of Chernushki, he broke through to the enemy bunker and, covering the embrasure with his body, sacrificed himself to ensure the success of his unit. On September 8, 1943, the name of Matrosov was assigned to the 254th regiment with the inclusion of the deceased hero forever in the lists of the 1st company of the regiment. A monument to the hero was erected in Ufa.

Gromyko Andrei Andreevich (1909 - 1989) Andrei Gromyko (diplomat) was born on July 5, 1909 in the Gomel region, on Belarusian lands in the village of Starye Gromyki. New employees were recruited to the staff of the People's Commissariat. Andrei Gromyko was ideally suited to the Personnel Department of the People's Commissariat of Foreign Affairs of the USSR. Andrei Gromyko also contributed to the process of negotiations to control the arms race, both conventional and nuclear. In 1946, on behalf of the USSR, Gromyko made a proposal for a general reduction and regulation of weapons and a ban on the military use of atomic energy. For his uncompromising manner of conducting diplomatic negotiations, A. A. Gromyko received the nickname “Mr. No” from his Western colleagues. He enjoyed enormous authority not only among members of the Politburo, but throughout the country. . . Gromyko was, as it were, the generally recognized embodiment of Soviet foreign policy - solid, thorough, consistent. By decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR dated July 17, 1969, A. A. Gromyko was awarded the title of Hero of Socialist Labor for his great services to the Communist Party and the Soviet state. He is the author of scientific works on international relations. He was awarded 5 Orders of Lenin, Orders of the Red Banner of Labor, as well as orders and medals of foreign countries.

Ponomar nko Pantele imon Kondratyevich (1902 - 1984) Pantele imon Kondra tyevich Ponomar nko (August 9, 1902, Belorechensky district of the Krasnodar Territory - January 18, 1984, Moscow) - a prominent Soviet party and statesman, one of the organizers anti-Semitic policy of the USSR in the pre-war, war and post-war periods. In 1938-1947 - First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Belarus, member of the Military Council of the Belarusian Military District, took part in the leadership of the troops that entered the territory of Western Belarus. During the Great Patriotic War he was a member of the military councils of fronts and armies. Lieutenant General, as well as the head of the Central Staff of the partisan movement at the Headquarters of the Supreme High Command, the head of the Central Headquarters of the partisan movement, chairman of the Council of People's Commissars (since 1946, the Council of Ministers) of the Byelorussian SSR, member of the Presidium of the CPSU Central Committee (perhaps Stalin planned to leave him in his place), Deputy Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the USSR, Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Kazakhstan, Ambassador to Poland, India and Nepal, the Netherlands. In 1962, the Dutch government declared him persona non grata because he personally took part in the kidnapping of a Soviet defector on the streets of Amsterdam and got into a fight with police.

Maisky Ivan Mikhailovich (1884 - 1975) Ivan Mikhailovich Maisky (real name and surname - Yan Lyakhovetsky; 1884 - 1975) - Soviet diplomat, historian and publicist. He studied at gymnasiums in Cherepovets and Omsk. Then he studied at the Faculty of History and Philology of St. Petersburg University (expelled). In 1903 he joined the RSDLP, a Menshevik. He worked as a member of the board of the Ministry of Labor of the Provisional Government. In the summer of 1918, he was the Minister of Labor in the Samara government of KOMUCH, for which he was removed from the Menshevik Central Committee and expelled from the RSDLP. Since 1922 - in diplomatic work. On January 21, 1932, he signed a Soviet-Finnish non-aggression treaty. In 1932-1943 Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Great Britain. On July 30, 1941, he signed the Agreement on the restoration of diplomatic relations between the USSR and the government of the Polish Republic in exile (better known as the “Maisky Sikorski” or “Sikorsky Maisky” treaty).

Zhdanov Andrey Aleksandrovich (1896 - 1948) State and party leader of the USSR in the 1930s-1940s. Colonel General. He was part of the closest political circle of J.V. Stalin. One of the most active organizers of mass repressions in the 1930s and 40s. During World War II, Zhdanov was a member of the Military Council of the Leningrad Front. Since 1946, Zhdanov led a campaign to strengthen party control over the country’s intellectual life, which went down in history as “Zhdanovism,” although its main inspirer was Stalin.

Litvinov Maksimovich (1876 - 1951) Russian revolutionary, Soviet diplomat and statesman. During the revolution of 1905-1907, Litvinov was involved in the purchase and supply of weapons to Russia for revolutionary organizations. In 1939 he was removed from office. Returned to work at the beginning of the Great Patriotic War. In 1941-1946, Deputy People's Commissar for Foreign Affairs of the USSR.

Pervukhin Mikhail Georgievich (1904 - 1978) Mikhail Georgievich Pervukhin is a Soviet statesman, political and military figure. M. N. Pervukhin had to lead the industry in the most difficult war conditions, continuously increasing the production of products necessary for the front. With his arrival, the work of the People's Commissariat improved and efficiency increased. People's Commissar Pervukhin always independently dealt with emerging difficulties in detail, personally visiting enterprises. In 1942, he was involved in the creation of the Soviet atomic bomb.

Molotov Vyacheslav Mikhailovich (1890 - 1986) Vyacheslav Mikhailovich Molotov is a Soviet politician and statesman. As the People's Commissar for Foreign Affairs, in 1939 he concluded a Non-Aggression Pact with Germany, called the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, and in the summer of 1939 he actively participated in the Anglo-Franco-Soviet negotiations in Moscow. It was his voice on the radio that became one of the symbols of the Second World War, and the words he said on June 22, ending the message about the beginning of the war, “Our cause is just. The enemy will be defeated. Victory will be ours” remain famous to this day.

I. SOVIET COMMANDERS AND MILITARY LEADERS.

1. Generals and military leaders of the strategic and operational-strategic level.

Zhukov Georgy Konstantinovich (1896-1974)- Marshal of the Soviet Union, Deputy Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the USSR Armed Forces, member of the Supreme Command Headquarters. He commanded the troops of the Reserve, Leningrad, Western, and 1st Belorussian fronts, coordinated the actions of a number of fronts, and made a great contribution to achieving victory in the battle of Moscow, in the Battles of Stalingrad, Kursk, in the Belarusian, Vistula-Oder and Berlin operations.

Vasilevsky Alexander Mikhailovich (1895-1977)- Marshal of the Soviet Union. Chief of the General Staff in 1942-1945, member of the Supreme Command Headquarters. He coordinated the actions of a number of fronts in strategic operations, in 1945 - commander of the 3rd Belorussian Front and commander-in-chief of Soviet troops in the Far East.

Rokossovsky Konstantin Konstantinovich (1896-1968)- Marshal of the Soviet Union, Marshal of Poland. Commanded the Bryansk, Don, Central, Belorussian, 1st and 2nd Belorussian fronts.

Konev Ivan Stepanovich (1897-1973)- Marshal of the Soviet Union. Commanded the troops of the Western, Kalinin, North-Western, Steppe, 2nd and 1st Ukrainian Fronts.

Malinovsky Rodion Yakovlevich (1898-1967)- Marshal of the Soviet Union. From October 1942 - Deputy Commander of the Voronezh Front, Commander of the 2nd Guards Army, Southern, Southwestern, 3rd and 2nd Ukrainian, Transbaikal Fronts.

Govorov Leonid Alexandrovich (1897-1955)- Marshal of the Soviet Union. From June 1942 he commanded the troops of the Leningrad Front, and in February-March 1945 he simultaneously coordinated the actions of the 2nd and 3rd Baltic Fronts.

Antonov Alexey Innokentievich (1896-1962)- army General. Since 1942 - first deputy chief, chief (since February 1945) of the General Staff, member of the Supreme Command Headquarters.

Timoshenko Semyon Konstantinovich (1895-1970)- Marshal of the Soviet Union. During the Great Patriotic War - People's Commissar of Defense of the USSR, member of the Supreme Command Headquarters, Commander-in-Chief of the Western and South-Western directions, from July 1942 he commanded the Stalingrad and North-Western Fronts. Since 1943 - representative of the Supreme Command Headquarters at the fronts.

Tolbukhin Fedor Ivanovich (1894-1949)- Marshal of the Soviet Union. At the beginning of the war - chief of staff of the district (front). Since 1942 - Deputy Commander of the Stalingrad Military District, Commander of the 57th and 68th Armies, Southern, 4th and 3rd Ukrainian Fronts.

Meretskov Kirill Afanasyevich (1897-1968)- Marshal of the Soviet Union. At the beginning of the war, he was a representative of the Supreme Command Headquarters on the Volkhov and Karelian fronts, commanding the 7th and 4th armies. Since December 1941 - commander of the troops of the Volkhov, Karelian and 1st Far Eastern fronts. He particularly distinguished himself during the defeat of the Japanese Kwantung Army in 1945.

Shaposhnikov Boris Mikhailovich (1882-1945)- Marshal of the Soviet Union. Member of the Supreme Command Headquarters, Chief of the General Staff during the most difficult period of defensive operations in 1941. He made an important contribution to the organization of the defense of Moscow and the transition of the Red Army to the counteroffensive. From May 1942 - Deputy People's Commissar of Defense of the USSR, Head of the Military Academy of the General Staff.

Chernyakhovsky Ivan Danilovich (1906-1945)- army General. He commanded the tank corps, the 60th Army, and from April 1944 the 3rd Belorussian Front. Mortally wounded in February 1945.

Vatutin Nikolai Fedorovich (1901-1944)- army General. From June 1941 - Chief of Staff of the North-Western Front, First Deputy Chief of the General Staff, Commander of the Voronezh, South-Western and 1st Ukrainian Fronts. He showed the highest art of military leadership in the Battle of Kursk, during the crossing of the river. Dnieper and the liberation of Kyiv, in the Korsun-Shevchenko operation. Mortally wounded in battle in February 1944.

Bagramyan Ivan Khristoforovich (1897-1982)- Marshal of the Soviet Union. Chief of Staff of the South-Western Front, then at the same time of the headquarters of the troops of the South-Western direction, commander of the 16th (11th Guards) Army. Since 1943, he commanded the troops of the 1st Baltic and 3rd Belorussian fronts.

Eremenko Andrey Ivanovich (1892-1970)- Marshal of the Soviet Union. Commanded the Bryansk Front, the 4th Shock Army, the South-Eastern, Stalingrad, Southern, Kalinin, 1st Baltic Fronts, the Separate Primorsky Army, the 2nd Baltic and 4th Ukrainian Fronts. He particularly distinguished himself in the Battle of Stalingrad.

Petrov Ivan Efimovich (1896-1958)- army General. Since May 1943 - commander of the North Caucasus Front, 33rd Army, 2nd Belorussian and 4th Ukrainian Fronts, chief of staff of the 1st Ukrainian Front.

2. Naval commanders of the strategic and operational-strategic level.

Kuznetsov Nikolay Gerasimovich (1902-1974)- Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union. People's Commissar of the Navy in 1939-1946, Commander-in-Chief of the Navy, member of the Supreme Command Headquarters. Ensured the organized entry of naval forces into the war.

Isakov Ivan Stepanovich (1894-1967)- Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union. In 1938-1946. - Deputy and First Deputy People's Commissar of the Navy, simultaneously in 1941-1943. Chief of the Main Staff of the Navy. Ensured successful management of fleet forces during the war.

Tributs Vladimir Filippovich (1900-1977)- Admiral. Commander of the Baltic Fleet in 1939-1947. He showed courage and skillful actions during the relocation of the Baltic Fleet Forces from Tallinn to Kronstadt and during the defense of Leningrad.

Golovko Arseny Grigorievich (1906-1962)- Admiral. In 1940-1946. - Commander of the Northern Fleet. Provided (together with the Karelian Front) reliable cover of the flank of the Soviet Armed Forces and sea communications for allied supplies.

Oktyabrsky (Ivanov) Philip Sergeevich (1899-1969)- Admiral. Commander of the Black Sea Fleet from 1939 to June 1943 and from March 1944. From June 1943 to March 1944 - Commander of the Amur Military Flotilla. Ensured the organized entry into the war of the Black Sea Fleet and successful actions during the war.

3. Commanders of combined arms armies.

Chuikov Vasily Ivanovich (1900-1982)- Marshal of the Soviet Union. Since September 1942 - commander of the 62nd (8th Guards) Army. He particularly distinguished himself in the Battle of Stalingrad.

Batov Pavel Ivanovich (1897-1985)- army General. Commander of the 51st, 3rd armies, assistant commander of the Bryansk Front, commander of the 65th army.

Beloborodov Afanasy Pavlantievich (1903-1990)- army General. Since the beginning of the war - commander of a division, rifle corps. Since 1944 - commander of the 43rd, in August-September 1945 - 1st Red Banner Army.

Grechko Andrey Antonovich (1903-1976)- Marshal of the Soviet Union. From April 1942 - commander of the 12th, 47th, 18th, 56th armies, deputy commander of the Voronezh (1st Ukrainian) Front, commander of the 1st Guards Army.

Krylov Nikolai Ivanovich (1903-1972)- Marshal of the Soviet Union. From July 1943 he commanded the 21st and 5th armies. He had unique experience in the defense of besieged large cities, being the chief of staff of the defense of Odessa, Sevastopol and Stalingrad.

Moskalenko Kirill Semenovich (1902-1985)- Marshal of the Soviet Union. Since 1942, he commanded the 38th, 1st Tank, 1st Guards and 40th armies.

Pukhov Nikolai Pavlovich (1895-1958)- Colonel General. In 1942-1945. commanded the 13th Army.

Chistyakov Ivan Mikhailovich (1900-1979)- Colonel General. In 1942-1945. commanded the 21st (6th Guards) and 25th armies.

Gorbatov Alexander Vasilievich (1891-1973)- army General. Since June 1943 - commander of the 3rd Army.

Kuznetsov Vasily Ivanovich (1894-1964)- Colonel General. During the war years he commanded the troops of the 3rd, 21st, 58th, 1st Guards Armies; since 1945 - commander of the 3rd Shock Army.

Luchinsky Alexander Alexandrovich (1900-1990)- army General. Since 1944 - commander of the 28th and 36th armies. He especially distinguished himself in the Belarusian and Manchurian operations.

Lyudnikov Ivan Ivanovich (1902-1976)- Colonel General. During the war he commanded a rifle division and corps, and in 1942 he was one of the heroic defenders of Stalingrad. Since May 1944 - commander of the 39th Army, which participated in the Belarusian and Manchurian operations.

Galitsky Kuzma Nikitovich (1897-1973)- army General. Since 1942 - commander of the 3rd shock and 11th guards armies.

Zhadov Alexey Semenovich (1901-1977)- army General. Since 1942 he commanded the 66th (5th Guards) Army.

Glagolev Vasily Vasilievich (1896-1947)- Colonel General. Commanded the 9th, 46th, 31st, and in 1945 the 9th Guards armies. He distinguished himself in the Battle of Kursk, the battle for the Caucasus, during the crossing of the Dnieper, and the liberation of Austria and Czechoslovakia.

Kolpakchi Vladimir Yakovlevich (1899-1961)- army General. Commanded the 18th, 62nd, 30th, 63rd, 69th armies. He acted most successfully in the Vistula-Oder and Berlin operations.

Pliev Issa Alexandrovich (1903-1979)- army General. During the war - commander of guards cavalry divisions, corps, commander of cavalry mechanized groups. He particularly distinguished himself by his bold and daring actions in the Manchurian strategic operation.

Fedyuninsky Ivan Ivanovich (1900-1977)- army General. During the war years, he was commander of the 32nd and 42nd armies, the Leningrad Front, 54th and 5th armies, deputy commander of the Volkhov and Bryansk fronts, commander of the 11th and 2nd shock armies.

Belov Pavel Alekseevich (1897-1962)- Colonel General. Commanded the 61st Army. He was distinguished by decisive maneuvering actions during the Belarusian, Vistula-Oder and Berlin operations.

Shumilov Mikhail Stepanovich (1895-1975)- Colonel General. From August 1942 until the end of the war, he commanded the 64th Army (from 1943 - the 7th Guards), which, together with the 62nd Army, heroically defended Stalingrad.

Berzarin Nikolai Erastovich (1904-1945)- Colonel General. Commander of the 27th and 34th armies, deputy commander of the 61st and 20th armies, commander of the 39th and 5th shock armies. He particularly distinguished himself by his skillful and decisive actions in the Berlin operation.

4. Commanders of tank armies.

Katukov Mikhail Efimovich (1900-1976)- Marshal of the Armored Forces. One of the founders of the Tank Guard is the commander of the 1st Guards Tank Brigade, 1st Guards Tank Corps. Since 1943 - commander of the 1st Tank Army (since 1944 - Guards Army).

Bogdanov Semyon Ilyich (1894-1960)- Marshal of the Armored Forces. Since 1943, he commanded the 2nd (since 1944 - Guards) Tank Army.

Rybalko Pavel Semenovich (1894-1948)- Marshal of the Armored Forces. From July 1942 he commanded the 5th, 3rd and 3rd Guards Tank Armies.

Lelyushenko Dmitry Danilovich (1901-1987)- army General. From October 1941 he commanded the 5th, 30th, 1st, 3rd Guards, 4th Tank (from 1945 - Guards) armies.

Rotmistrov Pavel Alekseevich (1901-1982)- Chief Marshal of the Armored Forces. He commanded a tank brigade and a corps and distinguished himself in the Stalingrad operation. Since 1943 he commanded the 5th Guards Tank Army. Since 1944 - Deputy Commander of the armored and mechanized forces of the Soviet Army.

Kravchenko Andrey Grigorievich (1899-1963)- Colonel General of Tank Forces. Since 1944 - commander of the 6th Guards Tank Army. He showed an example of highly maneuverable, rapid actions during the Manchurian strategic operation.

5. Aviation military leaders.

Novikov Alexander Alexandrovich (1900-1976)- Air Chief Marshal. Commander of the Air Force of the Northern and Leningrad Fronts, Deputy People's Commissar of Defense of the USSR for Aviation, Commander of the Air Force of the Soviet Army.

Rudenko Sergey Ignatievich (1904-1990)- Air Marshal, commander of the 16th Air Army since 1942. He paid great attention to training combined arms commanders in the combat use of aviation.

Krasovsky Stepan Akimovich (1897-1983)- Air Marshal. During the war - commander of the Air Force of the 56th Army, Bryansk and Southwestern Fronts, 2nd and 17th Air Armies.

Vershinin Konstantin Andreevich (1900-1973)- Air Chief Marshal. During the war - commander of the Air Force of the Southern and Transcaucasian fronts and the 4th Air Army. Along with effective actions to support the front troops, he paid special attention to the fight against enemy aviation and gaining air supremacy.

Sudets Vladimir Alexandrovich (1904-1981)- Air Marshal. Commander of the Air Force of the 51st Army, Air Force of the Military District, since March 1943 - 17th Air Army.

Golovanov Alexander Evgenievich (1904-1975)- Air Chief Marshal. From 1942 he commanded long-range aviation, and from 1944 - the 18th Air Army.

Khryukin Timofey Timofeevich (1910-1953)- Colonel General of Aviation. Commanded the Air Forces of the Karelian and Southwestern Fronts, the 8th and 1st Air Armies.

Zhavoronkov Semyon Fedorovich (1899-1967)- Air Marshal. During the war he was commander of naval aviation. Ensured the survivability of naval aviation at the beginning of the war, the increase in its efforts and skillful combat use during the war.

6. Artillery commanders.

Voronov Nikolai Nikolaevich (1899-1968)- Chief Marshal of Artillery. During the war years - head of the country's Main Air Defense Directorate, head of artillery of the Soviet Army - deputy people's commissar of defense of the USSR. Since 1943 - commander of the artillery of the Soviet Army, representative of the Supreme Command Headquarters on the fronts during the Stalingrad and a number of other operations. He developed the most advanced theory and practice of the combat use of artillery for his time, incl. artillery offensive, for the first time in history created a reserve of the Supreme High Command, which made it possible to maximize the use of artillery.

Kazakov Nikolai Nikolaevich (1898-1968)- Marshal of Artillery. During the war years - chief of artillery of the 16th Army, Bryansk, Don, commander of artillery of the Central, Belorussian and 1st Belorussian fronts. One of the highest class masters in organizing an artillery offensive.

Nedelin Mitrofan Ivanovich (1902-1960)- Chief Marshal of Artillery. During the war - chief of artillery of the 37th and 56th armies, commander of the 5th artillery corps, commander of the artillery of the Southwestern and 3rd Ukrainian fronts.

Odintsov Georgy Fedotovich (1900-1972)- Marshal of Artillery. With the beginning of the war - chief of staff and chief of artillery of the army. From May 1942 - commander of the artillery of the Leningrad Front. One of the largest specialists in organizing the fight against enemy artillery.

II. COMMANDERS AND MILITARY LEADERS OF THE ALLIED ARMIES OF THE USA

Eisenhower Dwight David (1890-1969)- American statesman and military leader, army general. Commander of American forces in Europe since 1942, Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Forces in Western Europe in 1943-1945.

MacArthur Douglas (1880-1964)- army General. Commander of the US armed forces in the Far East in 1941-1942, since 1942 - commander of the allied forces in the southwestern part of the Pacific Ocean.

Marshall George Catlett (1880-1959)- army General. Chief of Staff of the US Army in 1939-1945, one of the main authors of the military-strategic plans of the US and Great Britain in World War II.

Legy William (1875-1959)- Admiral of the Fleet. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, at the same time - Chief of Staff to the Supreme Commander of the US Armed Forces in 1942-1945.

Halsey William (1882-1959)- Admiral of the Fleet. He commanded the 3rd Fleet and led American forces in the battle for the Solomon Islands in 1943.

Patton George Smith Jr. (1885-1945)- general. Since 1942, he commanded an operational group of troops in North Africa, in 1944-1945. - The 7th and 3rd American armies in Europe, skillfully used tank forces.

Bradley Omar Nelson (1893-1981)- army General. Commander of the 12th Army Group of the Allied Forces in Europe in 1942-1945.

King Ernest (1878-1956)- Admiral of the Fleet. Commander-in-Chief of the US Navy, Chief of Naval Operations 1942-1945.

Nimitz Chester (1885-1966)- Admiral. Commander of US Forces in the Central Pacific from 1942-1945.

Arnold Henry (1886-1950)- army General. In 1942-1945. - Chief of Staff of the US Army Air Forces.

Clark Mark (1896-1984)- general. Commander of the 5th American Army in Italy in 1943-1945. He became famous for his landing operation in the Salerno area (Operation Avalanche).

Spaats Karl (1891-1974)- general. Commander of US Strategic Air Forces in Europe. He led strategic aviation operations during the air offensive against Germany.

Great Britain

Montgomery Bernard Law (1887-1976)- Field Marshal. Since July 1942 - commander of the 8th British Army in Africa. During the Normandy operation he commanded an army group. In 1945 - Commander-in-Chief of the British occupation forces in Germany.

Brooke Alan Francis (1883-1963)- Field Marshal. Commanded the British Army Corps in France in 1940-1941. troops of the metropolis. In 1941-1946. - Chief of the Imperial General Staff.

Alexander Harold (1891-1969)- Field Marshal. In 1941-1942 commander of British troops in Burma. In 1943, he commanded the 18th Army Group in Tunisia and the 15th Allied Army Group that landed on the island. Sicily and Italy. Since December 1944 - Commander-in-Chief of the Allied Forces in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations.

Cunningham Andrew (1883-1963)- Admiral. Commander of the British fleet in the eastern Mediterranean in 1940-1941.

Harris Arthur Travers (1892-1984)- Air Marshal. Commander of the bomber force that carried out the “air offensive” against Germany in 1942-1945.

Tedder Arthur (1890-1967)- Air Chief Marshal. Eisenhower's Deputy Supreme Allied Commander in Europe for Aviation during the Second Front in Western Europe in 1944-1945.

Wavell Archibald (1883-1950)- Field Marshal. Commander of British troops in East Africa in 1940-1941. In 1942-1945. - Commander-in-Chief of the Allied Forces in Southeast Asia.

France

De Tassigny Jean de Lattre (1889-1952)- Marshal of France. Since September 1943 - Commander-in-Chief of the troops of "Fighting France", since June 1944 - Commander of the 1st French Army.

Juin Alphonse (1888-1967)- Marshal of France. Since 1942 - commander of the troops of "Fighting France" in Tunisia. In 1944-1945 - commander of the French expeditionary force in Italy.

China

Zhu De (1886-1976)- Marshal of the People's Republic of China. During the national liberation war of the Chinese people 1937-1945. commanded the 8th Army operating in Northern China. Since 1945 - Commander-in-Chief of the People's Liberation Army of China.

Peng Dehuai (1898-1974)- Marshal of the People's Republic of China. In 1937-1945. - Deputy Commander of the 8th Army of the PLA.

Chen Yi- Commander of the New 4th Army of the PLA, operating in the regions of Central China.

Liu Bochen- Commander of the PLA unit.

Poland

Michal Zymierski (pseudonym - Rolya) (1890-1989)- Marshal of the People's Republic of Poland. During the Nazi occupation of Poland he participated in the Resistance movement. From January 1944 - Commander-in-Chief of the Army of Ludova, from July 1944 - Commander-in-Chief of the Polish Army.

Berling Sigmund (1896-1980)- General of the Armor of the Polish Army. In 1943 - organizer on the territory of the USSR of the 1st Polish Infantry Division named after. Kosciuszko, in 1944 - commander of the 1st Army of the Polish Army.

Poplavsky Stanislav Gilarovich (1902-1973)- General of the Army (in the Soviet Armed Forces). During the war years in the Soviet Army - commander of a regiment, division, corps. Since 1944, in the Polish Army - commander of the 2nd and 1st armies.

Swierczewski Karol (1897-1947)- General of the Polish Army. One of the organizers of the Polish Army. During the Great Patriotic War - commander of a rifle division, from 1943 - deputy commander of the 1st Polish Corps of the 1st Army, from September 1944 - commander of the 2nd Army of the Polish Army.

Czechoslovakia

Svoboda Ludwik (1895-1979)- statesman and military leader of the Czechoslovak Republic, army general. One of the initiators of the creation of Czechoslovak units on the territory of the USSR, since 1943 - commander of a battalion, brigade, 1st Army Corps.

III. THE MOST PROMINENT COMMANDERS AND NAVAL LEADERS OF THE GREAT PATRIOTIC WAR (FROM THE ENEMY SIDE)

Germany

Rundstedt Karl Rudolf (1875-1953)- Field Marshal General. During World War II, he commanded Army Group South and Army Group A in the attack on Poland and France. He headed Army Group South on the Soviet-German front (until November 1941). From 1942 to July 1944 and from September 1944 - Commander-in-Chief of German troops in the West.

Manstein Erich von Lewinsky (1887-1973)- Field Marshal General. In the French campaign of 1940 he commanded a corps, on the Soviet-German front - a corps, an army, in 1942-1944. - Army Group "Don" and "South".

Keitel Wilhelm (1882-1946)- Field Marshal General. In 1938-1945 - Chief of Staff of the Supreme High Command of the Armed Forces.

Kleist Ewald (1881-1954)- Field Marshal General. During World War II, he commanded a tank corps and a tank group operating against Poland, France, and Yugoslavia. On the Soviet-German front he commanded a tank group (army), in 1942-1944. - Army Group A.

Guderian Heinz Wilhelm (1888-1954)- Colonel General. During World War II he commanded a tank corps, a group and an army. In December 1941, after the defeat near Moscow, he was removed from office. In 1944-1945 - Chief of the General Staff of the Ground Forces.

Rommel Erwin (1891-1944)- Field Marshal General. In 1941-1943. commanded the German Expeditionary Forces in North Africa, Army Group B in Northern Italy, 1943-1944. - Army Group B in France.

Dönitz Karl (1891-1980)- Grand Admiral. Commander of the submarine fleet (1936-1943), commander-in-chief of the Navy of Nazi Germany (1943-1945). At the beginning of May 1945 - Reich Chancellor and Supreme Commander.

Keselring Albert (1885-1960)- Field Marshal General. He commanded air fleets operating against Poland, Holland, France, and England. At the beginning of the war with the USSR, he commanded the 2nd Air Fleet. From December 1941 - Commander-in-Chief of the Nazi forces of the South-West (Mediterranean - Italy), in 1945 - the troops of the West (West Germany).

Finland

Mannerheim Carl Gustav Emil (1867-1951)- Finnish military and statesman, marshal. Commander-in-Chief of the Finnish army in the wars against the USSR in 1939-1940. and 1941-1944

Japan

Yamamoto Isoroku (1884-1943)- Admiral. During World War II - Commander-in-Chief of the Japanese Navy. Carried out the operation to defeat the American fleet at Pearl Harbor in December 1941.

Marshals of the Great Patriotic War

Zhukov Georgy Konstantinovich

Born in the village of Strelkovka near Kaluga in a peasant family. Furrier. In the army since 1915. Participated in the First World War, a junior non-commissioned officer in the cavalry. In the battles he was seriously shell-shocked and awarded 2 Crosses of St. George.

Since August 1918 in the Red Army. During the Civil War, he fought against the Ural Cossacks near Tsaritsyn, fought with the troops of Denikin and Wrangel, took part in the suppression of the Antonov uprising in the Tambov region, was wounded, and was awarded the Order of the Red Banner. After the Civil War, he commanded a regiment, brigade, division, and corps. In the summer of 1939, he carried out a successful encirclement operation and defeated a group of Japanese troops under General. Kamatsubara on the Khalkhin Gol River. G. K. Zhukov received the title of Hero of the Soviet Union and the Order of the Red Banner of the Mongolian People's Republic.

During the Great Patriotic War (1941 - 1945) he was a member of the Headquarters, Deputy Supreme Commander-in-Chief, and commanded the fronts (pseudonyms: Konstantinov, Yuryev, Zharov). He was the first to be awarded the title of Marshal of the Soviet Union during the war (01/18/1943). Under the command of G.K. Zhukov, troops of the Leningrad Front, together with the Baltic Fleet, stopped the advance of Army Group North of Field Marshal F.W. von Leeb on Leningrad in September 1941. Under his command, the troops of the Western Front defeated the troops of Army Group Center under Field Marshal F. von Bock near Moscow and dispelled the myth of the invincibility of the Nazi army. Then Zhukov coordinated the actions of the fronts near Stalingrad (Operation Uranus - 1942), in Operation Iskra during the breakthrough of the Leningrad blockade (1943), in the Battle of Kursk (summer 1943), where Hitler’s plan was thwarted. Citadel" and the troops of Field Marshals Kluge and Manstein were defeated. The name of Marshal Zhukov is also associated with victories near Korsun-Shevchenkovsky and the liberation of Right Bank Ukraine; Operation Bagration (in Belarus), where the Vaterland Line was broken and Army Group Center of Field Marshals E. von Busch and W. von Model was defeated. At the final stage of the war, the 1st Belorussian Front, led by Marshal Zhukov, took Warsaw (01/17/1945), defeated Army Group A of General von Harpe and Field Marshal F. Scherner with a dissecting blow in the Vistula-Oder operation and victoriously ended the war with a grandiose Berlin operation. Together with the soldiers, the marshal signed the scorched wall of the Reichstag, over the broken dome of which the Victory banner fluttered. On May 8, 1945, in Karlshorst (Berlin), the commander accepted the unconditional surrender of Nazi Germany from Hitler’s Field Marshal W. von Keitel. General D. Eisenhower presented G. K. Zhukov with the highest military order of the United States “Legion of Honor”, ​​the degree of Commander-in-Chief (06/5/1945). Later in Berlin at the Brandenburg Gate, the British Field Marshal Montgomery placed on him the Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath, 1st Class, with star and crimson ribbon. On June 24, 1945, Marshal Zhukov hosted the triumphal Victory Parade in Moscow.

In 1955-1957 “Marshal of Victory” was the Minister of Defense of the USSR.

American military historian Martin Kaiden says: “Zhukov was the commander of commanders in the conduct of war by mass armies of the twentieth century. He inflicted more casualties on the Germans than any other military leader. He was a "miracle marshal". Before us is a military genius."

He wrote the memoirs “Memories and Reflections.”

Marshal G.K. Zhukov had:

• 4 Gold Stars of the Hero of the Soviet Union (08/29/1939, 07/29/1944, 06/1/1945, 12/1/1956),
• 6 Orders of Lenin,
• 2 Orders of Victory (including No. 1 - 04/11/1944, 03/30/1945),
• order of the October Revolution,
• 3 Orders of the Red Banner,
• 2 Orders of Suvorov, 1st degree (including No. 1), a total of 14 orders and 16 medals;
• honorary weapon - a personalized saber with the golden Coat of Arms of the USSR (1968);
• Hero of the Mongolian People's Republic (1969); Order of the Tuvan Republic;
• 17 foreign orders and 10 medals, etc.

Vasilevsky Alexander Mikhailovich

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

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

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

In June 1945, the marshal was appointed Commander-in-Chief of Soviet troops in the Far East (pseudonym Vasiliev). For the quick defeat of the Kwantung Army of the Japanese under General O. Yamada in Manchuria, the commander received a second Gold Star. After the war, from 1946 - Chief of the General Staff; in 1949-1953 - Minister of the Armed Forces of the USSR.
A. M. Vasilevsky is the author of the memoir “The Work of a Whole Life.”

Marshal A. M. Vasilevsky had:

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

Konev Ivan Stepanovich

Born in the Vologda region in the village of Lodeyno in a peasant family. In 1916 he was drafted into the army. Upon completion of the training team, junior non-commissioned officer Art. division is sent to the Southwestern Front. Having joined the Red Army in 1918, he took part in battles against the troops of Admiral Kolchak, Ataman Semenov, and the Japanese. Commissioner of the armored train "Grozny", then brigades, divisions. In 1921 he took part in the storming of Kronstadt. Graduated from the Academy. Frunze (1934), commanded a regiment, division, corps, and the 2nd Separate Red Banner Far Eastern Army (1938-1940).

During the Great Patriotic War he commanded the army and fronts (pseudonyms: Stepin, Kyiv). Participated in the battles of Smolensk and Kalinin (1941), in the battle of Moscow (1941-1942). During the Battle of Kursk, together with the troops of General N.F. Vatutin, he defeated the enemy on the Belgorod-Kharkov bridgehead - a German bastion in Ukraine. On August 5, 1943, Konev’s troops took the city of Belgorod, in honor of which Moscow gave its first fireworks, and on August 24, Kharkov was taken. This was followed by the breakthrough of the “Eastern Wall” on the Dnieper.

In 1944, near Korsun-Shevchenkovsky, the Germans set up “New (small) Stalingrad” - 10 divisions and 1 brigade of General V. Stemmeran, who fell on the battlefield, were surrounded and destroyed. I. S. Konev was awarded the title of Marshal of the Soviet Union (02/20/1944), and on March 26, 1944, the troops of the 1st Ukrainian Front were the first to reach the state border. In July-August they defeated the Army Group “Northern Ukraine” of Field Marshal E. von Manstein in the Lvov-Sandomierz operation. The name of Marshal Konev, nicknamed “the forward general,” is associated with brilliant victories at the final stage of the war - in the Vistula-Oder, Berlin and Prague operations. During the Berlin operation, his troops reached the river. Elbe near Torgau and met with the American troops of General O. Bradley (04/25/1945). On May 9, the defeat of Field Marshal Scherner near Prague ended. The highest orders of the “White Lion” 1st class and the “Czechoslovak War Cross of 1939” were a reward to the marshal for the liberation of the Czech capital. Moscow saluted the troops of I. S. Konev 57 times.

In the post-war period, the marshal was the Commander-in-Chief of the Ground Forces (1946-1950; 1955-1956), the first Commander-in-Chief of the United Armed Forces of the Warsaw Pact member states (1956-1960).

Marshal I. S. Konev - twice Hero of the Soviet Union, Hero of the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic (1970), Hero of the Mongolian People's Republic (1971). A bronze bust was installed in his homeland in the village of Lodeyno.

He wrote memoirs: “Forty-fifth” and “Notes of the Front Commander.”

Marshal I. S. Konev had:

• two Gold Stars of the Hero of the Soviet Union (07/29/1944, 06/1/1945),
• 7 Orders of Lenin,
• order of the October Revolution,
• 3 Orders of the Red Banner,
• 2 Orders of Kutuzov 1st degree,
• Order of the Red Star,
• a total of 17 orders and 10 medals;
• honorary personalized weapon - a saber with the Golden Coat of Arms of the USSR (1968),
• 24 foreign awards (including 13 foreign orders).

Govorov Leonid Alexandrovich

Born in the village of Butyrki near Vyatka in the family of a peasant, who later became an employee in the city of Elabuga. A student at the Petrograd Polytechnic Institute, L. Govorov, became a cadet at the Konstantinovsky Artillery School in 1916. He began his combat activities in 1918 as an officer in the White Army of Admiral Kolchak.

In 1919, he volunteered to join the Red Army, participated in battles on the Eastern and Southern fronts, commanded an artillery division, and was wounded twice - near Kakhovka and Perekop.
In 1933 he graduated from the Military Academy. Frunze, and then the General Staff Academy (1938). Participated in the war with Finland of 1939-1940.

In the Great Patriotic War (1941-1945), artillery general L.A. Govorov became the commander of the 5th Army, which defended the approaches to Moscow in the central direction. In the spring of 1942, on instructions from I.V. Stalin, he went to besieged Leningrad, where he soon led the front (pseudonyms: Leonidov, Leonov, Gavrilov). On January 18, 1943, the troops of generals Govorov and Meretskov broke through the blockade of Leningrad (Operation Iskra), delivering a counter-attack near Shlisselburg. A year later, they struck again, crushing the Germans' Northern Wall, completely lifting the blockade of Leningrad. The German troops of Field Marshal von Küchler suffered huge losses. In June 1944, troops of the Leningrad Front carried out the Vyborg operation, broke through the “Mannerheim Line” and took the city of Vyborg. L.A. Govorov became Marshal of the Soviet Union (06/18/1944). In the fall of 1944, Govorov’s troops liberated Estonia, breaking into the enemy “Panther” defenses.

While remaining commander of the Leningrad Front, the marshal was also the representative of Headquarters in the Baltic States. He was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. In May 1945, the German army group Kurland surrendered to the front forces.

Moscow saluted the troops of commander L. A. Govorov 14 times. In the post-war period, the marshal became the first Commander-in-Chief of the country's air defense.

Marshal L.A. Govorov had:

• Gold Star of the Hero of the Soviet Union (01/27/1945), 5 Orders of Lenin,
• Order of Victory (05/31/1945),
• 3 Orders of the Red Banner,
• 2 Orders of Suvorov 1st degree,
• Order of Kutuzov 1st degree,
• Order of the Red Star - a total of 13 orders and 7 medals,
• Tuvan "Order of the Republic",
• 3 foreign orders.

Rokossovsky Konstantin Konstantinovich

Born in Velikiye Luki in the family of a railway driver, a Pole, Xavier Jozef Rokossovsky, who soon moved to live in Warsaw. He began his service in 1914 in the Russian army. Participated in the First World War. He fought in a dragoon regiment, was a non-commissioned officer, was wounded twice in battle, was awarded the St. George Cross and 2 medals. Red Guard (1917). During the Civil War, he was again wounded 2 times, fought on the Eastern Front against the troops of Admiral Kolchak and in Transbaikalia against Baron Ungern; commanded a squadron, division, cavalry regiment; awarded 2 Orders of the Red Banner. In 1929 he fought against the Chinese at Jalainor (conflict on the Chinese Eastern Railway). In 1937-1940 was imprisoned as a victim of slander.

During the Great Patriotic War (1941-1945) he commanded a mechanized corps, army, and fronts (Pseudonyms: Kostin, Dontsov, Rumyantsev). He distinguished himself in the Battle of Smolensk (1941). Hero of the Battle of Moscow (September 30, 1941—January 8, 1942). He was seriously wounded near Sukhinichi. During the Battle of Stalingrad (1942-1943), Rokossovsky’s Don Front, together with other fronts, was surrounded by 22 enemy divisions with a total number of 330 thousand people (Operation Uranus). At the beginning of 1943, the Don Front eliminated the encircled group of Germans (Operation “Ring”). Field Marshal F. Paulus was captured (3 days of mourning were declared in Germany). In the Battle of Kursk (1943), Rokossovsky's Central Front defeated the German troops of General Model (Operation Kutuzov) near Orel, in honor of which Moscow gave its first fireworks (08/05/1943). In the grandiose Belorussian operation (1944), Rokossovsky’s 1st Belorussian Front defeated Field Marshal von Busch’s Army Group Center and, together with the troops of General I. D. Chernyakhovsky, surrounded up to 30 drag divisions in the “Minsk Cauldron” (Operation Bagration). . On June 29, 1944, Rokossovsky was awarded the title of Marshal of the Soviet Union. The highest military orders "Virtuti Militari" and the "Grunwald" cross, 1st class, were awarded to the marshal for the liberation of Poland.

At the final stage of the war, Rokossovsky's 2nd Belorussian Front participated in the East Prussian, Pomeranian and Berlin operations. Moscow saluted the troops of commander Rokossovsky 63 times. On June 24, 1945, twice Hero of the Soviet Union, holder of the Order of Victory, Marshal K. K. Rokossovsky commanded the Victory Parade on Red Square in Moscow. In 1949-1956, K.K. Rokossovsky was the Minister of National Defense of the Polish People's Republic. He was awarded the title of Marshal of Poland (1949). Returning to the Soviet Union, he became the chief inspector of the USSR Ministry of Defense.

Wrote a memoir, A Soldier's Duty.

Marshal K.K. Rokossovsky had:

• 2 Gold Stars of the Hero of the Soviet Union (07/29/1944, 06/1/1945),
• 7 Orders of Lenin,
• Order of Victory (30.03.1945),
• order of the October Revolution,
• 6 Orders of the Red Banner,
• Order of Suvorov 1st degree,
• Order of Kutuzov 1st degree,
• a total of 17 orders and 11 medals;
• honorary weapon - saber with the golden coat of arms of the USSR (1968),
• 13 foreign awards (including 9 foreign orders)

Malinovsky Rodion Yakovlevich

Born in Odessa, he grew up without a father. In 1914, he volunteered for the front of the 1st World War, where he was seriously wounded and awarded the St. George Cross, 4th degree (1915). In February 1916 he was sent to France as part of the Russian expeditionary force. There he was again wounded and received the French Croix de Guerre. Returning to his homeland, he voluntarily joined the Red Army (1919) and fought against the whites in Siberia. In 1930 he graduated from the Military Academy. M. V. Frunze. In 1937-1938, he volunteered to take part in battles in Spain (under the pseudonym “Malino”) on the side of the republican government, for which he received the Order of the Red Banner.

In the Great Patriotic War (1941-1945) he commanded a corps, an army, and a front (pseudonyms: Yakovlev, Rodionov, Morozov). He distinguished himself in the Battle of Stalingrad. Malinovsky’s army, in cooperation with other armies, stopped and then defeated Army Group Don of Field Marshal E. von Manstein, which was trying to relieve Paulus’s group encircled at Stalingrad. The troops of General Malinovsky liberated Rostov and Donbass (1943), participated in the cleansing of Right Bank Ukraine from the enemy; Having defeated the troops of E. von Kleist, they took Odessa on April 10, 1944; together with the troops of General Tolbukhin, they defeated the southern wing of the enemy front, encircling 22 German divisions and the 3rd Romanian Army in the Iasi-Kishinev operation (08.20-29.1944). During the fighting, Malinovsky was slightly wounded; On September 10, 1944, he was awarded the title of Marshal of the Soviet Union. The troops of the 2nd Ukrainian Front, Marshal R. Ya. Malinovsky, liberated Romania, Hungary, Austria, and Czechoslovakia. On August 13, 1944, they entered Bucharest, took Budapest by storm (02/13/1945), and liberated Prague (05/9/1945). The marshal was awarded the Order of Victory.

From July 1945, Malinovsky commanded the Transbaikal Front (pseudonym Zakharov), which dealt the main blow to the Japanese Kwantung Army in Manchuria (08/1945). Front troops reached Port Arthur. The marshal received the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.

Moscow saluted the troops of commander Malinovsky 49 times.

On October 15, 1957, Marshal R. Ya. Malinovsky was appointed Minister of Defense of the USSR. He remained in this position until the end of his life.

The Marshal is the author of the books “Soldiers of Russia”, “The Angry Whirlwinds of Spain”; under his leadership, “Iasi-Chisinau Cannes”, “Budapest - Vienna - Prague”, “Final” and other works were written.

Marshal R. Ya. Malinovsky had:

• 2 Gold Stars of the Hero of the Soviet Union (09/08/1945, 11/22/1958),
• 5 Orders of Lenin,
• 3 Orders of the Red Banner,
• 2 Orders of Suvorov 1st degree,
• Order of Kutuzov 1st degree,
• a total of 12 orders and 9 medals;
• as well as 24 foreign awards (including 15 orders of foreign states). In 1964 he was awarded the title of People's Hero of Yugoslavia.

Tolbukhin Fedor Ivanovich

Born in the village of Androniki near Yaroslavl in a peasant family. He worked as an accountant in Petrograd. In 1914 he was a private motorcyclist. Having become an officer, he took part in battles with Austro-German troops and was awarded the Anna and Stanislav crosses.

In the Red Army since 1918; fought on the fronts of the Civil War against the troops of General N.N. Yudenich, Poles and Finns. He was awarded the Order of the Red Banner.

In the post-war period, Tolbukhin worked in staff positions. In 1934 he graduated from the Military Academy. M. V. Frunze. In 1940 he became a general.

During the Great Patriotic War (1941-1945) he was the chief of staff of the front, commanded the army and the front. He distinguished himself in the Battle of Stalingrad, commanding the 57th Army. In the spring of 1943, Tolbukhin became commander of the Southern Front, and from October - the 4th Ukrainian Front, from May 1944 until the end of the war - the 3rd Ukrainian Front. General Tolbukhin's troops defeated the enemy at Miussa and Molochnaya and liberated Taganrog and Donbass. In the spring of 1944, they invaded Crimea and took Sevastopol by storm on May 9. In August 1944, together with the troops of R. Ya. Malinovsky, they defeated the army group “Southern Ukraine” of Mr. Frizner in the Iasi-Kishinev operation. On September 12, 1944, F.I. Tolbukhin was awarded the title of Marshal of the Soviet Union.

Tolbukhin's troops liberated Romania, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia, Hungary and Austria. Moscow saluted Tolbukhin's troops 34 times. At the Victory Parade on June 24, 1945, the marshal led the column of the 3rd Ukrainian Front.

The marshal's health, undermined by the wars, began to fail, and in 1949 F.I. Tolbukhin died at the age of 56. Three days of mourning were declared in Bulgaria; the city of Dobrich was renamed the city of Tolbukhin.

In 1965, Marshal F.I. Tolbukhin was posthumously awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.

People's Hero of Yugoslavia (1944) and "Hero of the People's Republic of Bulgaria" (1979).

Marshal F.I. Tolbukhin had:

• 2 Orders of Lenin,
• Order of Victory (04/26/1945),
• 3 Orders of the Red Banner,
• 2 Orders of Suvorov 1st degree,
• Order of Kutuzov 1st degree,
• Order of the Red Star,
• a total of 10 orders and 9 medals;
• as well as 10 foreign awards (including 5 foreign orders).

Meretskov Kirill Afanasyevich

Born in the village of Nazaryevo near Zaraysk, Moscow region, into a peasant family. Before serving in the army, he worked as a mechanic. In the Red Army since 1918. During the Civil War he fought on the Eastern and Southern fronts. He took part in battles in the ranks of the 1st Cavalry against Pilsudski's Poles. He was awarded the Order of the Red Banner.

In 1921 he graduated from the Military Academy of the Red Army. In 1936-1937, under the pseudonym "Petrovich", he fought in Spain (awarded the Orders of Lenin and the Red Banner). During the Soviet-Finnish War (December 1939 - March 1940), he commanded the army that broke through the Manerheim Line and took Vyborg, for which he was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union (1940).
During the Great Patriotic War, he commanded troops in the northern directions (pseudonyms: Afanasyev, Kirillov); was a representative of the Headquarters on the North-Western Front. He commanded the army, the front. In 1941, Meretskov inflicted the first serious defeat of the war on the troops of Field Marshal Leeb near Tikhvin. On January 18, 1943, the troops of generals Govorov and Meretskov, delivering a counter strike near Shlisselburg (Operation Iskra), broke the blockade of Leningrad. On January 20, Novgorod was taken. In February 1944 he became commander of the Karelian Front. In June 1944, Meretskov and Govorov defeated Marshal K. Mannerheim in Karelia. In October 1944, Meretskov's troops defeated the enemy in the Arctic near Pechenga (Petsamo). On October 26, 1944, K. A. Meretskov received the title of Marshal of the Soviet Union, and from the Norwegian King Haakon VII the Grand Cross of St. Olaf.

In the spring of 1945, the “cunning Yaroslavets” (as Stalin called him) under the name of “General Maksimov” was sent to the Far East. In August - September 1945, his troops took part in the defeat of the Kwantung Army, breaking into Manchuria from Primorye and liberating areas of China and Korea.

Moscow saluted the troops of commander Meretskov 10 times.

Marshal K. A. Meretskov had:

• Gold Star of the Hero of the Soviet Union (03/21/1940), 7 Orders of Lenin,
• Order of Victory (8.09.1945),
• order of the October Revolution,
• 4 Orders of the Red Banner,
• 2 Orders of Suvorov 1st degree,
• Order of Kutuzov 1st degree,
• 10 medals;
• honorary weapon - a saber with the Golden Coat of Arms of the USSR, as well as 4 highest foreign orders and 3 medals.

The fate of millions of people depended on their decisions!

This is not the entire 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 joined a dragoon regiment, with 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 capturing a German officer he was awarded the Cross of St. George.

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

In January 1941, shortly before the German invasion of the USSR, Zhukov was appointed chief of the General Staff and deputy people's commissar of defense.

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 Belarusian, 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 graduated from 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 and led the assault on Königsberg. In 1945, commander-in-chief of Soviet troops in the Far East in the war with Japan.

Rokossovsky Konstantin Konstantinovich (1896-1968)- Marshal of the Soviet Union, Marshal of Poland.

Born on December 21, 1896 in the small Russian town of Velikiye Luki (formerly Pskov province), in the family of a Pole railway driver, Xavier-Józef Rokossovsky and his Russian wife Antonina. After the birth of Konstantin, the Rokossovsky family moved to Warsaw. At less than 6 years old, Kostya was orphaned: his father was in a train accident and died in 1902 after a long illness. 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 commanded the 9th Mechanized Corps. In the summer of 1941 he was appointed commander of the 4th Army. He managed to somewhat hold back 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 to capture Stalingrad and break through to the North Caucasus. With a blow from his army, he prevented the Germans from trying to break through to the north, towards the city of Yelets. Rokossovsky took part in the counter-offensive of Soviet troops near Stalingrad. His ability to conduct combat operations played a big role in the success of the operation. In 1943, he led the central front, which, under his command, began defensive battles on the Kursk Bulge. A little later, he organized an offensive and liberated significant territories from the Germans. He also led the liberation of Belarus, implementing the Headquarters plan - “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 peasant. In 1916, the future commander was drafted into the tsarist army. He participates in the First World War as a non-commissioned officer.

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

During the Great Patriotic War, Ivan Stepanovich 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, launched 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 direct part in the assault on the city.

Twice Hero of the Soviet Union.

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

Born on December 16, 1901 in the village of Chepukhino, 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 first 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, 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 Hero of the Soviet Union.

Katukov Mikhail Efimovich (1900-1976)- Marshal of the Armored Forces. One of the founders of the Tank Guard.

Born on September 4 (17), 1900 in the village of Bolshoye Uvarovo, then Kolomna district, Moscow province, into a large peasant family (his father had seven children from two marriages). He graduated with a diploma of commendation from an elementary rural school, during which he was the first student in the class and 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 were brilliantly demonstrated in the Battle of 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 completed a 360-km march to the Istra orientation, the M.E. brigade. Katukova, as part of the 16th Army of the Western Front, heroically fought in the Volokolamsk direction and participated in the counter-offensive near Moscow. On November 11, 1941, for brave and skillful military actions, the brigade was the first in the tank forces to receive the rank 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 the 1st The Ukrainian Front distinguished itself in the Battle of Kursk and during the liberation of Ukraine. In April 1944, the armed forces were transformed into the 1st Guards Tank Army, which, under the command of M.E. Katukova participated in the Lviv-Sandomierz, Vistula-Oder, East Pomeranian and Berlin operations, crossed the Vistula and Oder rivers.

Twice Hero of the Soviet Union.

Rotmistrov Pavel Alekseevich (1901-1982)- Chief Marshal of the Armored Forces.

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

In the Soviet Army from April 1919 (he was enlisted 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, South-Western, 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 and his army took part in the Belarusian offensive operation, the liberation of the cities of Borisov, Minsk, and Vilnius. Since August 1944, he was appointed deputy commander of the armored and mechanized forces of the Soviet Army.

Hero of the Soviet Union.

Kravchenko Andrey Grigorievich (1899-1963)- Colonel General of 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 All-Union Communist Party (Bolsheviks) since 1925. Participant in 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 was the chief of staff of the 16th Tank Division, and from March to September 1941, the 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, deputy commander of the 61st Army for tank forces. Chief of Staff of the 1st Tank Corps (03/31/1942 - 07/30/1942). Commanded the 2nd (07/2/1942 - 09/13/1942) and 4th (from 02/7/43 - 5th Guards; from 09/18/1942 to 01/24/1944) tank corps.

In November 1942, the 4th Corps took part in the encirclement of the 6th German Army at Stalingrad, in July 1943 - in the tank battle near Prokhorovka, in October of the same year - in the Battle of the Dnieper.

Twice Hero of the Soviet Union.

Novikov Alexander Alexandrovich (1900-1976)- Air Chief Marshal.

Born on November 19, 1900 in the village of Kryukovo, Nerekhta district, Kostroma region. He received his education at the teachers' seminary in 1918.

In the Soviet Army since 1919

In aviation since 1933. Participant 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, he was the commander of the Red Army Air Force. In March 1946, he was illegally repressed (together with A.I. Shakhurin), rehabilitated in 1953.

Twice Hero of the Soviet Union.

Kuznetsov Nikolay 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, giving himself two years to be accepted (the erroneous birth year of 1902 is still found in some reference books). In 1921-1922 he was a combatant in the Arkhangelsk naval crew.
During the Great Patriotic War, N. G. Kuznetsov was the chairman of the Main Military Council of the Navy and the 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 and 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 fleet admiral. On May 25, 1945, this rank was equated to the rank of Marshal of the Soviet Union and marshal-type shoulder straps were introduced.

Hero of the Soviet Union.

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 a railway school. In 1919, a real tragedy occurred in the family: his parents died due to typhus, so the boy was forced to leave school and take up farming. He worked as a shepherd, driving cattle into the field in the morning, and sat down to his textbooks every free minute. 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, by their example, motivated the soldiers, gave them confidence and gave them faith in a bright future.

Twice Hero of the Soviet Union.