Generals of the Second World War. generals of the ussr. Obverse and reverse of the highest military award of Prussia

August 29th, 2013

Hello dear!
Today we will finally reach the final straight topic of the field marshals of the Wehrmacht, begun here: and continued here:, here: and here:
It remains for me to go a little through the biographies of the 5 best of the best German military leaders, in my humble opinion, in the Second World War.
This five is closed by Hans Gunther Adolph Ferdinand von Kluge, nicknamed "Clever Hans" (here not only the German name was played up, but also the surname, because Kluge can be translated from German as "smart"), although it seems to me that his other was more suitable nickname - "Sly Gunther", because the man was really very resourceful and cunning. A kind of improved version of Panikovsky, which “sells, then buys, then sells again, but at a higher price” :-)
The son of a general and heir to the Prussian military tradition, von Kluge realized from childhood that an excellent education and military talent were not enough to achieve the heights of success - it was also necessary to learn to intrigue notably. Over time, he achieved great skill in this matter. However, until the Nazis came to power, he just honestly pulled the army strap. After graduating from the Military Academy before the First World War, he was transferred to the General Staff as a capable student. From there he went to the front. He was an officer of the General Staff of the 21st Army Corps, then a battalion commander, and finally, an officer of the General Staff of the 89th Infantry Division. In 1918 he was seriously wounded by shrapnel near Verdun. He ended the war as a captain, holder of the Iron Cross of both classes and a number of other awards, including the Austrian Order of the Iron Crown.

Order of the Iron Crown

After leaving the wound, von Kluge continued to serve in the Reichswehr. By 1933, he held the rank of Major General and served as Chief of Artillery in the 3rd Military District (Berlin). The rise to power of the Nazis first accelerated his career, since in the spring of 1934 he received the rank of lieutenant general, and first the post of inspector of the signal troops of the ground forces, and then became the commander of the 6th division and the commander of the 6th military district in Münster. However, he soon quarreled with Goering (they were enemies until the very end of their lives) and fell into disgrace. Further aggravating his situation is that von Kluge openly supports von Fritsch, and is outraged by the interference of the party in the affairs of the military. Accordingly, almost the first in 1938 during the "general purge of the ranks of the army" he was sent to the reserve. However, the disgrace did not last long - there are not so many good, competent, experienced generals, which Kluge was undoubtedly, in the army and he is again called up for active service. Despite active opposition from Goering, he was instructed to form and lead the 6th Army Group, which included the 9th, 10th and 11th military districts (a total of 6 divisions). In August 1939, the 4th Army was deployed on the basis of this group, and Kluge became its commander. "Clever Hans" just brilliantly confirmed his skill, both in Poland and in France, was able to enlist Keitel's support, and most importantly attracted the attention of Hitler. So Goering's intrigues no longer worried him. For excellent military work, he was promoted to field marshal general (July 19, 1940) and awarded the Knight's Cross.

"Clever Hans"

Realizing where the wind was blowing from, he began to support any plans of the Reich Chancellor in every possible way. So von Kluge is one of the few who supported the implementation of the Barbarossa plan and the war on 2 fronts. Kluge began the campaign against the USSR by encircling our group at Bialystok, then on his account the capture of Smolensk. He was against an active offensive in late autumn on Moscow, which he repeatedly reported to von Bock, and most importantly to Hitler. And on December 19, 1941, Kluge was appointed commander of the Army Group Center instead of the displaced Bock. First of all, "Sly Gunther" carried out a purge and removed the generals (Gepner, Guderian, Strauss), as a result of a cunning intrigue, blaming them for the failure of the capture of Moscow and the tactical retreat from the capital. And only then he took up the problems of the army group. He remained in this position until July 1942 and it should be noted that he acted brilliantly - he repelled a number of strong blows by Soviet troops (near Rzhev and Belev, for example), and also defeated the cavalry corps of General P. Belov near Kirov. Plus, he was able to “feed the misinformation” to our headquarters that the offensive should be expected in the Moscow direction, and not at all in the south, as it should have been. No wonder some called him "the lion of defense." For all this, Hitler on January 18, 1943 awarded him with Oak Leaves to the Knight's Cross. Kluge showed the fullness of the master of intrigue before the Germans carried out Operation Citadel. So, during the preparation of the operation in May 1943, he arrived at the headquarters of the Reich Chancellor with the intention of achieving a postponement of the offensive, believing that the operation was not prepared well enough. When he learned that Hitler had already made such a decision, he began to oppose the delay of the operation, while pursuing the goal of protecting himself from responsibility in case of failure of the offensive, acting on the principle "I warned ..." As a result, from the operation itself, he was suspended, the task was already set for Model. But when the latter failed, Kluge's reputation was in no way damaged.


From left to right Kluge, Himmler, Dönitz, Keitel

It suffered a little later, when the magnificent Rokossovsky first broke through the front at Orel, and then crossed the Dnieper during the Chernigov-Pripyat operation. And even then, Kluge, unlike many others, was able to avoid complete defeat and withdraw his troops to Belarus, once again showing himself to be a very good military leader. True, it is not known until the end how everything would have turned out if on October 28, 1943, his car had not flown into a ditch on the Orsha-Minsk highway. The field marshal survived, but received quite serious injuries and was forced to undergo treatment in Germany for 8 months. Thus, this accident saved his final defeat and stigma as a loser.
On July 2, 1944, Kluge succeeded Field Marshal Gerd von Rundstedt as commander of the Western Front and was initially very energetic and full of hope. However, all his bright dreams were instantly dispelled when he was faced with the real picture taking shape on the Western Front. He repeatedly asked Hitler to start retreating across the Seine, but was flatly refused. As a result, 15 German divisions fell into the so-called Falaise sack, and although some of the soldiers and equipment were removed from the encirclement (albeit without Kluge's participation), the losses were still high (especially in equipment). Hitler immediately removed Kluge from his post of commander and summoned him to his headquarters. Then the "clever Hans" realized that the map of his bit was definitively and unambiguously and should not be returned to Germany. As an experienced gambler, he relied not only on Hitler, but also on the failed conspirators, and the latter gave him up with giblets. As a result, near the French city of Metze, Hans Gunther von Kluge committed suicide by biting through a capsule of potassium cyanide. It happened on August 18, 1944. He was 61 years old.

The famous "African partisan of World War I" P. von Lettov-Forbeck visiting G. von Kluge

What can I say in the conclusion about this general - he was good from a military point of view and certainly was appreciated as a strong professional by our renowned marshals, he advocated a humane attitude towards prisoners of war and was an ardent opponent of punitive operations against civilians. I respected the SS, but only as fighters at the front, and not as an organization engaged in racial cleansing. That is, on the one hand - an honest, professional, strong opponent and a good fighter. On the other hand, because of his own good and to advance his career, at first he supported almost any undertakings of Hitler, was his faithful follower. And he seems to have outsmarted himself.

One of the most famous WWII commanders

The next man is considered by most English and American historians to be the best German commander of the Second World War. I'm talking about who they called the "Desert Fox", and we know by the name Erwin Eugen Johannes Rommel. As you can understand, I do not share the assessments of our foreign researchers and do not consider it the best. Why - I will explain at the very end of the story. Although, in general, I recognize him as an outstanding commander, and there are reasons for this, too.
Erwin was born on November 15, 1891, the son of a schoolteacher and the daughter of the former president of the Württemberg government. In addition to him, there were 2 more sons in the family, and a daughter was also born a little later. Since childhood, his father did not encourage Erwin's dream of a military career and in every possible way wanted to persuade him to become a teacher. However, Rommel Jr. was adamant and entered the military school. In 1912 he received his first officer's rank - chief lieutenant. Rommel was an active participant in the First World War on the Western, Eastern and Italian fronts. In 1914, he served as a platoon leader in the 19th Artillery Regiment, then returned to his native 124th Infantry Regiment. In 1915, in this regiment, he was given command of a company and the rank of lieutenant. From the autumn of the same year, the company commander in the Württemberg mountain rifle battalion. In 1917 he fought in Romania, then in Italy. At the end of the war he served at the headquarters of the regiment in Germany. For military distinctions during the war years he was awarded the Iron Cross of the 2nd and 1st degrees and the Pour le Merite order. He was repeatedly wounded and performed several feats. He ended the war with the rank of captain. After the war he was left in the Reichswehr.

Young Erwin with his future wife

His career went up very sharply when the Nazis came to power. The secret of success is simple - Rommel was Hitler's favorite. It was in such as the future field marshal that the Reich Chancellor saw help to counterbalance the old Prussian army elite. Judge for yourself - in just 6 years Rommel will become a general from a major (and this is in peacetime!), And in less than 3 years - a field marshal general and one of the most famous and recognizable commanders of the Third Reich.
His star has ascended to the French company and Rommel is undoubtedly one of its brightest heroes. Back in February 1940, the future field marshal asked to be appointed commander of the 7th Panzer Division. Hitler was surprised a lot (since before that Rommel had dealt only with the infantry), but the request was granted. And this unit, armed, by the way, with captured Czech tanks, showed itself in all its glory. During the fighting in France, this division lost about 2.5 thousand people killed and wounded, while capturing up to 100 thousand people, including 17 generals and 5 admirals. Her trophies were about 400 tanks and armored vehicles, over 360 artillery pieces and 10 aircraft. It is quite understandable that such a brilliant result of the division commander was marked by the Knight's Cross and the rank of lieutenant general. And most importantly - fame and fame. This played into the hands of Rommel. On February 6, 1941, he was appointed commander of the newly formed Afrika Korps (tank and light infantry divisions), which was sent by Hitler to North Africa to help the Italian army defeated there by the British. I will not describe all the vicissitudes of these races in the desert now - for this is worthy at least a separate big post, but I will say that here Erwin Rommel showed himself very, very well. And this is in conditions of the enemy's superiority in forces and means, and most importantly, the total supremacy of the British fleet in the Mediterranean. Describing Rommel's military talents, it is enough to recall only 2 topographical points - Tobruk and Benghazi. For almost 2.5 years, the "Desert Fox" fought like a lion in Africa with his troops, almost took Alexandria and Cairo and, by and large, he began to have big problems when he met a worthy rival in the person of Montgomery. However, the end was a little predictable. On June 22, 1942, Rommel was awarded the rank of Field Marshal, thus he became the youngest officer of the Wehrmacht to reach this rank. Hitler recalled his newly minted field marshal from Africa shortly before the final surrender of the Italo-German troops there and awarded him the highest (at that time) military award of the 3rd Reich - he was awarded Diamonds (No. 6) to the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords (for the whole war awarded only 27 people).

E. Rommel and A. Kesselring in Libya

After a short rest and treatment, he led the army group "B", which was transferred to Italy, but could not get along with the characters with another Field Marshal (which we will talk about in the next part, since it concerns the Luftwaffe) A. Kesselring, who commanded the group armies "C". Hitler took the side of the latter, reassigning all the troops on the Apennine Peninsula to him, and sent Rommel to inspect the Atlantic Wall. From the inspection trip "Desert Fox" was in quiet horror - no active defense in the West simply existed, and Val was a chain of scattered fortified areas. It was absolutely not clear what the commanders were doing there before, including the current von Runstedt. There were a number of conflicts between the two field marshals, which they more or less were able to extinguish in December 1943 and together turned to Hitler with proposals to improve the situation. The result was a kind of two-tier chain of command. Von Runstedt remained in command of the entire western front, but Army Group B was again created under the command of Rommel, who was subordinate to Runstedt. Erwin Rommel energetically got down to business and in six months was able to seriously strengthen the defense zone. I did a lot, but not everything. Well, on June 6, 1944, D-Day struck, or it would be more correct to say "Operation Neptune" ... On June 9, Rommel tried to conduct a counterattack, and on 15 he lost his nerves. He sent a message to Hitler in which he unequivocally offered to end the war and sit down at the negotiating table with the British and Americans. However, the latter did not react in any way and the "Desert Fox" led the troops until July 17, when he came under the bombing of an English plane and received a shrapnel wound in the head. Everyone believed that he would not survive, but the strong body of the relatively young field marshal survived. Until October 14, he was treated with his family in the small town of Herlingen near Ulm. And on this day, 2 generals came to him - the head of the personnel department of the OKH, Lieutenant General V. Burgdorf and his deputy, Major General E. Meisel. They said without offense that Hitler was aware of the Field Marshal's participation in the conspiracy of Colonel Schauffenberg's group against the Reich Chancellor and offered a choice: a trial of honor or suicide. Rommel, who really actively contacted the conspirators, but was categorically against the removal of Hitler did not hesitate, chose the first. Such an answer did not suit the generals at all - apparently they did not count on it. They began to prove to "Desert Fox" that the court of honor had already passed its verdict and, in fact, was a farce. Rommel insisted that he was right. Then the generals began to blackmail the field marshal with his family. The choice is either suicide and an honorable funeral, or a trial with a 100% guarantee that loved ones will fall into the hands of "Himmler's boys." Rommel naturally chose suicide. Saying goodbye to his loved ones, he drove towards Ulm and took poison on the way. It was officially announced that he had died of a cerebral hemorrhage and a magnificent funeral was held. Nobody touched the family - from this point of view, the agreement was respected.


Rommel's family house

This is how the life of one of the most famous military men of the period of World War II ended.
Let's go back to the beginning of our story, and I will try to answer you, dear ones, why Rommel is not for me No. 1 or even No. 2 among the highest generals of the Third Reich. It seems that he is brave and experienced, and skillful, and talented, and theoretically brilliantly grounded (back in 1937 he published his military diaries under the title "Infantry Attacks", and previously taught a little at the military academy). Plus, this is almost the only general before whom Hitler apologized for not listening to him about his actions in Africa and admitting that it was Rommel who was right, and not the chancellor himself.
But the thing is that Rommel never fought on the Eastern Front, and for me this is the most important indicator - I just cannot fully understand - how cool he really was as a commander. And then Rommel missed the landing in Normandy. The blame for the fact that the allies successfully landed and began to move deep into France can be equally divided by 3 people - Hitler, von Ruenstedt and Rommel. So that's it.
Have a nice day!
To be continued...

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The names of some are honored to this day, the names of others are consigned to oblivion. But all of them are united by their leadership talent.

the USSR

Zhukov Georgy Konstantinovich (1896-1974)

Marshal of the Soviet Union.

Zhukov had a chance to take part in serious hostilities shortly before the start of the Second World War. In the summer of 1939, the Soviet-Mongolian troops under his command defeated the Japanese group on the Khalkhin-Gol River.

By the beginning of World War II, Zhukov headed the General Staff, but was soon sent to the active army. In 1941 he was assigned to the most critical sectors of the front. Putting order in the retreating army with the most stringent measures, he managed to prevent the capture of Leningrad by the Germans, and to stop the Nazis in the Mozhaisk direction on the outskirts of Moscow. And already in late 1941 - early 1942 Zhukov led a counteroffensive near Moscow, throwing the Germans away from the capital.

In 1942-43, Zhukov did not command individual fronts, but coordinated their actions as a representative of the Supreme High Command Headquarters both at Stalingrad, and on the Kursk Bulge, and during the breakthrough of the blockade of Leningrad.

At the beginning of 1944, Zhukov took command of the 1st Ukrainian Front instead of the seriously wounded General Vatutin and led the planned Proskurov-Chernivtsi offensive operation. As a result, Soviet troops liberated most of the Right-Bank Ukraine and reached the state border.

At the end of 1944, Zhukov led the 1st Belorussian Front and launched an offensive against Berlin. In May 1945, Zhukov accepted the unconditional surrender of Nazi Germany, and then two Victory Parades, in Moscow and in Berlin.

After the war, Zhukov was on the sidelines, commanding various military districts. After Khrushchev came to power, he became deputy minister, and then headed the Ministry of Defense. But in 1957 he finally fell into disgrace and was removed from all posts.

Rokossovsky Konstantin Konstantinovich (1896-1968)

Marshal of the Soviet Union.

Shortly before the start of the war, in 1937, Rokossovsky was repressed, but in 1940, at the request of Marshal Timoshenko, he was released and reinstated in his former position as corps commander. In the first days of the Great Patriotic War, units under the command of Rokossovsky were one of the few who managed to provide decent resistance to the advancing German troops. In the battle of Moscow, Rokossovsky's army defended one of the most difficult areas, Volokolamskoye.

Returning to service after being seriously wounded in 1942, Rokossovsky took command of the Don Front, which completed the defeat of the Germans at Stalingrad.

On the eve of the Battle of the Kursk Bulge, Rokossovsky, contrary to the position of most military leaders, managed to convince Stalin that it was better not to start the offensive himself, but to provoke the enemy into active actions. Having accurately determined the direction of the main attack of the Germans, Rokossovsky, just before their offensive, undertook a massive artillery barrage, which bled the enemy striking forces.

His most famous military leadership achievement, included in the annals of military art, was the operation to liberate Belarus under the code name "Bagration", which actually destroyed the German army group "Center".

Shortly before the decisive offensive on Berlin, the command of the 1st Belorussian Front, to the disappointment of Rokossovsky, was transferred to Zhukov. He was also instructed to command the troops of the 2nd Belorussian Front in East Prussia.

Rokossovsky possessed outstanding personal qualities and of all Soviet military leaders he was the most popular in the army. After the war, Rokossovsky, a Pole by birth, for a long time headed the Ministry of Defense of Poland, and then held the posts of Deputy Minister of Defense of the USSR and Chief Military Inspector. The day before his death, he finished writing his memoir, entitled "Soldier's Duty."

Konev Ivan Stepanovich (1897-1973)

Marshal of the Soviet Union.

In the fall of 1941, Konev was appointed commander of the Western Front. In this position, he suffered one of the biggest setbacks of the outbreak of the war. Konev failed to obtain permission to withdraw the troops in time, and, as a result, about 600,000 Soviet soldiers and officers were surrounded near Bryansk and Yelnya. Zhukov saved the commander from the tribunal.

In 1943, the troops of the Steppe (later the 2nd Ukrainian) Front under the command of Konev liberated Belgorod, Kharkov, Poltava, Kremenchug and crossed the Dnieper. But most of all, Konev glorified the Korsun-Shevchensk operation, as a result of which a large group of German troops was surrounded.

In 1944, already as commander of the 1st Ukrainian Front, Konev led the Lvov-Sandomierz operation in western Ukraine and southeastern Poland, which opened the way for a further offensive against Germany. The troops distinguished themselves under the command of Konev and the Vistula-Oder operation, and in the battle for Berlin. During the latter, rivalry between Konev and Zhukov appeared - each wanted to take the German capital first. The tense relations between the marshals persisted until the end of their lives. In May 1945, Konev directed the liquidation of the last major focus of Nazi resistance in Prague.

After the war, Konev was the commander-in-chief of the ground forces and the first commander of the combined forces of the Warsaw Pact countries; he commanded troops in Hungary during the events of 1956.

Vasilevsky Alexander Mikhailovich (1895-1977)

Marshal of the Soviet Union, Chief of the General Staff.

As chief of staff, which he held since 1942, Vasilevsky coordinated the actions of the fronts of the Red Army and participated in the development of all major operations of the Great Patriotic War. He, in particular, has a key role in planning the operation to encircle German troops at Stalingrad.

At the end of the war, after the death of General Chernyakhovsky, Vasilevsky asked to be relieved of his post as chief of the General Staff, took the place of the deceased and led the assault on Konigsberg. In the summer of 1945, Vasilevsky was transferred to the Far East and commanded the defeat of the Kwatun army of Japan.

After the war, Vasilevsky headed the General Staff, and then was the Minister of Defense of the USSR, but after Stalin's death, he went into the shadows and occupied lower positions.

Tolbukhin Fyodor Ivanovich (1894-1949)

Marshal of the Soviet Union.

Before the start of World War II, Tolbukhin served as chief of staff of the Transcaucasian District, and with its beginning - the Transcaucasian Front. Under his leadership, a surprise operation was developed to bring Soviet troops into the northern part of Iran. Tolbukhin also developed the operation to land the Kerch landing force, the result of which was to liberate the Crimea. However, after its successful start, our troops were unable to build on the success, suffered heavy losses, and Tolbukhin was removed from office.

Distinguished as commander of the 57th Army in the Battle of Stalingrad, Tolbukhin was appointed commander of the Southern (later 4th Ukrainian) Front. Under his command, a significant part of Ukraine and the Crimean peninsula were liberated. In 1944-45, when Tolbukhin was already in command of the 3rd Ukrainian Front, he led the troops in the liberation of Moldova, Romania, Yugoslavia, Hungary, and ended the war in Austria. The Yassy-Kishinev operation, planned by Tolbukhin and leading to the encirclement of the two hundred thousandth group of German-Romanian troops, entered the annals of military art (sometimes it is called the “Yassy-Kishinev Cannes).

After the war, Tolbukhin commanded the Southern Group of Forces in Romania and Bulgaria, and then the Transcaucasian Military District.

Vatutin Nikolai Fedorovich (1901-1944)

Soviet General of the Army.

Before the war, Vatutin served as deputy chief of the General Staff, and with the outbreak of World War II he was sent to the North-Western Front. In the Novgorod area, under his leadership, several counterattacks were carried out, which slowed down the advance of Manstein's tank corps.

In 1942, Vatutin, then head of the South-Western Front, commanded Operation Little Saturn, whose goal was to prevent the German-Italian-Romanian troops from helping Paulus's army surrounded at Stalingrad.

In 1943, Vatutin headed the Voronezh (later the 1st Ukrainian) Front. He played a very important role in the Battle of the Kursk Bulge and the liberation of Kharkov and Belgorod. But the most famous military operation of Vatutin was the crossing of the Dnieper and the liberation of Kiev and Zhitomir, and then Rivne. Together with Konev's 2nd Ukrainian Front, Vatutin's 1st Ukrainian Front also carried out the Korsun-Shevchenko operation.

At the end of February 1944, Vatutin's car came under fire from Ukrainian nationalists, and a month and a half later, the commander died of his wounds.

United Kingdom

Montgomery Bernard Lowe (1887-1976)

British Field Marshal.

Until the outbreak of World War II, Montgomery was considered one of the bravest and most talented British military leaders, but his harsh, difficult temper hindered his promotion. Montgomery, himself distinguished by physical endurance, paid great attention to the daily hard training of the troops entrusted to him.

At the beginning of World War II, when the Germans defeated France, Montgomery units covered the evacuation of the Allied forces. In 1942, Montgomery became the commander of the British forces in North Africa, and achieved a turning point in this sector of the war, defeating the German-Italian group of forces in Egypt, at the Battle of El Alamein. Its meaning was summed up by Winston Churchill: “Before the Battle of Alamein, we did not know victories. After it, we did not know defeat. " For this battle, Montgomery received the title of Viscount of Alamein. True, Montgomery's adversary, German Field Marshal Rommel, said that, having such resources as a British military leader, he would conquer the entire Middle East in a month.

After that, Montgomery was deployed to Europe, where he was supposed to act in close contact with the Americans. This was due to his quarrelsome nature: he came into conflict with the American commander Eisenhower, which had a bad effect on the interaction of troops and led to a number of relative military failures. Towards the end of the war, Montgomery successfully resisted the German counteroffensive in the Ardennes, and then conducted several military operations in Northern Europe.

After the war, Montgomery served as Chief of the British General Staff and later as First Deputy Commander-in-Chief of Allied NATO Forces in Europe.

Alexander Harold Rupert Leofric George (1891-1969)

British Field Marshal.

At the start of World War II, Alexander oversaw the evacuation of British troops after the German capture of France. Most of the personnel were successfully removed, but almost all the military equipment went to the enemy.

In late 1940, Alexander was assigned to Southeast Asia. He failed to defend Burma, but he managed to block the Japanese path to India.

In 1943, Alexander was appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Allied Ground Forces in North Africa. Under his leadership, a large German-Italian group in Tunisia was defeated, and this, by and large, completed the campaign in North Africa and opened the way to Italy. Alexander commanded the landing of the allied forces in Sicily, and then on the mainland. At the end of the war, he served as the Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces in the Mediterranean.

After the war, Alexander received the title of Earl of Tunisia, was for some time Governor General of Canada, and then Secretary of Defense of Great Britain.

USA

Eisenhower Dwight David (1890-1969)

General of the US Army.

He spent his childhood in a family whose members were pacifist for religious reasons, but Eisenhower chose a military career.

Eisenhower met the beginning of the Second World War in a rather modest rank of colonel. But his abilities were noticed by the chief of the American General Staff, George Marshall, and soon Eisenhower became the chief of the operational planning department.

In 1942, Eisenhower led Operation Torch to land the Allies in North Africa. In early 1943, he was defeated by Rommel at the Battle of the Kasserine Pass, but later the superior Anglo-American forces brought a turning point in the North African campaign.

In 1944, Eisenhower oversaw the landing of the Allied forces in Normandy and the subsequent offensive against Germany. At the end of the war, Eisenhower became the creator of the notorious camps for "disarmed enemy forces" that did not fall under the Geneva Convention on the Rights of Prisoners of War, which actually became death camps for German soldiers who got there.

After the war, Eisenhower was the commander of NATO forces, and then was twice elected president of the United States.

MacArthur Douglas (1880-1964)

General of the US Army.

In his youth, MacArthur did not want to be admitted to the West Point military academy for health reasons, but he achieved his goal and, after graduating from the academy, was recognized as its best graduate in history. He received the rank of general in the First World War.

In 1941-42, MacArthur led the defense of the Philippines against Japanese troops. The enemy managed to catch the American units by surprise and gain a great advantage at the very beginning of the campaign. After the loss of the Philippines, he uttered the now famous phrase: "I did what I could, but I'll be back."

After being appointed commander of the Southwest Pacific, MacArthur opposed Japanese plans to invade Australia and then launched successful offensive operations in New Guinea and the Philippines.

On September 2, 1945, MacArthur, already with the entire US military in the Pacific, aboard the battleship Missouri accepted the surrender of Japan, which ended World War II.

After World War II, MacArthur commanded the occupying forces in Japan and then led the American forces in the Korean War. The American landing at Incheon, designed by him, became a classic of military art. He called for the nuclear bombing of China and the invasion of that country, after which he was dismissed.

Nimitz Chester William (1885-1966)

Admiral of the United States Fleet.

Before World War II, Nimitz was involved in the design and combat training of the American submarine fleet and headed the Bureau of Navigation. At the outbreak of the war, following the Pearl Harbor disaster, Nimitz was made commander of the US Pacific Fleet. His task was to confront the Japanese in close contact with General MacArthur.

In 1942, the American fleet under the command of Nimitz managed to inflict the first serious defeat on the Japanese at Midway Atoll. And then, in 1943, win the battle for the strategically important island of Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands archipelago. In 1944-45, the fleet led by Nimitz played a decisive role in the liberation of other Pacific archipelagos, and at the end of the war it carried out a landing in Japan. During the fighting, Nimitz used a tactic of sudden rapid movement from island to island, called the "frog jump".

Nimitz's return to his homeland was celebrated as a national holiday and was called "Nimitz Day". After the war, he led the demobilization of troops, and then oversaw the creation of a nuclear submarine fleet. At the Nuremberg trials, he defended his German colleague, Admiral Dennitz, stating that he himself used the same methods of conducting submarine warfare, thanks to which Dennitz avoided the death sentence.

Germany

Von Bock Theodor (1880-1945)

German Field Marshal General.

Even before the outbreak of World War II, von Bock led the troops that carried out the Anschluss of Austria and invaded the Sudetenland of Czechoslovakia. With the outbreak of the war, he commanded Army Group North during the war with Poland. In 1940, von Bock directed the capture of Belgium and the Netherlands and the defeat of the French forces at Dunkirk. It was he who hosted the parade of German troops in occupied Paris.

Von Bock objected to the attack on the USSR, but when the decision was made, he led the Army Group Center, which carried out the attack on the main axis. After the failure of the offensive on Moscow, he was considered one of the main responsible for this failure of the German army. In 1942, he led the Army Group South and for a long time successfully held back the Soviet offensive against Kharkov.

Von Bock was distinguished by an extremely independent character, repeatedly clashed with Hitler and demonstratively stayed away from politics. After in the summer of 1942, von Bock opposed the Fuehrer's decision to divide Army Group South into 2 directions, Caucasian and Stalingrad, during the planned offensive, he was removed from command and sent to the reserve. A few days before the end of the war, von Bock was killed in an air raid.

Von Rundstedt Karl Rudolf Gerd (1875-1953)

German Field Marshal General.

By the beginning of World War II, von Rundstedt, who had held important command positions back in World War I, had already retired. But in 1939, Hitler returned him to the army. Von Rundstedt became the main developer of the plan for the attack on Poland, code-named Weiss, and during its implementation he commanded Army Group South. He then led Army Group A, which played a key role in the capture of France, and also devised an unfulfilled plan to attack England, Sea Lion.

Von Rundstedt objected to the Barbarossa plan, but after the decision was made to attack the USSR, he led the Army Group South, which captured Kiev and other major cities in the south of the country. After von Rundstedt, in order to avoid encirclement, violated the order of the Fuhrer and withdrew the troops from Rostov-on-Don, he was dismissed.

However, the very next year he was again drafted into the army to become the commander-in-chief of the German armed forces in the West. Its main task was to counteract the possible landing of the allies. After familiarizing himself with the situation, von Rundstedt warned Hitler that a prolonged defense with the available forces would be impossible. At the decisive moment of the landing in Normandy, June 6, 1944, Hitler canceled von Rundstedt's order to transfer troops, thereby losing time and allowing the enemy to develop an offensive. Already at the end of the war, von Rundstedt successfully resisted the Allied landing in Holland.

After the war, von Rundstedt, thanks to the intercession of the British, managed to escape the Nuremberg Tribunal, and participated in it only as a witness.

Von Manstein Erich (1887-1973)

German Field Marshal General.

Manstein was considered one of the strongest strategists in the Wehrmacht. In 1939, as Chief of Staff of Army Group A, he played a key role in developing a successful plan for the invasion of France.

In 1941, Manstein was part of the Army Group North, which captured the Baltic states, and was preparing to attack Leningrad, but was soon transferred to the south. In 1941-42, the 11th Army under his command captured the Crimean Peninsula, and for the capture of Sevastopol, Manstein received the rank of Field Marshal.

Then Manstein commanded Army Group Don and unsuccessfully tried to rescue Paulus's army from the Stalingrad cauldron. Since 1943, he led the Army Group South and inflicted a painful defeat on the Soviet troops near Kharkov, and then tried to prevent the crossing of the Dnieper. During the retreat, Manstein's troops used the scorched earth tactics.

After being defeated in the Korsun-Shevchensk battle, Manstein retreated, violating Hitler's orders. Thus, he saved part of the army from encirclement, but after that he was forced to resign.

After the war, he was sentenced by a British tribunal for war crimes for 18 years, but in 1953 he was released, worked as a military adviser to the German government and wrote his memoirs "Lost Victories".

Guderian Heinz Wilhelm (1888-1954)

German Colonel General Commander of the Armored Forces.

Guderian is one of the main theorists and practitioners of the "blitzkrieg" - lightning war. He assigned the key role in it to tank units, which were supposed to break through to the rear of the enemy and disable command posts and communications. Such tactics were considered effective, but risky, creating the danger of being cut off from the main forces.

In 1939-40, in the military campaigns against Poland and France, the blitzkrieg tactics fully justified themselves. Guderian was at the height of his fame: he received the rank of colonel general and high awards. However, in 1941, in the war against the Soviet Union, this tactic failed. The reason for this was both the vast Russian space and the cold climate in which the equipment often refused to work, and the readiness of the Red Army units to resist this method of warfare. Guderian's tank forces suffered heavy losses near Moscow and were forced to retreat. After that, he was sent to the reserve, and later served as inspector general of tank forces.

After the war, Guderian, who was not charged with war crimes, was quickly released and lived out his life writing his memoirs.

Rommel Erwin Johann Eugen (1891-1944)

German Field Marshal General, nicknamed "Desert Fox". He was distinguished by great independence and a tendency to risky attacking actions, even without the sanction of the command.

At the beginning of World War II, Rommel took part in the Polish and French campaigns, but his main successes are associated with military operations in North Africa. Rommel led the Afrika Korps, which was originally assigned to aid the Italian forces defeated by the British. Instead of strengthening the defenses as ordered by the order, Rommel, with small forces, went on the offensive and won important victories. He acted in a similar way in the future. Like Manstein, Rommel assigned the main role to rapid breakthroughs and maneuvering of tank forces. And only by the end of 1942, when the British and Americans in North Africa had a great advantage in manpower and equipment, Rommel's troops began to suffer defeat. Subsequently, he fought in Italy and tried, together with von Runstedt, with whom he had serious disagreements affecting the combat capability of the troops, to stop the Allied landing in Normandy.

In the pre-war period, Yamamoto paid great attention to the construction of aircraft carriers and the creation of naval aviation, thanks to which the Japanese fleet became one of the strongest in the world. For a long time, Yamamoto lived in the United States and had the opportunity to study well the army of the future enemy. On the eve of the start of the war, he warned the country's leadership: “In the first six to twelve months of the war, I will demonstrate a continuous chain of victories. But if the confrontation lasts two or three years, I have no confidence in the ultimate victory. "

Yamamoto planned and personally led the Pearl Harbor operation. On December 7, 1941, Japanese aircraft taking off from aircraft carriers defeated the American naval base at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii and inflicted massive damage on the US Navy and aviation. After that, Yamamoto won a series of victories in the central and southern parts of the Pacific Ocean. But on June 4, 1942, he was severely defeated by the Allies at Midway Atoll. This happened largely due to the fact that the Americans were able to decipher the codes of the Japanese Navy and get all the information about the impending operation. After that, the war, as Yamamoto feared, took on a protracted nature.

Unlike many other Japanese generals, Yamashita did not commit suicide after Japan's surrender, but surrendered. In 1946 he was executed on war crimes charges. His case became a legal precedent, called the "Yamashita Rule": according to him, the commander is responsible for not suppressing the war crimes of subordinates.

Other countries

Von Mannerheim Karl Gustav Emil (1867-1951)

Finnish marshal.

Before the 1917 revolution, when Finland was part of the Russian Empire, Mannerheim was an officer in the Russian army and rose to the rank of lieutenant general. On the eve of World War II, as chairman of the Finnish Defense Council, he was strengthening the Finnish army. According to his plan, in particular, powerful defensive fortifications were erected on the Karelian Isthmus, which went down in history as the "Mannerheim Line".

When the Soviet-Finnish war broke out at the end of 1939, 72-year-old Mannerheim led the country's army. Under his command, the Finnish troops for a long time held back the offensive of the significantly outnumbered Soviet units. As a result, Finland retained its independence, although the conditions of peace were very difficult for it.

During the Second World War, when Finland was an ally of Hitler's Germany, Mannerheim showed the art of political maneuver, avoiding active hostilities with all his might. And in 1944, Finland broke the pact with Germany, and at the end of the war already fought against the Germans, coordinating with the Red Army.

At the end of the war, Mannerheim was elected President of Finland, but in 1946 he left this post for health reasons.

Tito Josip Broz (1892-1980)

Marshal of Yugoslavia.

Before the outbreak of World War II, Tito was a leader of the Yugoslav communist movement. After the German attack on Yugoslavia, he started organizing partisan detachments. At first, the Titovites acted together with the remnants of the tsarist army and the monarchists, who were called "Chetniks". However, the discrepancies with the latter over time became so strong that it came to military clashes.

Tito managed to organize scattered partisan detachments into a powerful partisan army of a quarter of a million fighters under the leadership of the General Staff of the People's Liberation Partisan Detachments of Yugoslavia. She used not only the methods of war traditional for partisans, but also entered into open battles with fascist divisions. At the end of 1943, Tito was officially recognized by the Allies as the leader of Yugoslavia. When the country was liberated, Tito's army acted in conjunction with Soviet troops.

Soon after the war, Tito took over the leadership of Yugoslavia and remained in power until his death. Despite his socialist orientation, he pursued a fairly independent policy.

When they talk about the Soviet commanders of the Great Patriotic War, Zhukov, Rokossovsky, Konev are most often remembered. While honoring them, we almost forgot the Soviet generals who made a significant contribution to the victory over Nazi Germany.
REMEZOV COMMAND

In 1941, the Red Army left town after town. The rare counter-offensives of our troops did not change the oppressive feeling of impending catastrophe. However, on the 161st day of the war - November 29, 1941 - the elite German troops of the Leibstandarte-SS Adolf Hitler tank brigade were driven out of the largest southern Russian city of Rostov-on-Don. Stalin telegraphed congratulations to the senior officers taking part in this battle, including the commander of the 56th division, Fyodor Remezov.

It is known about this man that he was a Soviet general and called himself not a Russian, but a Great Russian. He was also appointed commander of the 56th on the personal order of Stalin, who appreciated the ability of Fyodor Nikitich, without losing his composure, to conduct a stubborn defense against the advancing Germans that were significantly superior in strength.

For example, his strange, at first glance, decision by the forces of the 188th Cavalry Regiment to attack the German armored vehicles on October 17, 1941 in the area of ​​the Koshkino station (near Taganrog). This made it possible to withdraw the cadets of the Rostov Infantry School and parts of the 31st division from the crushing blow. While the Germans were chasing light cavalry, running into fiery ambushes, the 56th Army received the necessary respite and was rescued from the Leibstandarte-SS Adolf Hitler tanks that broke through the defenses. Subsequently, the bloodless Remezov's fighters, together with the soldiers of the 9th Army, liberated Rostov, despite Hitler's categorical order not to surrender the city. This was the first major victory of the Red Army over the Nazis.
VASILY ARKHIPOV

By the beginning of the war with the Germans, Vasily Arkhipov already had a successful combat experience with the Finns, as well as the Order of the Red Banner for breaking through the Mannerheim Line and the title of Hero of the Soviet Union for the personal destruction of four enemy tanks. According to many military personnel who knew Vasily Sergeevich well, he at first glance, he accurately assessed the capabilities of German armored vehicles, even if they belonged to the novelties of the fascist military-industrial complex. Thus, in the battle for the Sandomierz bridgehead in the summer of 1944, his 53rd tank brigade first met the "royal tigers". The brigade commander decided to attack the steel monster on his command tank in order to inspire his subordinates by personal example. Using the high maneuverability of his vehicle, he several times went to the side of the "clumsy and slow beast" and opened fire. Only after the third hit did the "German" flare up. Soon, his tankers captured three more "royal tigers". Twice Hero of the Soviet Union Vasily Arkhipov, about whom his colleagues said "does not sink in water, does not burn in fire", became a general on April 20, 1945.
ALEXANDER RODIMTSEV

Alexander Rodimtsev in Spain was known as Camarados Pavlito, who fought in 1936-1937 with Franco's Phalangists. For the defense of the university city near Madrid, he received the first gold star of the hero of the Soviet Union. During the war with the Nazis, he was known as the general who turned the tide of the Battle of Stalingrad.

According to Zhukov, Rodimtsev's guards literally at the last moment dealt a blow to the Germans who came to the banks of the Volga. Later, recalling these days, Rodimtsev wrote: “On the day when our division approached the left bank of the Volga, the Nazis took Mamayev Kurgan. They took it because ten fascists attacked each of our fighters, ten enemy tanks attacked each of our tanks, for each Yak or Il that took off there were ten Messerschmitts or Junkers ... the Germans knew how to fight, especially when such numerical and technical superiority. "

Rodimtsev did not have such forces, but his well-trained soldiers of the 13th Guards Rifle Division, also known as the Airborne Forces, fighting in the minority, turned Nazi Goth tanks into scrap metal and killed a significant number of German soldiers of Paulus' 6th Army in hand-to-hand urban combat ... As in Spain, in Stalingrad Rodimtsev repeatedly said: "but passaran, the fascists will not get through."
ALEXANDER GORBATOV

Former non-commissioned officer of the tsarist army, Alexander Gorbatov, who was awarded the rank of major general in December 1941, was not afraid to conflict with his superiors.

For example, in December 1941, he told his immediate commander Kirill Moskalenko that it was foolish to throw our regiments into a frontal attack on the Germans if there was no objective need for this. He responded harshly to the abuse, saying that he would not allow himself to be insulted. And this is after three years of imprisonment in Kolyma, where he was shocked as an "enemy of the people" according to the notorious 58th article.

When Stalin was informed about this incident, he grinned and said: "Only the grave will fix the hunchback." Gorbatov also entered into a dispute with Konstantin Zhukov over the offensive on Oryol in the summer of 1943, demanding not to attack from the already existing bridgehead, but to force the Zushi River in another place. At first, Zhukov was categorically against it, but on reflection, he realized that Gorbatov was right.

It is known that Lavrenty Beria had a negative attitude towards the general and even considered the stubborn one his personal enemy. Many people really didn’t like Gorbatov’s independent judgments. For example, having carried out a number of brilliant operations, including the East Prussian one, Alexander Gorbatov suddenly spoke out against the storming of Berlin, proposing to start a siege. He motivated his decision by the fact that the "Fritzes" would surrender anyway, but this would save the lives of many of our soldiers who went through the entire war.
MIKHAIL NAUMOV

Once in the occupied territory in the summer of 1941, the wounded senior lieutenant Mikhail Naumov began his war against the invaders. At first he was a private in the partisan detachment of the Chervony district of the Sumy region (in January 1942), but after fifteen months he was awarded the rank of major general.

Thus, he became one of the youngest senior officers, moreover, having an incredible and one-of-a-kind military career. However, such a high rank corresponded to the number of partisan units led by Naumov. This happened after the famous 65-day raid with a length of almost 2,400 kilometers across Ukraine to the Belarusian Polesye, as a result of which the German rear was pretty bled.

2014-12-09

The fate of millions of people depended on their decisions!

This is not the whole list of our great commanders of the Second World War!

Zhukov Georgy Konstantinovich (1896-1974)

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

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

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

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

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

Born September 16 (September 30) 1895 in the village. Novaya Golchikha, Kineshemsky District, Ivanovo Region, in a priest's family, Russian. In February 1915, after graduating from the Kostroma Theological Seminary, he entered the Alekseevsk Military School (Moscow) and finished 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. Since February 1945, he commanded the 3rd Belorussian Front, led the assault on Konigsberg. 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 the Pskov province), in the family of the Polish railway driver Xavier-Jozef Rokossovsky and his Russian wife Antonina. After the birth of Konstantin, the Rokossovsky family moved to Warsaw. In less than 6 years, Kostya became an orphan: his father got into a train accident and after a long illness he died in 1902. His mother died in 1911. With the outbreak of World War I, Rokossovsky asked to join one of the Russian regiments heading west through Warsaw.

With the outbreak of World War II, he commanded the 9th Mechanized Corps. In the summer of 1941, he was appointed commander of the 4th Army. He managed to somewhat restrain the offensive of the German armies on the western front. In the summer of 1942 he became the commander of the Bryansk front. The Germans managed to approach the Don and from favorable positions create threats for the capture of Stalingrad and a breakthrough into the North Caucasus. With a blow with his army, he prevented the Germans from trying to break through to the north, towards the city of Yelets. Rokossovsky took part in the Soviet counteroffensive at Stalingrad. His ability to conduct hostilities played a large 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 plan of the Headquarters - "Bagration".

Twice Hero of the Soviet Union.

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

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

At the beginning of World War II, Konev commanded the 19th Army, which took part in battles with the Germans and closed the capital from the enemy. For the successful leadership of the army, he is promoted to colonel general.

Ivan Stepanovich during the Great Patriotic War managed to visit 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 an offensive Vistula-Oder operation. The troops managed to occupy several cities of strategic importance, and even liberate Krakow from the Germans. At the end of January, the Auschwitz camp was liberated from the Nazis. In April, two fronts launched an offensive in the Berlin direction. Soon Berlin was taken, and Konev took a direct part in the storming of the city.

Twice Hero of the Soviet Union.

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

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

In the first days of the Great Patriotic War, Vatutin visited the most critical sectors of the front. The staff member has become a brilliant combat commander.

On February 21, the Stavka instructed Vatutin to prepare an offensive on Dubno and further on Chernivtsi. On February 29, the general was on his way 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 Uyezd, Moscow Province, into a large peasant family (his father had seven children from two marriages). schools.

In the Soviet Army since 1919.

At the beginning of World War II, 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 tank battles with superior enemy forces. These qualities were dazzlingly manifested 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 staunchly restrained the advance of enemy tanks and infantry and inflicted enormous damage on them. Having completed a 360-km march towards the Istra orientation, the brigade of M.E. Katukova, as part of the 16th Army of the Western Front, heroically fought in the Volokolamsk direction and participated in the counteroffensive near Moscow. On November 11, 1941, the brigade was the first in the tank forces to receive the title of Guards for brave and skillful military operations. Katukov commanded the 1st Tank Corps, which repulsed the onslaught of enemy forces in the Kursk-Voronezh direction, from September 1942 - the 3rd Mechanized Corps.In January 1943, he was appointed commander of the 1st Tank Army, which was part of the Voronezh, and later 1 The first of the Ukrainian Front was distinguished in the Battle of Kursk and during the liberation of Ukraine. In April 1944, the sun was transformed into the 1st Guards Tank Army, which, under the command of M.E. Katukova took part in the Lvov-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 in a large peasant family (had 8 brothers and sisters) .. In 1916 he graduated from a higher primary school.

In the Soviet Army since April 1919 (he was enlisted in the Samara Workers' Regiment), a participant in the Civil War.

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

The hero of the USSR.

Kravchenko Andrey Grigorievich (1899-1963)- Colonel General of Tank Forces.

Born on November 30, 1899 on the Sulimin farm, now the village of Sulimovka, Yagotynsky district, Kiev region, Ukraine, into a peasant family. Ukrainian. Member of the CPSU (b) 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 - Chief of Staff of the 16th Panzer Division, and from March to September 1941 - Chief of Staff of the 18th Mechanized Corps.

On the fronts of the Great Patriotic War since September 1941. Commander of the 31st Tank Brigade (09/09/1941 - 01/10/1942). From 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). He commanded the 2nd (07/02/1942 - 09/13/1942) and 4th (from 02/07/43 - 5th Guards; from 09/18/1942 to 01/24/1944) tank corps.

In November 1942, the 4th corps participated in the encirclement of the 6th German army at Stalingrad, in July 1943 - in a tank battle near Prokhorovka, in October of the same year - in the battle for 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, Nerekhtsky District, Kostroma Region. Educated at the teachers' seminary in 1918.

In the Soviet Army since 1919

In aviation since 1933. Member of the Great Patriotic War from the first day. He was the commander of the Northern Air Force, then the Leningrad Front. From April 1942 until the end of the war - 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 of the Vologda province (now in the Kotlas district of the Arkhangelsk region).

In 1919, at the age of 15, he entered the Severodvinsk flotilla, attributing to himself two years to be accepted (the erroneous 1902 year of birth is still found in some reference books). In 1921-1922 he was a combatant of the Arkhangelsk naval crew.
During the Great Patriotic War N.G. Kuznetsov was the chairman of the Main Military Council of the Navy and the Commander-in-Chief of the Navy. He quickly 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, constantly went to ships and fronts. The fleet prevented an invasion of the Caucasus from the sea. In 1944, N.G. Kuznetsov was awarded the military rank of Admiral of the Fleet. On May 25, 1945, this rank was equated to the rank of Marshal of the Soviet Union and marshal-type shoulder straps were introduced.

The hero of the USSR.

Chernyakhovsky Ivan Danilovich (1906-1945)- army General.

Was born in the city of Uman. His father was a railway worker, so it is not surprising that in 1915 his son followed in his father's footsteps and entered the railway school. In 1919, a real tragedy happened in the family: because of typhus, his parents died, so the boy was forced to leave school and go into agriculture. He worked as a shepherd, driving cattle into the field in the morning, and sat down at his textbooks every free minute. Immediately after dinner, I ran to the teacher to clarify the material.

During the Second World War, he was one of those young military leaders who, by their example, motivated soldiers, gave them confidence and gave them faith in a bright future.

Twice Hero of the Soviet Union.

When they talk about the Soviet commanders of the Great Patriotic War, Zhukov, Rokossovsky, Konev are most often remembered. While honoring them, we almost forgot the Soviet generals who made a significant contribution to the victory over Nazi Germany.

Commander Remezov

In 1941, the Red Army left town after town. The rare counter-offensives of our troops did not change the oppressive feeling of impending catastrophe. However, on the 161st day of the war - November 29, 1941 - the elite German troops of the Leibstandarte-SS Adolf Hitler tank brigade were driven out of the largest southern Russian city of Rostov-on-Don. Stalin telegraphed congratulations to the senior officers taking part in this battle, including the commander of the 56th division, Fyodor Remezov.

It is known about this man that he was a Soviet general and called himself not a Russian, but a Great Russian. He was also appointed commander of the 56th on the personal order of Stalin, who appreciated the ability of Fyodor Nikitich, without losing his composure, to conduct a stubborn defense against the advancing Germans that were significantly superior in strength.

For example, his strange, at first glance, decision by the forces of the 188th Cavalry Regiment to attack the German armored vehicles on October 17, 1941 in the area of ​​the Koshkino station (near Taganrog). This made it possible to withdraw the cadets of the Rostov Infantry School and parts of the 31st division from the crushing blow. While the Germans were chasing light cavalry, running into fiery ambushes, the 56th Army received the necessary respite and was rescued from the Leibstandarte-SS Adolf Hitler tanks that broke through the defenses. Subsequently, the bloodless Remezov's fighters, together with the soldiers of the 9th Army, liberated Rostov, despite Hitler's categorical order not to surrender the city. This was the first major victory of the Red Army over the Nazis.

Vasily Arkhipov

By the beginning of the war with the Germans, Vasily Arkhipov already had a successful combat experience with the Finns, as well as the Order of the Red Banner for the breakthrough of the Mannerheim Line and the title of Hero of the Soviet Union for the personal destruction of four enemy tanks.

According to many military men who knew Vasily Sergeevich well, at first glance he accurately assessed the capabilities of German armored vehicles, even if they belonged to the novelties of the fascist military-industrial complex.

So, in the battle for the Sandomierz bridgehead in the summer of 1944, his 53rd tank brigade first met the "royal tigers". The brigade commander decided to attack the steel monster on his command tank in order to inspire his subordinates by personal example.

Using the high maneuverability of his car, he several times went to the side of the "clumsy and slow beast" and opened fire. Only after the third hit did the "German" flare up. Soon, his tankers captured three more "royal tigers". Twice Hero of the Soviet Union Vasily Arkhipov, about whom his colleagues said "does not sink in water, does not burn in fire", became a general on April 20, 1945.

Alexander Rodimtsev

Alexander Rodimtsev in Spain was known as Camarados Pavlito, who fought in 1936-1937 with Franco's Phalangists. For the defense of the university city near Madrid, he received the first gold star of the hero of the Soviet Union. During the war with the Nazis, he was known as the general who turned the tide of the Battle of Stalingrad.

According to Zhukov, Rodimtsev's guards literally at the last moment dealt a blow to the Germans who came to the banks of the Volga. Later, recalling these days, Rodimtsev wrote: “On the day when our division approached the left bank of the Volga, the Nazis took Mamayev Kurgan. They took it because ten fascists attacked each of our fighters, ten enemy tanks attacked each of our tanks, for each Yak or Il that took off there were ten Messerschmitts or Junkers ... the Germans knew how to fight, especially when such numerical and technical superiority. "

Rodimtsev did not have such forces, but his well-trained soldiers of the 13th Guards Rifle Division, also known as the Airborne Forces, fighting in the minority, turned Nazi Goth tanks into scrap metal and killed a significant number of German soldiers of Paulus' 6th Army in hand-to-hand urban combat ... As in Spain, in Stalingrad Rodimtsev repeatedly said: "but passaran, the fascists will not get through."

Alexander Gorbatov

Former non-commissioned officer of the tsarist army, Alexander Gorbatov, who was awarded the rank of major general in December 1941, was not afraid to conflict with his superiors.

For example, in December 1941, he told his immediate commander Kirill Moskalenko that it was foolish to throw our regiments into a frontal attack on the Germans if there was no objective need for this. He responded harshly to the abuse, saying that he would not allow himself to be insulted. And this is after three years of imprisonment in Kolyma, where he was shocked as an "enemy of the people" according to the notorious 58th article.

When Stalin was informed about this incident, he grinned and said: "Only the grave will fix the hunchback." Gorbatov also entered into a dispute with Konstantin Zhukov over the offensive on Oryol in the summer of 1943, demanding not to attack from the already existing bridgehead, but to force the Zushi River in another place. At first, Zhukov was categorically against it, but on reflection, he realized that Gorbatov was right.

It is known that Lavrenty Beria had a negative attitude towards the general and even considered the stubborn one his personal enemy. Many people really didn’t like Gorbatov’s independent judgments. For example, having carried out a number of brilliant operations, including the East Prussian one, Alexander Gorbatov suddenly spoke out against the storming of Berlin, proposing to start a siege. He motivated his decision by the fact that the "Fritzes" would surrender anyway, but this would save the lives of many of our soldiers who went through the entire war.