German generals of World War II. Generals of the Second World War. Ground Front Commanders

The highest ranks of the military command have always been held in high esteem. But has this title existed for so long? And who were the people who led the armies and fronts, making history during one of the greatest military conflicts of mankind?

Who are the generals of the Second World War?

Until 1940, there was no air force Soviet Union such a title. Its counterparts were division commanders, corps commanders, commanders, commissars. True, in September 1935, the title of Marshal appeared, which was awarded to five people. But before the war, only two of them survived.

In May 1940, for the first time, just over a thousand people were promoted to the rank of general and admiral. There were 1,056 people in this rank. By May 1945, their number had reached 5,597.

Among the dead and missing from 1940 to 1945, there are 421 generals and admirals.

Let's take a closer look and name the outstanding military leaders.

Ground Front Commanders

Even in the highest ranks, a soldier remains a soldier. And he is not at all insured against death on the battlefield or for the sake of preserving honor. Although there were also those who held a different opinion. But we will talk about them in the corresponding section.

So, not all the generals of World War II survived. I.R. Apanasenko, M.P. Kirponos, I.A. Bogdanov, F. Ya. Kostenko, M.P. Petrov, N.F. Vatutin and I.D. Chernyakhovsky died heroically under various circumstances. M.G. Efremov committed suicide in order not to get the Nazis alive, and D. G. Pavlov was repressed.

The rest of the generals of World War II, whose list will take more than one page, survived and contributed significantly to the victory of the Soviet Union in this conflict.

We will only mention a few. THEIR. Baghramyan was twice promoted to the rank of a participant in many offensive operations.

CM. Budyonny is famous not only for his mustache, but also for 3 Gold Star medals received over the years of battles. Participated in and for the Caucasus.

Four times nominated for the title of Hero of the Soviet Union, participant in many battles and operations.

He was awarded not only two gold stars. A heavy self-propelled gun mount - "Klim Voroshilov" is also named in his honor.

Air Defense Front Commanders

In general, in order to win battles of many thousands, you need to have knowledge and experience in many areas. For example, to understand professionally in strategy and tactics, to know all the nuances of various troops, their ability to interact. You also need an unbending will and quick decision-making. These and other qualities make senior officers military leaders who can command armies.

The generals of the Second World War also led the air defense forces. Among them, the following surnames can be mentioned: M.S. Gromadin, P.E. Gudymenko, and G.S. Zashikhin.

But not everyone put honor and loyalty to the Motherland above their own life and interests. Several people can be named among the latter.

G.N. Zhilenkov was taken prisoner by the Germans near the city of Vyazma. There he pretended to be a private and until 1942 served in the Wehrmacht as an ordinary driver. But by chance he was identified by a forester. After interrogation and a confirmed willingness to cooperate, Georgy Nikolaevich meets with Goebbels and is appointed to Vlasov's assistant.

In 1945 he was detained by the Americans. He reported himself to the Soviet counterintelligence, hoping for cooperation, but after the trial was sentenced to death. The execution by hanging was carried out in the Butyrka prison.

V.F. Malyshkin was taken prisoner after the "Vyazemsky boiler". I immediately expressed a desire to cooperate. He worked in the propaganda department and since 1943 became Vlasov's assistant in this matter.

Was also detained by the Americans, transferred to Soviet authorities and executed in the Butyrka prison.

B.S. Richter, F.I. Trukhin also managed to serve both the Soviet and German side.

Thus, we see that the generals of the Second World War did not always act heroically. They were ordinary people with their own fears and desires, but also remarkable talents in the military field.

Wehrmacht commanders

What was happening on the other side of the front? Which German generals of the Second World War were especially famous in battles?

Among them there are also those who died in the battles. These are Gunther von Kluge, Fedor von Bock, Georg von Witzleben, Walter Model, Erwin Rommel and others.

Almost all of them were awarded the Order of the Iron Cross, which has been awarded since 1939 for three or more successful dangerous operations.

Among the most successful generals, it is worth noting Hermann Balck, Albert Kesselring, Walter Model, Ferdinand Schörner, who were four knights of this order.

German traitor generals

However, not everything went as smoothly as it might seem. Among the command of the Wehrmacht there were also people who did not agree with the course of events. In search of a better fate, they found themselves on the lists of traitors to their homeland.

Vincenz Müller, Lieutenant General. In June 1944, he was abandoned with the 4th Army near Minsk. Tippelskirch, the official commander of this unit, left him all the powers, escaping with his headquarters.

As a result, without receiving support, supplies, provisions, not even having simple cards with intelligence, he was forced to cease resistance and surrender to Soviet troops.

As we can see, many generals of the Second World War changed their views after, without receiving support, they were captured. Otto Korfes, for example, was captured at Stalingrad and surrendered in full dress. In the future, he collaborated with the Soviet troops, for which his family in Germany was subjected to severe repression.

Bernard Bechler was also taken prisoner at Stalingrad. The main reason why the officers began to cooperate with the enemy was that they blamed Hitler's shortsightedness.

It turns out that the generals of the Second World War were ready to serve their country and win battles, but the leadership did not always appreciate their zeal. Resentment, disappointment, and other feelings prompted cooperation with the enemy.

Thus, in the article we figured out a little about who the generals are and talked about the outstanding military leaders of the Second World War.

They sent hundreds of thousands of soldiers to their death, burned divisions like matches, and swept away cities like beads. These are the best generals of the Second World War.

The Second World War lasted 2,193 days, 80% of the world's population participated in it, the total losses reached 66 million people. The sides fired missiles at London, demolished Dresden with bombs, burned Warsaw and launched nuclear strikes on Japanese cities. The greatest military leaders have led the operations of the greatest conflict in human history.

1. Marshal of the Fleet Isoroku Yamamoto

He was noted back in the Battle of Tsushima, where he lost two fingers and earned the nickname "80 coins" (geishas were paid 10 for a manicure of each finger). He studied at Harvard, objected to the war with the United States because of the vulnerability of the sea routes for the delivery of raw materials and food to Japan. It turned out to be right - the country ended the war with a wild shortage of fuel, vegetable beds in cities and bamboo stakes, which were distributed to civilians to repel the landing of the US Marine Corps.

In December 1941, under pressure from the government's "war party", Yamamoto developed an ambitious war plan. He planned the famous raid on Pearl Harbor, where seven American battleships were disabled and two hundred aircraft were destroyed. Headquarters Yamamoto carried out the defeat of the Philippine air cover and the capture of the islands, and also drowned the British "Connection Z".

Yamamoto demanded to impose a decisive battle on the United States as early as possible, and not to stretch forces from India to Australia. But in 1942, the Americans broke the Japanese cipher, changed the course of the battle at Midway Atoll, sank 4 aircraft carriers and intercepted data on the movement of Yamamoto himself. The admiral's plane was shot down over the Solomon Islands on April 18, 1943. The body was found in the jungle, gripping the hilt of a sword.

On December 10, 1941, in the South China Sea, Japanese aircraft were able for the first time in history to destroy undamaged battleships: the battleship Prince of Wales and the cruiser Repals.

The decisive battle Russo-Japanese War 1904-1905, in which the squadron of Admiral Rozhdestvensky was defeated.

Soroku Yamamoto. Dzherelo: National Parliamentary Library of Japan / ndl.go.jp Izoroku Yamamoto. Dzherelo: National Parliamentary Library of Japan / ndl.go.jp Izoroku Yamamoto. Dzherelo: National Parliamentary Library of Japan / ndl.go.jp

2. Field Marshal Erich von Manstein

Prussian officer in the fifth generation. In World War I he fought in Serbia and near Verdun, was seriously wounded in Poland. Then there was staff work, management of a cavalry division and service in the general staff. Received several orders, including the "Iron Crosses" of both degrees. Again Manstein will be awarded them in World War II for operations in Poland and a breakthrough to the Ardennes. Under his leadership, in May 1940, a grouping of French troops was surrounded and the British expeditionary force was withdrawn from the war.

Manstein was especially strong on the Eastern Front. Already on the fifth day of the war, he seized the strategic bridge across the Dvina and broke into the operational space to Leningrad. Took part in the destruction Soviet army in the area of ​​Demyansky pocket, defeated the Crimean front and in July 1942 captured Sevastopol. In the winter of 1942–1943, the most difficult for the Wehrmacht, Manstein tried to pull the encircled people out of Stalingrad, before reaching 8–9 kilometers. He acted successfully in the third battle for Kharkov, where the Red Army lost up to 100 thousand people. He held the defenses on the Dnieper and broke through from the encirclement near Korsun, where he violated Hitler's order not to leave positions and saved half of the group.

After the defeat of Germany, he served 3 years in prison for "disregard for the lives of civilians." He took part in the formation of the FRG army. He died in his bed in 1973.

Erich von Manstein, born in 1938 Dzherelo: Federal Archiv of Nimechchini / Wikipedia Erich von Manstein, 21 birch 1942 p. Dzherelo: Federal Archives of Nimechchini / Wikipedia

3.

He commanded a company in the First World War, was awarded with awards in the Civil War. But Vasilevsky's star rose in the winter of 1941-1942. Being acting chief of the Soviet General Staff, he was developing a counteroffensive near Moscow. A year later, he was one of the drafters of the plan to encircle Paulus's army in Stalingrad.

In the key battle of the war, near Kursk, together with Zhukov, he coordinated the actions of two fronts. He was one of the authors of the artillery preparation for the dense orders of the German troops, who had already left the defense at the lines for a counteroffensive with access to Kharkov and Donetsk. He liberated Donbass, Right-Bank Ukraine, Odessa and Crimea. He supervised the capture of Konigsberg, and this operation was included in the textbooks. He was awarded two Orders of Victory (two each - also from Zhukov and Stalin). He fought with Japan and forced the Kwantung Army to surrender, for which he received the "Gold Star" of the Hero of the Soviet Union.

After the war, he was the Minister of Defense of the USSR and the Deputy of the Supreme Soviet, wrote books. Died at 82.

Marshal Oleksandr Vasilevsky. Dzherelo: diletant.media Marshal Oleksandr Vasilevsky. Dzherelo: defendingrussia.ru Vasilevsky accepted the capitulation of Major General Alfons Gitter. Vitebsk, 28 chervnya 1944 p. Dzherelo: Wikipedia

4. General of the Army Dwight Eisenhower

During the First World War, he was an instructor and did not get to the front. In 1942 he was transferred from staff work to lead the American contingent in Britain. He was first noted in Africa, where, after the first setbacks, he was able to clear the north of Tunisia from the Germans and Italians. In 1943, he directed the Allied landings in Sicily.

Crown military career the future US president became the largest landing in history: during Operation Overlord, 2 million soldiers landed in Normandy. Having achieved success there, the Allied troops liberated Paris and reached the borders of Germany. At this time, Eisenhower was already in charge of all operations on the front from the North to the Mediterranean. He crossed the Rhine, occupied the industrial area of ​​the Ruhr, liberated Hamburg, and met with Soviet troops on the Elbe.

After the war, he taught at Columbia University, led the NATO troops. He won the presidential race in 1951 and served both terms in the White House. He died after the fourth heart attack in 1969.

General Dwight Eisenhower issued a mandate to the paratroopers in England: "There is more to come and nothing more." 6 worms 1944 p. Photo: Library of Congress General Dwight Eisenhower before the hour of the military parade, 1945 Photo: Library of Congress

In the previous material http://maxpark.com/community/5325/content/3133921 ​​extracts from the rating of the best Soviet army commanders of the Great Patriotic War.
In this material, it is proposed to get acquainted with the rating of the military leaders of the strategic and operational-strategic echelon of the Red Army, as well as the armies of the USSR's allies in World War II and their main enemy - Nazi Germany and its allies.

1. Generals and commanders of the strategic and operational-strategic level of the USSR.


Zhukov Georgy Konstantinovich (1896-1974)- Marshal of the Soviet Union, Deputy Supreme Commander-in-Chief USSR Armed Forces, member of the Supreme Command Headquarters. 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.
Vasilevsky Alexander Mikhailovich (1895-1977)- Marshal of the Soviet Union. Chief of the General Staff in 1942-1945, member of the Supreme Command Headquarters. 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. He commanded the Bryansk, Donskoy, Central, Belorussian, 1st and 2nd Belorussian fronts.
Ivan Stepanovich Konev(1897-1973 ) - Marshal of the Soviet Union. He 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. Since October 1942 - Deputy Commander of the Voronezh Front, Commander of the 2nd Guards Army, South, 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, in February-March 1945 he simultaneously coordinated the actions of the 2nd and 3rd Baltic fronts.
Antonov Alexey Innokentievich (1896-1962)- army General. From 1942 - First Deputy Chief, Chief (from 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, he was the People's Commissar of Defense of the USSR, a member of the Supreme Command Headquarters, the commander-in-chief of the Western and South-Western directions, since July 1942 he commanded the Stalingrad and North-Western Fronts. Since 1943 - the representative of the Supreme Command Headquarters at the fronts.
Tolbukhin Fyodor Ivanovich (1894-1949)- Marshal of the Soviet Union. At the beginning of the war - chief of staff of a 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 Afanasevich (1897-1968)- Marshal of the Soviet Union. Since the beginning of the war - the representative of the Supreme Command Headquarters on the Volkhov and Karelian fronts, commanded the 7th and 4th armies. Since December 1941 - Commander of the Volkhov, Karelian and 1st Far Eastern Fronts. 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 the defensive operations of 1941. He made an important contribution to the organization of the defense of Moscow and the transition of the Red Army to the counteroffensive. Since 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 a tank corps, the 60th Army, from April 1944 - the 3rd Belorussian Front. Fatally wounded in February 1945.
Vatutin Nikolay Fedorovich (1901-1944)- army General. From June 1941 - Chief of Staff of the Northwestern Front, First Deputy Chief of the General Staff, Commander of the Voronezh, Southwestern and 1st Ukrainian Fronts. He showed the highest military leadership skills in the Battle of Kursk, when crossing the river. Dnieper and the liberation of Kiev, in the Korsun-Shevchenko operation. Fatally wounded in action in February 1944.
Bagramyan Ivan Khristoforovich (1897-1982)- Marshal of the Soviet Union. Chief of Staff of the Southwestern Front, then at the same time of the headquarters of the troops of the Southwestern direction, commander of the 16th (11th Guards) Army. From 1943 he commanded the troops of the 1st Baltic and 3rd Belorussian fronts.
Eremenko Andrey Ivanovich (1892-1970)- Marshal of the Soviet Union. He 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. Particularly distinguished in Stalingrad battle.
Petrov Ivan Efimovich (1896-1958)- army General. Since May 1943 - Commander of the North Caucasian Front, 33rd Army, 2nd Belorussian and 4th Ukrainian Fronts, Chief of Staff of the 1st Ukrainian Front.

II. COMMANDERS AND COMMANDERS OF THE ALLOYED US ARMYS

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 Force in Western Europe in 1943-1945
MacArthur Douglas (1880-1964)- army General. Commander of the U.S. Armed Forces in the Far East 1941-1942, since 1942 - Commander of the Allied Forces in the Southwest The Pacific.
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 United States and Great Britain in World War II.
Legey William (1875-1959)- Admiral of the Fleet. Chairman of the Committee of Chiefs of Staff, at the same time - Chief of Staff under the Supreme Commander of the US Armed Forces in 1942-1945.
Helsey William (1882-1959)- Admiral of the Fleet. He commanded the 3rd Fleet, led the American forces in the battles for the Solomon Islands in 1943.
Patton George Smith Jr. (1885-1945)- general. From 1942 he commanded an operational group of forces in North Africa, in 1944-1945. - 7th and 3rd American armies in Europe, skillfully used tank troops.
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 the US armed forces in the Central Pacific Ocean 1942-1945
Arnold Henry (1886-1950)- army General. In 1942-1945. - Chief of Staff of the US Army Air Force.
Clark Mark (1896-1984) - General. Commander of the 5th American Army in Italy in 1943-1945. He became famous for the landing operation in the Salerno area (Operation Avalanche).
Spaats Karl (1891-1974)- general. Commander of the US Strategic Air Force in Europe. Supervised operations strategic aviation during an air offensive against Germany.

United Kingdom

Montgomery Bernard Lowe (1887-1976)- Field Marshal. From July 1942 - Commander of the 8th British Army in Africa. During the Normandy operation, he commanded an army group. 1945 - Commander-in-Chief of the British occupation forces in Germany.
Brooke Alan Francis (1883-1963)- Field Marshal. He 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 group of allied armies, which landed on about. Sicily and Italy. From 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, 1940-1941.
Harris Arthur Travers (1892-1984)- Air Marshal. Commander of the bomber aviation that carried out the "air offensive" on Germany in 1942-1945.
Tedder Arthur (1890-1967)- Air Chief Marshal. Deputy Supreme Commander of the Joint Armed Forces in Europe Eisenhower for aviation during the operation of 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 Latre (1889-1952)- Marshal of France. From September 1943 - Commander-in-Chief of the troops of the Fighting France, from June 1944 - Commander of the 1st French Army.
Juen Alphonse (1888-1967)- Marshal of France. Since 1942 - commander of the troops of the "Fighting France" in Tunisia. In 1944-1945. - Commander of the French Expeditionary Force in Italy.

III. THE MOST Eminent Generals, Fleet Leaders of the Great Patriotic War (from the side of the enemy)
Germany
Rundstedt Karl Rudolph (1875-1953)- Field Marshal General. During World War II, he commanded Army Group South and Army Group A in attacks on Poland and France. He headed the 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. In 1938-1945. - Chief of Staff of the Supreme 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, in 1943-1944. - Army Group B in France.
Doenitz Karl (1891-1980)- Grand Admiral. Commander of the submarine fleet (1936-1943), Commander-in-chief of the Navy of Nazi Germany (1943-1945). In early May 1945 - Reich Chancellor and Supreme Commander.
Keselring Albert (1885-1960)- Field Marshal General. He commanded the air fleets operating against Poland, Holland, France, England. At the beginning of the war with the USSR, he commanded the 2nd Air Fleet. Since December 1941 - Commander-in-Chief of the German fascist troops in the South-West (Mediterranean - Italy), in 1945 - by the troops of the West (West Germany).
Finland

Mannerheim Karl Gustav Emil (1867-1951)- military and statesman of Finland, 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 the Second World War, he was the commander-in-chief of the Japanese Navy. Carried out an operation to defeat the American fleet at Pearl Harbor in December 1941.

The creator of the victory in the Great Patriotic War was the Soviet people. But for the implementation of his efforts, for the defense of the Fatherland on the battlefields, a high level of military art of the Armed Forces was required, which was supported by the military leader's talent.

The operations carried out in the last war by our military leaders are now being studied in all military academies in the world. And if we talk about the assessment of their courage and talent, then here is one of them, short but expressive: "As a soldier who watched the campaign of the Red Army, I was imbued with the deepest admiration for the skill of its leaders." This was said by Dwight D. Eisenhower, a man who knew a lot about the art of war.

The harsh school of war selected and secured by the end of the war the most prominent commanders in the posts of front commanders.

The main features of military leadership talent Georgy Konstantinovich Zhukov(1896-1974) - creativity, innovation, the ability to make unexpected decisions for the enemy. He was also distinguished by deep intelligence and insight. According to Machiavelli, "nothing makes a commander great like the ability to penetrate the enemy's plan." This ability of Zhukov played an especially important role in the defense of Leningrad and Moscow, when, with extremely limited forces, only due to good reconnaissance and foreseeing possible directions of enemy strikes, he was able to collect practically all available means and repel enemy strikes.

Another outstanding military leader of the strategic plan was Alexander Mikhailovich Vasilevsky(1895-1977). Being the chief of the General Staff during the war for 34 months, A.M. Vasilevsky was only 12 months in Moscow, in the General Staff, and 22 months was at the fronts. G.K. Zhukov and A.M. Vasilevsky possessed developed strategic thinking and a deep understanding of the situation. Kursk Bulge and in a number of other cases.

An invaluable quality of Soviet commanders was their ability to take reasonable risks. This trait of military leadership was noted, for example, in the marshal Konstantin Konstantinovich Rokossovsky(1896-1968). One of the remarkable pages of the military leadership activity of K. K. Rokossovsky is the Belarusian operation, in which he commanded the troops of the 1st Belorussian Front.

An important feature of the leadership talent is intuition, which makes it possible to achieve a surprise strike. This rare quality possessed Konev Ivan Stepanovich(1897-1973). His talent as a leader was most convincingly and vividly manifested in offensive operations, during which many brilliant victories were won. At the same time, he always tried not to get involved in protracted battles in large cities and by roundabout maneuvers forced the enemy to leave the city. This allowed him to reduce the losses of his troops, to prevent large destruction and casualties among the civilian population.

If I.S.Konev showed his best leadership qualities in offensive operations, then Andrey Ivanovich Eremenko(1892-1970) - defensive.

A characteristic feature of a real commander is the eccentricity of design and actions, departure from the template, military cunning, in which the great commander A.V.Suvorov succeeded. distinguished by these qualities Malinovsky Rodion Yakovlevich(1898-1967). Throughout almost the entire war, a notable feature of his military leadership talent was that in the plan of each operation he incorporated some unexpected method of action for the enemy, was able to mislead the enemy with a whole system of well-thought-out measures.

Having experienced all the anger of Stalin in the first days of the nightmarish failures at the fronts, Timoshenko Semyon Konstantinovich asked to direct him to the most dangerous area. Subsequently, the marshal commanded strategic directions and fronts. He commanded heavy defensive battles on the territory of Belarus in July - August 1941. The heroic defense of Mogilev and Gomel, counterattacks near Vitebsk and Bobruisk are associated with his name. Under the leadership of Tymoshenko, the largest and most stubborn battle of the first months of the war unfolded - Smolensk. In July 1941, the troops of the Western direction under the command of Marshal Timoshenko stopped the advance of Army Group Center.

Troops commanded by the marshal Ivan Khristoforovich Baghramyan participated actively in the defeat of the German - Nazi troops on the Kursk Bulge, in the Belorussian, Baltic, East Prussian and other operations and in the capture of the Konigsberg fortress.

During the Great Patriotic War Vasily Ivanovich Chuikov commanded the 62nd (8th Guards) Army, which is forever inscribed in the chronicle of the heroic defense of the city of Stalingrad. Commander Chuikov introduced a new tactics - tactics close combat. In Berlin VI Chuikov was called: "General - Sturm". After the victory in Stalingrad, operations were successfully carried out: Zaporozhye, the crossing of the Dnieper, Nikopol, Odessa, Lublin, the crossing of the Vistula, the Poznan citadel, the Kyustrinsky fortress, Berlin, etc.

The youngest of the commanders of the fronts of the Great Patriotic War was an army general Ivan Danilovich Chernyakhovsky... Chernyakhovsky's troops participated in the liberation of Voronezh, Kursk, Zhitomir, Vitebsk, Orsha, Vilnius, Kaunas and other cities, distinguished themselves in the battles for Kiev, Minsk, were among the first to reach the border with Nazi Germany, and then crushed the Nazis in East Prussia.

During the Great Patriotic War Kirill Afanasevich Meretskov commanded the troops of the northern directions. In 1941 Meretskov inflicted the first serious defeat in the war on the troops of Field Marshal Leeb near Tikhvin. On January 18, 1943, the troops of Generals Govorov and Meretskov, inflicting a counter strike at Shlisselburg (Operation Iskra), broke through the blockade of Leningrad. In June 1944 Marshal K. Mannerheim was defeated under their command in Karelia. In October 1944 Meretskov's troops defeated the enemy in the Arctic near Pechenga (Petsamo). 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.

Thus, during the years of the Great Patriotic War, many remarkable military leadership qualities were manifested in our military leaders, which made it possible to ensure the superiority of their military art over the military art of the Nazis.

In the books and magazine articles offered below, you can learn more about these and other outstanding commanders of the Great Patriotic War, the creators of its Victory.

Bibliography

1. Alexandrov, A. The General was buried twice [Text] / A. Alexandrov // Echo of the planet. - 2004. - N 18/19 . - P. 28 - 29.

Biography of General of the Army Ivan Danilovich Chernyakhovsky.

2. Astrakhansky, V. What Marshal Baghramyan read [Text] / V. Astrakhansky // Library. - 2004. - N 5.- S. 68-69

What literature interested Ivan Khristoforovich Baghramyan, what was the circle of his reading, personal library- another touch in the portrait of the illustrious hero.

3. Borzunov, Semyon Mikhailovich... Formation of the commander G. K. Zhukov [Text] / S. M. Borzunov // Military history journal. - 2006. - N 11. - S. 78

4. Bushin, Vladimir. For the Motherland! For Stalin! [Text] / Vladimir Bushin. - M .: EKSMO: Algorithm, 2004 .-- 591p.

5. In memory of Marshal of Victory [Text]: to the 110th anniversary of the birth of Marshal of the Soviet Union G.K. Zhukov // Military History Journal. - 2006. - N 11. - S. 1

6. Gareev, M. A."The name will shine ... of the commander of generals in the conduct of war by massive armies" [Text]: to the 60th anniversary of the Victory: Marshal of the Soviet Union G.K. Zhukov / M. A. Gareev // Military History Journal. - 2003. - N5. -C.2-8.

The article tells about the outstanding Russian commander Marshal of the USSR G.K. Zhukov.

7. Gassiev, V. I. He could not only make a quick and necessary decision, but also be in a timely manner where this decision was carried out [Text] / V. I. Gassiev // Military History Journal. - 2003. - N 11. - S. 26-29

The essay dedicated to the prominent and talented military leader contains fragments of the memories of those who fought alongside I.A.Pliev during the Great Patriotic War.

8. Twice Hero, Twice Marshal[Text]: to the 110th anniversary of the birth of Marshal of the Soviet Union K. K. Rokossovsky / material prepared. A. N. Chabanova // Military History Journal. - 2006. - N 11. - S. 2nd p. region

9. Zhukov G.K. At any cost! [Text] / G.K. Zhukov // Homeland. - 2003. - N2.- P.18

10. Ionov, P. P. War glory of the Fatherland [Text]: book. for reading on "History of Russia" for Art. cl. general education. shk., suvorov. and nakhimov. schools and cadets. corps / P. P. Ionov; Scientific - issled. firm "RAU-un-t". - M .: RAU-University, 2003 - .Kn. 5: The Great Patriotic War 1941 - 1945: (military history of Russia of the XX century). - 2003 .-- 527 p. 11.

11. Isaev, Alexey. Our " atomic bomb"[Text]: Berlin: Zhukov's biggest victory? / Alexey Isaev // Motherland. - 2008. - N 5. - 57-62

Berlin operation of Georgy Konstantinovich Zhukov.

12. Kolpakov, A. V. In memory of the military commander and the intendant [Text] / A. V. Kolpakov // Military history journal. - 2006. - N 6. - S. 64

About Karpov V.V. and Bagramyan I. Kh.

13. Commanders of the Great Patriotic War war [Text]: a review of the editorial mail of the "Military Historical Journal" // Military Historical Journal. - 2006. - N 5. - S. 26-30

14. Kormiltsev N.V. The collapse of the offensive strategy of the Wehrmacht [Text]: to the 60th anniversary of the Battle of Kursk / NV Kormiltsev // Military history journal. - 2003. - N 8. - S. 2-5

Vasilevsky, A.M., Zhukov, G.K.

15. Korobushin, V. V. Marshal of the Soviet Union G. K. Zhukov: "General Govorov ... has established himself ... as a strong-willed energetic commander" [Text] / V. V. Korobushin // Military History Journal. - 2005. - N 4. - S. 18-23

16. Kulakov, A. N. Duty and glory of Marshal G.K. Zhukov [Text] / A. N. Kulakov // Military history journal. - 2007. - N 9. - S. 78-79.

17. Lebedev I. Order "Victory" at the Eisenhower Museum // Echo of the Planet. - 2005. - N 13. - S. 33

On the mutual rewarding of the highest state awards during the Second World War of the major military leaders of the victorious countries.

18. Lubchenkov, Yuri Nikolaevich... The most famous commanders of Russia [Text] / Yuri Nikolaevich Lubchenkov - M .: Veche, 2000. - 638 p.

Yuri Lubchenkov's book "The Most Famous Generals of Russia" ends with the names of the Great Patriotic Marshals Zhukov, Rokossovsky, Konev.

19. Maganov V.N."He was one of our most capable chiefs of staff" [Text] / VN Maganov, VT Iminov // Military history journal. - 2002. - N12 .- S. 2-8

The activity of the chief of staff of the formation, his role in the organization of military operations and command and control of troops, Colonel-General Leonid Mikhailovich Sandalov is considered.

20. Makar I. P."By the transition to a general offensive, we will finally finish off the main grouping of the enemy" [Text]: to the 60th anniversary of the Battle of Kursk / I. P. Makar // Military History Journal. - 2003. - N 7. - S. 10-15

Vatutin N.F., Vasilevsky A.M., Zhukov G.K.

21. Malashenko E. I. Six fronts of the Marshal [Text] / E. I. Malashenko // Military history journal. - 2003. - N 10. - S. 2-8

About Marshal of the Soviet Union Ivan Stepanovich Konev - a man of a difficult but amazing fate, one of the outstanding commanders of the 20th century.

22. Malashenko E. I. Warrior of the land of Vyatka [Text] / E. I. Malashenko // Military history journal. - 2001. - N8 .- P.77

About Marshal I. S. Konev.

23. Malashenko, E. I. Commanders of the Great Patriotic War [Text] / E. I. Malashenko // Military History Journal. - 2005. - N 1. - S. 13-17

A study on the commanders of the Great Patriotic War, who played an important role in the leadership of the troops.

24. Malashenko, E. I. Commanders of the Great Patriotic War [Text] / E. I. Malashenko // Military History Journal. - 2005. - N 2. - S. 9-16. - Continuation. Beginning N 1, 2005.

25. Malashenko, E. I. Commanders of the Great Patriotic War [Text]; E. I. Malashenko // Military History Journal. - 2005. - N 3. - S. 19-26

26. Malashenko, E. I. Commanders of the Great Patriotic War [Text]; E. I. Malashenko // Military History Journal. - 2005. - N 4. - S. 9-17. - Continuation. Start NN 1-3.

27. Malashenko, E. I. Commanders of the Great Patriotic War [Text]: commanders of tank forces / E. I. Malashenko // Military history journal. - 2005. - N 6. - S. 21-25

28. Malashenko, E. I. Commanders of the Great Patriotic War [Text] / E. I. Malashenko // Military History Journal. - 2005. - N 5. - S. 15-25

29. Maslov, A.F. I. Kh. Baghramyan: "... We must, we must definitely attack" [Text] / A. F. Maslov // Military History Journal. - 2005. - N 12. - S. 3-8

Biography of Marshal of the Soviet Union Ivan Khristoforovich Baghramyan.

30. Artillery Strike Master[Text] / material prepared. RI Parfenov // Military History Journal. - 2007. - N 4. - S. 2nd from the region.

On the occasion of the 110th anniversary of the birth of Marshal of Artillery V. I. Kazakov. short biography

31. Mertsalov A. Stalinism and War [Text] / A. Mertsalov // Homeland. - 2003. - N2 .- Pp.15-17

Stalin's leadership during the Great Patriotic War. Place Zhukov G.K. in the leadership system.

32. "We are in vain now we fight ”[Text] // Motherland. - 2005. - N 4. - S. 88-97

Record of a conversation between military leaders and political workers, which took place on January 17, 1945, with General A. A. Epishev. The question of the possibility of ending the Great Patriotic War earlier was discussed. (Baghramyan, I. Kh., Zakharov, M. V., Konev, I. S., Moskalenko, K. S., Rokossovsky, K. K., Chuikov, V. I., Rotmistrov, P. A., Batitsky, P.F., Efimov, P.I., Egorov, N.V., etc.)

33. Nikolaev, I. General [Text] / I. Nikolaev // Star. - 2006. - N 2. - S. 105-147

About General Alexander Vasilievich Gorbatov, whose life was inextricably linked with the army.

34. Order "Victory"[Text] // Homeland. - 2005. - N 4. - P. 129

On the establishment of the Order "Victory" and the military leaders awarded by it (Zhukov, G.K., Vasilevsky A.M., Stalin I.V., Rokossovsky K.K., Konev, I.S., Malinovsky R. Ya., Tolbukhin F.I., Govorov L.A., Timoshenko S.K., Antonov A.I., Meretskov, K.A.)

35. Ostrovsky, A. V. Lvov-Sandomierz operation [Text] / A. V. Ostrovsky // Military history journal. - 2003. - N 7. - S. 63

About the Lvov-Sandomierz operation of 1944 on the 1st Ukrainian Front, Marshal I.S.Konev.

36. Petrenko, V. M. Marshal of the Soviet Union K. K. Rokossovsky: "The front commander and the private soldier at times equally affect the success ..." [Text] / V. M. Petrenko // Military history journal. - 2005. - N 7. - S. 19-23

About one of the most prominent Soviet commanders - Konstantin Konstantinovich Rokossovsky.

37. Petrenko, V. M. Marshal of the Soviet Union K. K. Rokossovsky: "The front commander and the private soldier at times equally affect the success ..." [Text] / V. M. Petrenko // Military history journal. - 2005. - N 5. - S. 10-14

38. Pechenkin A. A. Front commanders of 1943 [Text] / Pechenkin A. A. // Military history journal. - 2003. - N 10 . - S. 9 -16

The commanders of the Great Patriotic War: Bagramyan I. Kh., Vatutin N. F., Govorov L. A., Eremenko A. I., Konev I. S., Malinovsky R. Ya., Meretskov K. A., Rokossovsky K. K., Timoshenko S.K., Tolbukhin F.I.

39. Pechenkin A. A. The commanders of the fronts of 1941 [Text] / A. A. Pechenkin // Military history journal. - 2001. - N6 .- S.3-13

The article tells about the generals and marshals who commanded the fronts from June 22 to December 31, 1941. These are Marshals of the Soviet Union S.M.Budyonny, K.E. Voroshilov, S.K. Timoshenko, generals of the army I.R. Apanasenko, G.K. Zhukov, K.A. V. Tyulenev, Colonel Generals A. I. Eremenko, M. P. Kirponos, I. S. Konev, F. I. Kuznetsov, Ya. T. Cherevichenko, Lieutenant General P. A. Artemiev, I. A. Bogdanov, M. G. Efremov, M. P. Kovalev, D. T. Kozlov, F. Ya. Kostenko, P. A. Kurochkin, R. Ya. Malinovsky, M. M. Popov, D. I. Ryabyshev, V. A. Frolov, M. S. Khozin, Major Generals G. F. Zakharov, P. P. Sobennikov and I. I. Fedyuninsky.

40. Pechenkin A. A. Front commanders of 1942 [Text] / A. A. Pechenkin // Military history journal. - 2002. - N11 .- S. 66-75

The article is devoted to the commanders of the fronts of the Red Army in 1942. The author cites full list military leaders of 1942 (Vatutin, Govorov, Golikov Gordov, Rokossovsky, Chibisov).

41. Pechenkin, A. A. They gave their lives for the Motherland [Text] / A. A. Pechenkin // Military history journal. - 2005. - N 5. - S. 39-43

On the losses of Soviet generals and admirals during the Great Patriotic War.

42. Pechenkin, A. A. Creators Great Victory[Text] / A. A. Pechenkin // Military History Journal. - 2007. - N 1. - P. 76

43. Pechenkin, A. A. Front commanders of 1944 [Text] / A. A. Pechenkin // Military history journal. - 2005. - N 10. - S. 9-14

On the actions of the commanders of the Red Army in offensive operations against the German invaders in 1944.

44. Pechenkin, A. A. Front commanders of 1944 [Text] / A. A. Pechenkin // Military history journal. - 2005. - N 11. - S. 17-22

45. Popelov, L. I. The tragic fate of the commander V. A. Khomenko [Text] / L. I. Popelov // Military history journal. - 2007. - N 1. - P. 10

About the fate of the commander of the Great Patriotic War Vasily Afanasyevich Khomenko.

46. ​​Popova S. S. Battle awards Marshal of the Soviet Union R. Ya. Malinovsky [Text] / SS Popova // Military history journal. - 2004. - N 5.- S. 31

47. Rokossovsky, Konstantin Konstantinovich Soldier's duty [Text] / K. K. Rokossovsky. - Moscow: Military Publishing, 1988 .-- 366 p.

48. Yu.V. Rubtsov G.K. Zhukov: "Any instruction ... I will take it for granted" [Text] / Yu. V. Rubtsov // Military History Journal. - 2001. - N12. - S. 54-60

49. Rubtsov Yu. V. About the fate of Marshal G.K. Zhukov - the language of documents [Text] / Yu. V. Rubtsov // Military history journal. - 2002. - N6. - S. 77-78

50. Rubtsov, Yu. V. Marshals of Stalin [Text] / Yu. V. Rubtsov. - Rostov - n / a: Phoenix, 2002 .-- 351 p.

51. Russian military leaders A. V. Suvorov, M. I. Kutuzov, P. S. Nakhimov, G. K. Zhukov[Text]. - Moscow: RIGHT, 1996 .-- 127 p.

52. Skorodumov, V.F. About Marshal Chuikov and Zhukov's Bonapartism [Text] / VF Skorodumov // Neva. - 2006. - N 7. - S. 205-224

Vasily Ivanovich Chuikov was the commander-in-chief of the ground forces for a relatively short time. Presumably, his irreconcilable character did not come to court in the highest spheres.

53. Smirnov, D. S. Life for the Motherland [Text] / DS Smirnov // Military History Journal. - 2008. - N 12. - S. 37-39

New information about the generals who died during the Great Patriotic War.

54. Sokolov, B. Stalin and his marshals [Text] / B. Sokolov // Knowledge is power. - 2004. - N 12. - S. 52-60

55. Sokolov, B. When was Rokossovsky born? [Text]: strokes to the portrait of the Marshal / B. Sokolov // Homeland. - 2009. - N 5. - S. 14-16

56. Spikhina, O. R. Environment Master [Text] / OR Spikhina // Military History Journal. - 2007. - N 6. - S. 13

Konev, Ivan Stepanovich (Marshal of the Soviet Union)

57. Suvorov, Victor. Suicide: Why Hitler Attacked the Soviet Union [Text] / V. Suvorov. - M .: AST, 2003 .-- 379 p.

58. Suvorov, Victor. Shadow of Victory [Text] / V. Suvorov. - Donetsk: Stalker, 2003 .-- 381 p.

59. Tarasov M. Ya. Seven days of January [Text]: to the 60th anniversary of the breakthrough of the blockade of Leningrad / M. Ya. Tarasov // Military history journal. - 2003. - N1. - S. 38-46

Zhukov G.K., Govorov L.A., Meretskov K.A., Dukhanov M.P., Romanovsky V.Z.

60. Tyushkevich, S. A. Chronicle of the exploit of the commander [Text] / S. A. Tyushkevich // National history... - 2006. - N 3. - S. 179-181

Zhukov Georgy Konstantinovich.

61. Filimonov, A. V."Special folder" for division commander K. K. Rokossovsky [Text] / A. V. Filimonov // Military history journal. - 2006. - N 9. - S. 12-15

About the little-known pages of the life of Marshal of the Soviet Union K. K. Rokossovsky.

62. Chuikov, V. I. Banner of victory over Berlin [Text] / V. I. Chuikov // Free thought. - 2009. - N 5 (1600). - S. 166-172

Rokossovsky K.K., Zhukov G.K., Konev I.S.

63. Shchukin, V. Marshal of northern directions [Text] / V. Shchukin // Warrior of Russia. - 2006. - N 2. - S. 102-108

Military career of one of the most outstanding commanders of the Great Patriotic War, Marshal K. A. Meretsky.

64. Eckshtut S. Admiral and Boss [Text] / S. Ekshtut // Homeland. - 2004. - N 7. - S. 80-85

About Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Nikolai Gerasimovich Kuznetsov.

65. Eckshtut S. The debut of the commander [Text] / S. Ekshtut // Homeland. - 2004. - N 6 - S. 16-19

History of the Battle of the Khalkhin-Gol River in 1939, biography of the commander Georgy Zhukov.

66. Erlikhman, V. The commander and his shadow: Marshal Zhukov in the mirror of history [Text] / V. Erlikhman // Homeland. - 2005. - N 12. - S. 95-99

About the fate of Marshal Georgy Konstantinovich Zhukov.

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 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 received unconditional surrender 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 achievement, included in the annals of military art, was the operation to liberate Belarus, code-named Bagration, which virtually 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 was the most popular in the army of all Soviet military leaders. 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 memoirs, 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 the 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 under the command of Konev and the Vistula-Oder operation, and in the battle for Berlin, distinguished themselves. During the latter, rivalry between Konev and Zhukov appeared - each wanted to take the German capital first. The tensions 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. Developed by Tolbukhin and the operation of the landing of the Kerch landing, the result of which was to liberate the Crimea. However, after its successful start, our troops could not 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 200,000-strong 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 Southwestern Front, commanded Operation Little Saturn, whose goal was to prevent 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 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 his 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 - First Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the 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 Tunis, for some time was 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 military academy"West Point" 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 back 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 subsequently 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 later 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 start of the war, following the Pearl Harbor disaster, Nimitz was named 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 an attack on the USSR, but when the decision was made, he led the Army Group Center, which carried out a strike 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 Sea Lion attack on England.

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 others. big 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 glory: he was promoted to 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 fortifying 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 number of victories in the central and southern 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 his subordinates.

Other countries

Von Mannerheim Karl Gustav Emil (1867-1951)

Finnish marshal.

Before the 1917 revolution, when Finland was part of 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, he, as chairman of the Finnish Defense Council, was engaged in strengthening 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 at the end of 1939 began Soviet-Finnish war, 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 took up the organization partisan units... At first, the Titovites acted together with the remnants tsarist army and 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.