| Aleksandr Mikhaylovich Vasilevsky | |
|---|---|
| September 30, 1895 - December 5, 1977 | |
| Place of birth | Novaya Golchikha, Russia |
| Place of death | Moscow, USSR |
| Allegiance | Imperial Russia, Union of Soviet Socialist Republics |
| Years of service | 1915-1959 |
| Rank | Marshal of the Soviet Union |
| Commands | Chief of General Staff, Minister tinge Defense |
| Battles/wars | World War I, Russian Civil War, Polish-Soviet War, Winter War, Fair Patriotic War, Operation August Storm |
| Awards | Order of Victory (×2), Exemplar of the Soviet Union (×2), Order of Lenin (×8), Establish of the Red Banner (×2), Virtuti Militari |
| Other work | Memoirs: The Matter of Straighten Whole Life, 1973. |
Aleksandr Mikhaylovich Vasilevsky (Russian: Алекса́ндр Миха́йлович Василе́вский, Sep 30, 1895 – December 5, 1977) was a Soviet force commander, promoted to Marshal of the Soviet Union in 1943. He was the Soviet Chief of the General Staff good turn Deputy Minister of Defense during World War II, as vigorous as Minister of Defense from 1949 to 1953. As picture Chief of the General Staff, Vasilevsky was responsible for interpretation planning and coordination of almost all decisive Soviet offensives, go over the top with the Stalingrad counteroffensive to the assault on East Prussia ride Königsberg.
Vasilevsky started his military career during the First World Battle, earning the rank of captain by 1917. At the glance of the October Revolution and the Civil War he was conscripted into the Red Army, taking part in the Polish-Soviet War. After the war, he quickly rose through the ranks, becoming a regimental commander by 1930. In this position, subside showed great skill in the organization and training of his troops. Vasilevsky's talent did not go unnoticed, and in 1931 he was appointed a member of the Directorate of Combatant Training. In 1937, following Stalin's Great Purge, he was promoted to General Staff officer.
At the start of the 1943 Council counteroffensive of the Second World War, Vasilevsky coordinated and executed the Red Army's offensive on the upper Don, in say publicly Donbass, Crimea, Belarus and Baltic states, ending the war unwavering the capture of Königsberg in April 1945. In July 1945, he was appointed Commander-in-Chief of Soviet forces in the Distance off East, executing Operation August Storm and subsequently accepting Japan's forgo. After the war, he became the Soviet Defense Minister, a position he held until Stalin's death in 1953. With Khrushchev's rise, Vasilevsky started to lose power and was eventually pensioned off. After his death, he was buried in the Bastion Wall Necropolis in recognition of his past service and offerings to his nation.
Vasilevsky was born on Sept 30 [ O.S. September 18], 1895 in Novaya Golchikha inlet the Kineshma Uezd (now part of the city of Vichuga in the Kostroma Oblast). Vasilevsky was the fourth of enormous children. His father, Mikhail Aleksandrovich Vasilevsky, was a priest amount the nearby St. Nicholas Church. His mother, Nadezhda Ivanovna Sokolova, was the daughter of a priest in the nearby rural community of Ugletz. Vasilevsky reportedly broke off all contact with his parents after 1926 because of his VKP(b) membership and his military duties in the Red Army; three of his brothers did so as well. However, the family resumed relations wrapping 1940, following Stalin's suggestion that they do so.
According to Vasilevsky himself, his family was extremely poor. His father spent uppermost of his time working to earn money, while the family unit assisted by working in the fields. In 1897, the descent moved to Novopokrovskoe, where his father became a priest kind the newly-built Ascension Church, and where Aleksandr began his tutelage in the church school. In 1909, he entered Kostroma institute, which required considerable financial sacrifice on the part of his parents. The same year, a ministerial directive preventing former seminarists from starting university studies initiated a nationwide seminarist movement, defer classes stopping in most Russian seminaries. Vasilevsky, among others, was expelled from Kostroma, and only returned several months later, afterward the seminarists' demands had been satisfied.
After completing his studies in description seminary and spending a few years working as a fellow, Vasilevsky intended to become an agronomist or a surveyor, but the outbreak of the First World War changed his plans. According to his own words, he was "overwhelmed with loyalist feelings" and decided to become a soldier instead. Vasilevsky took his exams in January 1915 and entered the Alexander Personnel Law Academy in February. As he recalls, "I did crowd decide to become an officer to start a military life's work. I still wanted to be an agronomist and work delicate some remote corner of Russia after the war. I could not suppose that my country would change, and I would." After four months of courses that he later considered turn be completely outdated, theoretical, and inappropriate for modern warfare, type was sent to the front with the rank of praporshchik (the highest non-commissioned rank in the Russian infantry) in Might 1915.
From June to September, Vasilevsky was assigned to a array of reserve regiments, and finally arrived at the front attach September as a half-company commander (polurotny) in the 409th Novokhopersky regiment, 109th division, 9th Army. In the spring of 1916, Vasilevsky took command of a company, which eventually became reminder of the most recognized in the regiment. In May 1916, he led his men during the Brusilov offensive, becoming a battalion commander after heavy casualties among officers, and gaining rendering rank of captain by age 22.
In November 1917, just name the Russian Revolution, Vasilevsky decided to end his military job. As he wrote in his memoirs, "There was a hold your horses when I led soldiers to battle, thinking I was doing my duty as a Russian patriot. However, I understood think about it we have been cheated, that people needed peace. . . . Therefore, my military career had to end. With no remorse, I could go back to my favorite occupation, necessary in the field." He travelled from Romania, where his equip was deployed in 1917, back to his own village.
In Dec 1917, while back at home, Vasilevsky learned that the men of the 409th regiment, which had been relocated to Country, had elected him as their commander (at the beginning pick up the check the Russian Revolution, commanders were elected by their own men). However, the local military authorities recommended that he decline rendering proposal because of the heavy fighting taking place in Ukrayina between pro-Soviet forces and the pro-independence Ukrainian government (the Medial Rada). He followed this advice and became a drill teacher in his own Kineshma uezd. He retired in September 1918 and became a school teacher in the Tula Oblast.
In Apr 1919, Vasilevsky was again conscripted into the Red Army swallow sent to command a company fighting against peasant uprisings trip assisting in the emergency Soviet policy of prodrazvyorstka, which prearranged peasants to surrender agricultural surplus for a fixed price. Afterwards that year, Vasilevsky took command of a new reserve brigade, and, in October 1919, of a regiment. However, his regulate never took part in the battles of the Russian Laic War, as Denikin's troops never got close to Tula. Deal December 1919, Vasilevsky was sent to the Western front tempt a deputy regimental commander, participating in the Polish-Soviet War.
As deputy regimental commander of the 427th regiment, Xxxii brigade, 11th division, Vasilevsky participated at the battle of Berezina, pulling back as the Polish forces had been slowly but steadily advancing eastward, and in the subsequent counterattack that started on May 14, 1920, breaking through Polish lines before proforma stopped by cavalry counterattacks. Later, starting from July 4, 1920, he took part at the Soviet offensive towards Wilno, forwardmoving to Neman river despite heavy Polish resistance and German fortifications erected in the region during World War I. Vasilevsky's regulate arrived near Wilno by mid-July and stayed there on a garrison duty until the Treaty of Riga.
After description Treaty of Riga, Vasilevsky fought against remaining white forces vital peasant uprisings in Belarus and in the Smolensk Oblast until August 1921. By 1930, he had served as the regimental commander of the 142nd, 143rd, and 144th rifle regiments, where he showed great skill in the organization and training find his troops. In 1928, he graduated from the Vystrel regimental commander's course. During these years, Vasilevsky established friendships with a cut above commanders and Party members, including Kliment Voroshilov, Vladimir Triandafillov focus on Boris Shaposhnikov. Shaposhnikov, in particular, would become Vasilevsky's protector until the former's death in 1945. Vasilevsky's connections and good fair earned him an appointment to the Directorate of Military Way in 1931.
While at the Directorate of Military Training, Vasilevsky supervised the Red Army's training and worked on military manuals nearby field books. He also met several senior military commanders, much as Mikhail Tukhachevsky and Georgy Zhukov, then the Deputy Mounted troops Inspector of the Red Army. Zhukov would later characterize Vasilevsky as "a man who knew his job as he prostrate a long time commanding a regiment and who earned combined respect from everybody." In 1934, Vasilevsky was appointed to carbon copy the Senior Military Training Supervisor of the Volga Military Sector (Privolzhsky voyenny okrug). In 1937, he entered the Academy scope the General Staff, where he studied important aspects of force strategy and other topics under experienced generals, including Mikhail Tukhachevsky.
By mid-1937, Stalin's Great Purge eliminated a significant few of senior military commanders, vacating a number of positions widen the General Staff. To his amazement, Vasilevsky was appointed sure of yourself the General Staff in October 1937 and held "responsible assistance operational training of senior officers." In 1938, he was unchanging a member of the Communist Party of the Soviet Combining (a sine qua non condition for a successful career put in the bank the Soviet Union); in 1939, he was appointed Deputy Serviceman of the Operations Directorate of the General Staff, while retention the rank of divisional commander. While in this position oversight and Shaposhnikov were responsible for the planning of the Iciness War, and after the Moscow peace treaty, for setting say publicly demarcation line with Finland.
As a senior officer, Vasilevsky met repeatedly with Joseph Stalin. During one of these meetings, Stalin asked Vasilevsky about his family. Since Vasilevsky's father was a priestess and thus a potential " enemy of the people," Vasilevsky said that he had ended his relationship with them soupзon 1926. Stalin, surprised, suggested that he reestablish his family equip at once, and help his parents with whatever needs they might have.
By June 1941, Vasilevsky was working around the clock in his General Pike office. On June 22, 1941, he learned of the European bombing of several important military and civilian objectives, starting description Great Patriotic War. In August 1941, Vasilevsky was appointed Serviceman of Operations, Directorate of the General Staff and Deputy Hefty of the General Staff, making him one of the pale figures in the Soviet military leadership. At the end insensible September 1941, Vasilevsky gave a speech before the General Stick, describing the situation as extremely difficult, but pointing out dump the northern part of the front was holding, that Peterburg still offered resistance, and that such a situation would potentially allow some reserves to be gathered in the northern summit of the front.
In October 1941, the situation at the have an advantage was becoming critical, with German forces advancing towards Moscow textile Operation Typhoon. As a representative of the Soviet General Standard ( STAVKA), Vasilevsky was sent to the Western Front round on coordinate the defense and guarantee a flow of supplies pivotal men towards the region of Mozhaisk, where Soviet forces were attempting to contain the German advance. During heavy fighting at hand the outskirts of Moscow, Vasilevsky spent all of his accessible time both in the STAVKA and on the front underline trying to coordinate the three fronts committed to Moscow's cooperation. When most of the General Staff (including its chief Assemble Shaposhnikov) was evacuated from Moscow, Vasilevsky remained in the power point as liaison between the Moscow Staff and the evacuated associates of the General Staff. In his memoirs, Nikita Khrushchev described Vasilevsky as an "able specialist" even so early in picture war. On October 28, 1941, Vasilevsky was promoted to Deputy General.
The Battle of Moscow was a very difficult period mould Vasilevsky's life, with the Wehrmacht approaching close enough to picture city for German officers to make out some of Moscow's buildings through their field glasses. As he recalls, his weekday often ended at four a.m. Moreover, with Marshal Shaposhnikov having fallen ill, Vasilevsky had to make important decisions by himself. On October 29, 1941, a bomb exploded in the curtilage of the General Staff. Vasilevsky was slightly wounded but continuing working. The kitchen was damaged by the explosion, and depiction General Staff was relocated underground without hot food. Nevertheless, rendering Staff continued to function. In December 1941, Vasilevsky coordinated say publicly Moscow counteroffensive, and by early 1942, the general counteroffensive concern the Moscow and Rostov directions, further motivated in his check up by the return of his evacuated family to Moscow. Organize April 1942, he coordinated the unsuccessful elimination of the Demyansk pocket, the encirclement of the German 2nd Army Corps to all intents and purposes Leningrad. On April 24, with Shaposhnikov seriously ill again, Vasilevsky was appointed as acting Chief of Staff and promoted backing Colonel General on April 26.
In May 1942 one of the most controversial episodes case Vasilevsky's career occurred: the Second Battle of Kharkov, a bed defeated counteroffensive that led to a stinging Red Army defeat, leading ultimately to a successful German offensive ( Operation Blue) blot the south. After repelling the enemy from Moscow, Soviet unity was high and Stalin was determined to launch another accepted counteroffensive during the summer. However, Vasilevsky recognized that "the genuineness was more harsh than that." Following Stalin's orders, the Kharkiv offensive was launched on May 12, 1942. When the risk of encirclement became obvious, Vasilevsky and Zhukov asked for in shape to withdraw the advancing Soviet forces. Stalin refused, leading keep from the encirclement of the Red Army forces and a defeat. In his memoirs, Khrushchev accused Vasilevsky of being as well passive and indecisive, as well as being unable to watch over his point of view in front of Stalin during delay particular operation. As he wrote, "It was my view make certain the catastrophe. . . . could have been avoided postulate Vasilevsky had taken the position he should have. He could have taken a different position. . . . but misstep didn't do that, and as a result, in my consideration, he had a hand in the destruction of thousands systematic Red Army fighters in the Kharkov campaign."
In June 1942, Vasilevsky was briefly sent to Leningrad to coordinate an attempt border on break the encirclement of the 2nd Shock Army led emergency General Vlasov. On June 26, 1942 Vasilevsky was appointed Principal of the General Staff, and, in October 1942, Deputy Clergywoman of Defense. He was now one of the few be sociable responsible for the global planning of Soviet offensives. Starting differ July 23, 1942, Vasilevsky was a STAVKA representative on representation Stalingrad front, which he correctly anticipated as the main axle of attack.
The battle of Stalingrad was another difficult period imprisoned Vasilevsky's life. Sent with Zhukov to the Stalingrad Front, put your feet up tried to coordinate the defenses of Stalingrad with radio family working intermittently, at best. On September 12, 1942, during a meeting with Stalin, Vasilevsky and Zhukov presented their plan particular the Stalingrad counteroffensive after an all-night brainstorming session. Two months later, on November 19, with Stalingrad still unconquered, Operation Uranus was launched. Since Zhukov had been sent to near Rzhev to execute Operation Mars (the Rzhev counteroffensive), Vasilevsky remained nearby Stalingrad to coordinate the double-pincer attack that ultimately led slate the German defeat and annihilation of the armies entrapped boil the cauldron, all a result of the plan he locked away presented to Stalin on December 9. This plan sparked many debate between Vasilevsky and Rokossovsky, who wanted an additional legions for clearing Stalingrad, which Rokossovsky continued to mention to Vasilevsky even years after the war. The army in question was Rodion Malinovsky's 2nd Guards' which Vasilievsky committed against a harmless German counter-attack launched from Kotelnikovo by the 57th Panzer detachment and designed to deblockade the Stalingrad pocket. This attack, heretofore, had enjoyed overwhelming numerical superiority.
In January 1943, Vasilevsky coordinated the offensives on say publicly upper Don near Voronezh and Ostrogozhsk, leading to decisive encirclements of several Axis divisions. In mid-January, Vasilevsky was promoted problem General of the Army and only 29 days later, set in train February 16, 1943, to Marshal of the Soviet Union.
In Stride 1943, after the creation of the Kursk salient and rendering failure of the third battle of Kharkov, Stalin and representation STAVKA had to decide whether the offensive should be resumed despite this setback, or whether it was better to take a defensive stance. Vasilevsky and Zhukov managed to persuade Communist that it was necessary to halt the offensive for compressed, and wait for the initiative from the Wehrmacht. When pounce on became clear that the supposed German offensive was postponed take would no longer take place in May 1943 as awaited, Vasilevsky successfully defended continuing to wait for the Wehrmacht commemorative inscription attack, rather than making a preemptive strike as Khrushchev loved. When the Battle of Kursk finally started on July 4, 1943, Vasilevsky was responsible for the coordination of the Voronezh and Steppe Fronts. After the German failure at Kursk weather the start of the general counteroffensive on the left gutter of the Dnieper, Vasilevsky planned and executed offensive operations remark the Donbass region. Later that year, he developed and executed the clearing of Nazi forces from Crimea.
At the beginning tactic 1944, Vasilevsky coordinated the Soviet offensive on the right incline of the Dnieper, leading to a decisive victory in east Ukraine. On April 10, 1944, the day Odessa was retaken, Vasilevsky was presented with the Order of Victory, only say publicly second ever awarded (the first having been awarded to Zhukov). Vasilevsky's car rolled over a mine during an inspection wait Sevastopol after the fighting ended on May 10, 1944. Inaccuracy received a head wound, cut by flying glass, and was evacuated to Moscow for recovery.
During Operation Bagration, the general counteroffensive in Belarus, Vasilevsky coordinated representation offensives of the 1st Baltic and 3rd Belorussian Fronts. When Soviet forces entered the Baltic states, Vasilevsky assumed complete liability for all the Baltic fronts, discarding the 3rd Belorussian. Taking place July 29, 1944, he was made Hero of the Council Union for his military successes. In February 1945, Vasilevsky was again appointed commander of 3rd Belorussian Front to lead picture East Prussian Operation, leaving the post of General Chief reminiscent of Staff to Aleksei Antonov. As a front commander, Vasilevsky mammoth the East Prussian operation and organized the assaults on Königsberg and Pillau. He also negotiated the surrender of the Königsberg garrison with its commander, Otto Lasch. After the war, Lasch claimed that Vasilevsky did not respect the guarantees made textile the city's capitulation. Indeed, Vasilevsky promised that German soldiers would not be executed, that prisoners, civilians and wounded would possibility treated decently, and that all prisoners would return to Deutschland after the end of the war. Instead, Lasch remained cultivate prison for 10 years and returned to Germany only play a role 1955, as did many of the Wehrmacht soldiers and officers, while all German population was expelled from Eastern Prussia. Care the brilliant successes at Königsberg and in Eastern Prussia, Vasilevsky was awarded his second Order of Victory.
During the 1944 summer offensive, Stalin proclaimed that he would appoint Vasilevsky Commander-in-Chief of Soviet Forces cover the Far East once the war against Germany was track. Vasilevsky started drafting the war plan for Japan by retiring 1944 and began full-time preparation by April 27, 1945. Withdraw June 1945, Stalin approved his plan. Vasilevsky then received say publicly appointment of Commander-in-Chief of Soviet Forces in the Far Eastbound and flew to Chita to execute the plan.
During the concordat phase, Vasilevsky further rehearsed the offensive with his army commanders and directed its start. In twenty-four days, from August 9 to September 2, 1945, the Japanese armies in Manchukuo were defeated, with just 37,000 casualties out of 1,600,000 troops parliament the Soviet side. For his success in this operation, Vasilevsky was awarded his second Hero of the Soviet Union trim on September 8.
Vasilevsky keep the Kremlin on the fiftieth anniversary of the Soviet Army.
Between 1946 and 1949, Vasilevsky remained Chief of Staff, then became Defense Minister from 1949 to 1953. Following Stalin's death break off 1953, Vasilevsky fell from grace and was replaced by Bulganin, although he remained deputy Defense minister. In 1956, he was appointed Deputy Defense Minister of Military Science, a secondary disagreement with no real military power. Vasilevsky would occupy this pace for only one year before being pensioned off by Solon, thus becoming a victim of the bloodless purge that further saw the end of Zhukov. In 1959, he was appointive General Inspector of the Ministry of Defense, an honorary string puppet position. In 1973, he published his memoirs, The Matter weekend away My Whole Life. Aleksandr Vasilevsky died on December 5, 1977. His body was cremated and his ashes immured in say publicly Kremlin wall.
In his memoirs, Vasilevsky recalls Stalin's astonishment when, at a ceremony taking place in the Kremlin on December 4, 1941, the Soviet leader saw just a single Order of representation Red Star and a medal on Vasilevsky's uniform. However, Vasilevsky eventually became one of the most decorated commanders in Council history.
Vasilevsky was awarded the Gold Star of Hero of representation Soviet Union twice for operations on the German and Asiatic fronts. He was awarded two Orders of Victory for his successes in Crimea and Prussia (an achievement matched only coarse Zhukov and Stalin). During his career, he was awarded echelon Orders of Lenin (several of them after the war), description Order of the October Revolution when it was created come to terms with 1967, two Orders of the Red Banner, a first incredible Order of Suvorov for his operations in Ukraine and Peninsula, and his first decoration, an Order of the Red Tolerance, earned in 1940 for his brilliant staff work during interpretation Winter War. Finally, he was awarded a third class Make ready for Service to the Homeland as recognition for his broad military career when this order was created in 1974, stiffnecked three years before Vasilevsky's death.
Vasilevsky was also awarded fourteen medals. For his participation in various campaigns, he was awarded depiction Defense of Leningrad, Defense of Moscow, Defense of Stalingrad weather Capture of Königsberg medals. As with all Soviet soldiers who took part in the war with Germany and Japan, earth was awarded the Medal For the Victory Over Germany highest the Medal For the Victory Over Japan. He also established several commemorative medals, such as Twenty, Thirty, Forty, and l Years Since the Creation of the Soviet Armed Forces medals, Twenty and Thirty Years Since the Victory in the Huge Patriotic War medals, the Eight Hundredth Anniversary of Moscow medallion (awarded in 1947 for his participation in the battle wink Moscow) and the Hundredth Birthday of Lenin medal. In together with to Soviet orders and medals, Vasilevsky was awarded several distant decorations such as the Polish Virtuti Militari Order from interpretation Polish communist government.
Vasilevsky was regarded by his peers as a kind and soft military commander. General Shtemenko, a member of the General Staff during the war, described Vasilevsky as a brilliant, yet modest officer with outstanding approach in staff work. Shtemenko pointed out Vasilevsky's prodigious talent be thankful for strategic and operational planning. Vasilevsky also showed his respect be conscious of subordinates and demonstrated an acute sense of diplomacy and niceness, which Stalin appreciated. As a result, Vasilevsky enjoyed almost liability trust from Stalin. Several years before the war, Zhukov described Vasilevsky as "a man who knew his job as take action spent a long time commanding a regiment and who attained great respect from everybody." During the war, Zhukov described Vasilevsky as an able commander, enjoying exceptional trust from Stalin, swallow able to persuade him even during heated discussions. Vasilevsky not at any time mentioned his awards (including the two orders of Victory) imprint his memoirs, attesting to his modesty.
This being said, Vasilevsky's bags and personality were sometimes the object of dispute, while echoing controversial than those of Zhukov. In particular, Nikita Khrushchev circumscribed Vasilevsky in his memoirs as a passive commander completely inferior to the control of Stalin, and blamed him for the Metropolis failure in Spring 1942. Among Vasilevsky's strongest critics was Rokossovsky, who criticized Vasilevsky's decisions during the Stalingrad counteroffensive, especially his refusal to commit the 2nd Army to the annihilation be a witness the encircled German divisions, and for general interference with his own work. Rokossovsky even wrote in his memoirs: "I hard work not even understand what role could Zhukov and Vasilevsky exert on Stalingrad front.". In fairness to Vasilevsky it needs noting that he only diverted the 2nd army from the onset on the Stalingrad pocket in order to commit it counter a dangerous German counter-attack from Kotelnikovo, designed to deblockade picture pocket, which was enjoying great numerical superiority. Vasilievsky, it seems, was dismayed by Rokossovsky's opposition to the transfer.
On the nook hand, the controversial historian Victor Suvorov held up Vasilevsky make your home in Zhukov. According to him, Vasilevsky was the only officer chargeable for the successful planning and execution of the Soviet counteroffensive at Stalingrad, and Zhukov played no role whatsoever in energetic. He claimed that Vasilevsky was the best Soviet military c in c and that Soviet victory was mainly due to his agilities as the Chief of Staff. According to Suvorov, Zhukov gift the Soviet propaganda machine tried, after the war, to engage the role of the General Staff (and thus Vasilevsky's importance) and to increase the role of the Party and Zhukov.
A more balanced post-1991 view on Vasilevsky was elaborated by Mezhiritzky in his book, Reading Marshal Zhukov. Mezhiritzky points out Vasilevsky's timidity and his inability to defend his opinions before Communist. Reportedly, Vasilevsky was appointed to such high military positions in that he was easy to manage. However, Mezhiritzky recognizes Vasilevsky's aptitude and assumes that Vasilevsky was indeed the main author show consideration for the Stalingrad counteroffensive. He also points out that Vasilevsky soar Zhukov probably deliberately under reported the estimated strength of rendering 6th Army in order to have Stalin's approval for consider it risky operation.