In 1935, in the USSR, the “Regulations on the service of command and command personnel of the Red Army” introduced personal military ranks. Five commanders of the Red Army became marshals, among them S. M. Budyonny (1883-1973).
In the young Soviet state, he was a legend, the “father” of the red cavalry, a commander from the “men”; abroad he was called “Red Murat”.
But after the end of the “Stalin era”, the image of a kind of “horseman”, a narrow-minded cavalryman, gradually began to take shape. Even a whole layer of myths and anecdotes about the marshal has formed.
A review of his merits also began - they remembered that the idea of creating the red cavalry belonged to Trotsky-Bronstein, that the true founder of the Cavalry Consolidated Corps of the Red Army was B. M. Dumenko (the talented commander was shot on charges of Judeophobia and preparing a rebellion, although Stalin tried to justify him , but Trotsky-Bronshein’s positions were much stronger), Budyonny was his deputy. “Red Murat” began to be accused of mediocrity, of the failure of the campaign against Warsaw in 1920, because he allegedly did not carry out Tukhachevsky’s order and did not transfer the Cavalry Army from near Lvov to Warsaw.
A myth was created that Budyonny resisted the modernization of the Red Army, citing the famous phrase, which has not been proven to belong to the marshal - “The horse will still show itself.” The fact of his “failure” in military affairs is cited - the insignificant position he occupied at the final stage of the Great Patriotic War - commander of the cavalry of the Soviet Army.
The beginning of the military journey
Born in 1883 on the Don, on the Kozyurin farm in the Platovskaya village (now Rostov region), into a poor peasant family. In 1903 he was drafted into the army, served in the Far East in the Primorsky Dragoon Regiment, and remained there for extended service. Participated in the Russian-Japanese War as part of the 26th Don Cossack Regiment.
In 1907, as the best rider of the regiment, he was sent to the capital, to the Officer Cavalry School, to take courses for riders of the lower ranks. He studied there until 1908. Then, until 1914, he served in his Primorsky Dragoon Regiment.
In the First World War he fought on three fronts - German, Austrian and Caucasian as a non-commissioned officer of the 18th Seversky Dragoon Regiment. Budyonny was awarded for bravery the St. George Cross (soldier's "Egory") of four degrees ("full bow") and four St. George medals.
In the summer of 1917, as part of the Caucasian Cavalry Division, Budyonny arrived in the city of Minsk, where he was elected chairman of the regimental committee and deputy chairman of the division committee. In August 1917, together with M.V. Frunze, he led the disarmament of the echelons of Kornilov’s troops (Kornilov mutiny) in Orsha. After the October Revolution, he returned to the Don, to the village of Platovskaya, where he was elected a member of the executive committee of the Salsky District Council and appointed head of the district land department.
Civil War
In February 1918, S. M. Budyonny created a cavalry detachment that operated against the White Army in the Don region. The detachment quickly grew into a regiment, then a brigade, and eventually became a division that successfully operated near Tsaritsyn in 1918 and early 1919. In the second half of June 1919, the Cavalry Corps was created. B. M. Dumenko became his commander, but a month later he was seriously wounded, and the corps was commanded by his deputy, Budyonny. The corps took part in heavy battles with the Caucasian Army of General P. N. Wrangel. Therefore, Budyonny’s military mediocrity, if it were a reality, would have been revealed very quickly, especially considering that some of the best white cavalry generals fought against him - Mamontov, Golubintsev, Ataman Ulagai.
But the corps under the command of the peasant Budyonny acted decisively and skillfully, remaining the most combat-ready unit of the 10th Army defending Tsaritsyn. Budyonny's divisions covered the army's retreat, invariably appearing in the most threatened directions, and did not allow units of Wrangel's Caucasian Army to reach the flank and rear of the 10th Army. Budyonny was a principled opponent of the surrender of Tsaritsyn to the Whites and proposed launching a counterattack on the enemy’s flank. Budyonny’s plan had reasonable grounds and chances of success, since the Cossack units that stormed Tsaritsyn were exhausted and suffered serious losses. Wrangel directly wrote to Denikin about this. But Army Commander Klyuev showed indecisiveness and ordered the abandonment of Tsaritsyn. The retreat of the 10th Army was poorly organized, and Budyonny had to create special barrage detachments in order to prevent disorganization of the rifle units. As a result: the 10th Army did not collapse, the left flank of the red Southern Front was not exposed, and this is the merit of S. M. Budyonny.
In the summer and autumn of 1919, the corps successfully fought against the troops of the Don Army. During the Voronezh-Kastornensky operation (October - November 1919), the Cavalry Corps, together with divisions of the 8th Army, defeated the Cossack units of generals Mamontov and Shkuro. Parts of the corps occupied the city of Voronezh, closing a 100-kilometer gap in the positions of the Red Army troops in the Moscow direction. The victories of Budyonny's Cavalry Corps over the troops of General Denikin near Voronezh and Kastornaya accelerated the defeat of the enemy on the Don.
In November 1919, the corps was reorganized into the 1st Cavalry Army, Budyonny was appointed commander of this army, he commanded the army until the fall of 1923.
In December 1919, the Cavalry Army occupied Rostov, the Cossacks gave it up without a fight, leaving for the Don. Budyonny's units tried to cross the Don, but suffered a serious defeat from the White Guard divisions. But this is most likely not Budyonny’s fault - the commander of the South-Western Front, Shorin, ordered to cross the Don “head-on”, and crossing a large water barrier when the other bank is occupied by the enemy’s defending units, only with cavalry is not very easy. Be that as it may, the defeat of the White armies in the south of Russia was largely due to the actions of the Cavalry, which made a deep encirclement of the White troops in February 1920.
Budyonny’s army did not act very successfully against Wrangel in Crimea - the army was unable to prevent the withdrawal of the main white forces beyond the Crimean isthmus. But this is not only Budyonny’s fault; in many ways, the actions of F.K. Mironov’s 2nd Cavalry were erroneous. Because of his slowness, Wrangel managed to withdraw his troops behind the fortifications of Perekop.
War with Poland
In the war with Poland, Budyonny’s army, as part of the Southwestern Front, operated on the southern flank and was quite successful. Budyonny broke through the defensive positions of the Polish troops and cut off the supply routes to the Kyiv group of Poles, launching an attack on Lviv.
During this war, the legend of the “invincible” strategist Tukhachevsky was destroyed. Tukhachevsky did not critically accept the reports received by the headquarters of the Western Front that the Poles were completely defeated and were fleeing in panic. Budyonny assessed the state of affairs more intelligently, as evidenced by lines from his memoirs: “From the operational reports of the Western Front, we saw that the Polish troops, retreating, did not suffer large losses; the impression was created that the enemy was retreating before the armies of the Western Front, preserving forces for decisive battles..."
In mid-August, the Polish army attacked the Red Army troops encircling Warsaw from the north. Tukhachevsky's right flank was destroyed. Tukhachevsky demands that Budyonny’s army be withdrawn from the battle and prepared for an attack on Lublin. At this time, the 1st Cavalry Army was fighting on the Bug River and could not simply withdraw from the battle. As Budyonny wrote: “It was physically impossible to leave the battle within one day and make a hundred-kilometer march in order to concentrate in the specified area on August 20th. And if this impossible had happened, then with access to Vladimir-Volynsky, the Cavalry would still not have been able to take part in the operation against the Lublin enemy group, which was operating in the Brest area.”
The war was lost, but Budyonny personally did everything for victory; the troops entrusted to him acted quite successfully.
20-30s
In 1921-1923 S. M. Budyonny - member of the RVS, and then deputy commander of the North Caucasus Military District. He did a lot of work in organizing and managing stud farms, which, as a result of many years of work, developed new breeds of horses - Budennovsky and Terek. In 1923, Budyonny was appointed assistant to the commander-in-chief of the Red Army for cavalry and a member of the Revolutionary Military Council of the USSR. In 1924-1937 Budyonny was appointed inspector of the cavalry of the Red Army. In 1932 he graduated from the Military Academy. M. V. Frunze.
From 1937 to 1939, Budyonny was appointed commander of the troops of the Moscow Military District, from 1939 - a member of the Main Military Council of the USSR NGOs, deputy people's commissar, from August 1940 - first deputy people's commissar of defense of the USSR. Budyonny noted the important role of cavalry in maneuver warfare, while at the same time advocating the technical re-equipment of the army and initiated the formation of cavalry-mechanized formations.
He correctly identified the role of cavalry in a future war: “The reasons for the rise or decline of cavalry should be sought in relation to the basic properties of this type of troops to the basic data of the situation of a certain historical period. In all cases, when the war acquired a maneuverable character, and the operational situation required the presence of mobile troops and decisive actions, the cavalry masses became one of the decisive elements of the armed force. This manifests itself as a well-known pattern throughout the cavalry; as soon as the possibility of a maneuverable war developed, the role of the cavalry immediately increased, and its blows completed one or another operation... We are stubbornly fighting for the preservation of powerful independent red cavalry and for its further strengthening solely because a sober, realistic assessment of the situation convinces us of the undoubted need to have such cavalry in the system of our Armed Forces.”
Unfortunately, Budyonny’s opinion on the need to maintain a strong cavalry was not fully appreciated by the country’s leadership. At the end of the 1930s, the reduction of cavalry units began; by the war, 4 corps and 13 cavalry divisions remained. The Great War confirmed that he was right - mechanized corps turned out to be less stable than cavalry units. Cavalry divisions did not depend on roads and fuel, like mechanized units. They were more mobile and maneuverable than motorized rifle divisions. They successfully operated against the enemy in wooded and mountainous areas, successfully carried out raids behind enemy lines, in conjunction with tank units developed a breakthrough of enemy positions, developed an offensive and envelopment of Nazi units.
By the way, the Wehrmacht also appreciated the importance of the cavalry units and quite seriously increased their numbers in the war. The red cavalry went through the entire war and ended it on the banks of the Oder. Cavalry commanders Belov, Oslikovsky, Dovator entered the elite of Soviet commanders.
Marshal of the Soviet Union Semyon Mikhailovich Budyonny speaks to the sailors of the Black Sea Fleet, August 1942.
Joseph Stalin, Semyon Budyonny (foreground), Lavrentiy Beria, Nikolai Bulganin (background), Anastas Mikoyan head to Red Square for the parade in honor of Tankman Day.
Great War
During the Great Patriotic War, Budyonny was part of the Headquarters of the Supreme High Command. He was appointed commander of a group of troops of the reserve armies of Headquarters (June 1941), then - commander-in-chief of the troops of the South-Western direction (July 10 - September 1941).
The southwestern direction quite successfully held back the onslaught of Nazi troops and counterattacked. In the North, in the Baltic states, troops also operated under the overall command of Voroshilov. As a result, Berlin realized that the troops of Army Group Center were under great threat - the opportunity arose to strike from the flanks, from the North and from the South. The blitzkrieg failed, Hitler was forced to throw Guderian's 2nd Panzer Group to the south in order to reach the flank and rear of the Soviet group defending Kyiv.
On September 11, the division of the 1st Panzer Group Kleist launched an offensive from the Kremenchug bridgehead towards Guderian. Both tank groups united on September 16, closing the ring around Kyiv - the troops of the Southwestern Front found themselves in a cauldron, and the Red Army suffered heavy losses. But, having tied up significant enemy forces in heavy battles, it gained time to strengthen the defense in the central strategic direction.
Marshal S. M. Budyonny warned Headquarters about the danger threatening the troops of the Southwestern Front, recommended leaving Kyiv and withdrawing the armies, i.e., he proposed conducting not a positional war, but a maneuverable one. So, when Guderian’s tanks broke into Romny, General Kirponos turned to the Chief of the General Staff, Marshal B.M. Shaposhnikov, with a request to allow the evacuation of Kyiv and the withdrawal of troops, however, he was refused. Budyonny supported his subordinate and, in turn, telegraphed to Headquarters: “For my part, I believe that by this time the enemy’s plan to envelop and encircle the Southwestern Front from the Novgorod-Seversky and Kremenchug directions has fully emerged. To counter this plan it is necessary to create a strong group of troops. The Southwestern Front is not able to do this. If the Headquarters of the Supreme High Command, in turn, does not have the ability to concentrate such a strong group at the moment, then a retreat for the Southwestern Front is completely overdue... A delay in the retreat of the Southwestern Front could lead to the loss of troops and a huge amount of materiel.” .
Unfortunately, in Moscow they saw the situation differently, and even such a talented General Staff officer as B. M. Shaposhnikov did not recognize the impending danger in time. It can be added that Budyonny had great courage to defend his point of view, because the marshal knew about Stalin’s desire to defend Kyiv at all costs. A day after this telegram, he was removed from this position, and a few days later the front troops were surrounded.
In September–October 1941, Budyonny was appointed commander of the Reserve Front. On September 30, the Wehrmacht launched Operation Typhoon, the Wehrmacht broke through the defenses of the Soviet troops, and the troops of the Western (Konev) and Reserve Fronts were surrounded in the Vyazma area. It was a disaster, but Budyonny cannot be blamed for this. Firstly, the General Staff's reconnaissance was unable to reveal the areas of concentration of the Wehrmacht strike forces, so the available troops were stretched along the entire front and could not withstand a blow of such power when the defending division accounted for 3-4 enemy divisions (in the main directions of attack). Secondly, Budyonny could not use his favorite tactics of maneuver; it was impossible to retreat. It is stupid to accuse him of military mediocrity; Konev became one of the most famous heroes of the war, but he could not do anything.
In fact, it was only in the North Caucasus that he was appointed commander-in-chief of the troops of the North Caucasus direction (April - May 1942) and commander of the North Caucasus Front (May - August 1942) that he was able to demonstrate his skills. When the Wehrmacht reached the Caucasus in July 1942, Budyonny proposed withdrawing troops to the borders of the Main Caucasus Ridge and Terek, reducing the overextended front, and also forming two reserve armies in the Grozny region. Stalin considered these proposals rational and approved them. The troops retreated to the line planned by Budyonny in August 1942 and, as a result of fierce fighting, stopped the enemy.
In January 1943, Budyonny became commander-in-chief of the cavalry; apparently Stalin decided that the time had come to show his skills to the young. Budyonny's merit is that he helped the Red Army survive and learn to fight.
The most objective assessment of the activities of Marshal Budyonny in the Great Patriotic War can be called the words of the chief of staff of the South-Western direction, General Pokrovsky: “He himself did not propose solutions, he himself did not understand the situation in such a way as to propose a solution, but when they reported to him, they offered certain solutions, a program , one or another action, he, firstly, quickly grasped the situation and, secondly, as a rule, supported the most rational decisions. And he did it with sufficient determination.”
The son of the Russian peasantry did not let his homeland down. He honestly served the Russian Empire on the fields of the Russo-Japanese and World War I, and earned awards for himself with his courage and skill. He supported the construction of a new state and served it honestly.
After the war, he was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union by decrees of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR on February 1, 1958, April 24, 1963 and February 22, 1968 and became a Three-Time Hero of the USSR. He fully deserved it.
Soviet military leader, Marshal of the Soviet Union (1935) Semyon Mikhailovich Budyonny takes part in a parade on Red Square in Moscow on November 7, 1947.
Among the personal qualities of this worthy Man one can note personal courage and bravery(for example: in July 1916, Budyonny received the St. George Cross, 1st degree, for leading 7 Turkish soldiers from a sortie behind enemy lines with four comrades). There is a legend that one day the security officers decided to “feel” the marshal. The marshal met the armed night guests with a saber drawn and shouting “Who’s first!!!” rushed at the guests (according to another version, he put a machine gun out the window). They hastened to retreat. The next morning, Lavrenty Pavlovich reported to Stalin about the need to arrest Budyonny (and described the event in vivid colors). Comrade Stalin replied: “Well done, Semyon! That’s how we need them!” Budyonny was no longer disturbed. According to another version, having shot the security officers who came after him, Budyonny rushed to call Stalin: “Joseph, counter-revolution! They've come to arrest me! I won’t give up alive!” After which Stalin gave the command to leave Budyonny alone. Most likely, this is a historical anecdote, but even it characterizes Budyonny as a very brave man.
He played the button accordion masterfully and danced excellently - during the reception of the Soviet delegation in Turkey, the Turks performed folk dances, and then invited the Russians to respond in kind. And Budyonny, despite his age, danced, taking the rap for everyone. After this incident, Voroshilov ordered the introduction of dance classes in all military universities.
He spoke three languages, read a lot, and collected a large library. I couldn't stand drunkenness. He was unpretentious in food.
Semyon Mikhailovich Budyonny (1883-1973) is one of the most famous Soviet military leaders. This three times Hero of the Soviet Union became one of the first marshals of the young country. The most striking part of Budyonny’s career took place during the Civil War. On the territory of the former Russian Empire, this military leader helped organize the Red Cossack movement. His 1st Cavalry Army became a real force, taking an active part in the south of the country.
In the 1920-1930s, Budyonny continued his military career, becoming the first deputy people's commissar of defense. During the Great Patriotic War, the marshal was part of the Headquarters of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief, participated in the defense of Moscow, and headed the Reserve and North Caucasus fronts. After the war, Budyonny held various honorary, but no longer so significant positions.
The fate of the military leader is surprising - he is one of the few heroes of the Civil War who was able to escape Stalin's repressions, even despite the arrest of his second wife and her accusation of espionage. Budyonny's personality is assessed ambiguously by modern historians.
In Soviet memoirs and encyclopedias he appears as a hero, but popular rumor considered him either a real man, straightforward, honest and simple-minded, or even a careerist, an ordinary martinet. We will try to take a closer look at the personality of this unusual person and debunk the main myths about him.
Budyonny came up with Budenovka. From the name of the famous headdress, one of the symbols of the Civil War, it is clear in whose honor he received his name. In fact, according to one version, the history of the appearance of budenovka originates from Nicholas II. He wanted to create a new element of military uniform, symbolizing the upcoming victory in the First World War. It is no coincidence that the shape of the budenovka is similar to a hero’s helmet; this was supposed to personify the power of the Russian state and the strength of its army. Many famous artists worked on the design of the new headdress, including Viktor Vasnetsov and Boris Kustodiev. By 1917, there were a huge number of sets of new uniforms in warehouses. A double-headed eagle was embroidered on the front of the budenovka, which the new authorities covered with a five-pointed star. But according to the official Soviet version, after the birth of the Red Army in February 1918, it became necessary to create a uniform uniform for it. It was then that artists Vasnetsov and Kustodiev and others took part in a competition to create a new winter cloth headdress. The new helmet became a classic sign of a Red Army soldier. It was called by the name of the units that were the first to use such clothing. The helmet was called Frunzevka, and then Budenovka. This headdress was used until 1940. Its abolition was due to poor performance in the conditions of warfare in severe frosts, but not to the personality of the marshal.
Budyonny with his First Cavalry played a decisive role in the defeat of Wrangel in the Crimea in 1920. In 1973, Budyonny's memoirs were released. There he questions Frunze’s merits in the liberation of Crimea. And in an interview with Pravda in 1960, the marshal confirmed his version. In fact, he tried to oppose himself to the commander of the Southern Front and implement his own plan. But even with the support of Voroshilov, these ideas were not supported by the Revolutionary Military Council. Separatism was not needed in the army at such a critical moment. In October 1920, the Southern Front and the 1st Cavalry Army launched an offensive in the south. One of the most important tasks was to cut off Wrangel’s path to Crimea. It was Budyonny who was responsible for reaching the isthmuses and cutting off the Whites’ route to retreat. The military leader failed to cope with the task, but he was not blamed for this. The onslaught of armored squads and tanks was too strong. But Budyonny himself, in his memoirs, directly blamed the 2nd Cavalry Army for this. True, member of the Revolutionary Military Council of the Southern Front, Gusev, hot on the heels of this myth, refutes this myth, emphasizing the valor of the 2nd Cavalry. The assessment happened just a few weeks after the events. On November 8, the Red Army began its offensive against Crimea. In his memoirs, Budyonny recalled that his army walked across land where fighting had recently taken place. The author himself sparingly mentions that the 2nd Cavalry Army fought in front of his units. The decisive battles were November 11 and 12, when Wrangel tried to turn the tide. And again he was opposed by Mironov’s 2nd Cavalry Army. And only when on November 13 Wrangel declared the army disbanded, Budyonny entered Crimea with his army. And in Simferopol he met with Mironov, brazenly accusing him of aiding the enemy. In Budyonny’s memoirs one can read how the lava of the red cavalry poured into the Crimea, sweeping away Wrangel’s troops. But the merits of the future marshal himself were not in this. It was not he who commanded the victorious cavalry.
Semyon Budyonny was a Cossack. This man is considered a symbol of Cossack valor, but in fact he was not a Cossack. Budyonny's grandfather was a Voronezh serf who received freedom by decree of Alexander II. Together with his family, this commoner went to the Don in search of a better life. There, on the Kozyurin farm of the Platovskaya village, Semyon Mikhailovich was born. But the poor peasant family was considered out of town and alien here. Such people, who did not belong to the local class, were usually poor. They were forced to come to terms with their origins, having no chance of acquiring large land plots, like the Cossacks. Budyonny himself preferred not to talk about his pre-revolutionary biography. Enduring the ridicule of his fellow villagers, Semyon could only try to master horse riding better than them. And he succeeded - he handled the horse famously, even winning local competitions. And being drafted into the army, Budyonny served in a dragoon regiment. In the Russo-Japanese War, he was listed in the 26th Don Cossack Regiment.
Budyonny was a religious man. There were rumors that this man, who had served under the king, secretly maintained his faith. In Soviet times, it was impossible to talk openly about religiosity. And how could a marshal, a living symbol of the Red Army, an idol of the younger generation, undermine the ideological guidelines of the state and the course towards atheism? But Budyonny himself recalled that even during his meeting with Lenin he said that things were going well with God’s help. Then it was perceived as a joke. Later, this topic was not raised. So even if Budyonny retained his religiosity, it remained a deeply personal matter. There was talk among the family about Semyon Mikhailovich’s meeting with the Mother of God. She asked the young soldier not to let his family be desecrated, promising protection from bullets.
Budyonny had a full St. George's bow. This term implies four St. George Crosses and four St. George Medals for bravery. Although Budyonny’s valor is not called into question, the number of awards is worth clarifying. Although there are detailed descriptions of the feats for which Budyonny received his crosses, only two such awards are confirmed in the archives - 4th and 3rd degrees, as well as only one medal. So even all four crosses are also a dubious fact in the marshal’s biography. It is worth saying that he did not keep these awards. He himself said that in Soviet times he gave the royal crosses and medals for melting down to the OSOAVIAKHIM support fund. This looks very strange for a person who had a tender affection for awards and insignia.
Budyonny created the 1st Cavalry Army. Budyonny's name is closely connected with the 1st Cavalry Army, which brought him fame. In the fall of 1919, the Red Army turned the tide of the war. Large cavalry forces of the white generals Shkuro and Mamontov were defeated, the front rolled back from near Voronezh to the south, in the region of the Don Army. On November 19, 1919, the 1st Cavalry Army officially appeared. According to official Soviet history, it was created by Voroshilov and Budyonny. Already in perestroika times they began to talk about the dominant role of Boris Dumenko. And although a formation appeared on the basis of Budyonny’s Cavalry Corps, which emerged from Dumenko’s cavalry-consolidated corps, neither one nor the other was the initiator of the creation of an entire army. Initially, General Mamontov spoke about creating a large cavalry formation capable of solving strategic problems. The implementation of this idea almost turned into a disaster for the young republic. Mass desertion of the Cossacks, who did not want to fight far from the Don, did not allow Mamontov’s army to occupy Moscow. The creators of the Soviet 1st Cavalry Army were Klim Voroshilov and the former tsarist general Alexander Egorov. These units had to complete an important task - to cut off the white Volunteer Army from the Cossack Don Army and defeat them separately. Budyonny himself learned about the formation of the 1st Cavalry Army and his appointment at the end of November. And Dumenko by that time had nothing to do with the corps at all. His units, in theory, could become the basis of a new army, but the choice was made in favor of Voroshilov’s protégé. And to make Budyonny’s appointment look more logical for the Revolutionary Military Council, he was retroactively accepted as a communist. The statement was written back in March 1919, but it was not signed. Now they remembered this, and on Stalin’s recommendation Budyonny suddenly found himself accepted into the party six months ago.
During the Great Patriotic War, Budyonny showed himself to be a military leader who thought in the categories of the past. The events of that war did not bring additional glory to Budyonny. His resignation from the post of commander-in-chief of the South-Western direction, the North Caucasus direction, and fronts indicated that the commander’s talents were either exaggerated or unclaimed in modern conditions. However, there are several facts that cast doubt on this. So, in September 1941, Budyonny sent a telegram to Headquarters, proposing to withdraw troops from Kyiv. The situation threatened to turn into a major encirclement. But the front commander informed Stalin that this was not necessary. As a result, the obstinate Budyonny was removed from his post as commander of the South-Western direction. But history has shown that the marshal was right. If Stalin had listened to him, there would have been no “Kyiv cauldron” with 650 thousand captured soldiers. And in the winter of 1941, near Moscow, it was the cavalry, under the tutelage of Budyonny, that helped crush the Germans. In those cold weather, all equipment stopped working.
Even in the late 1930s, Budyonny advocated the preservation of the cavalry, opposing fans of tanks. Budyonny was a cavalry inspector, and therefore defended the preservation of his type of troops. It is believed that he was opposed by Tukhachevsky, who saw the future of the Red Army in tanks. But Budyonny himself did not argue about the superiority of technology over horses. His opponent believed that tanks should be light and mobile, while Budyonny himself insisted on their reliable armor and heavy weapons. As a result, during the war, the cavalry-mechanized units that the marshal was talking about were created. Budyonny understood that the time for the cavalry was running out. It could be used in certain conditions; in the same swamps, heavy equipment may not work. There is no need to talk about the overestimation of the role of cavalry in the pre-war years, which Budyonny is accused of, - its share in the army was constantly declining.
Budyonny served in the royal stables. After the end of the Russo-Japanese War, the promising rider was sent to study in St. Petersburg, at the Officer Cavalry School for rider courses for the lower ranks. They even wanted to leave Budyonny there, but he returned to Primorye. And the dragoons actually met with Emperor Nicholas II - he shook hands with the winner of the equestrian competition. But Budyonny did not serve in the royal stables.
Budyonny was just an illiterate non-commissioned officer. This myth appeared thanks to envious people and ill-wishers who wanted to diminish the merits of an outstanding, whatever one may say, personality. In 1932, Budyonny graduated from the Frunze Military Academy. He constantly educated himself and knew several languages. In addition to German, French and Turkish, Budyonny also learned English after the war, as the language of a potential enemy. It was the “uneducated non-commissioned officer” who insisted on repeated testing of the Katyusha, which Marshal Kulik rejected due to low accuracy. It was Budyonny who initiated the creation of airborne troops. At the age of 48, he personally made a parachute jump to evaluate the capabilities of the new type of military. And during the war, education allowed Budyonny to adequately perceive the current situation. But in the first months there was no need to talk about any non-standard winning solutions. And the ideas of Budyonny’s operational-tactical techniques dating back to the Civil War were adopted by the Germans for their blitzkriegs.
Budyonny lived only by service. Budyonny's real element was not military service, but horses. Budyonny was even actively involved in breeding new breeds for the army and agriculture. Thanks to his intelligence and enthusiasm, the marshal achieved outstanding results in this field. The Budenovskaya breed combines strength, beauty and endurance. The Dutch queen even paid a million dollars for one such horse. Budyonny also had other talents - he played the button accordion and even performed in front of Stalin.
Budyonny killed his first wife. Budyonny's first wife, Nadezhda Ivanovna, died in 1924 in an accident. Officially, she picked up a revolver and jokingly announced that she would try to shoot herself. Unfortunately, the gun was loaded and the safety was off - a shot rang out. After this, they began to say that Budyonny was having an affair. Having found out about this, Nadezhda Ivanovna threw a scandal at her husband. Gossipers even began to accuse the army commander of murder in a whisper. It is unclear whether it was an accident or whether the wife was hiding despair behind feigned gaiety, but she killed herself. Everything happened in the presence of guests. The version of suicide has never been officially refuted.
Budyonny renounced his second wife. Just a few months after the tragedy, Budyonny had a new woman - conservatory student Olga Mikhailova. It was she who was called the ill-fated homewrecker. Problems in the relationship appeared immediately. Budyonny's wife led a bohemian lifestyle and was only interested in theater. She visited foreign embassies, suspicious individuals circled around her. Olga Stefanovna did not want to have children and generally openly cheated on her husband. As a result, Budyonny was summoned by Stalin, and then by Yezhov. They drew attention to the inappropriate behavior of his wife. The NKVD quickly collected incriminating evidence on her, and Budyonny’s wife was arrested in 1937. The marshal himself did not bother about her, but helped her in prison. Moreover, he moved his mother-in-law into his house and settled in. And her niece, Masha, began to come to visit her. It was she who became Budyonny’s third wife, giving birth to his children. And Olga Stefanovna was released in 1956 with the active assistance of Semyon Mikhailovich. He moved his ex-wife to Moscow, supported her and even invited her to visit.
Budyonny helped Stalin repress the senior command staff of the Red Army. The wave of repressions bypassed Budyonny, affecting only his wife. Meanwhile, many of his comrades in the Civil War were arrested. Budyonny himself was a member of the commission in the case of Bukharin and Rykov, and was part of the court that sentenced Tukhachevsky to death. However, the marshal still did not welcome mass arrests among the military leadership. It is believed that he personally carried lists of those who could not be arrested to Stalin. Allegedly, Budyonny told the leader that both of them should be arrested then. As a result, many military leaders were returned to service. Among them is General Chumakov, a former brigade commander of the 1st Cavalry Army, and also a cavalryman, General Rokossovsky. But Budyonny was not shy about his participation in the courts, believing that saboteurs and traitors got what they deserved. The marshal believed that the guilty were mostly punished, but there were also worthy people among them.
Three times Hero of the Soviet Union, Marshal of the Soviet Union Semyon Mikhailovich Budyonny
Semyon Mikhailovich Budyonny was born on April 13 (25), 1883 on the Kozyurin farm of the Platov village of the Salsky district of the Don Army Region (now Proletarsky district of the Rostov region) in the family of a peasant farm laborer. He was the second child in a large family - he had three sisters and four brothers. From childhood, Semyon knew the hard work of a farm laborer - he worked as a hired hand for kulaks and landowners, as a blacksmith's assistant, as a lubricator and fireman, and as a driver on a locomotive thresher. Backbreaking work made him strong and resilient, and children's fun and games allowed him to ride a horse and wield bladed weapons no worse than any Cossack, for which he earned a silver ruble from the Minister of War when he visited the village of Platovskaya in the summer of 1900, where in honor A horse show took place for the distinguished guest.
On September 15, 1903, Semyon Budyonny was called up for military service, which he began as an ordinary soldier of the 5th border hundred in Harbin.
In 1905 he was transferred to the 48th Don Cossack Regiment, with which he participated in the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905.
The young dragoon studied military science and fought well. Even before arriving in Manchuria, he wrote to his father: “I learn the service with sweat and blood, but I don’t lose heart, because I understand my job... When I gain experience, the service will be more fun. I firmly decided to become a military man... I’ll serve my time and stay for extra-long term... They’ll send me to school, and then I’ll become a non-commissioned officer.”
After the end of the war, he was transferred to the Primorsky Dragoon Regiment of the Ussuri Cavalry Brigade in the village. Razdolnoye, Primorsky region.
On January 16, 1907, Semyon Mikhailovich was sent to the St. Petersburg School of Equestrians, created to train instructors-riders at the Higher Officer Cavalry School. Upon returning to the regiment, he received the rank of junior non-commissioned officer. Having served urgent duty, S.M. Budyonny remained in the Primorsky Dragoon Regiment for extra conscription, where he served as a regimental rider until November 1913. During active service he was promoted to senior non-commissioned officer.
Having left his long-term service in November 1913, he returned to his relatives in the village of Platovskaya and again began working for the landowners.
In August 1914, with the outbreak of the First World War, he was mobilized and sent to the Western Front in the 18th Seversky Dragoon Regiment of the Caucasian Cavalry Division to the post of platoon non-commissioned officer of the 5th squadron. Since December 1914, the division fought on the Caucasian Front. During the First World War, when cavalry played a fairly prominent role, S.M. Budyonny became famous for his bravery in battles and was awarded four Crosses of St. George - the highest military award for soldiers.
Non-commissioned officer S.M. Budyonny enjoyed the respect of the soldiers. In March 1917, he was elected chairman of the squadron and a member of the regimental soldiers' committees; in July, due to re-elections, he became chairman of the regimental committee of his division, met with, and in August, in the Minsk region, he participated in the disarmament of Kornilov units moving to Petrograd to suppress the Soviets and revolution. Thanks to the meeting with M.V. Frunze S.M. Budyonny ended up on the side of the Bolsheviks. “Work under the leadership of Frunze and Myasnikov was my first real Bolshevik school, although at that time I was non-party,” he later recalled.
In December 1917 S.M. Budyonny returned to the Don, together with other front-line soldiers, established Soviet power in the village of Platovskaya, and in February 1918 he was elected a member of the Salsky district executive committee and head of the district land department.
At the end of February 1918, Semyon Mikhailovich organized a partisan cavalry detachment to fight counter-revolution in the North Caucasus, which he commanded until June 1918. Then he was appointed assistant commander of a cavalry division, regiment, separate cavalry brigade, and finally - chief of staff of a separate cavalry division of Tsaritsynsky front. For his distinction in the battles for Tsaritsyn (now Volgograd) he was awarded the Order of the Red Banner. Since March 1919, Semyon Mikhailovich was the commander of the 4th Cavalry Division of the Southern Front; in June he was appointed commander of the 1st Cavalry Corps of the 10th Army of the Southern Front. In August 1919, in the upper reaches of the Don, the cavalry corps, in cooperation with other formations, defeated the main forces of the Caucasian Army of General P.N. Wrangel, and in the Voronezh-Kastornensky operation of 1919, together with the divisions of the 8th Army, he defeated the Cossack corps of generals K.K. Mamontov and A.G. Skinny. Victories of the cavalry corps under the command of S.M. Budyonny over the troops of General A.I. Denikin near Voronezh and Kastornaya accelerated the defeat of the White Army on the Don. For successful actions against the White Guards S.M. Budyonny was awarded an Honorary Revolutionary Edged Weapon.
November 19, 1919 Corps S.M. Budyonny was deployed to the 1st Cavalry Army, which played an important role on the fronts of the Civil War. At the end of 1919 - the first half of January 1920. it successfully operated in the direction of the main attack of the Southern Front: having captured Donbass, Taganrog and Rostov-on-Don, the army reached the Sea of Azov; Thus, the Armed Forces of the South of Russia were cut into two parts.
Southern front. M.V. Frunze, K.E. Voroshilov, S.M. Budyonny. 1920
Then the 1st Cavalry Army, as part of the Caucasian Front, took an active part in the North Caucasus Operation of 1920, destroying the main forces of the White Army, forcing the enemy to retreat to Novorossiysk.
In connection with the Polish attack on Ukraine, the 1st Cavalry Army was transferred from the North Caucasus to Right Bank Ukraine. Having completed a 53-day march on horseback from the Maikop region to the Uman region (over 1000 km), the army became part of the Southwestern Front. During the Kyiv operation of 1920, striking the Poles in the Zhitomir-Berdichev direction, the cavalrymen successfully broke through the enemy’s defenses, reached the rear of the 3rd Polish Army, forcing it to leave Kyiv on June 11, and thereby ensured a general turning point in the strategic situation. Subsequently, the 1st Cavalry Army, under the leadership of Budyonny, fought fierce battles near Rivne and Lvov, broke out of encirclement in the Zamosc region, and over 4 months of continuous battles inflicted serious losses on the enemy. During the battles, the cavalrymen showed examples of courage, heroism, and devotion to the Motherland.
Commander of the First Cavalry Army S.M. Budyonny
Despite the failure of the Red Army in the Soviet-Polish War of 1920, V.I. Lenin highly appreciated S.M. Budyonny: “Our Budyonny should now probably be considered the most brilliant cavalry commander in the world... He has a wonderful strategic instinct. He is brave to the point of extravagance, to the point of insane audacity. He shares with his cavalrymen all the cruelest hardships and the gravest dangers. For him they are ready to let themselves be cut into pieces. He alone will replace entire squadrons for us. However, all these advantages of Budyonny and other revolutionary military commanders could not balance out our shortcomings in military and technical terms.”
In October 1920, the 1st Cavalry Army was transferred to the Southern Front for combat operations against the troops of General P.N. Wrangel, occupied Simferopol, then Sevastopol. During the liberation of Crimea, Semyon Mikhailovich creatively approached the organization of battle, achieved interaction between cavalry and infantry, armored forces and aviation, skillfully using fire weapons, surprise and determination.
Until May 1921, the 1st Cavalry Army took part in the defeat of N.I. Makhno in Left Bank Ukraine. Then it was transferred to the North Caucasus. Participated in the suppression of anti-Bolshevik protests in the Don and Kuban.
At this time, in the certification of S.M. Budyonny was given the following description: “A born cavalry commander. Has operational and combat intuition. He loves cavalry and knows it well. The missing general educational baggage is intensively and thoroughly replenished and self-education continues. He is gentle and courteous with his subordinates... In the position of commander of the Cavalry, he is irreplaceable. It is extremely popular among the Red Army and, especially, the population of South-East Russia.”
In January 1922 S.M. Budyonny was appointed assistant commander of the North Caucasus Military District, and from May - deputy commander, while simultaneously remaining commander of the 1st Cavalry Army and a member of its Revolutionary Military Council.
Former cavalryman, Marshal K.S. Moskalenko spoke about his commander S.M. Budyonny: “All of us, Budyonnovites, loved our army commander for his sharp natural mind, boundless courage and bravery, courage and strong-willed character, for the simplicity and cordiality of his communication with the soldiers. We strived to be like him, imitated him, learned courage and courage from him.”
During the Civil War, he earned the reputation of a dashing cavalryman-slasher. The word “budyonnovets” was a kind of synonym for courage.
The headdress of the Red Army soldiers, made of cloth in the shape of the helmet of an ancient Russian warrior (the official name is the Red Army helmet), was called “Budenovka”.
For his services in the Civil War, Semyon Mikhailovich was awarded the Honorary Revolutionary Firearms with the Order of the Red Banner.
September 5, 1923 S.M. Budyonny was appointed assistant to the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of the Republic for cavalry, in April 1924 - inspector of the cavalry of the Red Army and a member of the Revolutionary Military Council of the Republic, and in this position at the beginning of 1926 he was sent to Central Asia to fight the Basmachism.
From the certification for the Red Army cavalry inspector S.M. Budyonny: “In combat practice he showed himself to be the most talented nugget. Peaceful work confirmed the same qualities.”
CM. Budyonny on Red Square. 1927
In 1932 S.M. Budyonny graduated from the Military Academy named after M.V. Frunze and was one of the first (together with V.K. Blucher) in 1935 to receive the title of Marshal of the Soviet Union, and in 1937 he was appointed commander of the troops of the Moscow Military District.
Semyon Mikhailovich was infinitely devoted to Soviet power and enjoyed the trust of I.V. Stalin. He was a member of the commission of the Plenum of the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks on the case of N.I. Bukharin and A.I. Rykov, was part of the court that sentenced Marshal M.N. to death. Tukhachevsky and other military leaders.
S.M. did not escape repression either. Budyonny. In August 1937, his wife, Bolshoi Theater opera singer Olga Stefanovna Budyonnaya, was convicted of espionage for a long term.
In 1939 S.M. Budyonny was appointed Deputy People's Commissar of Defense of the USSR, and from August 1940 - 1st Deputy People's Commissar.
Being a talented cavalryman, S.M. Budyonny involuntarily resisted the reduction of the role of cavalry in the Red Army and the transfer of experienced cavalrymen to armored forces and aviation. At the same time, he was not a retrograde, he advocated the mechanization and motorization of cavalry formations. Published in 1938 by S.M. Budyonny’s “Fundamentals of Tactics of Cavalry Formations” Semyon Mikhailovich wrote that cavalry and motorized mechanized units from an auxiliary means of the First World War are turning into a “decisive combat and operational means.” The marshal divided the ground forces into two parts - “mobile” and “linear”, and classified cavalry and mechanized units as the former. Having studied the development of cavalry in the armies of European countries and the United States in the period from 1914 to 1936, S.M. Budyonny pointed out that the main trend is the creation of “strong cavalry-mechanized masses”, in which infantry, mechanical units and artillery from support forces become the main elements of the fighting force.
The marshal considered aviation, engineering and chemical means to be important factors in ensuring freedom of maneuver and stability of cavalry in defense. The outbreak of World War II in Europe seemed to refute his conclusions. The number of Soviet cavalry by June 1941 was reduced by 3 times in comparison with 1938. At the same time, the Great Patriotic War showed that it was too early to write off cavalry. She participated in most of the major operations of the Red Army. During the war, Budennov's idea of creating cavalry-mechanized groups was embodied, which proved themselves to be successful in developing success after breaking through the enemy's defenses.
Commander of the military parade S.M. Budyonny. Moscow Red Square. November 7, 1941
In March 1942 S.M. Budyonny was appointed chairman of the Central Commission for the collection of captured weapons and property, in April - commander-in-chief of the North Caucasus direction, and then commander of the North Caucasus Front. His subordination included troops of several armies defending the eastern shore of the Sea of Azov, the Kerch Strait and the Black Sea coast, and operationally the Black Sea Fleet and the Azov Flotilla.
In September 1942, the North Caucasian Front was transformed into the Black Sea Group of Forces of the Transcaucasian Front, and S.M. Budyonny was relieved of his post as 1st Deputy People's Commissar of Defense of the USSR and commander of the front - appointed Deputy People's Commissar of Defense of the USSR. Since January 1943 S.M. Budyonny - commander of the cavalry of the Red Army, and in 1947-1953. at the same time Deputy Minister of Agriculture for Horse Breeding. From May 1953 to September 1954, the marshal was a cavalry inspector of the Main Inspectorate of the USSR Ministry of Defense, then worked in the Group of Inspectors General of the USSR Ministry of Defense. CM. Budyonny was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union three times: February 1, 1958, April 24, 1963, February 22, 1968. In addition, the marshal was awarded 8 Orders of Lenin, 6 Orders of the Red Banner, Order of Suvorov 1st degree, and other orders and medals, including from foreign countries.
The life of Semyon Mikhailovich was filled with great party, state and social activities; he devoted a lot of time to the military-patriotic education of youth. He was a frequent guest in labor and military collectives: he spoke at meetings, rallies, meetings in front of workers, employees, collective farmers and military personnel; being a deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, he promptly responded to the requests of workers and resolved many issues of the citizens of the country.
Marshal of the Soviet Union Semyon Mikhailovich Budyonny presents his combat saber to Komsomol members at the 16th Komsomol Congress. Russia Moscow. May 30, 1970
CM. Budyonny managed to pay attention to his children - sons Sergei and Mikhail and daughter Nina. He instilled in them a love of sports: Sergei was the Moscow champion in fencing among youths, Nina played tennis, Mikhail received the title of Master of Sports in shooting. In adulthood, Sergei Semenovich became an officer, Nina Semenovna - a journalist, Mikhail Semenovich - an economist who inherited a luxurious mustache from his father.
In the post-war period, S.M. Budyonny wrote and published the memoirs “The Path Traveled”, “The First Cavalry Army”, dedicated to his army life, “Meetings with Ilyich” and “A Word to the Young Warrior”.
Semyon Mikhailovich had a good ear for music. The marshal’s daughter Nina Semyonovna recalled: “Whatever you put in his hands, he plays everything. And on the button accordion, and on the accordion, and on the German harmonica, and this is a very complex instrument. In the fifties, even records were sold: dad and his friend from Rostov were playing, called the “Duet of Accordion Players.” This friend was a former cavalryman who became a professional accordion player, Grigory Alekseevich Zaitsev. On the surviving recordings today you can listen to polka and krakowiak solo performances by the marshal.
S.M. died Budyonny on October 26, 1973, was buried on Red Square near the Kremlin wall. The life of the legendary commander of the 1st Cavalry Army can be summed up in his own words: “I am happy that I devoted my entire life to the cause of the revolution, the Soviet Motherland, and my people.”
Even before the Great Patriotic War, the name S.M. Budyonny was immortalized in poems, songs, books, and the names of Soviet streets, cities, towns and villages. The city of Prikumsk and the village of Platovskaya were renamed. In 1957, the practice of such lifetime exaltation was recognized as a distortion of the cult of personality, so streets and other objects were returned to their previous names. After the death of the marshal, the name was renamed again. In modern Russia, in addition to the city, village, villages, avenues and streets, the name S.M. Budyonny is worn by the Military Academy of Communications located in St. Petersburg, the cape on Pioneer Island in the Severnaya Zemlya archipelago and the motor ship of the Volga Shipping Company. In Moscow, at house No. 3 on Granovsky Street, in which S.M. lived. Budyonny, and memorial plaques were installed in the building of the former headquarters of the Moscow Military District. The Budyonnovsky breed of horses is very popular in equestrian sports.
S.I. Migulin, candidate of historical sciences,
senior researcher at the Research Institute (Military History) of the Military Academy of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation
Budyonny S. M. (1883 1973; autobiography). My father, Mikhail Budyonny, was transported from Voronezh province as a 2-year-old boy. to the Don region, to the Bolshaya Orlovka settlement of the 1st Don district. Having grown up, he married a Don peasant woman from the same settlement... Large biographical encyclopedia
- (1883 1973) Marshal of the Soviet Union (1935), three times Hero of the Soviet Union (1958, 1963, 1968). During the Civil War, commander of the 1st Cavalry Army (1919-23). In 1939, 41 Deputy People's Commissars of Defense of the USSR. During the Great Patriotic War (in 1941 42)… … Big Encyclopedic Dictionary
Semyon Mikhailovich Budyonny 1883 1973 S. M. Budyonny in the club of the Moscow Aviation School. 1937 Place of birth ... Wikipedia
Budyonny, Semyon Mikhailovich- (1883 1973) A Cossack cornet during the First World War, Budyonny joined the Red Army in 1918, the RCP (b) in 1919 and was promoted to commander of the Red Cavalry. He participated in the so-called Tsaritsyn (or Military) opposition, which gathered... ... Historical reference book of Russian Marxist
S. M. Budyonny... Collier's Encyclopedia
Semyon Mikhailovich Budyonny 1883 1973 S. M. Budyonny in the club of the Moscow Aviation School. 1937 Place of birth ... Wikipedia
Semyon Mikhailovich Budyonny 1883 1973 S. M. Budyonny in the club of the Moscow Aviation School. 1937 Place of birth ... Wikipedia
Semyon Mikhailovich (1883 1973). A Cossack cornet during the First World War, he joined the Red Army in 1918, in the RCP (b) in 1919 and was promoted to commander of the Red Cavalry, commander of the 1st Cavalry Army. Willingly helped in the bloody cleansing of the Red... ... 1000 biographies
Semyon Mikhailovich Budyonny 1883 1973 S. M. Budyonny in the club of the Moscow Aviation School. 1937 Place of birth ... Wikipedia
Books
- First Cavalry Army, Semyon Mikhailovich Budyonny. The book offered to the reader by S. M. Budyonny tells about the youth of the future cavalry marshal, about his service in the Russian Imperial Army, about the battles during the First World War, about the birth and...
- The Red Army in the Civil War, Semyon Mikhailovich Budyonny. 2018 marks the 100th anniversary of the formation of the Red Army (Workers' and Peasants' Red Army). Semyon Mikhailovich Budyonny is one of its founders, the legendary Red commander, commander of the First...
Name: Semen Budennuy
Age: 90 years old
Height: 172
Activity: military leader, one of the first Marshals of the Soviet Union, three times Hero of the Soviet Union, holder of the St. George Cross of all degrees
Family status: was married
Semyon Budyonny: biography
Hero of the Civil War, one of the first Marshals of the USSR, Semyon Mikhailovich Budyonny is a legendary figure for his contemporaries. Today, his figure is shrouded in myths and rumors, and the events that took place in his life have received scandalous interpretations from pseudo-historians thirsting for fame in any way. Even Budyonny’s mustache “was awarded” a separate myth.
The roots of the Budyonny family are buried in the Voronezh region (once a province). It was from here that, after the abolition of serfdom, the grandfather of the future army commander escaped in search of a better fate. At that time, the former serf already had three small children growing up. He was unable to pay taxes for the land he had acquired. Taking some simple belongings and his family, Ivan Budyonny moved to the Don.
In the spring of 1875, one of Ivan Budyonny’s sons, Mikhail, married the peasant woman Melania Yemchenko. The young family settled on the Kozyurin farm, located next to the village of Platovskaya (today the village of Budennovskaya). Here in April 1883, the future army commander Semyon Budyonny, the second son in the family, was born. After him, 6 more children were born.
An unbearably hard life forced the head of the family to uproot and move to the Stavropol region. But, as once his father, Mikhail Budyonny, it soon became clear that it would not be better in the new place. He returned to the Don and settled in the Litvinovka farmstead not far from the same village of Platovskaya.
The hungry winter of 1892 forced Mikhail Budyonny to borrow money from the local merchant Yatskin. It was not possible to repay the debt on time. Yatzkin first wanted to take away the horse from the debtor, but this was tantamount to murder. The merchant invited Mikhail to give him the smart little Semyon as a farm laborer, pledging to return his son in a year. Despite his wife's tears and protests, the unhappy father agreed. 9-year-old Semyon Budyonny, who wanted to help his family, was not against it either.
A year later the boy did not return home. He remained at Yatskin’s beck and call, carrying out his small errands. When the guy grew up, he was sent to work as an assistant at a forge. He soon became a hammerman. And the smart teenager quickly realized that without literacy and any education, he would remain a servant of the rich. Therefore, the boy agreed with Yatskin’s clerk that he would teach him to read and write. For this, Semyon obliged to clean his room, wash the dishes and shine his shoes.
After a grueling day of work, the boy did his homework by the light of a torch. And in order not to fall asleep, he doused himself with ice water or stood on sharp coals. This is how the future army commander developed a strong masculine character.
Semyon Budyonny tried to visit his relatives in the village It was a real holiday for Semyon to be home for weekends or holidays. His family was friendly and cheerful, despite the hardships and need. Father Ivan was respected on the farm, considered reasonable and fair. He was elected headman of non-residents, and Budyonny more than once stood up for his poor fellow countrymen before the Cossack ataman.
There was also music often played in the headman’s house. The head of the family masterfully played the balalaika, and Semyon learned to play the harmonica. Looking ahead, let’s say that I’ve heard Budyonny play more than once. At his request, the army commander played “The Lady” on the accordion.
Young Semyon Budyonny's favorite pastime was horse racing. In 1900, a 17-year-old boy competed on behalf of nonresidents at a competition organized in honor of the arrival of the Minister of War in the village and won. The minister was surprised that the victory went not to a local Cossack, but to a “newcomer.” For this the young man was awarded a silver ruble.
From the forge the guy moved to the locomotive threshing machine of the same merchant Yatskin. At first he performed the duties of an oiler and fireman, and then became a machinist. Young Cossack women looked at the handsome and smart guy. Semyon got married to one of them, Nadezhda, in January 1903. And in the fall of the same year, Budyonny was called up for service.
Military career
From this moment the military biography of Semyon Budyonny began. Its first pages were written in the Imperial Army, in the Far East. There, in the Primorsky Dragoon Regiment, the future marshal immediately felt in his element. And he stayed for long-term service. He took part in the Russian-Japanese War as part of the Don Cossack Regiment, where he distinguished himself. For this, in 1907 he was sent to St. Petersburg.
For a year, the young military man was trained at the Officer Cavalry School, in equestrian courses. After completing his studies, Semyon Budyonny returned to serve in the Primorsky Dragoon Regiment.
In 1914, the First World War broke out, in which he also took part. He served as a senior non-commissioned officer in the 18th Seversk Dragoon Regiment. He fought on three fronts - German, Austrian and Caucasian. How young Budyonny fought can be judged by his awards: he received the so-called “full St. George’s bow.” These are St. George's crosses of four degrees and St. George's medals of the same four degrees.
History has preserved information about how the brave non-commissioned officer earned his first cross of the 4th degree. He managed to capture a large German convoy with provisions, medicines and warm uniforms. At the same time, under the leadership of Semyon Budyonny there was only a platoon of soldiers, and the enemy convoy was accompanied by a well-armed company with heavy machine guns. Budyonny's platoon consisted of 33 people. Two were killed during the battle. But the number of prisoners was 200 Germans. The tsarist military press then reported that the Germans were defeated, capturing considerable trophies, by the Caucasian Cavalry Division. No one could believe that a small platoon could cope with the task.
But crosses not only easily came to the brave military man, but were also easily taken away. For example, Budyonny was deprived of his first St. George Cross for assault. As it turned out, he “fought back” to a senior in rank, who insulted and hit him in the face. In the same 1914, Semyon Mikhailovich returned the award. On the Turkish front, in the battle for the city of Van, a reconnaissance platoon under his leadership managed to penetrate deep into the rear and capture an enemy battery and 3 cannons.
In the summer of 1917, Budyonny arrived in Minsk along with the Caucasian Cavalry Division. Here he was elected chairman of the regimental committee. In August of the same year, he, together with Orsha, supervised the disarmament of the echelons of Lavr Kornilov’s troops.
After the end of the October Revolution, Semyon Mikhailovich returned to his native village, on the Don. He was elected head of the district land department. But peaceful life did not last long. The outbreak of the Civil War again called him on the road.
In February 1918, Semyon Mikhailovich Budyonny created a cavalry detachment that fought with the White Guards. Soon he joined the 1st Peasant Cavalry Regiment, commanded by B.M. Dumenko.
Very little time passed, and Budyonny was appointed deputy commander of the regiment, which grew to a brigade, and then a division. This division successfully fought near Tsaritsyn until the beginning of 1919. And in the second half of the year, the Cavalry Corps was created in the Red Army, which fought with the troops and reached Voronezh. The corps was led by Semyon Budyonny.
The victories of the Cavalry Corps led by him over the general's troops accelerated the defeat of enemy forces on the Don.
In November 1919, the Cavalry Corps was renamed the First Cavalry Army, the commander of which was again appointed Semyon Mikhailovich. He led it until 1923. The Cavalry played a vital role in a number of major operations. With its help, the troops of Denikin and Wrangel were finally defeated, first in Northern Tavria, and then in the Crimea.
Kliment Voroshilov, Semyon Budyonny and Efim Shchadenko in 1920 After the end of the Civil War, Semyon Mikhailovich, although he was appointed deputy commander of the North Caucasus Military District, managed to do the job he dreamed of all the years of the war: he organized and created stud farms in which new breeds of horses were bred - “Budennovskaya” and “Terskaya” .
It is not for nothing that Semyon Budyonny is called the “godfather” of the Chechen Autonomous Region. In 1923, it was he who, having placed the cap of the Bukhara emir on his head, arrived in Urus-Martan by decree of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee and declared autonomy. In the same year, the outstanding military man was appointed assistant to the commander-in-chief of the Red Army for cavalry.
In 1932, Semyon Mikhailovich graduated from the Military Academy named after M. V. Frunze. After 3 years, Budyonny and 4 other commanders were awarded the title of Marshal of the Soviet Union.
These were difficult times, which are difficult to judge today, after many decades. Some historians accuse Budyonny of easily betraying his former comrades. For example, in 1937, he advocated the expulsion from the party, and then the execution of N.I. Bukharin and A.I. Rykov. In the spring of the same year, he supported the expulsion of M. N. Tukhachevsky and Ya. E. Rudzutak from the party. When asked whether former comrades should be executed, he wrote: “Of course, in favor. These scoundrels need to be executed."
Since 1940, Semyon Budyonny was appointed first deputy people's commissar of defense of the Soviet Union. He remained loyal to cavalry, insisting on its importance in maneuver warfare. Some historians like to joke about this topic, forgetting to note that the marshal also advocated the technical re-equipment of the army, as well as the formation of cavalry-mechanized formations. Having hastened to modernize, by 1938, out of 32 cavalry divisions, 13 remained. Later, a number of historians who analyzed military events agreed that the military leaders had not listened to Budyonny in vain and hastened to liquidate the cavalry.
During the Great Patriotic War, Marshal Semyon Budyonny became part of the Headquarters of the Supreme High Command. On his recommendation, the command in the summer of 1941 began the formation of new cavalry divisions. By the end of 1941, more than 80 cavalry divisions had appeared. Some historians mistakenly attribute this initiative to .
At the beginning of the autumn of the first year of the war, Semyon Mikhailovich was appointed commander-in-chief of the troops of the Southwestern and Southern Fronts, which stood in the way of the German invasion of Ukraine. In August, on his orders, sappers from one of the NKVD regiments blew up the Dnieper Hydroelectric Station in Zaporozhye. Streams of gushing water led to the death of many Wehrmacht soldiers. But Red Army soldiers also died. An avalanche of water covered the coastal area along with refugees and civilians. Industrial equipment in the lower part of Zaporozhye was destroyed.
Later, some historians cited huge death tolls as a result of Budyonny’s operation, but there were also those who objected, arguing that the death toll was several times lower and the operation was justified.
The fact that Semyon Mikhailovich did not at all strive for victory by any means is evidenced by the fact that in September 1941 he sent a telegram to the Commander-in-Chief's headquarters in which he proposed to withdraw the troops entrusted to him in order to avoid encirclement. For this, Stalin removed him from command and replaced him with S.K. Timoshenko. On the third day after the replacement, the troops still had to be withdrawn and left Kyiv.
After his removal, Semyon Budyonny was appointed commander of the Reserve Front. And although he led the Reserve for only 27 days, it is difficult to overestimate his contribution to the defense of Moscow. After all, the Reserve Front, together with the Bryansk and Western Fronts, managed to defend the capital, although the superiority of enemy forces was enormous.
After the end of the Great Patriotic War, the legendary marshal turned 62 years old. But he remained full of strength and energy. Semyon Mikhailovich did not even think about rest for many years. He raised and developed agriculture and livestock farming in the country, most of all patronizing stud farms. He carried his love for horses throughout his life. Looking ahead, let's say that the commander's favorite horse, named Sophist, was so attached to his owner that he could distinguish his approach by the noise of the machine engine. And when Budyonny died, he cried like a man.
Sculptor N.V. Tomsky immortalized the Sophist in the monument to M.I. Kutuzov, which today stands in Moscow in front of the Battle of Borodino panorama museum.
Not only the breed of horses was named after Budyonny, but also the famous headdress - Budenovka. There is a version that it was tailored according to a sketch by Apollinary Vasnetsov, the brother of the famous artist. Its prototype was allegedly the helmet of an ancient Russian warrior.
Of interest is either the story or the fictional legend about the legendary luxurious mustache of the marshal. Rumor has it that in his youth one of Budyonny’s mustaches turned gray due to the outbreak of gunpowder. Allegedly, Semyon Mikhailovich during the Crimean War decided to check captured cartridges to see if they were smokeless. He brought a cigarette and made sure that they reacted well to the smoke. Later, the owner of the “multi-colored” mustache first tinted it, and then decided to get rid of it altogether. Joseph Vissarionovich stopped him, noting that it was no longer his mustache, but the people’s.
In 1979, Budyonny’s relatives donated his headset to the Museum of the First Cavalry Army.
Many contemporaries, including the youngest generation, know Budyonny’s name from the name of a comfortable 4-deck motor ship built in Czechoslovakia. The length of this wonderful ship reaches 136 meters, and its cabins accommodate more than 300 people.
The motor ship "Semyon Budyonny" is classified as "comfort" and makes sea and river cruises.
Motor ship "Semyon Budyonny" It is known that many of Semyon Mikhailovich’s associates fell into the repressive “meat grinder” and were shot. Budyonny managed to survive. There are either myths or legends about this. According to one version, the “black funnel” also came to the marshal with a singed mustache. But he met the uninvited guests with a saber drawn and the exclamation “Who’s first?!” They retreated. When I reported to Stalin about the incident in the morning, he grinned and praised Budyonny. They didn't touch him anymore.
According to another version, Semyon Mikhailovich fired a machine gun at the security officers, and then rushed to call Stalin: “Joseph, counter-revolution! I won’t surrender alive!” Allegedly, after this, the Generalissimo gave the command to leave him alone, saying that “the old fool is not dangerous.”
Personal life
Not only the military biography, but also the personal life of Semyon Budyonny was eventful. There were also tragic pages in it. The marshal's first wife, the same Cossack Nadya from the neighboring village, with whom he married in 1903, accompanied her husband during the Civil War. She was responsible for supplying the medical unit. Nadezhda died in 1924. According to one version, it was an accident. The woman allegedly accidentally pulled the trigger of a loaded gun. But there is another version. They say that her angry husband shot her after learning about the infidelities. According to the third version, Nadya was shot during a scandal that she caused to her unfaithful husband.
Historians are inclined to believe the first version, because the fatal shot was fired in front of many witnesses who saw that it was Nadezhda who pulled the trigger.
It seems that the army commander did not grieve for long. Some say that he married the beauty and opera singer Olga Budnitskaya almost on the second day after his wife’s death. Others say that the wedding took place six months later. The woman was 20 years younger than her husband. And since Budyonny loved her incredibly and at the same time had incredible capabilities, his beloved Olenka got everything she wanted: she entered the conservatory and became a soloist of the Bolshoi Theater. But Mikhailova (that’s the stage name she chose for herself) stubbornly ignored her husband’s only request - to give birth to children - arguing that she did not want to spoil her figure. Allegedly, she could not imagine her life without the theater.
As it turned out, she couldn’t imagine it without tenor Alekseev, which, of course, the omnipresent NKVD knew about. But when Mikhailova often attended receptions at foreign embassies, Stalin informed Budyonny. Rumor has it that after the conversation he personally took his wife to Lubyanka. The marshal's wife was arrested and accused of espionage.
During the life of the Generalissimo, Semyon Mikhailovich did not even try to alleviate her fate. They say he was sure that Olga was dead. But in 1956, having learned that the woman was alive, the ex-husband made every effort to get Mikhailova out. Subsequently, he took care of her, and the woman even visited the Budyonny family.
For the third time, Semyon Budyonny’s personal life turned out happily. After his wife’s arrest, he married Mikhailova’s cousin, Maria, who was more than 30 years younger than him and whom he subsequently loved and spoiled incredibly. Masha gave birth to her husband three children: in 1938, a son, Sergei, in 1939, a daughter, Nina, and in 1944, a second son, Misha.
Daughter Nina became the second wife of the famous artist and gave birth to her father two grandchildren.
Death
Marshal Budyonny died at the age of 91, having lived a long and eventful life. He died on October 26, 1973. Death was quick - from a cerebral hemorrhage.
Semyon Mikhailovich was buried with full honors at the Kremlin wall on Red Square.