One of the fundamental reasons for victory Soviet people the moral and political unity of a multinational country became superior to fascist Germany. The hopes of Hitler's strategists for the fragility of the state system, for the isolation of communists from the people, for conflicts between workers and peasants, for the collapse of a multinational state were not justified. During the war years, all layers of society rallied around the country's leadership, around the Communist Party. All the peoples of the USSR considered the danger hanging over them as common and mortal; the war was domestic in nature. The multimillion-dollar, multinational country was united by the slogan “Everything for the front, everything for victory!”;
An outstanding role in the victory of the USSR over Nazi Germany belonged to the Soviet leadership, first of all, I.V. Stalin, V.M. Molotov and others. The Soviet leadership had major military miscalculations at the very beginning of the war, but in general all their efforts were aimed at repelling the enemy and achieving victory. The outstanding role of I.V. During the war years, Stalin was repeatedly celebrated by British Prime Minister W. Churchill, US President F. Roosevelt, French President General Charles de Gaulle and prominent statesmen of other states;
A significant role in achieving victory over the fascist aggressor belongs to Soviet military leaders. IN pre-war years A whole galaxy of talented commanders appeared in the Red Army: G.K. Zhukov, K.K. Rokossovsky, A.M. Vasilevsky, R.Ya. Malinovsky, I.S. Konev, I.Kh. Bagramyan, N.F. Vatutin, P.S. Rybalko, V.I. Chuikov and others. Their military talent and personal courage in defending their point of view during operations before the country's top leadership were fully demonstrated during the Great Patriotic War. The Red Army, under the leadership of Soviet military leaders, broke the back of German fascism;
Partisans and underground fighters made a great contribution to the defeat of the Nazis;
A huge role in strengthening people's patriotism was played by figures of national culture: scientists, teachers, writers, journalists, artists, filmmakers, actors. In the Great Patriotic War, the Soviet people defeated German fascism spiritually. Soviet wartime culture is still at an unsurpassed spiritual height;
The liberation war of the Soviet people received the blessing of the Russian Orthodox Church and other faiths. The Soviet government and the Church were together during the war.
The Soviet Union contributed decisive contribution to deliver the peoples of the world from fascism. In the fight against our country German army lost 73% personnel, 75% tanks and artillery, 75% aviation. The price paid by the Soviet people for the victory over fascism was very high - at the front, in captivity, in the occupied territories; 27 million people died from wounds, hunger and cold.
The end of the Second World War created a new geopolitical situation. Having defeated Germany, the Soviet Union became the world's second superpower. From now on, no one important question world politics could not be decided without the participation Soviet Union.
The creator of victory in the Great Patriotic War was the Soviet people. But to implement his efforts, to defend the Fatherland on the battlefields, it was necessary high level the military art of the Armed Forces, which was supported by the leadership talent of military leaders.
The operations carried out by our military leaders in the last war are now being studied in all military academies around the world. And if we talk about assessing their courage and talent, here is one of them, short but expressive: “As a soldier who observed the campaign of the Red Army, I was filled with the deepest admiration for the skill of its leaders.” This was said by Dwight Eisenhower, a man who understood the art of war.
The harsh school of war selected and secured by the end of the war the most outstanding commanders.
The main features of military leadership talent Georgy Konstantinovich Zhukov(1896-1974) - creativity, innovation, ability to make decisions unexpected for the enemy. He was also distinguished by his deep intelligence and insight. According to Machiavelli, “nothing makes a great commander like the ability to penetrate the enemy’s plans.” This ability of Zhukov played a particularly important role in the defense of Leningrad and Moscow, when, with extremely limited forces, only through good reconnaissance and foreseeing possible directions of enemy attacks, he was able to collect almost all available means and repel enemy attacks.
Another outstanding military leader strategic plan was Alexander Mikhailovich Vasilevsky(1895-1977). Being the chief of the General Staff for 34 months during the war, A. M. Vasilevsky was in Moscow for only 12 months, at the General Staff, and was at the fronts for 22 months. G.K. Zhukov and A.M. Vasilevsky had developed strategic thinking and a deep understanding of the situation. It was this circumstance that led to the same assessment of the situation and the development of far-sighted and informed decisions on the counter-offensive operation near Stalingrad, to the transition to strategic defense on Kursk Bulge and in a number of other cases.
An invaluable quality of Soviet commanders was their ability to take reasonable risks. This trait of military leadership was noted, for example, among Marshal Konstantin Konstantinovich Rokossovsky(1896-1968). One of the remarkable pages of the military leadership of K. K. Rokossovsky -Belarusian operation, in which he commanded the troops of the 1st Belorussian Front.
An important feature of military leadership is intuition, which makes it possible to achieve surprise in a strike. Possessed this rare quality Konev Ivan Stepanovich(1897-1973). His military talent most convincingly and clearly manifested itself in offensive operations, during which a lot was won brilliant victories. At the same time, he always tried not to get involved in protracted battles in big cities and with roundabout maneuvers forced the enemy to leave the city. This allowed him to reduce the losses of his troops and prevent great destruction and casualties among the civilian population.
If I. S. Konev showed his best leadership qualities in offensive operations, then Andrey Ivanovich Eremenko(1892-1970) - in defensive.
A characteristic feature of a real commander is the originality of his plans and actions, avoidance of the template, military cunning, in which he succeeded great commander A. V. Suvorov. distinguished by these qualities Malinovsky Rodion Yakovlevich(1898-1967). Throughout almost the entire war, a remarkable feature of his military leadership talent was that in the plan of each operation he included some unexpected method of action for the enemy, and was able to the whole system well-thought-out measures to mislead the enemy.
Having experienced the full wrath of Stalin in the first days of the terrible failures at the fronts, Timoshenko Semyon Konstantinovich asked to be directed to the most dangerous area. Subsequently, the marshal commanded strategic directions and fronts. Under his command there were heavy defensive battles on the territory of Belarus in July - August 1941. His name is associated with the heroic defense of Mogilev and Gomel, counterattacks near Vitebsk and Bobruisk. Under the leadership of Tymoshenko, the largest and most stubborn battle the first months of the war - Smolensk. In July 1941, troops Western direction under the command of Marshal Timoshenko stopped the advance of Army Group Center.
Troops under the command of a marshal Ivan Khristoforovich Bagramyan actively participated in the defeat of the Germans - fascist troops on the Kursk Bulge, in the Belarusian, Baltic, East Prussian and other operations and in the capture of the Konigsberg fortress.
During the Great Patriotic War Vasily Ivanovich Chuikov commanded the 62nd (8th Guards) Army, which is forever inscribed in the chronicles heroic defense city of Stalingrad. Army commander Chuikov introduced a new tactics - tactics close combat. In Berlin, V.I. Chuikov was called: “General - Sturm”. After the victory in Stalingrad, the following operations were successfully carried out: Zaporozhye, crossing the Dnieper, Nikopol, Odessa, Lublin, crossing the Vistula, Poznan Citadel, Küstrin Fortress, Berlin, etc.
The youngest commander of the fronts of the Great Patriotic War was an army general Ivan Danilovich Chernyakhovsky. Chernyakhovsky’s troops took part in the liberation of Voronezh, Kursk, Zhitomir, Vitebsk, Orsha, Vilnius, Kaunas, and other cities, distinguished themselves in the battles for Kyiv, Minsk, were among the first to reach the border with Nazi Germany, and then defeated the Nazis in East Prussia.
During the Great Patriotic War Kirill Afanasyevich Meretskov commanded the troops of the northern directions. In 1941, Meretskov inflicted the first serious defeat of the war on the troops of Field Marshal Leeb near Tikhvin. On January 18, 1943, the troops of generals Govorov and Meretskov, delivering a counter strike near Shlisselburg (Operation Iskra), broke the blockade of Leningrad. In June 1944, under their command, Marshal K. Mannerheim was defeated in Karelia. In October 1944, Meretskov's troops defeated the enemy in the Arctic near Pechenga (Petsamo). In the spring of 1945, the “cunning Yaroslavets” (as Stalin called him) under the name of “General Maksimov” was sent to the Far East. In August-September 1945, his troops took part in the defeat of the Kwantung Army, breaking into Manchuria from Primorye and liberating areas of China and Korea.
Thus, during the Great Patriotic War, many remarkable leadership qualities were revealed among our military leaders, which made it possible to ensure the superiority of their military art over the military art of the Nazis.
In the books and magazine articles suggested below, you can learn more about these and other outstanding commanders of the Great Patriotic War, the creators of its Victory.
Bibliography
1. Alexandrov, A. The general was buried twice [Text] / A. Alexandrov // Echo of the Planet. - 2004. - N 18/19 . - P. 28 - 29.
Biography of Army General Ivan Danilovich Chernyakhovsky.
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What literature interested Ivan Khristoforovich Bagramyan, what was his reading range, his personal library - another touch in the portrait of the famous hero.
3. Borzunov, Semyon Mikhailovich. The formation of commander G. K. Zhukov [Text] / S. M. Borzunov // Military History Journal. - 2006. - N 11. - P. 78
4. Bushin, Vladimir. For the Motherland! For Stalin! [Text] / Vladimir Bushin. - M.: EKSMO: Algorithm, 2004. - 591 p.
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6. Gareev, M. A."The name of... the commander of commanders in the conduct of war will shine massive armies"[Text]: to the 60th anniversary of the Victory: Marshal of the Soviet Union G.K. Zhukov / M.A. Gareev // Military History Journal. - 2003. - N5. -P.2-8.
The article talks about the outstanding Russian commander Marshal of the USSR G.K. Zhukov.
7. Gassiev, V. I. Not only could he take quick and the right solution, but also to be in a timely manner where this decision was carried out [Text] / V.I. Gassiev // Military Historical Journal. - 2003. - N 11. - pp. 26-29
The essay, dedicated to a prominent and talented military leader, contains fragments of the memories of those who fought side by side with I. A. Pliev during the Great Patriotic War.
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10. Ionov, P. P. Military glory of the Fatherland [Text]: book. for reading on "History of Russia" for Art. class general education school, Suvorov. and Nakhimov. schools and cadets. buildings / P. P. Ionov; Scientific research "RAU-Unit" company. - M.: RAU-University, 2003 - Book. 5: The Great Patriotic War of 1941 - 1945: (military history of Russia in the 20th century). - 2003. - 527 p.11.
11. Isaev, Alexey. Our "atomic bomb" [Text]: Berlin: the most major victory Zhukova?/Alexey Isaev // Motherland. - 2008. - N 5. - 57-62
Berlin operation of Georgy Konstantinovich Zhukov.
12. Kolpakov, A. V. In memory of the marshal-military leader and quartermaster [Text]/ A.V. Kolpakov // Military History Journal. - 2006. - N 6. - P. 64
About Karpov V.V. and Bagramyan I.Kh.
13. Commanders of the Great Patriotic War war [Text]: review of the editorial mail of the "Military Historical Journal" // Military Historical Journal. - 2006. - N 5. - P. 26-30
14. Kormiltsev N.V. The collapse of the Wehrmacht offensive strategy [Text]: on the 60th anniversary of the Battle of Kursk / N.V. Kormiltsev // Military Historical Journal. - 2003. - N 8. - P. 2-5
Vasilevsky, A. M., Zhukov, G. K.
15. Korobushin, V.V. Marshal of the Soviet Union G.K. Zhukov: “General Govorov... has established himself... as a strong-willed, energetic commander” [Text] / V.V. Korobushin // Military Historical Journal. - 2005. - N 4. - P. 18-23
16. Kulakov, A. N. The duty and glory of Marshal G.K. Zhukov [Text] / A.N. Kulakov // Military History Journal. - 2007. - N 9. - P. 78-79.
17. Lebedev I. Order of Victory in the Eisenhower Museum // Echo of the Planet. - 2005. - N 13. - P. 33
On mutual rewarding by higher state awards During the Second World War major military leaders winning countries.
18. Lubchenkov, Yuri Nikolaevich. The most famous generals Russia [Text] / Yuri Nikolaevich Lubchenkov - M.: Veche, 2000. - 638 p.
Yuri Lubchenkov's book "The Most Famous Commanders of Russia" ends with the names of the marshals of the Great Patriotic War Zhukov, Rokossovsky, Konev.
19. Maganov V.N.“This was one of our most capable chiefs of staff” [Text] / V.N. Maganov, V.T. Iminov // Military Historical Journal. - 2002. - N12 .- pp. 2-8
The activities of the chief of staff of the association, his role in the organization of military operations and command and control of the troops of Colonel General Leonid Mikhailovich Sandalov are considered.
20. Makar I. P.“By going over to a general offensive, we will finally finish off the main enemy group” [Text]: to the 60th anniversary of the Battle of Kursk / I. P. Makar // Military Historical Journal. - 2003. - N 7. - pp. 10-15
Vatutin N. F., Vasilevsky A. M., Zhukov G. K.
21. Malashenko E. I. Six fronts of the marshal [Text] / E. I. Malashenko // Military history magazine. - 2003. - N 10. - P. 2-8
About Marshal of the Soviet Union Ivan Stepanovich Konev - a difficult man, but amazing fate, one of the outstanding commanders of the 20th century.
22. Malashenko E. I. Warrior of the Vyatka Land [Text] / E. I. Malashenko // Military history magazine. - 2001. - N8 .- P.77
About Marshal I. S. Konev.
23. Malashenko, E. I. Commanders of the Great Patriotic War [Text] / E. I. Malashenko // Military History Journal. - 2005. - N 1. - P. 13-17
Research about the commanders of the Great Patriotic War, who belonged to important role in the leadership of troops.
24. Malashenko, E. I. Commanders of the Great Patriotic War [Text] / E. I. Malashenko // Military History Journal. - 2005. - N 2. - P. 9-16. - Continuation. Beginning No. 1, 2005.
25. Malashenko, E. I. Commanders of the Great Patriotic War [Text]; E. I. Malashenko // Military History Journal. - 2005. - N 3. - P. 19-26
26. Malashenko, E. I. Commanders of the Great Patriotic War [Text]; E. I. Malashenko // Military History Journal. - 2005. - N 4. - P. 9-17. - Continuation. Start NN 1-3.
27. Malashenko, E. I. Commanders of the Great Patriotic War [Text]: commanders tank troops/ E. I. Malashenko // Military History Journal. - 2005. - N 6. - P. 21-25
28. Malashenko, E. I. Commanders of the Great Patriotic War [Text] / E. I. Malashenko // Military History Journal. - 2005. - N 5. - P. 15-25
29. Maslov, A. F. I. Kh. Bagramyan: “...We must, we definitely must attack” [Text] / A. F. Maslov // Military History Journal. - 2005. - N 12. - P. 3-8
Biography of Marshal of the Soviet Union Ivan Khristoforovich Bagramyan.
30. Artillery Strike Master[Text] / prepared material. R.I. Parfenov // Military History Journal. - 2007. - N 4. - S. 2nd from the region.
To the 110th anniversary of the birth of Marshal of Artillery V.I. Kazakov. short biography
31. Mertsalov A. Stalinism and war [Text] / A. Mertsalov // Motherland. - 2003. - N2 .- P.15-17
Stalin's leadership during the Great Patriotic War. Place of Zhukov G.K. in the leadership system.
32. "We are in vain now We’re fighting” [Text] // Motherland. - 2005. - N 4. - P. 88-97
Recording of a conversation between military leaders and political workers that took place on January 17, 1945 with General A. A. Epishev. The question of the possibility of ending the Great Patriotic War earlier was discussed. (Bagramyan, I. K., Zakharov, M. V., Konev, I. S., Moskalenko, K. S., Rokossovsky, K. K., Chuikov, V. I., Rotmistrov, P. A., Batitsky, P. F., Efimov, P. I., Egorov, N. V., etc.)
33. Nikolaev, I. General [Text] / I. Nikolaev // Star. - 2006. - N 2. - P. 105-147
About General Alexander Vasilyevich Gorbatov, whose life was inextricably linked with the army.
34. Order "Victory"[Text] // Motherland. - 2005. - N 4. - P. 129
On the establishment of the Order of "Victory" and the military leaders awarded to it (Zhukov, G.K., Vasilevsky A.M., Stalin I.V., Rokossovsky K.K., Konev, I.S., Malinovsky R.Ya., Tolbukhin F.I., Govorov L.A., Timoshenko S.K., Antonov A.I., Meretskov, K.A.)
35. Ostrovsky, A. V. Lvov-Sandomierz operation [Text] / A. V. Ostrovsky // Military History Journal. - 2003. - N 7. - P. 63
About the Lviv-Sandomierz operation of 1944 on the 1st Ukrainian Front, Marshal I. S. Konev.
36. Petrenko, V. M. Marshal of the Soviet Union K.K. Rokossovsky: “The front commander and the ordinary soldier at times have the same influence on success...” [Text] / V.M. Petrenko // Military Historical Journal. - 2005. - N 7. - P. 19-23
About one of the most prominent Soviet commanders - Konstantin Konstantinovich Rokossovsky.
37. Petrenko, V. M. Marshal of the Soviet Union K.K. Rokossovsky: “The front commander and the ordinary soldier at times have the same influence on success...” [Text] / V.M. Petrenko // Military Historical Journal. - 2005. - N 5. - P. 10-14
38. Pechenkin A. A. Front commanders of 1943 [Text] / Pechenkin A. A. // Military history magazine. - 2003. - N 10 . - pp. 9 -16
Military leaders of the Great Patriotic War: Bagramyan I. Kh., Vatutin N. F., Govorov L. A., Eremenko A. I., Konev I. S., Malinovsky R. Ya., Meretskov K. A., Rokossovsky K. K., Timoshenko S.K., Tolbukhin F.I.
39. Pechenkin A. A. Commanders of the fronts of 1941 [Text] / A. A. Pechenkin // Military History Journal. - 2001. - N6 .- P.3-13
The article talks about the generals and marshals who commanded the fronts from June 22 to December 31, 1941. These are Marshals of the Soviet Union S. M. Budyonny, K. E. Voroshilov, S. K. Timoshenko, Army Generals I. R. Apanasenko, G. K. Zhukov, K. A. Meretskov, D. G. Pavlov, I. V. Tyulenev, Colonel General A. I. Eremenko, M. P. Kirponos, I. S. Konev, F. I. Kuznetsov, Ya. T. Cherevichenko, Lieutenant General P. A. Artemyev, I. A. Bogdanov, M. G. Efremov, M. P. Kovalev, D. T. Kozlov, F. Ya. Kostenko, P. A. Kurochkin, R. Ya. Malinovsky, M. M. Popov, D. I. Ryabyshev, V. A. Frolov, M. S. Khozin, Major Generals G. F. Zakharov, P. P. Sobennikov and I. I. Fedyuninsky.
40. Pechenkin A. A. Front commanders of 1942 [Text] / A. A. Pechenkin // Military History Journal. - 2002. - N11 .- pp. 66-75
The article is dedicated to the commanders of the fronts of the Red Army in 1942. The author cites full list military leaders of 1942 (Vatutin, Govorov, Golikov Gordov, Rokossovsky, Chibisov).
41. Pechenkin, A. A. They gave their lives for the Motherland [Text] / A. A. Pechenkin // Military History Journal. - 2005. - N 5. - P. 39-43
About losses Soviet generals and admirals during the Great Patriotic War.
42. Pechenkin, A. A. Creators of the Great Victory [Text] / A. A. Pechenkin // Military History Journal. - 2007. - N 1. - P. 76
43. Pechenkin, A. A. Front commanders of 1944 [Text] / A. A. Pechenkin // Military History Journal. - 2005. - N 10. - P. 9-14
About the actions of the military leaders of the Red Army in offensive operations against the German invaders in 1944.
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About the fate of the commander of the Great Patriotic War Vasily Afanasyevich Khomenko.
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47. Rokossovsky, Konstantin Konstantinovich Soldier's duty [Text] / K. K. Rokossovsky. - M.: Voenizdat, 1988. - 366 p.
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49. Rubtsov Yu. V. About the fate of Marshal G.K. Zhukov - in the language of documents [Text] / Yu. V. Rubtsov // Military Historical Journal. - 2002. - N6. - pp. 77-78
50. Rubtsov, Yu. V. Marshals of Stalin [Text] / Yu. V. Rubtsov. - Rostov - n/a: Phoenix, 2002. - 351 p.
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Vasily Ivanovich Chuikov as commander in chief ground forces stayed relatively short. It must be assumed that his irreconcilable character did not suit the court in the highest spheres.
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New information about the generals who died during the Great Patriotic War.
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Konev, Ivan Stepanovich (Marshal of the Soviet Union)
57. Suvorov, Victor. Suicide: Why Hitler attacked the Soviet Union [Text] / V. Suvorov. - M.: AST, 2003. - 379 p.
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Zhukov G. K., Govorov L. A., Meretskov K. A., Dukhanov M. P., Romanovsky V. Z.
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Zhukov Georgy Konstantinovich.
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ABOUT little-known pages life of Marshal of the Soviet Union K.K. Rokossovsky.
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Rokossovsky K. K., Zhukov G. K., Konev I. S.
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The military career of one of the most outstanding commanders of the Great Patriotic War, Marshal K. A. Meretsky.
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About Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Nikolai Gerasimovich Kuznetsov.
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The history of the Battle of the Khalkhin Gol River in 1939, the biography of commander Georgy Zhukov.
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About the fate of Marshal Georgy Konstantinovich Zhukov.
Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin is a man whose activities and personal qualities cause the most polar assessments, often dictated by ideological motives. The unbridled praise of the times of the cult of personality was replaced by periods of indiscriminate denigration during the Thaw and Perestroika eras.
There were also decades when they preferred to mention Stalin less, avoiding judgment. This also applies to his actions as Supreme Commander-in-Chief during the Great Patriotic War. Even in memoirs outstanding military leaders The same events and Stalin’s role in them are sometimes described and assessed in contradictory ways. Therefore, when trying to restore an objective picture of the events of planning and implementation of one or another military operation It is advisable to familiarize yourself with several different sources.
One of the main claims made against Stalin by many historians is the Soviet Union's unpreparedness for war in 1941. In 1937-38, a significant part of the command staff Red Army. The army was beheaded. Some of the future outstanding commanders of the Great Patriotic War (in particular, Marshal Rokossovsky, Army General Gorbatov) only miraculously managed to escape from the meat grinder of repression. The personnel who replaced them were not experienced enough, and with the outbreak of the war (especially at first) they did not always cope with their responsibilities properly. True, some historians believe that there was still a military conspiracy and the events of 1937-38. helped get rid of potentially unreliable elements in the army and achieve its unity.
Inevitability great war admitted by everyone statesmen, including Stalin. Soviet-Finnish War 1939-40 revealed big problems in the training of troops and the quality of equipment. On the eve of the war, the size of the Red Army increased sharply, and since 1939, its large-scale rearmament has been underway. In 1941, more than 40% of budget funds were allocated for these purposes. Since the summer of 1940, Stalin personally imposed a ban on the production of old models military equipment. It was planned to complete the rearmament by mid-1942. However, it was not possible to delay the war until this time. Nevertheless, the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact of 1939 made it possible to significantly delay its start, and the non-aggression pact with Japan significantly reduced the threat of a war on two fronts.
Critics of Stalin believe that in 1941 he blindly trusted Hitler and until the last moment believed that he would not violate the non-aggression pact and did not listen to warnings from abroad. Because of this, the Red Army was taken by surprise and suffered huge losses in the first months of the war. Their opponents believe that Stalin feared that as a result of a military response to any provocation, the Soviet Union might be declared an aggressor and in this case would have to fight the war with Germany alone.
Be that as it may, on June 22, 1941, the country and the army were not ready for the attack of the Nazis. Marshal Eremenko described the situation as follows: “From a political point of view, the war was not sudden for our state, but from a military-strategic point of view such surprise was obvious, and from an operational-tactical point of view it was absolute.” Evidence of what Stalin did in the first days of the war is extremely contradictory: from complete prostration and actual withdrawal from business to hyper concentration and hard work. The fact that it was not Stalin, but the People's Commissar for Foreign Affairs, Molotov, who addressed the Soviet people about the beginning of the war can be explained both by Stalin's confusion and his desire not to rush things and to clarify the situation in more detail.
The day of crisis for Stalin and the entire leadership of the country can be considered June 29, when it became known about the fall of Minsk. Stalin had difficult conversation with Zhukov (who then held the position of Chief of the General Staff), after which he did not receive anyone for some time. Some historians believe that at that moment Stalin was ready to be removed from power. However, already on June 30, the consolidation of the country’s top military and political leadership was restored, and Stalin headed the newly created body emergency management State Council defense A little later, on August 8, it was officially announced Supreme Commander-in-Chief Armed Forces of the USSR.
Stalin's actions during the war can be reconstructed almost minute by minute. All meetings, deliberations and negotiations were scrupulously recorded in a special visit log. According to these records, his working day lasted 12-15 hours.
In addition to military tasks, Stalin faced management problems national economy in emergency conditions. At the same time, as usual, he delved into every detail. American Ambassador Harriman recalled: “He had an incredible ability to notice the smallest details and act on them. He knew perfectly which weapons were most important to him. He knew what caliber of guns he needed, what weight of tanks his roads and bridges could support, he knew exactly what metal he needed for airplanes.”
There is no doubt that the figure of Stalin and his public actions during the war had a huge positive moral impact on the Soviet people, instilling confidence in the final victory. Especially important events became his appeal to the people on July 3, 1941, refusal to evacuate from Moscow in the fall of 1941, when the Nazis were already on the outskirts of the capital, and panic was growing in the city (“Muscovites, I’m with you, I’m in Moscow, I’m not going anywhere.” , - sounded on the radio broadcast), as well as the parade he initiated on Red Square on November 7. Very important and difficult decision was the refusal to negotiate with the Germans to rescue his son Yakov, who was captured.
The talents of Stalin the commander are also assessed by memoirists and historians in quite contradictory ways. Many believe that in 1941-42. He did not always adequately assess the situation on the fronts; he exaggerated the capabilities of our troops. The Supreme Commander-in-Chief, in particular, sometimes did not give permission for some units to retreat for too long, which led to them being surrounded. Stalin is also blamed for the hasty, unprepared capture of Kharkov in 1942, which led to a German counterattack, accompanied by large losses of people and territory. However, as even Stalin’s opponents note, he learned from his mistakes quite quickly.
Marshal Vasilevsky, most war, who headed the General Staff and communicated daily with the Supreme Commander-in-Chief, recalled: “In the first months, Stalin’s lack of operational-strategic preparation was evident. At that time, he consulted little with members of the General Staff and front commanders... At that time, decisions, as a rule, were made by him alone and were often not entirely successful.” However, “the turning point in Stalin’s deep restructuring as Supreme Commander-in-Chief came in September 1942,” and “after the Battle of Stalingrad and especially the Battle of Kursk, he rose to the heights of strategic leadership.” Marshal Zhukov spoke in the same vein: “I can firmly say that Stalin mastered the basic principles of organizing front-line operations and operations of groups of fronts and led them with knowledge of the matter, was well versed in large strategic issues... Undoubtedly, he was a worthy Supreme Commander-in-Chief.” The myth launched by Khrushchev that “Stalin planned the operation on the globe” caused unanimous indignation among the military leaders (“I have never read anything more ridiculous,” wrote Marshal Meretskov).
During the second period of the war, Stalin learned to truly listen to the opinions of the military. At meetings, as a rule, he first gave the opportunity to speak to the junior in rank, then to the senior, and only then expressed own opinion. Interesting characteristic Marshal Bagramyan left his style of work: “Knowing the enormous powers and truly iron authority of Stalin, I was amazed at his manner of leading. He could briefly command: “Give up the corps! – and that’s it.” But Stalin, with great tact and patience, ensured that the executor himself came to the conclusion about the need for this step. If the performer firmly stood his ground and put forward compelling arguments to substantiate his position, Stalin almost always conceded.” In a similar way, for example, Marshal Rokossovsky managed to defend his plan for Operation Bagration for the liberation of Belarus, which raised doubts among the majority of members of the Headquarters Supreme High Command. “The perseverance of the front commander proves that the organization of the offensive was carefully thought out. And this is a reliable guarantee of success,” Stalin concluded.
All memoirists note the iron will and endurance shown by Stalin even in the most difficult moments of the war. This, in particular, manifested itself in the accumulation of significant strategic reserves (even at the moment when the Germans were on the approaches to Moscow), in order to then concentrate and throw them into battle in decisive moment. This was the case during the preparation of the Moscow counter-offensive and at Stalingrad.
Another important field of activity for Stalin during the war was the diplomatic front: negotiations with the allies regarding the opening of the Second Front and the supply of weapons to the USSR, as well as the conditions of the post-war world order. Here he managed to skillfully play on the contradictions between the USA and Great Britain and achieve good mutual understanding with American President Roosevelt.
With all the shortcomings and mistakes made, Stalin became the figure who was able to unite the military and political leadership and the entire Soviet people during the Great Patriotic War, take responsibility for everything key decisions and become one of the symbols of Victory. One can recall the words Churchill said at the height of the war in 1942: “It is a great happiness for Russia that in the hour of its suffering this great, firm commander is at its head. Stalin is a major and strong personality, corresponding to the topics turbulent times, in which he has to live."
GENERAL EDUCATION MATERIAL
These opinions contradict each other in that they define the creators and the price of victory differently.
What problems does this discussion pose in the modern perception of the Great Patriotic War? public opinion Russia? Formulate your version and compare it with the author's.
This discussion in the perception of the Great Patriotic War by modern Russian public opinion raises the problem of determining the creators of victory and the price of victory.
Who is the main creator of victory in the Great Patriotic War, and at what cost did it come to the Soviet people?
REPEATING THE NECESSARY KNOWLEDGE
Remember how the strategic initiative during the Great Patriotic War passed to the Red Army.
The strategic initiative during the Great Patriotic War passed to the Red Army during Battle of Stalingrad, was finally consolidated as a result of the Battle of Kursk.
Based on information about the liberation of the territory of the USSR, draw a conclusion: who was the main creator of the victory, and at what cost did it come about?
The main creator of victory was the people, part of them who were in the Red Army, civilian population, actively participated in guerrilla warfare. Soviet commanders, whose military leadership talent was revealed during the Great Patriotic War, also played a significant role. Names G.K. Zhukova, K.K. Rokossovsky, A.M. Vasilevsky, I.S. Koneva, K.A. Meretskova, F.I. Tolbukhina, R.Ya. Malinovsky, L.A. Govorova, A.I. Eremenko, I.Kh. Bagramyan will forever go down in the history of the country.
The price of victory was very high: in the liberated territories, villages and towns were devastated by the war, the inhabitants partly died, partly were driven to Germany to work. Mass executions and the burning of villages by punitive forces in the occupied territory were commonplace, so that, according to the recollections of veterans, Soviet infantrymen walked tens of kilometers, encountering only chimneys sticking out among the ashes. Belarus alone lost every fourth resident during the war.
What role did the opening of a second front play during the Great Patriotic War?
Opening of a second front during the Great Patriotic War big role did not play a role, since a full-scale second front in Europe, which absorbed significant Wehrmacht forces, opened in June 1944, when the Red Army was already fighting outside the borders of the USSR.
The price of victory was very high: destroyed cities and villages, disabled factories, roads, human casualties from 20 to 27 million people.
What goal did each of the main participants in the anti-Hitler coalition pursue?
After the disappearance of the common enemy, the forced unification of the West and the USSR would lose meaning, and therefore it was necessary to think through procedures that would guarantee peaceful existence and the division of spheres of influence between the West and the USSR. Each of the main participants in the anti-Hitler coalition sought to capture largest sphere influence.
What did each of the participants gain and what did they lose by joining this union?
The territory of Poland, which before the war was largest country Central Europe, sharply decreased and moved to the west and north. Western border The USSR and Poland ran along the so-called “Curzon Line”, established back in 1920, with a deviation from it in some areas of 5 to 8 km in favor of Poland. In fact, the border returned to the position at the time of the division of Poland between Germany and the USSR in 1939, with the exception of the Bialystok region transferred to Poland. A fundamental decision was made to divide Germany into occupation zones and to allocate France its zone (subsequently, after the start of " cold war", Germany split up, respectively, into zones of influence, East and West).
The eternal Balkan issue was also discussed - in particular, the situation in Yugoslavia and Greece. It is believed that Stalin allowed Great Britain to decide the fate of the Greeks. On the other hand, it was actually recognized that power in Yugoslavia would be given to the NOLA ( Communist Party under the leadership of Josip Broz Tito).
The Declaration of a Liberated Europe was also signed in Yalta, which determined the principles of the policy of the victors in the territories conquered from the enemy. It assumed, in particular, the restoration of the sovereign rights of the peoples of the liberated territories, as well as the right of the allies to jointly “help” these peoples “improve conditions” for the exercise of their rights.
In exchange for participation Soviet troops in the war against Japan, Stalin obtained significant concessions from the United States and Great Britain. Firstly, the USSR received the Kuril Islands and South Sakhalin, lost back in Russo-Japanese War. Mongolia's status was recognized independent state. Soviet side Port Arthur and the Chinese Eastern Railway were promised.
The question of creating the UN was raised. It was agreed that the UN's activities in resolving fundamental issues of ensuring peace would be based on the principle of unanimity of the great powers - permanent members of the Security Council with the right of veto.
Draw a conclusion about the creator of victory and its price.
Conclusion: The main creator of the victory was the people, part of them who were in the Red Army, the civilian population who actively participated in the partisan war. Soviet commanders, whose military leadership talent was revealed during the Great Patriotic War, also played a significant role. Names G.K. Zhukova, K.K. Rokossovsky, A.M. Vasilevsky, I.S. Koneva, K.A. Meretskova, F.I. Tolbukhina, R.Ya. Malinovsky, L.A. Govorova, A.I. Eremenko, I.Kh. Bagramyan will forever go down in the history of the country.
What role did the USSR play in the defeat of Japan?
The fate of Japan was predetermined - the USSR, true to its allied obligations, was preparing to go to war with it on Far East. The US leadership, knowing this, decided to use new weapons of enormous destructive force - atomic bomb. One was dropped on August 6 on Hiroshima, the other on August 9 on Nagasaki. A significant part of Hiroshima was destroyed, over 140 thousand people were killed and wounded. In Nagasaki, a third of the city was destroyed, about 75 thousand residents were killed and injured.
By using weapons of mass destruction, the United States, in addition to a purely practical issues, demonstrated their strength. Soviet troops rushed through desert steppes Gobi and Khingan, surrounded and defeated the most powerful ground force aggressor in the Far East - millionth Kwantung Army. After the completion of hostilities in Manchuria and Sakhalin, American occupation forces began landing on the Japanese Islands on August 28. At this time, Soviet troops stormed the islands of the Kuril ridge, which the Japanese had significantly strengthened.
How did the victory over Japan affect the geopolitical situation?
The victory over Japan radically affected the geopolitical situation: the Second World War ended World War, two opposing camps formed - the world was divided, which became the cause of the Cold War.
Draw a conclusion about the creator of victory and its price.
Conclusion: The main creator of the victory was the people, part of them who were in the Red Army, the civilian population who actively participated in the partisan war. Soviet commanders, whose military leadership talent was revealed during the Great Patriotic War, also played a significant role. Names G.K. Zhukova, K.K. Rokossovsky, A.M. Vasilevsky, I.S. Koneva, K.A. Meretskova, F.I. Tolbukhina, R.Ya. Malinovsky, L.A. Govorova, A.I. Eremenko, I.Kh. Bagramyan will forever go down in the history of the country.
The price of victory was very high: destroyed cities and villages, disabled factories, roads, casualties different sources from 20 to 27 million people.
What role did the USSR play in defeating the Axis powers during World War II? At what cost did we get the victory over Germany and its allies?
62 states participated in World War II (80% of the population globe). Military operations took place on the territory of 40 states. IN armed forces 110 million people were mobilized. The total human losses reached 50-55 million people, of which 27 million people were killed at the fronts. Military spending and military losses totaled $4 trillion. Material costs reached 60-70% of the national income of the warring states. The industry of the USSR, USA, Great Britain and Germany alone produced 652.7 thousand aircraft (combat and transport), 286.7 thousand tanks, self-propelled guns and armored vehicles, over 1 million artillery pieces, over 4.8 million machine guns (without Germany), 53 million rifles, carbines and machine guns and a huge amount of other weapons and equipment.
The war was accompanied by colossal destruction, the destruction of tens of thousands of cities and villages, and innumerable disasters for tens of millions of people.
The USSR played a decisive role in the victory over the Axis powers during World War II. The most important battles(Stalingrad and Battle of Kursk), which led to the capture strategic initiative by the Red Army, occurred on the territory of the USSR and served as a turning point not only during the Great Patriotic War, but also during the entire Second World War.
The victory over Germany and its allies came at a great price. Officially, the number of dead Red Army soldiers and civilians who died from wounds, hunger and disease is over 27 million people. The fascist invaders completely or partially destroyed and burned 1,710 cities and more than 70 thousand villages and hamlets, over 6 million buildings and deprived 25 million people of their homes.
PROFILE MATERIAL
Compare the point of view of historians on the issue of the cost of victory in the Great Patriotic War. What is the question?
Question: At what cost did the Soviet people get Victory in the Great Patriotic War?
State the problem and compare it with the authors' version.
At what cost did the Soviet people get Victory in the Great Patriotic War?
The participants in the events themselves - veterans, home front workers, writers, journalists - evaluate the role common people in Victory and the role of Joseph Stalin as follows:
Formulate an answer to the problem: at what cost did the Soviet people get Victory in the Great Patriotic War?
Participants in the events value the role of the common people in the Victory higher than the role of I. Stalin
Formulate an answer to the problem: at what cost did the Soviet people win in the Great Patriotic War?
Victory in the Great Patriotic War came at the cost of enormous losses to the Soviet people: officially the number of Red Army soldiers and civilians who died from wounds, hunger and disease is over 27 million people. The fascist invaders completely or partially destroyed and burned 1,710 cities and more than 70 thousand villages and hamlets, over 6 million buildings and deprived 25 million people of their homes.
The decisive contribution of the USSR to the defeat of the aggressor and the sources of victory of the Soviet people.
The Soviet people made a decisive contribution to the defeat of fascism. Having lived under the despotic Stalinist regime, the people made a choice in defense of the independence of the Motherland and the ideals of the revolution. This is evidenced by the words of the leaders of the countries participating in the anti-Hitler coalition.
...Russian armies destroy more enemy soldiers and weapons than all the other 25 states of the United Nations combined.
F. Roosevelt, May 1942
… All our military operations are carried out on a very small scale compared to the enormous resources of England and the United States, and even more so compared to the gigantic efforts of Russia.
W. Churchill, January 1943
The problem of a decisive contribution to the Victory is one of the most controversial in historical science. The latest Western publications directly or allegorically downplay the contribution of the USSR to the defeat of the fascist-militarist bloc and propagate the untenable legend about the “decisive” role of the United States of America. This legend is not new; it was born in the fog of the Cold War, in the offices of Pentagon generals and hired writers of the military-industrial complex, far from the battlefields. At the end of the 60s. this legend was officially tested in the works of officers of the military historical service of the US Army and was included integral part in textbooks on military history for officers and students of military and civilian educational institutions.
The USA, writes American historian John Strawson, was the “arsenal of victory” in the fight against fascist invaders. He tries to convince the reader that the leading force of the anti-fascist front from the beginning of the Second World War until December 1941 was England, and then this role irrevocably passed to the United States. As a result, the reader who gets acquainted with the books of such researchers, with the general picture of the Second World War, develops distorted ideas about the place and role of the Soviet-German front.
Historical truth testifies that from the very beginning of the Great Patriotic War of the Soviet Union and right up to the signing by the fascist German command of the act of unconditional surrender the main forces of the aggressors fought on Soviet-German front. During the six months of the war (from June 1941 to November 1942), the main forces Hitler's Wehrmacht and his allies operated in the East. From the end of 1942 to June 1944, the picture changed little. And after the Allies opened the second Front in Western Europe, on the Soviet-German front operated in different periods from 195 to 235 enemy divisions, and on Western Front- from 106 to 135 divisions.
The Soviet people from the very beginning of the war until May 9, 1945. fought with full effort in the name of common victory. The personnel of the country's active fronts and fleets constantly increased: from 2.9 million people in June 1941 to 4.2 million people by December 1941 and to 6.5 million people by June 1944.
The USSR made a decisive contribution to ridding the world of the threat of fascist enslavement. In terms of its scale, the Soviet-German front was the main one throughout the Second World War. It was here that the Wehrmacht lost more than 73% of its personnel, up to 75% of its tanks and artillery pieces, and more than 75% of its aviation. Soviet troops destroyed, captured or defeated 606 divisions fascist bloc in Europe, and American-British troops - about 176 divisions (in Western Europe, Italy and North Africa). From total losses 13.6 million people turn fascist Germany on the Soviet-German front amounted to 10 million people. The numbers show that Soviet army defeated the main forces of the fascist coalition.
The USA lost about 300 thousand people in the last war, England - 370 thousand people, the USSR - 27 million of its best sons.
In direct connection with the legend “about the main creator of victory” is the so-called “classification of battles” of the Second World War, which exists in the West. If the very method of dividing battles into large and small, main and secondary cannot raise objections, then the approach of Western researchers to assessing the significance of individual battles of the war does not stand up to criticism. For example, G. Mol in his monograph “Great Battles of the Second World War” identifies 13 battles and ranks them in order of importance in chronological sequence in the following order: Dunkirk, Battle of Britain, Cyrenaica, Egypt, Moscow, Midway, Guadalcanal, El Alamein, Stalingrad, Anzio, Burma, Normandy, Rangoon. The reader from this list sees that only two battles took place on the Soviet-German front (near Moscow and Stalingrad), and eleven on other fronts decisive battles. But even when calling these two great battles of the Second World War - Moscow and Stalingrad, Western authors do not focus on the essence and meaning decisive victories of the Soviet people, but, as a rule, on minor details, falsifying events.
Thus, in the aforementioned book by Mohl these battles are called “the bloodiest,” and in A. Seaton’s book “The Battle of Moscow” the significance of our victory is narrowed to the level of only “the turning point of the war in the East.” W. Craig in his book “Enemy at the Gates” also defines the meaning of the victory at Stalingrad only as “ turning point war on the Eastern Front."
Everyone, however, knows that the victories of the Soviet troops changed the course of the entire Second World War and confronted the fascist aggressor with an inevitable catastrophe. “For Germany,” writes Hitler’s General Doerr, “the battle of Stalingrad was the most severe defeat in its history, for Russia - its greatest victory" “Stalingrad was the first and, until then, the only major battle“, won by Russia and accompanied by the destruction of significant enemy forces,” wrote Doerr. “None of its allies in the last war can boast of such a victory.”
During the war years, our allies from the anti-Hitler coalition recognized this. Assessing the significance of the battle of Moscow, General D. MacArthur wrote in February 1942: “The hopes of civilization lie on the worthy banners of the valiant Russian army.” “It was the Russian army that knocked the spirit out of German army“, - said W. Churchill in August 1944, adding that “there was no other force in the world that could do this.”