The decisive contribution of the USSR to the defeat of the aggressor. Great German commanders of the Great Patriotic War

Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin is a man whose activities and personal qualities evoke 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 the memoirs of 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 in the planning and implementation of a particular military operation, it is advisable to familiarize yourself with several different sources.

One of the main complaints put forward against Stalin by many historians is the lack of readiness Soviet Union to the war in 1941. In 1937-38, a significant part of the command staff of the Red Army was repressed. 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 of 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 a 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 emergency management body, the State Defense Council. A little later, on August 8, he was officially declared the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the USSR Armed Forces.

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 note 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. Particularly important events were his appeal to the people on July 3, 1941, his refusal to evacuate 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 going nowhere I won’t leave,” was heard on the radio broadcast), as well as the parade he initiated on Red Square on November 7. A 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, who headed the General Staff for most of the war and communicated daily with the Supreme Commander-in-Chief, recalled: “In the first months, Stalin’s insufficient 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 his 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 of the 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 a time when the Germans were on the approaches to Moscow), in order to then concentrate and throw them into battle at the 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 understanding with the 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 all 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 large and strong personality, corresponding to the turbulent times in which he had to live.”

1. Vasilevsky Alexander Mikhailovich () 2. Konev Ivan Stepanovich () 3. Eremenko Andrey Ivanovich () 4. Rokossovsky Konstantin Konstantinovich () 5. Malinovsky Rodion Yakovlevich () 6. Bagramyan Ivan Khristoforovich () 7. Govorov Leonid Alexandrovich () 8 Meretskov Kirill Afanasyevich () 9. Tolbukhin Fedr Ivanovich () 10. Chernyakhovsky Ivan Danilovich () 11. Vatutin Nikolay Fedorovich () 12. Zhukov Georgy Konstantinovich () We remember them... and love...

Commanders of the Great Patriotic War. A commander is a military figure or military leader who directly leads the armed forces of a state or strategic, operational-strategic formations (fronts) during a war and has achieved high results in the art of preparing and conducting military operations. A fact of recognition of the high leadership qualities of military leaders is their special awards from the Motherland. For outstanding successes in organizing and carrying out armed struggle on the fronts of the Great Patriotic War, the highest military order "Victory" was awarded to G.K. Zhukov (twice), A.M. Vasilevsky (twice), K.K. Rokossovsky. I. S. Konev, L. A. Govorov, R. Ya. Malinovsky, K. A. Meretskov, S. K. Timoshenko, F. I. Tolbukhin. The harsh school of war selected and assigned 11 of the most outstanding commanders to the positions of front commanders by the end of the war. Of those who began to command the front in 1945, G.K. Zhukov, I.S. Konev, K.A. Meretskov, A.I. Eremenko and R.Ya. Malinovsky ended the war in the same positions.

Vasilevsky Alexander Mikhailovich () Vasilevsky Alexander Mikhailovich () Vasilevsky Alexander Mikhailovich was born on September 18 (30), 1895 in the village of Novaya Golchikha not far from Kineshma on the Volga in a large family of an Orthodox priest. Alexander Vasilevsky began his education at the theological school in Kineshma, which he graduated in 1909. Then he continued his education at the theological seminary in Kostroma. Already a well-known Soviet military leader, Alexander Mikhailovich was forced to renounce his parents as “class alien elements” and for many years did not even correspond with his father. Perhaps Alexander would have become a priest, although he dreamed of becoming an agronomist, but the First World War began World War. "In your youth, it is very difficult to decide which path to take. And in this sense, I always sympathize with those who choose the path. In the end, I became a military man. And I am grateful to fate that it turned out that way, and I think I ended up in life in its place. But the passion for the land has not disappeared. I think every person, one way or another, experiences this feeling. I really love the smell of thawed earth, green leaves and the first grass...”, recalled Marshal Vasilevsky A.M.

Konev Ivan Stepanovich () Konev Ivan Stepanovich () KONEV Ivan Stepanovich - Soviet military leader. Born into a poor peasant family. He graduated from a three-year school, a zemstvo school, and worked in timber rafting, helping his father’s farm. In 1916 he was called up for military service. In his “Autobiography,” Konev reported: “I took an active part in the struggle against the Trotskyist-Bukharin enemies of the people, agents of German-Japanese fascism... against the Trotskyists and in clearing the divisions that I commanded from hostile elements.”

In 1940–1941 commanded the troops of the Transbaikal and North Caucasus military districts. He commanded the 19th Army and was commander of many fronts: Western (from September to October 10, 1941, from August 1942 to February 1943), Kalinin (from October 17, 1941), Northwestern (from March 1943), Stepnoy (from July 1943), 2nd Ukrainian (from October 1943) and 1st Ukrainian (from May 1944 to May 1945). In Commander-in-Chief of the Ground Forces, 1st Deputy. Minister of Defense, since 1950, Chief Inspector of the Soviet Army, Deputy. Minister of Defense Combat operations: Troops under the command of I. S. Konev took part in the battle of Moscow, Battle of Kursk, in the liberation of Right Bank Ukraine, in the East Carpathian, Vistula-Oder, Berlin and Prague operations. Awards: For exemplary leadership of troops, twice Hero of the Soviet Union (July 29, 1944 and June 1, 1945) Marshal of the Soviet Union (February 20, 1944). I. S. Konev was awarded the highest military order of the USSR "Victory", awarded 6 Orders of Lenin, the Order of the October Revolution, 3 Orders of the Red Banner, 2 Orders of Suvorov 1st degree, 2 Orders of Kutuzov 1st degree, Order of the Red Star, 13 foreign orders, medals, title Hero of the Mongolian People's Republic (1971)

Eremenko Andrey Ivanovich () Eremenko Andrey Ivanovich () Eremenko Andrey Ivanovich was born on October 14, 1892 in Ukraine, in the village of Markovka, Lugansk region, into a poor peasant family. Andrei managed to complete only four classes of the zemstvo school; he lost his father early. Being the eldest child in the family, Andrei Eremenko had to take care of the household onto his children's shoulders, help his mother, and was a shepherd and groom. Andrey really wanted to study, but there weren’t even books. In 1913, Andrei Ivanovich Eremenko was drafted into the army. He served in the 168th Mirgorod Regiment. Andrei Ivanovich loved to remember the prophetic joke of a non-commissioned officer, originally from somewhere near Poltava, who gave recruit Eremenko a soldier’s backpack: “Come on, lad, look at the bottom, maybe you’ll find a marshal’s baton there.” The boy did not understand the joke and anxiously began to feel the inside of the backpack, which caused an explosion of laughter from everyone present.

On June 22, 1941, Eremenko was appointed to the post of commander of the Western Front. At the beginning of August 1941, he was appointed commander of the newly created Bryansk Front. At the end of December 1941, he was appointed commander of the 4th Shock Army. In February 1943, he was appointed commander of the Southeastern Front, later renamed the Stalingrad Front. In 1943 he was appointed commander of the Primorsky Army in Crimea. On April 18, 1944, he was appointed commander of the 2nd Baltic Front. In March 1945, he was appointed commander of the 4th Ukrainian Front. Combat operations: In October 1941, troops of the Bryansk Front under the command of Eremenko were surrounded east of Bryansk. In 1942, he carried out the Toropetsk and Velezh army operations. November 1942 Operation Uranus - encirclement of the Paulus group, successful offensive in the Nevel area, Smolensk operation. February 1944 – Crimean operation. Participated in blocking the Kurland group of the enemy. Operations of the 2nd Baltic Front in 1944. Autumn 1944 – liberation of Riga. In 1945 he participated in the liberation of Czechoslovakia. Paulus Awards: In 1955 he was awarded the title of Marshal of the Soviet Union. Awarded five Orders of Lenin, four Orders of the Red Banner, three Orders of Suvorov 1st degree, Order of Kutuzov 1st degree. For successes in the operations of the 2nd Baltic Front during the liberation of the Baltic states, Eremenko was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union and military rank army General. In 1945, he was awarded the title of Hero of the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic for his participation in the liberation of Czechoslovakia.

Rokossovsky Konstantin Konstantinovich () Rokossovsky Konstantin Konstantinovich, future marshal, comrade-in-arms of Zhukov, was born in the city of Velikiye Luki on December 8, 1896. His father, Xavier Yuzef Rokossovsky, a Pole by nationality, served as a railway driver and had a large family - nine children. Soon the father was transferred to the Warsaw-Vienna Railway, and the family moved to the outskirts of Warsaw - Prague. From the age of 14, Kostya was forced to begin an independent working life, first at a hosiery factory, and then as an assistant stonecutter in a monument-making workshop. The decision to join the Russian army came to him (as well as to some of his other compatriots living in the Russian part of Poland) because of the likelihood of an invasion by the Germans, who had posed a danger to the Polish nation for centuries. Remembering his service, Marshal of Victory writes about Rokossovsky: “I can hardly name a more thorough, efficient, hardworking and, by and large, gifted person.” Military historians note that characteristic features Rokossovsky had the ability to quickly navigate in a difficult environment, the highest organizational qualities, strong will and unyielding determination to complete the task. These traits of his appeared already in the first month of the war.

In 1940, he was appointed commander of the 5th Cavalry Corps in Pskov, then commander of the 9th Mechanized Corps. In July 1941 he was sent to the Western Front. From August 1941 he commanded the 16th Army. In July 1942 he was appointed commander of the Bryansk Front, and from September - commander of the Don Front. From February 1943 - Central, from October - Belorussian, from February 1944 - 1st Belorussian, from November 1944 to June 1945 - 2nd Belorussian Fronts. Combat operations: In 1940, he took part in leading troops during the campaign and liberation of Bessarabia. He successfully operated in the Lutsk and Novgorod-Volynsk areas. In 1941, he took part in the defeat of the German Army Group "Center" in the Oryol direction during Battle of Kursk. In the fall of 1943, he carried out the Chernigov-Pripyat front-line operation. In 1944, Rokossovsky, together with other fronts, carried out the strategic operation “Bagration” to liberate Belarus. Develops and conducts the Lublin-Brest operation. Awards: In 1940 he was awarded the Order of the Red Banner. Marshal of the Soviet Union, Marshal of Poland twice Hero of the Soviet Union, 7 Orders of Lenin, Order of Victory, 6 Orders of the Red Banner, Orders of Suvorov and Kutuzov 1st degree, medals and foreign orders. Commanded the Victory Parade on June 24, 1945 in Moscow.

Malinovsky Rodion Yakovlevich () Malinovsky Rodion Yakovlevich () Malinovsky Rodion Yakovlevich was born on November 22, 1898 in the city of Odessa in poor family. Illegitimate son of a peasant woman, father unknown. Rodion was raised by his mother; after graduating from the parochial school in 1911, he left home and wandered and wandered for several years. Before World War I, Rodion worked as an assistant in a haberdashery store, as a clerk's apprentice, as a laborer, and as a farm laborer. In 1914, military trains departed from the Odessa-Tovarnaya station for the war. He climbed into the carriage, hid, and the soldiers discovered the future marshal only on the way to the front. So Rodion Malinovsky became a private in the machine gun team of the 256th Elizavetrad Infantry Regiment of the 64th Infantry Division - a carrier of cartridges in a machine gun company. Marshal S. K. Timoshenko wrote in 1944 to the Supreme Commander-in-Chief, Marshal of the Soviet Union, Comrade Stalin: “Today is the day of the defeat of the German-Romanian troops in Bessarabia and on the territory of Romania, west of the Prut River... The main German Chisinau group is surrounded and destroyed Observing the skillful leadership of the troops, ... I consider it my duty to ask for your petition to the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR to confer the military rank of "Marshal of the Soviet Union" on Army General Malinovsky.

In March 1941, he was appointed commander of the 48th Rifle Corps - he met the war on the border along the Prut River. In August 1941 he became commander of the 6th Army. In December 1941, he assumed the post of commander of the Southern Front. From August to October 1942, Malinovsky commanded the 66th Army, which fought north of Stalingrad. In the same year, in October - November, he was deputy commander of the Voronezh Front. In February, Malinovsky was appointed commander of the Southern Front, and from March of the same year - commander of the Southwestern Front (from October 20, 1943 - 3rd Ukrainian Front). In May 1944, Malinovsky was appointed commander of the 2nd Ukrainian Front. Since July 1945, R. Ya. Malinovsky has been the commander of the Trans-Baikal Front. Combat operations: Troops under his command participated in the liberation of Rostov and Donbass (1943), Left Bank and Right Bank Ukraine. One of the most major operations, prepared and carried out by R. Ya. Malinovsky during the Great Patriotic War, became Zaporozhye. In the spring of 1944, Malinovsky's front successfully carried out an offensive in the Northern Black Sea region, the Bereznegovato - Snigirevskaya and Odessa operations (Odessa was liberated). In the same year, the Iasi-Kishinev operation. In October 1944 - February 1945 Budapest operation. Awards: For Jassko - Kishinev operation In 1944 he received the title of Marshal of the Soviet Union. For victory in the Soviet - Japanese war In 1945, Marshal Malinovsky was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union (September 8, 1945) and awarded the highest Soviet military order "Victory". Twice Hero of the Soviet Union. Has awards: 5 Orders of Lenin, 3 Orders of the Red Banner, 2 Orders of Suvorov 1st degree, Order of Kutuzov 1st degree, USSR medals, foreign awards.

Ivan Khristoforovich Bagramyan () Ivan Khristoforovich Bagramyan () Ivan Khristoforovich Bagramyan was born on November 20 (December 2), 1897 in the mountain village of Chardakhly, near Elizavetpol, into a poor family of an employee of the Transcaucasian Railway. Elementary education received at the Armenian parish school, then studied at the railway school in Tiflis, at the technical school, after which, in 1915, he received a specialty - technician. He began his service in a reserve infantry battalion. Ivan Khristoforovich Bagramyan was called the “Komsomol marshal” because he led the military-patriotic game “Zarnitsa” for a long time. Bagramyan I. Kh. is the author of the books: “This is how the war began”, “On the way to the Great Victory” and others.

June - December 1941 - deputy chief of staff and head of the operational department of the headquarters of the Southwestern Front, head of the operational group of the Southwestern direction (until March 1942). Until June 1942 - Chief of Staff of the Southwestern Front. From June 1942 to November 1943 - commander of the 16th Army (transformed into the 11th Guards) of the Western Front. From November 1943 he commanded the 1st Baltic Front, from February 1945 - the Zemland Group of Forces, from April 1945 - the 3rd Belorussian Front. Combat operations: Participated in organizing a tank battle in the area of ​​Dubno, Rivne, Lutsk. In 1941, with the front headquarters, he left the encirclement. In 1941, he developed a plan for the liberation of Rostov-on-Don. In 1942 - the unsuccessful Kharkov operation. Commanded the 11th Army in the winter offensive. in the Western direction. In July 1943, he prepared and carried out an offensive operation as part of the troops of the Bryansk Front in the Oryol direction. The 1st Baltic Front under the command of Bagramyan carried out: in December 1943 - Gorodok; in the summer of 1944 - Vitebsk-Orsha, Polotsk and Siauliai; in September - October 1944 (together with the 2nd and 3rd Baltic fronts) - Riga and Memel; in 1945 (as part of the 3rd Belorussian Front) - operations to capture Konigsberg, the Zemland Peninsula. Awards: Awarded: 2 Gold Stars of the Hero of the Soviet Union, 7 Orders of Lenin, Order of the October Revolution, 3 Orders of the Red Banner, 2 Orders of Suvorov 1st degree, Order of Kutuzov 1st degree, Order “For Service to the Motherland in the Armed Forces of the USSR” 3 - 1st degree, 16 medals; An honorary nominal saber with the golden Coat of Arms of the USSR, 17 foreign awards (including 7 orders).

Govorov Leonid Alexandrovich () Govorov Leonid Alexandrovich was born on February 22, 1897 in the village of Butyrki, Vyatka province. His father, like many other poor people, left his native land for a long time in search of income. He had to labor and sail as a sailor on the ships of the company of merchants Stakheevs, and in his mature years, having mastered literacy, he worked as a clerk at a real school in the city of Elabuga (now the regional center of the Republic of Tatarstan). In the family, Leonid was the eldest of four sons. The father tried to educate his children. After graduating from primary rural school, Leonid Govorov entered the Elabuga Real School. But tuition had to be paid, and the 14-year-old teenager became a tutor for those who did not study well. In 1916, Leonid brilliantly graduated from a real school and entered the shipbuilding department of the Petrograd Polytechnic Institute. He did not have to study at the institute for long; already in December 1916, Govorov was mobilized into the army and sent to the Konstantinovsky Artillery School. Zhukov G.K. in the certification for the commander of the 5th Army Govorov L.A. wrote: “Conducted the Mozhaisk and Zvenigorod operations successfully. Leads well offensive operations to defeat the enemy's Mozhaisk-Gzhatsk group."

In July 1941 - chief of artillery of the Western direction, then of the Reserve Front, deputy. commander of the Mozhaisk defense line. In October 1941 - chief of artillery on the Western Front. Near Moscow he commanded the 5th Army. In April 1942, commander of a group of troops of the Leningrad Front. Since July 1942 - commander of the Leningrad Front. Since October 1944, he simultaneously coordinated the actions of the Leningrad, 2nd and 3rd Baltic fronts. Since February 1945 - commander of the 2nd Baltic and Leningrad fronts. After the abolition of the 2nd Baltic Front, he commanded the general front - Leningrad. Combat operations: In 1941, he successfully carried out the Mozhaisk and Zvenigorod defensive operations, and the operations to liberate Borodino. 670 of the 900 days of the siege led the defense of Leningrad. In January 1943 he led the operations to break the blockade of Leningrad (together with the troops of the Volkhov Front), and in 1944 to lift the blockade. In 1944, he carried out the Krasnoselsko-Ropshinsk, Mginsk, Novgorod-Luga, Vyborg, Tallinn, Moonsund offensive operations. He led the encirclement of the Kurland group of Germans and on May 8, 1945 accepted its surrender. Awards: Awarded 5 Orders of Lenin, 3 Orders of the Red Banner, 2 Orders of Suvorov 1st degree, Orders of Kutuzov 1st degree, Red Star, medals and foreign orders. In 1945 he was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union and awarded the Order of Victory. In 1944 he was awarded the title of Marshal of the Soviet Union.

Meretskov Kirill Afanasyevich () Meretskov Kirill Afanasyevich () Meretskov Kirill Afanasyevich was born on June 7, 1897 in the village of Nazaryevo, Moscow province, into the family of a poor peasant. He graduated from the 4th grade of the zemstvo elementary school. From the age of nine he helped his father in all agricultural work. From the age of fifteen, Kirill worked as a mechanic in workshops, factories and factories in Moscow. At the same time, he continued to study in evening and Sunday classes for workers. Books and theater helped Kirill broaden his horizons. In Moscow, he embarked on the path of revolutionary struggle, participated in strikes, and began to carry out orders from the Bolsheviks - underground workers. In 1916, during the First World War, he was drafted into the army and took part in combat operations on various fronts. On May 1, 1917, Kirill Meretskov joined the Bolshevik Party and became one of the organizers of the Sudogodsky district committee of the RSDLP, in May he was elected secretary of the committee, and in July he became chief of staff of the district Red Guard. Then he was appointed district military commissar and took an active part in the creation of the first detachments of the Red Army, participated in the suppression of kulak uprisings, and the liquidation of the White Guard rebellion in Murom. In the attestation characteristics for Meretskov K. A. it is written: “Enjoys authority among commanding officers and Red Army soldiers. Disciplined and diligent. Has combat experience civil war, skillfully applies it in practical work."

Since January 1941 - Deputy People's Commissar of Defense of the USSR. In August - September 1941 - representative of the Headquarters on the Northwestern and Karelian fronts. From September 1941 he commanded the 7th Division. army, from November 1941 - 4th army. In May–June 1942 he commanded the 33rd Army. From December 1941 to February 1944 he commanded the troops of the Volkhov Front, in February - November 1944 - the Karelian Front, from April 1945 - the Primorsky Group of Forces. In August 1945 - commander of the troops of the 1st Far Eastern Front, which participated in the defeat of Japanese troops in Manchuria and North Korea. Combat operations: In 1941 - defeat of the Germans near Tikhvin. In 1942, in cooperation with the Leningrad Front, they carried out the Lyuban and Sinyavinsk operations, in January 1943 - a breakthrough of the blockade of Leningrad, in 1944 - the Novgorod-Luga operation. In June - August 1944 he commanded the Svirsko-Petrozavodsk operation - the liberation of Yuzh. Karelia, in October 1944 - Petsamo - Kirkenes - the Arctic and northern regions were liberated. part of Norway. In August - September 1945 - offensive operation in the East. Manchuria and North. Korea. Awards: 7 Orders of Lenin, 4 Orders of the Red Banner, 2 Orders of Suvorov 1st degree, Order of Kutuzov 1st degree, Order of the October Revolution, Order of Victory, foreign orders, medals, honorary weapons. Hero of the Soviet Union (March 21, 1940). In 1944 he was awarded the title of Marshal of the Soviet Union.

Tolbukhin Fedr Ivanovich () Tolbukhin Fedr Ivanovich () Tolbukhin Fyodor Ivanovich was born on June 16, 1894 in the village of Androniki, Danilovsky district, Yaroslavl province, into a large peasant family. He graduated from the parochial school, then studied at the zemstvo school in the neighboring village of Davydkovo (now Tolbukhino), from which he graduated in 1907. After the death of his father, Fyodor moved to St. Petersburg to live with his older brother, where he entered a trade school, which he graduated in 1910. Fedor really wanted to study and continued his education at the St. Petersburg Commercial School, but he had to work at the same time. He went to work as an accountant at the Mariinsky partnership "Kolchakova and Co." In 1912, Fyodor Tolbukhin passed the exams for the course at the Commercial School as an external student. However, commerce was of little interest to the future marshal. The outbreak of the First World War dramatically changed his life. In 1938, in his certification it was written: “He loves and knows staff work. He has sufficient skills in the organization and methodology of operational-tactical training. He persistently implements decisions. In his future work, Comrade Tolbukhin needs to pay attention to strengthening control in work and showing more initiative."

August - December 1941 - Chief of Staff of the Transcaucasian Front, December 1941 - January 1942 - Caucasian Front, January - March 1942 - Crimean Front. May - July 1942 - Deputy Commander of the Stalingrad Military District. July 1942 - February 1943 - commander of the 57th Army on the Stalingrad Front, February 1943 - March 1943 - commander of the 68th Army on the Northwestern Front. From March 1943 - commander of the Southern (from October 1943, 4th Ukrainian), from May 1944 to June 1945 - 3rd Ukrainian Fronts. Combat operations: Prepared a plan for the Kerch-Feodosia landing operation. Tolbukhin's troops participated: July - August 1943 in the Mius operation, August - September 1943 in and, September - November 1943 in the Melitopol operation, April - May 1944 in Crimean operation, August 1944 in the Iasi-Kishinev operation, September 1944 in the Romanian operation, October 1944 in the Belgrade operation, October 1944 - February 1945 in the Budapest operation, March 1945 in the Balaton operation, March - April 1945 in the Vienna operation. Awards: Awarded 2 Orders of Lenin, Order of Victory, 3 Orders of the Red Banner, 2 Orders of Suvorov 1st degree, Order of Kutuzov 1st degree, Order of the Red Star and medals, as well as foreign orders and medals. Since September 1944 - Marshal of the Soviet Union. The title Hero of the Soviet Union was awarded posthumously in 1965.

Chernyakhovsky Ivan Danilovich () Chernyakhovsky Ivan Danilovich () Chernyakhovsky Ivan Danilovich was born on June 29, 1906 in the village of Oksanino, Uman district, Kiev province (now Cherkasy region of Ukraine) in the family of a railway worker. Ivan was the fourth child, and in total there were six children in the family. My father served as a railway switchman at the Uman station. Ivan Chernyakhovsky lost his parents early; they died in 1918 from typhus that was rampant in Ukraine. Ivan was forced to independently earn a piece of bread for himself and his younger brother and sister: he worked as a farm laborer, tended his master’s livestock, then worked as a laborer and apprentice. But, despite all the difficulties, he managed to graduate from elementary school and railway school. Since childhood, Ivan Chernyakhovsky loved music, learned to play various musical instruments, and was very fond of the guitar and mandolin. In 1920, Ivan became a worker at the Vapnyarka railway station, then worked as a cargo conductor on the Vapnyarka-Odessa section of the railway. In Have you been to Ukraine severe hunger, who pushed Chernyakhovsky to move to Novorossiysk, where he got a job as a worker at the 1st state cement plant "Proletary". Here Ivan first mastered the profession of an easel cooper, and then a driver. In 1922, Ivan Chernyakhovsky joined the Communist Youth League and soon became an activist in the Komsomol cell. Working tirelessly, he stubbornly strived for knowledge, from an early age he dreamed of becoming a career commander and persistently pursued his goal. We must also take into account the fact that military service at that time was not only prestigious, but also highly paid.

Since March 1941, commander of the 28th Tank Division (in December 1941, reorganized into the 241st Rifle Division) of the Baltic Special Military District. June - July 1942 - commander of the 18th Tank Corps on the Voronezh Front. July 1942 – April 1944 – commander of the 60th Army on the Voronezh, Central and 1st Ukrainian fronts. From April 15, 1944 - commander of the troops of the Western, and from April 24, 1944 - commander of the 3rd Belorussian Front. Combat operations: In 1941, defensive battles southwest of Siauliai, on the Western Dvina, near Soltsy and Novgorod. Beginning of 1942 - successful battles on the outskirts of Voronezh. In 1943 - participation in the Voronezh - Kharkov operation, the Battle of Kursk, crossing the Desna and Dnieper rivers, in the Kyiv, Zhitomir - Berdichev operations. In 1944 - participation in the Rivne - Lutsk, Chernigov - Pripyat, Belarusian, Vilnius, Kaunas, Baltic, Memel, Gumbinnen operations in the city - East - Prussian operation. Awards: Awarded the Order of Lenin, 4 Orders of the Red Banner, 2 Orders of Suvorov 1st degree, Orders of Kutuzov 1st degree, Bogdan Khmelnitsky 1st degree and medals. Twice Hero of the Soviet Union. Died on February 18, 1945, after being mortally wounded.

Vatutin Nikolai Fedorovich () Vatutin Nikolai Fedorovich () Vatutin Nikolai Fedorovich was born on December 16, 1901 in the village of Chepukhino (now the village of Vatutino, Valuysky district, Belgorod region), Voronezh province, into a large peasant family. In addition to Nikolai, there were 8 more children in the family. From childhood, the future general strove for knowledge and persistently mastered it. Nikolai graduated from a rural school as the first student, then with honors from a two-year zemstvo school in the city of Valuiki. He successfully passed the entrance exams and entered a commercial school in the city of Urazovo, studied diligently, receiving a small stipend from the zemstvo. Nikolai Vatutin was able to study at a commercial school for only four years, then the scholarship was no longer paid, and he was forced to return to his native village. Returning home, Nikolai got a job at the volost government. After the establishment of Soviet power in the village, Nikolai, a teenager of 16 years old, as one of the most literate, helped the peasants in the division of landowners' property. Nikolai Vatutin was not yet nineteen years old when he joined the Red Army.

In 1940 - Deputy Chief of the General Staff. On June 30, 1941, he was appointed chief of staff of the Northwestern Front. In May - July 1942 - deputy. Chief of the General Staff, representative of the Headquarters on the Bryansk Front. Since July 1942 - Commander of the Voronezh Front. Since October 1942 - commander of the troops of the Southwestern Front. In March 1943, he was again appointed commander of the Voronezh Front. In October 1943, he was appointed commander of the 1st Ukrainian Front (formerly Voronezh). Combat operations: In June 1941, he prepared a counterattack near Soltsy in the Novgorod direction. In October 1941 - a counterattack in the area of ​​Kalinin. In the summer of 1942, troops of the Voronezh Front stopped the German offensive near Voronezh. In November 1942, troops of the Southwestern Front, together with the Stalingrad Front, surrounded German divisions in the Kalach and Sovetsky areas. In December 1942, in cooperation with the left wing of the Voronezh Front, troops of the Southwestern Front carried out a successful Middle Don operation. In the summer of 1943 - defensive battles in the Battle of Kursk, heavy losses. In August 1943, during the Belgorod-Kharkov operation, a successful breakthrough of the deeply echeloned German defense. In the fall of 1943, troops of the 1st Ukrainian Front, under the command of Vatutin, took part in the battle for the Dnieper, the liberation of Kyiv, and Right Bank Ukraine. In January - February 1944, together with the troops of the 2nd Ukrainian Front, they surrounded and eliminated a large group of Germans in the Korsun-Shevchenkovsky area. Awards: Awarded the Order of Lenin, the Order of the Red Banner, Suvorov 1st degree, Kutuzov 1st degree, Czechoslovakian Order. On May 6, 1965 he was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union (posthumously). He died on April 15, 1944, after being seriously wounded.

Zhukov Georgy Konstantinovich () Zhukov Georgy Konstantinovich () The future famous Marshal Georgy Konstantinovich Zhukov was born on November 19 (December 1), 1896 in the village of Strelkovka, Kaluga province. His father was a village shoemaker. The Zhukov family lived very poorly. “What a joy it was,” G. Zhukov later recalled, “when they brought us bagels or gingerbread from Maloyaroslavets! If we managed to save a little money for Christmas or Easter for pies with filling, then our delight knew no bounds.” He graduated from a parochial school with a certificate of merit, then worked as an apprentice in a furrier’s workshop in Moscow, at the same time studied independently, enrolled in evening educational courses and passed exams for full course city ​​school. Only after four years of apprenticeship was he allowed to go home to the village for ten days. Just at this time, a strong fire broke out in a neighboring village. 14-year-old Georgy heard screams coming from the burning hut: “Save us, we’re burning!” He went in and pulled two terrified children and a sick woman out of the fire. In 1911, Zhukov's apprenticeship ended. Now he has become an independent person - an apprentice, in political issues, according to his own recollections, he understood poorly. On August 7, 1915, Georgy Zhukov was called up to the front as a cavalryman in a dragoon regiment.

Since 1940, he was appointed commander of the Kyiv Military District. From July 1941 - Chief of the General Staff. In 1941 gen. army, commander of the Western Front. In 1942 - representative of the Supreme Command Headquarters on the Western and Kalinin fronts. In January 1943, he was awarded the rank of Marshal of the Soviet Union. In October 1944, he was appointed commander of the 1st Belorussian Front. Since June 1946 - commanded the Odessa military district, since 1948 - the Ural military district. Combat operations: gg. – Leningrad and Moscow battles. 1942–1943 – Battle of Stalingrad and Kursk – Belarusian operation. 1944–1945 – Vistula - Oder and Berlin operations. Awards: Three times Hero of the Soviet Union, two Orders of Victory, Order of Suvorov 1st degree - awarded the title of Marshal of the Soviet Union. 1939, 1944, 1945, 1974 - awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.

We remember them... and love them... We remember them... and love them... 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. The most important source of the victory of the Soviet people in the Great Patriotic War was the indestructible power of the Armed Forces, which withstood the most difficult test in single combat with the Nazi army and surpassed it. In the first period of the war, Soviet troops were forced to retreat into the interior of the country under the influence of a numerically superior enemy, who also had an advantage in military equipment. Nevertheless, our troops defended the Motherland with the greatest dedication and thwarted the enemy’s strategic plans with their steadfastness and courage. The most important argument for the superiority of the military art of Soviet commanders is the victory in the war, the surrender of Nazi Germany. The complete defeat of Hitler's military machine is the most convincing confirmation of this. A significant argument in favor of the superiority of Soviet military art over German is the fact that our troops conducted strategic defense for only about 12 months, and offensive operations for 34 months. Of the 9 campaigns conducted during the war, 7 were carried out for offensive purposes. Our generals and military leaders carried out 51 strategic operations, 35 of them offensive. About 250 front-line and about 1000 army operations were carried out. All this suggests that the strategic initiative on the war fronts was mainly in the hands of Soviet military leaders and they dictated the course of events.

Questions for the class: 1. Name the commander of the 62nd Army who wrote about Stalingrad: “There is a city in vast Russia to which my heart is given.” 2. The Supreme Commander-in-Chief during the Great Patriotic War was: a) G.K. Zhukov b) I.V. Stalin c) K.E. Voroshilov d) S.M. Budyonny 3. Name the military leader who accepted the surrender of Germany 8- May th, 1945. 4. What was the name of the reward for skillfully withdrawing troops from attack and delivering a counterattack to the enemy? Awarded to military leaders.

Our “famous military leaders come from the midst of the people. Zhukov is from the poorest peasant family. Konev was a peasant and worked at a sawmill. Rokossovsky, the son of a machinist, began working in a hosiery factory. Eremenko was a poor peasant and a shepherd. Bagramyan is the son of a railway worker. Vatutin is from the peasantry. Chernyakhovsky is the son of a worker. The list could go on for a long time. In the early 30s, these people commanded regiments, then studied at military academies, sat, as they say, “at the same desk,” and knew each other well. These are people raised by our party. Knowledgeable, devoted to the Motherland, brave and talented. Their rise to high command posts was natural. This steel was forged before the war. She hardened herself in the fire and mercilessly struck down the enemy. 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 witnessed the Red Army campaign, 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,” said Marshal A.M. Vasilevsky.

The main force that was able to defeat Nazi Germany, of course, is the Soviet people. However, without proper leadership on the battlefields, no one would be able to prevail over a strong enemy. Soviet military leaders showed great courage and demonstrated the level of military art. Many military operations that were prepared and carried out by our commanders, up to today evoke admiration and pride for the Fatherland. The Soviet commanders of the Great Patriotic War will forever remain in the memory of all who love and honor their country, who managed to end the war that began on June 22, 1941.

Georgy Konstantinovich Zhukov (1896-1974)

This is the most revered commander-in-chief of the Soviet army. His unexpected decisions, which baffled the German army, were distinguished by a great idea and strong pressure. Zhukov has always been distinguished by his extraordinary thinking, insight and extraordinary intelligence. This is what allowed him to play a vital role in the victory over Germany. These qualities were especially evident during the defense of Leningrad, when, due to the coherence of actions, foreseeing possible options for the development of military operations and impeccable reconnaissance, he was able to repel the attacks of a superior enemy over and over again. The great commanders of the Second World War considered him the true leader and hope of the Soviet Union.

Zhukov was appointed commander-in-chief of the Kyiv district in 1940. Subsequently, he held the most important position of chief in the General Staff of the USSR, commanded the Western Front, and in 1944 he was appointed commander of the first Belorussian Front. After the end of the war, he commanded the Odessa and Ural military districts. Over the years of his service, Georgy Konstantinovich was presented with many awards (Order of Suvorov, first degree, title of Hero of the Soviet Union, twice Order of Victory).

Operations led by Zhukov:

• Battles of Stalingrad and Kursk.
• Leningrad and Moscow battles.
• Berlin and Belarusian operation.

Video about the great Soviet commander - Georgy Zhukov

Timoshenko Semyon Konstantinovich (1895-1970)

This commander showed his abilities very unsuccessfully in the first stages of the war, for which he was subjected to severe anger from Stalin. After this, Timoshenko personally asked to be sent to the most dangerous part of the battle. This decision aroused confidence in the commander, and he later commanded several fronts and strategic directions.

Under his command, the most difficult battle at the beginning of the war took place - Smolensk. In the period from 1942 to 1943 he had the opportunity to command the Stalingrad Front and the North-Western Front. For his actions, Semyon Konstantinovich was awarded several high awards: three Orders of Suvorov, first degree, and many medals for military service.

Vasilevsky Alexander Mikhailovich (1885-1977)

Since 1942, he was Chief of the General Staff and Deputy People's Commissar of Defense. Despite this, he spent almost two years at the front, at the epicenter of the fighting. He, like Zhukov, was distinguished by high mental abilities and the ability to achieve the most difficult situations. It was he, together with the Marshal of Victory, who developed the plan for the counter-offensive operation near Stalingrad. Vasilevsky also participated in the most important strategic defense at the Kursk Bulge, and then led troops in the war against Japan in 1945 as commander-in-chief of troops in the Far East.

Konstantin Konstantinovich Rokossovsky (1896-1968)

He began his service in 1941 on the Western Front. In 1942, he began commanding the Bryansk Front, and then the Don Front. Rokossovsky was distinguished by his penchant for risk. Therefore, in 1944, he took one of the most important roles in the preparation and conduct of Operation Bagration, which was aimed at the liberation of Belarus.

Eremenko Andrey Ivanovich (1892-1970)

He began his service with appointment to the post of chief commander of the Western Front in 1941. Then he led the Bryansk and Stalingrad fronts. In 1945 he was appointed commander of the Fourth Ukrainian Front. He showed himself in the perfect organization of defensive actions. Participated in the defense of the eastern part of the Bryansk Front. In 1942, he organized Operation Uranus, when his troops surrounded the army of Paulus. He also took part in the operation of the Second Baltic Front and the liberation of Czechoslovakia.

Malinovsky Rodion Yakovlevich (1898-1967)

He was distinguished by military cunning, which made it possible to deliver unexpected blows to the enemy at the most necessary moment. In 1941 he began command of the Southern Front. Then he fought on the battlefields just north of Stalingrad. His largest operation was Zaporozhye, which was completely developed and carried out by Malinovsky. His troops also took a vital part in the liberation of Rostov, Donbass and Ukraine.

Konev Ivan Stepanovich (1897-1973)

At that time, the commanders of the Great Patriotic War were distinguished by many traits and skills that helped achieve victory. Ivan Stepanovich superbly organized offensive operations and brilliantly won victories in them. Moreover, his maneuvers forced the enemy to retreat, which made it possible not to involve the army in difficult, protracted battles and to reduce troop losses. For his exemplary leadership of his troops, he was twice awarded the Hero of the Soviet Union, as well as the highest of the USSR military orders, “Victory”. Konev took part in the Battle of Kursk, the Battle of Moscow, as well as in the Berlin and Paris operations.

Bagramyan Ivan Khristoforovich (1897-1982)

He began his service with the command of the headquarters of the Southwestern Front. After that, in 1941, he developed a plan for the liberation of the city of Rostov. His troops took an active part in the defeat German troops on the Kursk Bulge. He also exercised command during the Baltic and Belarusian operations.

Great German commanders of the Great Patriotic War

Outstanding commanders of the Great Patriotic War were also present on the other side of the barricades. At the very beginning of its operations, the German army was distinguished by its coherence, which allowed them to outnumber the Russians for quite a long time. The great German commanders of the Great Patriotic War were very well trained and followed the orders of their leader. The main persons on the battlefields on the German side were:

Adolf Hitler (1889-1945)

In 1933, he declared himself the head of the fascist German state; he turned fascism into a terrible concept for the whole world. Thanks to his intelligence and revanchist mood, he created for himself a bloc of allies and extensive support among the population. After this he launched a war against:

• Spanish Republic.
• He carried out the occupation of Czechoslovakia.
• Annexed Austria.
• Then, with the support of the Allies, he began World War II in 1939.

Video about Adolf Hitler

In 1945, when Soviet troops entered Berlin, Hitler died by suicide.

The German commanders of WWII obeyed every order of their leader. The most significant figures include:

Rundstedt Karl Rudolf (1875-1953)

During the Second World War, he exercised full command of one of the leading groups of the army - "South" during the attack on Poland. Then he led Army A when it attacked France. Since 1942, he was appointed commander-in-chief of the German army in the West.

Keitel Wilhelm (1882-1946)

Received the rank of Field Marshal General for his services at the stages of the French Company. It is noteworthy that Keitel was the only one who opposed the attack on France. Moreover, he advised Hitler not to go to war with the Soviet Union and even resigned several times. However, Hitler did not accept any of them and sent him to command the army. In 1945, it was he who signed the repeated and final act, which confirmed the fact of Germany’s final surrender. In 1946, he was executed by hanging and during the execution shouted: “Germany above all.”

Manstein Erich von Lewinsky (1887-1973)

He had a reputation as a brilliant tactician. In 1940, he commanded one of the corps during the capture of France. In the war with the Soviet Union he took a decisive part in Eastern Front. Considered one of the leaders of the Holocaust. In 1941, he independently developed and issued an order, which was the need for “cruel punishment” of Soviet Jews.

Kleist Ewald (1881-1954)

He commanded a tank corps that fought against Poland and France, with the status of field marshal general. In the war with the Soviet Union, he also commanded a tank division and army group “A”.

Guderian Heinz Wilhelm (1880-1954)

During his service he commanded an army, a group and a tank corps. After the Soviet army defeated his group near Moscow in 1941, he was removed from his post. Then he was appointed to the post of Chief of the General Staff of the German Ground Forces.

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According to military experts, by the beginning of the war with the Soviet Union, the Wehrmacht (German Armed Forces) was considered the strongest army in the world. Why then did the Barbarossa plan, according to which Hitler expected to end the USSR in 6-8 weeks, fail? Instead, the war dragged on for 1,418 long days and ended in a crushing defeat for the Germans and their allies. How did this happen? What were the reasons for the victory of the USSR in the Great Patriotic War? What was the Nazi leader's mistake?

By starting a war with the Soviet Union, Hitler, in addition to the power of his army, counted on the help of that part of the USSR population that was dissatisfied with the existing system, party and government. He also believed that in a country where so many people live, there should be interethnic enmity, which means that the invasion of German troops would provoke a split in society, which again would play into the hands of Germany. And here was Hitler’s first mistake.

Everything happened exactly the opposite: the outbreak of war only united the people of a huge country, turning them into a single fist. Issues of personal relationship to power faded into the background. The defense of the fatherland from a common enemy has erased all interethnic boundaries. Of course, in huge country There were some traitors, but their number was negligible in comparison with the mass of people consisting of true patriots who were ready to die for their land.

Therefore, the main reasons for the victory of the USSR in the Great Patriotic War can be called the following:

• Unprecedented patriotism manifested itself not only in the regular army, but also in the partisan movement, in which over a million people took part.
• Cohesion of the social system: the Communist Party had such powerful authority that it was able to ensure unity of will and high efficiency at all levels of society, from the very top of power to ordinary people: soldiers, workers, peasants.
• The professionalism of Soviet military leaders: during the war, commanders quickly acquired practical experience in conducting effective combat operations in different conditions situation.
• No matter how modern copyists of history may now mock the concept of “friendship of peoples,” claiming that it allegedly never existed in reality, the facts of the war prove the opposite. Russians, Belarusians, Ukrainians, Georgians, Ossetians, Moldovans... - all the peoples of the USSR took part in the Patriotic War, liberating the country from invaders. And for the Germans, regardless of their real nationality, they were all Russian enemies, subject to destruction.

• The rear made a huge contribution to the victory. Old people, women and even children stood at factory machines day and night, making weapons, equipment, ammunition, and uniforms. Despite the deplorable situation Agriculture(many grain-growing territories of the country were under occupation), rural workers supplied the front with food, while often remaining on starvation rations themselves. Scientists and designers created new types of weapons: rocket launchers, lovingly nicknamed “Katyushas” in the army, the legendary T-34, IS and KV tanks, combat aircraft. Moreover new technology It was not only highly reliable, but also easy to manufacture, which made it possible to use low-skilled workers (women, children) in its production.
• The successful foreign policy pursued by the country's leadership also played an important role in the victory over Nazi Germany. Thanks to her, in 1942 an anti-Hitler coalition was organized, consisting of 28 states, and by the end of the war it already included more than fifty countries. But still, the leading roles in the union belonged to the USSR, England and the USA.

Almost immediately after the start of the war, the USSR government tried to convince the allies of the need to quickly open a second, western front, which would force Hitler to ease the pressure on the Soviet state by dividing his forces in two. By the way, then the cost of the USSR’s victory in the Great Patriotic War would have been completely different, but more on that later. The Allies had a different opinion on this matter: they took a wait-and-see attitude without taking any active actions in Europe. The main assistance to the Soviet Union consisted of supplies of equipment, transport, and ammunition on a long-term lease basis. At the same time, the volumes of foreign military assistance accounted for only 4% of the total amount of products going to the front.

The USSR's allies truly showed themselves in the Great Patriotic War only in 1944, when its outcome became clear. On June 6, a joint Anglo-American landing force landed in Normandy (northern France), thereby marking the opening of a second front. Now the already pretty battered Germans had to fight both the West and the East, which, of course, brought the long-awaited date - Victory Day - much closer.

The price of victory over fascism

The price of the victory of the USSR, which the Soviet people paid, was extremely high: 1,710 cities and large towns, 70 thousand villages and villages were completely or partially destroyed. The Nazis destroyed 32 thousand enterprises, 1876 state farms and 98 thousand collective farms. In general, the Soviet Union lost a third of its national wealth during the war. Twenty-seven million people died on the battlefields, occupied territories and in captivity. Nazi Germany's losses were fourteen million. Several thousand people were killed in the USA and England.

How the war ended for the USSR

The consequences of the USSR's victory in the Great Patriotic War were not at all what Hitler expected when he attacked the Soviet Union. The victorious country ended the fight against fascism, having the largest and most powerful army in Europe - 11 million 365 thousand people.

At the same time, the USSR was assigned rights to the territory of Bessarabia, Western Ukraine, the Baltic states, Western Belarus, and also to Koenigsberg and its adjacent territories. Klaipeda became part of the Lithuanian SSR. However, it was not the expansion of the state’s borders that was the main result of the war with Hitler.

What does the USSR's victory over Germany mean for the whole world?

The significance of the USSR's victory in the Great Patriotic War was enormous both for the country itself and for the whole world. After all, firstly, the Soviet Union became the main force, which stopped fascism in the person of Hitler, striving for world domination. Secondly, thanks to the USSR, the lost independence was returned not only to the countries of Europe, but also to Asia.

Thirdly, the victorious country significantly strengthened its international authority, and the socialist system expanded beyond the territory of one country. The USSR turned into great power, which changed the geopolitical situation in the world, which ultimately resulted in a confrontation between capitalism and socialism. The established colonial system of imperialism cracked and began to disintegrate. As a result, Lebanon, Syria, Laos, Vietnam, Burma, Cambodia, the Philippines, Indonesia and Korea declared their independence.

A new page in history

With the victory of the USSR, the situation in world politics radically transformed. The position of countries in the international arena was rapidly changing - new centers of influence were formed. Now America has become the main force in the West, and the Soviet Union in the East. Thanks to its victory, the USSR not only got rid of the international isolation in which it was before the war, but also became a full-fledged, and most importantly, a very significant world power, which was already difficult to ignore. Thus, in world history was open new page, and the Soviet Union was assigned one of the main roles in it.

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 the 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 " 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 military history textbooks 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 will have the big picture the Second World War, distorted ideas arise 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 until the signing of the act of unconditional surrender by the Nazi command, the main forces of the aggressors fought on the Soviet-German front. During the six months of the war (from June 1941 to November 1942), the main forces of 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 the 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 the American-British troops are about 176 divisions (in Western Europe, Italy and North Africa). Of the total losses of 13.6 million people, the losses of Nazi 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. Mohl in his monograph “Great Battles of the Second World War” identifies 13 battles and ranks them in chronological order in order of importance in the following order: Dunkirk, Battle of Britain, Cyrenaica, Egypt, Moscow, Midway, Guadalcanal, El Alamein, Stalingrad, Anzio, Burma, Normandy, Rangoon. The reader sees from this list that only two battles took place on the Soviet-German front (at Moscow and Stalingrad), and eleven decisive battles took place on other fronts. But even when calling these two great battles of the Second World War - Moscow and Stalingrad, Western authors focus not on the essence and significance of the 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 significance of the victory at Stalingrad only as “the turning point of the 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 that time 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 the German army,” W. Churchill said in August 1944, adding that “there was no other force in the world that could have done this.”