In the person of Comrade. Chernyakhovsky, the state lost one of the most talented young commanders who emerged during the Patriotic War.

Message from the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks, the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR and the People's Commissariat of Defense.

Ivan Danilovich Chernyakhovsky (June 16 (29), 1906 - February 18, 1945) was one of the most talented young commanders who emerged during the Great Patriotic War. Twice Hero of the Soviet Union (1943, 1944). Chernyakhovsky became the youngest army general in the Red Army (at 37 years old) and the youngest front commander in the Soviet Armed Forces. He was called the “Soviet Suvorov”, he was loved by soldiers and feared by his enemies. And the mystery of his death is still shrouded in darkness.

Ivan was born in the village of Oksanino, Uman district, Kyiv province. According to some sources, he was born in 1906, according to others - in 1907. He added one year to be hired (as a teenager), and besides, one year was not enough to be admitted to the Komsomol organization. His parents were landless farm laborer Danila Nikolaevich and Maria Lyudvigovna. He was the fourth child, and there were six children in the family. My father worked as a groom for a local gentleman, and then got a job as a worker at the Vapnyarka railway station. In 1913, Ivan entered the Vapnyarsky elementary railway school, where he studied until 1919.

Life started hard for Ivan. The family was poor and in need. Especially when the First World War began and my father was mobilized and sent to the front. In 1915 he was wounded and returned home. During the Civil War, my parents died of typhus. Ivan started working early. Ivan’s first teacher recalled: “After the death of his parents, Vanya was forced to leave school and become a shepherd. It happened that he would drive the herd out into the field, and he would take up his books. As soon as he’s had dinner, he immediately comes to me for an explanation of the new material.” Chernyakhovsky was a rural shepherd, worked as a street child for some time, then became a laborer and apprentice. He worked tirelessly and persistently strived for knowledge. Already in his youth, people who knew the young man well, his peers, work and study comrades noted in him his exceptional hard work, perseverance, sense of duty and indomitable willpower, the desire to achieve his goal. Ivan was always collected, honest and disciplined.

In May 1920, Ivan, with the help of Tseshkovsky’s relatives (he was his father’s friend and sheltered three children), got a job as a railway worker. He worked as a mechanic's assistant. I became interested in political life. Under the influence of Ivan Tseshkovsky, who was the chairman of the rural Komsomol cell, he constantly attended meetings and gatherings, and participated in discussions on various political topics. In the spring of 1922, he passed exams for a junior high school course as an external student and was elected secretary of the Verbovsky Komsomol cell. Ivan was full of energy, and on his initiative and active participation a club was built in the village, where cultural evenings began to be held. In addition, they founded a choir and a drama club, in which Chernyakhovsky showed his acting talent. Then they opened a village library.

At the same time, Ivan Danilovich early felt a military calling. His life's goal was military service. His Komsomol cell was a unit of the Tulchinsky battalion of special forces (CHON). The Verbovsky “platoon” of the Vapnyarsky company of CHON, whose commander was Chernyakhovsky, received several rifles and revolvers, grenades and a box of cartridges. Even then, Chernyakhovsky took part in the defeat of the gangs of Maruska in the Krizhopol forests and Zeleny in the Tomashpol forests. In 1923, Chernyakhovsky’s platoon liquidated the gang of Old Man Knysh in the Krizhopol area. For the skillful organization of the detachment's actions and personal courage, Ivan Chernyakhovsky was awarded a personal combat Mauser. This was his first award.

Ivan moved to Novorossiysk for further study and work. From May 1923 to September 1924 he worked at the Novorossiysk 1st State Cement Plant "Proletary". The guy immediately proved himself and was elected secretary of first the workshop and then the factory Komsomol bureau. At the same time, Chernyakhovsky completed driver courses and began working as a driver. He devoted his free time to developing the qualities necessary for a warrior: he went in for sports and in a shooting circle, studied technology.

In September 1924, the Novorossiysk District Komsomol Committee sent Ivan to the Odessa Infantry School. Ivan studied excellently. He became a winner in a number of disciplines, including shooting. He was even awarded a prize for excellent results in various types of combat training. In the company where he studied, he was elected leader of the Komsomol members. Therefore, when Chernyakhovsky submitted a report on transfer to the Kyiv Artillery School, they did not even want to let the capable and diligent cadet go. However, Chernyakhovsky showed his characteristic persistence in achieving his goal, and during this period, special attention was paid to the development of artillery, sending the most gifted youth to it.

In 1925, Chernyakhovsky was transferred to an art school, which he successfully graduated from in 1928. In 1928 he joined the CPSU(b). Ivan showed himself well in Kyiv and was one of the leading cadets. He quickly eliminated the backlog in disciplines during the first year of study and passed the exams with flying colors. During his studies, he became captain of the football team and showed good results in shooting, equestrianism and athletics. He also actively participated in amateur performances and became a battery singer.

After graduation, Chernyakhovsky served as commander of a training platoon, from 1929 political instructor, and then battery commander of the 17th corps artillery regiment in the Ukrainian Military District, which was stationed in Vinnitsa. In the period from 1929 to 1930, he also served as acting chief of communications of the 17th corps artillery regiment and chief of the topographic detachment. In 1930 he graduated from evening high school. From July 1930 to May 1931 he was commander of the reconnaissance training battery of the 17th corps artillery regiment.

During his service, Chernyakhovsky was preparing to enter the Leningrad Military-Technical Academy of the Red Army named after. F. E. Dzerzhinsky. He became its listener in 1931. After its transformation in 1932, he was a student of the command faculty of the Military Academy of Mechanization and Motorization of the Red Army named after I.V. Stalin (it was established on the basis of the Faculty of Mechanization and Motorization of the Military Technical Academy). In 1936 he graduated from the Academy with honors and with the rank of senior lieutenant. During his studies, he underwent a military internship as a battalion commander and deputy chief of staff of a division.

During his studies, an unpleasant incident happened to Chernyakhovsky. He was surrounded not only by comrades, but also by envious people. In 1937, Ivan Danilovich received a denunciation that he had “concealed his social origin.” Allegedly his father served in the White Army. This threatened expulsion from the academy and the party. However, Chernyakhovsky demanded a trial. In addition, he was supported by his sister V.I. Lenina - Maria Ulyanova, who worked as the head of the Joint Complaints Bureau of the People's Commissariat of the RCI of the USSR and the People's Commissariat of the RCI of the RSFSR. A thorough investigation showed that the denunciation was erroneous.

M.I. Kalinin presents the award to I.D. Chernyakhovsky

After graduating from the Academy, Chernyakhovsky received the position of chief of staff of the 2nd separate tank battalion of the 8th mechanized brigade of the Kyiv Military District. Soon, at the suggestion of the brigade commander, he was awarded the rank of captain. And in 1937 he became the commander of the 1st tank battalion of the 8th mechanized brigade of the Belarusian Special Military District. Since 1938 - major, commander of the 9th separate light tank regiment of the Belarusian Special Military District. He was noted as exceptionally conscientious, having excellent knowledge of military affairs and enjoying the authority of a commander. In 1939, when Chernyakhovsky’s regiment took first place during the inspection, he received the rank of lieutenant colonel ahead of schedule. Immediately before the war, he served as deputy commander of the 2nd Tank Division of the Baltic Special Military District.

In March 1941, the 35-year-old officer became commander of the 28th Tank Division of the 12th Mechanized Corps of the Baltic Special Military District. The division was stationed in Riga and was armed with more than 200 BT-7 light tanks, several dozen T-26 light tanks, BA-10 and BA-20 armored vehicles. Commanding the 28th Tank Division, Colonel Chernyakhovsky entered the battles of the Great Patriotic War. Chernyakhovsky's tankers fought in battles southwest of Siauliai, on the Western Dvina, near Soltsy, and defended Novgorod. According to eyewitnesses, Ivan Danilovich proved himself to be a brave commander, personally went into attacks and knocked out an enemy tank.

On June 23, the division fought with the German 1st Panzer Division. Up to a battalion of enemy personnel, 14 tanks and 20 guns were destroyed. On June 25, the 28th Panzer Division destroyed a column of the enemy's 8th Motorized Regiment and captured and destroyed a significant number of guns. However, Chernyakhovsky’s division also suffered heavy losses in the first fierce battles. Moreover, a significant part of the armored vehicles were killed by enemy aircraft. By July 12, the division was drained of blood and sent for restoration. It was somewhat replenished, and on August 14, Chernyakhovsky’s division took up defensive positions in the Novgorod region. In fierce battles in the Novgorod region, the 28th Panzer Division fought for literally every piece of land and suffered heavy losses. The division lost up to 2/3 of its personnel. At the end of August 1941, the 28th Division was transferred to the Demyansk area, where it was surrounded. When the remnants of the division made their way out of the encirclement, about a battalion remained in it (552 people and 4 guns). After being replenished in November, the division fought defensive battles on the line between Valdai and the Valdai Heights.

The division was then taken to the rear for reorganization. In December 1941, it was reorganized into the 241st Infantry Division. Chernyakhovsky himself became seriously ill and was sent to the hospital. In January 1942, by Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, Ivan Chernyakhovsky was awarded the Order of the Red Banner for the clear organization of the defense of Novgorod, personal participation in the conduct of battles, courage and courage, and the education of young commanders.

In winter - spring 1942, the 241st Rifle Division under the command of Chernyakhovsky distinguished itself in the Demyansk offensive operation of the North-Western Front. For these battles, Chernyakhovsky was awarded the second Order of the Red Banner and received the rank of major general.

In June 1942, he was at the disposal of the head of the Main Armored Directorate. Then for some time he commanded the 18th Tank Corps of the Voronezh Front. During stubborn battles with the enemy, he was shell-shocked. Since July 1942, at the suggestion of General N.F., who had just headed the Voronezh Front. Vatutin, who noted the actions of the young, persistent and well-trained commander, Chernyakhovsky became commander of the 60th Army. He commanded this army until April 1944.

The 60th Army distinguished itself in the Voronezh-Kastornensky operation. In February 1943, Chernyakhovsky was awarded the Order of the Red Banner for the third time for the capture of Voronezh. In addition, in February, Chernyakhovsky’s army covered 90 km in five days of continuous fighting, liberated 350 Soviet villages and hamlets, and took part in the liberation of Kursk. For this success, the general was awarded the Order of Suvorov, 1st degree and given the rank of lieutenant general.

It must be said that many people noted Chernyakhovsky’s high human qualities. B.I. Vinogradov, Chernyakhovsky’s driver, noted that the remarkable qualities of a strong-willed commander attracted people to him. Marshal K.K. Rokossovsky: “He was a wonderful commander. Young, cultured, cheerful. Amazing man! It was clear that the army loved him very much.” Ivan Danilovich was demanding of himself and those around him. He was always smart and loved strict discipline. With his whole appearance he inspired confidence; they saw him as a real commander.

The Sixtieth Army also showed excellent performance during subsequent operations. As part of the Central Front, Chernyakhovsky’s army took part in the turning point Battle of Kursk and the liberation of Left Bank Ukraine. During the offensive in August - September 1943, the 60th Army liberated Glukhov, Konotop, Bakhmach and Nizhyn. Soviet soldiers crossed the Desna and Dnieper. In September 1943, Ivan Danilovich was awarded the second order of the 1st degree. On October 17, 1943, for crossing the Dnieper, capturing important bridgeheads and demonstrating personal heroism, Chernyakhovsky was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. 306 soldiers of the 60th Army were nominated for the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.

In October 1943, the 60th Army was transferred to the Voronezh Front, and from November 1943 to April 1944 it was part of the 1st Ukrainian Front. During this period, Chernyakhovsky’s army took part in the Kyiv offensive, Kyiv defensive, Zhitomir-Berdichev, Rivne-Lutsk and Proskurov-Chernovtsy operations. During these operations, the 60th Army liberated hundreds of settlements. On March 5, 1944, Chernyakhovsky was awarded the rank of Colonel General.

On April 15, Colonel General Chernyakhovsky headed the Western Front (from April 24 - transformed into the 3rd Belorussian Front). He became the youngest Soviet front commander. Under his command, the 3rd Belorussian Front took part in the Belorussian (Operation Bagration), Vilnius, Kaunas, Memel, Gumbinnen-Goldap and East Prussian offensive operations.

Army General Ivan Danilovich Chernyakhovsky, commander of the 3rd Belorussian Front, 1944

Troops under the command of Chernyakhovsky took part in the liberation of Vitebsk and Minsk. In July, Vilnius and Lida were liberated. Moreover, Chernyakhovsky saved Vilnius from great destruction by ordering not to use airstrikes and not to use heavy weapons. On June 28, 1944, Chernyakhovsky became the youngest army general in the Red Army (at 37 years old). In July, Chernyakhovsky became twice Hero of the Soviet Union.

On February 18, 1945, near the city of Melzack in East Prussia (now the territory of Poland), Ivan Danilovich Chernyakhovsky was mortally wounded by a fragment of an “accidental” shell. He died on the same day. General Alexander Gorbatov witnessed the death of the young commander. It must be said that there is a version according to which the shell was Soviet.

Chernyakhovsky was buried on February 20 in Vilnius on the central Ozheshkenes square. In recognition of Ivan Danilovich’s services in liberating Lithuania from the Nazis, a monument was erected to him in Vilnius. In East Prussia, which became the Soviet Kaliningrad region, the city of Insterburg was renamed Chernyakhovsk. There is evidence that Chernyakhovsky was going to be nominated for the rank of Marshal of the Soviet Union, but he died before the decree was promulgated.

In 1992, the ashes of the Soviet general, at the request of the Lithuanian authorities, were transported from Vilnius to Moscow and reburied at the Novodevichy cemetery. And the monument by the People's Artist of the USSR, sculptor N.V. Tomsky, was transported from Vilnius to Voronezh, which was defended at the end of 1942 and liberated at the beginning of 1943 by the 60th Army under the command of I.D. Chernyakhovsky. A monument to Chernyakhovsky was also erected in Odessa, and a bust in Uman. In addition, streets in Novgorod, Voronezh, Vitebsk, Zhitomir, Kyiv, Moscow and many other cities were named after the hero. A museum was opened in the hero’s homeland, a bust and a memorial sign were installed. Russia remembers its hero.

Monument to General Ivan Danilovich Chernyakhovsky in Voronezh on Chernyakhovsky Square

Application. Memoirs of contemporaries

Marshal A. M. Vasilevsky about I. D. Chernyakhovsky:“Good knowledge of the troops, diverse and complex equipment, skillful use of the experience of others, deep theoretical knowledge allowed him to excellently manage troops and solve complex problems... He listened sensitively to the opinions of his subordinates. He boldly used everything new and useful in training troops and organizing battles... He was strict and demanding, but never allowed himself to humiliate a person’s dignity.”

“I experienced the loss of Ivan Danilovich very hard. I knew him closely and well, appreciated in him an excellent commander, the boundless honesty of a communist, and an exceptional human soul.”

Marshal I. Kh. Bagramyan:“A broad military outlook, high general and professional culture, unusual performance and rich experience in training and leading troops allowed him to quickly assess the situation and correctly determine the main thing necessary for making rational decisions. He often appeared where the situation was most difficult. With his mere presence, Chernyakhovsky instilled cheerfulness and faith in success into the hearts of the soldiers, skillfully directing their enthusiasm to defeat the enemy.”

Colonel General A.P. Pokrovsky, former chief of staff of the 3rd Belorussian Front:“Chernyakhovsky demanded that the task be brought to the attention of the soldier on such a scale that he, following Suvorov’s rule, “understood his maneuver.” The ideas formulated in the commander’s decisions took hold of all the soldiers and found recognition and support among them. I have often heard from the lips of soldiers and commanders: “With such a commander, there is no fear of thick and thin.” We, front staff workers, expected reproaches from the new commander for failures in recent offensive operations. However, to everyone's satisfaction, no one had to hear them. Ivan Danilovich was very polite, self-possessed, sociable, he understood well when to use the word “I”, and never abused it. He was a man of great tact, controlled himself perfectly, and never resorted to reprimands that humiliated the dignity of a warrior. With his arrival, a calm, business-like atmosphere was established at the headquarters.”

A. V. Gorbatov, commander of the 3rd Army of the 3rd Belorussian Front:“There is evidence that I.D. Chernyakhovsky was nominated for the rank of Marshal of the Soviet Union, but died before the promulgation of the Decree. The troops were notified of the death of the commander. We called for merciless revenge on the enemy for our great loss. It was truly a grave loss for the Red Army - Chernyakhovsky was young, talented and could still give a lot to our Armed Forces.”

Captain L. S. Tserlevskaya:“General Chernyakhovsky was demanding both of the soldiers and of himself. In battle he loved strict discipline. He was always smart. Even in his external image, discipline was visible, and in his gaze one could feel the great willpower of the commander and the deep intelligence of a man. In appearance, General Chernyakhovsky is a handsome Russian hero, in whom not only physical strength was felt, but also the great willpower of a commander.”

From the memoirs of Ivan Danilovich Chernyakhovsky’s second child, Oleg:“Our father loved music very much. We moved often, but we always took the guitar with us. He played it well and sang in a beautiful baritone. He preferred Ukrainian songs. He was strict in his upbringing. We had to study well so as not to let him down. He told us about this all the time. Even from the front he wrote: “Join the ranks of excellent students. This is your father's position." He was convinced that everyone should do their duty, and our duty was to study well. By the way, my sister and I graduated from school with gold medals.”

Ivan Chernyakhovsky. The Riddle of the Commander (2014).

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General's shoulder straps and epaulettes did not always fall on the shoulders of gray-haired military men. Often quite young people became generals, and sometimes officers who had not even really learned to shave /site/.

Generals by birthright

Boys in high-born families were born not in shirts, but in general’s uniforms. They only had to wait a few years to become high-ranking bosses.

The Austrian Archduke Karl (1771-1847) was appointed regiment commander at the age of five, and at the age of 22 he became a field marshal-lieutenant (i.e., lieutenant general). It must be admitted that subsequently he fought excellently, for which he received field marshal general at 25, and generalissimo at 35.

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Ivan Kutaisov was the favorite of Emperor Paul I. It is not surprising that his son Alexander at the age of 10 was enrolled in a guards regiment, where by the age of 15 he rose to the rank of colonel, and by 22 to the rank of general. Realizing that he had neither the knowledge nor experience befitting a general, Alexander Kutaisov traveled to Europe, where he studied mathematics, fortification and artillery. In 1812, he was appointed commander of the artillery of the 1st Russian Western Army under the command of Barclay de Tolly. He distinguished himself in the Battle of Smolensk. He died at Borodino, leading an attack to recapture the Raevsky battery occupied by the French. The battery was simply littered with corpses. The body of the 28-year-old general was never found.

Nicholas I prepared Grand Duke Konstantin Nikolaevich for naval service from childhood. While practicing on ships, he very quickly grew in rank (so that it corresponded to the level of tasks assigned to him by the emperor), and at the age of 21, as a wedding gift, he received the rank of rear admiral, corresponding to the rank of major general in the infantry. Mainly involved in reforming the fleet. It was he who, after the Crimean War, quickly transformed the Russian sailing fleet into a steam and armored one.

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Children of revolutions and civil wars

During revolutions, young generals appear in dozens. The revolutionaries who came to power did not really trust the high-ranking officials of the overthrown regime. In this situation, young people who showed sincere devotion to the new government were appointed to senior positions in the army. Over the course of 10 revolutionary years, Napoleon went from lieutenant to general, receiving general's epaulettes on his shoulders at the age of 26.

The national hero of the Philippines, Gregorio del Pilar, became a general at the age of 21, and was already killed at 24. During the American Civil War (1861-1865), during the assault on Fort Fisher, 20-year-old northern colonel (which in itself is worthy of surprise) Galusha Pennypacker was mortally wounded. The commander who visited Galusha in the infirmary awarded the dying hero the rank of general. But the hero didn’t die! And for another 50 years he wore a general’s uniform.

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In the Red Army there were more young commanders than anywhere else. Sergei Lazo commanded a front at the age of 24, Tukhachevsky commanded an army at 27, Yakir commanded a group of troops at 22, and Primakov commanded a corps at 23. And although they were not generals, due to the absence of such a rank in the Red Army, in terms of the importance and size of the tasks they solved, they can easily be classified as generals.

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The White Army also promoted talented nuggets to high army positions. Kuban Cossack Andrei Shkuro became a general at the age of 32 (and in 1944 - SS Gruppenführer, for which he was hanged in 1947). Ataman Semenov received general's shoulder straps from Kolchak at the age of 28. In Crimea, Baron Wrangel presented general's shoulder straps to 27-year-old Nikolai Skoblin.

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Stalin's falcons

In the USSR, the youngest generals were pilots. Stalin favored his falcons. The aces, who proved their courage in the battles at Khalkhin Gol and in Spain, often made a dizzying career within a few years. A striking example is Grigory Kravchenko.

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Grigory graduated from the Kachin Aviation School in 1932, and in 1938, Senior Lieutenant Kravchenko shot down his first plane over China. In December he was already a major, in February 1940 - a brigade commander, in April 1940 - a division commander. With the introduction of general ranks in the Red Army at the age of 28, he immediately received lieutenant general. In WWII he commanded an air division, front air force and an aviation group. In February 1943, air division commander Kravchenko died in an air battle, having previously shot down a German fighter.

However, fearless ace lieutenants did not always become competent generals. High positions required new knowledge, completely different skills and life experience, which many often did not have. For failure to meet high positions, one had to pay with one’s life.

Aces who did not become real generals

At the age of 29, Pavel Rychagov became deputy chief of the Red Army Air Force, and at 30, deputy people's commissar of defense of the USSR for aviation and lieutenant general. The fact that on June 22, 1941, Soviet aviation did not become an air shield for the Red Army is also his fault. On June 24, 1941, he was arrested, and on October 28, he was shot.

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Ivan Kopec became a major general at the age of 32, and met WWII as commander of the Air Force of the Western Military District. On June 22, the district lost 738 aircraft out of 1,453, with 528 still burning on the ground during the bombing of airfields. Having learned about the scale of the losses, Ivan Kopec shot himself.

There are no words, it’s nice to look at the young, fit general. However, the necessary knowledge only accumulates with many years of experience. It is unacceptable for a young general to acquire the necessary knowledge by trial and error, because the soldiers pay for the generals’ mistakes with their blood.

Today, the age of up to 30 years is considered almost youthful. Until this time, many still live with their parents or are looking for themselves in the modern world. However, in the old days, turning 30 was considered a serious date, because almost half of your life had already passed. And it is not surprising that only young commanders, leaders, kings and princes made history. We invite you to remember the most significant people of old times, who were not even 30 when they became famous.

1. Alexander the Great

In ancient times, only the deaf-blind did not know who he was. After all, at the peak of his career, the great king and commander was already revered by everyone. At the age of 20, Macedonian ascended the throne. He managed to conquer Greece, the Persian Empire and plan a campaign of conquest against India. Unfortunately, his last plan did not succeed, since Alexander died a month before his 33rd birthday. It is still not known for certain what the cause of death was: poisoning or illness.

2. Napoleon I Bonaparte

Napoleon managed to seize power in the state by carrying out a coup. France fell under the dictatorial regime of Bonaparte. Despite his shyness caused by his short stature and plump physique, the emperor married and enjoyed success with the opposite sex.

Napoleon knew the psychology of the soldiers very well and quickly won love among them and complete voluntary submission. It is believed that the emperor was poisoned, but scientists are not entirely sure of this version. After all, in those days it was the norm to use medicines with arsenic. In addition, there is a legend that Napoleon was very afraid of arsenic poisoning and constantly took small doses of poison to develop immunity. It is clear that this would not have ended well in any case.

3. Charlemagne

The Western king and emperor began to be called the Great during his lifetime. He ascended the throne when he was only 21 years old. Who knows how long Karl would have remained in power if his brother, who owned the second half of the inherited lands, had not died. War was brewing between them, but Karl's brother died suddenly.

Karl contributed to the development of science, improved cities and developed lands, developed the army, educational system and art. His contribution to the prosperity of the state was obvious. In addition, he annexed new conquered territories, in particular Bavaria, to the Frankish lands. Karl died at the age of 70, but his achievements were not preserved for long. His children failed to preserve and increase what the great ruler created.

4. Joan of Arc

Joan of Arc failed to become head of state, but managed to become the leader of the French troops at a very young age. The girl was captured and condemned by the British as a heretic, for which she was burned at the stake. However, during all her 19 years of life, d’Arc did a lot for her people.

There are a lot of oddities and inconsistencies in the girl’s life story. Some consider Jeanne to be related to Queen Isabella of Bavaria of France, while others endow the girl with supernatural abilities. Whether the girl had the gift of hypnotizing or was simply a born speaker is unknown. However, it takes considerable effort and talent to lead your people.

5. Alexander Nevsky

This great commander managed to win the most famous battle not only in his life, but also in the history of the Russian people, which was later nicknamed the Battle of the Ice. Under the leadership of Alexander Nevsky, the army of the Livonian Order was defeated. At the time of the battle, Alexander was only 22 years old.

Less than 50 years after the battle, Alexander was canonized and later canonized. This is one of the few military leaders who has not lost a single battle in his entire rather long life.

This emperor was the great-nephew of Julius Caesar himself and was his adopted son. When he was 18 years old, he learned that Caesar, after his death, transferred the rights to the inheritance to him. This news filled Augustus with hope and enthusiasm, so he gathered an army and went to claim his rights.

Augustus Octavian entered Rome with his army and declared Mark Antony an enemy, although he was next to him. It's not just about Cleopatra's infidelities with Mark, but also about political rivalry. According to historical information, Augustus was very handsome and attractive to the opposite sex until his old age. It is believed that Augustus Octavian was poisoned by his third wife Livia.

7. Hannibal Barca

Even in early childhood, Hannibal knew about his destiny and his goal. At the age of 9, the future commander took an oath to be an enemy of Rome, and never broke it once in his life. At the age of 26, he became the commander of the Carthaginian troops and carried out many campaigns of conquest. Thanks to his victories, the territory of Carthage expanded significantly.

In 1945, the victorious Red Army was preparing to accept another marshal into its ranks - the youngest in history. According to the widespread version, in February 1945, documents for conferring the military rank of “marshal” to the commander of the 3rd Belorussian Front Ivan Chernyakhovsky were already ready. But less than a week before the official presentation of the new shoulder straps, the 37-year-old commander died under circumstances that to this day many historians consider very strange.

The main victories in the Great Patriotic War were won by the commanders of the generation Georgy Zhukov And Konstantin Rokossovsky, who began their military biography during the First World War.

Ivan Chernyakhovsky was much younger. In the years when the dashing cavalryman Georgy Zhukov cut down the Germans for their faith, the Tsar and the Fatherland, Vanya Chernyakhovsky rode on wooden horses, armed with a twig instead of a saber.

To the army - on a Komsomol voucher

He was born on June 29, 1906 in the village of Oksanino, Uman district, Kyiv province, in the family of a railway worker. He studied in elementary school, worked as a shepherd, and for some time even worked as a street child. Then, like his father, he began working on the railroad. In 1922, he passed the exams for an incomplete course of secondary school as an external student. That same year, a 16-year-old boy was elected secretary of the local Komsomol cell.

In the early Soviet period, many great careers began with Komsomol vouchers. In 1924, Komsomol member Chernyakhovsky received such a ticket to the Red Army. The young man first became a cadet at the Odessa Infantry School, and then at the Kyiv Artillery School.

Commander of the 60th Army, Lieutenant General Ivan Danilovich Chernyakhovsky (right, center) after presenting the Guards banner to one of the divisions of the 1st Ukrainian Front. Photo: RIA Novosti / Alexander Kapustyansky

In 1928, a graduate of the artillery school, member of the All-Union Communist Party (Bolsheviks) Ivan Chernyakhovsky became a platoon commander of the 17th corps artillery regiment stationed in Vinnitsa.

Along with his military education, Chernyakhovsky also received a regular education - in 1930 he graduated from evening school, receiving a complete secondary education.

After graduating from evening school in 1930, Chernyakhovsky began preparing to enter the Leningrad Military-Technical Academy named after Dzerzhinsky, which he became a student of in 1931. After each year of study, the academy cadets underwent military training. In 1933, Chernyakhovsky, during an autumn internship, acted as a battalion commander, and after the third year he was sent to intern as a deputy chief of staff of a division, where the intern’s abilities and his ability to quickly delve into the very essence of the assigned tasks were highly appreciated.

Lenin's sister saved the young officer's career

While studying at the academy, an unpleasant episode occurred with Chernyakhovsky - a letter was received in which a certain vigilant comrade accused him of hiding his “social origin.” They say that Chernyakhovsky’s father served in the White Army.

This could have been the end of his military career, but the denunciation came to the attention of his younger sister Lenin Maria Ulyanova, who headed the bureau where such “signals” were sorted out. Ulyanova came to the conclusion that Ivan Chernyakhovsky was not guilty of anything, and he was left alone.

After the reorganization of educational institutions of the Red Army, Chernyakhovsky ended up attending the Military Academy of Mechanization and Motorization, from which he graduated with honors in 1936.

Senior Lieutenant Chernyakhovsky was left in Moscow as chief of staff of a tank battalion, and soon received the rank of captain.

Stalin’s “purges” in the army played an important role in Chernyakhovsky’s further rapid career growth. The places of repressed commanders were taken by young officers.

In 1937, Chernyakhovsky became chief of staff of the tank battalion of the 8th mechanized brigade of the Kyiv Military District, then battalion commander in the same brigade. In 1938, Chernyakhovsky was already a major, commander of a tank regiment in Belarus.

In 1939, he became a lieutenant colonel, and by the beginning of the war, 35-year-old Colonel Chernyakhovsky was the commander of a tank division.

“I’ve lost seventeen kilograms... Even my watch bracelet is slipping off my hand.”

There is a not devoid of logic opinion that the failures of the Red Army in the first months of the war are connected, among other things, with the fact that the young commanders who made a dizzying career in the late 1930s turned out to be unprepared for the tasks that were entrusted to them.

Chernyakhovsky is a vivid example of the opposite. In the first days of the war, Colonel Chernyakhovsky's division held back German attacks near Siauliai. The young military leader inflicted significant damage on the enemy with daring counterattacks. The Chernyakhovites also fought to the death during the defense of Novgorod, for battles near which the division commander received his first Order of the Red Banner.

From a letter from Colonel Chernyakhovsky to his wife, August 1941: “If you saw me now, you wouldn’t recognize it - I’ve lost seventeen kilograms. Not a single belt fits, all are too big. Even the watch bracelet slips off my hand. I also dream of washing and shaving. The beard, like that of a sixty-year-old grandfather, has long been accustomed to it. However, all this does not prevent me from commanding with the same passion as always ... "

In the fall of 1941, the division, which had suffered heavy losses, was withdrawn for replenishment. Then the Chernyakhovites made their mark in the battles near Demyansk, where they stopped the onslaught of the Germans and did not allow them to transfer reserves to Leningrad.

In December 1941, Chernyakhovsky's tank division was reorganized into the 241st Rifle Division, which became part of the North-Western Front.

For the battles in the Demyansk Cauldron area, Chernyakhovsky was awarded the second Order of the Red Banner. And in May 1942, the division commander was awarded the rank of major general.

Commander "for growth"

In June 1942, the young general took command of the 18th Tank Corps of the Voronezh Front. In heavy battles near Voronezh, Chernyakhovsky was shell-shocked, which did not prevent him from taking command of the 60th Army in July of the same year.

War does not give time to unwind; second chances are rarely given here. During the operation to capture Voronezh, the actions of the commander of the 60th Army were assessed as not very successful - in Chernyakhovsky’s area of ​​responsibility, the Germans managed to withdraw most of the units from the encirclement. But the young general learned very quickly and immediately made amendments.

Marshal Alexander Vasilevsky recalled it this way: “Having started his first offensive army operation rather timidly, and in extremely unfavorable weather conditions, he quickly gained control of himself and took the army into his hands, brilliantly completed the task, liberating Voronezh on the very first day. An even more brilliant result of the operational leadership on the part of the young army commander was the military actions of his army during the capture of Kursk: the city was taken within 24 hours.”

When Kursk was captured, Chernyakhovsky’s army covered 90 km in five days of fighting, liberating more than 350 villages from the Nazis. On the day of the liberation of Kursk, February 8, the general was awarded the Order of Suvorov, first degree, and on February 14 he was awarded the rank of lieutenant general.

During the attack on Kharkov, the 60th Army fought more than 300 km. During the winter battles, the Chernyakhovites managed to destroy about 35,000 Nazis, and over 16,000 were captured.

Liberator of Minsk, savior of Vilnius

Soviet military leaders who observed their younger colleague noted that his professionalism and skill grew from battle to battle.

In October 1943, Chernyakhovsky’s army took part in crossing the Dnieper River, and for his heroism and courage during the fighting, on October 17 he was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. After participating in the battles on the Kiev bridgehead and liberating the territories in the Zhytomyr direction from the Nazis, on January 10, 1944, Chernyakhovsky was again presented with an award - the Order of Bohdan Khmelnitsky, first degree, and in March 1944 he became a colonel general.

Careers are made much faster in war than in peacetime. But Chernyakhovsky’s rise, even against this background, looked fantastic. In the spring of the same 1944, Stalin asked the Chief of the General Staff Vasilevsky: who, in his opinion, could lead the 3rd Belorussian Front? Vasilevsky answered without hesitation: General Chernyakhovsky. So, in April 1944, Ivan Chernyakhovsky became the youngest front commander in the history of the Red Army.

Ivan Chernyakhovsky At the table (from left to right): V.E. Makarov - brigade commissar, Alexander Mikhailovich Vasilevsky - chief of the General Staff, Ivan Danilovich Chernyakhovsky, army general. Photo: RIA Novosti

In the summer of 1944, during Operation Bagration, troops of the 3rd Belorussian Front played an important role in the liberation of Belarus. The front troops led by Chernyakhovsky, together with the 1st Baltic Front, defeated the enemy’s Vitebsk group, and on June 26, 1944, Vitebsk was liberated. Near Minsk, together with the 1st and 2nd Belorussian Fronts, they completed the encirclement of more than 100,000 enemy forces, and on July 3, 1944 they liberated Minsk.

On July 16, 1944, a rally and parade of partisans took place in Minsk to mark the liberation of the city from the occupiers. It was General Chernyakhovsky who represented the Red Army at this meeting of the winners.

Another city, now the capital of an independent state, owes General Chernyakhovsky the fact that it was not only liberated, but also spared destruction. Also in July 1944, the 3rd Belorussian Front conducted the Vilnius offensive operation. The front commander gave the order: when taking the city, heavy artillery and aviation should not be used, and Vilnius should be saved from destruction. The order was carried out, and happy Lithuanians greeted the liberators who saved the capital with flowers.

Rising star

Even before the capture of Minsk, at the end of June, Ivan Chernyakhovsky became an army general - the youngest in the history of the Red Army. And on July 29, 1944, for the successful actions of the troops during the liberation of Vitebsk, Minsk, and Vilnius, the front commander became twice Hero of the Soviet Union.

At the beginning of August 1944, after the liberation of Kaunas, one of the artillery brigades, which was part of the front commanded by Chernyakhovsky, was the first to begin shelling German territory.

Member of the Military Council of the 3rd Belorussian Front, Lieutenant General Vasily Emelyanovich Makarov, Marshal of the Soviet Union Alexander Mikhailovich Vasilevsky, front commander Army General Ivan Danilovich Chernyakhovsky (from left to right) accept the surrender of the German general. Vitebsk, June 28, 1944. Photo: RIA Novosti / Anatoly Morozov

From mid-October 1944, troops of the 3rd Belorussian Front carried out the Gumbinnen-Goldap operation, and from January 13, 1945, Chernyakhovsky was at the head of the Insterburg-Konigsberg operation, during which his troops reached Konigsberg, blocking a large East Prussian group of Nazis.

His talent was just coming into full force. It seemed like a new one was born Suvorov. Chernyakhovsky, as already mentioned, was much younger than Zhukov, Rokossovsky and other military leaders, and in the future could lead the entire Armed Forces of the USSR. Marshal's shoulder straps were about to sparkle on his shoulders...

“Fatally wounded, I’m dying”

On February 18, 1945, while Chernyakhovsky was touring the units entrusted to him in the area of ​​the Polish city of Melzak (Penenzhno), a shell suddenly exploded next to his car. A fragment, having pierced the wall of the cabin and the seat, mortally wounded Chernyakhovsky in the chest.

This was witnessed by the commander of the 3rd Army, General Gorbatov. “The smoke and dust after the explosion had not yet cleared when I was already near the stopped car. There were five people sitting in it: the front commander, his adjutant, the driver and two soldiers. The general was sitting next to the driver, he leaned towards the glass and repeated several times: “I’m mortally wounded, I’m dying.” I knew that there was a medical battalion three kilometers away. Five minutes later the general was examined by doctors. He was still alive and, when he came to his senses, he repeated: “I’m dying, I’m dying.” The wound from a shrapnel in the chest was truly fatal. He soon died,” Gorbatov recalled.

"Tank Avengers" and the wrath of Comrade Stalin

There was a story going around in the units. The front commander was allegedly driving recklessly on the road, hit one of the tanks of a passing column and ended up in a ditch. The enraged general began to swear at the tank commander, and he responded with something impudent. Then the front commander shot the tankman and then left. The tankers, shocked by the death of their comrade, turned the tank's turret around and fired after the general. He died from this shot.

Despite all the drama, this story looks extremely implausible. Chernyakhovsky never behaved like this, and the “Avengers” shooting at the general from a tank is a completely unrealistic story, at least for the Red Army of 1945. Moreover, the front-line tale claims that the “Avengers” went unpunished. But it would not be so difficult to determine that the shell came from our side, and then SMERSH employees, without a doubt, would have identified the conspirators.

Another version says that Comrade Stalin personally decided to get rid of Chernyakhovsky, who allegedly did not like the rapid growth of the young general’s influence. This assumption looks even less plausible - with all due respect to Chernyakhovsky and his military talents, the general’s political weight was very insignificant and could not be compared with the influence of the same Zhukov or Vasilevsky. If the leader had a desire to get rid of Chernyakhovsky, this could be done through simple removal from office. After this, any measures could be taken against the general, as happened with those who were truly objectionable.

34th fireworks

The most terrible and plausible version is that General Chernyakhovsky really became the victim of a stray enemy shell. In war, no one is immune from such an accident - neither an ordinary person nor the most outstanding military leader.

On February 20, 1945, Ivan Danilovich Chernyakhovsky was buried in front of a large crowd of people in Vilnius, the city he saved, on Ozheshkenes Square.

Since August 1943, the troops of General Chernyakhovsky were noted 34 times as having distinguished themselves in the orders of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief. Each time, fireworks were fired in honor of the distinguished troops in Moscow. The last, 34th salute, was given when the general was no longer alive.

In 1946, the city of Insterburg, Kaliningrad region, was renamed Chernyakhovsk, and a monument to the military leader was erected in the city.

A fragment of a bronze sculptural portrait of twice Hero of the Soviet Union, Army General Ivan Danilovich Chernyakhovsky. The author is sculptor Evgeniy Viktorovich Vuchetich. A fragment of a bronze sculptural portrait of twice Hero of the Soviet Union, Army General Ivan Danilovich Chernyakhovsky. The author is sculptor Evgeniy Viktorovich Vuchetich. Photo: RIA Novosti/Ignatovich. Photo: RIA Novosti /

Gratitude is not always an eternal thing; in some cases it has a statute of limitations.

Lithuanian-Polish revenge

In 1992, after the collapse of the USSR and the declaration of independence of Lithuania, the new authorities of Vilnius reported that the ashes of the man who saved their city were causing them inconvenience, and offered to remove them. The new resting place of General Chernyakhovsky was the Novodevichy Cemetery in Moscow. The monument erected to the military leader in Vilnius was transported to Voronezh.

In 2015, the Poles decided to get even with Chernyakhovsky. The 3rd Belorussian Front, under his command, liberated the territory of Poland, and the place of the general’s death is now located on the territory of this country.

The monument erected at the site of Chernyakhovsky’s death was dismantled. A number of Polish historians claim that General Chernyakhovsky gave the order for mass arrests and executions of Home Army fighters. These paramilitary forces, who viewed the Red Army as an enemy, shot Soviet soldiers in the back, and, frankly speaking, there was no reason to mess with them.

The problem, however, is that Polish representatives never presented any documentary evidence that General Chernyakhovsky gave orders for mass repressions against AK fighters.

The monument to him was demolished simply out of hatred for the Russians and from a great desire to rewrite the history of the Second World War.

Let it remain on their conscience. And for us, Ivan Danilovich Chernyakhovsky will always be a hero, whose memory is sacred.

In the large-scale procession of the “Immortal Regiment”, among thousands of portraits of veterans of the Great Patriotic War, a photo of Colonel General Gleb Vladimirovich Baklanov, an outstanding military leader and the youngest general of the Soviet Army, will be carried through the center of the capital.

Especially for Reedus, the story of the Hero of the Soviet Union, who went through two wars - the Finnish and the Great Patriotic War - was told by the daughter of a colonel general, Honored Artist of Russia Elena Baklanova.

The beginning of the way

Gleb Baklanov was born on August 1, 1910 in Moscow, in the family of a weaving factory owner and a theater actress. The future hero easily graduated from school and the Moscow Polytechnic College named after V.I. Lenin. His passion for artistic gymnastics and hard work brought Baklanov a well-deserved championship at the Moscow championship.

Sports training and education helped Baklanov at the start of his military career: in 1932 he was drafted into the Red Army and sent to the 1st Moscow Proletarian Rifle Division - and a year later Baklanov led a platoon in the 3rd Rifle Regiment of the same division, and then served as an assistant company commander, battalion chief of staff, regiment chemical defense chief and assistant regimental chief of staff.

In May 1939, Baklanov headed the headquarters of the 541st Infantry Regiment (136th Infantry Division), with which he took part in hostilities during the Soviet-Finnish War. Then Baklanov received his first serious wound on the battlefield. Later, for courage and heroism in battles, he would be awarded the Order of the Red Banner.

He was brilliantly educated. He knew music very well, understood it, played the violin and was an excellent athlete. This is what personality is made of. All this is very important: young people must learn. Study deeply, consciously, trying not to miss anything, especially during your student years, notes daughter Elena Baklanova.

As chief of staff of the 6th Motorized Rifle Regiment, Captain Baklanov began his difficult combat path in the Great Patriotic War, full of dangers, tragedies and heroic achievements.

The Great Patriotic War

Since August 1941, Gleb Baklanov, as part of the 175th motorized rifle regiment, faced a series of major military battles. He took part in the border battle on the Western Front, as well as in the Battle of Smolensk. In the Orsha region, Baklanov received another serious injury, but it did not stop the hero: already in November 1941, he led a battalion of cadets of the Omsk Military Infantry School, and a couple of months later he commanded the 157th Infantry Brigade, which soon took part in the fighting near Staraya Russa.

The extraordinary talents of the military leader, who commanded the 299th Infantry Division during the Battle of Stalingrad in 1942, earned him the Order of Alexander Nevsky and the American Order of Distinguished Service.

The soldiers called him “father.” “Dad”... This is a very meaningful word: for the soldiers, he was not only a military leader, but also a truly close person, says the hero’s daughter.

Under the command of Baklanov, the division fought in the liberation of Poltava and Kremenchug, and then participated in the Lower Dnieper, Kirovograd, Uman-Botoshan and Lvov-Sandomierz offensive operations.

This year, 32-year-old Baklanov received the rank of major general, becoming the youngest general in the Soviet army. And having received a new assignment in August 1944, Baklanov led the 34th Guards Rifle Corps into battle during the Vistula-Oder, Lower Silesian and Upper Silesian offensive operations. However, the most glorious episode of the hero’s military journey was yet to come.

Meeting on the Elbe

In April 1945, led by Gleb Baklanov, the 34th Guards Rifle Corps took part in the Berlin and Prague offensive operations, and later in the crossing of the Spree and Elbe rivers and the liberation of Dresden. Later, for these exploits, the corps will receive the honorary name "Dresden", but let's return to one of the most famous episodes of the Second World War, which occurred on April 25, 1945.

It was then, near German Torgau on the Elbe River, that the troops of the 1st Ukrainian Front of the USSR Army met with the troops of the 1st US Army. The Allied tactical maneuver made it possible to split the remnants of the German armed forces into two parts - northern and southern.

This is how Baklanov himself described this episode in his memoirs “The Wind of the War Years.”

From the church bell tower, the scouts on the western bank of the river heard shouts, first in English, then in German: “America!” Russia! Then the same voice, with a strong foreign accent, began shouting a single word in Russian: “Comrade!” Comrade! A man in military uniform shouted. Guard Lieutenant A.S. Silvashko began asking the shouting man in German, but the stranger obviously did not understand him. Our guards fired several shots into the air, and a few minutes later another voice was heard from the walls of the fortress, speaking in Russian: “Comrades!” Do not shoot! Allies are here! Americans are here! Moscow - America! The reconnaissance platoon of the 58th division rushed to the crossing, and the scouts who were on the western bank saw a man in American uniform run from the fortress to the bridge. A minute later, Soviet soldiers shook hands with the American. He turned out to be the intelligence officer of the 1st Battalion, 273rd Regiment of the same 69th Infantry Division of the US 1st Army, Second Lieutenant William D. Robertson.

“As I was told, everything went very well, fun, sincerely. We managed without translators. Americans turned out to be passionate lovers of souvenirs. All our soldiers and officers were left literally without stars on their caps and caps, without buttons, and some without shoulder straps. The Order of the Red Star received special attention, and the Americans tried to get it as a souvenir. Ours, without giving it away, could hardly explain the word “order”. The Americans themselves presented ours with everything they wanted, almost weapons,” Baklanov recalled the meeting of the allied troops.

After the war

For the excellent performance of combat missions of the command on the front of the fight against the German invaders and the courage and heroism shown, Major General Gleb Baklanov was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union with the Order of Lenin and the Gold Star medal (No. 6564).

This photo shows the first Victory Parade on May 15, 1945, during which Gleb Baklanov commanded the combined regiment of the 1st Ukrainian Front:

Baklanov's military career lasted until 1967. He headed the department of physical training and sports of the Ground Forces, after which he was one of the leaders of the Soviet delegation to London in order to determine the possibility of the USSR participating in the Summer Olympics, commanded the 13th Army of the Carpathian Military District, as well as the troops of the Siberian Military District and the Northern Group of Forces .

On January 16, 1976, the hero of the Great Patriotic War died in Moscow. Gleb Baklanov was buried at the Novodevichy cemetery.

His daughter, Reedus’ interlocutor Elena Baklanova, takes care of her family’s historical heritage. She directs the academic choir of the Moscow State University of Psychology and Education "Ozarenie" and has headed the People's Academic Choir of Veterans "Salyut" for more than a quarter of a century.

Elena Baklanova is also a member of the Victory Commanders Memorial Fund, which is headed by the daughter of the outstanding commander of the Great Patriotic War - Marshal of the Soviet Union Ivan Stepanovich Konev. They often get together, visit the Novodevichy cemetery and remember their heroes.

Today Elena and her daughter will carry a portrait of Colonel General Gleb Baklanov over the columns of the “Immortal Regiment” in Moscow: “This is an amazing action, amazing! I always take part in it with pleasure. And every time I can’t hold back my tears.”

The column of the “Immortal Regiment” in the capital of Russia will begin moving today at 15:00: as in last year, the procession will pass through Red Square, and then split into two streams: one of them will go along the Bolshoi Moskvoretsky Bridge, the other along Moskvoretskaya Embankment.