On the territory of modern Russia and nearby neighboring states, many wars have been waged over the millennia. War is death, murder, hatred. This list can be continued for a very long time, but this is also the time to test the feeling of patriotism in a person or test for strength. In the war there were people who showed themselves heroically, like real people who love their homeland. One of these was Skoblev Mikhail Dmitrievich.
Mikhail was born on September 17, 1843. His father was a military lieutenant general. His mother always showed kindness, tenderness and wisdom. It was in the family that the growing Mikhail was instilled with love for his own, the Russian people, he was faithful to his civic duty, was ready to give his life in the name of the people.
From a young age, Mikhail was more interested in science, and adults predicted a career as a scientist, because he knew 8 European languages, loved and was fond of music, history and culture. At the age of majority, Mikhail begins his studies at St. Petersburg University, then, by the will of fate, he becomes enrolled as a cadet in the Cavalier Guard Regiment. In 1863, M. Skobleva received the title of cornet. After some time, he is baptized in a baptism of fire. The first Order of St. Anne, 4th class, was received in the Battle of Radkovitsa. Even after a not very long time period, he is transferred to the hussar regiment. After graduating from the General Staff Academy, Mikhail serves his homeland in the Moscow District. He soon realized that he wanted something different ... and went to the territory of the Caucasus and Turkestan.
During the conquest of Khiva, Mikhail showed himself heroically and understood his destiny. He began to wear exclusively a white uniform and ride only on a white horse. Among the people and among the people who fought with him, he was nicknamed the "white commander." For his courage, determination, diplomacy, knowledge of the culture of the peoples of Asia, he was awarded 2 orders of St. George 3 and 4 degrees, the Order of St. Vladimir and a sword made of gold with the inscription "For Courage". In 1877, Mikhail became a colonel, almost immediately the governor of New Margilan, and commander of a military unit in the Federal District. A little later, Mikhail is given a new rank, and he participates in a coalition against Turkey. Unaware of his past exploits, new colleagues thought he was an upstart. But after the final blow to the Turkish troops, Mikhail justified all his well-deserved orders, received respect, glory and honor among the military.
In 1881, Mikhail has the rank of lieutenant general. After the victory over the Akhal-Tepe fortress, he receives the Order of St. George, 2nd degree. He then decides to go abroad, where he speaks freely about the oppression of his people. European states. He is recalled to his homeland, as a result of which he suddenly dies on 06/26/1882. So brightly, heroically, loving his homeland, Lieutenant General Mikhail Dmitrievich Skoblev lived.
Interesting facts and dates from life
Skobelev
Mikhail Dmitrievich
Battles and victories
“Convince the soldiers in practice that you are paternally caring about them outside the battle, that in battle there is strength, and nothing will be impossible for you,” said Skobelev.And with this conviction he won in Central Asia and the Balkans. The conqueror of Khiva and the liberator of Bulgaria, he went down in history under the name of the "white general".
SKOBELEV MIKHAIL DMITRIEVICH (1843-1882) - an outstanding Russian military leader and strategist, a man of great personal courage, infantry general (1881), adjutant general (1878). Member of the Central Asian conquests of the Russian Empire and the Russian-Turkish war of 1877-1878, the liberator of Bulgaria. He went down in history with the nickname "White General" (tur. Ak-Pasha), which is always associated primarily with him, and not only because he participated in battles in a white uniform and on a white horse.
Why was he called the "white general"?
For different reasons. The simplest is a uniform and a white horse. But he wasn't the only one wearing a white general's military uniform. So something else. Probably, the desire to be on the side of good, not to impoverish the soul, not to reconcile with the need for murder.
I came to the conclusion that everything in the world is a lie, a lie and a lie ... All this - and glory, and all this brilliance is a lie ... Is this true happiness? .. Does humanity really need this? .. But what, what is this lie worth , this glory? How many dead, wounded, sufferers, devastated!.. Explain to me: will you and I be responsible to God for the mass of people whom we killed in battle?
- these words of Skobelev V.I. Nemirovich-Danchenko discovers a lot in the general's character.
“An amazing life, the amazing speed of its events: Kokand, Khiva, Alai, Shipka, Lovcha, Plevna on July 18, Plevna on August 30, Green Mountains, crossing the Balkans, a trip to Adrianople, fabulous in its speed, Geok-Tepe and unexpected, mysterious death - follow one after another, without respite, without rest. (V.I. Nemirovich-Danchenko "Skobelev").
Early biography and military education
A hereditary military man, he was born in St. Petersburg on September 17, 1843 in the family of Lieutenant General Dmitry Ivanovich Skobelev and his wife Olga Nikolaevna, nee Poltavtseva. Having inherited the "subtlety of nature" from his mother, he retained his spiritual intimacy with her for the rest of his life. In his opinion, only in the family a person has the opportunity to be himself.
“Too graceful for a real military man,” he nevertheless chose this path from his youth and already on November 22, 1861, he entered military service to the Cavalier Guard Regiment. After passing the exam, on September 8, 1862, he was promoted to the junker belt, and on March 31, 1863 - to the cornets. August 30, 1864 Skobelev was promoted to lieutenant.
In the autumn of 1866 he entered the Nikolaev General Staff Academy. At the end of the course of the academy in 1868, he became the 13th of 26 officers assigned to the general staff.
Khiva campaign
In the spring of 1873, Skobelev took part in the Khiva campaign, as an officer of the general staff at the Mangishlak detachment of Colonel Lomakin. The purpose of the campaign is, firstly, to strengthen the Russian borders, which were subjected to targeted attacks by local feudal lords equipped with English weapons, and secondly, to protect those who came under Russian protection. They left on April 16, Skobelev, like other officers, walked. Severity and exactingness in the conditions of a military campaign, and first of all to himself, distinguished this person. Then, in peaceful life, there could be weaknesses and doubts, during military operations - maximum composure, responsibility and courage.
So on May 5, near the well of Itybay, Skobelev with a detachment of 10 riders met a caravan of Kazakhs who had gone over to the side of Khiva and, despite the numerical superiority of the enemy, rushed into battle, in which he received 7 wounds with pikes and checkers and until May 20 could not sit on a horse. Returning to service, on May 22, with 3 companies and 2 guns, he covered the wheeled convoy, and repulsed a number of enemy attacks. On May 24, when the Russian troops were at Chinakchik (8 versts from Khiva), the Khiva attacked the camel convoy. Skobelev quickly orientated himself, and moved with two hundred hidden, gardens, to the rear of the Khivans he overturned their approaching cavalry, then attacked the Khiva infantry, put it to flight and returned 400 camels beaten off by the enemy. On May 29, Mikhail Skobelev with two companies stormed the Shakhabat Gates, was the first to get inside the fortress and, although he was attacked by the enemy, he kept the gate and the rampart behind him. Khiva subdued.
Khiva campaign in 1873.
The transition of the Turkestan detachment through the dead sands - Karazin
Military Governor
In 1875-76, Mikhail Dmitrievich led an expedition against the rebellion of the feudal lords of the Kokand Khanate, directed against nomadic robbers who ravaged the Russian border lands. After that, with the rank of major general, he was appointed governor and commander of the troops of the Fergana region, formed on the territory of the abolished Kokand Khanate. As the military governor of Fergana and the head of all the troops operating in the former Kokand Khanate, he took part and led the battles at Kara-Chukul, Makhram, Minch-Tube, Andijan, Tyura-Kurgan, Namangan, Tash-Bala, Balykchi, etc. He also organized and without much loss he made an amazing expedition, known as the "Alai". Becoming the head of the Fergana region, Skobelev found mutual language with conquered tribes. The Sarts reacted well to the arrival of the Russians, but nevertheless their weapons were taken away. The militant Kipchaks, once subjugated, kept their word and did not revolt. Mikhail Dmitrievich treated them "firmly, but with heart."
Thus, for the first time, his stern gift as a military leader was manifested:War is war, - he said during the discussion of the operation, - and there cannot be no losses in it ... and these losses can be large.
Russian-Turkish war 1877-1878
The peak of the career of commander D.M. Skobelev fell on the Russian-Turkish war of 1877-1878, the purpose of which was the liberation of Orthodox peoples from oppression Ottoman Empire. On June 15, 1877, Russian troops crossed the Danube and launched an offensive. The Bulgarians enthusiastically met the Russian army and poured into it.
On the battlefield, Skobelev appeared as a major general, already with the St. George Cross, and, despite the incredulous remarks of many of his associates, he quickly gained fame as a talented and fearless commander. During the Russian-Turkish war of 1877-1878. he actually commanded (being the chief of staff of the Consolidated Cossack division) the Caucasian Cossack brigade during the 2nd assault on Plevna in July 1877 and a separate detachment during the capture of Lovchi in August 1877.
During the 3rd assault on Plevna (August 1877), he successfully led the actions of the left-flank detachment, which broke through to Plevna, but did not receive timely support from the command. Commanding the 16th Infantry Division, Mikhail Dmitrievich participated in the blockade of Plevna and the winter crossing through the Balkans (through the Imitlisky Pass), playing a decisive role in the battle of Sheinovo.
At the last stage of the war, while pursuing the retreating Turkish troops, Skobelev, commanding the vanguard of the Russian troops, occupied Adrianople and in February 1878 San Stefano in the vicinity of Constantinople. Skobelev's successful actions made him very popular in Russia and Bulgaria, where streets, squares and parks in many cities were named after him.
Prudent people reproached Skobelev for his reckless courage; they said that “he behaves like a boy”, that “he rushes forward like an ensign”, which, finally, risking “necessarily”, exposes the soldiers to the danger of being left without high command, etc. However, there was no more commander attentive to the needs of his soldiers and more careful about their lives than the "white general". During preparations for the upcoming crossing through the Balkans, Skobelev, who foresaw such a development of events in advance, and therefore did not waste time in vain, developed a vigorous activity. He, as the head of the column, understood: regardless of the conditions of the transition, everything must be done to save the detachment from unjustified losses along the way, to maintain its combat effectiveness.
Convince the soldiers in practice that you are paternally caring about them outside the battle, that in battle there is strength, and nothing will be impossible for you
Skobelev said.
The personal example of the chief, his training requirements became a measure for the officers and soldiers of the detachment. Throughout the district, Skobelev sent teams to purchase boots, sheepskin coats, sweatshirts, food and fodder. Pack saddles and packs were purchased in the villages. On the route of the detachment, in Toplesh, Skobelev created a base with an eight-day supply of food and large quantity pack horses. And all this Skobelev carried out with the forces of his detachment, not relying on the help of the commissariat and partnership, who were engaged in supplying the army.
The time of intense fighting clearly showed that the Russian army was inferior to the Turkish army in terms of the quality of weapons, and therefore Skobelev supplied one battalion of the Uglitsky regiment with guns recaptured from the Turks. Another innovation was introduced by Skobelev. As soon as the soldiers did not curse, every time they put heavy satchels on their backs! Neither sit down with such a burden, nor lie down, and in battle it hindered movement. Skobelev got a canvas somewhere and ordered the bags to be sewn. And the soldier became easy and comfortable! After the war, the entire Russian army switched to canvas bags. They laughed at Skobelev: they say, the military general turned into an agent of the commissariat, and the laughter intensified even more when it became known about Skobelev's order for each soldier to have a log of dry firewood.
N.D. Dmitriev-Orenburgsky. General M.D. Skobelev on horseback. 1883
Irkutsk Regional Art Museum. P.V. Sukacheva
Skobelev continued to prepare the detachment. As subsequent events showed, firewood was very useful. At a halt, the soldiers quickly kindled fires and rested in the warmth. During the transition, there was not a single frostbite in the detachment. In other detachments, especially in the left column, a large number of soldiers were out of action due to frostbite.
All of the above made General Skobelev an idol among the soldiers and an object of envy among the highest military ranks, endlessly blaming him for too “light” awards, unjustified, from their point of view, courage, undeserved glory. However, those who saw him in action could not fail to note completely different qualities. “It is impossible not to note the skill with which Skobelev fought. At that moment, when he achieved decisive success, 9 fresh battalions were still intact in his hands, the mere sight of which forced the Turks to capitulate.
Akhal-Teke expedition
After the end of the Russian-Turkish war of 1877-1878. "white general" commanded the corps, but was soon sent back to Central Asia, where in 1880-1881. led the so-called Akhal-Teke military expedition, during which he carefully and comprehensively organized campaigns of subordinate troops and successfully stormed the Den-gil-Tepe fortress (near Geok-Tepe). Following this, Ashgabat was occupied by Skobelev's troops.
An ardent supporter of liberation Slavic peoples, Skobelev was indefatigable, reaching almost to Constantinople, and was very worried about the impossibility of completing the job. IN AND. Nemirovich-Danchenko, who accompanied the general, wrote: “Strange as it may seem, I can testify that I saw Skobelev burst into tears, speaking of Constantinople, that we were wasting time and the results of an entire war without occupying it ...
Indeed, when even the Turks erected masses of new fortifications around Constantinople, Skobelev several times made exemplary attacks and maneuvers, occupied these fortifications, showing the full possibility of capturing them without great losses. Once in this way he burst in and took the key of the enemy positions, from which the askers looked at him, doing nothing.
Skobelev M.D.:I directly suggested to the Grand Duke: to arbitrarily occupy Constantinople with my detachment, and the next day let them put me on trial and shoot me, so long as they don’t give him away ... I wanted to do this without warning, but who knows what types and assumptions there are. ..
But Russia turned out to be unprepared for that brilliant victory, which was ensured by the courage of its soldiers and the valor of such commanders as Skobelev. The barely nascent capitalism was not ready to take on England and France, to whom Russia lost the Crimean War about 20 years ago. If the victims of recklessness in war are soldiers, then the victims of reckless politicians are entire nations and states. The “pan-Slavic unity” that the general hoped for was not born in either the First or Second World Wars.
Nevertheless, already then, in the late 70s - early 80s of the XIX century, Skobelev was able to discern the future Russian-German front of the First World War and assess the main forms of armed struggle in the future.
Having received a month's leave on June 22 (July 4), 1882, M.D. Skobelev left Minsk, where the headquarters of the 4th Corps was located, for Moscow, and already on June 25, 1882, the general was gone. It was a completely unexpected death. Unexpected for others, but not for him ...
He repeatedly expressed forebodings of imminent death to his friends:Every day of my life is a respite given to me by fate. I know that I will not be allowed to live. It's not for me to finish everything that I have in mind. You know that I am not afraid of death. Well, I'll tell you: fate or people will soon lie in wait for me. Someone called me a fatal person, and fatal people always end up in a fatal way ... God spared me in battle ... And people ... Well, maybe this is redemption. Who knows, maybe we are wrong in everything and others paid for our mistakes? ..
This quote reveals to us the character of a difficult, ambiguous, even unexpected for a military man.
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Postage Stamp dedicated
135th anniversary of the liberation of Bulgaria
Mikhail Dmitrievich Skobelev was primarily Russian. And how almost every Russian person "carried in himself" the internal discord that is seen in people who think. Outside of battles, he was tormented by doubts. He did not have the calm, "with which the commanders of other countries and peoples send tens of thousands of people to their deaths, without experiencing the slightest pangs of conscience, commanders for whom the dead and wounded are only a more or less unpleasant detail of a brilliant report." However, there was no tearful sentimentality either. Before the battle, Skobelev was calm, resolute and energetic, he himself went to his death and did not spare others, but after the battle, according to his contemporaries, “he had hard days, hard nights. His conscience did not rest on the consciousness of the necessity of sacrifices. On the contrary, she spoke loudly and menacingly. A martyr woke up in triumph. The rapture of victory could not kill the heavy doubts in his sensitive soul. In sleepless nights, in moments of loneliness, the commander stepped back and a man came to the fore with a mass of unresolved issues, with repentance ... The recent winner was tormented and executed as a criminal from all this mass of blood shed by himself.
Such was the price of his military success. And the "white general" M.D. Skobelev paid it honestly and selflessly, just as honestly and selflessly as he fought for the good of his Fatherland.
Literature
Soviet military encyclopedia. T. 7. M., 1973
History of military strategy of Russia. M., 2000
Gubanov E. A. Our Russian miracle heroes and heroes: A. V. Suvorov, M. I. Kutuzov and M. D. Skobelev. M., 1897
Sokolov A. A. White general, Russian folk hero Mikhail Dmitrievich Skobelev. SPb., 1888
Internet
Surzhik Dmitry Viktorovich, researcher at the Institute of World History of the Russian Academy of Sciences
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Yuri Vsevolodovich
Grachev Pavel Sergeevich
The hero of the USSR. May 5, 1988 "for the performance of combat missions with minimal casualties and for the professional command of a controlled formation and the successful actions of the 103rd Airborne Division, in particular, to occupy the strategically important pass Satukandav (Khost province) during the military operation" Highway " "received a medal" Golden Star» No. 11573. Commander of the Airborne Troops of the USSR. In total, during his military service, he made 647 parachute jumps, some of them while testing new equipment.
He was shell-shocked 8 times, received several wounds. Suppressed the armed coup in Moscow and thereby saved the system of democracy. As Minister of Defense, he made great efforts to preserve the remnants of the army - a task that few people had in the history of Russia. Only because of the collapse of the army and a decrease in the number of military equipment in the Armed Forces, he could not end the Chechen war victoriously.
Chapaev Vasily Ivanovich
01/28/1887 - 09/05/1919 life. Head of a division of the Red Army, participant in the First World War and the Civil War.
Cavalier of three St. George's crosses and the St. George medal. Cavalier of the Order of the Red Banner.
On his account:
- Organization of the county Red Guard of 14 detachments.
- Participation in the campaign against General Kaledin (near Tsaritsyn).
- Participation in the campaign of the Special Army against Uralsk.
- An initiative to reorganize the Red Guard detachments into two regiments of the Red Army: them. Stepan Razin and them. Pugachev, united in the Pugachev brigade under the command of Chapaev.
- Participation in battles with the Czechoslovaks and the People's Army, from whom Nikolaevsk was recaptured, renamed in honor of the brigade in Pugachevsk.
- Since September 19, 1918, the commander of the 2nd Nikolaev division.
- From February 1919 - Commissar of Internal Affairs of the Nikolaevsky district.
- From May 1919 - brigade commander of the Special Alexander-Gai Brigade.
- Since June - the head of the 25th Infantry Division, which participated in the Bugulma and Belebeev operations against Kolchak's army.
- The capture by the forces of his division on June 9, 1919 of Ufa.
- The capture of Uralsk.
- A deep raid by a Cossack detachment with an attack on the well-guarded (about 1000 bayonets) and located in the deep rear of the city of Lbischensk (now the village of Chapaev, West Kazakhstan region of Kazakhstan), where the headquarters of the 25th division was located.
Chuikov Vasily Ivanovich
"There is a city in vast Russia to which my heart is given, it went down in history as STALINGRAD ..." V.I. Chuikov
Platov Matvei Ivanovich
Military ataman of the Don Cossack army. He began active military service at the age of 13. A member of several military companies, he is best known as the commander of the Cossack troops during the Patriotic War of 1812 and during the subsequent Foreign Campaign of the Russian Army. Thanks to the successful actions of the Cossacks under his command, Napoleon's saying went down in history:
- Happy is the commander who has Cossacks. If I had an army of Cossacks alone, then I would conquer all of Europe.
Romanov Mikhail Timofeevich
The heroic defense of Mogilev, for the first time all-round anti-tank defense of the city.
Stalin Joseph Vissarionovich
Victory in the Great Patriotic War, saving the entire planet from absolute evil, and our country from extinction.
Stalin from the first hours of the war exercised control over the country, front and rear. On land, at sea and in the air.
His merit is not one or even ten battles or campaigns, his merit is the Victory, composed of hundreds of battles of the Great Patriotic War: the battle near Moscow, the battles in the North Caucasus, Battle of Stalingrad, the battles on the Kursk Bulge, the battles near Leningrad and many others before the capture of Berlin, success in which was achieved thanks to the monotonous inhuman work of the genius of the Supreme Commander.
Rumyantsev Petr Alexandrovich
Russian military and statesman, throughout the reign of Catherine II (1761-96) ruled Little Russia. During the Seven Years' War he commanded the capture of Kolberg. For the victories over the Turks at Larga, Kagul and others, which led to the conclusion of the Kyuchuk-Kainarji peace, he was awarded the title of "Transdanubian". In 1770 he received the rank of Field Marshal. Cavalier of the orders of the Russian St. Andrew the Apostle, St. Alexander Nevsky, St. George 1st class and St. Vladimir I degree, the Prussian Black Eagle and St. Anna I degree
Kovpak Sidor Artemevich
Member of the First World War (he served in the 186th Aslanduz Infantry Regiment) and the Civil War. During the First World War, he fought on the Southwestern Front, a member of the Brusilov breakthrough. In April 1915, as part of the guard of honor, he was personally awarded the St. George Cross by Nicholas II. In total, he was awarded St. George's crosses III and IV degrees and medals "For Courage" ("George" medals) III and IV degrees.
During the Civil War, he led a local partisan detachment that fought in Ukraine against the German invaders together with the detachments of A. Ya. Parkhomenko, then was a fighter of the 25th Chapaev division on Eastern Front, where he was engaged in the disarmament of the Cossacks, participated in battles with the armies of Generals A. I. Denikin and Wrangel on the Southern Front.
In 1941-1942, Kovpak's formation carried out raids behind enemy lines in the Sumy, Kursk, Oryol and Bryansk regions, in 1942-1943 - a raid from the Bryansk forests on the Right-Bank Ukraine in the Gomel, Pinsk, Volyn, Rivne, Zhytomyr and Kyiv regions; in 1943 - the Carpathian raid. The Sumy partisan formation under the command of Kovpak fought over 10 thousand kilometers in the rear of the Nazi troops, defeated the enemy garrisons in 39 settlements. Kovpak's raids played a big role in the deployment of the partisan movement against the German occupiers.
Twice Hero of the Soviet Union:
Decree of the Presidium Supreme Council USSR dated May 18, 1942, for the exemplary performance of combat missions behind enemy lines, the courage and heroism shown in their implementation, Kovpak Sidor Artemyevich was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union with the Order of Lenin and the Gold Star medal (No. 708)
The second medal "Gold Star" (No.) Major General Kovpak Sidor Artemyevich was awarded by the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of January 4, 1944 for the successful conduct of the Carpathian raid
four Orders of Lenin (18.5.1942, 4.1.1944, 23.1.1948, 25.5.1967)
Order of the Red Banner (24.12.1942)
Order of Bogdan Khmelnitsky, 1st class. (7.8.1944)
Order of Suvorov, 1st class (2 May 1945)
medals
foreign orders and medals (Poland, Hungary, Czechoslovakia)
Nakhimov Pavel Stepanovich
Romodanovsky Grigory Grigorievich
There are no outstanding military figures of the period from the Troubles to the Northern War on the project, although there were such. An example of this is G.G. Romodanovsky.
Descended from the family of Starodub princes.
Member of the sovereign's campaign against Smolensk in 1654. In September 1655, together with the Ukrainian Cossacks, he defeated the Poles near Gorodok (not far from Lvov), in November of the same year he fought in the battle of Ozernaya. In 1656 he received the rank of roundabout and headed the Belgorod category. In 1658 and 1659 participated in hostilities against the betrayed hetman Vygovsky and the Crimean Tatars, besieged Varva and fought near Konotop (Romodanovsky's troops withstood a heavy battle at the crossing over the Kukolka River). In 1664, he played a decisive role in repelling the invasion of 70 thousand army of the Polish king on the Left-Bank Ukraine, inflicted a number of sensitive blows on it. In 1665 he was granted a boyar. In 1670, he acted against the Razintsy - he defeated the detachment of the ataman's brother, Frol. The crown of Romodanovsky's military activity is the war with the Ottoman Empire. In 1677 and 1678 troops under his leadership inflicted heavy defeats on the Ottomans. An interesting moment: both main defendants in the battle of Vienna in 1683 were defeated by G.G. Romodanovsky: Sobessky with his king in 1664 and Kara Mustafa in 1678
The prince died on May 15, 1682 during the Streltsy uprising in Moscow.
Kornilov Lavr Georgievich
KORNILOV Lavr Georgievich (08.18.1870-04.31.1918) Colonel (02.1905). Major General (12.1912). Lieutenant General (08.26.1914). Infantry General (06.30.1917). with a gold medal from the Nikolaev Academy of the General Staff (1898). Officer at the headquarters of the Turkestan Military District, 1889-1904. Participant in the Russian-Japanese war of 1904 - 1905: headquarters officer of the 1st rifle brigade (at its headquarters). When retreating from Mukden, the brigade got surrounded. Having led the rearguard, he broke through the encirclement with a bayonet attack, ensuring the freedom of defensive combat operations of the brigade. Military attache in China, 04/01/1907 - 02/24/1911. Participant in the First World War: commander of the 48th Infantry Division of the 8th Army (General Brusilov). During the general retreat, the 48th division was surrounded and General Kornilov, who was wounded on 04.1915, was captured near the Duklinsky Pass (Carpathians); 08.1914-04.1915. Captured by the Austrians, 04.1915-06.1916. Dressed in the uniform of an Austrian soldier, he escaped from captivity on 06.1915. Commander of the 25th Rifle Corps, 06.1916-04.1917. Commander of the Petrograd Military District, 03-04.1917. Commander of the 8th Army, 04.24-07.08.1917. On 05/19/1917, by his order, he introduced the formation of the first volunteer "1st Shock Detachment of the 8th Army" under the command of Captain Nezhentsev. Commander of the Southwestern Front...
Stalin Joseph Vissarionovich
"As a military leader, I.V. Stalin, I studied thoroughly, since I went through the whole war with him. I.V. Stalin mastered the organization of front-line operations and operations of groups of fronts and led them with complete knowledge of the matter, well versed in large strategic questions...
In leading the armed struggle as a whole, JV Stalin was assisted by his natural mind and rich intuition. He knew how to find the main link in a strategic situation and, seizing on it, to counteract the enemy, to conduct one or another major offensive operation. Undoubtedly, he was a worthy Supreme Commander"
(Zhukov G.K. Memoirs and reflections.)
Denikin Anton Ivanovich
The commander, under whose leadership the white army with smaller forces for 1.5 years won victories over the red army and captured the North Caucasus, Crimea, Novorossia, Donbass, Ukraine, the Don, part of the Volga region and the central black earth provinces of Russia. He retained the dignity of the Russian name during the Second World War, refusing to cooperate with the Nazis, despite his uncompromisingly anti-Soviet position
Kolovrat Evpaty Lvovich
Ryazan boyar and governor. During the Batu invasion of Ryazan, he was in Chernigov. Having learned about the invasion of the Mongols, he hastily moved to the city. Having caught Ryazan all incinerated, Evpaty Kolovrat with a detachment of 1700 people began to catch up with Batu's army. Having overtaken them, he destroyed their rearguard. He also killed the strong heroes of the Batyevs. He died on January 11, 1238.
Rurikovich Svyatoslav Igorevich
The great commander of the ancient Russian period. The first known to us Kyiv prince having Slavic name. The last pagan ruler of the Old Russian state. He glorified Russia as a great military power in the campaigns of 965-971. Karamzin called him "Alexander (Macedonian) of our ancient history". The prince freed the Slavic tribes from vassalage from the Khazars, defeating the Khazar Khaganate in 965. According to the Tale of Bygone Years, in 970, during the Russian-Byzantine war, Svyatoslav managed to win the battle of Arcadiopol, having 10,000 soldiers under his command, against 100,000 Greeks. But at the same time, Svyatoslav led the life of a simple warrior: “On campaigns, he didn’t carry carts or cauldrons with him, he didn’t cook meat, but, thinly slicing horse meat, or beast, or beef and roasting it on coals, he ate like that; he didn’t have a tent , but slept, spreading a sweatshirt with a saddle in their heads - the same were all the rest of his warriors... And sent to other lands [envoys, as a rule, before declaring war] with the words: "I'm going to you!" (According to PVL)
Linevich Nikolai Petrovich
Nikolai Petrovich Linevich (December 24, 1838 - April 10, 1908) - a prominent Russian military leader, infantry general (1903), adjutant general (1905); general who stormed Beijing.
Dovator Lev Mikhailovich
Soviet military leader, major general, Hero of the Soviet Union. Known for successful operations to destroy German troops during the Great Patriotic War. The German command appointed a large reward for the head of Dovator.
Together with the 8th Guards Division named after Major General I.V. Panfilov, the 1st Guards Tank Brigade of General M.E. Katukov and other troops of the 16th Army, his corps defended the approaches to Moscow in the Volokolamsk direction.
Muravyov-Karssky Nikolai Nikolaevich
One of the most successful commanders of the middle of the 19th century in the Turkish direction.
Hero of the first capture of Kars (1828), leader of the second capture of Kars (the biggest success of the Crimean War, 1855, which made it possible to end the war without territorial losses for Russia).
Baklanov Yakov Petrovich
Cossack general, "thunderstorm of the Caucasus", Yakov Petrovich Baklanov, one of the most colorful heroes of the endless Caucasian war century before last, fits perfectly into the image of Russia familiar to the West. A gloomy two-meter hero, a tireless persecutor of mountaineers and Poles, an enemy of political correctness and democracy in all their manifestations. But it was precisely such people who obtained the most difficult victory for the empire in a long-term confrontation with the inhabitants of the North Caucasus and the unkind local nature.
Drozdovsky Mikhail Gordeevich
He managed to bring his subordinate troops to the Don in full force, fought extremely effectively in the conditions of the civil war.
Olsufiev Zakhar Dmitrievich
One of the most famous commanders of Bagrationov's 2nd Western Army. He always fought with exemplary courage. He was awarded the Order of St. George 3rd degree for heroic participation in the Battle of Borodino. He distinguished himself in the battle on the Chernishna (or Tarutinsky) River. The award to him for participating in the defeat of the vanguard of Napoleon's army was the Order of St. Vladimir, 2nd degree. He was called "general with talents". When Olsufiev was captured and was taken to Napoleon, he said to his entourage the famous words in history: "Only Russians know how to fight like that!"
Suvorov Mikhail Vasilievich
The only one who can be called GENERALLISIMUS ... Bagration, Kutuzov are his students ...
Zhukov Georgy Konstantinovich
Successfully commanded Soviet troops during the Great Patriotic War. Among other things, he stopped the Germans near Moscow, took Berlin.
Blucher, Tukhachevsky
Blucher, Tukhachevsky and the whole galaxy of heroes of the Civil War. Don't forget Budyonny!
Tsesarevich and Grand Duke Konstantin Pavlovich
Grand Duke Konstantin Pavlovich, the second son of Emperor Paul I, received the title of Tsarevich in 1799 for participation in the Swiss campaign of A.V. Suvorov, retaining it until 1831. In the Battle of Austrlitz, he commanded the Guards Reserve of the Russian Army, took part in the Patriotic War of 1812, and distinguished himself in the foreign campaigns of the Russian Army. For the "battle of the peoples" at Leipzig in 1813 he received the "golden weapon" "For courage!". Inspector General of the Russian Cavalry, since 1826 Viceroy of the Kingdom of Poland.
Rurikovich (Grozny) Ivan Vasilyevich
In the variety of perceptions of Ivan the Terrible, they often forget about his unconditional talent and achievements as a commander. He personally led the capture of Kazan and organized military reform, leading the country, which simultaneously waged 2-3 wars on different fronts.
Suvorov Alexander Vasilievich
The great Russian commander, who did not suffer a single defeat in his military career (more than 60 battles), one of the founders of Russian military art.
Prince of Italy (1799), Count of Rymnik (1789), Count of the Holy Roman Empire, Generalissimo of the Russian land and sea forces, Field Marshal of the Austrian and Sardinian troops, grandee of the Sardinian kingdom and prince of royal blood (with the title "king's cousin"), knight of all Russian orders of their time, awarded to men, as well as many foreign military orders.
Spiridov Grigory Andreevich
Became a sailor under Peter I, participated in the Russian-Turkish war (1735-1739) as an officer, finished the Seven Years' War (1756-1763) as rear admiral. The peak of his naval and diplomatic talent reached during the Russian-Turkish war of 1768-1774. In 1769, he led the first transition of the Russian fleet from the Baltic to the Mediterranean Sea. Despite the difficulties of the transition (among those who died from diseases was the admiral's son - his grave was recently found on the island of Menorca), he quickly established control over the Greek archipelago. The Chesme battle in June 1770 remained unsurpassed in terms of loss ratio: 11 Russians - 11 thousand Turks! On the island of Paros, the Aouz naval base was equipped with coastal batteries and its own Admiralty.
The Russian fleet withdrew from the Mediterranean Sea after the conclusion of the Kuchuk-Kainarji peace in July 1774. The Greek islands and the lands of the Levant, including Beirut, were returned to Turkey in exchange for territories in the Black Sea region. Nevertheless, the activities of the Russian fleet in the Archipelago were not in vain and played a significant role in world naval history. Russia, having made a strategic maneuver with the forces of the fleet from one theater to another and having achieved a number of high-profile victories over the enemy, for the first time forced to talk about itself as a strong maritime power and an important player in European politics.
Eremenko Andrey Ivanovich
Commander of the Stalingrad and South-Eastern fronts. The fronts under his command in the summer-autumn of 1942 stopped the advance of the German 6th field and 4th tank armies on Stalingrad.
In December 1942, the Stalingrad Front of General Eremenko stopped the tank offensive of the group of General G. Goth on Stalingrad, to unblock the 6th Paulus Army.
Khvorostinin Dmitry Ivanovich
Outstanding commander of the second half of the XVI century. Oprichnik.
Genus. OK. 1520, died on August 7 (17), 1591. At the voivodship posts since 1560. Participated in almost all military enterprises during the independent reign of Ivan IV and the reign of Fyodor Ioannovich. He has won several field battles (including: the defeat of the Tatars near Zaraisk (1570), the Battle of Molodinskaya (during the decisive battle he led the Russian troops in Gulyai-gorod), the defeat of the Swedes at Lyamits (1582) and not far from Narva ( 1590)). He led the suppression of the Cheremis uprising in 1583-1584, for which he received the boyar rank.
According to the totality of the merits of D.I. Khvorostinin is much higher than M.I. Vorotynsky. Vorotynsky was more noble and therefore he was more often entrusted with the general leadership of the regiments. But, according to the commander's talents, he was far from Khvorostinin.
Platov Matvei Ivanovich
Ataman of the Great Don Army (since 1801), cavalry general (1809), who took part in all the wars of the Russian Empire in the late 18th - early 19th centuries.
In 1771 he distinguished himself in the attack and capture of the Perekop line and Kinburn. From 1772 he began to command a Cossack regiment. During the 2nd Turkish war, he distinguished himself during the assault on Ochakov and Ishmael. Participated in the battle of Preussisch-Eylau.
During the Patriotic War of 1812, he first commanded all the Cossack regiments on the border, and then, covering the retreat of the army, he defeated the enemy near the town of Mir and Romanovo. In the battle near the village of Semlevo, Platov's army defeated the French and captured a colonel from the army of Marshal Murat. During the retreat of the French army, Platov, pursuing her, defeated her at Gorodnya, the Kolotsk Monastery, Gzhatsk, Tsarevo-Zaimishcha, near Dukhovshchina and while crossing the Vop River. For merit he was elevated to the dignity of a count. In November, Platov occupied Smolensk from battle and defeated the troops of Marshal Ney near Dubrovna. At the beginning of January 1813 he entered the borders of Prussia and overlaid Danzig; in September, he received command of a special corps, with which he participated in the battle of Leipzig and, pursuing the enemy, captured about 15 thousand people. In 1814 he fought at the head of his regiments in the capture of Nemur, at Arcy-sur-Aube, Cezanne, Villeneuve. He was awarded the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called.
Kosich Andrey Ivanovich
1. For your long life(1833 - 1917) A. I. Kosich went from non-commissioned officer to general, commander of one of the largest military districts of the Russian Empire. He took an active part in almost all military campaigns from the Crimean to the Russian-Japanese. He was distinguished by personal courage and bravery.
2. According to many, "one of the most educated generals of the Russian army." He left many literary and scientific works and memoirs. He patronized the sciences and education. He has established himself as a talented administrator.
3. His example served the development of many Russian military leaders, in particular, Gen. A. I. Denikin.
4. He was a resolute opponent of the use of the army against his people, in which he disagreed with P. A. Stolypin. "The army should shoot at the enemy, not at its own people."
Nevsky, Suvorov
Undoubtedly holy noble prince Alexander Nevsky and Generalissimo A.V. Suvorov
Saltykov Pyotr Semyonovich
The most important successes of the Russian army in the Seven Years' War of 1756-1763 are associated with his name. Winner in the battles of Palzig,
In the battle of Kunersdorf, having defeated the Prussian king Frederick II the Great, Berlin was taken by the troops of Totleben and Chernyshev.
Prophetic Oleg
Your shield is on the gates of Tsaregrad.
A.S. Pushkin.
Kolchak Alexander Vasilievich
Prominent military leader, scientist, traveler and discoverer. Admiral of the Russian Fleet, whose talent was highly appreciated by Sovereign Nicholas II. The Supreme Ruler of Russia during the Civil War, a real Patriot of his Fatherland, a man of tragic, interesting fate. One of those military men who tried to save Russia during the years of unrest, in the most difficult conditions, being in very difficult international diplomatic conditions.
Brusilov Alexey Alekseevich
One of the best Russian generals of the First World War. In June 1916, the troops of the Southwestern Front under the command of Adjutant General Brusilov A.A., simultaneously striking in several directions, broke through the enemy’s defense in depth and advanced 65 km. In military history, this operation was called the Brusilovsky breakthrough.
Nakhimov Pavel Stepanovich
Successes in the Crimean War of 1853-56, victory in the Battle of Sinop in 1853, defense of Sevastopol in 1854-55.
Stalin Joseph Vissarionovich
Chairman of the GKO, Supreme Commander of the USSR Armed Forces during the Great Patriotic War.
What other questions might there be?
Vasilevsky Alexander Mikhailovich
Alexander Mikhailovich Vasilevsky (September 18 (30), 1895 - December 5, 1977) - Soviet military leader, Marshal of the Soviet Union (1943), chief of the General Staff, member of the Headquarters of the Supreme High Command. During the Great Patriotic War, as Chief of the General Staff (1942-1945), he took an active part in the development and implementation of almost all major operations on the Soviet-German front. From February 1945 he commanded the 3rd Belorussian Front, led the assault on Königsberg. In 1945, he was commander-in-chief of the Soviet troops in the Far East in the war with Japan. One of the greatest commanders of World War II.
In 1949-1953 - Minister of the Armed Forces and Minister of War of the USSR. Twice Hero of the Soviet Union (1944, 1945), holder of two Orders of Victory (1944, 1945).
Shein Mikhail Borisovich
He led the Smolensk defense against the Polish-Lithuanian troops, which lasted 20 months. Under the command of Shein, repeated attacks were repulsed, despite the explosion and a breach in the wall. He held and bled the main forces of the Poles at the decisive moment of the Time of Troubles, preventing them from moving to Moscow to support their garrison, creating an opportunity to assemble an all-Russian militia to liberate the capital. Only with the help of a defector, the troops of the Commonwealth managed to take Smolensk on June 3, 1611. The wounded Shein was taken prisoner and was taken away with his family for 8 years in Poland. After returning to Russia, he commanded an army that tried to return Smolensk in 1632-1634. Executed on boyar slander. Undeservedly forgotten.
Minikh Khristofor Antonovich
Due to the ambiguous attitude to the period of the reign of Anna Ioannovna, the largely underestimated commander, who was the commander-in-chief of the Russian troops throughout her reign.
Commander of the Russian troops during the War of the Polish Succession and architect of the victory of Russian arms in the Russo-Turkish War of 1735-1739.
Suvorov Alexander Vasilievich
The greatest Russian commander! He has over 60 wins and no losses. Thanks to his talent to win, the whole world learned the power of Russian weapons.
Yulaev Salavat
The commander of the Pugachev era (1773-1775). Together with Pugachev, having organized an uprising, he tried to change the position of the peasants in society. He won several dinners over the troops of Catherine II.
Osterman-Tolstoy Alexander Ivanovich
One of the brightest "field" generals of the early 19th century. Hero of the battles of Preussisch-Eylau, Ostrovno and Kulm.
Denikin Anton Ivanovich
Russian military leader, political and public figure, writer, memoirist, publicist and war documentary.
Member of the Russo-Japanese War. One of the most productive generals of the Russian Imperial Army during the First World War. Commander of the 4th Rifle "Iron" Brigade (1914-1916, since 1915 - deployed under his command into a division), 8th Army Corps (1916-1917). Lieutenant General of the General Staff (1916), commander of the Western and Southwestern Fronts (1917). An active participant in the military congresses of 1917, an opponent of the democratization of the army. He expressed support for the Kornilov speech, for which he was arrested by the Provisional Government, a member of the Berdichevsky and Bykhov sittings of generals (1917).
One of the main leaders of the White movement during the Civil War, its leader in the South of Russia (1918-1920). He achieved the greatest military and political results among all the leaders of the White movement. Pioneer, one of the main organizers, and then commander of the Volunteer Army (1918-1919). Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the South of Russia (1919-1920), Deputy Supreme Ruler and Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Army, Admiral Kolchak (1919-1920).
Since April 1920 - an emigrant, one of the main political figures of the Russian emigration. The author of the memoirs "Essays on Russian Troubles" (1921-1926) - a fundamental historical and biographical work about the Civil War in Russia, the memoirs "The Old Army" (1929-1931), the autobiographical story "The Way of the Russian Officer" (published in 1953) and a number of other works.
Belov Pavel Alekseevich
He led the cavalry corps during the Second World War. It proved to be excellent during the Battle of Moscow, especially in defensive battles near Tula. He especially distinguished himself in the Rzhev-Vyazemsky operation, where he left the encirclement after 5 months of stubborn fighting.
Denikin Anton Ivanovich
One of the most talented and successful commanders of the First World War. A native of a poor family, he made a brilliant military career, relying solely on his own virtues. Member of the REV, WWI, graduate of the Nikolaev Academy of the General Staff. He fully realized his talent commanding the legendary "Iron" brigade, then deployed into a division. Participant and one of the main characters of the Brusilov breakthrough. He remained a man of honor even after the collapse of the army, a prisoner of Bykhov. Member of the ice campaign and commander of the All-Russian Union of Youth. For more than a year and a half, having very modest resources and far inferior in number to the Bolsheviks, he won victory after victory, freeing a huge territory.
Also, do not forget that Anton Ivanovich is a wonderful and very successful publicist, and his books are still very popular. An extraordinary, talented commander, an honest Russian man in a difficult time for the Motherland, who was not afraid to light a torch of hope.
Stalin Joseph Vissarionovich
The commander-in-chief of the Red Army, which repelled the attack of Nazi Germany, liberated Evroppa, the author of many operations, including "Ten Stalinist strikes" (1944)
Barclay de Tolly Mikhail Bogdanovich
It's simple - It was he, as a commander, who made the greatest contribution to the defeat of Napoleon. He saved the army in the most difficult conditions, despite misunderstanding and heavy accusations of betrayal. It was to him that our great poet Pushkin, practically a contemporary of those events, dedicated the verse "Commander".
Pushkin, recognizing the merits of Kutuzov, did not oppose him to Barclay. To replace the common alternative “Barclay or Kutuzov”, with the traditional resolution in favor of Kutuzov, Pushkin came to a new position: both Barclay and Kutuzov are both worthy of the grateful memory of their descendants, but everyone honors Kutuzov, but Mikhail Bogdanovich Barclay de Tolly is undeserved forgotten.
Pushkin mentioned Barclay de Tolly even earlier, in one of the chapters of "Eugene Onegin" -
Thunderstorm of the twelfth year
It has come - who helped us here?
The frenzy of the people
Barclay, winter or Russian god?...
Svyatoslav Igorevich
Grand Duke of Novgorod, from 945 Kyiv. Son of Grand Duke Igor Rurikovich and Princess Olga. Svyatoslav became famous as a great commander, whom N.M. Karamzin called "Alexander (Macedonian) of our ancient history."
After the military campaigns of Svyatoslav Igorevich (965-972), the territory of the Russian land increased from the Volga region to the Caspian Sea, from the North Caucasus to the Black Sea, from the Balkan Mountains to Byzantium. He defeated Khazaria and Volga Bulgaria, weakened and frightened the Byzantine Empire, opened the way for trade between Russia and Eastern countries
Brusilov Alexey Alekseevich
To the first world war commander of the 8th Army in the Battle of Galicia. On August 15-16, 1914, during the Rogatin battles, he defeated the 2nd Austro-Hungarian army, capturing 20 thousand people. and 70 guns. Galich was taken on August 20. The 8th Army takes an active part in the battles near Rava-Russkaya and in the Battle of Gorodok. In September he commanded a group of troops from the 8th and 3rd armies. September 28 - October 11, his army withstood the counterattack of the 2nd and 3rd Austro-Hungarian armies in the battles on the San River and near the city of Stryi. During the successfully completed battles, 15 thousand enemy soldiers were captured, and at the end of October his army entered the foothills of the Carpathians.
Peter I the Great
Emperor of All Russia (1721-1725), before that, Tsar of All Russia. He won the Great Northern War (1700-1721). This victory finally opened Free access to the Baltic Sea. Under his rule, Russia (the Russian Empire) became a Great Power.
Stalin Joseph Vissarionovich
Stalin during the Patriotic War led all the armed forces of our country and coordinated their combat operations. It is impossible not to note his merits in the competent planning and organization of military operations, in the skillful selection of military leaders and their assistants. Joseph Stalin proved himself not only as an outstanding commander who skillfully led all fronts, but also as an excellent organizer who did a great job of increasing the country's defense capability both in the pre-war and war years.
A short list of military awards I.V. Stalin received during the Second World War:
Order of Suvorov, 1st class
Medal "For the Defense of Moscow"
Order "Victory"
Medal "Gold Star" Hero of the Soviet Union
Medal "For the Victory over Germany in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945"
Medal "For the Victory over Japan"
Govorov Leonid Alexandrovich
Marshal of the Soviet Union. From June 1942 he commanded the troops of the Leningrad Front, in February-March 1945 he simultaneously coordinated the actions of the 2nd and 3rd Baltic fronts. He played a big role in the defense of Leningrad and the breakthrough of its blockade. Awarded the Order of Victory. The generally recognized master of the combat use of artillery.
Brusilov Alexey Alekseevich
An outstanding commander of the First World War, the founder of a new school of strategy and tactics, who made a huge contribution to overcoming the positional impasse. He was an innovator in the field of military art and one of the most prominent military leaders in Russian military history.
Cavalry General A. A. Brusilov showed the ability to manage large operational military formations - the army (8th - 05.08. 1914 - 03.17. May 21, 1917), a group of fronts (Supreme Commander-in-Chief - May 22, 1917 - July 19, 1917).
The personal contribution of A. A. Brusilov manifested itself in many successful operations of the Russian army during the First World War - the Battle of Galicia in 1914, the Carpathian battle of 1914/15, the Lutsk and Czartoryi operations of 1915 and, of course, in the Offensive of the South-Western Front in 1916 city (the famous Brusilovsky breakthrough).
The legendary general spent more than half of his life in battle. He participated in 70 battles and emerged victorious from all of them. The officers and soldiers who knew Skobelev from his deeds considered the general a father-commander who risked his life along with his subordinates. Retired warriors, recalling past battles, certainly mentioned him, telling legends about the bravery and courage of their beloved commander. The peasants, rescued by Skobelev from the landlord bondage or debt hole, prayed for his portrait as an icon.
Many luminaries of Russian science considered him a man of encyclopedic knowledge, original thinking, creative. And young men who were just beginning to grow up found in Skobelev a model of a hero who personified devotion to the fatherland and loyalty to the word. For everyone who was sincerely interested in the prosperity of Russia, Skobelev was the hope for the implementation of political reforms. In their eyes, he became a leader worthy of leading the people.
Mikhail Dmitrievich Skobelev was born on September 17, 1843 in the village of Spasskoye-Zaborovo, 35 km from the Ryazhsk station. Little Misha was the first-born in the family of a lieutenant of the cavalry guard regiment, who later participated in the Crimean War, receiving the title of cavalier of the honorary golden sword. Mikhail Skobelev's grandfather, Ivan Nikitich, during the war of 1812, was an orderly at M.I. Kutuzov himself and fought in the Battle of Borodino. He was able to rise to the rank of general from infantry, was the commandant of the Peter and Paul Fortress. In addition, Ivan Nikitich Skobelev had a literary talent. On his grandson's birthday, he allowed himself an extraordinary liberties. In St. Petersburg, at an odd hour, a volley of all the cannons available in the Peter and Paul Fortress thundered. This is how the grandfather celebrated the birth of his grandson.
It was Ivan Nikitich who was involved in his upbringing. After the death of his grandfather, Misha was sent to France, where he studied at a boarding school. The boy received a comprehensive education and was fluent in eight foreign languages. He could read by heart excerpts from the works of Balzac, Sheridan, Spencer, he was very fond of Lermontov. Mikhail played the piano and sang beautifully. In a word, he was a real romantic in the uniform of an officer.
Returning to his homeland, Mikhail Skobelev entered St. Petersburg University in 1861. But family traditions took over, and he filed a petition to be enrolled as a cadet in the cavalry guard regiment. Many colleagues said about him: “An eccentric. Excellent fellow, dashing grunt, takes crazy barriers. In 1862, Mikhail went on vacation to his father, who at that time lived in Poland.
In September 1866, Skobelev was enrolled in the Academy of the General Staff, and after graduation he was sent to the Turkestan military district.
In the campaign against the Kokand Khanate, Mikhail Dmitrievich emerged victorious from the most difficult situations, showing not only miracles of heroism, but also an amazing understanding of battle tactics. His colleagues recalled that it was a special pleasure for Skobelev to go out early in the morning to wash himself on the line of fire between our and the Turkish trenches. The adjutant followed him, and the Turks immediately began to fire at them. And returning to the trench, the general again climbed the parapet, and the enemy again opened aimed fire at him. Skobelev did not just flaunt. Such ostentatious disregard for death was deliberate: by the intensity of the fire, he tried to determine what forces the enemy had at his disposal. During the battle, his ability for quick, operational thinking and the ability to make instant, unexpected and sometimes vital decisions were fully manifested. Skobelev himself very often liked to repeat: "It is not enough to be brave, you need to be smart and resourceful." These were not just words. Thinking over the strategy of the upcoming battle, Mikhail Dmitrievich used his deepest knowledge and advanced experience. V. I. Nemirovich-Danchenko recalled: “He (Skobelev) studied and read constantly, under the most sometimes impossible conditions: in bivouacs, on a campaign, in Bucharest on the shafts of batteries, under fire, in between hot battles. He did not part with the book - and shared his knowledge with everyone.
The character of Skobelev surprisingly combined passion and calculation, ardor and will, exceptional attention to all the details of the battle with complete disregard for his own life.
After the completion of the Kokand campaign, he was awarded the orders of St. George and St. Vladimir III degree, a golden sword with diamonds and a golden saber "For Courage".
In 1877, the Russian-Turkish war began, in which Skobelev took an active part. He personally led the attack on the Shipka Pass. Next were Plevna and the Balkans. Ves-sel-Pasha surrendered to Skobelev along with the entire 20,000-strong army. For these battles, the brave general was awarded the third golden saber with the inscription "For crossing the Balkans."
The capture of Lovcha, the third assault on Plevna, the crossing of the Balkans through the Imitli pass, the battle of Shipka-Sheinovo became key events Russian-Turkish war. Each of these victories belongs to Mikhail Dmitrievich Skobelev. In battle, he was always ahead of the troops in a white tunic on a white horse. It is not surprising that the enemies called him Ak-Pasha (White General). Many contemporaries noted Skobelev's amazing predilection for white. The outstanding artist V.V. Vereshchagin explained it this way: “He believed that he would be more harmless on a white horse than on a horse of a different suit, although at the same time he believed that you could not escape fate.”
The choice of white color for Mikhail Skobelev was not accidental. While still a student of the military academy, he was sent thirty miles from St. Petersburg to the coast of the Gulf of Finland to survey the area. Returning from the forest, he got stuck in a swamp. The old white horse saved the life of Mikhail Dmitrievich: “I take it to the left, it pulls me to the right. If I have to ride a horse somewhere, so that I remember this Sivka, I will always choose a white one.
It can be assumed that after this incident, Mikhail Dmitrievich developed a mystical addiction to white horses. And the white uniform was a continuation of the whiteness of his horse. Skobelev himself gradually convinced himself and others that in white he was charmed by bullets and could not be killed by the enemy. Very often, only skillful handling of a horse and a saber saved him from death. In fact, he was wounded seven times in battle.
Each victory added popularity to Mikhail Dmitrievich Skobelev and gave another reason for gossip to his enemies. He was credited with excessive ambition, and an intemperate lifestyle, and even embezzlement of government money. In addition, the young and popular general gave reason to think that he might someday head the Russian throne. Constantly in the capital's hotels they whispered that the sovereign-emperor was very afraid of Skobelev and wanted to get rid of him. Although this is a vile slander. Alexander II treated Mikhail Dmitrievich with deep respect and often scolded him for his excessive dashing and indiscretion.
In 1881, 38-year-old Skobelev was promoted to general of infantry and awarded the Order of St. George II degree. But enemies and envious people could not come to terms with his glory. They brutally dealt with the parents of Mikhail Dmitrievich. At first, his father died suddenly under unclear circumstances, and soon his mother was killed in Bulgaria. By a strange coincidence, her murderer was the former orderly of Skobelev, Nikolai Uzatis, who took the secret of this murder with him to the grave.
Another mortal sin could not be forgiven for Skobelev - a passion for the Slavophile movement. The outstanding commander was friendly with Ivan Sergeevich Aksakov, the theorist of this movement. Soon Mikhail Dmitrievich got another nickname - Slavic Garibaldi.
After Alexander II was killed, Alexander III, who was also fascinated by Slavophilism, ascended the throne. During one of the solemn and crowded banquets, Skobelev delivered a speech that greatly outraged all Westerners who bow to "progressive Europe." After this speech, a quatrain appeared: “And now - one of all those standing at the top is not a slave, one of our Skobelev dared to tell the truth aloud. O ulcers, long since the life of the Russian dead! About where the root of evil is - and where to look for medicines.
Clouds were gathering over the Slavic Garibaldi. Mikhail Dmitrievich himself foresaw his imminent death. AT recent months life he became very irritable. There were often pessimistic overtones in his conversation. Unusually often, Mikhail Dmitrievich started talking about the fragility of life. And unexpectedly for everyone, he began to sell securities, gold jewelry and real estate. At the same time, he drew up a will, according to which the Spasskoe family estate was to be transferred to the disposal of disabled war veterans. At the same time, among the letters that came to the illustrious general, more and more anonymous letters with threats began to come across. Who and why wrote them is still unknown. Unfortunately, he did not find support at home either. His marriage was extremely unhappy. He did not have the children he so dreamed of. And the girl whom he fell in love with shortly before his death did not reciprocate.
At the end of the maneuvers on June 22, 1882, Mikhail Dmitrievich Skobelev left for Moscow. On the purpose of his trip, he reported to the chief of staff Dukhonin: "I'm going to visit the graves of my parents and check the progress of the construction of a school and a hospital on my estate." Their conversation ended anxiously. “Everything in the world is a lie! Even glory…,” said Skobelev.
On the last day of his life, Mikhail Dmitrievich felt very lonely. On June 24 he visited his best friend Aksakov, left him a whole heap of papers, saying: "Recently I have become suspicious." And leaving at 11 o'clock in the evening, he said with anguish: "I see a thunderstorm everywhere." Then, staying at the Dusso hotel, he wrote an invitation to dinner on June 26 to V.I. Nemirovich-Danchenko.
At noon on June 25, Mikhail Dmitrievich was at the Hermitage restaurant. He sat alone at the table in complete thought, did not communicate with anyone. By evening, the loneliness became unbearable. Therefore, Mikhail Dmitrievich went to Stoleshnikov Lane, where the restaurant "Anglia" was located. He hoped that a cheerful feast and good dinner in a pleasant company they will cheer him up, distract him from gloomy thoughts. The feast was in full swing when a man came out of a neighboring office and offered to drink a glass of champagne. Mikhail Dmitrievich did not refuse, because he heard toasts in his honor coming from the office. The blues didn't go away. Even the charm of the well-known all over Moscow cocotte Wanda (real name Charlotte Altenrose) could not cheer him up. This woman had at her disposal a luxurious room on the lower floor of the "England". It was there that Skobelev retired in the evening. After some time, a terrible scream was heard from the room, and a few minutes later, a frightened and tearful Wanda ran to the janitor. She could hardly squeeze out the words: "An officer died in my room." The janitor immediately sent for the police. Of course, the general known throughout Russia was immediately identified. His body was transferred to the Dusso Hotel. The police denied the version of Wanda's participation or complicity in Skobelev's death. But the nickname Grave of Skobelev was forever attached to her.
Skobelev's death shocked all of Moscow. Even Alexander III sent a letter to his sister Nadezhda Dmitrievna with the words: “I am terribly shocked and saddened by the sudden death of your brother. The loss for the Russian army is hard to replace and, of course, greatly mourned by all truly military men. It is sad, very sad to lose such a useful and dedicated figure."
After some time, the results of the autopsy of Skobelev's body, which was performed by the dissector of Moscow University Neiding, were announced. He declared death from paralysis of the heart and lungs. In this regard, Andrei Sholokhov wrote in his article: "Never before had Skobelev complained about his heart." Although his doctor O. F. Geyfader during the Turkestan campaign found signs of heart failure, noting at the same time the completely extraordinary endurance and energy of the general.
The cause of Skobelev's death remained unclear. Later, she acquired a huge number of versions, legends, conjectures and even absurd ideas about suicide.
There are two main versions of violent and non-violent death. There were several versions of non-violent death, but the most plausible of them are two. The first version was official: death came from paralysis of the lungs and heart. And the second was that Skobelev died as a result of bleeding from a torn venous expansion in the groin, which he had suffered from for a long time.
There were many versions that the White General was killed. Three of them seem to be the most plausible and the most famous. The first version indicates that Mikhail Dmitrievich was killed due to the intrigues of Russia's enemies - the Germans. This assumption indirectly confirmed the fact that the general died in the room of the German woman - Wanda. Many representatives of official circles not only supported this version, but also considered it the only correct one. Prince N. Meshchersky wrote to Pobedonostsev in 1887: “From day to day, Germany could pounce on France, crush her, but suddenly, thanks to Skobelev’s bold step, the common interests of France and Russia made themselves felt for the first time, unexpectedly for everyone and to: horror for Bismarck. Neither Russia nor France were already isolated, Skobelev fell victim to his convictions, and the Russian people have no doubt about it. According to rumors, German agents managed to steal the war plan, which was developed by Mikhail Dmitrievich. How true this was, no one knew at the time. The German press then rejoiced: “Well, this one is not dangerous to us now - General Skobelev is no longer alive ... as for us Germans, we honestly admit this, we are pleased that death has kidnapped a zealous enemy ... ".
According to another version, Mikhail Dmitrievich was poisoned by a glass of champagne, which was sent to him from a neighboring room from a feasting company, where they allegedly drank to his health. It was said that Alexander III was sure of Skobelev's desire to overthrow the Romanov dynasty and take the throne under the name of Mikhail III. A certain F. Byubok, according to the chairman of the First State Duma S. A. Muromtsev, said that, allegedly in connection with the anti-government activities of Skobelev, a special secret court was established over him, under the chairmanship of Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich. This court by a majority vote (33 out of 40) sentenced the White General to death penalty. It was entrusted to one of the police officials to carry out the sentence. The killer did an excellent job. For this, he received not only a large monetary reward, but also the next rank. "Secret squad" that carried out the murder. Skobelev, combined the features of the Third Branch, Masonic lodges and underground organizations. It included not only the Grand Duke, but also the emperor himself. M. D. Skobelev developed a very strained relationship with this “secret team”. At one time, he flatly refused to join their ranks, spoke contemptuously about the members of the organization.
J. Adam asked the question: "Which power had an interest in the disappearance of the hero of Plevna and Geok-Tepe?" - transparently hinting that worldwide Freemasonry is related to Skobelev's death.
It was known about Skobelev's connections with the Freemasons of the French lodge "Great East". While in Paris, the White General befriended Léon Gambetta, Prime Minister of France and one of the leaders of the Grand Orient. It is possible that the Masons wanted to remove the disgraced general. Most likely, it was the Freemasons who contributed to the spread of various, sometimes conflicting versions of his death.
Skobelev's death shocked not only Moscow, it can be said without exaggeration that it changed the history of Russia for many years to come. If Mikhail Dmitrievich had survived, the political situation in Russia would have been completely different. And one could assume that the country would have developed more successfully, without the revolutions of 1905 and 1917.
Half of Moscow came to say goodbye to Skobelev. From the hotel "Dusso" the coffin with the body of Skobelev was transferred to the Church of the Three Hierarchs at the Red Gate. The memorial service was supposed to take place the next day, but people went to say goodbye to their beloved general all evening and all night. The church was buried in flowers, wreaths and mourning ribbons. For twenty versts from Ranenburg station to Spasskoye the peasants carried the coffin in their arms. Ahead of the funeral procession was a wreath from the Academy of the General Staff with the inscription: "To Hero Mikhail Dmitrievich Skobelev, commander, equal to Suvorov." Many of the common people, even after the funeral, continued to believe that the White General was alive. They said that he was seen either in Bulgaria, where he gathered an army in defense of the Slavic brothers, then in the Vyatka province, then in Uzhgorod.
Mikhail Skobelev was so popular among the people that popular prints dedicated to his exploits were issued in memory of him. Even a special kind of vodka "Gorkaya Skobelevskaya" was made, although Mikhail Dmitrievich himself during his lifetime was reputed to be an opponent of drunkenness and severely punished his soldiers for this. The nationwide love for Mikhail Skobelev was reflected in the dashing Cossack and cocky soldier songs that the people themselves composed, glorifying the White General and his military exploits: “And if you were born again, a warrior on a white horse, and would take victory in the coming war under your covers ... ".
In 1912, a monument to M. D. Skobelev was unveiled on the square in front of the Dusso Hotel. And in 1918, it was dismantled in connection with the decree of the Soviet Government, according to the decree "On the removal of monuments to tsars and their servants and the development of projects for monuments to the Russian socialist revolution."
In our time, the names of many outstanding people are resurrected from oblivion. It's time to pay tribute to the memory of the famous Russian commander Mikhail Dmitrievich Skobelev. By the 900th anniversary of Ryazan, the Skobelev estate was restored, and one of the squares of the ancient city was decorated with a bronze bust of the Slavic Garibaldi.
The mystery of the death of General Skobelev
Infantry General Mikhail Dmitrievich Skobelev - what do we know about him today? Very little, his name is almost forgotten, but once his fame thundered all over Russia and many compatriots pinned their hopes on him, a man of action, for a way out of the political crisis that shook Russia in the early 80s of the XIX century ... Mikhail Skobelev - General of Infantry. Hero of the Russian-Turkish war and conquests in Central Asia. During his lifetime, he was known as the most popular person in the Russian Empire. His sudden death at the age of 38 raised questions that historians are still looking for answers to. Tatyana Ustinova and Lev Lurie are conducting their own investigation. Experts help them with this. Experts: military historian Boris Kipnis - Senior Lecturer at the Department of History of St. Petersburg state university culture and arts (SPbGUKI), member of the Military Historical Association of Russia; Therapist Lyudmila Baturina - Candidate of Medical Sciences, Head of the Department of Physiotherapy at the Clinic for Military Field Therapy of the Military Medical Academy. CM. Kirov; forensic expert Vyacheslav Popov - Honored Scientist of the Russian Federation, Doctor of Medical Sciences, Professor, Chairman of the Forensic Medical Association of the North-West of Russia, founder of two scientific schools on traumatic brain and gunshot injuries.
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Heroes are not born. They become. The truth is as old as the world. But in the entire history of the world, there are not so many examples that confirm this maxim. Mikhail Dmitrievich Skobelev can be safely attributed to these few.
He went through many wars, but he was not destined to die on the battlefield. His death was experienced as a national grief. On the wreath from the Academy of the General Staff, the inscription was silvered: "To Hero Mikhail Dmitrievich SKOBELEV - equal to commander SUVOROV." Peasants of 20 versts on their hands carried the coffin of Mikhail Dmitrievich to Spassky, the family estate of the Skobelevs. There he was buried in the church next to his father and mother. In 1912 in Moscow on Tverskaya Square on folk remedies A beautiful monument was erected to Skobelev, but in 1918 it was demolished in accordance with the decree "On the removal of monuments to tsars and their servants and the development of projects for monuments to the Russian socialist revolution."
July 4, 1882, 130 years ago, the great Russian commander Mikhail Dmitrievich Skobelev tragically died
In recent centuries, Russia has experienced two black streaks in its history: after the 1917 revolution and the democratization that “started” in 1991. But both of them were marked by the rejection of their history, the disgrace of their heroes. The mass demolition of monuments, the change of names of streets, squares and cities, the endless rewriting of history lead to the creation of chaos in the minds of people, to the multiplication of seeds of discord in society, and the loss of guidelines for the civic education of the younger generations.
The eternal enemies of Russia gloat, looking at how the Russians (or rather, today's Russians) recklessly mutilate their ancestry, throwing their yesterday's heroes from the graves. Their homegrown singers willingly blaspheme their past. For them, Kutuzov is "a gray military leader who has not won a single significant battle", G. Zhukov "a cruel commander who paved the way to victory with corpses." Deheroization Russian history- the cherished dream of all our adversaries, external and internal. A vivid example to illustrate this statement is the life and exploits of Mikhail Dmitrievich Skobelev, an outstanding commander of the 19th century, who, like A.V. Suvorov, did not lose a single battle, won the immense love of the army and the whole people, and now is almost unknown to the younger generation.
Mikhail Skobelev was born in 1843 in the family estate of Spasskoe, Ryazan province, in a family of hereditary military men. His grandfather was a general during the Patriotic War of 1812 and adjutant of M. Kutuzov, his father, with the rank of lieutenant general, participated in the Russian-Turkish war of 1877-1878. along with his famous son. Mikhail Dmitrievich himself spent his entire adult life in the ranks of the Russian army. His military career was fast-paced. By the end of his life, at the age of 38, he was already an infantry general, a holder of the Order of St. George the Victorious of three degrees, an idol of the Russian army, and a prominent political figure. Seldom to whom the national rumor appropriates own, unique ranks. M. Skobelev received such a great honor and went down in Russian history as the "White General", because, as a rule, he appeared before the troops before the battle on a white horse and in a white uniform. Some condemned this behavior of the general: he seemed to be turning into a desired target for enemy fire, but M. Skobelev had his own reasons. He recalled that once, while performing a task to clarify maps in the area of the Finnish border, he lost his way in dead swampy places. It seemed to him that he should keep to one side, but the white horse stubbornly pulled him in the opposite direction. Finally, he humbled himself, relied on the will of God, and soon returned safely to the base, where everyone was already pretty worried about his life. Since then, he made a vow: to ride only on white horses.
Something similar influenced the color of the combat uniform he chose. The father-general presented M. Skobelev during the Russian-Turkish war with a black tanned sheepskin coat to save him from the fierce cold in the Carpathians in the Shipka region. A month later, M. Skobelev wrote a letter to his father, in which he informed him that he was returning a donated sheepskin coat, because he twice came under fire from Turkish batteries in it and received serious contusions, while White color made him invulnerable to enemy bullets and shrapnel.
The white color of the general's horse and uniform became a powerful mobilizing moral and psychological factor for the soldiers and officers of the Russian army. The appearance of the invincible M. Skobelev in front of the regiments in his usual form was perceived as a guarantee of indispensable success.
At the heart of the brilliant victories of the troops under the command of M. Skobelev lay the general's amazing military talent and his inextricable paternal connection with the soldiers, who paid him love and incredible stamina in battle. He had to fight twice in Central Asia and once in the Balkans, freeing Bulgaria from the Ottoman yoke. In all three campaigns, he relied on the speed of maneuver, the decisiveness of the strike. He was annoyed by slowness, unjustified caution, lethargy in the actions of the high command, which often became the reason for hostility towards M. Skobelev. When the Russian army was trampling on the left bank of the Danube for a long time at the beginning of the Russian-Turkish war in anticipation of building bridges, M. Skobelev proposed to swim cavalry formations to the Turkish coast to quickly capture bridgeheads. Senior commanders objected: they say, this is an unheard of thing. Then the young general took the first horse that came across, unsaddled it, took off his outer clothing and rushed into the Danube on horseback, safely swam across it and returned back.
The units subordinate to him could make marches of 40-45 km for three days in a row and surprise the Turkish troops, who did not expect such a speed of movement of the Russian infantry. The detachment of Mikhail Dmitrievich ultimately decided the outcome of the months-long battle on Shipka. Having crossed the mountain passes of the Carpathians in winter, he bypassed the Turkish positions and ended up in their rear near the village of Sheinovo.
The famous painting by the artist Vereshchagin captures the moment when the triumphant M. Skobelev congratulates the troops on a wonderful victory.
By the end of the war, the detachments of M. Skobelev came closest to the gates of Istanbul and at that moment received an order from the command to stop. Mikhail Dmitrievich was frankly outraged by the cowardice of the chiefs, who seemed to be afraid of a sudden attack by Austria-Hungary on the Russian army. He even told his immediate commanders: “Give me the opportunity to take Constantinople under my responsibility, and then you can put me on trial and even shoot me if it is deemed necessary, but Russia will not have such an opportunity!” At this time, under his command there were 40 thousand battle-hardened fighters.
Political and diplomatic considerations took over. All of Europe bristled against Russia, forced her to retreat at the Berlin Congress. Orders and new military ranks did not console Mikhail Dmitrievich. He acutely felt that the growing German Empire under the leadership of Bismarck and its ally Austria-Hungary would be the main enemies of Russia in the foreseeable future, which happened in the First and Second World Wars.
As a counterbalance to the German threat, he advocated the idea of pan-Slavic unity. One of his close friends is the writer Vasily Ivanovich Nemirovich-Danchenko ( brother famous theatrical figure) noted that the ideal of M. Skobelev was a mighty indivisible Russia, surrounded by Slavic allied countries, free and independent, but soldered by one blood, one faith. He repeatedly expressed this idea publicly during speeches in Europe, which caused him the hatred of the European authorities and the press. Only in Paris was he accepted with understanding, where they remembered the monstrous defeat that the Prussians inflicted on the French in the war of 1871.
In 1880, he was sent to Central Asia, where he was supposed to strike at the growing ambitions of England, which sought to turn the feudal princelings of the Akhal-Teke region (now Turkmenistan) into its vassals. The campaign, designed for 2 years, was brilliantly completed by M. Skobelev in 9 months. In a waterless desert region, he had to solve an atypical task: to take by storm the fortress of Geok-Tepe, in which 25 thousand desperate Tekin warriors settled. Having applied all engineering and technical innovations, including rocket artillery, mine-explosive devices, the Russian army captured Geok-Tepe with minimal losses in January 1881. This was the last military victory of M. Skobelev.
He returned to Russia, took command of the 4th Army Corps, stationed in Minsk, and began to improve his military skills. At this time, he became close to the famous Slavophile I.S. Aksakov. In one of his letters to him, Skobelev wrote: “Our common holy cause for me, as, I believe, for you, is closely connected with the revival of the Russian self-consciousness that is now knocked down ... I had reason to be convinced that even the seditious party in its majority will hear the voice of the fatherland and government when Russia speaks Russian, which hasn’t happened for so long.” The patriotism of M. Skobelev created enemies around him. The general's relations with the new emperor Alexander III were excellent, in March and April 1882 he was received by him twice and, after lengthy conversations with the monarch, went out to good mood. But outside the royal palace, the situation was different. On March 23, 1882, he wrote to I.S. Aksakov: “I received several challenges (to a duel. - N.L.), which I did not answer. Obviously, it is very desirable for the enemies of the Russian folk revival to get rid of me in this way. It is both cheap and cheerful, You know me so well that, of course, you are sure of my calm attitude to any accident. It is only important, if the inevitable happens, to learn from the fact the greatest benefit for our holy national cause." He was haunted by a premonition of imminent death, and he even left a package with important documents for storage to I.S. Aksakov “just in case”.
Such an incident occurred on July 7, 1882. Going on vacation to his estate, he stopped in Moscow and, after dinner with the officers of his corps, visited the England Hotel, located at the corner of Stoleshnikov Lane and st. Petrovka. Charlotte Altenrose, a well-known courtesan in Moscow, an Austrian Jewess who called herself either Eleonora, or Rose, or Wanda, lived in a luxurious room there. She ran out into the yard at night and told the janitor that a Russian officer had suddenly died in her room. And immediately disappeared from Moscow, nothing is known about her fate.
Pathologists determined that the young Skobelev had paralysis of the heart and lungs, although he had never complained of heart problems before and was generally in the prime of life. All contemporaries agreed that a crime had taken place. M. Skobelev was poisoned, as evidenced by the unusual yellowness of his face and quickly emerging blue spots on it - these are signs of a potent poison. All of Russia, from the emperor to the ordinary soldier and peasant, mourned. The country has not seen such a powerful wave of nationwide grief for a long time. The body of M.D. Skobelev was sent by special train to his estate, where the peasants carried the coffin in their arms for 20 km to the family burial vault.
In 1912, in Moscow, an equestrian monument was erected in his honor on the square in front of the building of the Governor-General's Palace (now the Moscow Mayor's Office) using public voluntary donations. The area was named Skobelevskaya. But the political upheavals that soon began in Russia tried to erase the name of the great commander from the memory of people. After the revolution of 1917, on the direct orders of V. Lenin, the monument to Mikhail Dmitrievich Skobelev was one of the first to be demolished in Moscow, and the square was renamed Sovietskaya (now Tverskaya). The family nest of the Skobelevs was destroyed. The Church of the Transfiguration, where he was buried, was closed, church utensils were confiscated, and a granary was placed in the altar. The marble crypt with the body of Skobelev was opened by security officers in search of orders and jewelry. Nothing was found, but the body of Mikhail Dmitrievich in a general's uniform was as if alive, according to eyewitnesses.
New times have come, the return of the old names of streets, squares, a revision of the role of heroic personalities in our history has begun. In 1996, a group of Russian patriots created the Skobelev Committee, headed by cosmonaut Alexei Arkhipovich Leonov. Until now, the committee has been unsuccessfully trying to draw the attention of the current Russian authorities and, first of all, the Moscow mayor's office, to the need to revive the memory of M.D. Skobelev, restore the destroyed monument, or at least install a memorial plaque on the building in which the outstanding Russian commander died. The committee sent at least half a dozen letters personally to the then mayor Yu. Luzhkov, but the mayor never deigned to respond to the appeals. In 1999, the current Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Kirill (then Metropolitan of Smolensk and Kaliningrad) addressed a personal letter on this issue to Luzhkov. The answer is silence.
Once, however, in the Moscow City Duma (in the commission on monumental art) the question of creating a monument to General Skobelev was considered. We talked more about its location. They seemed to agree that the monument should be erected in Ilyinsky Square, located at the corner of Lubyansky Proyezd and Staraya Square, not far from the monument-chapel dedicated to the heroes of Plevna. We talked and talked and forgot. Russkiy Dom magazine considers it necessary to remind the capital and federal authorities of their unfulfilled debt to the Russian people and the Fatherland. In addition, it would not be a sin to restore historical justice in its entirety: to return the monument to General M.D. Skobelev to its original place and return the square to its historical name.
The real place for the statue of the founder of Moscow, Prince Yuri Dolgoruky, is not where it was placed in 1954, but on the top of the Kremlin Hill, in the center of the square, where V.I. Lenin once sat in a marble chair.
Before the revolution, there were 6 monuments to M. Skobelev on the territory of the Russian Empire. Of these, only one bust was preserved in Ryazan, all other monuments were destroyed. Some restoration work was carried out after 1991 only in the small homeland of the famous general. None of the destroyed monuments has been restored. Be ashamed, Russia! More than 200 monuments to the famous liberator Skobelev have been erected in Bulgaria, hundreds of streets and squares are named after him, and we only chat about the importance of patriotic education of young generations, about uniting the nation around glorious historical values.
Everyone who hates everything Russian is trying to eradicate the memory of Skobelev. The best characterization of the general is his following public statements: “The experience of recent years has convinced us that if a Russian person accidentally remembers that, thanks to his history, he belongs to a great and strong people, if, God forbid, the same Russian person accidentally remembers that the Russian people are one family with the Slavic tribe, now tormented and trampled, then among the home-grown and foreign foreigners, cries of indignation are raised.
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“Convince the soldiers in practice that you are paternally caring about them outside the battle,
that in battle there is strength, and nothing will be impossible for you.
(M. D. Skobelev)
Mikhail Dmitrievich Skobelev (1843-1882) was born 170 years ago - an outstanding Russian military leader and strategist, infantry general, adjutant general, participant in the Central Asian conquests of the Russian Empire and the Russian-Turkish war of 1877-1878, liberator of Bulgaria.
For Ryazan, his name has a special meaning, because Skobelev was buried on Ryazan land, in his family estate.
There are not many famous military leaders in history about whom one can confidently say: "He did not lose a single battle." These are Alexander Nevsky, Alexander Suvorov, Fedor Ushakov. In the 19th century, such an invincible commander was Mikhail Dmitrievich Skobelev. Strongly built, tall, handsome, always in a white uniform and on a white horse, prancing under the furious whistle of bullets. "White General" (Ak-Pasha) - as his contemporaries called him, and not only because he participated in the battles in a white uniform and on a white horse ...
Battles and victories
Why was he called the "white general"?
For different reasons. The simplest is a uniform and a white horse. But he wasn't the only one wearing a white general's military uniform. So something else. Probably, the desire to be on the side of good, not to impoverish the soul, not to reconcile with the need for murder.
I came to the conclusion that everything in the world is a lie, a lie and a lie ... All this - and glory, and all this brilliance is a lie ... Is this true happiness? .. Does humanity really need this? .. But what, what is this lie worth , this glory? How many dead, wounded, sufferers, devastated!.. Explain to me: will you and I be responsible to God for the mass of people whom we killed in battle?- these words of Skobelev V.I. Nemirovich-Danchenko discovers a lot in the general's character.
“An amazing life, the amazing speed of its events: Kokand, Khiva, Alai, Shipka, Lovcha, Plevna on July 18, Plevna on August 30, Green Mountains, crossing the Balkans, a trip to Adrianople, fabulous in its speed, Geok-Tepe and unexpected, mysterious death - follow one after another, without respite, without rest. ( IN AND. Nemirovich-Danchenko "Skobelev").
His name made the Central Asian khans and Turkish Janissaries tremble. And ordinary Russian soldiers treated him with respect. The staff officers, jealous of his successes, gossiped that he was a poseur who flaunted courage and contempt for death. But who personally knew General V.I. Nemirovich-Danchenko (brother of the founder of the Art Theater) wrote: “He knew that he was leading to death, and without hesitation did not send, but led. The first bullet - to him, the first meeting with the enemy was his. The cause requires sacrifice, and having resolved the need for this cause, he would not back down from any sacrifice.
At the same time, Skobelev was not a simple "martinet" - brilliantly educated, knowing 8 languages, smart, ironic, cheerful, intellectual and reveler. But the main cause of his life - the service of the Fatherland, he gave himself without a trace. He was an amazing commander and an unusual person who became a true legend during his lifetime.
Early biography and military education
Skobelev as a cadet
A hereditary military man, he was born in St. Petersburg on September 17 (29) September 1843 in the family of Lieutenant General Dmitry Ivanovich Skobelev and his wife Olga Nikolaevna, nee Poltavtseva. Having inherited the "subtlety of nature" from his mother, he retained his spiritual intimacy with her for the rest of his life. In his opinion, only in the family a person has the opportunity to be himself.
“Too graceful for a real military man,” he nevertheless chose this path from his youth and already on November 22, 1861, he entered military service in the Cavalier Guard Regiment. After passing the exam, on September 8, 1862, he was promoted to the junker belt, and on March 31, 1863 - to the cornets. August 30, 1864 Skobelev was promoted to lieutenant.
Skobelev with the rank of lieutenant
In the autumn of 1866 he entered the Nikolaev General Staff Academy. At the end of the course of the academy in 1868, he became the 13th of 26 officers assigned to the general staff.
Khiva campaign
In the spring of 1873, Skobelev took part in the Khiva campaign, as an officer of the general staff at the Mangishlak detachment of Colonel Lomakin. The purpose of the campaign is, firstly, to strengthen the Russian borders, which were subjected to targeted attacks by local feudal lords equipped with English weapons, and secondly, to protect those who came under Russian protection. They left on April 16, Skobelev, like other officers, walked. Severity and exactingness in the conditions of a military campaign, and first of all to himself, distinguished this person. Then, in peaceful life, there could be weaknesses and doubts, during military operations - maximum composure, responsibility and courage.
Scheme of the fortifications of Khiva
So on May 5, near the well of Itybay, Skobelev with a detachment of 10 riders met a caravan of Kazakhs who had gone over to the side of Khiva and, despite the numerical superiority of the enemy, rushed into battle, in which he received 7 wounds with pikes and checkers and until May 20 could not sit on a horse. Returning to service, on May 22, with 3 companies and 2 guns, he covered the wheeled convoy, and repulsed a number of enemy attacks. On May 24, when the Russian troops were at Chinakchik (8 versts from Khiva), the Khiva attacked the camel convoy. Skobelev quickly orientated himself, and moved with two hundred hidden, gardens, to the rear of the Khivans he overturned their approaching cavalry, then attacked the Khiva infantry, put it to flight and returned 400 camels beaten off by the enemy. On May 29, Mikhail Skobelev with two companies stormed the Shakhabat Gates, was the first to get inside the fortress and, although he was attacked by the enemy, he kept the gate and the rampart behind him. Khiva subdued.
Khiva campaign in 1873.
The transition of the Turkestan detachment through the dead sands - Karazin
Military Governor
In 1875-76, Mikhail Dmitrievich led an expedition against the rebellion of the feudal lords of the Kokand Khanate, directed against nomadic robbers who ravaged the Russian border lands. After that, with the rank of major general, he was appointed governor and commander of the troops of the Fergana region, formed on the territory of the abolished Kokand Khanate. As the military governor of Fergana and the head of all the troops operating in the former Kokand Khanate, he took part and led the battles at Kara-Chukul, Makhram, Minch-Tube, Andijan, Tyura-Kurgan, Namangan, Tash-Bala, Balykchi, etc. He also organized and without much loss he made an amazing expedition, known as the "Alai".
In a white uniform, on a white horse - Skobelev remained safe and sound after the most heated fights with the enemy, and then there was a legend that he was charmed by bullets ...
Having become the head of the Fergana region, Skobelev found a common language with the conquered tribes. The Sarts reacted well to the arrival of the Russians, but nevertheless their weapons were taken away. The militant Kipchaks, once subjugated, kept their word and did not revolt. Mikhail Dmitrievich treated them "firmly, but with heart."
Thus, for the first time, his stern gift as a military leader was manifested:
... War is war, - he said during the discussion of the operation, - and there cannot be no losses ... and these losses can be large.
Russian-Turkish war 1877-1878
The peak of the career of commander D.M. Skobelev fell on the Russian-Turkish war of 1877-1878, the purpose of which was the liberation of the Orthodox peoples from the oppression of the Ottoman Empire. On June 15, 1877, Russian troops crossed the Danube and launched an offensive. The Bulgarians enthusiastically met the Russian army and poured into it.
Skobelev near Shipka - Vereshchagin
On the battlefield, Skobelev appeared as a major general, already with the St. George Cross, and, despite the incredulous remarks of many of his associates, he quickly gained fame as a talented and fearless commander. During the Russian-Turkish war of 1877-1878. he actually commanded (being the chief of staff of the Consolidated Cossack division) the Caucasian Cossack brigade during the 2nd assault on Plevna in July 1877 and a separate detachment during the capture of Lovchi in August 1877.
During the 3rd assault on Plevna (August 1877), he successfully led the actions of the left-flank detachment, which broke through to Plevna, but did not receive timely support from the command. Commanding the 16th Infantry Division, Mikhail Dmitrievich participated in the blockade of Plevna and the winter crossing through the Balkans (through the Imitlisky Pass), playing a decisive role in the battle of Sheinovo.
At the last stage of the war, while pursuing the retreating Turkish troops, Skobelev, commanding the vanguard of the Russian troops, occupied Adrianople and in February 1878 San Stefano in the vicinity of Constantinople. Skobelev's successful actions made him very popular in Russia and Bulgaria, where streets, squares and parks in many cities were named after him.
Siege of Plevna
Prudent people reproached Skobelev for his reckless courage; they said that “he behaves like a boy”, that “he rushes forward like an ensign”, which, finally, risking “necessarily”, exposes the soldiers to the danger of being left without high command, etc. However, there was no more commander attentive to the needs of his soldiers and more careful about their lives than the "white general". During preparations for the upcoming crossing through the Balkans, Skobelev, who foresaw such a development of events in advance, and therefore did not waste time in vain, developed a vigorous activity. He, as the head of the column, understood: regardless of the conditions of the transition, everything must be done to save the detachment from unjustified losses along the way, to maintain its combat effectiveness.
Convince the soldiers in practice that you are paternally caring about them outside the battle, that in battle there is strength, and nothing will be impossible for you
Skobelev said.
The personal example of the chief, his training requirements became a measure for the officers and soldiers of the detachment. Throughout the district, Skobelev sent teams to purchase boots, sheepskin coats, sweatshirts, food and fodder. Pack saddles and packs were purchased in the villages. On the route of the detachment, in Toplesh, Skobelev created a base with an eight-day supply of food and a large number of pack horses. And all this Skobelev carried out with the forces of his detachment, not relying on the help of the commissariat and partnership, who were engaged in supplying the army.
Russian-Turkish war 1877-1878
The time of intense fighting clearly showed that the Russian army was inferior to the Turkish army in terms of the quality of weapons, and therefore Skobelev supplied one battalion of the Uglitsky regiment with guns recaptured from the Turks. Another innovation was introduced by Skobelev. As soon as the soldiers did not curse, every time they put heavy satchels on their backs! Neither sit down with such a burden, nor lie down, and in battle it hindered movement. Skobelev got a canvas somewhere and ordered the bags to be sewn. And the soldier became easy and comfortable! After the war, the entire Russian army switched to canvas bags. They laughed at Skobelev: they say, the military general turned into an agent of the commissariat, and the laughter intensified even more when it became known about Skobelev's order for each soldier to have a log of dry firewood.
Skobelev continued to prepare the detachment. As subsequent events showed, firewood was very useful. At a halt, the soldiers quickly kindled fires and rested in the warmth. During the transition, there was not a single frostbite in the detachment. In other detachments, especially in the left column, a large number of soldiers were out of action due to frostbite.
All of the above made General Skobelev an idol among the soldiers and an object of envy among the highest military ranks, endlessly blaming him for too “light” awards, unjustified, from their point of view, courage, undeserved glory. However, those who saw him in action could not fail to note completely different qualities. “It is impossible not to note the skill with which Skobelev fought. At that moment, when he achieved decisive success, 9 fresh battalions were still intact in his hands, the mere sight of which forced the Turks to capitulate.
Akhal-Teke expedition
After the end of the Russian-Turkish war of 1877-1878. The “white general” commanded the corps, but was soon sent back to Central Asia, where in 1880-1881. led the so-called Akhal-Teke military expedition, during which he carefully and comprehensively organized campaigns of subordinate troops and successfully stormed the Den-gil-Tepe fortress (near Geok-Tepe). Following this, Ashgabat was occupied by Skobelev's troops.
As Juliette Lambert recalled:
If General Skobelev risked the life of his soldiers as easily as his own, then after the battle he treated them with the greatest care. For the sick and wounded, he always arranged comfortable rooms, preventing them from congregating in hospitals, which, according to him, poses a twofold danger: epidemics and demoralization of the troops. He demanded that the officers think first (as far as possible) of the well-being of their soldiers than of their own, and in this respect he personally set an example for them. General Dukhonin, chief of staff of the 4th Corps, wrote about him:
"Our glorious generals Radetsky and Gurko were able to perfectly guess the special abilities of officers and use them, but only Skobelev was able to extract from each decisively everything that he was capable of, and, moreover, with his personal example and advice, encouraged, improved them ".
He treated the Asians who were in the Russian service in exactly the same way as with his soldiers. "That, he said, is the main guarantee of our strength. We try to make people out of slaves; this is more important than all our victories."
During the battle there was no man more cruel than Skobelev. The Tekkins called him Guents-Kanly, "Bloody Eyes," and he inspired them with superstitious fear.
In conversations with Mr. Marvin, General Skobelev unceremoniously expressed how he understood the conquest of Central Asia.
“You see, Mr. Marvin—but don’t print this, otherwise I’ll be known in the eyes of the League of Peace as a wild barbarian—my principle is that the tranquility in Asia is in direct relation to the mass of people massacred there. the harder the blow is struck, the longer the non-yarifier remains calm. We killed 20,000 Turkmens at Geok-Tepe. The survivors will not forget this lesson for a long time.
“I hope that you will allow me to state your view in print, since in your official report you say that after the attack and during the pursuit of the enemy you killed 8,000 people of both sexes.
- That's right: they were counted and, indeed, it turned out to be 8,000 people.
“This fact has aroused a lot of talk in England, since you admit that your troops killed women as well as men.
On this occasion, I must note that, in a conversation with me, Skobelev said frankly: "Many women were killed. The troops cut with sabers everything that fell arm in arm"
. Skobelev gave his division an order to spare women and children, and in his presence they were not killed; but the other divisions spared no one: the soldiers worked like machines and cut down the people with their sabers. Captain Maslov confessed this with complete frankness. As an eyewitness, he claims in his essay "The Conquest of Akhal-Tekke" that in the morning, on the day of the attack, an order was given not to take anyone prisoner.
“That is absolutely true,” said Skobelev, women were found among the dead. It is not in my nature to hide anything. That is why I wrote in my report: both sexes.
When I remarked to him that our main mistake, in the last afghan war consisted in the fact that, having entered this country, we did not put into practice his principle (and Wellington), that is, we did not inflict the most severe blows on the enemy, he replied: "The executions in Kabul, carried out on the orders of General Roberts, were a big mistake. I would never order the execution of an Asian with the aim of terrorizing the country, because this measure never produces the desired effect. Whatever execution you come up with, it still always will be less terrible than those invented by some Masrulah or other Asiatic despot. The population is so accustomed to such cruelties that all your punishments seem insignificant to them. It is also important that the execution of a Muslim by infidels arouses hatred. I prefer to see revolt of an entire country than to execute one man. When you take a city by storm and deal the most severe blow at the same time, they say: "This is the will of the Most High," and submit to this sentence of fate, not keeping in their hearts a trace of the hatred that infects in Here is my system: strike strong and cruel blows until the resistance is destroyed, and then stop all slaughter, be kind and catchy with a lying enemy. After the declaration of humility, the strictest discipline must be observed in the troops: not a single enemy should be touched.
Skobelev near Geok-Tepe
An ardent supporter of the liberation of the Slavic peoples, Skobelev was tireless, reaching almost to Constantinople, and was very worried about the impossibility of completing the job. IN AND. Nemirovich-Danchenko, who accompanied the general, wrote: “Strange as it may seem, I can testify that I saw Skobelev burst into tears, speaking of Constantinople, that we are fruitlessly wasting time and the results of an entire war without occupying it ...
Indeed, when even the Turks erected masses of new fortifications around Constantinople, Skobelev several times made exemplary attacks and maneuvers, occupied these fortifications, showing the full possibility of capturing them without great losses. Once in this way he burst in and took the key of the enemy positions, from which the askers looked at him, doing nothing.
Skobelev M.D.:
I directly suggested to the Grand Duke: to arbitrarily occupy Constantinople with my detachment, and the next day let them put me on trial and shoot me, so long as they don’t give him away ... I wanted to do this without warning, but who knows what types and assumptions there are. ..
But Russia turned out to be unprepared for that brilliant victory, which was ensured by the courage of its soldiers and the valor of such commanders as Skobelev. The barely nascent capitalism was not ready to take on England and France, to whom Russia lost the Crimean War about 20 years ago. If the victims of recklessness in war are soldiers, then the victims of reckless politicians are entire nations and states. The “pan-Slavic unity” that the general hoped for was not born in either the First or Second World Wars.
Skobelev - General of Infantry
Nevertheless, already then, in the late 70s - early 80s of the XIX century, Skobelev was able to discern the future Russian-German front of the First World War and assess the main forms of armed struggle in the future.
Having received a month's leave on June 22 (July 4), 1882, M.D. Skobelev left Minsk, where the headquarters of the 4th Corps was located, for Moscow, and already on June 25, 1882, the general was gone. It was a completely unexpected death. Unexpected for others, but not for him ...
He repeatedly expressed forebodings of imminent death to his friends:
Every day of my life is a respite given to me by fate. I know that I will not be allowed to live. It's not for me to finish everything that I have in mind. You know that I am not afraid of death. Well, I'll tell you: fate or people will soon lie in wait for me. Someone called me a fatal person, and fatal people always end up in a fatal way ... God spared me in battle ... And people ... Well, maybe this is redemption. Who knows, maybe we are wrong in everything and others paid for our mistakes? ..
This quote reveals to us the character of a difficult, ambiguous, even unexpected for a military man.
Mikhail Dmitrievich Skobelev was primarily Russian. And how almost every Russian person "carried in himself" the internal discord that is seen in people who think. Outside of battles, he was tormented by doubts. He did not have the calm, "with which the commanders of other countries and peoples send tens of thousands of people to their deaths, without experiencing the slightest pangs of conscience, commanders for whom the dead and wounded are only a more or less unpleasant detail of a brilliant report." However, there was no tearful sentimentality either. Before the battle, Skobelev was calm, resolute and energetic, he himself went to his death and did not spare others, but after the battle, according to his contemporaries, “he had hard days, hard nights. His conscience did not rest on the consciousness of the necessity of sacrifices. On the contrary, she spoke loudly and menacingly. A martyr woke up in triumph. The rapture of victory could not kill the heavy doubts in his sensitive soul. In sleepless nights, in moments of loneliness, the commander stepped back and a man came to the fore with a mass of unresolved issues, with repentance ... The recent winner was tormented and executed as a criminal from all this mass of blood shed by himself.
Such was the price of his military success. And the "white general" M.D. Skobelev paid it honestly and selflessly, just as honestly and selflessly as he fought for the good of his Fatherland.