Soviet military leader, commander of the 1st Cavalry Army during Civil War 1918-1920, Marshal Soviet Union (1935).
Semyon Mikhailovich Budyonny was born on April 13 (25), 1883 on the Kozyurin farm of Platovskaya (now -) village of the Salsky district of the Don Army Region (now) in the family of a poor peasant Mikhail Ivanovich Budyonny.
Since 1903, S. M. Budyonny served in the Russian Imperial Army. His first place of service was the 46th Don Cossack Regiment. As part of it, the future marshal took part in the Russian-Japanese War of 1904-1905. In 1907-1908 he studied at the St. Petersburg School of Equestrians at the Higher Officer Cavalry School. Upon completion, he received the rank of junior non-commissioned officer.
Until 1914, S. M. Budyonny served in the Primorsky Dragoon Regiment. In the First World War he participated as a senior non-commissioned officer of the 18th Seversky Dragoon Regiment. He fought on the German, Austrian and Caucasian fronts, and was awarded four St. George Crosses for bravery.
In the summer of 1917, together with the Caucasian Division, S. M. Budyonny arrived in Minsk (now in Belarus), where he was elected chairman of the regimental committee and deputy chairman of the division committee. In August 1917, he participated in the disarmament of echelons of Kornilov troops in Orsha (now in Belarus). After the October Revolution of 1917, S. M. Budyonny returned to the village and was elected a member of the Salsky district executive committee.
In 1918, S. M. Budyonny formed a cavalry detachment to fight the White Guards, which grew into a regiment, a brigade, and then a cavalry division, which successfully operated in 1918 - early 1919.
In June 1919, a cavalry corps was created under the command of S. M. Budyonny, which played a decisive role in the defeat of the White troops in the Voronezh-Kastornensky operation of 1919. In November 1919, the corps was deployed to the 1st Cavalry Army. Led by S. M. Budyonny, it played an important role in a number of major operations of the Civil War of 1918-1920 to defeat the troops of the Polish armies of J. Pilsudski in Ukraine and in Northern Tavria and Crimea.
In 1921-1923, S. M. Budyonny was a member of the RVS, and then deputy commander of the North Caucasus Military District. He did a lot of work in organizing and managing stud farms, which, as a result of many years of work, developed new breeds of horses - Budennovsky and Terek.
Since 1923, S. M. Budyonny was an assistant to the commander-in-chief of the Red Army for cavalry and a member of the Revolutionary Military Council of the USSR. In 1924-1937 he served as inspector of the Red Army cavalry. Graduated from the Military Academy. (1932). In 1935, one of the first Soviet military leaders was awarded the military rank of Marshal of the Soviet Union.
Since 1937, S. M. Budyonny was the commander of the troops of the Moscow Military District and a member of the Main Military Council of the People's Commissariat of Defense of the USSR, and in 1939-1940 he simultaneously held the position of Deputy People's Commissar of Defense. From August 1940 he was 1st Deputy People's Commissar of Defense of the USSR.
During the Great Patriotic War 1941-1945 S. M. Budyonny was part of the Headquarters Supreme High Command, was the commander of a group of troops of the reserve armies of the Headquarters (June-July 1941), commander-in-chief of the troops of the South-Western direction (July-September 1941), commander of the Reserve Front (September-October 1941), commander-in-chief of the troops of the North Caucasus direction (April-October 1941). May 1942), commander of the North Caucasus Front (May-September 1942). Since January 1943, S. M. Budyonny was commander of the cavalry of the Soviet Army and a member of the Supreme Military Council of the Ministry of the Armed Forces of the USSR, and in 1947-1953 he was simultaneously deputy minister Agriculture on horse breeding. In 1953-1954 he again held the position of cavalry inspector of the Soviet Army.
Since 1920, S. M. Budyonny was a member of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee, and since 1922, the Central Executive Committee of the USSR. He was a deputy Supreme Council The USSR of the first eight convocations, since 1938 was part of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR. S. M. Budyonny joined the RCP (b) in 1919. Since 1934, he was a candidate member of the Central Committee of the CPSU (b), since 1939 - a member of the Central Committee, since 1952 - a candidate member of the CPSU Central Committee.
S. M. Budyonny was three times Hero of the Soviet Union (1958, 1963 and 1968). Among his awards were 7 orders, 6 Orders of the Red Banner, Order of the 1st degree, Order of the Red Banner of the Azerbaijan SSR, Order of the Red Banner of Labor of the Uzbek SSR, Order of the Mongolian People's Republic, golden military weapon with the Order of the Red Banner on it, honorary revolutionary firearms with the Order of the Red Banner on it, as well as an honorary weapon - a saber with the image of the state emblem of the USSR.
Semyon Mikhailovich Budyonny is one of the most famous characters Soviet history. During the Soviet era, he was admired, praised, and the awards he received could barely fit on his chest. After the collapse of the USSR, they began to accuse him of all mortal sins, challenge his talent as a commander, and look for flaws in his personal life. The truth, as always, is located in the middle. The marshal was not a standard hero, but his talent and achievements are undeniable. Why was Semyon Budyonny awarded fame and honor? Biography and interesting facts will be presented to your attention in the article.
Voronezh residents on the Don
The dashing cavalryman Budyonny seems to everyone to be a Cossack, since he was born (April 25 (13), 1883) on the Don, in the Kozyurin farmstead, near the Platovskaya village. But his parents were newcomers, originally from and did not have Cossack rights (on the Don they were called non-residents).
The family was poor and had many children (8 children), but friendly and respected. Semyon (the second son) had to go to work for the merchant Yatskin at the age of 8. He served with him until 1903 (at first he carried out small assignments, then worked in a forge, and later became a machinist), and during this time he managed to learn to read and write with the help of a clerk.
Not being a Cossack, Semyon Budyonny, short biography which is of interest to all history buffs, he mastered Cossack military wisdom well and managed to surprise even the Minister of War Kuropatkin with his ability to cut down vines (an exemplary exercise for a cavalryman).
Two wars and St. George's bow
In 1903, Semyon Budyonny (by that time already married) was drafted into the army. He began his service at Far East, was a participant in the war with Japan of 1904-1905.
After military service, Budyonny remained in the army and in 1907 was sent to an officer school for courses for lower ranks (as best soldier shelf). As a result, in the First World War he was already a non-commissioned officer, fighting with the Germans and Turks.
Budyonny fought so well that he became the owner of a “full bow” - St. George Crosses of all degrees and St. George medals, also of all degrees. Strictly speaking, he had five crosses. The first fourth degree was taken away after Budyonny punched the sergeant in the teeth. It was his own fault - he cursed the non-commissioned officer dirty and was the first to hit him. But he was senior in rank, and the award was taken away from Budyonny.
After the fall of tsarism, Budyonny became chairman of the regimental committee. He happened to take part in the suppression of the Kornilov rebellion.
There are a lot of us at Budyonny's
The biography of Semyon Mikhailovich Budyonny says that after October he returned home to the Don, and there he created a revolutionary cavalry detachment. Thus began the legendary First Cavalry...
First, his detachment joined P. Dumenko’s regiment. Then the regiment became a brigade, and later a division, which distinguished itself in the battles near Tsaritsyn.
In the summer of 1919, it was decided to create a large cavalry unit in the Red Army - the First Corps. Budyonny stood at its head. In the autumn of the same year, the corps was transformed into It became the most famous red military unit. The civil war has not yet ended, but legends have already begun to be told about the “Budenovites”. The army and its commander were extremely popular in Soviet art; instructive stories were written about them for children and mentioned in Soviet program songs; “Budenovites” became heroes of such writers as I. Babel, A. Tolstoy, M. Sholokhov. It was in this army that the “elusive avengers” went to serve - young heroes cult revolutionary adventure film. The noticeable budenovka (a cloth helmet used by cavalrymen as a uniform headdress) became one of the symbols of the USSR (although there is a version that it was invented back in tsarist times): “Where does the Motherland begin?.. With my father’s old budenovka, which is somewhere we found in the closet...”
The first cavalry fought against Denikin, Mamontov, Shkuro, Wrangel, and took part in the Soviet-Polish war of 1920-1921. Most of her operations were successful, which proves the undoubted talent of the commander. Naturally, there were also sensitive lesions; in particular, the war with Poland ended unsuccessfully.
Its commander joined the party in 1919.
Marshal-horse breeder
Budyonny commanded the first cavalry until 1923. He then became deputy commander-in-chief (cavalry), a year later became inspector of cavalry troops, and remained in this position until 1937.
At the same time, Budyonny improved his qualifications - in 1932 he graduated from the Military Academy. Frunze. In 1935, he was awarded the rank of marshal (one of the first five).
From 1937 until the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, Budyonny was the commander of the Moscow Military District, was a member of the Main Military Council, was deputy, and later first deputy people's commissar of defense.
During this time, Semyon Mikhailovich did a lot for the domestic horse breeding. He is even reproached for this, claiming that his love for horses made him an enemy of modern military equipment. Indeed, the marshal did not like tanks. However, created with his light hand cavalry units performed well in the war against the Nazis. And Budyonny himself bravely endured military innovations, and even made a parachute jump in 1931 (at the age of 48!).
The marshal is also reproached for participating in repressions against prominent Soviet military figures. Yes, he spoke sharply against Tomsky, Rykov, Uborevich, Tukhachevsky. He did not stand up for his own second wife, who was arrested in 1937. But at the same time, he stood up for the management of his stud farms in the most decisive manner and, of course, did not surrender his wife to the Lubyanka. And according to legend, he personally proved that it is not so easy to repress a determined person. Allegedly, having seen an NKVD car near his house one night, Budyonny threatened them with a machine gun, and then also complained about them to Stalin, calling them “counter-revolutionaries.” Stalin supposedly then ordered the marshal to be left alone, realizing that he would not fight for power.
Get up, huge country...
During the Great Patriotic War, Semyon Mikhailovich did not play such a prominent role as during the Civil War; his time had already passed. But he was part of the Headquarters, was one of the leaders of the defense of Moscow, and commanded the front in the Caucasus. He initiated an increase in the number of cavalry units in the army (some believe that this was Zhukov’s idea), and the plan paid off.
In addition, it is Budyonny, whose biography is complete interesting facts, gave the order to explode the Dnieper Hydroelectric Dam. Today, many call this order criminal, since it allegedly led to the death of many retreating Red Army soldiers, as well as civilians. But most historians argue that the number of victims (they, of course, were) is greatly exaggerated, and the decision was made correctly. In addition, during the battles for Ukraine, Budyonny repeatedly proposed retreat as a means of preserving personnel.
Peaceful life
At the end of the war, Commander Budyonny, whose biography is rich and interesting, was a cavalry inspector, a member of the group of inspectors general of the Ministry of Defense, and also (from 1947 to 1953) deputy minister of agriculture (horse breeding has not been canceled!). He was a member of the country's top leadership (CEC, Presidium of the Supreme Council).
Marshal lived long life(he died at the age of 91, without long illness, from a stroke), and was distinguished by great strength, endurance, and good health. As already mentioned, at the age of 48 he jumped with a parachute, and his children (three!) were born when he was well over 50. Budyonny himself, whose biography became the subject of our review, claimed that at the age of 50 he could descend from the second floor of the house into the courtyard on hand. At the age of 84, he amazed journalists from Voronezh with his cheerful appearance, whom he met on the occasion of the anniversary of the liberation of the city during the Civil War.
The marshal died on October 26, 1973, and was buried on Red Square. But, like all great people, he was destined for life after death, and legends are still told about him.
Family troubles
The biography of Semyon Budyonny in terms of relationships with women did not work out the best way. Some family troubles are associated with the marshal's attitude towards women. There are a lot of “black” detectives here. They say that Semyon Mikhailovich shot his first wife and handed over his second to the NKVD.
Nadezhda, Budyonny’s first wife, was in charge of the medical unit of the First Cavalry. There really were quarrels between the spouses - the wife was not distinguished by fidelity, and Budyonny also happened to “go to the left.” In 1924, Nadezhda died from a pistol shot, which gave rise to rumors. In fact, there were witnesses to the incident - there was an accident.
Olga Stefanovna, the second wife, was 20 years younger than her husband. Opera singer, she led a very wild life, “had an affair” with a tenor, often visited foreign embassies and refused to have children (for the sake of her figure!). She was arrested for “visiting” embassies. Budyonny really did not stand up for her, but there is a version that he believed that she had died. In any case, he married for the third time, and Maria was Olga’s cousin. Olga Stefanovna was released in 1956, and ex-husband helped her move to Moscow and supported her financially.
Grandpa's friend
The third marriage was successful, producing two sons and a daughter. The marshal loved and spoiled both his wife and children.
Budyonny's daughter, Nina, was the wife of the famous actor Mikhail Derzhavin, and he got along well with his father-in-law and noted his affection for his grandchildren. He also told how his grandson, seeing a portrait of Stalin, told a foreign journalist: “This is a friend of his grandfather.”
Extensive iconostasis
It is customary to joke about Budyonny’s love of awards. Yes, he received three after the end of the Great Patriotic War. He also had 7 Orders of Lenin and 6 Orders of the Red Banner. But the full St. George’s bow clearly proves that this is not just a matter of high position...
Armored train, steamship, district...
The name of Budyonny is immortalized not only in the “Budenovka”, there is also a breed of racehorses - the Budyonnovskaya. An armored train that fought in the Great Patriotic War, a large passenger ship, and a district in the city of Donetsk bore this name.
The area was called that twice - until 1958 and then since 1980. There are still people in the city who lived “twice in the Budennovsky district.” And they are not going to change the name!
And outstanding people of the past should not be measured by modern standards. They lived in a different time.
Budyonny Semyon Mikhailovich
13(25).04.1883–26.10.1973
Marshal of the Soviet Union
Born on the Don, on the Kozyurin farm near Rostov. I worked as a laborer as a child. He began his military service in 1903 in a Cossack regiment. Participated in Russian-Japanese war(1904–1905) in Manchuria. He fought bravely on the fronts of the First World War (1914–1918), was wounded several times and received the full bow of the Knight of St. George (4 crosses and 4 medals). During the Civil War, the detachment created by Budyonny grew into the 1st Cavalry Army. Participated in the defense of Tsaritsyn (1918). In 1919, Budyonny, at the head of the cavalry corps, defeated the main forces of Wrangel’s army in the upper reaches of the Don. In September 1919, Budyonny's First Cavalry defeated generals K.K. Mamontov and A.G. Shkuro near Voronezh and Kastornaya.
The First Cavalry Army, cutting through the white troops as if with a sharp saber, passed through the Donbass, broke into Rostov (01/8/1920) and completed the defeat of A.I. Denikin’s army with the battle of Yegorlykskaya. Then, having made the transition from Maykop to Uman, the cavalry broke through the Polish front at Skvira (June 1920), rushed to Zhitomir, Kyiv and further to Lvov. Returning from the Polish front, Budyonny's cavalry crushes the Whites near Kakhovka and Otrada and, together with other armies, completes the defeat of the army of Baron P. N. Wrangel in the Crimea.
During the Civil War, S. M. Budyonny was wounded three times, awarded 2 Orders of the Red Banner, a Golden Saber with this order and the inscription: “To the People’s Hero”, a Mauser with the Order of the Red Banner (besides him, only Commander-in-Chief S. S. Kamenev had this award) and other awards. The 1st Cavalry fought a thousand kilometers. Legends and songs were written about its commander.
In 1932, S. M. Budyonny graduated from the Military Academy. Frunze, in November 1935 became Marshal of the Soviet Union.
During the Great Patriotic War (1941–1945), the marshal was a member of the Headquarters of the Supreme High Command, commanded the strategic direction, fronts, and trained reserves. During the Patriotic War he had a pseudonym - Semenov.
By the 90s of his life, S. M. Budyonny became a Cavalier of three Golden Stars of the Hero of the Soviet Union (02/1/1958, 04/24/1963, 02/22/1968).
Marshal S. M. Budyonny had:
- 8 Orders of Lenin,
- 6 Orders of the Red Banner,
- Order of Suvorov 1st degree,
- Order of the Red Banner of Azerbaijan, Red Banner of Labor of Uzbekistan.
- Mongolian orders: Red Banner and 2 Sukhbaatar - a total of 20 orders and 14 medals; had the sign “ZAOR” and 3 more foreign medals.
- Twice awarded an honorary revolutionary weapon with the Order of the Red Banner: a saber (11/24/1919) and a Mauser (01/05/1921), as well as an Honorary personalized saber with the golden Coat of Arms of the USSR (1968) and other awards.
V.A. Egorshin, “Field Marshals and Marshals.” M., 2000
Budyonny Semyon Mikhailovich
Born on April 13 (April 25), 1883 on the Kozyurin farm, Rostov region, from peasants, Russian. In 1908 he graduated from equestrian courses at the officer school, in 1932 - special group Military Academy named after. M. V. Frunze.
He began his service in the tsarist army as a soldier (from 1903 to 1907), then as a rider (from 1908 to 1913) and as a cavalry platoon commander (from 1914 to 1917).
In the Soviet Army - commander of a cavalry detachment (February-June 1918), chief of staff of a division (December 1918 - March 1919), division commander (until June 1919), commander of a cavalry corps (until November 1919). ), commander of the First Cavalry Army (until October 1923).
In his 1921 certification, the following entry attracts attention: “A born cavalry commander. Has operational and combat intuition. He loves cavalry and knows it well. The missing general educational baggage has been intensively and thoroughly replenished and self-education continues. He is gentle and courteous with his subordinates... In the position of commander of the Cavalry, he is irreplaceable...”
Until January 1922, S. M. Budyonny headed the Armed Forces in the Kuban and Black Sea region, remaining in the position of commander of the First Cavalry Army, and was deputy commander of the troops of the North Caucasus Military District (until August 1923), then assistant to the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Republic for cavalry (until April 1924), inspector of the cavalry of the Red Army (until July 1937).
Until January 1939, S. M. Budyonny was commander of the troops of the Moscow Military District and until August 1940 - deputy people's commissar Defense, until September 1941 - First Deputy People's Commissar of Defense.
During the war years, while remaining in this (last) position, “he concurrently served as: a) commander of the reserve army group of the High Command; b) deputy commander of troops Western Front; c) Commander-in-Chief of the troops of the South-Western direction; d) commander of the troops of the Western Reserve Front" (until October 1941), then authorized by the State Defense Committee for the formation, training and cobbling together of units (until March 1942), Chairman of the Central Commission for the collection of captured weapons and property (until April 1942) , commander of the troops of the North Caucasus direction (until May 1945), commander of the troops of the North Caucasus Front (until September 1942). Being Deputy People's Commissar of Defense, “concurrently, from January 1943, he was the commander of the cavalry of the Red Army.” From May 1943, he was the commander of the cavalry of the Red Army (until May 1953). “From February 1947 to May 1953, he worked part-time as Deputy Minister of Agriculture of the USSR for horse breeding.”
From May 1953 to September 1954 - inspector of cavalry of the Ministry of Defense, then at the “order of the USSR Minister of Defense” (until October 1973).
For services to the Motherland, S. M. Budyonny was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union three times (1958, 1963, 1968); awarded 8 Orders of Lenin (1953, 1939, 1943, 1945, 1953, 1956, 1958, 1973), 6 Orders of the Red Banner (1918, 1919 , 1923, 1930, 1944, 1948), Order of Suvorov, 1st degree (1944); Order of the Red Banner of the Azerbaijan SSR (1923), Red Banner of Labor of the Uzbek SSR (1930). In addition, S. M. Budyonny was awarded an Honorary revolutionary weapon - a saber with the Order of the Red Banner on the scabbard (11/20/1919), an Honorary revolutionary firearm - a pistol (Mauser) with the Order of the Red Banner on the handle (01/1921), an Honorary weapons with a gold image of the State Emblem of the USSR (02/22/1968), 14 medals, as well as 8 St. George crosses and medals. orders and medals of Mongolia.
Member of the CPSU since March 1919, member of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee since 1922, member of the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party (Bolsheviks) since 1939, candidate member of the CPSU Central Committee since 1952; Deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of the 1st-8th convocations.
Marshals of the Soviet Union: personal stories tell. M., 1996
April 25, 1883 in a poor peasant familyon the Kozyurin farm (now Proletarsky district, Rostov region)born Semyon Mikhailovich Budyonny, future Soviet military leader, hero of the Civil War, commander of the 1st Cavalry Army, one of the first Marshals of the Soviet Union.
Hero of the revolution, Three times Hero of the Soviet Union, the legendary Marshal Budyonny managed not only to win enormous military glory, but also to become a real people's favorite. His enemies feared him, his comrades bowed before him, his ill-wishers envied him, and women adored him.
Semyon Budyonny, who is usually considered a symbol of Cossack prowess, was not actually a Cossack. His grandfather, a serf peasant from near Voronezh, released by decree of Tsar-Liberator Alexander II, moved to the Don with his family in search of a better life. It was there, not far from the village of Platovskaya, that on April 25, 1883, the future marshal, the idol of several generations, Semyon Budyonny was born.
Budyonny’s pre-revolutionary biography was not advertised too much. Semyon Mikhailovich did not participate in any peasant unrest or anti-government protests. He lived like most Cossacks, worked as a hammer hammer in a forge, was known as the best rider in the area, and from his youth dreamed of becoming a horse breeder - Budyonny had a passion for horses since childhood.
In 1903, at the age of 20, Semyon Budyonny got married. Nadezhda Ivanovna Budyonnaya, a Cossack woman from a neighboring farm, was considered one of the first beauties. But Budyonny did not have to enjoy family comfort for long. The wedding took place in the winter, and the following fall Semyon Mikhailovich went to the army. Budyonny's military career progressed rapidly. The best rider of the regiment quickly won the respect of his colleagues and superiors and earned the rank of officer. During the First World War, Budyonny received four St. George Crosses.
But they really started talking about Budyonny during the Civil War. In 1917, upon learning of the abdication of Tsar Nicholas II, Semyon Mikhailovich went over to the side of the Bolsheviks. “I decided that it was better to be a marshal in the Red Army than an officer in the White Army,” Budyonny later joked. Well, he was right. The capture of the Cossack capital of Novocherkassk and Rostov-on-Don, the defeat of the detachment of General Kornilov - all this provided Semyon Mikhailovich with simply fabulous fame.
In the war with Poland, Budyonny’s army, as part of the Southwestern Front, operated on the southern flank and was quite successful. Budyonny broke through the defensive positions of the Polish troops and cut off the supply routes to the Kyiv group of Poles, launching an attack on Lviv.
During this war, the legend of the “invincible” strategist Tukhachevsky was destroyed. Tukhachevsky did not critically accept the reports received by the headquarters of the Western Front that the Poles were completely defeated and were fleeing in panic. Budyonny assessed the state of affairs more intelligently, as evidenced by lines from his memoirs: “From the operational reports of the Western Front, we saw that the Polish troops, retreating, did not suffer large losses; the impression was created that the enemy was retreating before the armies of the Western Front, preserving forces for decisive battles...”.
In mid-August, the Polish army attacked the Red Army troops encircling Warsaw from the north. Tukhachevsky's right flank was destroyed. Tukhachevsky demands that Budyonny’s army be withdrawn from the battle and prepared for an attack on Lublin. At this time, the 1st Cavalry Army was fighting on the Bug River and could not simply withdraw from the battle. As Budyonny wrote: “It was physically impossible to leave the battle within one day and make a hundred-kilometer march in order to concentrate in the specified area on August 20. And if this impossible had happened, then with access to Vladimir-Volynsky, the Cavalry would still not have been able to take part in the operation against the Lublin enemy group, which was operating in the Brest area.”
The war was lost, but Budyonny personally did everything for victory; the troops entrusted to him acted quite successfully.
From 1937 to 1939, Budyonny was appointed commander of the troops of the Moscow Military District, from 1939 - a member of the Main Military Council of the USSR NGOs, deputy people's commissar, from August 1940 - first deputy people's commissar of defense of the USSR. Budyonny noted the important role of cavalry in maneuver warfare, while at the same time advocating the technical re-equipment of the army and initiated the formation of cavalry-mechanized formations.
He correctly identified the role of cavalry in a future war: “The reasons for the rise or decline of cavalry should be sought in relation to the basic properties of this type of troops to the basic data of the situation of a certain historical period. In all cases, when the war acquired a maneuverable character, and the operational situation required the presence of mobile troops and decisive actions, the cavalry masses became one of the decisive elements armed force. This is manifested by a well-known pattern throughout the history of cavalry; as soon as the possibility of a maneuverable war developed, the role of the cavalry immediately increased, and its blows completed one or another operation... We are stubbornly fighting for the preservation of powerful independent red cavalry and for its further strengthening solely because a sober, realistic assessment of the situation convinces us of the undoubted need to have such cavalry in the system of our Armed Forces".
Unfortunately, Budyonny’s opinion on the need to maintain a strong cavalry was not fully appreciated by the country’s leadership. At the end of the 1930s, the reduction of cavalry units began; by the war, 4 corps and 13 cavalry divisions remained. Great War confirmed that he was right - mechanized corps turned out to be less stable than cavalry units. Cavalry divisions did not depend on roads and fuel, like mechanized units. They were more mobile and maneuverable than motorized rifle divisions. They successfully operated against the enemy in wooded and mountainous areas, successfully carried out raids behind enemy lines, in conjunction with tank units developed a breakthrough of enemy positions, developed an offensive and envelopment of Nazi units.
By the way, the Wehrmacht also appreciated the importance of the cavalry units and quite seriously increased their numbers in the war. The red cavalry went through the entire war and ended it on the banks of the Oder. Cavalry commanders Belov, Oslikovsky, Dovator entered the elite of Soviet commanders.
During the Great Patriotic War, Budyonny was part of the Headquarters of the Supreme High Command. He was appointed commander of a group of troops of the reserve armies of Headquarters (June 1941), then - commander-in-chief of the troops of the South-Western direction (July 10 - September 1941).
The southwestern direction quite successfully held back the onslaught of Nazi troops and counterattacked. In the North, in the Baltic states, troops also operated under the overall command of Voroshilov. As a result, Berlin realized that the troops of Army Group Center were under great threat - the opportunity arose to strike from the flanks, from the North and from the South. The blitzkrieg failed, Hitler was forced to throw Guderian's 2nd Panzer Group to the south in order to reach the flank and rear of the Soviet group defending Kyiv.
On September 11, the division of the 1st Panzer Group Kleist launched an offensive from the Kremenchug bridgehead towards Guderian. Both tank groups united on September 16, closing the ring around Kyiv - the troops of the Southwestern Front found themselves in a cauldron, and the Red Army suffered heavy losses. But, having tied up significant enemy forces in heavy battles, it gained time to strengthen the defense in the central strategic direction.
Marshal S. M. Budyonny warned Headquarters about the danger threatening the troops of the Southwestern Front, recommended leaving Kyiv and withdrawing the armies, i.e., he proposed conducting not a positional war, but a maneuverable one. So, when Guderian’s tanks broke into Romny, General Kirponos turned to the Chief of the General Staff, Marshal B.M. Shaposhnikov, with a request to allow the evacuation of Kyiv and the withdrawal of troops, however, he was refused. Budyonny supported his subordinate and, in turn, telegraphed to Headquarters: “For my part, I believe that by this time the enemy’s plan to envelop and encircle the South-Western Front from the Novgorod-Seversky and Kremenchug directions had fully emerged. To counter this plan it is necessary to create a strong group of troops. The Southwestern Front is not able to do this. If the Headquarters of the Supreme High Command, in turn, does not have the ability to concentrate such a strong group at the moment, then a retreat for the Southwestern Front is completely overdue... A delay in the retreat of the Southwestern Front could lead to the loss of troops and a huge amount of materiel.”.
Unfortunately, in Moscow they saw the situation differently, and even such a talented General Staff officer as B. M. Shaposhnikov did not recognize the impending danger in time. It can be added that Budyonny had great courage to defend his point of view, because the marshal knew about Stalin’s desire to defend Kyiv at all costs. A day after this telegram, he was removed from this position, and a few days later the front troops were surrounded.
In September-October 1941, Budyonny was appointed commander of the Reserve Front. On September 30, the Wehrmacht launched Operation Typhoon, the Wehrmacht broke through the defenses Soviet troops, in the Vyazma area the troops of the Western (Konev) and Reserve Fronts were surrounded. It was a disaster, but Budyonny cannot be blamed for this. Firstly, the General Staff's reconnaissance was unable to reveal the areas of concentration of the Wehrmacht strike forces, so the available troops were stretched along the entire front and could not withstand a blow of such power when the defending division accounted for 3-4 enemy divisions (in the main directions of attack). Secondly, Budyonny could not use his favorite tactics of maneuver; it was impossible to retreat. It is stupid to accuse him of military mediocrity; Konev became one of the most famous heroes of the war, but he could not do anything.
In fact, it was only in the North Caucasus that he was appointed commander-in-chief of the troops of the North Caucasus direction (April - May 1942) and commander of the North Caucasus Front (May - August 1942) that he was able to demonstrate his skills. When the Wehrmacht reached the Caucasus in July 1942, Budyonny proposed withdrawing troops to the lines of the Main Caucasian ridge and Terek, reducing the overextended front, and also forming two reserve armies in the Grozny area. Stalin considered these proposals rational and approved them. The troops retreated to the line planned by Budyonny in August 1942 and, as a result of fierce fighting, stopped the enemy.
In January 1943, Budyonny became commander-in-chief of the cavalry; apparently Stalin decided that the time had come to show his skills to the young. Budyonny's merit is that he helped the Red Army survive and learn to fight.
The most objective assessment of the activities of Marshal Budyonny in the Great Patriotic War can be called the words of the chief of staff of the South-Western direction, General Pokrovsky: “He himself did not propose solutions, he himself did not understand the situation in such a way as to offer a solution, but when they reported to him, proposed certain solutions, a program, this or that, action, he, firstly, quickly grasped the situation and, secondly, second, as a rule, supported the most rational decisions. And he did it with sufficient determination.”.
The son of the Russian peasantry did not let his homeland down. He served honestly Russian Empire on the fields of the Russian-Japanese, World War I, he earned awards for himself with courage and skill. He supported the construction of a new state and served it honestly.
After the war, he was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union by decrees of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR on February 1, 1958, April 24, 1963 and February 22, 1968 and became a Three-Time Hero of the USSR. He fully deserved it.
Among the personal qualities of this worthy Man, one can note personal courage and bravery (for example: in July 1916, Budyonny received the St. George Cross of the 1st degree for leading 7 Turkish soldiers from a sortie behind enemy lines with four comrades). There is a legend that one day the security officers decided to “feel” the marshal. The marshal met the armed night guests with a saber drawn and shouting "Who is first!!!" rushed at the guests (according to another version, he put a machine gun out the window). They hastened to retreat. The next morning, Lavrenty Pavlovich reported to Stalin about the need to arrest Budyonny (and described the event in vivid colors). Comrade Stalin replied: “Well done, Semyon! That’s how we need them!” Budyonny was no longer disturbed. According to another version, having shot the security officers who came after him, Budyonny rushed to call Stalin: “Joseph, counter-revolution! They've come to arrest me! I won’t give up alive!” After which Stalin gave the command to leave Budyonny alone. Most likely this is historical anecdote, but even he characterizes Budyonny as a very brave man.
Budyonny masterfully played the button accordion and danced excellently - during the reception of the Soviet delegation in Turkey, the Turks performed folk dances, and then invited the Russians to respond in kind. And Budyonny, despite his age, danced, taking the rap for everyone. After this incident, Voroshilov ordered the introduction of dance classes in all military universities. He spoke three languages, read a lot, collected large library. I couldn't stand drunkenness. He was unpretentious in food.
Semyon Mikhalovich Budyonny was buried in Moscow, near the Kremlin wall.
| Bust in Budennovsk | ||
| Memorial plaque in Moscow (on the house where he lived) | ||
| Tombstone | ||
| Bust in the village of Velikomikhailovka | ||
| Bronze bust in Rostov-on-Don | ||
| Bronze bust in Rostov-on-Don (fragment) | ||
| Sign on the academy building in St. Petersburg | ||
| Memorial plaque in Valuyki | ||
| Memorial plaque in Berdichev | ||
| Monument in Donetsk | ||
| Memorial plaque in Moscow (at the headquarters where he served) | ||
| Prospect in Moscow |
B distinguished Semyon Mikhailovich - Soviet military leader, hero of the Civil War, commander of the 1st Cavalry Army, one of the first Marshals of the Soviet Union.
Born on April 13 (25), 1883 on the Kozyurin farm (now Proletarsky district of the Rostov region) into a poor peasant family. Russian.
Since 1903, in the Russian army, private in the dragoon regiment in the city of Biryuch, Voronezh province. In 1904-1905 he participated in the Russian-Japanese War as part of the 46th Don Cossack Regiment. In 1906-1914 he served in the Primorsky Dragoon Regiment near Vladivostok. In 1908 he graduated from the St. Petersburg School of Equestrians at the Higher Cavalry School.
He took part in the 1st World War as a senior non-commissioned officer of the 18th Seversky Dragoon Regiment on the Western and Caucasian fronts, and a participant in the campaign of the Russian expeditionary force to Persia in 1916. He was awarded 4 St. George's crosses and 4 medals for bravery.
In the summer of 1917, together with the Caucasian Division, he arrived in the city of Minsk, where he was elected chairman of the regimental committee and deputy chairman of the division committee. In August 1917, he participated in leading the disarmament of echelons of Kornilov troops in Orsha. After the Great October Socialist Revolution, he returned to the Don, to the village of Platovskaya, where he was elected a member of the executive committee of the Salsky District Council and appointed head of the district land department.
In February 1918, S.M. Budyonny created the Platov revolutionary cavalry detachment, which acted against the White Guards on the Don. From June 1918 - assistant commander of the 1st Socialist Peasant Cavalry Regiment. From September 1918 - assistant commander of the 1st Don Soviet Cavalry Brigade. From December 1918 - assistant chief of the 1st Combined Cavalry Division. Since January 1919 - commander of the 1st Cavalry Brigade of the 1st Composite Cavalry Division. He successfully operated on the Don near Tsaritsyn in 1918 - early 1919. Member of the CPSU(b)/CPSU since 1919.
Since March 1919 - head of the 4th Cavalry Division. When the first large cavalry unit, the Cavalry Corps, was created in the Red Army in June 1919, he became its first commander (until August 1919, he combined this post with the post of chief of the 4th division). The corps under the command of S.M. Budyonny played a decisive role in August 1919 in the defeat of the main forces of General Wrangel’s Caucasian Army in the upper reaches of the Don. In the Voronezh-Kastornensky operation of 1919, together with the divisions of the 8th Army, he completely defeated the Cossack corps of generals Mamontov and Shkuro. Parts of the corps occupied the city of Voronezh, closing a 100-kilometer gap in the positions of the Red Army troops in the Moscow direction. Victories of the Cavalry Corps S.M. Budyonny over the troops of General Denikin near Voronezh and Kastornaya accelerated the defeat of the enemy on the Don.
On November 19, 1919, the command of the Southern Front, based on the decision of the Revolutionary Military Council of the Republic, a meeting of which took place in the village of Velikomikhailovka, now Novooskolsky district, Belgorod region (Stalin, Budyonny, Shchadenko and others were present), signed an order to rename the Cavalry Corps into the 1st Cavalry Army. S.M. was appointed commander of this army. Budyonny. The legendary 1st Cavalry Commander of Budyonny, which he led until October 1923, played an important role in a number of major operations of the Civil War to defeat the troops of Denikin, the armies of Pilsudski in Ukraine and Wrangel in Northern Tavria and Crimea.
In 1921-1923 S.M. Budyonny, along with the command of the 1st Cavalry Army, is a member of the RVS and deputy commander of the North Caucasus Military District. He did a lot of work in organizing and managing stud farms, which, as a result of many years of work, developed new breeds of horses - Budennovsky and Terek.
In 1923 S.M. Budyonny is appointed assistant to the commander-in-chief of the Red Army for cavalry and a member of the Revolutionary Military Council of the USSR. In 1924-1937 - inspector of the Red Army cavalry. In 1932 he graduated from the Military Academy of the Red Army named after M.V. Frunze.
On September 22, 1935, the “Regulations on the service of command and control personnel of the Red Army” introduced personal military ranks. In November 1935, the Central Executive Committee and the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR awarded the five largest Soviet commanders the new military rank of "Marshal of the Soviet Union." Among them was Semyon Mikhailovich Budyonny.
Since 1937, Marshal of the Soviet Union S.M. Budyonny is the commander of the troops of the Moscow Military District. Since 1939, along with the command of the district troops, he has been a member of the Main Military Council of the NGOs of the USSR and Deputy People's Commissar of Defense of the USSR. Since August 1940 - First Deputy People's Commissar of Defense of the USSR. After the Civil War, participating in solving construction issues Armed Forces USSR, their technical reconstruction, he was guided by its experience, exaggerated the role of cavalry in a future war and underestimated the technical re-equipment of the army, did not approve of the formation of tank formations.
During the Great Patriotic War from June 1941 to January 1945 - member of the Headquarters of the Supreme High Command, as well as commander of a group of troops of the reserve armies of the Headquarters (June 1941), commander-in-chief of the troops of the South-Western direction (July - September 1941), commander of the Reserve Front (September - October 1941), commander-in-chief of the troops of the North Caucasus direction (April - May 1942), commander of the North Caucasus Front (May - August 1942).
Member of the Kyiv defensive operation, defense of Moscow, defense of the Caucasus. IN difficult conditions operational-strategic situation of 1941-1942, Marshal of the Soviet Union S.M. Budyonny, unfortunately, did not sufficiently show the qualities necessary for the commander of large operational-strategic formations and was unable to ensure firm and continuous command and control of troops in a rapidly changing situation.
From January 1943 - commander of the cavalry of the Soviet Army, and in 1947-1953 at the same time - deputy minister of agriculture of the USSR for horse breeding. From May 1953 to September 1954 - cavalry inspector of the Soviet Army. Since 1954 - at the disposal of the USSR Minister of Defense.
"Z and outstanding merits in the creation of the Armed Forces of the USSR and the defense of the Soviet state from the enemies of our Motherland and the heroism shown in this case" by Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of February 1, 1958 to the Marshal of the Soviet Union Semyon Mikhailovich Budyonny awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union with the Order of Lenin and the Gold Star medal.
"Z and outstanding achievements in the creation of the Armed Forces of the USSR and the defense of the Soviet state from the enemies of our Motherland and in connection with the eightieth anniversary of the birth of the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR dated April 24, 1963, Marshal of the Soviet Union Semyon Mikhailovich Budyonny awarded the second Gold Star medal.
"Z and outstanding achievements in the creation of the Armed Forces of the USSR, courage and bravery shown in battles to defend the Soviet state and in connection with the fiftieth anniversary of the Soviet Army and Navy" by Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR dated February 22, 1968 to the Marshal of the Soviet Union Semyon Mikhailovich Budyonny awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union three times with the award of the third Gold Star medal.
Member of the CPSU in 1939-52 (candidate in 1934-39 and 1952-73). Member of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee and the Central Executive Committee of the USSR. Deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of the 1st-8th convocations (1937-1973), since 1938 member of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR. He was a member of the presidium of the DOSAAF Central Committee and chairman of its award committee; Chairman of the Soviet-Mongolian Friendship Society.
He died at the age of 91, on October 26, 1973. He was buried in Moscow on Red Square near the Kremlin wall. A monument was erected at the grave.
Awarded 8 Orders of Lenin (02/23/1935, 11/17/1939, 04/24/1943, 02/21/1945, 04/24/1953, 02/01/1958, 04/24/1958, 04/24/1973), 6 Orders of the Red Banner (29.3 .1919, 13.3.1923 , 22.2.1930, 8.1.1941, 3.11.1944, 24.6.1948), Order of Suvorov, 1st degree (22.2.1944); Orders of the Red Banner of the Azerbaijan SSR (11/29/1929), Red Banner of Labor of the Uzbek SSR (19/1/1930); medals “For the Defense of Moscow”, “For the Defense of Odessa”, “For the Defense of Sevastopol”, “For the Defense of the Caucasus”, “For the Victory over Germany in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945”, “For the Victory over Japan”, “Twenty years of victory in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945,” “For military valor. In commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the birth of Vladimir Ilyich Lenin,” “XX years of the Red Army,” “30 years of the Soviet Army and Navy,” “40 years of the Armed Forces Forces of the USSR", "50 years of the Armed Forces of the USSR", "In memory of the 800th anniversary of Moscow", "In memory of the 250th anniversary of Leningrad", foreign awards of the Mongolian People's Republic - Order of the Red Banner of Battle, 1st degree (Mongolian People's Republic, 1936 ), two orders of Sukhbaatar (Mongolian People's Republic, 1961, 1973), three medals of Mongolia. He was awarded the Honorary Revolutionary Weapon three times (11/20/1919, 1921, 02/22/1968).
Honorary citizen of Rostov-on-Don, the hero city of Volgograd, Serpukhov.
The bronze bust was installed in the city of Rostov-on-Don, where an avenue is named after the legendary commander. The monument was erected on Budyonny Square in the city of Donetsk. A bust of S.M. Budyonny was installed in the homeland of the 1st Cavalry Army - in the village of Velikomikhailovka, Novooskolsky district, Belgorod region. The city of Prikumsk, Stavropol Territory, was renamed Budennovsk in 1973. Since 1933, the Military Academy of Communications has been named after him (in 1933-1941 - the Military Electrotechnical Academy of the Red Army, in 1941-1946 - the Military Electrotechnical Academy of Communications). Avenues, streets, squares, squares and parks in many cities and villages of Russia and other countries are named after the Hero. former USSR; warships and civilian vessels; industrial and agricultural enterprises; educational establishments; horse breed.
Essays:
Fundamentals of tactics of cavalry units. M., 1938;
The first horse on the Don. Rostov n/d, 1969;
Distance traveled. M., 1959-1973. Book 1-3;
Meetings with Ilyich. 2nd ed. M., 1972.