Generals of the Second World War. Legendary commanders of the USSR. Commanders of combined arms armies
The following participants took part in determining the rating: Marshal of the Soviet Union V.G. Kulikov, Marshal of the Soviet Union S.L. Sokolov, Army General V.I. Varennikov, Doctor of Military Sciences and Doctor of Historical Sciences, Army General M.A. Gareev (leader of the research group), Army General V.L. Govorov, Army General I.M. Tretyak, Marshal of Armored Forces O.A. Losik, Fleet Admiral I.M. Captain, Marshal of Artillery V.M. Mikhalkin, Doctor of Military Sciences, Colonel General V.V. Korobushin, Colonel General V.N. Verevkin-Rakhalsky, Colonel A.A. Koltyukov (Head of the Institute of Military History of the RF Ministry of Defense), Lieutenant General V.S. Ryabov, Doctor of Military Sciences, Major General V.G. Rog, Major General A.V. Kirilin, Doctor of Historical Sciences G.A. Kumanev, Doctor of Historical Sciences A.S. Orlov, Doctor of Historical Sciences O.A. Rzheshevsky, Doctor of Historical Sciences, Colonel Yu.V. Rubtsov, Colonel V.A. Semidetko.
I. SOVIET COMMANDERS AND MILITARY LEADERS.
1. Generals and military leaders of the strategic and operational-strategic level of the USSR.
Zhukov Georgy Konstantinovich (1896-1974)- Marshal of the Soviet Union, Deputy Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the USSR Armed Forces, member of the Supreme Command Headquarters. He commanded the troops of the Reserve, Leningrad, Western, and 1st Belorussian fronts, coordinated the actions of a number of fronts, and made a great contribution to achieving victory in the battle of Moscow, in the Battles of Stalingrad, Kursk, in the Belarusian, Vistula-Oder and Berlin operations.
Vasilevsky Alexander Mikhailovich (1895-1977)- Marshal of the Soviet Union. Chief of the General Staff in 1942-1945, member of the Supreme Command Headquarters. He coordinated the actions of a number of fronts in strategic operations, in 1945 - commander of the 3rd Belorussian Front and commander-in-chief of Soviet troops in the Far East.
Rokossovsky Konstantin Konstantinovich (1896-1968)- Marshal of the Soviet Union, Marshal of Poland. Commanded the Bryansk, Don, Central, Belorussian, 1st and 2nd Belorussian fronts.
Konev Ivan Stepanovich (1897-1973) - Marshal of the Soviet Union. Commanded the troops of the Western, Kalinin, North-Western, Steppe, 2nd and 1st Ukrainian Fronts.
Malinovsky Rodion Yakovlevich (1898-1967)- Marshal of the Soviet Union. From October 1942 - Deputy Commander of the Voronezh Front, Commander of the 2nd Guards Army, Southern, Southwestern, 3rd and 2nd Ukrainian, Transbaikal Fronts.
Govorov Leonid Alexandrovich (1897-1955) - Marshal of the Soviet Union. From June 1942 he commanded the troops of the Leningrad Front, and in February-March 1945 he simultaneously coordinated the actions of the 2nd and 3rd Baltic Fronts.
Antonov Alexey Innokentievich (1896-1962)- army General. Since 1942 - first deputy chief, chief (since February 1945) of the General Staff, member of the Supreme Command Headquarters.
Timoshenko Semyon Konstantinovich (1895-1970)- Marshal of the Soviet Union. During the Great Patriotic War - People's Commissar of Defense of the USSR, member of the Supreme Command Headquarters, Commander-in-Chief of the Western and South-Western directions, from July 1942 he commanded the Stalingrad and North-Western Fronts. Since 1943 - representative of the Supreme Command Headquarters at the fronts.
Tolbukhin Fedor Ivanovich (1894-1949)- Marshal of the Soviet Union. At the beginning of the war - chief of staff of the district (front). Since 1942 - Deputy Commander of the Stalingrad Military District, Commander of the 57th and 68th Armies, Southern, 4th and 3rd Ukrainian Fronts.
Meretskov Kirill Afanasyevich (1897-1968)- Marshal of the Soviet Union. At the beginning of the war, he was a representative of the Supreme Command Headquarters on the Volkhov and Karelian fronts, commanding the 7th and 4th armies. Since December 1941 - commander of the troops of the Volkhov, Karelian and 1st Far Eastern fronts. He particularly distinguished himself during the defeat of the Japanese Kwantung Army in 1945.
Shaposhnikov Boris Mikhailovich (1882-1945)- Marshal of the Soviet Union. Member of the Supreme Command Headquarters, Chief of the General Staff during the most difficult period of defensive operations in 1941. He made an important contribution to the organization of the defense of Moscow and the transition of the Red Army to the counteroffensive. From May 1942 - Deputy People's Commissar of Defense of the USSR, Head of the Military Academy of the General Staff.
Chernyakhovsky Ivan Danilovich (1906-1945)- army General. He commanded the tank corps, the 60th Army, and from April 1944 the 3rd Belorussian Front. Mortally wounded in February 1945.
Vatutin Nikolai Fedorovich (1901-1944)- army General. From June 1941 - Chief of Staff of the North-Western Front, First Deputy Chief of the General Staff, Commander of the Voronezh, South-Western and 1st Ukrainian Fronts. He showed the highest art of military leadership in the Battle of Kursk, during the crossing of the river. Dnieper and the liberation of Kyiv, in the Korsun-Shevchenko operation. Mortally wounded in battle in February 1944.
Bagramyan Ivan Khristoforovich (1897-1982)- Marshal of the Soviet Union. Chief of Staff of the South-Western Front, then at the same time of the headquarters of the troops of the South-Western direction, commander of the 16th (11th Guards) Army. Since 1943, he commanded the troops of the 1st Baltic and 3rd Belorussian fronts.
Eremenko Andrey Ivanovich (1892-1970)- Marshal of the Soviet Union. Commanded the Bryansk Front, the 4th Shock Army, the South-Eastern, Stalingrad, Southern, Kalinin, 1st Baltic Fronts, the Separate Primorsky Army, the 2nd Baltic and 4th Ukrainian Fronts. He particularly distinguished himself in the Battle of Stalingrad.
Petrov Ivan Efimovich (1896-1958) - army General. Since May 1943 - commander of the North Caucasus Front, 33rd Army, 2nd Belorussian and 4th Ukrainian Fronts, chief of staff of the 1st Ukrainian Front.
II. COMMANDERS AND MILITARY LEADERS OF THE ALLIED ARMIES OF THE USA
Eisenhower Dwight David (1890-1969)- American statesman and military leader, army general. Commander of American forces in Europe since 1942, Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Forces in Western Europe in 1943-1945.
MacArthur Douglas (1880-1964)- army General. Commander of the US armed forces in the Far East in 1941-1942, since 1942 - commander of the allied forces in the southwestern part of the Pacific Ocean.
Marshall George Catlett (1880-1959)- army General. Chief of Staff of the US Army in 1939-1945, one of the main authors of the military-strategic plans of the US and Great Britain in World War II.
Lehi William (1875-1959) - Admiral of the Fleet. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, at the same time - Chief of Staff to the Supreme Commander of the US Armed Forces in 1942-1945.
Halsey William (1882-1959) - Admiral of the Fleet. He commanded the 3rd Fleet and led American forces in the battle for the Solomon Islands in 1943.
Patton George Smith Jr. (1885-1945)- general. Since 1942, he commanded an operational group of troops in North Africa, in 1944-1945. - The 7th and 3rd American armies in Europe, skillfully used tank forces.
Bradley Omar Nelson (1893-1981)- army General. Commander of the 12th Army Group of the Allied Forces in Europe in 1942-1945.
King Ernest (1878-1956)- Admiral of the Fleet. Commander-in-Chief of the US Navy, Chief of Naval Operations 1942-1945.
Nimitz Chester (1885-1966) - admiral. Commander of US Forces in the Central Pacific from 1942-1945.
Arnold Henry (1886-1950)- army General. In 1942-1945. - Chief of Staff of the US Army Air Forces.
Clark Mark (1896-1984) - general Commander of the 5th American Army in Italy in 1943-1945. He became famous for his landing operation in the Salerno area (Operation Avalanche).
Spaats Karl (1891-1974) - general Commander of US Strategic Air Forces in Europe. He led strategic aviation operations during the air offensive against Germany.
Great Britain
Montgomery Bernard Law (1887-1976)- Field Marshal. Since July 1942 - commander of the 8th British Army in Africa. During the Normandy operation he commanded an army group. In 1945 - Commander-in-Chief of the British occupation forces in Germany.
Brooke Alan Francis (1883-1963)- Field Marshal. Commanded the British Army Corps in France in 1940-1941. troops of the metropolis. In 1941-1946. - Chief of the Imperial General Staff.
Alexander Harold (1891-1969)- Field Marshal. In 1941-1942. commander of British troops in Burma. In 1943, he commanded the 18th Army Group in Tunisia and the 15th Allied Army Group that landed on the island. Sicily and Italy. Since December 1944 - Commander-in-Chief of the Allied Forces in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations.
Cunningham Andrew (1883-1963)- Admiral. Commander of the British fleet in the eastern Mediterranean in 1940-1941.
Harris Arthur Travers (1892-1984)- Air Marshal. Commander of the bomber force that carried out the “air offensive” against Germany in 1942-1945.
Tedder Arthur (1890-1967)- Air Chief Marshal. Eisenhower's Deputy Supreme Allied Commander in Europe for Aviation during the Second Front in Western Europe in 1944-1945.
Wavell Archibald (1883-1950)- Field Marshal. Commander of British troops in East Africa in 1940-1941. In 1942-1945. - Commander-in-Chief of the Allied Forces in Southeast Asia.
France
De Tassigny Jean de Lattre (1889-1952)- Marshal of France. Since September 1943 - Commander-in-Chief of the troops of "Fighting France", since June 1944 - Commander of the 1st French Army.
Juin Alphonse (1888-1967)- Marshal of France. Since 1942 - commander of the troops of "Fighting France" in Tunisia. In 1944-1945 - commander of the French expeditionary force in Italy.
III. THE MOST PROMINENT COMMANDERS AND NAVAL LEADERS OF THE SECOND WORLD WAR (FROM THE ENEMY SIDE)
Germany
Rundstedt Karl Rudolf (1875-1953)- Field Marshal General. During World War II, he commanded Army Group South and Army Group A in the attack on Poland and France. He headed Army Group South on the Soviet-German front (until November 1941). From 1942 to July 1944 and from September 1944 - Commander-in-Chief of German troops in the West.
Manstein Erich von Lewinsky (1887-1973)- Field Marshal General. In the French campaign of 1940 he commanded a corps, on the Soviet-German front - a corps, an army, in 1942-1944. - Army Group "Don" and "South".
Keitel Wilhelm (1882-1946)- Field Marshal General. In 1938-1945. - Chief of Staff of the Supreme Command of the Armed Forces.
Kleist Ewald (1881-1954)- Field Marshal General. During World War II, he commanded a tank corps and a tank group operating against Poland, France, and Yugoslavia. On the Soviet-German front he commanded a tank group (army), in 1942-1944. - Army Group A.
Guderian Heinz Wilhelm (1888-1954)- Colonel General. During World War II he commanded a tank corps, a group and an army. In December 1941, after the defeat near Moscow, he was removed from office. In 1944-1945 - Chief of the General Staff of the Ground Forces. 
Rommel Erwin (1891-1944)- Field Marshal General. In 1941-1943. commanded the German Expeditionary Forces in North Africa, Army Group B in Northern Italy, 1943-1944. - Army Group B in France.
Doenitz Karl (1891-1980) - Grand Admiral. Commander of the submarine fleet (1936-1943), commander-in-chief of the Navy of Nazi Germany (1943-1945). At the beginning of May 1945 - Reich Chancellor and Supreme Commander.
Keselring Albert (1885-1960)- Field Marshal General. He commanded air fleets operating against Poland, Holland, France, and England. At the beginning of the war with the USSR, he commanded the 2nd Air Fleet. From December 1941 - Commander-in-Chief of the Nazi forces of the South-West (Mediterranean - Italy), in 1945 - the troops of the West (West Germany).
Finland
Mannerheim Carl Gustav Emil (1867-1951)- Finnish military and statesman, marshal. Commander-in-Chief of the Finnish army in the wars against the USSR in 1939-1940. and 1941-1944
Japan
Yamamoto Isoroku (1884-1943) - admiral. During World War II - Commander-in-Chief of the Japanese Navy. Carried out the operation to defeat the American fleet at Pearl Harbor in December 1941.
Generals of World War II is a new free browser-based multiplayer online strategy game set during World War II. The player is given the opportunity to influence the course of historical events in a global conflict, fighting on either side of the confrontation.
By siding with the Soviet troops, there is a chance to raise the red flag over Berlin. There is also the possibility of capturing the Kremlin with the help of powerful Wehrmacht forces or winning with the support of the brilliant Allied forces. In the hands of the player, as the Commander-in-Chief, the decision is in whose hands the victory in the battle will be and who will be able to become the Commander-in-Chief of the new empire.
Game Features
- Free access.
- The ability to personally develop a battle strategy.
- Availability of game currency.
- Possibility of improving equipment, technology, infrastructure.
- Daily tournaments “Corps War”, “Big Battle” and others.
- Realistic battles with the enemy.
- Long and difficult maneuvers.
- Possibility of concluding agreements and pacts.
- Opportunity to become a leader.
- Opportunity to become a participant in the Great Battle.
pros
At the beginning of the game, the events of the German army's attack on Austria are narrated. Subsequently, some of the most dramatic and brutal events in modern history develop. But there is a huge plus in the game - it is the Commander-in-Chief who has the opportunity, using a correctly defined strategy, to decide how much effort will be spent to defeat the enemy. After all, a frontal attack is not always the best solution in conducting a battle. In economic development with a military bias of all buildings, troops and equipment, the game fully complies with all the requirements of modern military strategy. And for combat it is very important to be able to defend and go on the offensive following all the rules of military strategy.Review of the game “Generals of the Second World War”
The events of the game unfold on the battlefields, where from 1939 until the victorious moment of 1945, fierce battles took place against the occupying forces of selfless defenders of their homeland. Landscapes of dense forests, meadows burned by heavy armored vehicles, unconquered cities and destroyed water crossings in the territories of different countries – battles await the player everywhere.The blood runs cold from the deafening roar of exploding shells, the screams of infantry, the powerful roar of tanks and the whistle of diving attack aircraft. But battle after battle, the young commander gradually appears on his shoulders with general's shoulder straps.
The beginning of the game is quite simple: the plane of the detachment where the player serves with the rank of sergeant crashes, a small detachment of infantry remains alive and the sergeant boldly takes command of it, entering into battle with his first enemy - an unknown paramilitary unit.
The expected victory in the battle will bring the player a promotion to the head of the base, which is in a destroyed state and now he will have to restore it. This moment will mark the beginning of the player’s military career, and from the battlefields he will take away vast experience of participating in bloody battles.
About the characters
When playing the game “Generals of the Second World War”, the player becomes the Commander-in-Chief and has his own Generals under his command, to whom he must give commands. For beginners, there is a training mission in which the main adviser, the General, will require the impeccable implementation of his advice.Subsequently, the player has the opportunity to receive more qualified generals under his command, allowing him to win battles during the “auto-battle” mode. But this is not as simple as it might seem at first glance.
To do this, you need to gain experience, which makes it possible to obtain Officer Points. Thanks to the mobilization system in the game, everyone will be able to acquire a worthy commander.
Types of troops
There are three types of troops in the game:- infantry with the weakest defense, but phenomenally capable of destroying the enemy’s artillery defense;
- artillery with an average degree of protection (especially against infantry troops), but capable of delivering critical blows to enemy tank units;
- tanks– degree of protection is high. With their help, you can mow down entire legions of lightly armed infantry.
Battles in the game "Generals of the Second World War"
The combat system in the game is turn-based. This provides an excellent opportunity to strategically and tactically plan the operation. Each battle is assigned a separate map, with its own terrain, cities, bridges and other landscape elements.Confrontations are both individual and group. Single duels have a place in the Colosseum, taking place several days a week and allowing players to earn the maximum possible honor points and individual rating.
The best players are given the opportunity to participate in the global “Big Battle” as a reward, after winning which the participant receives a special title and the privilege of purchasing exclusive items by visiting a specialized store.
There are different options for conducting combat: carry out a frontal attack on the enemy with a well-equipped army, or carry out complex maneuvers with insufficient staffing, for example, artillery.
There are also situations in which one’s own strength is not enough to defeat the enemy. In such cases, it is worth engaging in diplomatic negotiations and concluding alliance agreements with other players. In short, possible tactical actions are present in unlimited quantities.
Conclusion
“Generals of the Second World War” is a new free browser-based multiplayer online military strategy that will be appreciated by fans of historical reconstructions of that time. It allows you to try your hand at reproducing many real battles. And to demonstrate your own talents as a military leader, you can try your hand at changing the results of famous battles in either direction.August 29th, 2013
Hello dears!
Today we will finally reach the home stretch of the topic of the Wehrmacht Field Marshals, which began here: and continued here: , here: and here:
I just have to go through the biographies of the 5 best of the best German military leaders, in my humble opinion, in World War II.
This top five is closed by Hans Günther Adolf Ferdinand von Kluge, nicknamed “Clever Hans” (here not only the most German name was played on, but also the surname, because Kluge can be translated from German as “smart”), although it seems to me that his other name was more suitable for him nickname - “Cunning Gunther”, for he was indeed a very resourceful and cunning man. A sort of improved version of Panikovsky, who “will sell, then buy, then sell again, but more expensive” :-)
The son of a general and heir to Prussian military traditions, von Kluge realized from childhood that excellent education and military talent are not enough to reach the heights of success - it is also necessary to learn how to intrigue well. Over time, he achieved great skill in this matter. However, right up until the Nazis came to power, he simply honestly pulled the burden of the army. Having graduated from the Military Academy before the First World War, he, as a capable student, was transferred to the General Staff. From there he went to the front. He was a General Staff officer at the 21st Army Corps, then a battalion commander, and finally, a General Staff officer at the 89th Infantry Division. In 1918 he was seriously wounded by shrapnel near Verdun. He ended the war as a captain, a holder of the Iron Cross of both classes and a number of other awards, including the Austrian Order of the Iron Crown.
Order of the Iron Crown
After recovering from his wound, von Kluge continued to serve in the Reichswehr. By 1933, he had the rank of major general and served as chief of artillery of the 3rd Military District (Berlin). The Nazis' rise to power first accelerated his career, since already in the spring of 1934 he received the rank of lieutenant general, and first the position of inspector of the Army Signal Corps, and then became commander of the 6th Division and commander of the 6th Military District in Münster. However, he soon fell out with Goering (they were enemies until the very end of his life) and fell into disgrace. What makes his situation even worse is that von Kluge openly supports von Fritsch, and is outraged by the party's interference in military affairs. Accordingly, he was almost the first to be sent to the reserve in 1938 during the “general purge of the army ranks.” However, the disgrace did not last long - there are not many good, competent, experienced generals, which Kluge undoubtedly was, in the army and he was again called up for active service. Despite Goering's active opposition, he was tasked with forming and leading the 6th Army Group, which included the 9th, 10th and 11th Military Districts (a total of 6 divisions). In August 1939, the 4th Army was deployed on the basis of this group, and Kluge became its commander. “Clever Hans” simply brilliantly confirmed his skills, both in Poland and in France, was able to enlist the support of Keitel, and most importantly, attracted the attention of Hitler. So Goering’s machinations no longer bothered him. For excellent military work, he was promoted to field marshal general (July 19, 1940) and awarded the Knight's Cross. 
"Clever Hans"
Realizing where the wind was blowing, he began to strongly support any plans of the Reich Chancellor. So von Kluge is one of the few who supported the implementation of the Barbarossa plan and a war on 2 fronts. Kluge began his campaign against the USSR by encircling our group near Bialystok, and then he was responsible for the capture of Smolensk. He was against an active late autumn attack on Moscow, which he repeatedly reported to von Bock, and most importantly to Hitler. And so on December 19, 1941, Kluge was appointed commander of the forces of Army Group Center instead of the displaced Bock. First of all, “Cunning Gunther” carried out a purge and removed the generals he disliked (Gepner, Guderian, Strauss) as a result of a cunning intrigue, placing all the blame on them for the failure to capture Moscow and the tactical retreat from the capital. And only then did he take up the problems of the army group. He held this position until July 1942, and it should be noted that he acted brilliantly - he repelled a number of strong attacks by Soviet troops (near Rzhev and Belev, for example), and also defeated the cavalry corps of General P. Belov near Kirov. Plus, I was able to “feed the misconception” to our headquarters that the offensive must be expected in the Moscow direction, and not at all in the south, as it should have been. No wonder some called him the “lion of defense.” For all this, Hitler awarded him the Oak Leaves to the Knight's Cross on January 18, 1943. Kluge showed the full extent of the master of intrigue before the Germans carried out Operation Citadel. Thus, during the preparation of the operation in May 1943, he arrived at the Reich Chancellor's headquarters with the intention of delaying the offensive, believing that the operation was not prepared well enough. When he found out that Hitler had already made such a decision, he began to oppose the delay of the operation, while pursuing the goal of protecting himself from responsibility in case of failure of the offensive, acting on the principle “I warned you...” As a result, he was excluded from the operation itself removed, the task was assigned to the Model. But when the latter failed, Kluge’s reputation was in no way damaged. 
From left to right Kluge, Himmler, Dönitz, Keitel
It suffered somewhat a little later, when the magnificent Rokossovsky first broke through the front at Orel, and then crossed the Dnieper during the Chernigov-Pripyat operation. And even then, Kluge, unlike many others, was able to avoid complete defeat and withdraw his troops to Belarus, once again proving himself to be a very good military leader. True, it is not completely known how everything would have turned out further if on October 28, 1943, his car had not flown into a ditch on the Orsha-Minsk highway. The field marshal survived, but received quite serious injuries and was forced to undergo treatment in Germany for 8 months. Thus, this accident saved him from his final defeat and the stigma of being a loser.
On July 2, 1944, Kluge replaced Field Marshal Gerd von Rundstedt as commander of the Western Front and was initially very energetic and hopeful. However, all his rosy dreams instantly dissipated when he was faced with the real picture emerging on the Western Front. He repeatedly asked Hitler to begin a retreat across the Seine River, but received a categorical refusal. As a result, 15 German divisions fell into the so-called Falaise bag, and although some of the soldiers and equipment were able to be removed from the encirclement (though without Kluge’s participation), losses were still high (especially in equipment). Hitler immediately removed Kluge from his post as commander and summoned him to his headquarters. Then “clever Hans” realized that the map of his bit was finally and unequivocally and it was not worth returning to Germany. As an experienced gambler, he bet not only on Hitler, but also on the failed conspirators, and the latter gave him up. As a result, near the French city of Metze, Hans Gunther von Kluge committed suicide by biting into a capsule of potassium cyanide. This happened on August 18, 1944. He was 61 years old. 
The famous "African partisan of World War I" P. von Lettow-Vorbeck visiting G. von Kluge
What can we say in conclusion about this general - he was good from a military point of view and certainly was valued as a strong professional by our illustrious marshals; he advocated a humane attitude towards prisoners of war and was an ardent opponent of punitive operations against civilians. He respected the SS, but only as fighters at the front, and not as an organization engaged in racial cleansing. That is, on the one hand, he is an honest, professional, strong opponent and a good warrior. On the other hand, for his own good and to advance his career, at first he supported almost any of Hitler’s undertakings and was his faithful follower. And it seems he outwitted himself. 
One of the most famous WWII commanders
The following man is considered by most English and American historians to be the best German commander of World War II. I am now talking about the one they called the “Desert Fox”, and we know him under the name Erwin Eugen Johannes Rommel. As you can understand, I do not share the assessments of our foreign researchers and do not consider him the best. I will explain why at the very end of the story. Although, in general, I recognize him as an outstanding military leader, and there are reasons for this too.
Erwin was born on November 15, 1891, the son of a school teacher and the daughter of the former president of the government of Württemberg. In addition to him, there were 2 more sons in the family, and a little later a daughter was born. Since childhood, his father did not encourage Erwin’s dream of a military career and tried in every possible way to persuade him to become a teacher. However, Rommel Jr. was adamant and entered a military school. In 1912, he received his first officer rank - chief lieutenant. Rommel was an active participant in the First World War on the Western, Eastern and Italian fronts. In 1914, he served as a platoon commander in the 19th Artillery Regiment, then returned to his native 124th Infantry Regiment. In 1915, in this regiment he received command of a company and the rank of lieutenant. Since the autumn of the same year, he has been a company commander in the Württemberg mountain rifle battalion. In 1917 he fought in Romania, then in Italy. At the end of the war, he served at the headquarters of a regiment located in Germany. For military distinctions during the war he was awarded the Iron Cross of the 2nd and 1st degrees and the Order "Pour le Merite". He was repeatedly wounded and accomplished several feats. He finished the war with the rank of captain. After the war he was retained in the Reichswehr. 
Young Erwin with his future wife
His career took off very sharply when the Nazis came to power. The secret of success is simple - Rommel was Hitler's favorite. It was in such people that the future field marshal, the Reich Chancellor saw help to counterbalance the old Prussian army elite. Judge for yourself - in just 6 years, Rommel from a major became a general (and this in peacetime!), and after less than 3 years - a field marshal general and one of the most famous and recognizable commanders of the Third Reich.
His star rose in the French Company and Rommel is without a doubt one of its brightest heroes. Back in February 1940, the future field marshal asked to be appointed commander of the 7th Panzer Division. Hitler was quite surprised (since before this Rommel had dealt only with infantry) but granted the request. And this unit, armed, by the way, with captured Czech tanks, showed itself in all its glory. During the fighting in France, this division lost about 2.5 thousand people killed and wounded, while capturing up to 100 thousand people, including 17 generals and 5 admirals. Its trophies amounted to about 400 tanks and armored vehicles, over 360 artillery pieces and 10 aircraft. It is quite understandable that such brilliant results of the division commander were awarded the Knight's Cross and the rank of lieutenant general. And most importantly - fame and fame. This played into Rommel's hands. On February 6, 1941, he was appointed commander of the newly formed Afrika Korps (tank and light infantry divisions), which was sent by Hitler to North Africa to help the Italian army defeated there by the British. I will not describe all the vicissitudes of these races in the desert now - because this is worthy of at least a separate large post, but I will say that here Erwin Rommel showed himself very, very well. And this is in conditions of superiority of the enemy in forces and means, and most importantly, the total supremacy of the British fleet in the Mediterranean Sea. Describing Rommel’s military talents, it is enough to recall only 2 topographical points - Tobruk and Benghazi. For almost 2.5 years, the “Desert Fox” and his troops fought like a lion in Africa, almost took Alexandria and Cairo, and by and large his big problems began when he met a worthy opponent in Montgomery. However, the ending was a little predictable. On June 22, 1942, Rommel was awarded the rank of Field Marshal, thus becoming the youngest Wehrmacht officer to achieve this rank. Hitler recalled his newly appointed field marshal from Africa shortly before the final surrender of the Italo-German troops there and awarded him the highest (at that time) military award of the 3rd Reich - he was awarded the Diamonds (No. 6) to the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords (for the entire war Only 27 people were awarded). 
E. Rommel and A. Kesselring in Libya
After a short rest and treatment, he led Army Group B, which was transferred to Italy, but could not get along with another Field Marshal General (whom we will talk about in the next part, since this concerns the Luftwaffe) A. Kesselring, who commanded the group armies "C". Hitler took the latter’s side, reassigning to him all the troops located on the Apennine Peninsula, and sent Rommel to inspect the Atlantic Wall. The “Desert Fox” was in quiet horror from the inspection trip - there was simply no active defense in the West, and the Val was a chain of scattered fortified areas. What the commanders had been doing there before, including the current von Rundstedt, was absolutely not clear. A number of conflicts occurred between the two field marshals, which they were more or less able to extinguish in December 1943 and jointly approached Hitler with proposals to improve the situation. The result was a kind of two-tier chain of command. Von Runstedt remained the commander of the entire western front, but Army Group B was created again under the command of Rommel, who was subordinate to Runstedt. Erwin Rommel energetically took up the matter and in six months was able to seriously strengthen the defense line. I did a lot, but not everything. Well, on June 6, 1944, D-Day broke out, or it would be more correct to say “Operation Neptune”... On June 9, Rommel tried to carry out a counterattack, and on the 15th he lost his nerve. He sent a message to Hitler in which he unequivocally proposed ending the war and sitting down at the negotiating table with the British and Americans. However, the latter did not react in any way and the “Desert Fox” led the troops until July 17, when he was bombed by an English plane and received a shrapnel wound to the head. Everyone believed that he would not survive, but the strong body of the relatively young field marshal survived. Until October 14, he was treated surrounded by his family in the small town of Herlingen near Ulm. And on this day, 2 generals came to see him - the head of the OKH personnel department, Lieutenant General V. Burgdorf and his deputy, Major General E. Meisel. They said without offense that Hitler knew about the field marshal’s participation in the conspiracy of Colonel Schauffenberg’s group against the Reich Chancellor and offered a choice: a court of honor or suicide. Rommel, who was indeed actively in contact with the conspirators, but was categorically against the elimination of Hitler, did not hesitate to choose the first. This answer did not suit the generals at all - apparently they did not count on it. They began to prove to the “Desert Fox” that the court of honor had already pronounced its verdict and, in fact, was a farce. Rommel insisted that he was right. Then the generals began to blackmail the field marshal with his family. The choice is either suicide and an honorable funeral, or a trial with a 100% guarantee that loved ones will fall into the hands of “Himmler’s boys.” Rommel naturally chose suicide. Having said goodbye to his loved ones, he drove towards Ulm and took poison along the way. It was officially announced that he had died of a cerebral hemorrhage and a magnificent funeral was held. No one touched the family - from this point of view, the agreement was respected. 
Rommel's family home
Thus ended the life of one of the most famous military men of World War 2.
Let's go back to the beginning of our story, and I will try to answer you, dear ones, why for me Rommel is not No. 1 or even No. 2 among the top generals of the Third Reich. It seems that he is brave and experienced, and skillful, and talented, and brilliantly savvy in theory (back in 1937 he published his war diaries under the title “Infantry Attacks”, and previously taught a little at the military academy). Plus, this is almost the only general to whom Hitler asked forgiveness for not listening to him on his actions in Africa and admitted that it was Rommel, and not the chancellor himself, who was right.
But the whole point is that Rommel never fought on the Eastern Front, and for me this is the most important indicator - I just can’t fully understand how cool he really was as a commander. And then, no matter what you say, Rommel screwed up the landing in Normandy. The blame for the fact that the Allies successfully landed and began to advance deep into France can be equally shared by 3 people - Hitler, von Rundstedt and Rommel. That's it.
Have a nice day!
To be continued...
Summer is leaving... Summer is leaving? Do you want to extend it? Yes, it’s easy - you just need to visit one of the most unique countries on our planet - hospitable and hospitable Cuba - the country of eternal summer! The bright sun, warm sea, wonderful people of the island of Freedom will not only fill you with energy for new achievements - they will give you something more important - understanding and taste for life. Cuba is far away and not easy to get to. Therefore, I suggest you trust the professionals: . Have a nice holiday and pleasant impressions!
The highest ranks of the military command have always been held in high esteem. But how long has this particular title existed? And who were the people who led the armies and fronts, making history during one of the most ambitious military conflicts of mankind?
Who are the generals of World War II?
Until 1940, there was no such rank in the air force of the Soviet Union. Its analogues were division commanders, corps commanders, army commanders, and commissars. True, in September 1935 the title of marshal appeared, which was awarded to five people. But before the war, only two of them remained alive.
In May 1940, for the first time, a little more than a thousand people were nominated for the rank of general and admiral. There were 1056 people in this rank. By May 1945, their number reached 5,597 people.
Among the dead and missing from 1940 to 1945 are 421 generals and admirals.
Let's take a closer look and name the outstanding military leaders.
Commanders of the ground fronts
Even if he is in the highest ranks, a soldier remains a soldier. And he is absolutely not immune from death on the battlefield or for the sake of maintaining honor. Although there were those who held a different opinion. But we will talk about them in the appropriate section.
So, not all the generals of World War II survived. I.R. Apanasenko, M.P. Kirponos, I.A. Bogdanov, F.Ya. Kostenko, M.P. Petrov, N.F. Vatutin and I.D. Chernyakhovsky died heroically under various circumstances. M.G. Efremov committed suicide so as not to fall to the Nazis alive, and D. G. Pavlov was repressed.
The remaining generals of the Second World War, a list of which would take more than one page, survived and significantly contributed to the victory of the Soviet Union in this conflict.
We will mention only a few. THEIR. Bagramyan was twice nominated for the rank of participant in many offensive operations.
CM. Budyonny is famous not only for his mustache, but also for the 3 Gold Star medals received over the years of battles. Participated in and for the Caucasus.
Four times nominated for the title of Hero of the Soviet Union, participant in many battles and operations.
He was awarded not only two gold stars. Also named in his honor is a heavy self-propelled artillery mount - “Klim Voroshilov”.
Commanders of air defense fronts
In general, to win battles of thousands, you need to have knowledge and experience in many areas. For example, to have a professional understanding of strategy and tactics, to know all the nuances of various troops, their ability to interact. An unbending will and quick decision-making are also needed. These and other qualities make senior officers military leaders who can command armies.
World War II generals also led air defense forces. Among them the following names can be mentioned: M.S. Gromadin, P.E. Gudymenko, and G.S. Zashikhin.
But not everyone put honor and loyalty to the Motherland above their own lives and interests. Among the latter, several people can be named.
G.N. Zhilenkov was captured by the Germans near the city of Vyazma. There he passed himself off as a private and served in the Wehrmacht as an ordinary driver until 1942. But by chance he was identified by a forester. After interrogation and a confirmed willingness to cooperate, Georgy Nikolaevich meets with Goebbels and he is appointed as Vlasov’s assistant.
In 1945 he was detained by the Americans. He reported himself to Soviet counterintelligence, hoping for cooperation, but after the trial he was sentenced to death. Execution by hanging was carried out in Butyrka prison.
V.F. Malyshkin was captured after the Vyazemsky Cauldron. He immediately expressed his desire to cooperate. He worked in the propaganda department and from 1943 became Vlasov’s assistant in this matter.
He was also detained by the Americans, handed over to the Soviet authorities and executed in Butyrka prison.
B.S. Richter, F.I. Trukhin also managed to serve both the Soviet and German sides.
Thus, we see that the generals of World War II did not always act heroically. They were ordinary people with their own fears and desires, but also with remarkable talents in the military sphere.
Commanders of the Wehrmacht troops
What was happening on the other side of the front? Which German generals of World War II became especially famous in battle?
Among them there are also those killed in battles. These are Gunther von Kluge, Feodor von Bock, Georg von Witzleben, Walter Model, Erwin Rommel and others.
Almost all of them were awarded the Order of the Iron Cross, which has been issued since 1939 for three or more successful dangerous operations.
Among the most successful commanders, it is worth noting Hermann Balck, Albert Kesselring, Walter Model, Ferdinand Schörner, who were four times knights of this order.
German traitor generals
However, not everything went as smoothly as it might seem. Among the Wehrmacht command there were also people who disagreed with the course of events. In search of a better fate, they found themselves on the list of traitors to their homeland.
Vincent Müller, Lieutenant General. In June 1944, he was abandoned with the 4th Army near Minsk. Tippelskirch, the official commander of this unit, left all powers to him, fleeing with his headquarters.
As a result, not receiving support, supplies, provisions, and not even having simple maps with intelligence data, he was forced to stop resistance and surrender to Soviet troops.
As we see, many generals of World War II changed their views after they were captured without receiving support. Otto Korfes, for example, was captured at Stalingrad and surrendered in full dress. Subsequently, he collaborated with Soviet troops, for which his family in Germany was subjected to severe repression.
Bernard Bechler was also captured at Stalingrad. The main reason why officers began to cooperate with the enemy was that they blamed Hitler's shortsightedness.
It turns out that the generals of World War II were ready to serve their country and win battles, but their leadership did not always appreciate their zeal. Resentment, disappointment and other feelings pushed us to cooperate with the enemy.
Thus, in the article we figured out a little about who the generals were and talked about the outstanding military leaders of the Second World War.
The names of some are still honored, the names of others are consigned to oblivion. But they are all united by their leadership talent.
USSR
Zhukov Georgy Konstantinovich (1896–1974)
Marshal of the Soviet Union.
Zhukov had the opportunity to take part in serious hostilities shortly before the start of World War II. In the summer of 1939, Soviet-Mongolian troops under his command defeated the Japanese group on the Khalkhin Gol River.
By the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, Zhukov headed the General Staff, but was soon sent to the active army. In 1941, he was assigned to the most critical sectors of the front. Restoring order in the retreating army with the most stringent measures, he managed to prevent the Germans from capturing Leningrad, and to stop the Nazis in the Mozhaisk direction on the outskirts of Moscow. And already at the end of 1941 - beginning of 1942, Zhukov led a counter-offensive near Moscow, pushing the Germans back from the capital.
In 1942-43, Zhukov did not command individual fronts, but coordinated their actions as a representative of the Supreme High Command at Stalingrad, on the Kursk Bulge, and during the breaking of the siege of Leningrad.
At the beginning of 1944, Zhukov took command of the 1st Ukrainian Front instead of the seriously wounded General Vatutin and led the Proskurov-Chernovtsy offensive operation he planned. As a result, Soviet troops liberated most of Right Bank Ukraine and reached the state border.
At the end of 1944, Zhukov led the 1st Belorussian Front and led an attack on Berlin. In May 1945, Zhukov accepted the unconditional surrender of Nazi Germany, and then two Victory Parades, in Moscow and Berlin.
After the war, Zhukov found himself in a supporting role, commanding various military districts. After Khrushchev came to power, he became deputy minister and then headed the Ministry of Defense. But in 1957 he finally fell into disgrace and was removed from all posts.
Rokossovsky Konstantin Konstantinovich (1896–1968)
Marshal of the Soviet Union.
Shortly before the start of the war, in 1937, Rokossovsky was repressed, but in 1940, at the request of Marshal Timoshenko, he was released and reinstated in his former position as corps commander. In the first days of the Great Patriotic War, units under the command of Rokossovsky were one of the few that were able to provide worthy resistance to the advancing German troops. In the battle of Moscow, Rokossovsky’s army defended one of the most difficult directions, Volokolamsk.
Returning to duty after being seriously wounded in 1942, Rokossovsky took command of the Don Front, which completed the defeat of the Germans at Stalingrad.
On the eve of the Battle of Kursk, Rokossovsky, contrary to the position of most military leaders, managed to convince Stalin that it was better not to launch an offensive ourselves, but to provoke the enemy into active action. Having precisely determined the direction of the main attack of the Germans, Rokossovsky, just before their offensive, undertook a massive artillery barrage that bled the enemy’s strike forces dry.
His most famous achievement as a commander, included in the annals of military art, was the operation to liberate Belarus, codenamed “Bagration,” which virtually destroyed the German Army Group Center.
Shortly before the decisive offensive on Berlin, command of the 1st Belorussian Front, to Rokossovsky's disappointment, was transferred to Zhukov. He was also entrusted with commanding the troops of the 2nd Belorussian Front in East Prussia.
Rokossovsky had outstanding personal qualities and, of all Soviet military leaders, was the most popular in the army. After the war, Rokossovsky, a Pole by birth, headed the Polish Ministry of Defense for a long time, and then served as Deputy Minister of Defense of the USSR and Chief Military Inspector. The day before his death, he finished writing his memoirs, entitled A Soldier's Duty.
Konev Ivan Stepanovich (1897–1973)
Marshal of the Soviet Union.
In the fall of 1941, Konev was appointed commander of the Western Front. In this position he suffered one of the biggest failures of the beginning of the war. Konev failed to obtain permission to withdraw troops in time, and, as a result, about 600,000 Soviet soldiers and officers were surrounded near Bryansk and Yelnya. Zhukov saved the commander from the tribunal.
In 1943, troops of the Steppe (later 2nd Ukrainian) Front under the command of Konev liberated Belgorod, Kharkov, Poltava, Kremenchug and crossed the Dnieper. But most of all, Konev was glorified by the Korsun-Shevchen operation, as a result of which a large group of German troops was surrounded.
In 1944, already as commander of the 1st Ukrainian Front, Konev led the Lviv-Sandomierz operation in western Ukraine and southeastern Poland, which opened the way for a further offensive against Germany. The troops under the command of Konev distinguished themselves in the Vistula-Oder operation and in the battle for Berlin. During the latter, rivalry between Konev and Zhukov emerged - each wanted to occupy the German capital first. Tensions between the marshals remained until the end of their lives. In May 1945, Konev led the liquidation of the last major center of fascist resistance in Prague.
After the war, Konev was the commander-in-chief of the ground forces and the first commander of the combined forces of the Warsaw Pact countries, and commanded troops in Hungary during the events of 1956.
Vasilevsky Alexander Mikhailovich (1895–1977)
Marshal of the Soviet Union, Chief of the General Staff.
As Chief of the General Staff, which he held since 1942, Vasilevsky coordinated the actions of the Red Army fronts and participated in the development of all major operations of the Great Patriotic War. In particular, he played a key role in planning the operation to encircle German troops at Stalingrad.
At the end of the war, after the death of General Chernyakhovsky, Vasilevsky asked to be relieved of his post as Chief of the General Staff, took the place of the deceased and led the assault on Koenigsberg. In the summer of 1945, Vasilevsky was transferred to the Far East and commanded the defeat of the Kwatuna Army of Japan.
After the war, Vasilevsky headed the General Staff and then was the Minister of Defense of the USSR, but after Stalin’s death he went into the shadows and held lower positions.
Tolbukhin Fedor Ivanovich (1894–1949)
Marshal of the Soviet Union.
Before the start of the Great Patriotic War, Tolbukhin served as chief of staff of the Transcaucasian District, and with its beginning - of the Transcaucasian Front. Under his leadership, a surprise operation was developed to introduce Soviet troops into the northern part of Iran. Tolbukhin also developed the Kerch landing operation, which would result in the liberation of Crimea. However, after its successful start, our troops were unable to build on their success, suffered heavy losses, and Tolbukhin was removed from office.
Having distinguished himself as commander of the 57th Army in the Battle of Stalingrad, Tolbukhin was appointed commander of the Southern (later 4th Ukrainian) Front. Under his command, a significant part of Ukraine and the Crimean Peninsula were liberated. In 1944-45, when Tolbukhin already commanded the 3rd Ukrainian Front, he led troops during the liberation of Moldova, Romania, Yugoslavia, Hungary, and ended the war in Austria. The Iasi-Kishinev operation, planned by Tolbukhin and leading to the encirclement of a 200,000-strong group of German-Romanian troops, entered the annals of military art (sometimes it is called “Iasi-Kishinev Cannes”).
After the war, Tolbukhin commanded the Southern Group of Forces in Romania and Bulgaria, and then the Transcaucasian Military District.
Vatutin Nikolai Fedorovich (1901–1944)
Soviet army general.
In pre-war times, Vatutin served as Deputy Chief of the General Staff, and with the beginning of the Great Patriotic War he was sent to the North-Western Front. In the Novgorod area, under his leadership, several counterattacks were carried out, slowing down the advance of Manstein's tank corps.
In 1942, Vatutin, who then headed the Southwestern Front, commanded Operation Little Saturn, the purpose of which was to prevent German-Italian-Romanian troops from helping Paulus’ army encircled at Stalingrad.
In 1943, Vatutin headed the Voronezh (later 1st Ukrainian) Front. He played a very important role in the Battle of Kursk and the liberation of Kharkov and Belgorod. But Vatutin’s most famous military operation was the crossing of the Dnieper and the liberation of Kyiv and Zhitomir, and then Rivne. Together with Konev’s 2nd Ukrainian Front, Vatutin’s 1st Ukrainian Front also carried out the Korsun-Shevchenko operation.
At the end of February 1944, Vatutin’s car came under fire from Ukrainian nationalists, and a month and a half later the commander died from his wounds.
Great Britain
Montgomery Bernard Law (1887–1976)
British Field Marshal.
Before the outbreak of World War II, Montgomery was considered one of the bravest and most talented British military leaders, but his career advancement was hampered by his harsh, difficult character. Montgomery, himself distinguished by physical endurance, paid great attention to the daily hard training of the troops entrusted to him.
At the beginning of World War II, when the Germans defeated France, Montgomery's units covered the evacuation of Allied forces. In 1942, Montgomery became the commander of British troops in North Africa, and achieved a turning point in this part of the war, defeating the German-Italian group of troops in Egypt at the Battle of El Alamein. Its significance was summed up by Winston Churchill: “Before the Battle of Alamein we knew no victories. After it we didn’t know defeat.” For this battle, Montgomery received the title Viscount of Alamein. True, Montgomery’s opponent, German Field Marshal Rommel, said that, having such resources as the British military leader, he would have conquered the entire Middle East in a month.
After this, Montgomery was transferred to Europe, where he had to operate in close contact with the Americans. This was where his quarrelsome character took its toll: he came into conflict with the American commander Eisenhower, which had a bad effect on the interaction of troops and led to a number of relative military failures. Towards the end of the war, Montgomery successfully resisted the German counter-offensive in the Ardennes, and then carried out several military operations in Northern Europe.
After the war, Montgomery served as Chief of the British General Staff and subsequently as Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe.
Alexander Harold Rupert Leofric George (1891–1969)
British Field Marshal.
At the beginning of the Second World War, Alexander led the evacuation of British troops after the Germans captured France. Most of the personnel were taken out, but almost all the military equipment went to the enemy.
At the end of 1940, Alexander was assigned to Southeast Asia. He failed to defend Burma, but he managed to block the Japanese from entering India.
In 1943, Alexander was appointed Commander-in-Chief of Allied ground forces in North Africa. Under his leadership, a large German-Italian group in Tunisia was defeated, and this, by and large, ended the campaign in North Africa and opened the way to Italy. Alexander commanded the landing of Allied troops on Sicily, and then on the mainland. At the end of the war he served as Supreme Allied Commander in the Mediterranean.
After the war, Alexander received the title of Count of Tunis, for some time he was Governor General of Canada, and then British Minister of Defense.
USA
Eisenhower Dwight David (1890–1969)
US Army General.
His childhood was spent in a family whose members were pacifists for religious reasons, but Eisenhower chose a military career.
Eisenhower met the beginning of World War II with the rather modest rank of colonel. But his abilities were noticed by the Chief of the American General Staff, George Marshall, and soon Eisenhower became head of the Operational Planning Department.
In 1942, Eisenhower led Operation Torch, the Allied landings in North Africa. In early 1943, he was defeated by Rommel in the Battle of Kasserine Pass, but subsequently superior Anglo-American forces brought a turning point in the North African campaign.
In 1944, Eisenhower oversaw the Allied landings in Normandy and the subsequent offensive against Germany. At the end of the war, Eisenhower became the creator of the notorious camps for “disarming enemy forces”, which were not subject to the Geneva Convention on the Rights of Prisoners of War, which effectively became death camps for the German soldiers who ended up there.
After the war, Eisenhower was commander of NATO forces and then twice elected president of the United States.
MacArthur Douglas (1880–1964)
US Army General.
In his youth, MacArthur was not accepted into the West Point military academy for health reasons, but he achieved his goal and, upon graduating from the academy, was recognized as its best graduate in history. He received the rank of general back in the First World War.
In 1941-42, MacArthur led the defense of the Philippines against Japanese forces. The enemy managed to take American units by surprise and gain a great advantage at the very beginning of the campaign. After the loss of the Philippines, he uttered the now famous phrase: “I did what I could, but I will come back.”
After being appointed commander of forces in the southwest Pacific, MacArthur resisted Japanese plans to invade Australia and then led successful offensive operations in New Guinea and the Philippines.
On September 2, 1945, MacArthur, already in command of all U.S. forces in the Pacific, accepted the Japanese surrender aboard the battleship Missouri, ending World War II.
After World War II, MacArthur commanded occupation forces in Japan and later led American forces in the Korean War. The American landing at Inchon, which he developed, became a classic of military art. He called for the nuclear bombing of China and the invasion of that country, after which he was dismissed.
Nimitz Chester William (1885–1966)
US Navy Admiral.
Before World War II, Nimitz was involved in the design and combat training of the American submarine fleet and headed the Bureau of Navigation. At the beginning of the war, after the disaster at Pearl Harbor, Nimitz was appointed commander of the US Pacific Fleet. His task was to confront the Japanese in close contact with General MacArthur.
In 1942, the American fleet under the command of Nimitz managed to inflict the first serious defeat on the Japanese at Midway Atoll. And then, in 1943, to win the fight for the strategically important island of Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands archipelago. In 1944-45, the fleet led by Nimitz played a decisive role in the liberation of other Pacific archipelagos, and at the end of the war carried out a landing in Japan. During the fighting, Nimitz used a tactic of sudden rapid movement from island to island, called the “frog jump”.
Nimitz's homecoming was celebrated as a national holiday and was called "Nimitz Day." After the war, he oversaw the demobilization of troops and then oversaw the creation of a nuclear submarine fleet. At the Nuremberg trials, he defended his German colleague, Admiral Dennitz, saying that he himself used the same methods of submarine warfare, thanks to which Dennitz avoided a death sentence.
Germany
Von Bock Theodor (1880–1945)
German Field Marshal.
Even before the outbreak of World War II, von Bock led the troops that carried out the Anschluss of Austria and invaded the Sudetenland of Czechoslovakia. At the outbreak of war, he commanded Army Group North during the war with Poland. In 1940, von Bock led the conquest of Belgium and the Netherlands and the defeat of French troops at Dunkirk. It was he who hosted the parade of German troops in occupied Paris.
Von Bock objected to an attack on the USSR, but when the decision was made, he led Army Group Center, which carried out an attack on the main direction. After the failure of the attack on Moscow, he was considered one of the main people responsible for this failure of the German army. In 1942, he led Army Group South and for a long time successfully held back the advance of Soviet troops on Kharkov.
Von Bock had an extremely independent character, repeatedly clashed with Hitler and pointedly stayed away from politics. After in the summer of 1942, von Bock opposed the Fuhrer’s decision to divide Army Group South into two directions, the Caucasus and Stalingrad, during the planned offensive, he was removed from command and sent to reserve. A few days before the end of the war, von Bock was killed during an air raid.
Von Rundstedt Karl Rudolf Gerd (1875–1953)
German Field Marshal.
By the beginning of the Second World War, von Rundstedt, who held important command positions back in the First World War, had already retired. But in 1939, Hitler returned him to the army. Von Rundstedt became the main planner of the attack on Poland, code-named Weiss, and commanded Army Group South during its implementation. He then led Army Group A, which played a key role in the capture of France, and also developed the unrealized Sea Lion attack plan on England.
Von Rundstedt objected to the Barbarossa plan, but after the decision was made to attack the USSR, he led Army Group South, which captured Kyiv and other major cities in the south of the country. After von Rundstedt, in order to avoid encirclement, violated the Fuhrer's order and withdrew troops from Rostov-on-Don, he was dismissed.
However, the following year he was again drafted into the army to become commander-in-chief of the German armed forces in the West. His main task was to counter a possible Allied landing. Having familiarized himself with the situation, von Rundstedt warned Hitler that a long-term defense with the existing forces would be impossible. At the decisive moment of the Normandy landings, June 6, 1944, Hitler canceled von Rundstedt's order to transfer troops, thereby wasting time and giving the enemy the opportunity to develop an offensive. Already at the end of the war, von Rundstedt successfully resisted the Allied landings in Holland.
After the war, von Rundstedt, thanks to the intercession of the British, managed to avoid the Nuremberg Tribunal, and participated in it only as a witness.
Von Manstein Erich (1887–1973)
German Field Marshal.
Manstein was considered one of the strongest strategists of the Wehrmacht. In 1939, as Chief of Staff of Army Group A, he played a key role in developing the successful plan for the invasion of France.
In 1941, Manstein was part of Army Group North, which captured the Baltic states, and was preparing to attack Leningrad, but was soon transferred to the south. In 1941-42, the 11th Army under his command captured the Crimean Peninsula, and for the capture of Sevastopol, Manstein received the rank of Field Marshal.
Manstein then commanded Army Group Don and tried unsuccessfully to rescue Paulus's army from the Stalingrad pocket. Since 1943, he led Army Group South and inflicted a sensitive defeat on Soviet troops near Kharkov, and then tried to prevent the crossing of the Dnieper. When retreating, Manstein's troops used scorched earth tactics.
Having been defeated in the Battle of Korsun-Shevchen, Manstein retreated, violating Hitler's orders. Thus, he saved part of the army from encirclement, but after that he was forced to resign.
After the war, he was sentenced to 18 years by a British tribunal for war crimes, but was released in 1953, worked as a military adviser to the German government and wrote a memoir, “Lost Victories.”
Guderian Heinz Wilhelm (1888–1954)
German Colonel General, commander of armored forces.
Guderian is one of the main theorists and practitioners of “blitzkrieg” - lightning war. He assigned a key role in it to tank units, which were supposed to break through behind enemy lines and disable command posts and communications. Such tactics were considered effective, but risky, creating the danger of being cut off from the main forces.
In 1939-40, in the military campaigns against Poland and France, the blitzkrieg tactics fully justified themselves. Guderian was at the height of his glory: he received the rank of Colonel General and high awards. However, in 1941, in the war against the Soviet Union, this tactic failed. The reason for this was both the vast Russian spaces and the cold climate, in which equipment often refused to work, and the readiness of the Red Army units to resist this method of warfare. Guderian's tank troops suffered heavy losses near Moscow and were forced to retreat. After this, he was sent to the reserve, and subsequently served as inspector general of tank forces.
After the war, Guderian, who was not charged with war crimes, was quickly released and lived out his life writing his memoirs.
Rommel Erwin Johann Eugen (1891–1944)
German field marshal general, nicknamed "Desert Fox". He was distinguished by great independence and a penchant for risky attacking actions, even without the sanction of the command.
At the beginning of World War II, Rommel took part in the Polish and French campaigns, but his main successes were associated with military operations in North Africa. Rommel headed the Afrika Korps, which was initially assigned to help Italian troops who were defeated by the British. Instead of strengthening the defenses, as the order prescribed, Rommel went on the offensive with small forces and won important victories. He acted in a similar manner in the future. Like Manstein, Rommel assigned the main role to rapid breakthroughs and maneuvering of tank forces. And only towards the end of 1942, when the British and Americans in North Africa had a great advantage in manpower and equipment, Rommel’s troops began to suffer defeats. Subsequently, he fought in Italy and tried, together with von Rundstedt, with whom he had serious disagreements affecting the combat effectiveness of the troops, to stop the Allied landing in Normandy.
In the pre-war period, Yamamoto paid great attention to the construction of aircraft carriers and the creation of naval aviation, thanks to which the Japanese fleet became one of the strongest in the world. For a long time, Yamamoto lived in the USA and had the opportunity to thoroughly study the army of the future enemy. On the eve of the start of the war, he warned the country's leadership: “In the first six to twelve months of the war, I will demonstrate an unbroken chain of victories. But if the confrontation lasts two or three years, I have no confidence in the final victory.”
Yamamoto planned and personally led the Pearl Harbor operation. On December 7, 1941, Japanese planes taking off from aircraft carriers destroyed the American naval base at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii and caused enormous damage to the US fleet and air force. After this, Yamamoto won a number of victories in the central and southern parts of the Pacific Ocean. But on June 4, 1942, he suffered a serious defeat from the Allies at Midway Atoll. This happened largely due to the fact that the Americans managed to decipher the codes of the Japanese Navy and obtain all the information about the upcoming operation. After this, the war, as Yamamoto feared, became protracted.
Unlike many other Japanese generals, Yamashita did not commit suicide after the surrender of Japan, but surrendered. In 1946 he was executed on charges of war crimes. His case became a legal precedent, called the “Yamashita Rule”: according to it, the commander is responsible for not stopping the war crimes of his subordinates.
Other countries
Von Mannerheim Carl Gustav Emil (1867–1951)
Finnish marshal.
Before the revolution of 1917, when Finland was part of the Russian Empire, Mannerheim was an officer in the Russian army and rose to the rank of lieutenant general. On the eve of the Second World War, he, as chairman of the Finnish Defense Council, was engaged in strengthening the Finnish army. According to his plan, in particular, powerful defensive fortifications were erected on the Karelian Isthmus, which went down in history as the “Mannerheim Line”.
When the Soviet-Finnish war began at the end of 1939, 72-year-old Mannerheim led the country's army. Under his command, Finnish troops for a long time held back the advance of Soviet units significantly superior in number. As a result, Finland retained its independence, although the peace conditions were very difficult for it.
During the Second World War, when Finland was an ally of Hitler's Germany, Mannerheim showed the art of political maneuver, avoiding active hostilities with all his might. And in 1944, Finland broke the pact with Germany, and at the end of the war it was already fighting against the Germans, coordinating actions with the Red Army.
At the end of the war, Mannerheim was elected president of Finland, but already in 1946 he left this post for health reasons.
Tito Josip Broz (1892–1980)
Marshal of Yugoslavia.
Before the outbreak of World War II, Tito was a figure in the Yugoslav communist movement. After the German attack on Yugoslavia, he began organizing partisan detachments. At first, the Titoites acted together with the remnants of the tsarist army and the monarchists, who were called “Chetniks.” However, differences with the latter eventually became so strong that it came to military clashes.
Tito managed to organize scattered partisan detachments into a powerful partisan army of a quarter of a million fighters under the leadership of the General Headquarters of the People's Liberation Partisan Detachments of Yugoslavia. She used not only traditional partisan methods of war, but also entered into open battles with fascist divisions. At the end of 1943, Tito was officially recognized by the Allies as the leader of Yugoslavia. During the liberation of the country, Tito's army acted together with Soviet troops.
Shortly after the war, Tito led Yugoslavia and remained in power until his death. Despite his socialist orientation, he pursued a fairly independent policy.
