Famous commanders. Great commanders of Russia

Generals and statesmen Lucius Vitellius (Lucius Vitellius) exclaimed, congratulating (Emperor) Claudius on the centenary games: “I wish you to celebrate them more than once!” (Plutarch. “Vitellius”, 3, 1) (138, p.247)

Famous pillars B Eastern Siberia, on the high bank of the Yenisei, there are amazing rocks that seem to support the sky. These are famous Krasnoyarsk Pillars. Tall and narrow, they really look like pillars. Nature created these strange sculptures around 450

Famous fat people The ancient Greeks and Romans, who amazed the world with their beauty and strength, fought against obesity and ridiculed fat people. Soldiers, for example, were not allowed to exceed the established body weight, and cavalrymen with a tendency to be overweight had their saddles confiscated. Hippocrates

Great commanders AGRIPPA MARK VIPSANIUS (63–12 BC). Roman commander and statesman, son-in-law and friend of Emperor Octavian Augustus. Agrippa played a significant role in the military successes of the emperor, who himself did not possess the abilities of a great commander. So, at 36

Generals and statesmen Lucius Vitellius [Lucius Vitellius] exclaimed, congratulating [Emperor] Claudius on the centenary games: “I wish you to celebrate them more than once!” (Plutarch. “Vitellius”, 3, 1) Hannibal * After the defeat in the Second Punic War Hannibal fled to Syria.

Pharaoh Ramses II, who ruled Egypt for more than 60 years, was not without reason mentioned in ancient Egyptian texts with the title “Victor”. He won many victories, the most important of which was over the Hittite kingdom, for a long time Egypt's former main enemy.

Its most famous episode was the Battle of Kadesh, which involved several thousand chariots on both sides.

The battle went on with varying degrees of success. At first, success was on the side of the Hittites, who took the Egyptians by surprise. But the reserves arrived in time and turned the tide of the battle. The Hittites found themselves pressed against the Orontes River and suffered heavy losses during their hasty crossing. Thanks to this, Ramses was able to conclude a profitable peace with them.

In the wars of the Egyptians and the Hittites, chariots were one of the main striking forces. Sometimes knives were attached to their wheels, literally mowing down the enemy’s ranks. But when fleeing or losing control of the horses, this terrible weapon sometimes involuntarily turned against its own. The chariots of the Hittites were more powerful, and the warriors on them often fought with spears, while the more maneuverable chariots of the Egyptians had archers.

Cyrus the Great (530 BC)

When Cyrus II became the leader of the Persian tribes, the Persians were divided and were in vassal dependence on Media. By the end of Cyrus's reign, the Persian Achaemenid power extended from Greece and Egypt to India.

Cyrus treated the vanquished humanely, left the conquered regions substantial self-government, respected their religions, and, thanks to this, avoided serious uprisings in the conquered territories, and some opponents preferred submission to war on such lenient terms.

In the battle with the legendary Lydian king Croesus, Cyrus used the original stratagem. In front of his army, he placed camels taken from the convoy, on which archers were sitting, firing at the enemy. The enemy's horses were frightened by unfamiliar animals and caused confusion in the ranks of the enemy army.

The personality of Cyrus is covered in numerous legends, in which it is difficult to distinguish truth from fiction. So, according to legend, he knew by sight and by name all the soldiers of his large army. After 29 years of reign, Cyrus died during another campaign of conquest.

Miltiades (550 BC - 489 BC)

The Athenian commander Miltiades became famous, first of all, for his victory in the legendary battle with the Persians at Marathon. The positions of the Greeks were such that their army blocked the path to Athens. The Persian commanders decided not to engage in a land battle, but to board ships, bypass the Greeks by sea and land near Athens.

Miltiades seized the moment when most of the Persian cavalry was already on the ships, and attacked the Persian infantry.

When the Persians came to their senses and launched a counteroffensive, the Greek troops deliberately retreated in the center and then surrounded the enemies. Despite the Persian superiority in numbers, the Greeks were victorious. After the battle, the Greek army made a 42-kilometer forced march to Athens and prevented the remaining Persians from landing near the city.

Despite the merits of Miltiades, after another unsuccessful military expedition against the island of Paros, where the commander himself was wounded, he was accused of “deceiving the people” and sentenced to a huge fine. Miltiades was unable to pay the fine, and was listed as an insolvent debtor who was prohibited from engaging in government activities, and soon died of his wounds.

Themistocles (524 BC - 459 BC)

Themistocles, the greatest Athenian naval commander, played a key role in the Greek victories over the Persians and the preservation of Greece's independence. When the Persian king Xerxes went to war against Greece, the city-states united in the face of common enemy, and adopted Themistocles’ plan for defense. The decisive naval battle took place off the island of Salamis. In its vicinity there are many narrow straits and, according to Themistocles, if it were possible to lure the Persian fleet into them, the enemy’s large numerical advantage would be neutralized. Frightened by the size of the Persian fleet, other Greek commanders were inclined to flee, but Themistocles, sending his messenger to the Persian camp, provoked them to immediately begin battle. The Greeks had no choice but to accept the battle. Themistocles' calculations were brilliantly justified: in the narrow straits, large and clumsy Persian ships turned out to be helpless in front of the more maneuverable Greek ones. The Persian fleet was defeated.

Themistocles' merits were soon forgotten. Political opponents expelled him from Athens, and then sentenced him to death in absentia, accusing him of treason.

Themistocles was forced to flee to his former enemies, to Persia. King Artaxerxes, the son of Xerxes, defeated by Themistocles, not only spared his longtime enemy, but also gave him several cities to rule. According to legend, Artaxerxes wanted Themistocles to participate in the war against the Greeks, and the commander, unable to refuse, but not wanting to harm his ungrateful homeland, took poison.

Epaminondas (418 BC - 362 BC)

The great Theban general Epaminondas spent much of his life fighting against the Spartans, who dominated mainland Greece at the time. At the Battle of Leuctra, he first defeated the Spartan army, which until then had been considered invincible in land combat. Epaminondas' victories contributed to the rise of Thebes, but aroused the fears of other Greek city-states, who united against them.

In his last battle at Mantinea, also against the Spartans, when victory was almost in the hands of the Thebans, Epaminondas was mortally wounded, and the army, confused without a commander, retreated.

Epaminondas is considered one of the greatest innovators in the art of war. It was he who first began to distribute forces unevenly along the front, concentrating the main forces in the direction of the decisive blow. This principle, called “oblique order tactics” by contemporaries, is still one of the fundamental principles in military science. Epaminondas was one of the first to actively use cavalry. The commander paid great attention to instilling the fighting spirit of his soldiers: he encouraged the Theban youths to call sports young Spartans so that they understand that these opponents can be defeated, not only in the palaestra, but also on the battlefield.

Phocion (398 BC - 318 BC)

Phocion was one of the most cautious and prudent Greek commanders and politicians, and in difficult times for Greece, these qualities turned out to be most in demand. He won a number of victories over the Macedonians, but subsequently, realizing that fragmented Greece was unable to resist the strong Macedonian army and believing that only Philip II could stop the Greek strife, he took a moderate position, which seemed treacherous to the famous orator Demosthenes and his supporters.

Thanks to the respect that Phocion enjoyed among the Macedonians, including Alexander the Great, he managed to achieve easy peace terms for the Athenians.

Phocion never sought power, but the Athenians elected him as a strategist 45 times, sometimes against his will. His last election ended tragically for him. After the Macedonians took the city of Piraeus, eighty-year-old Phocion was accused of treason and executed.

Philip of Macedon (382 BC - 336 BC)

Philip II, the Macedonian king, is best known as the father of Alexander the Great, but it was he who laid the foundation for his son’s future victories. Philip created a well-trained army with iron discipline, and with it he managed to conquer all of Greece. The decisive battle was the Battle of Chaeronea, as a result of which the united Greek troops were defeated, and Philip united Greece under his command.

Philip's main military innovation was the famous Macedonian phalanx, which his great son later used so skillfully.

The phalanx was a close formation of warriors armed with long spears, and the spears of subsequent rows were longer than those of the first. The bristling phalanx could successfully resist cavalry attacks. He often used various siege machines. However, being a cunning politician, he whenever possible preferred bribery to battle and said that “a donkey loaded with gold is capable of taking any fortress.” Many contemporaries considered this method of waging war, avoiding open battles, unworthy.

During his wars, Philip of Macedon lost an eye and received several severe wounds, as a result of one of which he remained lame. But he died as a result of an assassination attempt by one of the courtiers, outraged by the king’s unfair judicial decision. At the same time, many historians believe that the killer’s hand was directed by his political enemies.

Alexander the Great (356 BC - 323 BC)

Alexander the Great is probably the most legendary commander in history. Having ascended the throne at the age of twenty, in less than thirteen years he managed to conquer most of the lands known at that time and create a huge empire.

From childhood, Alexander the Great prepared himself for the hardships of military service, leading a harsh life that was not at all typical for a royal son. His main feature was the desire for fame. Because of this, he was even upset about his father’s victories, fearing that he would conquer everything himself, and there would be nothing left for his share.

According to legend, when his teacher, the great Aristotle, told the young man that other inhabited worlds could exist, Alexander exclaimed with bitterness: “But I don’t even own one yet!”

Having completed the conquest of Greece begun by his father, Alexander set off on an eastern campaign. In it, he defeated what seemed for a long time invincible Persian Empire, conquered Egypt, reached India and was going to capture it too, but the exhausted army refused to continue the campaign, and Alexander was forced to return. In Babylon he became seriously ill (most likely from malaria) and died. After the death of Alexander, the empire fell apart, and a long-term war began between his generals, the diadochi, for the possession of its parts.

Alexander's most famous battle was the battle with the Persians at Gaugamela. The army of the Persian king Darius was an order of magnitude larger, but Alexander managed to break its front line with graceful maneuvers and delivered a decisive blow. Darius fled. This battle marked the end of the Achaemenid Empire.

Pyrrhus (318 BC - 272 BC)

Pyrrhus, king of the small state of Epirus in the Balkans, a distant relative of Alexander the Great, is considered one of the greatest generals in history, and Hannibal even ranked him first, above himself.

Even in his youth, Pyrrhus received combat training, participating in the wars of the Diadochi for the division of the inheritance of Alexander the Great. Initially, he supported one of the diadochi, but soon began to play his own game and, despite the relatively small forces his army, almost became king of Macedonia. But the main battles that made him famous were fought against Rome by Pyrrhus. Pyrrhus fought with both Carthage and Sparta.

Having defeated the Romans during the two-day battle of Ausculum and realizing that the losses were too great, Pyrrhus exclaimed: “Another such victory, and I will be left without an army!”

This is where the expression “Pyrrhic victory” comes from, meaning success that came at too great a cost.

The great commander was killed by a woman. During Pyrrhus's assault on the city of Argos, street fighting broke out. The women helped their defenders as best they could. A piece of tile thrown from the roof of one of them hit Pyrrhus in an unprotected place. He fell unconscious and was finished off or crushed by the crowd on the ground.

Fabius Maximus (203 BC)

Quintus Fabius Maximus was not at all a warlike man. In his youth, for his gentle character, he even received the nickname Ovikula (lamb). However, he went down in history as great commander, conqueror of Hannibal. After crushing defeats from the Carthaginians, when the fate of Rome hung in the balance, it was Fabius Maximus that the Romans elected dictator for the sake of saving the fatherland.

For his actions at the head of the Roman army, Fabius Maximus received the nickname Cunctator (procrastinator). Avoiding, as far as possible, direct clashes with Hannibal's army, Fabius Maximus exhausted the enemy army and cut off its supply routes.

Many reproached Fabius Maxim for slowness and even treason, but he continued to stick to his line. As a result, Hannibal was forced to retreat. After this, Fabius Maximus stepped down from command, and other commanders took over the war with Carthage on enemy territory.

In 1812, Kutuzov used the tactics of Fabius Maximus in the war with Napoleon. George Washington acted similarly during the American War of Independence.

Hannibal (247 BC - 183 BC)

Hannibal, the Carthaginian general, is considered by many to be the greatest general of all time and is sometimes called the "father of strategy." When Hannibal was nine years old, he swore eternal hatred of Rome (hence the expression "Hannibal's oath"), and followed this in practice all his life.

At the age of 26, Hannibal led the Carthaginian troops in Spain, for which the Carthaginians were engaged in a fierce struggle with Rome. After a series of military successes, he and his army made a difficult transition through the Pyrenees and, unexpectedly for the Romans, invaded Italy. His army included African fighting elephants, and this is one of the few cases when these animals were tamed and used in warfare.

Rapidly moving inland, Hannibal inflicted three severe defeats on the Romans: on the Trebbia River, at Lake Trasimene and at Cannae. The latter, in which the Roman troops were surrounded and destroyed, became a classic of military art.

Rome was on the verge of complete defeat, but Hannibal, who did not receive reinforcements in time, was forced to retreat and then completely leave Italy with his exhausted army. The commander said with bitterness that he was defeated not by Rome, but by the envious Carthaginian Senate. Already in Africa, Hannibal was defeated by Scipio. After defeat in the war with Rome, Hannibal was involved in politics for some time, but was soon forced to go into exile. In the East, he helped the enemies of Rome with military advice, and when the Romans demanded his extradition, Hannibal, in order not to fall into their hands, took poison.

Scipio Africanus (235 BC - 181 BC)

Publius Cornelius Scipio was only 24 years old when he led the Roman troops in Spain during the war with Carthage. Things were going so badly for the Romans there that there were no others willing to take this position. Taking advantage of the disunity of the Carthaginian troops, he inflicted sensitive blows on them in parts, and, in the end, Spain came under the control of Rome. During one of the battles, Scipio used a curious tactic. Before the battle, for several days in a row he withdrew the army, built in the same order, but did not start the battle. When the opponents got used to this, Scipio changed the location of his troops on the day of the battle, brought them out earlier than usual and launched a rapid attack. The enemy was defeated, and this battle became a turning point in the war, which could now be transferred to enemy territory.

Already in Africa, on the territory of Carthage, Scipio used military stratagem in one of the battles.

Having learned that the allies of the Carthaginians, the Numidians, were living in reed huts, he sent part of the army to set fire to these huts, and when the Carthaginians, attracted by the spectacle of the fire, lost their vigilance, another part of the army attacked them and inflicted a heavy defeat.

IN decisive battle At Zama, Scipio met Hannibal on the battlefield and won. The war is over.

Scipio was distinguished by his humane attitude towards the vanquished, and his generosity became a favorite theme for future artists.

Marius (158 BC - 86 BC)

Gaius Marius came from a humble Roman family; he achieved eminence thanks to his military talents. He acted very successfully in the war against the Numidian king Jugurtha, but he earned real glory in battles with the Germanic tribes. During this period, they became so strong that for Rome, weakened by numerous wars in different parts of the empire, their invasion became a real threat. There were significantly more Germans than Maria’s legionnaires, but the Romans had order on their side, best weapons and experience. Thanks to the skillful actions of Maria, the strong tribes of the Teutons and Cimbri were practically destroyed. The commander was proclaimed “the savior of the fatherland” and “the third founder of Rome.”

The fame and influence of Marius were so great that Roman politicians, fearing his excessive rise, gradually pushed the commander out of business.

At the same time, the career of Sulla, a former subordinate of Marius who became his enemy, was going uphill. Both sides did not disdain any means, from slander to political assassinations. Their enmity eventually led to civil war. Expelled from Rome by Sulla, Mari wandered around the provinces for a long time and almost died, but managed to gather an army and take the city, where he remained until the end, pursuing Sulla’s supporters. After the death of Marius, his supporters did not last long in Rome. Returning Sulla destroyed the grave of his enemy and threw his remains into the river.

Sulla (138 BC - 78 BC)

The Roman commander Lucius Cornelius Sulla received the nickname Felix (happy). Indeed, luck accompanied this man all his life, both in military and political affairs.

Sulla began his military service during the Numidian War in North Africa under the command of Gaius Marius, his future implacable enemy. He conducted affairs so energetically and was so successful in battles and diplomacy that popular rumor attributed to him much of the credit for victory in the Numidian War. This made Maria jealous.

After successful military campaigns in Asia, Sulla was appointed commander in the war against the Pontic king Mithridates. However, after his departure, Marius ensured that Sulla was recalled and he was appointed commander.

Sulla, having secured the support of the army, returned, captured Rome and expelled Marius, starting a civil war. While Sulla was at war with Mithridates, Marius recaptured Rome. Sulla returned there after the death of his enemy and was elected permanent dictator. Having brutally dealt with the supporters of Marius, Sulla some time later resigned his dictatorial powers and remained a private citizen until the end of his life.

Crassus (115 BC - 51 BC)

Marcus Licinius Crassus was one of the richest Romans. However, he acquired most of his fortune during the dictatorship of Sulla, appropriating the confiscated property of his opponents. He achieved his high position under Sulla thanks to the fact that he distinguished himself in the civil war, fighting on his side.

After the death of Sulla, Crassus was appointed commander in the war against the rebel slaves of Spartacus.

Acting very energetically, unlike his predecessors, Crassus forced Spartacus to take a decisive battle and defeated him.

He treated the vanquished extremely cruelly: several thousand captive slaves were crucified along the Appian Way, and their bodies remained hanging there for many years.

Together with Julius Caesar and Pompey, Crassus became a member of the first triumvirate. These generals actually divided the Roman provinces among themselves. Crassus got Syria. He planned to expand his possessions and waged a war of conquest against the Parthian kingdom, but was unsuccessful. Crassus lost the battle of Carrhae, was treacherously captured during negotiations and brutally executed, having molten gold poured down his throat.

Spartacus (110 BC - 71 BC)

Spartacus, a Roman gladiator originally from Thrace, was the leader of the largest slave revolt. Despite the lack of command experience and relevant education, he became one of the greatest commanders in history.

When Spartacus and his comrades fled from the gladiator school, his detachment consisted of several dozen poorly armed people who took refuge on Vesuvius. The Romans blocked all the roads, but the rebels performed a legendary maneuver: they descended from a steep slope using ropes woven from grape vines and struck the enemies from the rear.

The Romans initially treated the runaway slaves with contempt, believing that their legions would easily defeat the rebels, and paid dearly for their arrogance.

The relatively small forces sent against Spartak were one by one defeated, and his army, meanwhile, was strengthened: slaves from all over Italy flocked to it.

Unfortunately, among the rebels there was no unity and no common plan for further actions: some wanted to stay in Italy and continue the war, while others wanted to leave before the main Roman forces entered the war. Part of the army broke away from Spartak and was defeated. An attempt to leave Italy by sea ended in failure due to the betrayal of the pirates hired by Spartacus. The commander for a long time avoided a decisive battle with the legions of Crassus superior to his army, but in the end he was forced to accept a battle in which the slaves were defeated and he himself died. According to legend, Spartak continued to fight, already being seriously wounded. His body was literally littered with the corpses of the Roman legionnaires he had killed in the last battle.

Pompey (106 BC - 48 BC)

Gnaeus Pompey is known primarily as an opponent of Julius Caesar. But he received his nickname Magnus (Great) for completely different battles.

During the civil war he was one of Sulla's best generals. Then Pompey successfully fought in Spain, the Middle East, and the Caucasus and significantly expanded Roman possessions.

Another important task of Pompey was clearing the Mediterranean Sea from pirates, who had become so insolent that Rome experienced serious difficulties in transporting food by sea.

When Julius Caesar refused to submit to the Senate and thereby started a civil war, Pompey was entrusted with command of the troops of the republic. The struggle between the two great commanders went on for a long time with varying success. But in the decisive battle of the Greek city of Pharsalus, Pompey was defeated and forced to flee. He tried to raise a new army to continue the fight, but was treacherously killed in Egypt. Pompey's head was presented to Julius Caesar, but he, contrary to expectations, did not reward, but executed the murderers of his great enemy.

Julius Caesar (100 BC - 44 BC)

Gaius Julius Caesar truly became famous as a commander when he conquered Gaul (now mostly French territory). He himself compiled a detailed account of these events, writing Notes on the Gallic War, which is still considered an example of military memoirs. Julius Caesar's aphoristic style was also evident in his reports to the Senate. For example, “I have arrived.” Saw. “Won” went down in history.

Having come into conflict with the Senate, Julius Caesar refused to surrender command and invaded Italy. At the border, he and his troops crossed the Rubicon River, and since then the expression “Cross the Rubicon” (meaning to take a decisive action that cuts off the path to retreat) has become popular.

In the ensuing civil war, he defeated the troops of Gnaeus Pompey at Pharsalus, despite the enemy's numerical superiority, and after campaigns in Africa and Spain he returned to Rome as a dictator. A few years later he was assassinated by conspirators in the Senate. According to legend, the bloody body of Julius Caesar fell at the foot of the statue of his enemy Pompey.

Arminius (16 BC - 21 AD)

Arminius, the leader of the German Cherusci tribe, is known, first of all, for the fact that with his victory over the Romans in the battle in the Teutoburg Forest, he dispelled the myth of their invincibility, which inspired other peoples to fight the conquerors.

In his youth, Arminius served in the Roman army and studied the future enemy well from the inside. After an uprising of Germanic tribes broke out in his homeland, Arminius led it. According to some reports, he was actually his ideological inspirer. When three Roman legions sent against the rebels entered the Teutoburg Forest, where they could not line up in the usual order, the Germans, led by Arminius, attacked them. After three days During the battle, Roman troops were almost completely destroyed, and the head of the unlucky Roman commander Quintilius Varus, the son-in-law of Emperor Octavian Augustus himself, was shown around German villages.

Knowing that the Romans would certainly try to take revenge, Arminius tried to unite the Germanic tribes to repel them, but did not succeed. He died not at the hands of the Romans, but as a result of internal strife, killed by someone close to him. However, his cause was not lost: following the wars with the Romans, the Germanic tribes defended their independence.

The fate of millions of people depended on their decisions! This is not the entire list of our great commanders of the Second World War!

Zhukov Georgy Konstantinovich (1896-1974) Marshal of the Soviet Union Georgy Konstantinovich Zhukov was born on November 1, 1896 in Kaluga region, in a peasant family. During the First World War, he was drafted into the army and enrolled in a regiment stationed in the Kharkov province. In the spring of 1916, he was enrolled in a group sent to officer courses. After studying, Zhukov became a non-commissioned officer and joined a dragoon regiment, with which he participated in the battles of the Great War. Soon he received a concussion from a mine explosion and was sent to the hospital. Managed to prove himself, and for being captured German officer was awarded the St. George Cross.

After the civil war, he completed the courses for Red commanders. He commanded a cavalry regiment, then a brigade. He was an assistant inspector of the Red Army cavalry.

In January 1941, shortly before the German invasion of the USSR, Zhukov was appointed chief of the General Staff and deputy people's commissar of defense.

Commanded the troops of the Reserve, Leningrad, Western, 1st Belorussian fronts, coordinated the actions of a number of fronts, 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. Four times Hero of the Soviet Union , holder of two Orders of Victory, many other Soviet and foreign orders and medals.

Vasilevsky Alexander Mikhailovich (1895-1977) - Marshal of the Soviet Union.

Born September 16 (September 30), 1895 in the village. Novaya Golchikha, Kineshma district, Ivanovo region, in the family of a priest, Russian. In February 1915, after graduating from the Kostroma Theological Seminary, he entered the Alekseevsky Military School (Moscow) and graduated from it in 4 months (in June 1915).
During the Great Patriotic War, as chief General Staff(1942-1945) took an active part in the development and implementation of almost all major operations on the Soviet-German front. From February 1945, he commanded the 3rd Belorussian Front and led the assault on Königsberg. In 1945, the commander-in-chief of the Soviet troops at Far East in the war with Japan.
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Rokossovsky Konstantin Konstantinovich (1896-1968) - Marshal of the Soviet Union, Marshal of Poland.

Born on December 21, 1896 in the small Russian town of Velikiye Luki (formerly Pskov province), in the family of a Pole railway driver, Xavier-Józef Rokossovsky and his Russian wife Antonina. After the birth of Konstantin, the Rokossovsky family moved to Warsaw. At less than 6 years old, Kostya was orphaned: his father was in a train accident and died in 1902 after a long illness. In 1911, his mother also died. With the outbreak of World War I, Rokossovsky asked to join one of the Russian regiments heading west through Warsaw.

With the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, he commanded the 9th mechanized corps. In the summer of 1941 he was appointed commander of the 4th Army. He managed to somewhat hold back the advance of the German armies on the western front. In the summer of 1942 he became commander of the Bryansk Front. The Germans managed to approach the Don and, from advantageous positions, create threats to capture Stalingrad and break through to the North Caucasus. With a blow from his army, he prevented the Germans from trying to break through to the north, towards the city of Yelets. Rokossovsky took part in the counter-offensive of Soviet troops near Stalingrad. His ability to lead fighting played a big role in the success of the operation. In 1943, he led the central front, which, under his command, began the defensive battle on the Kursk Bulge. A little later, he organized an offensive and liberated significant territories from the Germans. He also led the liberation of Belarus, implementing the Stavka plan - “Bagration”
Twice Hero of the Soviet Union

Konev Ivan Stepanovich (1897-1973) - Marshal of the Soviet Union.

Born in December 1897 in one of the villages of the Vologda province. His family was peasant. In 1916, the future commander was drafted into the tsarist army. He participates in the First World War as a non-commissioned officer.

At the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, Konev commanded the 19th Army, which took part in battles with the Germans and closed the capital from the enemy. For successful leadership of the army's actions, he receives the rank of colonel general.

During the Great Patriotic War, Ivan Stepanovich managed to be the commander of several fronts: Kalinin, Western, Northwestern, Steppe, Second Ukrainian and First Ukrainian. In January 1945, the First Ukrainian Front, together with the First Belorussian Front, launched the offensive Vistula-Oder operation. The troops managed to occupy several cities of strategic importance, and even liberate Krakow from the Germans. At the end of January, the Auschwitz camp was liberated from the Nazis. In April, two fronts launched an offensive in the Berlin direction. Soon Berlin was taken, and Konev took direct part in the assault on the city.

Twice Hero of the Soviet Union

Vatutin Nikolai Fedorovich (1901-1944) - army general.

Born on December 16, 1901 in the village of Chepukhino, Kursk province, into a large peasant family. He graduated from four classes of the zemstvo school, where he was considered the first student.

In the first days of the Great Patriotic War, Vatutin visited the most critical sectors of the front. The staff worker turned into a brilliant combat commander.

On February 21, Headquarters instructed Vatutin to prepare an attack on Dubno and further on Chernivtsi. On February 29, the general was heading to the headquarters of the 60th Army. On the way, his car was fired upon by a detachment of Ukrainian Bandera partisans. The wounded Vatutin died on the night of April 15 in a Kiev military hospital.
In 1965, Vatutin was posthumously awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.

Katukov Mikhail Efimovich (1900-1976) - Marshal of the armored forces. One of the founders of the Tank Guard.

Born on September 4 (17), 1900 in the village of Bolshoye Uvarovo, then Kolomna district, Moscow province, into a large peasant family (his father had seven children from two marriages). He graduated with a diploma of commendation from an elementary rural school, during which he was the first student in the class and schools.
IN Soviet Army– since 1919.

At the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, he took part in defensive operations in the area of ​​​​the cities of Lutsk, Dubno, Korosten, showing himself to be a skillful, proactive organizer tank battle with superior enemy forces. These qualities were brilliantly demonstrated in the Battle of Moscow, when he commanded the 4th Tank Brigade. In the first half of October 1941, near Mtsensk, on a number of defensive lines, the brigade steadfastly held back the advance of enemy tanks and infantry and inflicted enormous damage on them. Having completed a 360-km march to the Istra orientation, the M.E. brigade. Katukova, as part of the 16th Army of the Western Front, heroically fought in the Volokolamsk direction and participated in the counter-offensive near Moscow. On November 11, 1941, for brave and skillful military actions, the brigade was the first in the tank forces to receive the rank of guards. In 1942, M.E. Katukov commanded the 1st Tank Corps, which repelled the onslaught of enemy troops in the Kursk-Voronezh direction, and from September 1942 - the 3rd Mechanized Corps. In January 1943, he was appointed commander of the 1st tank army, which, as part of the Voronezh and later the 1st Ukrainian Front, distinguished itself in the Battle of Kursk and during the liberation of Ukraine. In April 1944, the armed forces were transformed into the 1st Guards Tank Army, which, under the command of M.E. Katukova participated in the Lviv-Sandomierz, Vistula-Oder, East Pomeranian and Berlin operations, crossed the Vistula and Oder rivers.

Rotmistrov Pavel Alekseevich (1901-1982) - chief marshal of the armored forces.

Born in the village of Skovorovo, now Selizharovsky district, Tver region, into a large peasant family (he had 8 brothers and sisters)... In 1916 he graduated from higher primary school

In the Soviet Army from April 1919 (he was enlisted in the Samara Workers' Regiment), a participant in the Civil War.

During the Great Patriotic War P.A. Rotmistrov fought on the Western, Northwestern, Kalinin, Stalingrad, Voronezh, Steppe, Southwestern, 2nd Ukrainian and 3rd Belorussian fronts. He commanded the 5th Guards Tank Army, which distinguished itself in the Battle of Kursk. In the summer of 1944, P.A. Rotmistrov with his army participated in the Belarusian offensive operation, liberation of the cities of Borisov, Minsk, Vilnius. Since August 1944, he was appointed deputy commander of the armored and mechanized forces of the Soviet Army.

Kravchenko Andrey Grigorievich (1899-1963) - Colonel General of tank forces.
Born on November 30, 1899 on the Sulimin farm, now the village of Sulimovka, Yagotinsky district, Kyiv region of Ukraine, in a peasant family. Ukrainian. Member of the All-Union Communist Party (Bolsheviks) since 1925. Participant in the Civil War. Graduated from the Poltava Military Infantry School in 1923, Military Academy named after M.V. Frunze in 1928.
From June 1940 to the end of February 1941 A.G. Kravchenko - chief of staff of the 16th tank division, and from March to September 1941 - chief of staff of the 18th mechanized corps.
On the fronts of the Great Patriotic War since September 1941. Commander of the 31st Tank Brigade (09/09/1941 - 01/10/1942). Since February 1942, deputy commander of the 61st Army for tank forces. Chief of Staff of the 1st Tank Corps (03/31/1942 - 07/30/1942). Commanded the 2nd (07/2/1942 - 09/13/1942) and 4th (from 02/7/43 - 5th Guards; from 09/18/1942 to 01/24/1944) tank corps.
In November 1942, the 4th Corps took part in the encirclement of the 6th German army near Stalingrad, in July 1943 - in tank battle near Prokhorovka, in October of the same year - in the battle for the Dnieper.

Novikov Alexander Alexandrovich (1900-1976) - chief marshal of aviation.
Born on November 19, 1900 in the village of Kryukovo, Nerekhta district, Kostroma region. He received his education at the teachers' seminary in 1918.
In the Soviet Army since 1919
In aviation since 1933. Participant of the Great Patriotic War from the first day. He was the commander of the Northern Air Force, then the Leningrad Front. From April 1942 until the end of the war, he was the commander of the Red Army Air Force. In March 1946, he was illegally repressed (together with A.I. Shakhurin), rehabilitated in 1953.

Kuznetsov Nikolai Gerasimovich (1902-1974) - Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union. People's Commissar of the Navy.
Born on July 11 (24), 1904 in the family of Gerasim Fedorovich Kuznetsov (1861-1915), a peasant in the village of Medvedki, Veliko-Ustyug district, Vologda province (now in the Kotlas district of the Arkhangelsk region).
In 1919, at the age of 15, he joined the Severodvinsk flotilla, giving himself two years to be accepted (the erroneous birth year of 1902 is still found in some reference books). In 1921-1922 he was a combatant in the Arkhangelsk naval crew.
During the Great Patriotic War, N. G. Kuznetsov was the chairman of the Main Military Council of the Navy and the commander-in-chief of the Navy. He led the fleet promptly and energetically, coordinating its actions with the operations of other armed forces. The admiral was a member of the Headquarters of the Supreme High Command and constantly traveled to ships and fronts. The fleet prevented an invasion of the Caucasus from the sea. In 1944, N. G. Kuznetsov was awarded the military rank of fleet admiral. On May 25, 1945, this rank was equated to the rank of Marshal of the Soviet Union and marshal-type shoulder straps were introduced.

Hero of the Soviet Union,Chernyakhovsky Ivan Danilovich (1906-1945) - army general.
Born in the city of Uman. His father was a railway worker, so it is not surprising that in 1915 his son followed in his father’s footsteps and entered a railway school. In 1919, a real tragedy occurred in the family: his parents died due to typhus, so the boy was forced to leave school and take up farming. He worked as a shepherd, driving cattle into the field in the morning, and sat down to his textbooks every free minute. Immediately after dinner, I ran to the teacher for clarification of the material.
During the Second World War, he was one of those young military leaders who, by their example, motivated the soldiers, gave them confidence and gave them faith in a bright future.

All their contemporaries knew their names, and their armies were a terrible scourge for any opponents. Whether they were heroes of antiquity and the Middle Ages or commanders of the Great Patriotic War, every outstanding military leader left a noticeable mark on the history of mankind. The biographies of the best of them are fascinating stories about the talent and heroism of those who chose the army as their life's calling.

Alexander the Great

Alexander the Great (356 - 323 BC) is the greatest commander of antiquity. He was revered by all the military leaders of subsequent centuries from Genghis Khan to Napoleon. At the age of twenty, Alexander became king of the small state of Macedonia, located in northern Greece. As a child, he received a Hellenic education and upbringing. His teacher was the famous philosopher and thinker Aristotle.

The heir's father, Tsar Philip II, taught him the art of war. Alexander first appeared on the battlefield at the age of sixteen, and he won his first independent victory at the head of the Macedonian cavalry in 338 BC. e. at the Battle of Chaeronea against the Thebans. In that war, Philip II sought to conquer key Greek cities. Having conquered Athens and Thebes with his son, he began to plan a campaign in Persia, but was killed by the conspirators.

Alexander continued his father’s work and increased his successes. He made the Macedonian army the most well-equipped and trained in the entire ancient world. The Macedonians were armed with spears, bows and slings; their army included heavily armed cavalry, siege and throwing engines.

In 334 BC. e. the greatest commander of his time began a campaign in Asia Minor. In the first serious battle on the Granik River, he defeated the Persian governors of the satraps. The king, then and later, invariably fought in the thick of the army. Having conquered Asia Minor, he moved to Syria. Near the city of Issa, Alexander's army clashed with the army of the Persian king Darius III. Despite the numerical superiority of the enemy, the Macedonians defeated the enemy.

Later, Alexander annexed all of Mesopotamia, Palestine, Egypt and Persia to his empire. On a campaign to the east, he reached India itself and only then turned back. The Macedonian made Babylon the capital of his empire. He died in this city at the age of 33, struck down by an unknown disease. In a fever, the king did not appoint a legitimate successor. Within just a few years of his death, Alexander's empire was divided among his many companions.

Hannibal

Another famous military leader of antiquity is Hannibal (247 - 183 BC). He was a citizen of Carthage, a city in modern Tunisia, around which a large Mediterranean state had developed at that time. Hannibal's father Hamilcar was a nobleman and military man who commanded troops on the island of Sicily.

In the 3rd century. BC e. Carthage fought with the Roman Republic for leadership in the region. Hannibal was to become key figure this conflict. At the age of 22, he became a cavalry commander in the Iberian Peninsula. A little later, he led all the troops of Carthage in Spain.

Wanting to defeat Rome, the greatest commander of antiquity decided on an unexpected daring maneuver. Previous wars between rival states took place in border areas or on isolated islands. Now Hannibal himself invaded exclusively Roman Italy. To do this, his army needed to cross the difficult Alps. A natural barrier protected the republic every time. In Rome, no one expected an enemy invasion from the north. That is why the legionnaires did not believe their eyes when in 218 BC. e. The Carthaginians did the impossible and overcame the mountains. Moreover, they brought with them African elephants, which became their main psychological weapon against the Europeans.

The greatest commander Hannibal waged a successful war with Rome for fifteen years, while being far from his own homeland. He was an outstanding tactician and knew how to make the most of the forces and resources given to him. Hannibal also had diplomatic talent. He enlisted the support of numerous tribes who were also in conflict with Rome. The Gauls became his allies. Hannibal won several victories over the Romans at once, and in the battle on the Ticinus River he defeated his main opponent, commander Scipio.

The main triumph of the hero of Carthage was the Battle of Cannae in 216 BC. e. During the Italian campaign, Hannibal marched through almost the entire Apennine Peninsula. His victories, however, did not break the republic. Carthage stopped sending reinforcements, and the Romans themselves invaded Africa. In 202 BC. e. Hannibal returned to his homeland, but was defeated by Scipio at the Battle of Zama. Carthage asked for a humiliating peace, although the commander himself did not want to stop the war. His own fellow citizens turned their backs on him. Hannibal had to become an outcast. For some time he was sheltered by the Syrian king Antiochus III. In Thebonia, fleeing from Roman agents, Hannibal took poison and of his own free will said goodbye to life.

Charlemagne

In the Middle Ages, all the great commanders of the world sought to revive the once fallen Roman Empire. Every Christian monarch dreamed of restoring a centralized state that would unite all of Europe. The one who succeeded most in implementing this idea was the Frankish king Charlemagne (742 - 814) from the Carolingian dynasty.

It was possible to build a new Roman Empire only through force of arms. Karl fought with almost all his neighbors. The first to submit to him were the Lombards who inhabited Italy. In 774, the ruler of the Franks invaded their country, captured the capital of Pavia and captured King Desiderius (his former father-in-law). After annexing Northern Italy, Charlemagne went with the sword against the Bavarians, Saxons in Germany, Avars in Central Europe, Arabs in Spain and neighboring Slavs.

The Frankish king explained the wars against numerous tribes of various ethnic groups as a struggle against the pagans. The names of the great commanders of the Middle Ages were often associated with the defense of the Christian faith. We can say that Charlemagne was the pioneer in this matter. In 800 he arrived in Rome, where the Pope proclaimed him emperor. The monarch made the city of Aachen (in the west of modern Germany) his capital. Throughout the subsequent Middle Ages and Modern times, the great commanders of the world tried to at least somehow resemble Charlemagne.

The Christian state created by the Franks was called the Holy Roman Empire (as a sign of the continuity of the ancient empire). As in the case of Alexander the Great, this power did not long outlive its founder. Charles's grandchildren divided the empire into three parts, which eventually formed modern France, Germany and Italy.

Saladin

In the Middle Ages, not only Christian civilization could boast of talented commanders. An outstanding military leader was the Muslim Saladin (1138 - 1193). He was born several decades after the Crusaders conquered Jerusalem and founded several kingdoms and principalities in formerly Arab Palestine.

Saladin vowed to cleanse the lands taken from Muslims from infidels. In 1164, he, being the right hand of Nur-zh-din, liberated Egypt from the crusaders. Ten years later he carried out a coup d'état. Saladin founded the Ayubit dynasty and proclaimed himself Sultan of Egypt.

What great commanders did not fight against internal enemies no less furiously than against internal ones? Having proven his leadership in the Muslim world, Saladin came into direct conflict with Christians in the Holy Land. In 1187, his army of twenty thousand men invaded Palestine, which was completely surrounded by the Sultan's dominions. Almost half of the army consisted of horse archers, who became the most effective combat unit in the fight against the crusaders (the arrows of their long-range bows pierced even heavy steel armor).

The biography of great commanders is often the biography of reformers of military art. Saladin was just such a leader. Although he always had many people at his disposal, he achieved success not by numbers, but by his intelligence and organizational skills.

On July 4, 1187, Muslims defeated the Crusaders near Lake Tiberias. In Europe, this defeat went down in history as the Massacre of Hatta. The master of the Templars, the king of Jerusalem, was captured by Saladin, and in September Jerusalem itself fell. In the Old World, the Third Crusade was organized against the Sultan. It was led by King Richard of England Lionheart. A new stream of knights and ordinary volunteers poured into the east.

The decisive battle between the armies of the Egyptian Sultan and the English monarch took place near Arsuf on September 7, 1191. The Muslims lost many people and were forced to retreat. Saladin concluded a truce with Richard, giving the crusaders a small coastal strip of land, but retaining Jerusalem. After the war, the commander returned to the Syrian capital Damascus, where he fell ill with a fever and died.

Genghis Khan

The real name of Genghis Khan (1155 - 1227) is Temujin. He was the son of one of the many Mongol princes. His father was killed during a civil war when his son was only nine years old. The child was taken prisoner and a wooden collar was put on him. Temujin fled, returned to his native tribe and grew into a fearless warrior.

Even 100 great commanders of the Middle Ages or any other era could not create such a great power as this steppe dweller built. First, Temujin defeated all the neighboring hostile Mongol hordes and united them into one terrifying force. In 1206, he was proclaimed Genghis Khan - that is, the Great Khan or King of Kings.

For the last twenty years of his life, the ruler of the nomads waged wars with China and the neighboring Central Asian khanates. Genghis Khan's army was built according to the decimal principle: it consisted of tens, hundreds, thousands and tumens (10 thousand). The most severe discipline prevailed in the steppe army. For any violation of generally accepted rules, a warrior would face severe punishment. With such orders, the Mongols became the embodiment of horror for all the sedentary peoples they met along the way.

In China, the steppe people mastered siege weapons. They destroyed the cities that resisted to the ground. Thousands of people fell into slavery. Genghis Khan was the personification of war - it became the only meaning in the life of the king and his people. Temujin and his descendants created an empire from the Black Sea to the Pacific Ocean.

Alexander Nevsky

Even the great Russian commanders did not become church saints. Alexander Yaroslavovich Nevsky (1220 - 1261) was canonized and during his lifetime acquired a genuine aura of exclusivity. He belonged to the Rurik dynasty and became the prince of Novgorod as a child.

Nevsky was born in fragmented Rus'. She had many problems, but they all faded before the threat of the Tatar-Mongol invasion. Batu's steppe inhabitants swept through many principalities with fire and sword, but fortunately did not touch Novgorod, which was too far to the north for their cavalry.

Nevertheless, Alexander Nevsky faced many trials even without the Mongols. In the west, the Novgorod land was adjacent to Sweden and the Baltic states, which belonged to the German military orders. After Batu’s invasion, the Europeans decided that they could easily defeat Alexander Yaroslavovich. The seizure of Russian lands in the Old World was considered a fight against infidels, since the Russian Church did not submit to Catholic Rome, but depended on Orthodox Constantinople.

First crusade The Swedes organized against Novgorod. The royal army crossed the Baltic Sea and in 1240 landed at the mouth of the Neva. The local Izhorians have long paid tribute to Mr. Veliky Novgorod. The news of the appearance of the Swedish flotilla did not frighten the seasoned warrior Nevsky. He quickly gathered an army and, without waiting for the blow, went to the Neva. On June 15, the twenty-year-old prince, at the head of a loyal squad, struck the enemy camp. Alexander wounded one of the Swedish jarls in a personal duel. The Scandinavians could not withstand the onslaught and hastily returned to their homeland. It was then that Alexander received the nickname Nevsky.

Meanwhile, the German crusaders were preparing their attack on Novgorod. On April 5, 1242, they were defeated by Nevsky on the frozen Lake Peipus. The battle was dubbed the Battle of the Ice. In 1252, Alexander Yaroslavovich became Prince of Vladimir. Having protected the country from Western invaders, he had to minimize damage from the more dangerous Mongols. The armed struggle against the nomads was still ahead. The restoration of Rus' took too long for one human life. Nevsky died while returning to his homeland from the Horde, where he was conducting regular negotiations with the Golden Horde Khan. He was canonized in 1547.

Alexey Suvorov

All the military leaders of the last two centuries, including the great commanders of the war of 1941 - 1945. bowed and bowed before the figure of Alexander Suvorov (1730 - 1800). He was born into the family of a senator. Suvorov's baptism of fire took place during the Seven Years' War.

Under Catherine II, Suvorov became a key commander of the Russian army. The wars with Turkey brought him the greatest glory. In the second half of the 18th century, the Russian Empire annexed the Black Sea lands. Alexander Suvorov was the main creator of that success. All of Europe repeated his name after the siege of Ochakov (1788) and the capture of Izmail (1790) - operations that had no equal in the history of the then military art.

Under Paul I, Count Suvorov led the Italian campaign against the forces of Napoleon Bonaparte. He won all the battles in the Alps. There were no defeats at all in Suvorov’s life. Shortly. The military leader died surrounded by the international fame of an invincible strategist. According to his will, despite numerous titles and ranks, the laconic phrase “Here lies Suvorov” was left on the commander’s grave.

Napoleon Bonaparte

At the turn of the 18th and 19th centuries. all of Europe plunged into international war. It began with the Great French Revolution. The old monarchical regimes tried to stop this plague of love of freedom. It was at this time that the young military Napoleon Bonaparte (1769 - 1821) became famous.

The future national hero began his service in the artillery. He was a Corsican, but despite his deep provincial origins, he quickly advanced through the ranks thanks to his abilities and courage. After the revolution in France, power changed regularly. Bonaparte joined the political struggle. In 1799, as a result of the coup of the 18th Brumaire, he became the first consul of the republic. Five years later, Napoleon was proclaimed French Emperor.

During numerous campaigns, Bonaparte not only defended the sovereignty of his country, but also conquered neighboring states. He completely subjugated Germany, Italy and the numerous other monarchies of continental Europe. Napoleon had his own brilliant commanders. Great War could not be avoided with Russia either. In the campaign of 1812, Bonaparte occupied Moscow, but this success did not give him anything.

After the Russian campaign, a crisis began in Napoleon's empire. In the end, the anti-Bonapartist coalition forced the commander to abdicate power. In 1814 he was sent into exile on the Mediterranean island of Elba. The ambitious Napoleon escaped from there and returned to France. After another “Hundred Days” and defeat at Waterloo, the commander was sent into exile on the island of St. Helena (this time in the Atlantic Ocean). There, under the guard of the British, he died.

Alexey Brusilov

The history of Russia developed in such a way that the great Russian commanders of the First World War after the establishment Soviet power were consigned to oblivion. Nevertheless, among the people who led the tsarist army in battles against the Germans and Austrians there were many outstanding specialists. One of them is Alexey Brusilov (1853 - 1926).

The cavalry general was a hereditary military man. His first war was the Russian-Turkish War of 1877 - 1878. Brusilov took part in it on the Caucasian front. With the outbreak of the First World War, he found himself on the Southwestern Front. A group of troops commanded by the general defeated the Austrian units and pushed them back to Lemberg (Lvov). The Brusilovites became famous for the capture of Galich and Ternopil.

In 1915, the general led the battles in the Carpathians. He successfully repulsed Austrian attacks and launched counter-offensives. It was Brusilov who took the powerful fortress of Przemysl. However, his successes were reduced to zero due to a breakthrough of the front in a sector for which other generals were responsible.

The war became positional. Month after month dragged on, and victory did not come closer to either side. In 1916, the headquarters, which included Emperor Nicholas II, decided to launch a new general offensive. The most triumphant episode of this operation was the Brusilovsky breakthrough. During the period from May to September, the general's army took control of all of Bukovina and Eastern Galicia. Several decades later, outstanding commanders of the Great Patriotic War tried to repeat Brusilov’s success. His victories were brilliant, but useless due to the actions of the authorities.

Konstantin Rokossovsky

Many dozens of talented military leaders became famous on the fronts of the Great Patriotic War. After the victory over Germany, the great Soviet commanders were awarded the titles of Marshals of the Soviet Union. One of them was Konstantin Rokossovsky (1896 - 1968). He began serving in the army at the very beginning of the First World War, from which he graduated as a junior non-commissioned officer.

Almost all commanders of the Great Patriotic War of 1941 - 1945. Due to their age, they were hardened on the fronts of the imperialist and Civil wars. Rokossovsky in this sense was no different from his colleagues. During civilian life, he commanded a division, a squadron and, finally, a regiment, for which he received two Orders of the Red Banner.

Like some other outstanding commanders of the Great Patriotic War (including Zhukov), Rokossovsky did not have a specialized military education. He rose to the top of the army ladder in the turmoil of battles and many years of fighting thanks to his determination, leadership qualities and the ability to make the right decisions in a critical situation.

Due to Stalin's repressions, Rokossovsky was briefly imprisoned. He was released in 1940 at the request of Zhukov. There is no doubt that the commanders of the Great Patriotic War were always in a vulnerable position.

After Germany attacked the Soviet Union, Rokossovsky began to command first the 4th and then the 16th Army. It was regularly moved from place to place depending on operational tasks. In 1942, Rokossovsky was at the head of the Bryansk and Don fronts. When a turning point occurred and the Red Army began to advance, Konstantin Konstantinovich ended up in Belarus.

Rokossovsky reached all the way to Germany. He could have liberated Berlin, but Stalin put Zhukov in charge of this final operation. Great commanders 1941 - 1945 were rewarded in different ways for saving the country. Marshal Rokossovsky was the only one to take part in the climactic Victory Parade a few weeks after the defeat of Germany. He was Polish by origin and with the advent of peace in 1949 - 1956. also served as Minister of Defense of socialist Poland. Rokossovsky is a unique military leader; he was a marshal of two countries at once (USSR and Poland).

In some ways, being the history of wars, some of its most significant figures are military leaders. The names of great commanders, as well as the feats of bloody battles and difficult victories, occupy a special niche in world history. The tactics and strategy of warfare by these talented people are still considered significant theoretical material for future officers. Below in the article we will present to your attention the names of the people who were included in our list of “Great Commanders of the World.”

Cyrus II the Great

Starting an article on the topic “Great commanders of the world,” we want to tell you exactly about this man. The brilliant military leader - King Cyrus the Second of Persia - was considered a wise and valiant ruler. Before Cyrus was born, a fortune teller predicted to his mother that her son would become the ruler of the whole world. Hearing about this, his grandfather, the Median king Astyages, was seriously frightened and decided to destroy the baby. However, the boy was hidden among the slaves and survived, and after taking the throne, he fought with his crowned grandfather and was able to defeat him. One of the most significant conquests of Cyrus II was the capture of Babylon. This great commander was killed by warriors from nomadic Central Asian tribes.

Gaius Julius Caesar

Outstanding public figure, the brilliant commander Gaius Julius Caesar was able to ensure that even after his death, the Roman Empire was considered the greatest and most influential country in the world for another five centuries. By the way, the words “Kaiser” and “tsar”, which are translated from German and Russian as “emperor”, came from his name. Caesar is undoubtedly the greatest commander of his time. The years of his reign became a golden period for the Roman Empire: the Latin language spread throughout the world, in other countries, when governing states, Roman laws were taken as a basis, many peoples began to follow the traditions and customs of the emperor’s subjects. Caesar was a great commander, but his life was cut short by a blow from the dagger of his friend, Brutus, who betrayed him.

Hannibal

This great Carthaginian commander is called the "father of strategy." His main enemies were the Romans. He hated everything connected with their state. He fought hundreds of battles that coincided with the period. Hannibal's name is associated with a grand transition through the Pyrenees and the snow-capped Alps with an army that included not only warriors on horseback, but also elephant riders. He also owns what later became catchphrase: “The Rubicon has been passed.”

Alexander the Great

Speaking about great commanders, one cannot fail to mention the name of the ruler of Macedonia - Alexander, who with his army reached almost to India. He has eleven years of continuous battles, thousands of victories and not a single defeat. He did not like to quarrel with a weak enemy, so great military leaders were always among his main enemies. His army consisted of different units, and each of them was excellent in their fighting craft. Alexander's smart strategy was that he knew how to distribute forces among all his warriors. Alexander wanted to unite the West with the East and spread Hellenistic culture throughout his new possessions.

Tigran II the Great

The greatest commander who lived before the birth of Christ was the king of Armenia Tigran the Second the Great (140 BC - 55 BC). He made the most significant conquests in the history of the state. Tigran from the Arsacid family fought with Parthia, Cappadocia, and the Seleucid Empire. He captured Antioch and even the Nabataean kingdom on the shores of the Red Sea. Thanks to Tigran, Armenia at the turn of the two millennia became the most powerful power in the Middle East. It included Anthropatena, Media, Sophene, Syria, Cilicia, Phenicia, etc. In those years, the Silk Road from China passed through heading to Europe. Only the Roman commander Lucullus was able to conquer Tigran.

Charlemagne

The French are descended from the Franks. Their king Charles received the title “Great” for his bravery, as well as for his grandiose battles. During his reign, the Franks conducted more than fifty military campaigns. He is the greatest European commander of his time. All major battles were led by the king himself. It was during the reign of Charles that his state doubled in size and absorbed territories that today belong to the French Republic, Germany, some parts of modern Spain and Italy, Belgium, etc. He freed the Pope from the hands of the Lombards, and he, in gratitude for this, elevated him to the rank of Emperor .

Genghis Khan

This truly great military leader, thanks to his combat skills, was able to conquer almost all of Eurasia. His troops were called a horde, and his warriors were called barbarians. However, these were not wild, unorganized tribes. These were completely disciplined military units that marched to victory under the leadership of their wise commander. It was not brute force that won, but moves calculated to the smallest detail, not only of one’s own army, but also of the enemy. In a word, Genghis Khan is the greatest tactical commander.

Tamerlane

Many people know this commander under the name Timur the Lame. This nickname was given to him for an injury received during skirmishes with the khans. His name alone terrified the peoples of Asia, the Caucasus, the Volga region and Rus'. He founded the Timurid dynasty, and his state extended from Samarkand to the Volga itself. However, his greatness lay solely in the power of authority, so immediately after the death of Tamerlane, his state collapsed.

Attila

The name of this leader of the barbarians, with whose light hand the Roman Empire fell, is probably known to everyone. Attila - Great Khagan of the Huns. His large army consisted of Turkic, Germanic and other tribes. His power extended from the Rhine to the Volga. The oral German epic tells the stories of the exploits of the great Attila. And they are certainly worthy of admiration.

Salah ad-Din

The Sultan of Syria, who was nicknamed “Defender of the Faith” because of his irreconcilable struggle with the Crusaders, is also an outstanding commander of his time. Saladin's army captured cities such as Beirut, Acre, Caesarea, Ashkalon and Jerusalem.

Napoleon Bonaparte

Many Russian commanders of the Great Year of 1812 fought against the army of Napoleon, the Emperor of France. For 20 years, Napoleon was engaged in the implementation of the most daring and daring plans aimed at expanding the borders of his state. All of Europe was under his subordination. But he did not stop there and tried to conquer some of the countries of Asia and Africa. Napoleon's Russian campaign, however, was the beginning of the end.

Russia and its great commanders: photos and biographies

Let's start talking about the exploits of Russian commanders with a description of the military achievements of this ruler. Prince Oleg of Novgorod and Kiev is considered the unifier of Ancient Rus'. He expanded the borders of his country, being the first Russian ruler who decided to strike Khazar Khaganate. In addition, he managed to conclude agreements with the Byzantines that were beneficial for his country. It was about him that Pushkin wrote: “Your shield is on the gates of Constantinople.”

Dobrynya Nikitich

We learn about the valor of this commander (as the great commanders of Russia were called in ancient times) from epics. He was one of the most important figures throughout Rus', and at times his fame exceeded the glory of Vladimir Svyatoslavovich.

Vladimir Monomakh

Everyone has probably heard about Monomakh's hat. So, she is a relic, a symbol of power that belonged specifically to Prince Vladimir. His nickname is of Byzantine origin and translates as “combatant.” He was considered the best commander of his era. Vladimir first stood at the head of his army at the age of 13, and since then he has won one victory after another. He has 83 battles to his name.

Alexander Nevsky

The great Russian commander of the Middle Ages, Prince Alexander of Novgorod, received his nickname as a result of his victory over the Swedes on the Neva River. Then he was only 20 years old. Two years later, on Lake Peipus, he defeated the Order of German knights. Russian Orthodox Church canonized him as a saint.

Dmitry Donskoy

On another Russian river - the Don River, Prince Dmitry defeated the Tatar army led by Khan Mamai. He is also considered one of the greatest Russian commanders of the 14th century. Known by the nickname Donskoy.

Ermak

Not only princes and tsars are considered the greatest Russian commanders, but also Cossack atamans, for example Ermak. He is a hero, a strongman, an invincible warrior, a conqueror of Siberia. He led troops to defeat him and annexed the Siberian lands to Russia. There are several versions of his name - Ermolai, Ermilk, Herman, etc. However, he went down in history as the legendary and great Russian commander, Ataman Ermak.

Peter the Great

Surely everyone will agree that Peter the Great - the greatest of the tsars, who incredibly changed the fate of our state - is also a skilled military leader. The great Russian commander Pyotr Romanov won dozens of victories both on the battlefield and at sea. Among his most significant campaigns are the Azov and Persian campaigns, and it is also worth mentioning the Northern War and the famous Battle of Poltava, during which the Russian army defeated King Charles the Twelfth of Sweden.

Alexander Suvorov

In the list of “Great Commanders of Russia” this military leader occupies a leading position. He is a real hero of Russia. This commander managed to take part in a huge number of wars and battles, but he never suffered defeat. Significant in Suvorov’s military career are the campaigns of the Russian-Turkish War, as well as the Swiss and Italian ones. The great commander Suvorov is still a role model for young people - students of the main military school of the Russian Federation.

Grigory Potemkin

Of course, when we mention this name, we immediately associate it with the word “favorite.” Yes, indeed, he was the favorite of Empress Catherine the Great (Second), however, he was also one of the best commanders Russian Empire. Even Suvorov himself wrote about him: “I will be happy to die for him!”

Mikhail Kutuzov

The best Russian commander of the late 18th - early 19th centuries, Mikhail Illarionovich Kutuzov, went down in history as the first Russian generalissimo, since military units served in his army different nations. He is a hero of the Patriotic War of 1812. It was he who came up with the idea of ​​​​creating light cavalry and infantry.

Bagration

Another of the heroes of the war against Napoleon, the Georgian prince Bagration, was a descendant of the throne of his country. However, at the beginning of the 19th century, Alexander the Third included the Bagrationov surname among the Russian-princely families. This warrior was called the “lion of the Russian army.”

Military leaders of the 20th century

As is known from history, since the beginning of the 20th century the political situation in Russia has changed dramatically: several revolutions took place, the First world war, then civil war, etc. The Russian army was divided into two parts: “White Guards” and “Reds”. Each of these units had their own military leaders. The “White Guards” have Kolchak, Vrungel, the “Reds” have Budyonny, Chapaev, Frunze. Trotsky is usually considered a politician, but not a military man, but in fact he is also a very wise military leader, because it was he who was credited with creating the Red Army. He was called Red Bonaparte, and victory in Civil War belongs to him.

Commanders of the Great Patriotic War

The leader of the Soviet people, Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin, is known throughout the world as a wise and very powerful ruler. He is considered the winner in 1945. He drove all his subordinates into fear. He was a very suspicious and suspicious person. And the result of this was that at the beginning of the Patriotic War, many experienced commanders were not alive. Perhaps it was because of this that the war lasted for 4 years. Among the legendary military leaders of that time were Ivan Konev, Leonid Govorov, Semyon Timoshenko, Ivan Bagramyan, Ivan Khudyakov, Fedr Tolbukhin, and, of course, the most outstanding of them - Georgy Zhukov, a great commander of world significance.

Konstantin Rokossovsky

I would like to talk about this military leader separately. He is rightfully on the list of the most outstanding commanders of the Second World War. His strength was that his strategy was good both defensively and offensively. In this he has no equal. Konstantin Rokosovsky commanded the legendary Victory Parade on Red Square in 1945.

Georgy Zhukov

Opinions differ as to who should be called the winner of the Great Patriotic War. Some believe that this is, naturally, Stalin, because he was However, there are political figures (not only in Russia, but also in the world as a whole) who believe that it was not Joseph Dzhugashvili who deserved the honorary title, but the great commander Georgy Zhukov. He is still the most famous of the Soviet marshals. It was only thanks to his broad outlook that the idea of ​​uniting several fronts during the war became possible. This led to the victory of the Soviet Union over the fascist invaders. After all this, how can one not admit that the great commander Georgy Zhukov is the main “culprit” of the Victory?

As a conclusion

Of course, it is impossible to talk about all the outstanding commanders throughout the history of mankind in one short article. Every country, every people has its own heroes. In this material, we mentioned the great commanders - historical figures who were able to change the course of world events, and also talked about some of the most outstanding Russian commanders.