Famous generals
29.06.2014
Russian commanders.
Major events in the history of mankind resonate with military actions, and breakthroughs in science with the need to win. The world's greatest commanders, such as Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar and Alexander Suvorov, amazed the world with their military genius and personal qualities, and Napoleon Bonaparte and Hitler with their large-scale thinking and organizational skills. Russia has always been famous for its military talents. Its commanders surprised their enemies with strategic decisions and invariably won. So today we present to you the list great commanders of Russia.
Great commanders of Russia.
1. Alexander Vasilievich Suvorov.
A brilliant commander and a brilliant military theorist. A surprisingly frail and sickly child, born into the family of a man distinguished for his erudition and energy, did not agree with his future in civil service. He was constantly engaged in self-education and strengthening his own health. Historians speak of Suvorov as a commander who did not lose a single battle, despite the numerical superiority of the enemy.
2. Georgy Konstantinovich Zhukov.
The decisive and strong-willed commander won victories, despite losses in his ranks, for which he was constantly condemned by critics. His strategy was characterized by active actions and counterattacks in response to enemy operations. Without receiving a specialized education, he learned the secrets of military art on his own, which, combined with natural talent, led to stunning results.
3. Alexander Yaroslavovich Nevsky.
His name includes the most important victory in his life, which brought him enormous posthumous popularity. Real politician Kievan Rus and the legendary commander are closely intertwined in his image. Moreover, the attitude towards his victory was not always unambiguous. He was canonized by the Orthodox Church.
4. Mikhail Illarionovich Kutuzov.
His whole life was spent in the war. He, like Suvorov, did not believe that it was possible to lead from the rear. His personal merits brought not only awards, but also two wounds to the head, which doctors considered fatal. The restoration of the commander's combat effectiveness was considered a sign from above, which was confirmed in the war with the French. The victory over Napoleon made the image of Kutuzov legendary.
5. Konstantin Konstantinovich Rokossovsky.
The son of a railway worker and a teacher was born in Poland and was left without parents at an early age. Having credited himself with a couple of years, he volunteered for the front. He was distinguished by his composure and ability to correctly assess the situation, which saved the situation more than once. He had practically no military education, but he loved his job and had the corresponding talents.
6. Fedor Fedorovich Ushakov.
With him light hand The formation of the Black Sea Fleet began, its first traditions arose. Ushakov’s baptism of fire was the Russian-Turkish war, which glorified him thanks to his determination and ability to make extraordinary decisions. The maneuver tactics he created were completely different from the generally accepted ones, and helped to achieve victory even with a significant numerical superiority of the enemy. The great admiral was recently canonized. In the capital of Mordovia, the city of Saransk, a temple named after the Holy Righteous Warrior Theodore Ushakov was built.
7. Pavel Stepanovich Nakhimov.
Hero of the defense of Sevastopol. Of the five brothers who graduated from the Naval Cadet Corps, he is the only one who glorified his family name. He was distinguished by his love for military affairs and the sea. His passion was so strong that he forgot to get married and start a family. All the ships he commanded eventually became exemplary, and his subordinates became infected with his love for the fleet.
8. Donskoy Dmitry Ivanovich.
Got its name in honor of the great Battle of Kulikovo, which became a turning point in relations between Kievan Rus Golden Horde. For services to the Fatherland and outstanding personal qualities, he was canonized.
9. Mikhail Dmitrievich Skobelev.
Despite numerous military achievements, he always tried to avoid casualties during military operations. He treated the soldiers with respect, understanding that the final result of the battle depended on their personal qualities. For his personal qualities, as well as for his command in a snow-white uniform and on a snow-white horse, he was called the “white general.”
10. Alexey Petrovich Ermolov.
The great Russian commander who became a legendary figure. He not only participated in many wars of the Russian Empire and won victories, but was also selflessly devoted to the emperor.
War and peace are ever-changing sides of the same coin called “life.” If in times of peace you need a wise and fair ruler, then in times of war you need a merciless commander who must win the battle and the war at all costs. History remembers many great military leaders, but it is impossible to list them all. We present to your attention the very best:
Alexander the Great (Alexander the Great)
Since childhood, Alexander dreamed of conquering the world and, although he did not have a heroic physique, he preferred to participate in military battles. Thanks to his leadership qualities, he became one of the great commanders of his time. The victories of the army of Alexander the Great are at the pinnacle of military art Ancient Greece. Alexander's army did not have numerical superiority, but was still able to win all the battles, spreading his gigantic empire from Greece to India. He trusted his soldiers, and they did not let him down, but faithfully followed him, reciprocating.
Genghis Khan (Great Mongol Khan)
In 1206, on the Onon River, the leaders of the nomadic tribes proclaimed the mighty Mongol warrior as the great khan of all Mongol tribes. And his name is Genghis Khan. The shamans predicted Genghis Khan power over the whole world, and he did not disappoint. Having become the great Mongol emperor, he founded one of greatest empires, united the scattered Mongol tribes. The Shah's state and some Russian principalities conquered China, all of Central Asia, as well as the Caucasus and Eastern Europe, Baghdad, Khorezm.
Tamerlane (“Timur the Lame”)
He received the nickname “Timur the lame” for a physical disability that he received during skirmishes with the khans, but despite this he became famous as a Central Asian conqueror who played a fairly significant role in the history of Central, South and Western Asia, as well as the Caucasus, Volga region and Rus'. Founded the Timurid empire and dynasty, with its capital in Samarkand. He had no equal in saber and archery skills. However, after his death, the territory under his control, which stretched from Samarkand to the Volga, very quickly disintegrated.
Hannibal Barca ("Father of Strategy")
Hannibal is the greatest military strategist of the Ancient world, a Carthaginian commander. This is the "Father of Strategy". He hated Rome and everything connected with it, and was a sworn enemy of the Roman Republic. He fought the well-known Punic Wars with the Romans. He successfully used the tactics of enveloping enemy troops from the flanks, followed by encirclement. Standing at the head of a 46,000-strong army, which included 37 war elephants, he crossed the Pyrenees and the snow-capped Alps.
Suvorov Alexander Vasilievich
Suvorov can safely be called a national hero of Russia, a great Russian commander, because he did not suffer a single defeat in his entire military career, which included more than 60 battles. He is the founder of Russian military art, a military thinker who had no equal. Participant in the Russian-Turkish wars, Italian and Swiss campaigns.
Napoleon Bonaparte
Napoleon Bonaparte French emperor in 1804-1815, a great commander and statesman. It was Napoleon who laid the foundations of the modern French state. While still a lieutenant, he began his military career. And from the very beginning, participating in wars, he was able to establish himself as an intelligent and fearless commander. Having taken the place of the emperor, he unleashed the Napoleonic Wars, but he failed to conquer the whole world. He was defeated at the Battle of Waterloo and spent the rest of his life on St. Helena.
Saladin (Salah ad-Din) Expelled the Crusaders
Great talented Muslim commander and outstanding organizer, Sultan of Egypt and Syria. Translated from Arabic, Salah ad-Din means “Defender of the Faith.” He received this honorary nickname for his fight against the crusaders. He led the fight against the crusaders. Saladin's troops captured Beirut, Acre, Caesarea, Ascalon and Jerusalem. Thanks to Saladin, Muslim lands were liberated from foreign troops and foreign faith.
Gaius Julius Caesar
A special place among rulers in Ancient World occupied by the well-known ancient Roman statesman and political figure, dictator, commander, writer Gaius Julius Caesar. Conqueror of Gaul, Germany, Britain. He has outstanding abilities as a military tactician and strategist, as well as a great orator who managed to influence the people by promising them gladiatorial games and spectacles. The most powerful figure of his time. But this did not stop a small group of conspirators from killing the great commander. This caused civil wars to break out again, leading to the decline of the Roman Empire.
Alexander Nevsky
Grand Duke, wise statesman, famous commander. He is called the fearless knight. Alexander devoted his entire life to defending his homeland. Together with his small squad, he defeated the Swedes at the Battle of the Neva in 1240. That's why he got his nickname. He recaptured his hometowns from the Livonian Order at the Battle of the Ice, which took place on Lake Peipsi, thereby stopping the ruthless Catholic expansion in Russian lands coming from the West.
Dmitry Donskoy
Dmitry Donskoy is considered the forefather of modern Russia. During his reign, the white stone Moscow Kremlin was built. This famous prince, after his victory in the Battle of Kulikovo, in which he was completely able to defeat the Mongol horde, was nicknamed Donskoy. He was strong, tall, broad-shouldered, heavyset. It is also known that Dmitry was pious, kind and chaste. A real commander has real qualities.
Attila
This man led the Hun Empire, which at first was not an empire at all. He was able to conquer a vast territory stretching from Central Asia to modern Germany. Attila was an enemy of both the Western and Eastern Roman Empires. He is known for his brutality and ability to conduct military operations. Few emperors, kings and leaders could boast of capturing such a vast territory in such a short time.
Adolf Hitler
Actually, this man cannot be called a military genius. Now there is a lot of debate about how a failed artist and corporal could become, albeit for a short time, the ruler of all of Europe. The military claims that the “blitzkrieg” form of warfare was invented by Hitler. Needless to say, the evil genius Adolf Hitler, through whose fault tens of millions of people died, was indeed a very capable military leader (at least until the start of the war with the USSR, when a worthy opponent was found).
Georgy Zhukov
As you know, Zhukov led the Red Army in the Great Patriotic War. He was a man whose ability to conduct military operations can be called super-outstanding. In fact, this man was a genius in his field, one of those people who ultimately led the USSR to victory. After the fall of Germany, Zhukov led the military forces of the USSR that occupied this country. Thanks to the genius of Zhukov, perhaps you and I have the opportunity to live and rejoice now.
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Regional competition of multimedia presentations “Commanders of Russia” “Great commanders of Russia” Galygina Irina Nikolaevna 7th grade MBOU Secondary School No. 18 Art. Novomalorossiyskaya Vyselkovsky district Krasnodar region 2013
Great commanders of Russia
They say: in war it’s like in war... And who creates this very history, written down in textbooks and falling into our heads from school? Who starts and wins great battles? The importance of personality in such a difficult matter as war is very great. It is not enough to have weapons and soldiers to win a battle. You also need to have an outstanding mind, anticipate the enemy’s cunning tactics, skillfully develop and apply a strategy of action, and somewhere according to the rules of the game give a cruel order. And it’s not enough to win the battle, you need to win the war. Heroes, examples of courage and remarkable intelligence - Russian commanders
Alexander Yaroslavich Nevsky (1220 – 1263) Russian commander, Grand Duke of Vladimir, at the age of 20 he defeated the Swedish conquerors on the Neva River (Battle of the Neva, 1240), and at the age of 22 he defeated the German “knights of the Livonian Order” (Battle on the Ice, 1242). ) Canonized by the Russian Orthodox Church.
Battle of the Ice During the Battle of the Ice, for the first time in history, at the head of a foot army, he achieved victory over a mounted army of knights. In imperial and Soviet Russia in honor of St. blgv. book Military orders were established under Alexander Nevsky.
Dmitry Donskoy (1350-1389) An outstanding Russian commander, Grand Duke of Moscow and Vladimir, led and defeated the troops of the Golden Horde (1380)
Battle of Kulikovo Under the leadership of Dmitry Donskoy, the greatest victory was won on the Kulikovo field over the hordes of Khan Mamai, who appeared important stage liberation of Rus' and other peoples Eastern Europe from the Mongol-Tatar yoke.
Peter I (1672 - 1725) Russian Tsar, an outstanding commander. He is the founder of the Russian regular army and navy. He showed high organizational skills and talent as a commander during the Azov campaigns (1695 - 1696), in Northern War(1700 – 1721). during the Persian campaign (1722 – 1723)
Under the direct leadership of Peter in the famous Battle of Poltava(1709) the troops of the Swedish king Charles XII were defeated and captured.
Fyodor Alekseevich Golovin (1650 - 1706) Count, general – field marshal, admiral. Companion of Peter I, the greatest organizer, one of the creators of the Baltic Fleet.
Boris Petrovich Sheremetyev (1652 – 1719) Count, general – field marshal. Participant of the Crimean and Azov wars. Commanded an army in a campaign against Crimean Tatars. In the battle of Eresphere, in Livonia, a detachment under his command defeated the Swedes and defeated Schlippenbach's army at Hummelshof. The Russian flotilla forced the Swedish ships to leave the Neva for the Gulf of Finland. In 1703 he took Noteburg, and then Nyenschanz, Koporye, and Yamburg. In Estland Sheremetev B.P. Wesenberg occupied.
Alexander Danilovich Menshikov (1673-1729) His Serene Highness Prince, associate of Peter I. Generalissimo of the Marines and ground forces. Participant in the Northern War with the Swedes, the battle of Poltava.
Pyotr Aleksandrovich Rumyantsev (1725 – 1796) Count, general – field marshal. Participant in the Russian-Swedish war, Seven Years' War. Most major victories were won by him during the first Russian-Turkish war (1768 - 1774), especially in the battles of Ryabaya Mogila, Larga and Kagul and many other battles. The Turkish army was defeated. Rumyantsev became the first holder of the Order of St. George, 1st degree, and received the title of Transdanubian.
Alexander Vasilyevich Suvorov (1730-1800) National hero of Russia, a great Russian commander who did not suffer a single defeat in his military career (more than 60 battles), one of the founders of Russian military art. Prince of Italy (1799), Count of Rymnik (1789), Count of the Holy Roman Empire, Generalissimo of the Russian land and naval forces, Field Marshal of the Austrian and Sardinian troops, Grandee of the Kingdom of Sardinia and Prince of the Royal Blood (with the title "King's cousin"), Knight of all Russian orders of their time, awarded to men, as well as many foreign military orders.
Suvorov was never defeated in any of the battles he fought. Moreover, in almost all these cases he convincingly won despite the numerical superiority of the enemy, he took by storm impregnable fortress Ishmael, defeated the Turks at Rymnik, Focsani, Kinburn, etc. The Italian campaign of 1799 and victories over the French, the immortal crossing of the Alps was the crown of his military leadership.
Kutuzov Mikhail Illarionovich (Golenishchev-Kutuzov) (1745-1813) Illustrious Russian commander, Field Marshal General, His Serene Highness Prince. Hero Patriotic War 1812, full holder of the Order of St. George. He fought against the Turks, Tatars, Poles, and French in various positions, including Commander-in-Chief of armies and troops. Formed light cavalry and infantry that did not exist in the Russian army.
Fedor Fedorovich Ushakov (1745-1817) Outstanding Russian naval commander, admiral. The Russian Orthodox Church canonized him as the righteous warrior Theodore Ushakov. He laid the foundations of a new naval tactics, founded the Black Sea Navy, talentedly led it, winning a number of remarkable victories in the Black and Mediterranean Seas: in the Kerch naval battle, in the battles of Tendra, Kaliakria, etc.
Ushakov’s significant victory was the capture of the island of Corfu in February 1799, where the combined actions of ships and land landings were successfully used. Admiral Ushakov fought 40 naval battles. And they all ended in brilliant victories. People called him “Navy Suvorov”.
Mikhail Bogdanovich Barclay de Tolly (1761-1818) Prince, outstanding Russian commander, field marshal general, minister of war, hero of the Patriotic War of 1812, full holder of the Order of St. George. He commanded the entire Russian army at the initial stage of the Patriotic War of 1812, after which he was replaced by M. I. Kutuzov. In the foreign campaign of the Russian army of 1813-1814, he commanded the united Russian-Prussian army as part of the Bohemian Army of the Austrian Field Marshal Schwarzenberg.
Pyotr Ivanovich Bagration (1769-1812) Prince, infantry general. Hero of the Patriotic War of 1812. Participant of the Italian and Swiss campaigns A.V. Suvorov, wars with France, Sweden and Turkey. Mortally wounded in the Battle of Borodino.
Pavel Stepanovich Nakhimov (1802-1855) Famous Russian admiral. During the Crimean War of 1853-56, commanding a squadron of the Black Sea Fleet, Nakhimov, in stormy weather, discovered and blocked the main forces of the Turkish fleet in Sinop, and, skillfully carrying out the entire operation, defeated them in the Battle of Sinop in 1853. During the Sevastopol defense of 1854-55. took a strategic approach to the defense of the city. In Sevastopol, although Nakhimov was listed as the commander of the fleet and port, from February 1855, after the sinking of the fleet, he defended, by appointment of the commander-in-chief, the southern part of the city, leading the defense with amazing energy and enjoying the greatest moral influence on soldiers and sailors, who called him “father.” -a benefactor."
Georgy Konstantinovich Zhukov (1896-1974) The most famous Soviet commander is generally recognized as the Marshal of the Soviet Union. The development of plans for all major operations of united fronts, large groupings of Soviet troops and their implementation took place under his leadership. These operations always ended victoriously. They were decisive for the outcome of the war.
Zhukov is a four-time Hero of the Soviet Union, a holder of two Orders of Victory, and many other Soviet and foreign orders and medals. During the Great Patriotic War, he successively held the positions of Chief of the General Staff, Front Commander, Member of the Headquarters of the Supreme High Command, and Deputy Supreme Commander-in-Chief. In the post-war period, he served as Commander-in-Chief of the Ground Forces, commanding the Odessa and then the Ural military districts. After the death of I.V. Stalin, he became the first deputy minister of defense of the USSR, and from 1955 to 1957 - the minister of defense of the USSR.
Konstantin Konstantinovich Rokossovsky (1896-1968) Outstanding Soviet military leader, commander of the Belarusian Front, Marshal of the Soviet Union (1944), Marshal of Poland (11/05/1949). Commanded the Victory Parade. One of the greatest commanders of World War II. Twice Hero of the Soviet Union.
Ivan Stepanovich Konev (1897-1973) Soviet commander, commander of the 1st Ukrainian Front, Marshal of the Soviet Union (1944), twice Hero of the Soviet Union (1944, 1945).
And this is only a part of the commanders who are worthy of mention. Outstanding military leaders of Russia are the pride of our history. These people did not spare their lives for the sake of their Motherland. They earned boundless glory on the battlefields with the enemy. We must know and remember them.
List of sources of main content: http://kremlion.ru/russkie_polkovodcy http://www.forumkavkaz.com/index.php/topic,591.0.html http://www.historbook.ru/gordost.html http:// ote4estvo.ru/lichnosti-xviii-xix/137-aleksandr-vasilevich-suvorov.html http://www.warheroes.ru/hero/hero.asp?Hero_id=1612 http://movu1-perm.narod.ru/ polkovodzi.htm
List of sources of illustrations: http://www.forumkavkaz.com/index.php/topic,591.0.html http://www.warheroes.ru/hero/hero.asp?Hero_id=1612 http://www.liveinternet. ru http://artnow.ru/ru/gallery/3/3497/picture/0/137758.html http://movu1-perm.narod.ru/polkovodzi.htm
25 great commanders of Russia
Our country is rich in talents and world-famous historical figures. A separate category of its famous representatives is occupied by the great commanders of Russia.
Russia and its inhabitants have always been peaceful and hospitable towards other nations. However, they constantly had to wage war throughout their existence. These were not always defensive wars. During the formation of the state, Russia had to, among other things, conquer lands for itself. But still, basically the country had to constantly defend itself from numerous enemies.
When talking about the great commanders of Russia, it is very difficult to single out the most significant of them.
How many of them have existed over the centuries-old history of the country? Most likely, more than one thousand. Someone constantly fought for the country, but time has not preserved their names. And someone accomplished one great feat and became famous throughout the centuries. And there were a huge number of wonderful and brave princes, governors and officers, whose only feat went unnoticed.
The great commanders of Russia are a very broad topic, so we can only briefly talk about the most famous of them. If we start from the period of formation of the Russian state, then the most prominent personality of that time was the defender of Rus' from the attacks of the Pechenegs, Polovtsians and Khazars, Prince Svyatoslav, who lived in the 10th century. He saw danger in the weak borders of the state and constantly strengthened them, spending almost all his time on campaigns. Svyatoslav died like a true warrior - in battle.
The great commanders of Russia are not only excellent strategists, but also far-sighted diplomats. This was Prince Yaroslav the Wise, who lived in the 11th century. He actively fought, strengthening and defending the borders of the state, but at the same time sought to establish and consolidate friendly relations with many European countries. Yaroslav had many children, and he sought to use the dynastic marriages of his daughters in political purposes, thus strengthening relations with European countries. Under him, Rus' reached its peak and power.
Perhaps the most famous commander of Russia, about whom almost everyone knows, is Prince Alexander Nevsky, the defender of Rus' from the Swedish and German knights. He lived in the 13th century, during a turbulent time of the active spread of the Livonian Order to the Baltic lands neighboring Novgorod. The conflict with the knights was very undesirable and dangerous for Rus', since it was not only about the seizure of territory, but also about the issue of faith. Rus' was Christian, and the knights were Catholics. In the summer of 1240, 55 Swedish ships landed on the banks of the Neva. Prince Alexander secretly arrived at their camp site and on July 15 unexpectedly attacked them. The Swedes were defeated, and the prince received a new name - Nevsky. The second battle with foreign invaders took place in the winter of 1242. In order to finally expel the enemy from the Novgorod land, Alexander Nevsky set out on a campaign against the Livonian Order. To meet the enemy, the prince chose a narrow isthmus between two lakes. And this battle was successfully won.
It is impossible to imagine the brilliant galaxy of great Russian commanders without Prince Dimitri Ivanovich (Donskoy), the first Russian commander to defeat the Horde army. He was the first to transfer his throne to his son, without asking permission from the Khan of the Golden Horde.
The famous Kulikovo Massacre, the main feat of the Great Moscow Prince Dmitry, took place on September 8, 1380. The prince himself fought in simple armor in the vanguard, which was completely destroyed by the Tatars. But the prince, crushed by a tree, survived. Well-ordered troops and the help of allies helped defeat the forces of the Horde, led by Khan Mamai.
Pozharsky Dmitry Mikhailovich is another famous commander who led the struggle of the Russian people in the Time of Troubles against the Polish invaders. He participated in the first and second people's militia and led the liberation of Moscow from the Polish garrison. He proposed to choose the last heir from the Rurik family, Mikhail Fedorovich Romanov, as king.
18th century opens great king and commander Peter I. He preferred not to rely on the forces of others and always led his army himself. Even in early childhood, Peter began to engage in military training, organizing fights with village boys in a small fortress built for him. He completely built the Russian fleet, organized a new regular army. Peter I fought with the Ottoman Khanate and won the Northern War, allowing Russian ships to enter the Baltic Sea.
The 18th and early 19th centuries were the time of the great wars of the Russian Empire and no less famous commanders. This is Prince Potemkin Grigory Alexandrovich, who showed himself brilliantly in the Russian-Turkish wars. At the same time, lived one of the greatest Russian commanders - Generalissimo Suvorov Alexander Vasilyevich.
The 20th century is a time of the bloodiest wars in the history of Russia and wonderful commanders, who need to be discussed separately, since their number is large.
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) - greatest commander 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 a key figure in 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 king of the Franks, Charlemagne (742 - 814) from the Carolingian dynasty, succeeded most in implementing this idea.
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 the annexation of Northern Italy, Charlemagne went with a 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 the King of England, Richard the 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 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.
The Swedes were the first to organize a crusade 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. The 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 Atlantic Ocean). There, under the guard of the British, he died.
Alexey Brusilov
The history of Russia has developed in such a way that the great Russian commanders of the First World War were consigned to oblivion after the establishment of Soviet power. 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.
Because of 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 the German attack on 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 the marshal of two countries at once (USSR and Poland).
