Rokossovsky: "Soldier's duty is simple, always fight better than the enemy!"
Konstantin Konstantinovich Rokossovsky - a legendary figure. In his biography, a lot of mysteries, and fate is filled with sharp turns. The biography of the great Soviet commander was corrected, since his true origin did not accord with such a high position and popularity. His true name is Kazimir (presumably) Ksaveryevich Rokossovsky, and the ancestral roots go back to history nobility. His father Xavier-Józef at the time of the birth of his son lived in Warsaw and worked as an auditor of the Warsaw Railway, the mother of Antonid Ovsyannikov was a teacher. Later, Rokossovsky will indicate the Pskov province in his biography as his birthplace, but Poland was still his birthplace.
The future 21 Marshal 1896 was born on the same day as Stalin, albeit many years later. Soon, on the railroad, Xavier-Jozef Rokossovsky had an accident and died after a painful illness in 1902. Son then was only six years old. Mother left this world in 1911. Before the death of his father, the boy studied at a paid college, but after that he worked as an assistant pastry chef. Trying to earn money for the maintenance of the family, Rokossovsky had time to get acquainted with the craft of the stone worker, he took on any work, but managed to self-educate and read a lot. Upon reaching 18, he was accepted into the ranks of the Russian army, which took part in the First World War. Here he proved himself a brave cavalryman and soon earned the title of junior non-commissioned officer. Service in the Kargopol regiment continued until October 1917. He mastered the sword perfectly and for the successful reconnaissance operation received the St. George Cross 4 degree. Later in the life of Rokossovsky there were many awards.
After the revolution, Rokossovsky joined the ranks of the Red Army and successfully fought against Kolchak's troops, and then collided with the forces of Baron Ungern and Semenov's gangs. The young officer was awarded the Order of the Red Banner for participation in hostilities and displayed valor. From 1919, Rokossovsky joins the party, but he moves rather slowly along the career ladder, since his origin at this stage was not a secret. In April, 1923, he married Yulia Barmina, and soon the couple had a daughter with the wonderful name Ariadne. During this period, Konstantin Konstantinovich graduated from the cavalry courses for commanders and the next year he left military instructor in Mongolia. In 1929, he had to fight on the Chinese Eastern Railway.
In August, 1937 was arrested on the false denunciation of Rokossovsky. He was held in the dungeons of the NKVD until the end of March 1940. The accusation was characteristic of the bloody purges of the late thirties, he was suspected of having links with Polish intelligence. In the dungeons of Konstantin Konstantinovich tortured. In his memoirs there are practically no descriptions of this shameful episode in the history of Soviet power. The commander had no habit at all to talk about the difficulties of life, but took all her turns with firmness and courage. However, according to fragmentary tales of his wife, daughter, and other persons, at that time Rokossovsky lost his front teeth, was subjected to a false execution several times and other mockery. Amazing willpower and courage allowed the future marshal not only to survive, but also to stand in a psychological battle with the accusers. He did not sign the documents discrediting him, did not stipulate his friends and acquaintances. As a result, Rokossovsky had to be released, since in the absence of any hard evidence, high military commanders stood up for him. A huge role in the liberation of Konstantin Konstantinovich from the “Crosses” was played by his former commander Tymoshenko. Later, Joseph Vissarionovich twice apologized for this incident to the marshal. The Rokossovsky family withstood this difficult period with honor, and in March they reunited again.
However, the shadow of the NKVD dungeons for a long time pursued the commander. According to the stories of loved ones, he could even sleep only with personal weapons. At the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, his merits were only confirmation of the enormous damage inflicted on the command personnel of the armed forces of repression. He was called as the commander of the "P", since the success of Rokossovsky was only that the rehabilitated, against the background of the general failures of the Soviet army, could throw out the activities of the party. In July, 1941, in the most difficult period, Rokossovsky received the fourth Order of the Red Banner. His tactics differed sharply from the rules of warfare, well-established over the centuries. However, this feature did not talk about the illiteracy of the young commander. By the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, he was one of the most experienced military commanders. Rokossovsky had a valuable commanding quality - sense, in other words, he could predict further actions of the enemy. The success was also due to his constant presence at the forefront. The commander did not miss the opportunity to descend into the trenches and to assess the situation on the spot; in his words, a certain link was established between command and forces.
In 1941, the 9th mechanized corps entered under his command. Rokossovsky leads exhausting battles with the Nazis. His tactics of mobile defense gave good results, the troops had to retreat only by order. In mid-June 1941, he was appointed commander of the 4-th army of the Western Front. However, due to the deterioration of the situation at the front, he was assigned to lead the task force to restore the situation in the Smolensk region. Rokossovsky had to stop and subdue the remnants of the defeated 19, 20, and 16 armies. The forces entrusted to him were in a terrible state; instead of the assembled parts, they represented the pitiful, crushed remnants of the retreating groups. The soldiers were demoralized. Rokossovsky managed to organize people, assemble the equipment and plan the actions. As a result, the Yartsevo group led by Konstantin Konstantinovich successfully repelled the ongoing attacks of the enemy.
The name of the talented commander becomes known not only among Russians, the fascists already know him very well. During the defense of the capital, Rokossovsky, commanding 16 army, brilliantly repels the attack of the Germans and goes into a swift counterattack. As a result, the enemy is thrown back at a distance of 100, and in some areas, 250 kilometers from the original position. The battle of Moscow made Konstantin Konstantinovich an authoritative commander, even the Supreme Commander himself was considered with his opinion. In addition, Rokossovsky was awarded the Order of Lenin, and the mention in the newspapers for the first time highlighted his name, instead of the notorious “Commander P”. It should also be mentioned that during this period the commander met Galina Talanova. The love story of a scorched battle between the commander and a young girl who just graduated from the institute is more like a romantic legend, so she was often in doubt. Galina Vasilyevna gave birth to Rokossovsky's daughter, whom he recognized, and after the end of the war she married another person.
In March, 1942, the commander almost died from severe shrapnel wounds, which damaged the liver and lung. The operation was carried out by his beloved Talanova, and the girl managed to save his life. Already in July of the same year, Konstantin Konstantinovich was appointed commander of the Bryansk Front. Being in the ward, he was forced to get acquainted with the papers and take the case. With competent and decisive actions, Rokossovsky disrupts the plan of the German command aimed at expanding the front line to Yelets. He was also commanded to command the last battle with the army of Paulus. 31 January 1943 Paulus and another 24 general of the German army were captured. Captured turned around 90 000 soldiers and over 2500 officers. For the brilliant implementation of the task Rokossovsky awarded the Order of Suvorov.
In February 1943, Konstantin Konstantinovich, appointed commander of the Central Front, was one of the main organizers of the defense and counterattack on the Kursk Bulge. Anticipating the main line of attack of the Germans, he concentrated more than half of all infantry and equipment in this place. As a result, the defense was so strong that part of the forces were sent to support the southern flank. Interestingly, the artillery counterpreparation for Rokossovsky's plan was carried out just 3 hours before the start of the offensive of the enemy. The victory at the Kursk Bulge made Konstantin Konstantinovich a colonel-general, and after three months he became a general of the army.
However, the true talent of the general of the general revealed during the operation "Bagration". At the meeting, Konstantin Konstantinovich defended his opinion about the need to inflict not one main attack on the forces of the enemy, but two equal in strength, but from the flanks. A project was being prepared together with Zhukov and Vasilevsky, and was discussed in the office of Stalin himself. Such a move blocked the attempts of the enemy to maneuver and use reserves. 22 Jun 1944 operation has begun. Already on the first day, Soviet troops broke through the defenses of the Germans. Rokossovsky's plan turned out to be brilliant. The largest German military group called "Center" received a crushing blow. The location and respect of Joseph Vissarionovich for Rokossovsky's talents was reflected in the assignment of the title of Marshal, the Hero Star of the USSR, as well as the attachment of the glorious nickname “our Bagration”.
However, at the end of the war, Stalin began various permutations in order to bring mutual distrust into the military command community. The fear of Joseph Vissarionovich is understandable. Before the start of the war, only he himself enjoyed unquestioned authority, and as a result of high-profile victories, the military elite gained considerable weight and seemed cohesive. A native of Warsaw was never allowed to release her. By Stalin’s personal order, Rokossovsky is sent to command the Second Byelorussian Front, and Zhukov is given the honor of victorious entry into Berlin. However, Stalin did not intend to elevate one by belittling the other, and Rokossovsky commanded a parade in Moscow on 24 June 1945. The relationship between the generals soon became very cool.
Before 1949, Konstantin Konstantinovich was the commander-in-chief of the Northern group of Soviet troops. In the 1949 year, on the orders and personal request of Joseph Vissarionovich, he was sent to his homeland in Poland to create a strong army in the country. Stalin saw Poland only socialist, so the presence of authoritative and strong military figures in Warsaw was necessary. Again, the order was executed brilliantly. According to the marshal himself, before that Poland had no such armed forces. The trip of the Russian soul, but a Pole of Rokossovsky origin, ended after the speech of Khrushchev. In 1956, he was recalled from Warsaw to Moscow.
The solid and noble character of Rokossovsky did not allow him to participate in the defamation of Stalin, as well as the political massacre of Zhukov and other figures of the Stalin period. Soon, the unsuitable new elite marshal was removed from significant posts and, up to 1968, headed the group of general inspectors in the USSR Ministry of Defense.
Marshal Rokossovsky died on August 3 of 1968, and was buried near the Kremlin wall. Rokossovsky never left the service, giving her over 50 years of life.
Information