How Stalin became a Generalissimo
Before starting a detailed discussion about how Stalin received this rank and how he related to it, we recall that in world practice, as a rule, it was assigned not to commanders, but rather to the most significant statesmen, those who led not only the army, but and the entire warring nation as a whole. However, in Russia this was not so. Stalin was the only Soviet generalissimo, the fifth in a row on Russian soil with such a title. The fourth was the deeply revered supreme Alexander Suvorov.
There is plenty of evidence that Joseph Vissarionovich fought off such honor as best he could. The highest military rank, Generalissimo of the Soviet Union, was awarded to him as the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the USSR by Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Council of the Soviet Union on June 27, 1945. However, according to reports, the first attempts to do this have been made since the beginning of 1943.
In any case, the archives allegedly have a cipher telegram in which several well-known commanders of the Great Patriotic War turn to comrades Malenkov, Molotov, and Beria. Then it was not without a “voice of the people” - a proposal to confer on Stalin the highest rank was made by a team of workers, engineers and technical workers and employees of the Moscow factory “Spring”.
However, before the end of World War II, the Supreme did not want to hear about anything like that. He also became a marshal six months later, Zhukov, 11th in a row in the USSR, and not the first. Moreover, such creeps generally caused the leader the most negative emotions, sometimes leading him almost to a white heat. One of his genuine monologues on this topic has survived, cited by the witness, more than trustworthy, Marshal Konev, in which Stalin curses abusively at the fact that they are trying to slip Generalissimo Franco and Chiang Kai-shek into the company, as well as “they want to expose from marshals to some sort of generalissimo. ” At the same time, the following phrase was also sounded: “You need these titles for authority, and not for Comrade Stalin!” On the “initiative” of the goodwill from “Spring” and similar messages from the front there is invariably the supreme resolution made by the beloved in red pencil: “To the archive!” Joseph Vissarionovich did not intend to give them a move and put into practice categorically.
According to one version, he was able to “trick” him during an impromptu banquet held on June 24, 1945 after the Victory Parade in a tiny small hall near the Mausoleum, where the country's leaders usually fled from the weather during festive events, but decided to mark whip up the greatest event. Some researchers are trying to argue that it was precisely among this feast in a narrow circle that the supreme one gave slack by agreeing to the second Order of Victory, the title of Hero, and even to the heap of generalissimo.
Hence, they say, such “superoperationality” with the introduction of this title by the Supreme Council and its assignment to Stalin. Let me doubt it. After trying to subsequently hand him the Star of the Hero, Stalin simply swore with all his heart. And never in my life have I put it on. Like, by the way, the uniform of the Generalissimo, the attempt to present which for approval almost ended tragically for all participants. Seeing a completely phantasmagoric robe with epaulettes instead of epaulets on which the coat of arms of the USSR and with gold stripes, the Supreme Commander asked only one question: “Who exactly are you going to put on this ?!” It was said in such a tone that the topic itself closed once and for all. Until the end of his life, Stalin wore a marshal's uniform, in which he left this world.
To the extreme, the version of the adoption of the title of Generalissimo by Joseph Vissarionovich seems to be similar to truth, according to which the desperate "runaway" leader of this companion turned for help to his beloved commander of Stalin - Marshal Rokossovsky. And he, taking advantage of the moment, dared to “close the hairpin”: “Like, what is it, Comrade Supreme? You are a marshal, so am I a marshal! In which case, in truth, according to the charter, you cannot punish me ... ”
Of course, only and exclusively Konstantin Konstantinovich could afford such a thing. To someone else, perhaps, Joseph Vissarionovich would vividly explain what he can and what not. And then he simply waved his hand - do what you want. In the end, it was 1945, the greatest was won stories war of mankind, the country is saved. I had every right! We remember and honor Marshalov’s Victory always, but we won’t forget about her generalissimo.
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