Twice Hero of the Soviet Union Semyon Tymoshenko
120 years ago, 18 February 1895, was born the future Soviet statesman and military leader, Marshal of the Soviet Union Semen Konstantinovich Timoshenko. His life path was characteristic of the time when the old Russian elite was exterminated or fled and people from underprivileged classes were able to enter the highest management class of the young Soviet state. At twenty-four, the peasant's son, Semyon Timoshenko, became commander of a cavalry division and became one of the best cavalry commanders of the Red Army in the Civil War. After its termination, Semyon Konstantinovich occupies high posts in the army, commands fronts during the liberation campaign in Western Ukraine and in the war with Finland.
On the threshold of the Great Patriotic War, Tymoshenko heads the People's Commissariat of Defense of the USSR. During the war years he served as Deputy Commissar of Defense of the USSR (until September 1941), commander of strategic directions and fronts. He was a spokesman for the Supreme High Command. After the war he commanded the troops of Baranavichy (from March 1946 - Belarusian), South Ural, and again Belarusian military districts. From 1960, he worked in the Group of General Inspectors of the USSR Ministry of Defense. From 1962, he headed the Soldiers' Committee of war veterans and did a lot to improve the living conditions of participants and war invalids, families of fallen soldiers.
Semyon Tymoshenko participated in many battles and battles, was wounded more than once, spent fifty-five years in the army. Even in early youth, he was awarded three crosses of soldier's valor. For success at the front and courage shown in the battles, for contributing to the strengthening of the Soviet Armed Forces, Semyon Konstantinovich was twice awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union, he was repeatedly awarded orders and medals, including foreign ones.
The identity of Semyon Konstantinovich is ambiguous in his assessments. There were bright pages in the long military fate, victories, and mistakes, failures, caused both by personal mistakes and objective factors. However, it is obvious that this military leader was a true patriot of his homeland, shed blood for it. People close to Tymoshenko noted his strong will, determination, the highest efficiency and organization, personal courage and honesty.
No wonder Comrade Stalin 25 June 1945 of the year in the Grand Kremlin Palace during a reception in honor of the participants of the Victory Parade, the foremost national economy, prominent figures of the Soviet Union, among others, proclaimed a toast to the oldest generals of the Red Army Marshals Voroshilov, Budyonny and Timoshenko. They, according to the Supreme Commander, "led the Soviet troops in victorious battles in the years of the civil war, successfully led the troops in the years of the Great Patriotic War."
early years
Semyon Timoshenko was born in the village of Furmanka, Akkermansky district, Bessarabian province (modern Odessa region) in a poor peasant family. He was the youngest, seventeenth child. It must be said that since childhood, Semyon Konstantinovich loved the land very much, in all the questionnaires of the following years he called himself a grain grower. Communication with the people of Tymoshenko saved all his life, drawing his vitality.
Simon graduated from the village school. To study further there was no money, he worked as a farm laborer. At the end of 1914, the Seeds were drafted into the army. In 1915, he graduated from the training team and exemplary Oranienbaum machine-gun school. Tymoshenko served as a machine gunner in a hussar regiment as part of the 4 Cavalry Division on the South-Western and Western fronts. Three times he was wounded, but easily, did not fail. For bravery was awarded the St. George crosses of three degrees and the medal "For Bravery".
Civil war
In the Red Army with 1918 year. In the years of the Civil War, he went from the commander of a cavalry platoon to the commander of a cavalry division. Excellent physical data made from Seeds exemplary cavalryman. It was a man of heroic addition. Interestingly, he retained an attachment to physical culture until the last days of his life. The future marshal believed that the commander should be well developed physically. This is necessary for the service, which requires complete dedication, hardening, adaptation of the organism to the most severe conditions. Great physical exertion requires a combat situation. Health and fit appearance is an important indicator that characterizes a good commander. He is an example for his subordinates. Already in old years at the dacha near Moscow, Tymoshenko built a whole sports town, where there were sports equipment and a small obstacle course. On it, he almost daily engaged himself and drove his children and grandchildren.
In August, 1918 at the head of 1 of the Crimean revolutionary cavalry regiment of Tymoshenko participated in the defense of Tsaritsyn, since November 1918 commanded the 2 of a separate cavalry brigade. In November 1919 Tymoshenko led the 6 Cavalry Division as part of the 1 Cavalry Army. The young divisional commander was 24 of the year. The young commander successfully fought with the whites. As colleagues noted, the division commander personally led the regiments into attacks and counterattacks, broke into the enemy positions. In December, 1919, in the course of the Kharkov operation, the 6 Division of Tymoshenko participated in the defeat of the Mamontov cavalry corps and General Ulagay's equestrian group. In the course of the Donbas operation, Tymoshenko contributed to the defeat of the Ulagaya group, liberated the Donbass.
Successfully, Tymoshenko’s division fought and the subsequent operations of the 1 Cavalry Army. In the course of the Rostov-Novocherkassk operation 8 in January 1920, Tymoshenko’s troops marched through the rear of the retreating whites, suddenly broke into Rostov-on-Don, taking the enemy by surprise. The center of Rostov was brightly lit, there were many different military departments and rear units of the White Army in the city. The White Guards nonchalantly celebrated the second day of the Nativity of Christ. Tymoshenko personally entered the central city hotel, where white officers celebrated the holiday and said: “Dinner is to finish and hand over weapon! Rostov taken red. I am the commander of the 6 Cavalry Division - I declare you prisoners. ” About 250 people laid down their arms. By 10 January, reflecting the enemy's counterattacks, Rostov-on-Don was finally released. A large number of prisoners were captured in the city - 11 thousand people and trophies - 33 guns, 170 machine guns, a large number of warehouses with various property, etc.
In the course of the North Caucasus operation, the 6-division fought its way through Salsk to Maikop. Tymoshenko's cavalrymen especially distinguished themselves in the largest cavalry battle of Egorlyk during the entire Civil War. The 6 Cavalry Division of S. K. Timoshenko defeated the White Guard 4 Don Corps. In this battle, the main strike force of the White Army — the Cossack cavalry — was defeated. As a result, the North Caucasus was cleared of white troops. Whites surrendered or fled to the Crimea.
After this operation, the 1 th Cavalry Army was immediately transferred to the Kiev region, where the Polish army was advancing with the support of Ukrainian nationalists. The army marched more than a thousand miles away. 26 May 1920, the Kiev operation began. In this operation, after the failure of the first attack, Tymoshenko used the tactics of combined combat in horse and on foot with effective support of artillery to break through the powerful defenses of the enemy in the Zhivotova region, where cavalry raids were useless and led to great losses. Actively used the maneuver fire machine-gun carts and horse artillery. As a result, the division of Tymoshenko pressed the enemy, forcing him to transfer reserves to this direction. This led to the overall success of the First Cavalry. Division Tymoshenko took part in the so-called. Zhytomyr breakthrough, when Soviet troops broke through the front of the enemy in the area Samgorodok, Snezhen, and 7 June took Zhytomyr and Berdichev. The breakthrough of the red cavalry forced the Polish command to leave Kiev.
Then Tymoshenko’s division stormed Novograd-Volynsky. During the Rivne operation, Tymoshenko's cavalrymen took part in the liberation of Rivne. Then the 6-division fought on the Lviv direction. The fighting was stubborn, the cavalry increasingly acted like infantry, breaking through the strong defenses of the enemy. The Poles went on the counteroffensive, they had to defend themselves. 14 August connection of the First Cavalry, straining the last forces, took Brody. 6-Division I forced the Western Bug and went to Lviv. Red cavalry led heavy battles on the outskirts of the city and prepared for the assault on Lvov. These plans have not been implemented. Because of the failure of the offensive on Warsaw, the army of Budyonny was thrown into the Lublin sector.
However, the First Cavalry Army could no longer help the Western Front. First, this decision was already late, the failure of the attack on Warsaw was obvious. Secondly, the division of Budyonny were exhausted, exsanguinated by previous battles. Konarmeytsy themselves were encircled in the area of Zamost районеa and were forced to fight their way back with heavy fighting. In the course of this operation, Budyonny threw Tymoshenko into the 4 Division, having set the task of cutting through the corridor in the enemy defense. The 4 Cavalry Division of Tymoshenko broke through the encirclement, the 1 Cavalry Army was saved.
Semyon Konstantinovich struck with all three brigades in the cavalry and defeated the legionnaires of General Haller (Haller) in a head-on battle. These were selected Polish units, which were formed in France during the First World War, and consisted of volunteers recruited from Polish prisoners in Germany, Austria-Hungary, who came from the United States and Polish communities from around the world. The attack of Tymoshenko's cavalrymen was so swift that Polish legionaries, distinguished by their stamina, high skill and good armament, fled in panic. Legionnaires fled whole battalions, throwing weapons. As Budyonny noted: “In these battles, the 4 Cavalry Division showed its high combat capability, and S. K. Tymoshenko confirmed the reputation of an intelligent military leader.”
After that, the First Cavalry Army was taken to the reserve, replenished and thrown to the southern front, to fight with the army of Wrangel. At the end of October, 1920, the 4 Division, defeated a reserve regiment of the Kornilov Infantry Division in Novo-Mikhaylovka, taking about 1 thousand soldiers into captivity. In the area of Novo-Alekseyevka, the regiment of the Markov Infantry Division was defeated, as well as the headquarters of the 1 Army, captured by the Kutepov convoy. Were captured by rich trophies, including five locomotives and more 200 cars, including with ammunition. “The cavalry operation of the Reds was brilliant,” the former commander of the 2 Army Corps, White General Ya. A. Slashhov, noted on this occasion.
Whites retreated to the Crimea. The First Cavalry Army and, above all, the division of Tymoshenko led heavy battles with the enemy rearguards. For several days violent battles were raging. The division was exhausted: “Having started, he rode on horseback from regiment to regiment, appearing where it was most difficult. Not one step back! - thundered his loud voice. And the Red Army soldiers fought, gritting their teeth, stood to the death, while the arms held the arms. Semyon Konstantinovich was wounded in the leg while she was tied up on a cart, the enemy machine-gunned the horses, the divisional commander received another wound, but continued to lead the battle. November 3 Tymoshenko's division took Genichevsk. But it wasn’t possible to build on success, whites took up defensive positions on previously prepared positions on the Perekop isthmus.
November 7 strike group of the Southern Front went on the offensive. After breaking through the enemy defenses 1, the Cavalry Army proceeded to pursue the White forces. November 15 The 4 Cavalry Division of Tymoshenko, together with other front units, entered Sevastopol.
The civil war was over. For three years, Semen Tymoshenko led the fighters into the attack. He did not bow to the bullets, was wounded seven times, but remained in the ranks. “He proved himself a brave and capable organizer,” said S. M. Budyonny about Timoshenko. - possessed great willpower. He was boundlessly devoted to the revolution ... I wanted to see all my fighters and commanders equally strong and courageous. ” I. V. Tyulenev, who served in the 1 Cavalry Army and was the head of the army’s intelligence department, which went through almost the entire civil war with Semyon Konstantinovich, noted: “It was ... a spiritual commander. He knew how to cheer up the fighters, showing a touching concern for them. Tymoshenko, possessing amazing stamina, could be in the saddle for a long time without sleep and rest, and then sit on the map for hours. ” Fighters and commanders loved Tymoshenko, he was a real divisional commander. The civil war turned Seeds Timoshenko into a serious commander. In the battles with the White and the Poles, he showed personal courage, high organizational skills, creativity and initiative, skillfully supervised subordinates.
Between warsIn December, Tymoshenko, being the delegate of the Eighth All-Russian Congress of Workers ', Peasants', Red Army and Cossack Deputies from the First Cavalry Army, visited Moscow for the first time in December. What he heard at the congress and meeting with Lenin was finally approved by Semen Konstantinovich on the chosen path. He decided to devote his entire life to service in the Red Army.
In the fall of 1921, Tymoshenko was sent to the Higher Courses of the Red Army Military Academy and again arrived in Moscow. It must be said that for many years Semyon Konstantinovich tirelessly engaged in self-education, he increased his knowledge in various fields of science, military art and state-building. He was distinguished by curiosity, deep erudition, high intelligence and excellent memory. Tymoshenko stood out amazing performance. Tyulenev noted the remarkable endurance of Tymoshenko. "Marshal Tymoshenko worked on 18 - 19 hours a day, often staying in the office until the morning," wrote George Zhukov about him, describing the style of work in the Defense Commissariat in the last pre-war months. Tymoshenko himself wrote: "Without work, there is no life, without labor, life is not interesting and useless."
After studying, Simon Konstantinovich was appointed deputy commander of the formed 3 Cavalry Corps in the Western (Belarusian) Military District. There was a lot of work. Among the important issues was the elimination of illiteracy among conscripts (more than a quarter of the conscripts were illiterate). I had to teach the soldiers, the commanders had to deal with them according to the school program for at least 4 hours every day. Moreover, many commanders themselves were not very literate. Tymoshenko had to take on the task of improving the literacy of personnel.
From March 1, 1925, Semen Konstantinovich took command of the 3rd Cavalry Corps. In May, he was sent to advanced training courses for the higher command of the Frunze Military Academy. The graduation document noted that Tymoshenko is a “promising commander” who is working hard to improve his knowledge, is conscientiously studying and well versed in army operations. After graduation, Semyon Tymoshenko again headed the 3rd Cavalry Corps. It is about that time that Konstantin Rokossovsky, who was then the commander of the 7th Samara Cavalry Division, will write in the book “Soldier's Duty”: “The commander of Tymoshenko was respected by all of us horsemen, moreover, by love.” M.N. Tukhachevsky called Tymoshenko "one of the best cavalry commanders." Therefore, it is not surprising that in the fall of 1929, Tymoshenko was put at the head of an army group - an experimental unit that included two cavalry corps, tank brigade and aviation squad. This group will become the forerunner of army and front mobile equestrian mechanized groups during the Great Patriotic War.
At the end of 1929, Tymoshenko was sent to the courses of commanders-commanders at the Military-Political Academy named after N. G. Tolmachyov in Leningrad. As Semyon Timoshenko recalled, they taught the academy thoroughly, relied on military-technical, field training, taught complex forms of modern combat. Conducted war games on maps and on the ground. The academy developed initiative, autonomy and perseverance. Semyon Konstantinovich carefully studied the works of Frunze, Egorov, Tukhachevsky, Shaposhnikov and Triandafillov. Tymoshenko successfully passed the exams and became an assistant to the commander of the troops of the Belarusian region for cavalry.
Tymoshenko successfully conducted a number of exercises, including with the participation of a new formation for the Red Army - the mechanized brigade. Semen Konstantinovich did a lot of work on the preparation of the district spring maneuvers 1935 of the year, to which delegations from foreign countries were invited. From September 1933, Mr. Tymoshenko became deputy commander of the Kiev military district. Since July, 1937 has commanded the forces of the North Caucasus, and since September - the Kharkov military districts. The work was intense, and the incomplete commanding staff in the district troops reached 30%.
In February 1938, Semyon Konstantinovich became the commander of the Kiev military district. It was an important appointment. Kiev district was one of the most important and was crucial in the defense of the country. The Kiev military district occupied the leading position in the Red Army by the number and technical equipment of the troops, having in its composition 10 corps and other formations and units. 7 fortified areas were located along the border. Massively received new equipment.
In July, the 1938 of the QUO was renamed the Kiev Special Military District. Four army groups began to form in its structure, which would then be deployed in 5, 6, and 12. At the same time, as in other districts, the problem was in the frames. Experienced and skilled personnel were sorely lacking. So in the Kiev district all the corps commanders changed, out of twenty-five former division commanders one remained, five out of nine brigade commanders, eighty-seven regimental commanders out of one hundred and thirty-five were reappointed, four chiefs of fortified areas were repressed. Repression significantly thinned the ranks of political workers. Therefore, Tymoshenko had to do a great job with the remaining and new commanders.
1 September 1939, the Second World War began. Germany attacked Poland. Events developed rapidly. The Polish state was falling apart before our eyes. The Kremlin decided to return the West Russian lands seized by Poland during the Soviet-Polish war of 1919-1921. September 9 Tymoshenko led the Ukrainian front, who took part in the liberation campaign. The situation was difficult. On the one hand, the front command was instructed to "crush the pan-bourgeois Polish troops" with a lightning, crushing blow, on the other hand, they ordered to avoid the use of weapons and bombardments of cities and villages. In addition, there was the threat of conflict with the Germans. So in the area of Lviv, where the Polish garrison defended itself, the advanced units of the Soviet troops clashed with the Germans and, not knowing whose parts they were, opened fire. Several people were killed and several weapons were lost on both sides.
In general, the Soviet troops coped with the task. The Germans took the troops from Lvov. The Polish command handed over to the Red Army Lviv with the 15 -thousand-garrison. The hike was completed successfully. The Red Army occupied the territory of Western Ukraine and Western Belorussia, reuniting the Old Russian lands with the rest of Russia. More than 12 million people became citizens of the USSR. Moscow pushed back the western frontiers, strengthening the defense in the western strategic direction.
Tymoshenko worked hard again. The attention of the commander of the military district was aimed at solving a whole range of tasks: redeploying units, developing a new cover plan, creating a basement, building fortifications, eliminating Ukrainian nationalist gangs, etc.
30 November 1939, the Soviet-Finnish war began. Tymoshenko closely followed the events, studied the experience of the first battles. 7 January 1940, after giving the order to move to the defense, the North-Western Front was formed. He was headed by Simon Konstantinovich. Troops under the command of Tymoshenko successfully carried out the breakthrough of the Mannerheim Line. Finland was on the verge of defeat and asked for peace. Tymoshenko presented a report where he correctly stated the reasons for the failure of the first stage of the war and the high losses: 1) a clear underestimation of the enemy; 2) a simplified assessment of the situation that led to miscalculations in the planning of hostilities; 3) poor preparation of the offensive, as poor training of troops, and problems of logistics.
8 May 1940 of the Year Tymoshenko was awarded the title of Marshal of the Soviet Union. At the same time he was appointed People’s Commissar of Defense.
To be continued ...
Information