home Food and drink Boris Mikhailovich Shaposhnikov during the years of the revolution. Service in Tashkent

Boris Mikhailovich Shaposhnikov during the years of the revolution. Service in Tashkent

Marshal Soviet Union, outstanding Soviet military and statesman, military theorist.

« Great Russian strategist. Foreign writers called it the "brain of the army." The Russian people owe him many victories". (N.K. Roerich).

Shaposhnikov is known as a military leader who made a significant contribution to the theory and practice of building the Armed Forces of the USSR, to their strengthening and improvement, and the training of military personnel. He worked hard on the development of military science, the provisions of military doctrine. In our military history, Shaposhnikov also occupies a worthy place as an outstanding military leader, who was versed in the most complex operational and strategic issues of the struggle on the Soviet-German front.

Boris Mikhailovich was born in the city of Zlatoust in the Urals in the family of an employee.

“I was born ... almost in the“ wettest ”place in the climate, not only in the Urals, but throughout our country.
As you know, the struggle for existence does not have ordinary people to think too much about the antiquity of the clan. I did not know my grandfather on the part of my father, and my father stinted at memories. “This is how his memoirs begin, revealing the difficult path of the Soviet marshal.”

Shaposhnikov graduated from Perm Real College. He consciously chose a military career. He received his first military education at the Moscow Alekseevsky Military School, which he graduated in 1903. He was sent to the First Turkestan Infantry Battalion. In 1907 he was admitted to the Academy General Staff, which he graduated with honors in three years, receiving the rank of captain's staff.

Shaposhnikov met World War I as an adjutant to the headquarters of the 14th Cavalry Division in the Warsaw Military District. He established himself at the front as a capable officer. In 1917 - Colonel, regiment commander. B. M. Shaposhnikov reacted to the victory of the October Revolution as a natural event and immediately declared his recognition of the new government. As the commander of the 16th Grenadier Mingrel Regiment, he went in line with the demands of the soldiers' committees for the removal of several counter-revolutionary officers and non-commissioned officers, skillfully thwarted the attempts of the anarchists to destroy the regiment and thereby saved it as a combat unit. Therefore, when in December 1917 the question arose of electing the head of the Caucasian 13th Grenadier Division, the congress of delegates from the military revolutionary committees of the units elected B. M. Shaposhnikov as its head.

Since 1918, Shaposhnikov has been in the ranks of the Red Army and takes part in the Civil War, being an assistant to the chief of the operational management of the headquarters of the Supreme Military Council, and then head of the intelligence department of the Field Headquarters of the RVSR. During 1919, he consistently held various command posts and rose to the rank of chief of the operational department of the Field Headquarters of the RVSR. Shaposhnikov was one of the developers of the counter-offensive plan against the troops of General A.I. Denikin in the fall of 1919, the Red Army campaign in 1920 in the war with Poland and the fighting in the Crimea against the troops of Baron P.N. Wrangel. Largely thanks to his initiatives, the operations of the Red Army during the Civil War were carried out with a wide maneuver of troops, large scale, decisive goals. The main provisions for planning front-line and army operations were also determined: the concentration of forces and means in decisive directions, the creation of shock groups, the flexible use of reserves, the organization of operational interaction between armies, etc. Important difference The Red Army was the use of mobile units and associations in cavalry offensive operations - cavalry corps and mounted armies, which allowed to significantly increase the depth of strikes, increase the pace of attack, and develop tactical success in operational.

In the years 1921-1925. Shaposhnikov - first assistant chief of staff of the Red Army. In the years 1924-1925. under the leadership of M.V. Frunze took part in the military reform, was awarded the Order of the Red Banner. In the years 1925-1928. commanded the troops of the Leningrad and Moscow military districts. In the years 1928-1931. - Chief of Staff of the Red Army. In 1930 he joined the CPSU (b). In the years 1931-1937. - Commander of the Volga Military District, head of the Frunze Military Academy, commander of the Leningrad Military District. Since May 1937, the chief of the General Staff of the Red Army. In May 1940, Shaposhnikov was awarded the military rank of Marshal of the Soviet Union.

“Staff work should help the commander organize the battle; the headquarters is the first body with which the commander enforces his decisions ...
IN modern conditions without a well-knit headquarters, one cannot think about good governance troops. " Shaposhnikov said more than once.

Shaposhnikov is one of the few who managed not only to avoid Stalinist repressions, but also - since the late 30s - to become Stalin's trusted assistant on military issues and enjoy great respect from the leader. All this speaks of a bright and outstanding person who has developed in the difficult conditions of turbulent times.

Constantly, purposefully and very successfully, Shaposhnikov worked on the development of military theory. In 1923 he published the book "Cavalry", which summarized the experience of the combat use of this type of troops in the First World and Civil Wars. In 1924, his military historical research was published on the Soviet-Polish campaign of 1920 on the Vistula. Participated in the commission on the development of charters. In the years 1927-1929. published the fundamental work “The Brain of the Army” in three books, which was translated into foreign languages. The study is based on a generalization of the experience of the First World War. It considers the structure and basic functions of the General Staff, its place and tasks in the system of the Armed Forces both in peacetime and, mainly, in war conditions. The issue of character was investigated from the standpoint of military science. modern warfare. The Great Patriotic War of 1941–1945 confirmed the correctness of the basic ideas, provisions and conclusions formulated in the work “The Brain of the Army”.

Gradually and far from immediately, the General Staff - the most important governing body - acquired its inherent role, becoming the working (and, in fact, intellectual) headquarters body.

Under the leadership of Boris Mikhailovich, a regulation was developed that regulated the work of front-line and General Staff departments, which largely ensured the reliable fulfillment of the Headquarters tasks. Shaposhnikov paid paramount attention to improving the strategic leadership of the troops, establishing uninterrupted control at all levels of the Red Army.

Of course, not everything in the fate of the Marshal was so cloudless. For example, the campaign plan with Finland prepared by the General Staff and involving the use of not only the troops of the Leningrad Military District, but also additional reserves in the upcoming war, was sharply criticized by Stalin as overestimating the capabilities of the Finnish army. The war with the Finns, which soon began, showed that the General Staff was right. Since August 1940, Shaposhnikov became deputy commissar of defense of the USSR, transferring the post of chief of the General Staff to Army General K. A. Meretskov. At a new post, Shaposhnikov oversaw the construction of fortified areas in 1940–1941.

With the outbreak of war, at the direction of Stalin, a group of senior officials was sent from the central apparatus of the General Staff to help the front commanders, including the chief of the General Staff of Army General Zhukov, as well as Marshal Shaposhnikov. On the second day of the war, June 23, 1941, Shaposhnikov was included in the institute of permanent advisers organized at the Headquarters of the High Command. Since July 1941, Shaposhnikov - chief of staff Western direction, and on July 30, 1941 he was reappointed to the post of chief of the General Staff of the Red Army, becoming a member of the General Headquarters. Boris Mikhailovich Shaposhnikov headed the General Staff of the Red Army during the most difficult period of World War II, from July 29, 1941 to May 11, 1942. The General Staff under his leadership becomes the center for operational strategic planning, a true organizer of military operations of the army and navy. The most important issues of strategic planning are now tentatively discussed at Headquarters in a narrow circle of people - Stalin, Shaposhnikov, Zhukov, Vasilevsky, Admiral Kuznetsov.

“The main burden of the leadership of the General Staff lay on the shoulders of Boris Mikhailovich Shaposhnikov. Despite a serious illness, he managed to carry out all the necessary work in the General Staff and, moreover, played a significant role in the Headquarters. The heart was beating every time we saw our boss: he was unusually stooped, coughed, but never complained. And his ability to maintain endurance, courtesy was simply amazing. ” recalled Army General S. M. Shtemenko.

Shaposhnikov participated in the development of proposals by the General Staff for the implementation of the Smolensk defensive battle (July 10, September 10, 1941), a counter-offensive near Moscow (December 1941 January 1942), the general offensive of the Red Army (January - April 1942). He also proposed a strategic defense plan for the Soviet troops for the spring and summer of 1942, which, unfortunately, was amended for a number of offensive operations that ended unsuccessfully. Under the direct leadership of Shaposhnikov, in the summer and fall of 1941, the reserves were quickly pulled up from the depths of the country, and the combat strength of the army was refined after brutal enemy strikes.

Marshal A.M. Vasilevsky subsequently stated: “ Shaposhnikov’s personal authority, of course, had a beneficial effect on the process of turning the General Staff into a reliable working body of the Headquarters of the Supreme High Command. As events unfolded, Stalin began to adhere to the rule more and more - to make any responsible decision on a military issue only after a preliminary report by the Chief of the General Staff". Suffice it to say that Shaposhnikov was the only person from Stalin’s entourage, whom he always addressed by his middle name.

Indeed, B. M. Shaposhnikov was highly respected by I. Stalin. A. M. Vasilevsky noticed that only he alone was allowed by the Supreme to smoke in his office, and in conversation with him he never raised his voice. " But this is a purely external aspect of their relationship. The main thing is that Shaposhnikov’s proposals, always deeply thought out and deeply reasoned, as a rule, did not meet with any special objections ”.

In May 1942, Shaposhnikov, who was sick with tuberculosis, asked for his release for health reasons from the post of chief of the General Staff. The request was granted. But later, Stalin often called the marshal, invited him to Headquarters and to meetings of the GKO, using his vast knowledge and experience. From May 1942 to June 1943, Shaposhnikov Deputy Commissar of Defense of the USSR. In June 1943 - March 1945 he was the head of the Military Academy of the General Staff. The arrival at the academy of such a major military specialist and scientist, who had great pedagogical and methodological skills, a talented organizer, and a person of great personal charm immediately affected all aspects of her activities. His leadership, which combined qualified instructions, effective control, attention and trust in subordinates, improved the work of the departments, departments and services of the academy, and raised the quality of the educational process to a new level.

At all posts, Shaposhnikov was distinguished by impeccable courtesy, the correctness of relations with subordinates. His favorite word, with which he often began addressing both his subordinates and his peers and peers: " Darling ... ". Boris Mikhailovich treated with true fatherly warmth to his young employees. If what turned out wrong with them, he did not scold, did not even raise his voice, but only asked with reproach: “What is it you, darling?". Understanding the importance of the “personality factor”, Shaposhnikov remained even in the most difficult situation a man of great charm, laconic, restrained and, if possible, far from the political scene.

Admiral N.G. Kuznetsov recalled Boris Mikhailovich Shaposhnikov, that he had an amazing ability to remember details, the interlocutor had the impression that he knew the work of the classic of military art, Karl von Clausewitz, “About War” - by heart. Possessing a literally phenomenal memory, Boris Mikhailovich could, without using the recording, analyze large and complex exercises or, without a map, hear a report on the combat situation.

His great industriousness and ability to work with people had a huge impact on the formation of personalities of employees of the General Staff. Boris Mikhailovich was pleased that the officers nominated by him for a higher position almost always justified his confidence.

Marshal of the Soviet Union Shaposhnikov was awarded three orders of Lenin, two orders of the Red Banner, the Order of Suvorov 1st degree, two orders of the Red Star, and medals.

Severe military conditions and almost round-the-clock work undermined Shaposhnikov’s health and on March 26, 1945, before 45 days of Victory, he died, giving himself up to the Motherland.

Marshal G.K. Zhukov subsequently quite reasonably argued that Shaposhnikov “ was one of the deepest military scientists of our state, combining knowledge of the theory of military science with extensive practical experience in operational strategic issues ”.

Ostrovsky N.M., Surzhik D.V.

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Updated: January 8, 2017 Posted by: admin

The son of a tradesman 1 from a family that was barely making ends meet, Boris Shaposhnikov had the only chance to get a free education and took advantage of it. He enrolled in military school 2, he promoted through the service without patronage, with his own hard work. But initially it was clear: they would not be allowed into the guard by origin 3. He served after graduation in distant Turkestan.

"Black bone" was called in the Russian army of immigrants from the unprivileged classes. Their relationship with the "white bone", representatives of the clan aristocracy, was far from cloudless. Perhaps this played a role in the “red” choice of Boris Shaposhnikov ...

Black Bone

Many years later, in his memoirs, the Marshal will speak with irritation about the aristocrats, about patronage in the old army, claiming that he did not even greet his classmate at the academy, the future "black baron" Peter Wrangel 4 ...

Shaposhnikov hardly dissembled. But his not-so-troubled career was influenced by the "staff" specialization. The future marshal was undoubtedly a book man. “I devoted two hours daily in the evenings to reading new books on tactics,” 5 he recalled his service in Tashkent, where officers drank heavily or took heart for a card game. It is not surprising that already in the First World War he was promised a great future. Intelligence, abilities, even some external resemblance to the legendary general Mikhail Dmitrievich Skobelev, since at that time Shaposhnikov wore a mustache 6 ...

Nevertheless, the young officer who showed courage at the front, shell-shocked in battle, did not receive St. George's awards. Subsequently, with an undisguised sense of resentment, Shaposhnikov recalled that the authorities did not seek to reward or raise staff 7. Shaposhnikov himself by October 1917 was still a colonel, and the aristocrat Wrangel had already received the rank of general.

Shaposhnikov left no evidence of his initial perception of the revolution. We can only assume that the zealous serviceman was hardly happy with the collapse of the army. But it’s quite obvious that he was popular with soldiers. He escaped the prevailing soldier’s mob in those days, in December 1917 he was elected by the congress of delegates of the soldier’s committees as the head of the Caucasian Grenadier Division. In other words, he was not the victim of a revolution. And yet, apparently, hesitated ...

Letter to the former general

When the old army was demobilized by the Bolsheviks, officers had to look for new duty stations. Shaposhnikov in April 1918 got a job as a secretary of the people's court in Kazan ...

Yes, it was necessary to take care of the family in connection with the upcoming replenishment (son Igor, later lieutenant general Soviet army, was born to the Shaposhnikovs in December 1918). But the 35-year-old officer, who gave the army 17 years, very quickly realized what it was like to spend the rest of his life in paper fuss. Not having worked in court for a month, Shaposhnikov writes a letter former general N.V. Pnevsky, who had recently headed the headquarters of the Volga Military District: "I am keenly interested in the creation of a new army and, as a specialist, I would like to bring all possible assistance in this serious matter ..." 8.

In this letter you will not find a word about politics, the Bolsheviks, the Brest Peace. Only a service familiar from youth. Plus, please take into account the pre-revolutionary experience. And the wish is to serve near the house.

Have Shaposhnikov ever wondered who he is going to serve? How will his former comrades react to his choice? Surely. Did he know that fights are already going on in the Don, Kuban, and Southern Urals, which will soon grow into a fierce Civil War? Did he, a member of a deeply religious family, hear about the hostile attitude of the new government towards the church?

Could not know. And, of course, his decision caused a sharp response from many of his comrades-in-arms yesterday.

Reclamation of Tukhachevsky

A statement is attributed to Marshal M.N. To Tukhachevsky: “Let’s take the respected Boris Mikhailovich Shaposhnikov with his“ bright head and crystal soul. ”How did he manage, as a colonel of the General Staff and go to the Reds, to keep the innocence? You don’t know? But I don’t respect So this “crystal soul", meeting, after her transition to the Bolsheviks, with her old colleagues and some generals from someone else's camp, made them understand that she "didn’t sympathize with the" red bastard "at all, but was preparing internal coup. And they confidentially informed others and said: "Go to Shaposhnikov - this is one of the most respectable officers." Then he got out of this position with a fox - “you see, the power is now so strong that we can’t do anything, we have to contrary to our convictions to serve it.” But he had no "convictions" and never does. He can serve anyone, if only he had a position and the same favorite work. He is an excellent worker, he has knowledge and military talent. But he is not suitable as commander in chief - he is cabinet Napoleon "9.

These words are cited by a close acquaintance of Tukhachevsky, who wrote under the pseudonym Lydia Nord. Of course, Tukhachevsky hardly sympathized with Shaposhnikov, they disagreed on many issues. It is possible that harsh evidence is nothing more than the fruit of hostility in the interpretation of a not-so-visionary memoirist. Nevertheless, it is necessary to mention him, if only because it characterizes the future Marshal Tukhachevsky much more than Shaposhnikov, who never aspired to "Napoleon".

Could always cautious Shaposhnikov lead a double game? This has happened. Dry numbers indicate that in the Civil War, a third of the General Staff officers defected from the Red Army, and several dozen secretly worked for the White 10. However, most of the "former" served honestly, it was with their help that the Bolsheviks were able to build a regular Red Army. Among them is Shaposhnikov, who plunged into his favorite business with his head. A co-worker recalled that during the Civil War Boris Mikhailovich worked 17 hours or more a day, leaving home sometimes at 4 o’clock in the morning, "and after 4-5 hours, after" breakfast "from a piece of bread with a drink, he was back in the office " eleven .

There is clearly no time for espionage.

Self-censorship of the "Brain of the Army"

Everything has a price. Including the choice made by Shaposhnikov in the spring of 1918. I had to pay the bills for the rest of my life.

IN soviet time Shaposhnikov was under close surveillance of the organs of the OGPU-NKVD. Secrecy, isolation and caution became his constant companions in the 20-30s. The Soviet period brought him the highest authority in the army and the well-deserved fame of an outstanding military scientist. But even in scientific works had to resort to self-censorship. So, written by Shaposhnikov in 1927-1929. the three-volume Army Brain is devoted to a detailed study of the work of the Austro-Hungarian General Staff, which was much safer than studying the Russian or German General Staff (at that time the Red Army actively collaborated with the Reichswehr).

In 1930, Shaposhnikov was accepted into the party, and the next year disgrace followed. The author of the "Brain of the Army" was sent to Samara to the post of commander of the troops of the Volga Military District. And in March 1931, the investigators obtained confessions of the arrested in the so-called case "Spring" S.G. Sakvarelidze-Bezhanova, who said during interrogation (no matter how absurd such a conversation was perceived today): “I asked Shaposhnikov if he had heard anything about me from Pugachev 12 as a participant in an [ontr] r [evolutionary] organization Shaposhnikov replied that he knew this and that I probably knew through Pugachev and his participation in the organization. "13 On March 13, 1931, a confrontation was held between Shaposhnikov, Pugachev and Bezhanov, which was attended by I.V. Stalin, V.M. Molotov, K.E. Voroshilov and G.K. Ordzhonikidze 14. Bezhanov was exposed in slander, and after two and a half months he was shot.

Nevertheless, in April 1932, Boris Mikhailovich was returned to Moscow, where he headed the Military Academy named after M.V. Frunze. The first wave of repression in the army bypassed him. But the second was approaching.

Protocol Signature

It was not easy for a decent person, in addition to a deeply religious one, to accept the rules of the game established in the 1930s by the Soviet leadership. We can only imagine what kind of moral tests Shaposhnikov had to go through, whose pre-revolutionary biography was itself a compromising factor. Shaposhnikov perfectly represented possible risks, tried to be careful, to support Stalin and People's Commissar K.E. in everything. Voroshilov. But, of course, he could not stay away from the party’s general line, which had discovered a "fascist military conspiracy."

When in 1937, at the initiative of Stalin, the Special Judicial Presence of the Supreme Court of the USSR was formed in the case of the Tukhachevsky group, the newly-appointed chief of the General Staff of the Red Army, commander of the 1st rank B.M. Shaposhnikov. It was he, with the reputation of a highly educated and decent person, who should have symbolized the impartiality of the court. At the trial on June 11, 1937, Shaposhnikov experienced obvious remorse from the unfolding performance. He spoke of his own omissions and political myopia; despite provocative cries from the field, he behaved with dignity; for the whole day he did not ask the defendants a single question 15.

But the regime was breaking people not only in the dock. On the eve of the trial, on June 10, by investigator A.A. Avseevich on the instructions of the People's Commissar of Internal Affairs N.I. Ezhov’s confession was prepared by one of the accused, former commander V.M. Primakov, on the belonging of Shaposhnikov and others to the military conspiracy 16. The document was held by the chairman of the Military Collegium of the Supreme Court of the USSR V.V. Ulrich, who presided over the process. If one of the judges tried to disrupt the performance, he would immediately be on the same bench with the defendants.

The price of refusing to become an accomplice in the crime was life, and Shaposhnikov, among others, signed the death sentence to his recent comrades. Of the signatories, only he and S.M. Budyonny survived the "Great Terror." There is still no definite answer why exactly Stalin decided to save Shaposhnikov.

Shaposhnikov School

One after another, former Shaposhnikov’s colleagues, friends and enemies, hard-headed Bolsheviks and non-partisans, former White Guards and those who did not think about serving the enemies of the Soviet regime forever disappeared. Under the death sentence, several of them were signed by Shaposhnikov. There is nothing surprising in the deep internal breakdown of the future marshal. The Latvian envoy to the USSR reported to Riga in August 1937: “The behavior of the army chief of staff Shaposhnikov is very characteristic. Following the order, he is on a mission, but can stand in some dark corner for hours and not get involved in any conversation "17.

Boris Mikhailovich carried this hidden pain with him. And he went down in history as one of the creators of the Victory. Shaposhnikov served as chief of the General Staff, deputy people's commissar of defense, was a member of the General Headquarters, developed a plan for a general offensive of the Red Army in the winter of 1941/1942. 18 Already during the war they began to talk about the "Shaposhnikov school", based on a high culture of staff service. Among the representatives of this school, outstanding, world-famous military leaders ...

Boris Mikhailovich Shaposhnikov passed away 44 days before the Victory, which he brought closer as he could. Moscow said goodbye to him with 24 artillery salvos of 124 guns. The ashes of the marshal rest in the Kremlin wall.

The former tsarist officer had another weak spot: he did not part with the old family incense and the family cross of the work of Faberge. Shaposhnikov’s foes were not averse to playing the religious card. He was supported, according to family tradition, by Stalin, who once asked after the report: “Well, Boris Mikhailovich, will we pray for the Motherland?”

1. RGVIA. F. 409. Op. P / s. P / a 326-260. L. 275.
2. Shaposhnikov B.M. Memories. Military scientific works. M., 1982.P. 49, 53.
3. There. S. 76, 81-82.
4. Ibid. S. 69, 134, 156, 159, 195.
5. In the same place. S. 169.
6. Dreyer VN, background. At sunset empire. Madrid, 1965.S. 139.
7. Shaposhnikov B.M. Memories. Military scientific works. S. 195.
8. Military history magazine. 1967. N 6. S. 79.
9. Nord L. Marshall M.N. Tukhachevsky. Paris, B.G. S. 51-52.
10. Ganin A.V. The daily life of the General Staffists under Lenin and Trotsky. M., 2016.S. 220.
11. RGVA. F. 39352. Op. 1. D. 11. L. 42.
12. This is a prominent Soviet military figure S.A. Pugachev.
13. Departmental archive of the Security Service of Ukraine. F. 6. D. 67093FP. T. 39.L. 145.
14. Rehabilitation: how it was. February 1956 - beginning of the 80s. T. 2.M., 2003.S. 732.
15. For more details see: Pechenkin A.A. The death of the military elite 1937-1938 M., 2011.S. 98-111.
16. In the same place. S. 99.
17. Mission in Moscow. Reports of Latvian diplomats from the USSR, 1935-1937: Doc. and mat. M., 2016.S. 296.
18. Isaev A. A brief history of the Second World War: The onset of Marshal Shaposhnikov. M., 2005.S. 6-7.

Today is the birthday of Marshal of the Soviet Union Boris Mikhailovich Shaposhnikov.

On October 2, 1882, in the city of Zlatoust Ufa, an outstanding Soviet military and statesman, military leader, talented military theorist was born, who made a significant contribution to the theory and practice of construction Armed Forces USSR, chief of the General Staff (1937-1940 and 1941-1942), Marshal Boris Mikhailovich Shaposhnikov.

Boris Shaposhnikov was born into a family of employees: his mother worked as a teacher, his father served in private employment.

He graduated from Perm Real College. He consciously chose a military career. Shaposhnikov received his first military education at the Moscow Alekseevsky Military School, which he graduated in 1903. He was sent to the First Turkestan Infantry Battalion. In 1907 he was enrolled in the Academy of the General Staff, which he graduated with honors three years later, receiving the rank of staff captain.

Boris Shaposhnikov met World War I as an adjutant to the headquarters of the 14th Cavalry Division in the Warsaw Military District. He established himself at the front as a capable officer. In 1917, Boris Mikhailovich was already a colonel, regiment commander.

He accepted the October Revolution. As the commander of the 16th Grenadier Mingrel Regiment, he went to meet the demands of the soldiers' committees for the removal of several counter-revolutionary officers and non-commissioned officers, skillfully thwarted the attempts of the anarchists to destroy the regiment and thereby saved it as a combat unit. Therefore, when in December 1917 the question arose of electing the head of the Caucasian 13th Grenadier Division, the congress of delegates from the military revolutionary committees of the units elected Boris Mikhailovich Shaposhnikov as its head.

Since 1918, Shaposhnikov - in the ranks of the Red Army, takes part in the Civil War, being an assistant to the chief of the operational management of the headquarters of the Supreme Military Council, and then head of the intelligence department of the Field Headquarters of the RVSR.

During 1919, he consistently held various command posts and rose to the rank of chief of the operational department of the RVSR Field Headquarters.

Shaposhnikov was one of the developers of a plan of counterattack against the troops of General Denikin in the fall of 1919, the Red Army campaign in 1920 in the war with Poland, and military operations in Crimea against the troops of Baron Wrangel. Largely thanks to his initiatives, the operations of the Red Army during the Civil War were carried out with a wide maneuver of troops, large scale, decisive goals.

The main provisions for planning front-line and army operations were also determined: the concentration of forces and means in decisive directions, the creation of shock groups, the flexible use of reserves, the organization of operational interaction between armies and others. An important difference of the Red Army was the use of mobile units and associations - cavalry corps in offensive operations and cavalry armies, which allowed to significantly increase the depth of strikes, increase the pace of attack, develop tactical success in operational.

In 1921-1925, Shaposhnikov was the first assistant to the chief of staff of the Red Army. In 1924-1925, under the leadership of Frunze, he took part in the military reform, was awarded the Order of the Red Banner. In 1925-1928, Shaposhnikov commanded the troops of the Leningrad and Moscow military districts.

In 1928-1931 - chief of staff of the Red Army. In 1930 he joined the party.

In 1931-1937, Shaposhnikov - commander of the Volga Military District, head of the Frunze Military Academy, commander of the Leningrad Military District.

Since May 1937, Boris Mikhailovich - Chief of the General Staff of the Red Army. In May 1940, Shaposhnikov was awarded the military rank of Marshal of the Soviet Union.

Boris Mikhailovich Shaposhnikov is one of the few who managed not only to avoid Stalin's repressions, but also from the end of the 30s to become Stalin's trusted assistant on military issues and enjoy great respect from the leader. Stalin turned to Shaposhnikov by his patronymic name - only Rokossovsky will deserve such respect from the leader’s entourage. Shaposhnikov was also the only one allowed to smoke in Stalin’s office. This despite the fact that Stalin was difficult to converge with people.

All this speaks of Boris Mikhailovich as a bright and outstanding person who has developed in the difficult conditions of turbulent times.

In 1927-1929, Shaposhnikov published the fundamental work “The Brain of the Army” in three books, which was translated into foreign languages. The study is based on a synthesis of the experience of the First World War. It considers the structure and basic functions of the General Staff, its place and tasks in the system of the Armed Forces both in peacetime and, mainly, in war conditions. The question of the nature of modern warfare is investigated from the standpoint of military science.

The Great Patriotic War confirmed the correctness of the basic ideas, provisions and conclusions formulated in the work "The Brain of the Army."

Gradually and far from immediately, the General Staff - the most important governing body - acquired its inherent role, becoming the working (and, in fact, intellectual) headquarters body.

Under the leadership of Boris Mikhailovich, a regulation was developed that regulated the work of front-line and General Staff directorates, which largely ensured the reliable performance of the Headquarters tasks. Shaposhnikov paid paramount attention to improving the strategic leadership of the troops, establishing uninterrupted control at all levels of the Red Army.

Of course, not everything in the fate of the Marshal was so cloudless. For example, the plan of campaigning with Finland, prepared by the General Staff, and involving the use of not only the troops of the Leningrad Military District, but also additional reserves in the upcoming war, was sharply criticized by Stalin as overestimating the capabilities of the Finnish army. The war with the Finns, which soon began, showed that the General Staff was right.

Since August 1940, Shaposhnikov became deputy commissar of defense of the USSR, transferring the post of chief of the General Staff to Army General Meretskov. At the new post, Shaposhnikov oversaw the construction of fortified areas in 1940-1941.

Marshals of the Soviet Union K.E. Voroshilov, S.M. Budenny, S.K. Timoshenko, G.I. Kulik, B.M. Shaposhnikov

Since July 1941, Shaposhnikov - chief of staff of the Western direction, and on July 30, 1941 he was again appointed to the post of chief of the General Staff of the Red Army, becoming a member of the General Headquarters.

Boris Mikhailovich Shaposhnikov headed the General Staff of the Red Army during the most difficult period of World War II, from July 30, 1941 to May 11, 1942, the General Staff under his leadership becomes the center for operational and strategic planning, a true organizer of military operations of the army and navy. The most important issues of strategic planning are now preliminarily discussed at Headquarters in a narrow circle of people - Stalin, Shaposhnikov, Zhukov, Vasilevsky, Admiral Kuznetsov.

Shaposhnikov participated in the development of proposals by the General Staff for the implementation of the Smolensk defensive battle (July 10-September 10, 1941), a counter-offensive near Moscow (December 1941-January 1942), and the general offensive of the Red Army (January-April 1942).

He also proposed a strategic defense plan for the Soviet troops for the spring-summer of 1942, which, unfortunately, was amended for a number of offensive operations that ended unsuccessfully. Under the direct leadership of Shaposhnikov, in the summer and autumn of 1941, reserves were quickly pulled up from the depths of the country, and the combat strength of the army was refined after brutal enemy strikes.

In May 1942, Shaposhnikov, who was sick with tuberculosis, asked for release, for health reasons, from the post of chief of the General Staff (perhaps his condition was aggravated by the collapse of the Crimean Front - the loss of the Kerch Peninsula). The request was granted. But later, Stalin often called the marshal, invited him to Headquarters and to meetings of the GKO, using his vast knowledge and experience. Instead, the marshal left his student - A.M. Vasilevsky (Stalin called him "Shaposhnikovsky school").

In June 1943 - March 1945, Boris Mikhailovich was the chief of the General Staff Military Academy. The arrival at the academy of such a major military specialist and scientist, with great pedagogical and methodological skills, a talented organizer, and a person of great personal charm immediately affected all aspects of her activities. His leadership, which combined qualified instructions, effective control, attention and trust in subordinates, improved the work of the departments, departments and services of the academy, raised the quality of the educational process to a new level.

At all posts, Shaposhnikov was distinguished by impeccable courtesy, the correctness of relations with subordinates. His favorite word, with which he often began addressing both his subordinates and his peers and peers: "Dear ...". Boris Mikhailovich treated with true fatherly warmth to his young employees. If what turned out wrong with them, he did not scold, did not even raise his voice, but only asked with reproach: "What is it you, darling?". Understanding the importance of the “personality factor," Shaposhnikov remained even in the most difficult situation a man of great charm, laconic, restrained and, if possible, far from the political scene.

Admiral Kuznetsov recalled Boris Mikhailovich Shaposhnikov, that he had an amazing ability to remember details, the interlocutor had the impression that he knew the work of the classic of military art, Karl von Clausewitz, “On War” by heart. Possessing a literally phenomenal memory, Boris Mikhailovich could, without using the recording, analyze large and complex exercises or listen to a report on the military situation without a map.

Marshal of the Soviet Union Shaposhnikov was awarded three orders of Lenin, two orders of the Red Banner, the Order of Suvorov 1st degree, two orders of the Red Star, and medals.

March 26, 1945, before the Victory Day was 45 days old, Marshal Boris Mikhailovich Shaposhnikov died, giving himself entirely to the service of the Motherland. The body of the marshal was cremated, the ashes were placed in an urn in the Kremlin wall on Red Square in Moscow.

Large anti-submarine ship "Marshal Shaposhnikov"

Private bussiness

Boris Mikhailovich Shaposhnikov (1882-1945)born in Zlatoust, Ufa Province (now Chelyabinsk Region). His father served as the manager of the distillery, then was the manager of the warehouse. Mother worked as a teacher.

He graduated from Krasnoufimsk industrial school, and in 1899 - Perm real school.

After that, he decided to enter the cadet, but he missed exams due to illness. Nine months he worked at the wine warehouse as a junior clerk, and after that he entered the Alekseevsk military school in Moscow. After graduating from it in 1903, he was enlisted as second lieutenant in the 1st Turkestan Rifle Battalion in Tashkent, and commanded there half a half until 1907. Then he studied at the Imperial Military Academy in St. Petersburg. After its completion in 1910 he returned to Tashkent, where he commanded a company.

Boris Shaposhnikov. 1915

In December 1912 he was transferred as senior adjutant to the 14th Cavalry Division in Czestochowa (now the Silesian Voivodeship in Poland). Since August 1914 he participated in the First World War, fought on Western frontwhere he showed courage and showed good knowledge of tactics.

In October 1914 he received a concussion in the head. Since 1915, he served in the intelligence department of the headquarters of the 12th Army. Then he headed the headquarters of the Separate Combined Cossack Brigade.

In September 1917 he received the rank of colonel and was appointed commander of the 16th Grenadier Mingrel Regiment, stationed in Tiflis. At the request of the soldiers' committees, he removed several officers and non-commissioned officers of the regiment. In November 1917, at the Congress of Delegates of the Military Revolutionary Committees, he was elected head of the Caucasus 13th Grenadier Division. At the beginning of 1918 he became seriously ill and was hospitalized. After discharge, he worked for a short time as a clerk in Kazan.

In May 1918 he joined the ranks of the Red Army and was appointed assistant to the head of the department at the headquarters of the Republic's Revolutionary Military Council (RVSR). Then he served as head of the intelligence headquarters of the field headquarters and in other positions in the RVSR.

In 1921-1925 he was the first assistant to the chief of staff of the Red Army, transformed from the RVSR.

In May 1925 he became deputy commander, and in October - commander of the troops of the Leningrad Military District.

From May 1927 to May 1928 he commanded the troops of the Moscow Military District.

In May 1928 - April 1931 he was chief of staff of the Red Army. Then during the year he commanded the troops of the Volga Military District.

In 1932-1935, he was the head and military commissar of the MV Frunze Military Academy. In September 1935, he was again appointed to command the troops of the Leningrad Military District.

In 1937 he was elected to the Supreme Soviet of the USSR from the Moscow region. In May of the same year he was appointed chief of the General Staff and deputy commissar of defense of the USSR.

In 1939 he was elected a candidate member of the Central Committee of the CPSU (b). In May 1940 he received the title of Marshal of the Soviet Union.

In August 1940 he was removed from the post of chief of the General Staff of the Red Army for health reasons, served as deputy defense commissar for the construction of fortified areas. In June 1941, he was appointed permanent adviser at the headquarters of the main command of the army.

Since the beginning of World War II in June-July 1941, he was a member of the evacuation council under the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR. In July 1941, he was included in the headquarters of the High Command of the Army and was again appointed Chief of the General Staff. He participated in the development of a counteroffensive in the winter of 1941-1942. After the defeat of the Soviet troops near Kerch in May 1942, he was removed from the leadership of the General Staff.

In May 1942 - June 1943 - Deputy Commissar of Defense of the USSR. In June 1943 he was appointed head of the K.E. Voroshilov Higher Military Academy (now the Academy of the General Staff of Russia).

March 26, 1945 died of tuberculosis (according to other sources, from cancer of the stomach) in Moscow. On March 28, an urn with the ashes of a military leader was placed in the Kremlin wall.

Shaposhnikov was left with the widow Maria Alexandrovna, the soloist of the Bolshoi Theater, and her son Igor Borisovich (1919-1991) - subsequently lieutenant general of engineering troops, deputy head of the department of the Military Academy of the General Staff of the USSR.

Than famous

Boris Shaposhnikov stood at the origins of the Red Army. He was an outstanding military theorist, a talented commander who knew well the strategy of the First World War and the Civil War. He participated in the development of army charters, which reflected the main provisions of the military doctrine of the USSR. His most famous work - “The Brain of the Army” - is devoted to an analysis of the particularities of leadership of the armed forces, as well as the structure and functions of the General Staff.

He enjoyed great respect from Stalin, from the late 1930s he was one of the main advisers to the Soviet leader on military issues.

What you need to know

According to the daughter-in-law of Marshal Slava Shaposhnikova, he was a devout person and did not hide this. “Stalin really knew that the chief of the General Staff was a deeply religious person,” she retold the stories of her husband, Igor Shaposhnikov. - Joseph Vissarionovich also knew that Boris Mikhailovich never took off an old under-skin incense with a very ancient Cossack icon, which was almost 200 years old. It was passed on to the Shaposhnikov family, who had their kind from the Don Cossacks, from generation to generation - from father to son. Boris Mikhailovich handed it to her mother. And already being a general, under Soviet rule, he always wore it on his chest. Even under Stalin. It is precisely because Shaposhnikov never hid his faith that Joseph Vissarionovich respected him - he never said a word against the faith of Boris Mikhailovich. ”

According to her testimony, in the mornings, Shaposhnikov prayed with the words: “Lord, save my homeland and the Russian people.” He bequeathed the same to his son.

Boris Mikhailovich Shaposhnikov was born into a large family. Father, Mikhail Petrovich, served privately, his mother, Pelageya Kuzminichna, worked as a teacher. At his birth on September 20 (October 2, st.), 1882, the family lived in Zlatoust, then moved to Belebey. The childhood and youth of Boris Mikhailovich are connected with the Urals, in 1898 he began to study at the industrial school of Krasnoufimsk. At the end of the XIX century. the family moved to Perm, where in 1900 B.M. Shaposhnikov graduates from a real school and decides to enter a military school.

The choice of a military profession took place for very prosaic reasons - training at a military school is free. In order not to burden parents who had two younger children - Eugene and Julia - and four were already adults from his father's first marriage, and Boris decided to go along the army line. In 1900, due to illness, Shaposhnikov missed exams and was unable to enter a military school. In 1901, the young man achieved his goal and entered the Moscow Infantry School (later called Alekseevsky), which he graduated in 1903 in the 1st category.

Studying at the school was not easy, but Shaposhnikov was not burdened by either the severity of discipline or the saturation of each day of classes. Craving for knowledge, inner composure helped him somehow immediately, without friction, enter the intense rhythm of the educational process. “The subjects that were taught to us,” he later recalled, “provided not only special training for the platoon commander, but also contributed to our purely military and overall development.” In addition, the school was in Moscow, which allowed to increase the intellectual level of the cadet. There he joined the art.

In the senior year B.M. Shaposhnikov was promoted to army non-commissioned officer, his skillful actions on maneuvers near Kursk were taken into account in 1902. He was also assigned the command of a platoon of the newly recruited junior class. “It was difficult, but I worked on my own, compiled a class schedule and was engaged in the daily education of young cadets,” he recalled. - For my subsequent service, it was of great benefit. Having appeared in the company as a second lieutenant (at the end of school), I was not like a puppy thrown into the water, unable to swim, but immediately took up a familiar matter. ”

The junkers had little free time, however, it did not disappear without any benefit. His cherished desire to join the theatrical art came true. “In the winter of 1902/03, I became interested in theater. And how could you not get carried away when the talent of Chaliapin, Sobinov and other young talents blossomed this season. The Art Theater, led by Stanislavsky, also expanded its work. A good opera was in the then private Solodovnikov troupe. Many of us were fans of Petrova-Zvantseva, one of the best singers in Russia in the party Carmen. Geltzer shone in the ballet ... My training was still excellent, the theater did not depress me, and I received a lot of pleasure. ”

Before graduation from the school B.M. Shaposhnikov again participated in maneuvers near Zvenigorod. This time he commanded a platoon, with which he was engaged in the entire academic year.

Two years of study were left behind. At the final exams with a 12-point grading system, Boris Shaposhnikov scored 11.78 and turned out to be the best. His name was written on a marble board. In addition, he received the privilege in the distribution of vacancies and chose the 1st Turkestan Rifle Battalion, who was stationed in Tashkent, where the young second lieutenant went and spent his holidays with his relatives.

Later, recalling the four years of his stay in Turkestan, he drew attention to three details. First, only six battalion officers were relatively young. “And so,” Shaposhnikov recalled, “we went on the tiptoe in the battalion, and although we had the right to vote at the officers’ meetings, we never gave it, listening to what the elders say. ” Secondly, the relationship with sergeants, who were a thunderstorm often not only for soldiers. I had to call for help not only all my knowledge - here and cunker eccentrics came in handy. Thirdly, asking from his subordinates, Boris Mikhailovich never gave any relief to himself: at 8:30 in the morning he went to the battalion, stayed there until the lunch break and then in the evening hours provided for the classes provided in his company, controlled the non-commissioned officers. The demandingness of the young lieutenant found a corresponding response among the recruits and helped them quickly learn the soldier's wisdom. At the summer shooting in the camp, conducted under the supervision of a general who arrived from St. Petersburg, the 3rd company showed excellent results. And the whole battalion was recognized as the best in the Tashkent garrison.

Already in the first year of officer service B.M. Shaposhnikov noticed the authorities. He is taken to the district headquarters for two months to prepare a new mobilization schedule, then sent to Samarkand to the district school of fencing instructors, where he is simultaneously trained in horse riding and horseback riding. In the future, they offer a place of service at the district headquarters, but Boris Mikhailovich refuses, since he already had the General Staff Academy in his thoughts, and for those who had not served for 3 years, the road there was closed.

Upon returning from Samarkand to his battalion B.M. Shaposhnikov received a promotion - he was appointed head of the training team with the rights of company commander. In 1906 he was promoted to lieutenant, and since January 1907, Boris Mikhailovich is preparing to enter the Academy of the General Staff. After passing the district tests, he goes to the capital and passes the entrance exams, gaining 9.82 points (for admission it was enough to score 8 points).

Already in the 1st year, he acquired thorough knowledge, passed passing exams well, but most importantly, he “matured” spiritually, began to better understand people, to appreciate their actions. Both in the school and in the academy, its officer formation was greatly influenced by experienced and talented teachers, among whom were professors Colonels A.A. Neznamov, V.V. Belyaev, N.A. Danilov et al.

Before getting the corresponding position through the General Staff, it was necessary to serve another 2 years as a company commander in the troops, and Shaposhnikov again went to Tashkent.

When the time came to choose a new duty station, already under the auspices of the General Staff, he preferred to transfer to the Western District, but not to the district headquarters, but to a division. The vacant position was the senior adjutant of the 14th Cavalry Division, part of the Warsaw Military District and stationed in the city of Czestochowa. He arrived there at the end of December 1912, having just received the next rank of captain.

The post of senior adjutant of the General Staff is actually the post of the head of the operational department, whose duties included operational, mobilization issues and combat training of the units of the division. Parts of the 14th Cavalry Division were located not only in Czestochowa (regiment and equestrian battery), but also in other cities and villages.

The time was alarming. In the Balkans were fighting. Austria-Hungary and Germany strengthened border garrisons. After reviewing the operational plan in case of war, B.M. Shaposhnikov saw the difficult task assigned to the 14th Cavalry Division. Located directly on the border, it was the first to repel an enemy attack, to cover the strategic deployment of the Russian armies. And Boris Mikhailovich tried to do everything in his power to strengthen the regiments and batteries, increase their mobility and training. Inspecting the units, he conducted classes with officers, encouraged them to be more active, it was better to prepare soldiers for battle. In the spring of 1913, verification of reconnaissance squadrons at the 30-mile crossing (32 km) was completed, and artillery fire was carried out. In the summer, a general divisional cavalry gathering took place, followed by the exercises of the cavalry and infantry brigade. Shaposhnikov develops a new mobilization plan for the division’s headquarters, often travels to the regiments and brigades of his division with checks, establishes agent intelligence, remains for the chief of staff and fulfills his duties.

From the very beginning of the First World War, the cavalry division, the strengthening of which B.M. Shaposhnikov gave a lot of strength and energy, came into contact with the Austro-Hungarian units and showed praise worthy of praise. Holding back the enemy’s pressure, the division covered the flank of a large operational group of the Southwestern Front. And then the famous battle of Galicia unfolded. In the fall, the Russian army in this sector achieved impressive success, and the 14th Cavalry Division made a significant military contribution to it. True to the principle of "being closer to the troops", captain B.M. Shaposhnikov shared with his bosses and subordinates all the difficulties of a major operation. The headquarters was next to the advanced regiments. On October 5, 1914, in a battle near Sokhachev with a close rupture of an artillery shell, the captain was shell-shocked in the head, but did not leave the fighting post. Over three years B.M. Shaposhnikov spent on the fronts of the First World War. Thanks to his contribution, the division became one of the best on the Southwestern Front.

The February Revolution of 1917 B.M. Shaposhnikov met with the rank of colonel and in the post of chief of staff of the Cossack division. And in September he was appointed commander of the 16th Mengrel regiment, which had a rich combat history. They met him in the regiment with caution, as everyone remembered the Kornilov rebellion, and the soldiers suspiciously met each new officer. But soon everything worked out. B.M. Shaposhnikov took care of the needs of the soldiers, attended all meetings of the regimental committee. And when at a committee meeting after the October Revolution of 1917 he was asked how he relates to the socialist revolution, he replied bluntly that he recognized and was ready to continue serving. In December, a congress of the Caucasian Grenadier Division was held, which included his regiment, where the issue of choosing a new commandant was discussed. B.M. was chosen as such. Shaposhnikov.

He managed to do a lot in the month during which he commanded the division. Checks on the supply of parts, demobilization and wires of the older ages were organized, and revolutionary discipline strengthened. But the disease broke him.

After a two-month stay in the hospital B.M. Shaposhnikov March 16, 1918 was demobilized, after which he became a judicial officer. He fulfilled his duties quickly and punctually, which both the judge and the assessors were happy with. Dissatisfied with a quiet civilian life, thinking about his further fate, Boris Mikhailovich came to the firm conviction that it was necessary to return to the army. This decision was expedited by a press release issued by the Soviet government to former officers calling for them to join the Red Army.

Having ascertained that N.V. was appointed the head of the newly established Volga Military District Pnevsky, former major general, B.M. Shaposhnikov wrote the last letter on April 23, 1918, with the following lines: “As a former colonel of the General Staff, I am keenly interested in the creation of a new army and as a specialist I would like to bring all possible assistance in this serious matter.” The letter of Boris Mikhailovich did not go unanswered.

Voluntary entry in May 1918 into the Red Army was for B.M. Shaposhnikov, not only a return to his usual profession, but also the beginning of a new stage in his life. He is appointed to the Operations Directorate of the Supreme Military Council as an assistant to the head of the department.

By the fall of 1918, it became apparent that the first organizational form of command and control of the Soviet troops had become obsolete. In early September, the Supreme Military Council ceased to exist. The Revolutionary Military Council of the Republic (PBCР) was formed as the highest military organ. B.M. Shaposhnikov, transferred to the Field Headquarters of the RVSR, headed the intelligence department there. Keeping in touch with the fronts, carefully studying the intercepted enemy documents, he sought to penetrate as deeply as possible into the enemy’s plans, to more accurately determine the location of his main forces and reserves. This painstaking, inconspicuous work was reflected in the instructions to the troops and had a beneficial effect when the units of the Red Army resisted the onslaught of the enemy or went on the offensive themselves. For several months he served under the direction of N.I. Podvoisky - first at the Higher Military Inspectorate, then in Ukraine: there Nikolai Ilyich served as Commissar for Military and Naval Affairs, B.M. Shaposhnikov was the first assistant to the chief of his staff. With him, Boris Mikhailovich learned to assess the situation not only from a purely military, but also from a political perspective.

In August 1919, B.M. Shaposhnikov returns to the RVSR Field Headquarters to his former position. And later he was appointed the head of the Operational Directorate of the Field Headquarters of the Republican Revolutionary Army. In this difficult time for the young state, he had to work with such military leaders as P.P. Lebedev and E.M. Sklyansky, here he met M.V. Frunze.

The result of the service B.M. Shaposhnikov in the Red Army during the Civil War was the awarding of the Order of the Red Banner in October 1921.

B.M. Shaposhnikov, M.V. Frunze and M.N. Tukhachevsky. 1922

There was a civil war, but even in this busy time B.M. Shaposhnikov thought about the future, and his first step was to generalize the combat experience of the Red Army. “The Academy instilled in me a love of military history, taught me to draw conclusions from it for the future,” B.M. wrote. Shaposhnikov. - In general, I always gravitated towards history - it was a bright lamp in my path. It was necessary to continue to study this storehouse of wisdom. ” The first period of service in the Red Army turned out to be very fruitful in this regard. In the years 1918-1920. B.M. Shaposhnikov prepared and published in magazines and collections a number of works that brought undoubted benefit to young Soviet commanders.

After the war, Boris Mikhailovich served as assistant chief of staff of the Workers 'and Peasants' Red Army (RKKA) for more than four years. At the same time, he put a lot of strength and knowledge into solving the issue of transferring the army and navy to peaceful rails. Then a period came in his life when he occupied the highest command posts and was directly connected with the troops.

Being the commander of the troops of the Leningrad (1925-1927 gg.), Moscow (1927-1928 gg.) Military districts, the chief of staff of the Red Army (1928-1931), the commander of the troops of the Volga (1931-1932 gg.) Military district, chief and military Commissioner of the Military Academy named after M.V. Frunze (1932-1935), Commander of the Leningrad Military District (1935-1937), B.M. Shaposhnikov sought to ensure that military units and headquarters, each commander and a Red Army soldier were in constant combat readiness in peacetime, as is required in a war. For the first time in the Red Army he applied the methodology of conducting exercises and maneuvers with the participation of mediators and neutral communications, he often went to the troops on training fields, shooting ranges, training ranges, commanding exercises and at the same time never checked the regiment in the absence of its commander. He was an advocate of strict discipline, but an enemy of shouting.

Participants in the meeting of the commanders of the military districts. 1927

In the mid 20-ies of XX century. B.M. Shaposhnikov set about creating the main book of his life, which he called “The Brain of the Army”. This major military scientific work covered a wide range of issues of command and control of the troops, justified the need for a single governing body in the Red Army - the General Staff. The first book of capital labor was published in 1927, the second and third in 1929. Many of the recommendations set forth in this work have been implemented and are still in force.

In other words, we can safely say that the three-volume work “The Brain of the Army” was very relevant. Its publication caused a great resonance in the press. He was highly appreciated in an article published in the newspaper Pravda on November 21, 1935 in connection with B.M. Shaposhnikov rank commander of the 1st rank. It was said in this capital study that “all the features of Boris Mikhailovich as a major military specialist were reflected: an inquiring mind, extreme thoroughness in the processing and determination of formulations, clear perspectives, depth of generalizations”.

At the same time, Boris Mikhailovich developed military doctrine country, participated in the work of the statutory commissions, resolved many other issues, which put him in the ranks of prominent military theorists of his time.

Idea B.M. Shaposhnikova on the creation of the General Staff in the Red Army had both supporters and opponents. The first should be attributed primarily to M.N. Tukhachevsky, who strongly supported Boris Mikhailovich, to the second - P.E. Dybenko, A.I. Egorova, I.S. Unshlikhta and S.M. Budyonny, who saw this as the target setting, to take over the leading role in all matters of construction and operational management of the Red Army.

Different points of view could not fail to collide. Chief of Staff of the Red Army M.N. Tukhachevsky entered the Revolutionary Military Council of the USSR with a proposal to carry out such a reorganization so that the Headquarters of the Red Army could really influence the development of the Armed Forces, being a single planning and organizing center. This proposal, like several previous ones, was not accepted. One of the arguments was the fear that “there will be one speaker who plans, conducts, and inspects, therefore, has all the criteria in his hands. In the hands of the leadership there is almost nothing: agree and go about the headquarters. ” Not considering it possible to remain further in his post, M.N. Tukhachevsky filed a report on dismissal.

The selection of a candidate for the post of chief of staff of the Red Army was a serious problem. And not at all because there were not enough experienced military leaders, but not everyone was suitable for such a post. The Chief of Staff must possess, not to mention deep military knowledge, combat experience and a sharp critical mind, also a number of specific qualities. It required a strong will and at the same time flexibility in the leadership of a diverse team, knowledge of the established traditions and subtleties of the structure of the central apparatus, and well-known diplomatic abilities. He must be wise enough and at the same time comparatively young to work in this position for a long time. Not everyone possessed such qualities.

The choice fell on Boris Mikhailovich Shaposhnikov. Solid theoretical training, combat experience, the practice of commanding troops, knowledge of the headquarters service and the specifics of working in the center made him the most suitable candidate. In May 1928, at the suggestion of I.V. Stalin Revolutionary Military Council of the USSR approved B.M. Shaposhnikov Chief of Staff of the Red Army.

Boris Mikhailovich shortly after his appointment made proposals for the reorganization of the central apparatus. Twice he turns to the drug officer for military and naval affairs K.E. Voroshilov with a report in which he asked to review the distribution of responsibilities of the Headquarters and the Main Directorate of the Red Army (GU Red Army). B.M. Shaposhnikov wrote that the headquarters of the Red Army should become the leading link in the general system of military command. Presenting his projects, developed on the basis of a thorough study of the state of affairs in the Armed Forces, he should receive confirmation or rejection only from the Revolutionary Military Council of the USSR, and not from certain departments of the People’s Commissariat. The headquarters of the Red Army should be the main planning and administrative body in the hands of the Revolutionary Military Council.

The report indicated that the combat training of troops in peacetime should also be organized and controlled by the Headquarters of the Red Army, for it is he who will lead them in case of war. Weaknesses were noted in the mobilization work, from which the Red Army Headquarters was virtually removed, whereas only he, who is developing strategic deployment plans, can assess the state of the mobilization business and manage it. Accordingly, the GU of the Red Army must reckon with the Headquarters when appointing senior officers, especially staff workers.

The way out of this situation was seen by Shaposhnikov at that stage in the transfer to the Headquarters of the Red Army of command of troops from the GU of the Red Army. “The opinion of the Chief of Staff,” wrote Boris Mikhailovich, “must be heard on one issue or another, and the departments of the People’s Commissariat should be taken into account as one of the main ones.”

2nd rank commander B.M. Shaposhnikov

In January 1930, the Revolutionary Military Council adopted a resolution on the transfer of all mobilization work to the Headquarters of the Red Army. Subsequently, centralization continued until, in 1935, instead of the Headquarters of the Red Army, a single and comprehensive body was established to manage the life and combat activities of the Red Army - the General Staff.

Boris Mikhailovich was one of those Soviet military leaders who, clearly realizing that command personnel were the core of the army, took care of their education and training. He always did this, no matter what position he held - whether staff or command. But there were periods in his life when training became an immediate official duty.

The principles of training and education of personnel, whom B.M. Shaposhnikov adhered to, he persistently and consistently conducted, when for 3.5 years (1932-1935) was the head of the Military Academy named after M.V. Frunze.

Teaching and research activities B.M. Shaposhnikova received a proper assessment - in June 1935 he was awarded the academic title of professor. The Higher Attestation Commission, making its decision, noted that he was a military scientific worker of exceptional erudition and large generalizations, who was famous not only in the USSR, but also abroad.

Merits B.M. Shaposhnikov in this field are indisputable. But the academy gave him a lot. In the theoretical discussions that took place, his views were formed on the nature of the possible military operations of the Red Army, and ideas about the possible forms of operations and the strategic interaction of the fronts took shape. The leadership of the academy was for B.M. Shaposhnikov an important step towards further military activity.

In the spring of 1937, after repeated two-year command of the Leningrad Military District, B.M. Shaposhnikov was appointed chief of the General Staff, and in 1938 was introduced to the Main Military Council. This made it possible for the chief of the General Staff to directly influence the adoption of the most important decisions in the defense of the country.

I.V. Stalin and Chief of the General Staff Commander 1st Rank B.M. Shaposhnikov in the Kremlin. 1939

Boris Mikhailovich spent three years as chief of the General Staff, and during this time he had many students and followers who helped him turn the General Staff into the brain of the army.

The result of the tremendous work of the entire headquarters under the leadership of B.M. Shaposhnikov was a report to the leadership of the country on the strategic deployment of the Red Army in the Western and Eastern theaters of operations, which received full approval in 1938 at the Main Military Council. Subsequently, students and followers B.M. Shaposhnikov after his departure due to illness from the General Staff, Supreme Commander I.V. Stalin called "the school of Shaposhnikov."

Workers in the General Staff B.M. Shaposhnikov chose from among those who had excellently graduated from military academies and who proved themselves to be thoughtful military commanders. Such employees, given the relatively small number of staff, successfully coped with difficult duties. The proposals and plans emanating from the General Staff during these years were distinguished by reality, foresight and comprehensive validity. The personal example of Boris Mikhailovich undoubtedly had a great influence. His steadfastness and politeness in relations with people, regardless of their rank, discipline and utmost diligence when receiving instructions from managers - all this instilled in employees the same sense of responsibility for the task entrusted.

The coordinated work of the General Staff, headed by B.M. Shaposhnikov, contributed to the successful conduct of such major operations of 1938-1940 as the defeat of the Japanese militarists on Khalkhin Gol, the Soviet campaign in Western Ukraine and Western Belarus, etc.

General Staff employees awarded with state awards. January 6, 1940

Hard work B.M. Shaposhnikova was highly appreciated. In May 1940, he was awarded the title of Marshal of the Soviet Union. But the disease again served as the reason that he left the post of chief of the General Staff.

With the outbreak of World War II, the question of the chief of the General Staff again came up. K.A. Meretskov and G.K. Zhukov, who headed the General Staff after B.M. Shaposhnikov, were quite mature generals who possessed the skills of commanding large military associations. However, they did not have time to gain the experience necessary for the General Staff. Therefore, at the end of July 1941, B.M. Shaposhnikov again headed the General Staff and became a member of the Headquarters of the Supreme High Command.

During this difficult time for the country, in the days of the Smolensk battle, the defense of Kiev and the battle of Moscow, working almost without sleep and rest, the 60-year-old marshal finally undermined his health. In May 1942, he was forced to turn to the State Committee of Defense with a request to transfer him to a less responsible site. The request was granted, instructing Boris Mikhailovich to monitor the activities of military academies, to organize the collection of materials for the future history of the war, to organize the development of new charters and manuals. But in the short time that was given to him, he did a lot. These are the new Combat and Field manuals, a number of articles devoted to operations of the Red Army, the leadership of the publication of a three-volume monograph on the battle of Moscow.

Marshal of the Soviet Union B.M. Shaposhnikov

During the Great Patriotic War, Marshal B.M. Shaposhnikov made an invaluable contribution to the defeat of the fascist invaders. Under his direct supervision, there was a restructuring of the work of all the major headquarters. All large-scale operations in the initial period of the war were developed with his direct participation. In these difficult days for our Motherland, the organizational talent of Boris Mikhailovich, his adamant will to win and the immense faith in the rightness of our cause, manifested with particular strength.

In June 1943, Boris Mikhailovich received a new and, as it turned out, last appointment, becoming the head of the Academy of the General Staff, which was then called the Higher Military Academy named after K.E. Voroshilov. He did not stop for a minute the great organizational and military-theoretical work, carefully educated officers and generals capable of operational work in headquarters and command of large formations and forces. In a short time, the academy trained more than one hundred highly qualified general staff officers and military leaders who showed high military and moral qualities on the fronts of World War II. His selfless work of a tireless worker was noted with high awards: in February 1944 B.M. Shaposhnikov was awarded the Order of Suvorov of the 1st degree, in November - the Order of the Red Banner (second time), in February 1945 - the third Order of Lenin. Previously, he was also awarded two Orders of the Red Star, medals "XX years of the Red Army" and "For the Defense of Moscow".

Marshal of the Soviet Union Boris Mikhailovich Shaposhnikov died on March 26, 1945. Giving the outstanding military commander the highest military honor, Moscow said goodbye to him with 24 artillery salvoes, as if merged with the thunder of the decisive offensives of the Red Army at the front.

Name B.M. Shaposhnikova assigned to the Higher Rifle and Tactical Courses "Shot", the Tambov Infantry School, the streets in Moscow and in the city of Zlatoust. He was buried in Red Square near the Kremlin wall.

Material prepared by the Research Institute (military history)
General Staff Military Academy
Armed Forces of the Russian Federation