| Ivan Stepanovich Konev | |
|---|---|
| (December 28, 1897 - May 21, 1973) | |
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| Place of birth | Pedosinovsky |
| Allegiance |  Red Army |
| Years of service | 1916 — 1962 |
| Rank | Marshal of the Soviet Union |
| Commands held | First Ukrainian Front Red Army |
| Battles/wars | World War I Russian Civil War World War II |
| Awards | Hero of the Soviet Union (x2) Order of Lenin (x2) Order of the Red Banner (x2) Order of Suvorov, First Class (x2) Order of Kutuzov, First Class (x2) Order of Victory |
Ivan Stepanovich Konev (Russian: Иван Степанович Конев) (28 December [O.S. 16 December] 1897 – May 21, 1973), was a Soviet military commander, who led Red Army forces on the Eastern Front during World War II, liberated much of Eastern Europe from occupation by the Axis Powers, and helped in the capture of Germany's capital, Berlin. Events 1065 - Westminster Abbey is Consecrated. 1308 - The reign of Emperor Hanazono, Emperor of Year 1897 ( MDCCCXCVII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common Events 878 - Syracuse Italy is captured by the Muslim sultan of Sicily. Year 1973 ( MCMLXXIII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar of the 1973 Gregorian calendar. The Red Army ( Russian: Рабоче-Крестьянская Красная Армия R aboche- K rest'yanskaya K rasnaya A rmiya Year 1916 ( MCMXVI) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year Year 1962 ( MCMLXII) was a Common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1962 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Marshal of the Soviet Union ( Marshal Sovietskovo Soyuza Советского Союза'' was the de facto highest military rank of the Soviet Union. The 1st Ukrainian Front (RussianПервый украинский фронт was a front —a force the size of a Western Army group —of the Soviet Union's The Red Army ( Russian: Рабоче-Крестьянская Красная Армия R aboche- K rest'yanskaya K rasnaya A rmiya World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All The Russian Civil War (1917–1923 was a multi-party war that occurred within the former Russian Empire after the Russian provisional government collapsed World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including The title Hero of the Soviet Union ( Russian: Герой Советского Союза Geroy Sovyetskovo Soyuza) was the highest distinction in the Soviet Design of the decoration The first design of the Order of Lenin was made of silver with Recipients The order was awarded to individuals as well as whole formations who then The Order of Suvorov ( Russian Орден Суворова is a Soviet award named after Aleksandr Suvorov (1729-1800 that was established on July The Order of Kutuzov (Орден Кутузова is a Soviet and Russian military award named after famous Russian Field Marshal Mikhail Illarionovich Kutuzov The Order of Victory (Орден Победы was the highest Military decoration in the Soviet Union, and one of the rarest orders in the world Russian ( transliteration:,) is the most geographically widespread language of Eurasia, the most widely spoken of the Slavic languages Events 1065 - Westminster Abbey is Consecrated. 1308 - The reign of Emperor Hanazono, Emperor of Old Style (or OS) and New Style (or NS) are used in English language historical studies either to indicate that the start of the Julian year Year 1897 ( MDCCCXCVII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common Events 878 - Syracuse Italy is captured by the Muslim sultan of Sicily. Year 1973 ( MCMLXXIII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar of the 1973 Gregorian calendar. The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991 The Red Army ( Russian: Рабоче-Крестьянская Красная Армия R aboche- K rest'yanskaya K rasnaya A rmiya The Eastern Front of World War II (die Ostfront 1941-1945, der Rußlandfeldzug 1941-1945 (Russian campaign or der Ostfeldzug 1941-1945 (Eastern Campaign World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including Eastern Europe is a general term that refers to the Geopolitical region encompassing the easternmost part of the European continent. The Axis powers also known as the Axis alliance Axis nations Axis countries or sometimes just the Axis were those Countries Nazi Germany and the Third Reich are the common English names for Germany under the regime of Adolf Hitler and the National Socialist German Workers Berlin is the capital city and one of sixteen states of Germany. Later, as the Commander of Warsaw Pact forces, Konev led the suppression of the Hungarian Revolution of 1956 by Soviet armed divisions. The Warsaw Pact (see Nomenclature) was an organization of Communist states in Central and Eastern Europe. The Hungarian Revolution of 1956 ( Hungarian: 1956-os forradalom) was a spontaneous nationwide Revolt against the Stalinist government of
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Early career
Konev was born into a peasant family near Podosinovsky in central Russia (now in Kirov Oblast). Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending He had little formal education, and worked as a lumberjack before being conscripted into the Russian Army in 1916. Year 1916 ( MCMXVI) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year
When the Russian Revolution broke out in 1917 he was demobilised and returned home, but in 1919 he joined the Bolshevik party and the Red Army, serving as an artilleryman. See also Russian Revolution (1905 The Russian Revolution of 1916 refers to a series of popular revolutions in Russia, and the events surrounding them Year 1917 ( MCMXVII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year Year 1919 ( MCMXIX) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common The Red Army ( Russian: Рабоче-Крестьянская Красная Армия R aboche- K rest'yanskaya K rasnaya A rmiya During the Russian Civil War he served with the Red Army in the Russian Far Eastern Republic. The Russian Civil War (1917–1923 was a multi-party war that occurred within the former Russian Empire after the Russian provisional government collapsed The Far Eastern Republic (Дальневосто́чная Респу́блика ДВР romanised: Dalnevostochnaya Respublika DVR) sometimes called the His commander at this time was Kliment Voroshilov, later a close colleague of Joseph Stalin and Commissar for Defence. (Климе́нт Ефре́мович Вороши́лов Kliment Efremovič Vorošilov, Климент Єфремович Ворошилов popularly known as Klim Voroshilov Joseph Stalin ( ნამდვილი გვარი ჯუღაშვილი|Iosif Vissarionovich Dzhugashvili; March 5 1953 was General Secretary of the Communist Party Commissar is the English transliteration of an official title (комисса́р used in Russia after the Bolshevik revolution and in the Soviet Union This alliance was the key to Konev's subsequent career.
In 1926 Konev completed advanced officer training courses at the Frunze Military Academy, and between then and 1931 he held a series of progressively more senior commands, becoming head of first the Transbaikal then the North Caucasus Military Districts. Year 1926 ( MCMXXVI) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. There were a number of military academies in the Soviet Union of different specialties Year 1931 ( MCMXXXI) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1931 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The North Caucasus Military District is a Military district of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. In July 1938 he was appointed a corps commander. Year 1938 ( MCMXXXVIII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Promotion at this time was rapid for those officers who survived Stalin's Great Purge of 1937-38. Great Purge (Большая чистка transliterated Bolshaya chistka) was a series of campaigns of Political repression and Persecution Year 1937 ( MCMXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Year 1938 ( MCMXXXVIII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Konev presumably owed his survival and advancement to Voroshilov's patronage. In 1937 he became a Deputy of the Supreme Soviet and in 1939 a candidate member of the Party Central Committee. Year 1937 ( MCMXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Supreme Soviet of the USSR (Верхо́вный Сове́т СССР Verkhóvnyj Sovét SSSR) was the highest legislative body in the Soviet Union in Year 1939 ( MCMXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Central Committee most commonly refers to the central executive unit of a Leninist (commonly also Trotskyist) or Communist party, whether ruling or
World War II
When Nazi Germany attacked the Soviet Union in June 1941, Konev took command of the 19th Army in the Vitebsk region, and waged a series of defensive battles during the Red Army's retreat, first to Smolensk and then to the approaches to Moscow. Nazi Germany and the Third Reich are the common English names for Germany under the regime of Adolf Hitler and the National Socialist German Workers Year 1941 ( MCMXLI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (the link will display 1941 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Vitebsk, also known as Vitsyebsk ( Belarusian: Ві́цебск 'vʲitsʲepsk Russian: Ви́тебск Vitebsk Smolensk (Смоленск is a city in western Russia, located on the Dnieper River, the administrative centre of Smolensk Oblast. Moscow (Москва́ romanised: Moskvá, IPA: see also other names) is the Capital and the largest city of He commanded the Kalinin Front from October 1941 to August 1942, playing a key role in the fighting around Moscow and the Soviet counter-offensive during the winter of 1941-42. The Kalinin Front was a Front (ie a military formation of roughly Army Group size of the Soviet Army during the Second World War. Year 1941 ( MCMXLI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (the link will display 1941 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Year 1942 ( MCMXLII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (the link will display the full 1942 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Year 1941 ( MCMXLI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (the link will display 1941 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Year 1942 ( MCMXLII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (the link will display the full 1942 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. For his role in the successful defence of the Soviet capital Konev was promoted to Colonel-General.
Konev held high commands for the rest of the war. He commanded the Soviet Western Front until February 1943, the North-Western Front February-July 1943, and the Ukrainian Front (later renamed the First Ukrainian Front) from July 1943 until May 1945. The Western Front was a Front (military subdivision of the Soviet Army, one of the Soviet Army Fronts during the Second World War Year 1943 ( MCMXLIII) was a Common year starting on Friday (the link will display full 1943 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Northwestern Front was a military formation of the Red Army during the Winter War and World War II. Year 1943 ( MCMXLIII) was a Common year starting on Friday (the link will display full 1943 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The 1st Ukrainian Front (RussianПервый украинский фронт was a front —a force the size of a Western Army group —of the Soviet Union's Year 1943 ( MCMXLIII) was a Common year starting on Friday (the link will display full 1943 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Year 1945 ( MCMXLV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar During this latter command he participated in the Battle of Kursk, commanding the southern part of the Soviet counter-offensive that successfully enveloped Erich von Manstein's army. The Battle of Kursk (Курская битва refers to a series of German and Soviet operations on the Eastern Front of World War II Erich von Manstein ( November 24, 1887 &ndash June 9 1973) served the German military as a lifelong professional soldier
After the victory at Kursk, Konev's armies liberated Belgorod, Odessa, Kharkov and Kiev from the Germans, and advanced to the Romanian border. Belgorod (Бе́лгород is a city in western Russia, situated on the Seversky Donets river just 40 km north from the Ukrainian border at. ODESSA which stands for the German phrase O rganisation d er e hemaligen SS - A ngehörigen which in turn translates Kharkiv or Kharkov (Харків Харьков is the second largest city in Ukraine. Kiev, also known as Kyiv ( Ukrainian:, Kyiv, ˈkɪjiw Russian:, Kiyev; see also Cities' alternative names) is the Romania ( dated: Rumania, Roumania For his achievements on the Ukrainian Front Konev was promoted to the rank of Marshal of the Soviet Union in February 1944. Marshal of the Soviet Union ( Marshal Sovietskovo Soyuza Советского Союза'' was the de facto highest military rank of the Soviet Union. Year 1944 ( MCMXLIV) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.
A favourite of Stalin, Konev was widely renowned for brutality in combat. In one case, his forces had pursued a German division which took refuge in a small soviet town. Konev had the town surrounded, and then called in incendiary strikes from Il-2 aircraft, which turned the town into an inferno. German troops who had survived the bombardment fled into the Russian winter, only to be met by T-34 tanks which crushed them under their tracks, as well as cutting them down with machine gun fire. The survivors were then finished off with Cavalry units, who butchered the Germans with swords, with some accounts even claiming that those who raised their arms in surrender were also killed. This incident soon secured Konev's reputation as a cold and ruthless commander on all sides, most of all the Germans.
During 1944 Konev's armies advanced from Ukraine and Byelorussia into Poland and later into Czechoslovakia. Year 1944 ( MCMXLIV) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Ukraine (Україна Ukrayina, /ukrɑˈjinɑ/ is a country in Eastern Europe. Belarus ( Belarusian Беларусь / Biełaruś is a Landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered by Russia to the north and east Poland (Polska officially the Republic of Poland Czechoslovakia may also refer to what is now the Czech Republic and Slovakia. By July he had advanced to the Vistula River in central Poland, and was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. The title Hero of the Soviet Union ( Russian: Герой Советского Союза Geroy Sovyetskovo Soyuza) was the highest distinction in the Soviet In September 1944 his forces, now designated the Fourth Ukrainian Front, advanced into Slovakia and helped the Slovak partisans in their rebellion against German occupation. Year 1944 ( MCMXLIV) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The 4th Ukrainian Front was a front or roughly Army group sized formation of the Red Army during World War II Slovakia (long form Slovak Republic; Slovak:, long form, is a Landlocked country in Central Europe with a population of over five million
In January 1945 Konev, together with Georgy Zhukov, commanded the Soviet forces which launched the massive winter offensive in western Poland, driving the Germans from the Vistula to the Oder river. Year 1945 ( MCMXLV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar The Oder (known in Czech and Polish as Odra) is a River in Central Europe. In southern Poland his forces seized Krakow. Kraków, in English also spelled Krakow or Cracow (ˈkrækaʊ M-W: krăk'ou krāk'ō is one of the largest and oldest cities in Poland Konev preserved Kraków from Nazi-planned destruction by ordering a lightning attack on the city[1]. Konev's January 1945 offensive also prevented planned destruction of the Silesian industry by the retreating Germans. Etymology One theory claims that the name Silesia is derived from the Silingi, who were most likely a Vandalic (East Germanic people In April his forces, together with the First Byelorussian Front under his competitor, Marshal Georgi Zhukov, forced the line of the Oder and advanced towards Berlin. The 1st Belorussian Front (alternative spellings are 1st Byelorussian Front and 1st Belarusian Front) was a Front of the Berlin is the capital city and one of sixteen states of Germany. Konev's forces entered the city, but Stalin gave Zhukov the honor of capturing the Reichstag and hoisting the Soviet flag over Berlin. The Reichstag building in Berlin was constructed to house the Reichstag, the first Parliament of the German Empire. Konev was ordered to the south-west, where his forces linked up with elements of the United States army at Torgau and also liberated Prague shortly after the official surrender of the German forces. The United States Army is a military organization whose primary mission is to "provide necessary forces and capabilities. Torgau is a Town on the banks of the Elbe in northwestern Saxony, Germany. Prague (ˈprɑːg Praha (ˈpraɦa see also other names) is the Capital and Largest city of the Czech Republic.
Post-war career
After the war Konev was appointed head of the Soviet occupation forces in Eastern Germany and also Allied High Commissioner for Austria. Eastern Germany refers to the territory of the former German Democratic Republic, in Germany known as Ostdeutschland or better Neue Bundesländer Austria (Österreich ( officially the Republic of Austria (Republik Österreich In 1946 he became commander of Soviet ground forces and First Deputy Minister of Defense of the Soviet Union, replacing Zhukov. Year 1946 ( MCMXLVI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full 1946 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. He held these posts until 1950, when he was appointed commander of the Carpathian Military District. Year 1950 ( MCML) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Carpathian Military District was a Military district of the Soviet Armed Forces from 1945 after the conclusion of the Second World War to 1990-91 This was clearly a demotion, and was in line with Stalin's policy of relegating popular wartime commanders to obscure posts so they would not become threats to his position.
After Stalin's death, however, Konev returned to prominence. He became a key ally of the new Party leader, Nikita Khrushchev, being entrusted with the trial of the Stalinist police chief, Lavrenty Beria in 1953. Nikita Sergeyevich Khrushchev (April 17 1894 – September 11 1971 served as First Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1953 to 1964 following Lavrentiy Pavlovich Beria (ლავრენტი პავლეს ძე ბერია Lavrenti Pavles dze Beria; Russian: Лаврентий Павлович Year 1953 ( MCMLIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. He was again appointed First Deputy Minister of Defense and commander of Soviet ground forces, posts he held until 1956, when he was named Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Warsaw Pact. Year 1956 ( MCMLVI) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Warsaw Pact (see Nomenclature) was an organization of Communist states in Central and Eastern Europe. Shortly after his appointment he led the brutal suppression on the Hungarian anti-communist freedom fighters during the Hungarian Revolution. Hungary (Magyarország 'mɔɟɔrorsaːg) officially in English the Republic of Hungary ( Magyar Köztársaság, literally Magyar (Hungarian Republic Anti-communism refers to opposition to Communism. Historically the word "communism" has been used to refer to several types of communal social organization and Freedom fighter is a term to describe those that engage in a struggle to achieve freedom for themselves or to free others in some matter The Hungarian Revolution of 1956 ( Hungarian: 1956-os forradalom) was a spontaneous nationwide Revolt against the Stalinist government of
He held this post until 1960, when he retired from active service. Year 1960 ( MCMLX) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. In 1961-62, however, he was recalled and was again commander of the Soviet forces in East Germany. Year 1961 ( MCMLXI) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Year 1962 ( MCMLXII) was a Common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1962 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The German Democratic Republic ( GDR; Deutsche Demokratische Republik DDR; commonly known in English as East Germany) was a Socialist state He was then appointed to the largely ceremonial post of Inspector-General of the Defense Ministry.
Konev remained one of the Soviet Union's most admired military figures until his death in 1973. Year 1973 ( MCMLXXIII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar of the 1973 Gregorian calendar. He married twice, and his daughter Nataliya is Dean of the Department of Linguistics and Literature at the Russian Military University.
In 1969, the Ministry of Defense of the USSR published I. The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991 Konev's 285 page glorious war memoir called "Forty-Five. " It was later translated into English in the same year and published by Progress Publishers, Moscow. This work discusses Konev's taking of Berlin, Prague, his work with Marshal Georgi Zhukov, Stalin, his field meeting with General Omar Bradley and Yasha Heifitz. Joseph Stalin ( ნამდვილი გვარი ჯუღაშვილი|Iosif Vissarionovich Dzhugashvili; March 5 1953 was General Secretary of the Communist Party Omar Nelson Bradley KCB ( February 12, 1893 &ndash April 8, 1981) was one of the main U In English, the book was titled "I. Konev - YEAR OF VICTORY. " It was also published in Spanish under the title "El Año 45. "
Marshal of the Soviet Union, Twice Hero of the Soviet Union, holder of the Order of Victory Ivan Stepanovich Konev was buried in the Kremlin Wall with the greatest heroes of the USSR, and can still be visited today. Marshal of the Soviet Union ( Marshal Sovietskovo Soyuza Советского Союза'' was the de facto highest military rank of the Soviet Union. The Order of Victory (Орден Победы was the highest Military decoration in the Soviet Union, and one of the rarest orders in the world
In 1992 his memorial sculpture in Krakow was dismantled. The sculpture was given to Ukraine. The memorial plaque in front of the apartment building where he lived (three blocks from the Kremlin) is still mounted on the brick wall. View01jpg|thumb|right|250px|Remains of the Kolomna Kremlin]] Kremlin (Кремль Kreml) is the Russian word for "fortress" "citadel" or "castle"
References
External links
| Preceded by (none) |
Supreme Commander of the Unified Armed Forces of the Warsaw Treaty Organization 1955 – 1960 |
Succeeded by Andrei Grechko |
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