home · electrical safety · Great commanders in world history. The greatest commander of all time. Legendary commanders of the Red Army

Great commanders in world history. The greatest commander of all time. Legendary commanders of the Red Army

War and peace are ever-changing sides of the same coin called “life.” If in times of peace you need a wise and fair ruler, then in times of war you need a merciless commander who must win the battle and the war at all costs. History remembers many great military leaders, but it is impossible to list them all. We present to your attention the very best:

Alexander the Great (Alexander the Great)

Since childhood, Alexander dreamed of conquering the world and, although he did not have a heroic physique, he preferred to participate in military battles. Thanks to his leadership qualities, he became one of the great commanders of his time. The victories of the army of Alexander the Great are at the pinnacle of military art Ancient Greece. Alexander's army did not have numerical superiority, but was still able to win all the battles, spreading his gigantic empire from Greece to India. He trusted his soldiers, and they did not let him down, but faithfully followed him, reciprocating.

Genghis Khan (Great Mongol Khan)

In 1206, on the Onon River, the leaders of the nomadic tribes proclaimed the mighty Mongol warrior the great khan of all Mongol tribes. And his name is Genghis Khan. The shamans predicted Genghis Khan power over the whole world, and he did not disappoint. Having become the great Mongol emperor, he founded one of greatest empires, united the scattered Mongol tribes. The Shah's state and some Russian principalities conquered China, all of Central Asia, as well as the Caucasus and Eastern Europe, Baghdad, Khorezm.

Tamerlane (“Timur the Lame”)

He received the nickname “Timur the lame” for a physical disability that he received during skirmishes with the khans, but despite this he became famous as a Central Asian conqueror who played a fairly significant role in the history of Central, South and Western Asia, as well as the Caucasus, Volga region and Rus'. Founded the Timurid empire and dynasty, with its capital in Samarkand. He had no equal in saber and archery skills. However, after his death, the territory under his control, which stretched from Samarkand to the Volga, very quickly disintegrated.

Hannibal Barca ("Father of Strategy")

Hannibal the greatest military strategist Ancient world, Carthaginian commander. This is the "Father of Strategy". He hated Rome and everything connected with it, and was a sworn enemy of the Roman Republic. He fought the well-known Punic Wars with the Romans. He successfully used the tactics of enveloping enemy troops from the flanks, followed by encirclement. Standing at the head of a 46,000-strong army, which included 37 war elephants, he crossed the Pyrenees and the snow-capped Alps.

Suvorov Alexander Vasilievich

Suvorov can safely be called a national hero of Russia, a great Russian commander, because he did not suffer a single defeat in his entire military career, which included more than 60 battles. He is the founder of Russian military art, a military thinker who had no equal. Participant Russian-Turkish wars, Italian, Swiss hikes.

Napoleon Bonaparte

Napoleon Bonaparte French emperor in 1804-1815, a great commander and statesman. It was Napoleon who laid the foundations of the modern French state. While still a lieutenant, he began his military career. And from the very beginning, participating in wars, he was able to establish himself as an intelligent and fearless commander. Having taken the place of the emperor, he unleashed Napoleonic Wars, however, he failed to conquer the whole world. He was defeated at the Battle of Waterloo and spent the rest of his life on the island of St. Helena.

Saladin (Salah ad-Din) Expelled the Crusaders

Great talented Muslim commander and outstanding organizer, Sultan of Egypt and Syria. Translated from Arabic, Salah ad-Din means “Defender of the Faith.” He received this honorary nickname for his fight against the crusaders. He led the fight against the crusaders. Saladin's troops captured Beirut, Acre, Caesarea, Ascalon and Jerusalem. Thanks to Saladin, Muslim lands were liberated from foreign troops and foreign faith.

Gaius Julius Caesar

A special place among the rulers of the Ancient World is occupied by the well-known ancient Roman statesman and political figure, dictator, commander, and writer Gaius Julius Caesar. Conqueror of Gaul, Germany, Britain. He has outstanding abilities as a military tactician and strategist, as well as a great orator who managed to influence the people by promising them gladiatorial games and spectacles. The most powerful figure of his time. But this did not stop a small group of conspirators from killing the great commander. This caused civil wars to break out again, leading to the decline of the Roman Empire.

Alexander Nevskiy

Grand Duke, wise statesman, famous commander. He is called the fearless knight. Alexander devoted his entire life to defending his homeland. Together with his small squad, he defeated the Swedes at the Battle of the Neva in 1240. That's why he got his nickname. He recaptured his hometowns from the Livonian Order at the Battle of the Ice, which took place on Lake Peipsi, thereby stopping the ruthless Catholic expansion on Russian lands coming from the West.

Dmitry Donskoy

Dmitry Donskoy is considered a forefather modern Russia. During his reign, the white stone Moscow Kremlin was built. This famous prince, after his victory in the Battle of Kulikovo, in which he was completely able to defeat Mongol horde, was nicknamed Donskoy. He was strong, tall, broad-shouldered, heavyset. It is also known that Dmitry was pious, kind and chaste. A real commander has real qualities.

Attila

This man led the Hun Empire, which at first was not an empire at all. He was able to conquer a vast territory stretching from Central Asia to modern Germany. Attila was an enemy of both the Western and Eastern Roman Empires. He is known for his brutality and ability to conduct military operations. Few emperors, kings and leaders could boast of capturing such a vast territory for such short term.

Adolf Gitler

Actually, this man cannot be called a military genius. Now there is a lot of debate about how a failed artist and corporal could become, albeit for a short time, the ruler of all of Europe. The military claims that the “blitzkrieg” form of warfare was invented by Hitler. Needless to say, the evil genius Adolf Hitler, through whose fault tens of millions of people died, was indeed a very capable military leader (at least until the start of the war with the USSR, when a worthy opponent was found).

Georgy Zhukov

As is known, Zhukov led the Red Army during the Great Patriotic War. He was a man whose ability to conduct military operations can be called super-outstanding. In fact, this man was a genius in his field, one of those people who ultimately led the USSR to victory. After the fall of Germany, Zhukov led the military forces of the USSR that occupied this country. Thanks to the genius of Zhukov, perhaps you and I have the opportunity to live and rejoice now.

Sources:


On the path to progress and evolution, humanity has always faced wars. This is an integral part of our history and you should know about greatest warriors, laws, battles. This time we offer a rating that presents the greatest commanders of all times. No one will dispute the fact that history is written by the winners. But this speaks of the greatness and power of leaders who were able to change attitudes towards the world. This list will highlight the greatest leaders who have played a significant role in the history of the Earth.


The most outstanding commanders in history!

Alexander the Great


WITH early childhood Macedonian wanted to conquer the whole world. Although the commander did not have a massive physique, it was difficult to find equal opponents for him in battle. He preferred to participate in military battles himself. Thus, he showed his skill and delighted millions of soldiers. Showing great example He strengthened the fighting spirit of the soldiers and won one victory after another. That's why he received the nickname "The Great". Was able to create an empire from Greece to India. He trusted the soldiers, so no one let him down. Everyone responded with devotion and obedience.

Mongol Khan


In 1206 he was hailed as the greatest general of all time. mongol khan- Genghis Khan. The event took place on the territory of the Onon River. The leaders of the nomadic tribes recognized him unanimously. Shamans also predicted power over the world for him. The prophecy came true. He became a majestic and powerful emperor, feared by everyone without exception. Founded a huge empire, uniting devastated tribes. Was able to conquer China and Central Asia. In addition, he obtained obedience from the residents of Eastern Europe, Khorezm, Baghdad and the Caucasus.

"Timur is lame"


Another one of the greatest commanders, who received the nickname due to his wounds against the khans. As a result of the fierce battle, he was wounded in one leg. But this did not stop the brilliant commander from conquering most Central, Western, South Asia. In addition, he managed to conquer the Caucasus, Rus' and the Volga region. His empire smoothly flowed into the Timurid dynasty. It was decided to make Samarkand the capital. This man had no equal competitors in saber control. At the same time, he was an excellent archer and commander. After the death, the entire area quickly disintegrated. Consequently, his descendants turned out to be not so gifted leaders.

"Father of Strategy"


How many have heard of the best military strategist of the Ancient World? Surely not, which is due to the extraordinary behavior and thinking of Hannibal Bark, who received the nickname “Father of Strategy.” He hated Rome and everything connected with this Republic. He tried with all his might to defeat the Romans and fought the Punic Wars. Successfully used flanking tactics. He was able to become the head of an army of 46,000 people. He completed the mission perfectly. With the help of 37 war elephants, he crossed the Pyrenees and even the snow-capped Alps.

National Hero of Russia


Speaking about Suvorov, it should be noted that he is not only one of the great commanders, but also a national Russian hero. He managed to complete all military attacks with victory. Not a single defeat. Throughout his entire military career, he did not know a single defeat. And during his life he carried out about sixty military offensives. He is the founder of Russian military art. An excellent thinker who had no equal not only in battle, but also in philosophical reflection. A brilliant man who personally participated in Russian-Turkish, Swiss and Italian campaigns.

Brilliant commander


An excellent commander and simply a brilliant person who ruled from 1804 to 1815. The great leader at the head of France was able to achieve amazing heights. It was this hero who created the basis for the modern French state. While still a lieutenant, he began his military career and developed many interesting ideas. At first he simply took part in hostilities. Later he was able to establish himself as a fearless leader. As a result, he became a brilliant commander and led an entire army. He wanted to conquer the world, but was defeated at the Battle of Buterloo.

Expelled the Crusaders


Another warrior and one of the greatest commanders is Saladin. We are talking about an outstanding organizer of military operations, the Sultan of Egypt and Seria. He is the "defender of the faith." It was thanks to this that they managed to gain the trust of a huge army. He received an honorary nickname during battles with the crusaders. Was able to successfully complete the battle in Jerusalem. It was due to this leader that the Muslim lands were liberated from foreign invaders. He delivered the people from all representatives of foreign faiths.

Emperor of the Roman Empire


It would be strange if the name Julius did not appear on this list. Caesar is one of the greats not only due to his analytical thinking and unique strategies, but also due to his extraordinary ideas. Dactator, commander, writer, politician - not many merits unique person. He could perform several actions simultaneously. This is actually why he was able to have such an influence on the people. A gifted person has practically taken over the whole world. To this day, legends are made about him and films are made.

Choosing the best always has an element of subjectivity and can be disputed. But rarely has anyone, even the best commander in history, avoided failure. And the success of a military leader is not always just victories, it is also a career. The rank of marshal in the Red Army was not given for nothing.

Mikhail Vasilievich Frunze

Of those whom we will describe here, he is the only one who came to military posts not from the tsarist army, but from the revolutionary struggle, from tsarist hard labor. Frunze's organizational abilities were clearly revealed as a military leader. On January 31, 1919, he was appointed commander of the 4th Army, operating against Kolchak's troops in the western Kazakh steppes. In May 1919, Frunze united the command of the Southern Group of the Eastern Front, and under his leadership, Kolchak’s armies advancing on Samara were defeated. This moment marked a radical turning point in the course of the war with Kolchak. Troops under the leadership of Frunze cleared the Southern Urals of the enemy.

In July 1919, Frunze became commander of the Eastern Front, and in August he headed the Turkestan Front. Here he carried out a series of operations, during which he not only restored the connection between Soviet Russia and the Turkestan Soviet Republic, but also completed the conquest of Central Asia, occupying the autonomous Bukhara Emirate in September 1920 and proclaiming a Soviet republic in it. In the autumn of the same year, under the leadership of Frunze, Wrangel's armies in the Crimea were finally defeated.

Frunze did not know defeat as a military leader. A civilian, he not only mastered the practice of war, but also became a prominent Soviet military theorist.

Mikhail Nikolaevich Tukhachevsky

Tukhachevsky, as a front commander, suffered a series of major defeats from the Poles in August-September 1920. Nevertheless, he became one of the most successful military leaders civil war. A second lieutenant from the nobility, in six months he earned five awards for bravery; in 1915, seriously wounded, he was taken prisoner by the Germans, from where he managed to escape on the fifth attempt. In June 1918, he was appointed commander of the 1st Army of the Eastern Front.

Tukhachevsky was repeatedly defeated by White, but he also managed to win victories. He has developed a good relationship with Trotsky, who always saw Tukhachevsky as his reliable support in the army. In September 1918, Tukhachevsky carried out a successful operation to capture Simbirsk, Lenin’s hometown. Tukhachevsky showed himself best when he commanded the 5th Army on the Eastern Front in the summer of 1919. Under his leadership, the Reds carried out the Zlatoust and Chelyabinsk operations and crossed the Ural ridge.

Tukhachevsky skillfully massed his forces in the direction of the main attack, seeing this as the key to victory. In February-March 1920, with the rank of commander of the Caucasian Front, he completed the defeat of Denikin’s troops in the North Caucasus, and then commanded Western Front against the Poles, where he first won a decisive victory in Belarus, but was then defeated near Warsaw.

In 1921, he led the suppression of the Kronstadt uprising of sailors and the Tambov uprising of peasants, and personally gave orders for the use of chemical weapons, the burning of villages and the execution of hostages. As one of those who knew him testified, “he was not cruel - he simply had no pity.”

Semyon Mikhailovich Budyonny

He became famous for his command of the famous First Cavalry Army and also did not avoid serious failures. During the First World War, non-commissioned officer Budyonny became a full Knight of St. George. Successively commanded a regiment, brigade and division of the red cavalry on the Don Front. In the summer of 1919, Budyonny’s division was deployed into a corps, of which he became commander. In October 1919, when a threatening situation arose for the Soviet Republic on the Southern Front, Budyonny’s corps played an important role in the defeat of the White Cossack troops of Mamontov and Shkuro near Voronezh.

In November 1919, Budyonny's corps was transformed into the 1st Cavalry Army, which became the main impact force The Red Army in maneuver warfare. The army won important victories over the Whites, broke into Rostov in January 1920, but was soon defeated by the White cavalry of generals Toporkov and Pavlov. Budyonny suffered another defeat in February in the Battle of Yegorlyk. Nevertheless, they did not prevent the defeat of Denikin’s troops in the North Caucasus, and an aura of legend had already formed around Budyonny. It did not fade even after the First Cavalry suffered a severe defeat from the Poles at Zamosc in August 1920, was surrounded and miraculously escaped.

Vasily Konstantinovich Blucher

Having started serving as a private after mobilization in August 1914 and rising to the rank of junior non-commissioned officer, the namesake of the famous Prussian field marshal was commissioned in 1916 after being wounded and, working at a factory, joined the Bolshevik Party. Such a person was a valuable personnel for the Red Army. Back in the winter of 1917/18, he participated in the suppression of the rebellion of the Cossack ataman Dutov in the Southern Urals. In the summer of 1918, with the intensification of the civil war, Blucher found himself behind enemy lines.

His thousand-mile raid brought glory to Blucher partisan detachment along the white rear in the Urals in August-September 1918. For this campaign, Blucher was the first in the Red Army to receive the Order of the Red Banner. His military talent was revealed as the head of the 51st Infantry Division, at the head of which he fought against Kolchak, going from Tyumen to Baikal. Blucher commanded the same unit during the liquidation of Wrangel’s troops in the Crimea. The 51st Division took Perekop, crossing part of its forces through Sivash, and ensured the success of the entire operation.

Nevertheless, Blucher received an unenviable appointment to the distant outskirts - in June 1921 he became Minister of War of the Buffer Far Eastern Republic. Having successfully carried out the legendary Volochaev operation in February 1922, he was recalled to Moscow.

Vasily Ivanovich Shorin

The colonel of the tsarist army is little known, probably because soon after the end of the civil war he left the ranks of the Red Army due to his age. This, however, did not save him from execution in 1938. After October revolution, when the Bolsheviks experimented with the election of military leaders, he became one of those popular officers whom the soldiers elected as their commander. In September 1918, he was appointed commander of the 2nd Army on the Eastern Front after it was completely disorganized by the Izhevsk-Votkinsk uprising in its rear, and in a short time brought it into combat-ready condition.

He unsuccessfully led the army's actions during Kolchak's winter offensive on Perm, but in the spring of 1919, as commander of the Northern Group of Forces of the Eastern Front, he carried out successful offensive operations near Perm and Yekaterinburg, which ended with the defeat of Kolchak’s main forces and the occupation of the Urals. In 1921, he led the suppression of peasant uprisings in Western Siberia.

The crowning achievement of his military career was his command of the Turkestan Front in 1922. Under his leadership in the summer of the same year, the main forces of the Basmachi in Eastern Bukhara (Tajikistan) were defeated. During them, the leader of the Basmachi gangs, the former Minister of War of Ottoman Turkey, Enver Pasha, was destroyed.

Let's remember interesting stories from the lives of Chapaev, Budyonny, Frunze, Shchors and Kotovsky.
Semyon Budyonny was born on April 25, 1883. Songs and legends were written about the main cavalryman of the Land of the Soviets; cities and towns were named after him. The commander of the Cavalry remained in the memory of many generations folk hero. One of the first Soviet marshals, three times Hero Soviet Union lived 90 years.
Vasily Chapaev
1. In February 1887, Vasily Chapaev was born in the village of Budaika, Cheboksary district, Kazan province. At his baptism he was registered as Gavrilov. He inherited the nickname “Chapai”, or rather “Chepai”, from his father, and he inherited it from his grandfather Stepan, who worked as a senior in an artel of loaders and constantly urged the workers on by shouting: “Chepai, chapai!” The word meant “chain,” that is, “take.” The nickname “Chapai” remained with Stepan Gavrilovich. The descendants were given the nickname “Chapaevs”, which later became the official surname.

Vasily Chapaev on a postcard from IZOGIZ, USSR

2. Vasily Chapaev was almost the first of the Red commanders to switch to a car. It was technology that was the real weakness of the division commander. At first he liked the American Stever, then this car seemed shaky to him. They sent a bright red, luxurious Packard to replace it. However, this vehicle was not suitable for combat in the steppe. Therefore, under Chapaev, two Fords were always on duty, easily squeezing out up to 70 versts per hour off-road.

When his subordinates did not go on duty, the commander raged: “Comrade Khvesin! I will complain about you to the Central Election Commission! You give me an order and demand that I carry it out, but I cannot walk along the entire front, it is impossible for me to ride a horse. I demand that one motorcycle with a sidecar, two passenger car, four trucks to transport supplies!”

Vasily Ivanovich selected the drivers personally. One of them, Nikolai Ivanov, was almost forcibly taken from Chapaev to Moscow and made the personal driver of Lenin’s sister, Anna Ulyanova-Elizarova.
Vasily Ivanovich inherited the nickname “Chapai”, or rather “Chepai”, from his grandfather.

3. Chapaev did not learn to read and write, but tried to get a higher education military education. It is known what Vasily Ivanovich displayed in his application form for applicants to the accelerated course of the Academy of the General Staff, filled out by him personally. Question: “Are you an active member of the party? What was your activity? Answer: “I belong.” Formed seven regiments of the Red Army." Question: “What awards do you have?” Answer: “Georgievsky Knight of four degrees. The watch was also presented.” Question: "Which general education got?" Answer: “Self-taught.” And finally, the most interesting thing is the conclusion of the certification commission: “Enroll as having revolutionary combat experience. Almost illiterate."

Semyon Budyonny
1. The legendary marshal managed to start a family only on his third attempt. The first wife, a front-line friend Nadezhda, accidentally shot herself with a pistol. About his second wife, Olga Stefanovna, Budyonny himself wrote this to the Main Military Prosecutor's Office: “In the first months of 1937... J.V. Stalin, in a conversation with me, said that, as he knows from Yezhov’s information, my wife is Budennaya-Mikhailova Olga Stefanovna behaves indecently and thereby compromises me and that, he emphasized, this is not beneficial for us in any way, we will not allow this to anyone...” Olga ended up in the camps... The marshal’s third wife was the cousin of the second. She was 34 years younger than Semyon Mikhailovich, but Budyonny fell in love like a boy. “Hello, my dear mommy! “I received your letter and remembered September 20, which connected us for life,” he wrote from the front to Maria. - It seems to me that you and I grew up together since childhood. I love you infinitely and will love you until the end of my last heartbeat. You are my most beloved creature, you who brought happiness to our dear children... Hello to you, my dear, I kiss you warmly, your Semyon.”
“This, Semyon, is not your mustache, but the people’s...” Frunze said to Budyonny when he decided to shave it off.

2. There is a legend that during the battles for the Crimea, when Budyonny checked the captured cartridges - whether they were smokeless or not - he brought a cigarette to them. The gunpowder flared up and singed one mustache, which turned gray. Since then, Semyon Mikhailovich has been painting it. Budyonny wanted to completely shave his mustache, but Mikhail Frunze dissuaded him: “This, Semyon, is not your mustache, but the people’s...”


Semyon Budyonny on a postcard from IZOGIZ, USSR

3. Semyon Budyonny before recent years was an excellent rider. In Moscow, on Kutuzovsky Prospect, near the panorama, there is a famous monument - Kutuzov on horseback. So, the sculptor Tomsky sculpted the commander’s horse from Budyonny’s horse. It was Semyon Mikhailovich's favorite - the Sophist. He was incredibly handsome - a Don breed, reddish in color. When the marshal came to Tomsky to check on the horse, they say, Sophist recognized by the engine of the car that his owner had arrived. And when Budyonny died, the Sophist cried like a man.

Mikhail Frunze
1. Mikhail Vasilyevich Frunze was born in the city of Pishpek into the family of a retired paramedic and a Voronezh peasant woman. Misha was the second of five children. The father died early (the future military leader was only 12 years old at the time), the family was in need, and the state paid for the education of the two older brothers. Subjects were easy for Misha, especially languages, and the director of the gymnasium considered the child a genius. Educational institution Mikhail graduated in 1904 with a gold medal, and without exams was enrolled in the economics department of the St. Petersburg Polytechnic University.


Mikhail Frunze on a postcard from IZOGIZ, USSR

2. Frunze later recalled his rapid military career: he received his primary military education by shooting at the officers in Shuya, his secondary education against Kolchak, and his higher education on the Southern Front, defeating Wrangel. Mikhail Vasilyevich had personal courage and loved to be in front of the troops: in 1919, near Ufa, the army commander was even shell-shocked. Frunze did not hesitate to punish the rebel peasants for “class ignorance.” But most importantly, he showed his talent as an organizer and the ability to select competent specialists. True, the chairman of the Revolutionary Military Council, Leon Trotsky, was not delighted with this gift. In his opinion, the military leader “was fascinated by abstract schemes, he had a poor understanding of people and easily fell under the influence of specialists, mostly secondary ones.”
The children of Mikhail Frunze - Tanya and Timur - were raised by Kliment Voroshilov.

3. After car accident Frunze once again developed a stomach ulcer - he contracted the disease while still a prisoner at the Vladimir Central Prison. The People's Commissar for Military Affairs did not survive the subsequent operation. By official version, the cause of death was a combination of difficult-to-diagnose diseases that led to heart paralysis. But a year later, the writer Boris Pilnyak put forward a version that Stalin thus got rid of a potential competitor. By the way, shortly before the death of Mikhail Vasilyevich, an article was published in the English “Airplane” where he was called the “Russian Napoleon”. Meanwhile, Frunze’s wife also could not bear the death of her husband: in despair, the woman committed suicide. Their children, Tanya and Timur, were raised by Kliment Voroshilov.

Grigory Kotovsky
1. Grigory Ivanovich Kotovsky, the son of an engineer-nobleman, began his gangster career with the murder of his beloved’s father, Prince Kantakouzin, who opposed the lovers’ meetings. At the same time, he deprived his passion of property by burning down her estate. Hiding in the forests, Kotovsky put together a gang, which included former convicts and other professional criminals. Their robberies, murders, robberies, extortions shook the whole of Bessarabia. All this was done with insolence, cynicism and opposition. More than once, law enforcement officers caught the adventurer, but thanks to the huge physical strength and with agility he managed to escape every time. In 1907, Kotovsky was sentenced to 12 years of hard labor, but in 1913 he fled from Nerchinsk and already in 1915 he led a new gang in his native land.


Grigory Kotovsky on a postcard from IZOGIZ, USSR

2. Kotovsky gave the impression of an intelligent, courteous person and easily aroused the sympathy of many. Contemporaries pointed to Gregory's enormous strength. Since childhood, he began lifting weights, boxing, and loved horse racing. This was very useful to him in life: strength gave independence, power, and frightened enemies and victims. Kotovsky of that time had steel fists, a frantic temper and a craving for all kinds of pleasures. In the cities, he always appeared under the guise of a rich, elegant aristocrat, posing as a landowner, businessman, company representative, manager, machinist, and representative of the procurement of food for the army. He loved to visit theaters and brag about his brutal appetite, for example, scrambled eggs from 25 eggs. His weakness was thoroughbred horses, gambling and women.
Grigory Kotovsky's weaknesses were thoroughbred horses, gambling and women.

3. The death of Grigory Ivanovich is shrouded in the same unsolved mystery as his life. According to one version, the new economic policy of the Soviet state allowed the legendary brigade commander to legally and legally engage in big business. Under his leadership was a whole network of Uman sugar factories, trade in meat, bread, soap factories, tanneries and cotton factories. The hop plantations alone on the subsidiary farm of the 13th Cavalry Regiment brought in up to 1.5 million gold rubles per year in net profit. Kotovsky is also credited with the idea of ​​​​creating Moldavian autonomy, in which he wanted to rule as a kind of Soviet prince. Be that as it may, Grigory Ivanovich’s appetites began to irritate the Soviet “elite”.

Nikolay Shchors
1. Nikolai Shchors was born in the small town of Snovsk. In 1909 he graduated from the parochial school. The career of a priest did not suit him very much, but Nikolai decided to go to the seminary. The son of a railway driver did not want to turn bolts and nuts in the depot. When the first shots of the German war rang out, Shchors responded with delight to the draft summons to the army. Being a literate guy, he was immediately assigned to the Kyiv school of military paramedics. After a year and a half of combat, he moved from the trenches of the First World War to the classrooms of the Poltava Military School, which trained junior warrant officers for the army in an accelerated four-month course. Intelligent and sensitive by nature, Nikolai realized that the school produced only likenesses of “their nobles.” This cemented in him a peculiar complex of resentment at the inequality of real officers and “cannon fodder.” Therefore, over time, Shchors willingly went under the scarlet banners, forgetting about what he had received the day before February revolution rank of second lieutenant.
Until 1935, the name of Shchors was not widely known; even TSB did not mention him.

2. Until 1935, the name of Shchors was not widely known; even TSB did not mention him. In February 1935, presenting Alexander Dovzhenko with the Order of Lenin, Stalin invited the artist to create a film about the “Ukrainian Chapaev,” which was done. Later, several books, songs, even an opera were written about Shchors; schools, streets, villages and even a city were named after him. In 1936, Matvey Blanter (music) and Mikhail Golodny (lyrics) wrote “Song about Shchors”.


Nikolay Shchors on a postcard from IZOGIZ, USSR

3. When the body of Nikolai Shchors was exhumed in Kuibyshev in 1949, it was found well preserved, practically incorrupt, although it had lain in a coffin for 30 years. This is explained by the fact that when Shchors was buried in 1919, his body was previously embalmed, soaked in a steep solution of table salt and placed in a sealed zinc coffin.

As long as human civilization has existed, there have been wars. And wars, in turn, gave birth to great warriors.

10. Richard I Lion Heart (1157-1199)

He earned this nickname for his outstanding military talents and personal courage. Together with King Philip II of France, he led the crusade. He turned out to be a victim of betrayal by an ally, so the Holy Sepulcher was never freed from the army of the “Knight of the East” Saladin. After a dramatic return to England, he waged a grueling struggle with his brother John for the English crown. Many knightly legends and ballads are associated with King Richard I the Lionheart.

9. Spartacus (110-71 BC)

Source: toptenz.net

The most famous gladiator in history, who led a slave revolt against ancient Rome. According to one version, before falling into slavery and becoming a gladiator, he served in the Roman army, deserted and became a thief. With his army of runaway slaves, he walked the length and breadth of Roman possessions. In 71 BC. In the battle near the Silari River in the south of the Apennine Peninsula, the gladiators were defeated and Spartacus died. According to legend, a legionnaire named Felix, who killed Spartacus, laid out a mosaic picture of that battle on the wall of his house in Pompeii.

8. Saladin (1138-1193)


Source: usu.edu

Sultan of Egypt and Syria, brilliant Muslim commander of the 12th century. "Antihero" of the Third crusade(For Western world) and protector of Islamic shrines from the hordes of “infidels” (for the world of the East). He captured King Richard the Lionheart, but then nobly let him go home in exchange for a promise not to try to liberate Muslim Jerusalem. Developed advanced tactics for rapid cavalry attack.

7. Napoleon I Bonaparte (1769-1821)


Source: liveinternet.ru

Emperor of France, an outstanding commander and statesman. Military career started with the rank of lieutenant. In 1788, he almost became an officer in the Russian army, which was staffed partly by foreigners for the war with Turkey. Taking part in wars, from the very beginning of his career he established himself as a skillful and brave commander. Having become emperor, he unleashed the so-called Napoleonic Wars (1796-1815), which radically changed the face of Europe.

6. Alexander Nevsky (1221-1263)


Source: heruvim.com.ua

He studied military affairs from an early age. Already being a prince, he led his squads and personally fought in the front ranks. He received his nickname in honor of the victory on the banks of the Neva River over the Swedes in 1240. However, his most famous Victoria is Battle on the Ice on Lake Peipsi in 1242. Then the warriors of Alexander Nevsky completely defeated the knights of the Livonian Order and stopped the ruthless Catholic expansion of the West into Russian lands.

5. Gaius Julius Caesar (100-44 BC)


Source: teammarcopolo.com

This Roman dictator, commander and statesman, the first emperor of the Roman Empire, became famous for his victorious wars far beyond the borders of his country. At the head of the famous Roman legions he conquered Gaul, Germany and Britain. He was considered the most powerful figure of his time, but fell victim to a relatively small group of conspirators.

4. Hannibal Barca (247-183 BC)


Source: talismancoins.com

Outstanding Carthaginian commander and strategist. In his battles, he successfully used the tactics of enveloping enemy troops from the flanks and then encircling them. Fiercely he hated Rome and everything Roman. He fought the famous Punic Wars with the Romans with varying degrees of success. His unprecedented crossing of the Pyrenees and the snow-capped Alps at the head of a 46,000-strong army, which included 37 war elephants, is known.

3. Genghis Khan (1155 (or 1162) - 1227)