Victor Leonidovich Pokrovsky(, Nizhny Novgorod province - November 8, Kyustendil, Bulgaria) - lieutenant general. Member of the Great and Civil Wars. Pioneer. In 1919 commander of the Caucasian Army, successor in this post to General Baron P. N. Wrangel.
Biography
World War I
Pokrovsky was young, of low rank and military experience, and unknown to anyone. But he showed seething energy, was bold, cruel, power-hungry and did not really take into account "moral prejudices." ... Be that as it may, he did what more respectable and bureaucratic people were unable to do: he assembled a detachment, which alone represented the actual force capable of fighting and beating the Bolsheviks.
In April - June 1918 - Commander of the Kuban Territory, in June - August 1918 - Commander of the 1st Kuban Brigade. In August 1918 - January 1919 - commander of the 1st Kuban Cavalry Division, from January 3, 1919 - commander of the 1st Kuban Corps. From July 1919 - Commander of a group of troops of the Caucasian Army near Tsaritsyn, captured Kamyshin on the Volga.
On September 9, 1919, he fell ill and surrendered the 1st Kuban Corps to General Pisarev. After recovery, he was appointed head of the rear of the Caucasian army (October - November 1919). In this capacity, by order of General Wrangel, he led the dispersal of the Kuban Cossack Rada accused of separatism, one of whose leaders, priest Alexei Kulabukhov, was hanged "for treason against Russia and Kuban Cossacks” by the verdict of the military field court.
From November 26, 1919 to January 21, 1920 - commander of the Caucasian army, replaced General Wrangel, who characterized V. L. Pokrovsky as follows:
An extraordinary mind, outstanding energy, great willpower and great ambition, at the same time he was a little selective in means, prone to adventure.
He was removed from his post after the complete decomposition of the troops entrusted to him under the blows of the Red Army.
He was distinguished by cruelty: according to contemporaries, where Pokrovsky's headquarters stood, there were always many shot and hanged without trial, one suspected of being sympathetic to the Bolsheviks. He is credited with jokes like "the sight of a hanged man enlivens the landscape" or "the view of the gallows improves appetite." The modern Russian historian S. V. Karpenko gives the following “portrait” of V. L. Pokrovsky:
His fearsome reputation as a hangman was emphasized appearance. A low, round-shouldered figure, dressed in an unchanging Circassian coat, a frowning forehead, a hooked bird's nose and a piercing gaze from dark eyes resembled a merciless steppe predator. The formidable appearance of the officers of his personal escort, armed to the teeth - Chechens and Ingush - further thickened the atmosphere of fear around their adored boss.
In exile
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An excerpt characterizing Pokrovsky, Viktor Leonidovich
Gerasim and the janitor, who were following Makar Alekseich, stopped him in the hallway and began to take away the pistol. Pierre, going out into the corridor, looked with pity and disgust at this half-crazy old man. Makar Alekseevich, wincing with effort, held the pistol and shouted in a hoarse voice, apparently imagining something solemn.- To arms! Aboard! You're lying, you won't take it away! he shouted.
- It will, please, it will. Do me a favor, please leave. Well, please, master ... - said Gerasim, carefully by the elbows trying to turn Makar Alekseich towards the door.
- Who are you? Bonaparte! .. shouted Makar Alekseich.
- This is not good, sir. You are welcome to the rooms, you will rest. Please, a pistol.
- Away, despicable slave! Don't touch! Saw? shouted Makar Alekseevich, brandishing his pistol. - Aboard!
“Grab it,” Gerasim whispered to the janitor.
They seized Makar Alekseevich by the arms and dragged him to the door.
The entryway was filled with ugly sounds of fussing and the drunken, hoarse sounds of a breathless voice.
Suddenly a new, piercing female cry was heard from the porch, and the cook ran into the passage.
- They! Dear fathers! .. By God, they are. Four, mounted! .. - she shouted.
Gerasim and the janitor let go of Makar Alekseich, and in the quiet corridor they distinctly heard the knock of several hands on the front door.
Pierre, who decided with himself that he did not need to reveal either his rank or knowledge until the fulfillment of his intention French, stood in the half-open doors of the corridor, intending to hide at once, as soon as the French entered. But the French entered, and Pierre still did not leave the door: irresistible curiosity held him back.
There were two of them. One is an officer, a tall, brave and handsome man, the other is obviously a soldier or a batman, a squat, thin, tanned man with sunken cheeks and a dull expression on his face. The officer, leaning on a stick and limping, walked ahead. Having taken a few steps, the officer, as if deciding with himself that this apartment was good, stopped, turned back to the soldiers standing in the doorway and in a loud commanding voice shouted to them to bring in the horses. Having finished this business, the officer with a gallant gesture, raising his elbow high, straightened his mustache and touched his hat with his hand.
Bonjour la compagnie! [Respect to the entire company!] – he said cheerfully, smiling and looking around. Nobody answered.
– Vous etes le bourgeois? [Are you the boss?] – the officer turned to Gerasim.
Gerasim looked inquiringly at the officer in fright.
“Quartire, quartire, logement,” said the officer, looking down at the little man with a condescending and good-natured smile. – Les Francais sont de bons enfants. Que diable! Voyons! Ne nous fachons pas, mon vieux, [Apartments, apartments… The French are good guys. Damn it, let's not quarrel, grandfather.] - he added, patting the frightened and silent Gerasim on the shoulder.
– A ca! Dites donc, on ne parle donc pas francais dans cette boutique? [Well, doesn't anyone speak French here, too?] he added, looking around and meeting Pierre's eyes. Pierre moved away from the door.
The officer again turned to Gerasim. He demanded that Gerasim show him the rooms in the house.
"No master - don't understand... my yours..." said Gerasim, trying to make his words clearer by speaking them backwards.
The French officer, smiling, spread his hands in front of Gerasim's nose, making it feel that he did not understand him either, and, limping, went to the door where Pierre was standing. Pierre wanted to move away in order to hide from him, but at that very moment he saw Makar Alekseich leaning out of the kitchen door opening with a pistol in his hands. With the cunning of a madman, Makar Alekseevich looked at the Frenchman and, raising his pistol, took aim.
- Aboard!!! - the drunk shouted, pressing the trigger of the pistol. The French officer turned around at the cry, and at the same moment Pierre rushed at the drunk. While Pierre grabbed and raised the pistol, Makar Alekseich finally hit the trigger with his finger, and a shot rang out that deafened and doused everyone with powder smoke. The Frenchman turned pale and rushed back to the door.
Having forgotten his intention not to reveal his knowledge of the French language, Pierre, snatching the pistol and throwing it away, ran up to the officer and spoke to him in French.
- Vous n "etes pas blesse? [Are you injured?] - he said.
“Je crois que non,” the officer answered, feeling himself, “mais je l "ai manque belle cette fois ci,” he added, pointing to the chipped plaster in the wall. “Quel est cet homme? [It seems not ... but this once it was close. Who is this man?] - looking sternly at Pierre, the officer said.
- Ah, je suis vraiment au desespoir de ce qui vient d "arriver, [Ah, I really am in despair over what happened,] - Pierre said quickly, completely forgetting his role. - C" est un fou, un malheureux qui ne savait pas ce qu "il faisait. [This is an unfortunate madman who did not know what he was doing.]
The officer went up to Makar Alekseevich and seized him by the collar.
Makar Alekseich, with parted lips, as if falling asleep, swayed, leaning against the wall.
“Brigand, tu me la payeras,” said the Frenchman, withdrawing his hand.
– Nous autres nous sommes clements apres la victoire: mais nous ne pardonnons pas aux traitres, [Robber, you will pay me for this. Our brother is merciful after the victory, but we do not forgive the traitors,] he added with gloomy solemnity in his face and with a beautiful energetic gesture.
Pierre continued to persuade the officer in French not to exact from this drunken, insane man. The Frenchman listened in silence, without changing his gloomy look, and suddenly turned to Pierre with a smile. He looked at him silently for a few seconds. His handsome face took on a tragically tender expression, and he held out his hand.
- Vous m "avez sauve la vie! Vous etes Francais, [You saved my life. You are a Frenchman,]" he said. For a Frenchman, this conclusion was undeniable. Only a Frenchman could do a great deed, and saving his life, m r Ramball "I capitaine du 13 me leger [Monsieur Rambal, captain of the 13th light regiment] was, without a doubt, the greatest deed.
But no matter how undoubted this conclusion and the officer’s conviction based on it, Pierre considered it necessary to disappoint him.
“Je suis Russe, [I am Russian],” Pierre said quickly.
- Ti ti ti, a d "autres, [tell it to others] - said the Frenchman, waving his finger in front of his nose and smiling. - Tout a l "heure vous allez me conter tout ca," he said. – Charme de rencontrer un compatriote. Eh bien! qu "allons nous faire de cet homme? [Now you will tell me all this. It is very nice to meet a compatriot. Well! what should we do with this man?] - he added, addressing Pierre, already as his brother. If only Pierre was not a Frenchman, having once received this highest title in the world, he could not renounce it, said the expression on the face and tone of the French officer. To the last question, Pierre once again explained who Makar Alekseich was, explained that just before their arrival this a drunken, insane man dragged away a loaded pistol, which they did not have time to take away from him, and asked that his deed be left without punishment.
The Frenchman stuck out his chest and made a royal gesture with his hand.
- Vous m "avez sauve la vie. Vous etes Francais. Vous me demandez sa grace? Je vous l" accorde. Qu "on emmene cet homme, [You saved my life. You are a Frenchman. Do you want me to forgive him? I forgive him. Take this man away,] the French officer said quickly and energetically, taking by the arm what he had produced for saving his life into Pierre's French, and went with him to the house.
The soldiers who were in the yard, hearing the shot, went into the passage, asking what had happened, and expressing their readiness to punish the guilty; but the officer severely stopped them.
“On vous demandera quand on aura besoin de vous, [When needed, you will be called,” he said. The soldiers left. The batman, who had meanwhile been in the kitchen, approached the officer.
“Capitaine, ils ont de la soupe et du gigot de mouton dans la cuisine,” he said. - Faut il vous l "apporter? [The captain has soup and roast lamb in the kitchen. Would you like to bring it?]
- Oui, et le vin, [Yes, and wine,] - said the captain.
The French officer, together with Pierre, entered the house. Pierre considered it his duty to assure the captain again that he was not a Frenchman, and wanted to leave, but the French officer did not want to hear about it. He was so courteous, amiable, good-natured and truly grateful for saving his life that Pierre did not have the courage to refuse him and sat down with him in the hall, in the first room into which they entered. To Pierre's assertion that he was not a Frenchman, the captain, obviously not understanding how it was possible to refuse such a flattering title, shrugged his shoulders and said that if he certainly wants to be known as a Russian, then so be it, but that he, despite then, all the same forever connected with him by a feeling of gratitude for saving a life.
If this person had been gifted with at least some ability to understand the feelings of others and had guessed about Pierre's feelings, Pierre would probably have left him; but the lively impenetrability of this man to everything that was not himself defeated Pierre.
- Francais ou prince russe incognito, [Frenchman or Russian prince incognito,] - said the Frenchman, looking at Pierre's dirty, but thin underwear and the ring on his hand. - Je vous dois la vie je vous offre mon amitie. Un Francais n "oublie jamais ni une insulte ni un service. Je vous offre mon amitie. Je ne vous dis que ca. [I owe you my life, and I offer you friendship. A Frenchman never forgets insults or services. I offer my friendship to you, I say no more.]
Pokrovsky Victor Leonidovich (1889-1922) - lieutenant general. Graduated from Pavlovsk military school and the Sevastopol Aviation School. Member of the First World War, military pilot. Georgievsky Cavalier. In 1915, for the first time, a Russian aircraft captured an enemy aircraft with pilots and a machine gun, having only a Mauser on board. Two Russian officers - Viktor Pokrovsky and Mstislav Plonsky - served together and flew on the same plane. On July 15, 1915, the next sortie on the Farman was over. The plane landed, and the pilots were already preparing to go to rest, when suddenly on the horizon the pilots saw an Austro-Hungarian airplane. “They are flying to bomb the headquarters of our army,” Pokrovsky decided and ordered: “Hurry up to the plane, we are taking off!” Having risen, they caught up with the enemy aircraft. Pokrovsky pressed him to the forest, and Plonsky fired at him from a Mauser. The enemy plane was armed with a machine gun and now and then responded with bursts of bullets. But the skill of the pilots was at their best, the Russian plane skillfully evaded danger. After the emergency landing of the Austro-Hungarian aircraft, the pilots hurried to set fire to their car. Pokrovsky skillfully landed the plane and, leaving Plonsky at the car, ran to the enemy plane and knocked down one Austrian pilot with a pistol grip. The second, who turned out to be an officer of the Austrian General Staff, stunned by such an onslaught, raised his hands himself. The enemy plane and two prisoners were taken to the headquarters of the Russian army. They could not believe for a long time that our pilots were armed only with service weapons (pistols), and the Austrians with machine guns. For their feat, the 26-year-old lieutenant Pokrovsky and the 20-year-old cornet Plonsky were awarded the most honorary award Russian Empire- Order of St. George IV degree, becoming the first Russian pilots to capture an enemy aircraft with a pilot. In 1917, he was a staff captain and commander of the 12th Army Aviation Detachment in Riga. After the October Revolution, he formed the 2nd Volunteer Detachment in the Kuban. In the White movement: on behalf of the Kuban Rada, he formed the 2nd volunteer detachment (Kuban army) of about 3,000 fighters, 01-03.1918. Baron Wrangel testifies: "General Pokrovsky, who was promoted to this rank by a decree of the Kuban government, I knew from his work in St. Petersburg in an officer organization headed by Count Palen. At that time he was in the service of the aviation troops with the rank of staff captain. An extraordinary mind, outstanding energy, great willpower and great ambition." The very first small detachment of Pokrovsky (about 300 Cossack soldiers) inflicted a severe defeat on them (01/21-23/1918) in battles with the red units near Enem, near the village of Georgy-Afinskaya. 02/03/1918 returned to Krasnodar, which soon, 03/01/1918, was forced to leave under pressure from the vastly superior forces of the Reds. Appointed commander of the Kuban army 01.03-30.03.1918. After a meeting with the Volunteer Army of General Kornilov on March 27, 1918, in the area of the village of Ryazanskaya (village Shenjiy), the Kuban army entered integral part(3,000 fighters) to the Volunteer Army (2,700 bayonets and sabers, of which 700 were wounded), and by mutual agreement, the overall command of these forces was entrusted to General Kornilov.
Commander of the troops of the Kuban Territory, 04-06.1918; commander of the 1st Kuban brigade, 06-08.1918. Commander of the 1st Kuban Cavalry Division, 08.1918-01.1919. From 01/03/1919 commander of the 1st Kuban Corps, 01-07.1919. The commander of the group of troops of the Caucasian army near Tsaritsyn, captured Kamyshin, on the Volga; 07-09.1919. 09/09/1919 fell ill and surrendered the 1st Kuban Corps to General Pisarev. After recovery, he was appointed head of the rear of the Caucasian army, 10-11.1919. From 13 (26). 11. 1919 commander of the Caucasian army, replaced General Wrangel; 11/26/1919-01/21/1920. He emigrated from the Crimea on 04.1920 to Bulgaria without receiving a command post in the Russian army under General Wrangel. Killed on 11/09/1922 by agents of the NKVD in Kyustendil (Bulgaria) in his office as a newspaper editor.
MILITARY THOUGHT No. 11/1988, pp. 65-71
Generals and commanders of the Soviet military school
Colonel General A.P. Pokrovsky
(To the 90th birthday)
Colonel GeneralF. F. GAYVORONSKY ,
Professor
ALEXANDER Petrovich Pokrovsky was born on November 2, 1898 in the city of Tambov in the family of an employee. In December 1915, at the age of seventeen, he joined the army as a volunteer, and in the fall of 1916 he was sent to the ensign school. In the summer of 1917, with the rank of warrant officer, Pokrovsky leaves for the active army and, as part of the 534th Novokiev Infantry Regiment, takes part in hostilities.
After the Great October Socialist Revolution, A.P. Pokrovsky was demobilized, studied and worked in Tambov. In the summer of 1919, he was drafted into the Red Army, actively participated in the fighting on the fronts of the civil war, successively commanding a company, battalion and rifle regiment. For his courage, personal bravery, and skillful management of units and units, Pokrovsky was awarded the Order of the Red Banner.
After graduating from the M.V. Frunze Military Academy, Alexander Petrovich works in various staff positions in the troops. In 1938 he graduated military academy of the General Staff and is appointed Deputy Chief of Staff of the Moscow Military District.
With the beginning of the Great Patriotic War Major General A.P. Pokrovsky - Chief of Staff of the Army Group of the Reserve of the High Command, and since July 1941 - Chief of Staff of the South-West Direction. Subsequently, he heads the operational department of the headquarters of the Western Direction, the operational department, and from February 1943 until the end of the war, the headquarters of the Western (3rd Belorussian) Front. In the post-war period, he was chief of staff of the military district, from 1946 to 1961 - assistant chief of the General Staff for military scientific work, head of the military scientific department of the General Staff.
Alexander Petrovich Pokrovsky belongs to a brilliant galaxy of military leaders of the operational-strategic level, who carried on their shoulders a huge organizational work in preparing and conducting the most important operations of the Great Patriotic War and ensuring command and control of troops (forces) in extremely difficult conditions of a combat situation in the fight against a strong, experienced And insidious enemy.
Organizational talent of the head of a large staff, creative approach to the development of the concept and plan of each specific operation, the ability to deeply and comprehensively assess the situation, draw the right conclusions and clearly formulate proposals for a solution, were most fully revealed by Alexander Petrovich when he headed the headquarters of the Western Front, renamed in May 1944 into the 3rd Belorussian . By this time, Pokrovsky had developed as a military leader with a high military-theoretical training, significant practical experience in organizing operations of various scales and leading troops both in defense and in the offensive.
The Great Patriotic War once again confirmed that the headquarters of the front is the most important center for planning, organizing and directing a large operational-strategic formation in an important operational or strategic direction.
The chief of staff of the front was the main organizer, the soul purposeful work all field command and control bodies of the front to ensure continuous command and control of troops during the period of preparation and during the conduct of the operation.
Thanks to his high erudition, professional readiness, organization, thoughtfulness and punctuality, General A.P. Pokrovsky enjoyed great authority in the General Staff, the front command, subordinate generals and officers.
Describing the activities of Alexander Petrovich during the years of the last war, General of the Army S. M. Shtemenko, who was at that time the chief of the operational department of the General Staff, wrote: “A. P. Pokrovsky, who was at the head of the headquarters of the South-Western direction, the Western and 3rd Belorussian fronts, seemed to have some special secret that allowed him to achieve planned and strict order in work under any conditions. And this "secret" consisted only in the great knowledge and experience of Alexander Petrovich, in his organizational art ... ". Therefore, it is no accident that such well-known military leaders as G.K. Zhukov, A.M. Vasilevsky, V.D. Sokolovsky, I.D. Chernyakhovsky, with whom General Pokrovsky had to work, highly appreciated his abilities, carefully listened to his conclusions on situation and proposals, took them into account when making the final decision to conduct the operation.
Marshal Soviet Union A. M. Vasilevsky, who replaced in February 1945 the commander of the 3rd Belorussian Front, I. D. Chernyakhovsky, who died in combat, wrote that the front headquarters, headed by Colonel General A. P. Pokrovsky, did an exceptionally great job in preparing an offensive operations, and then the assault on Koenigsberg.
A characteristic feature of General A.P. Pokrovsky was the ability in any situation to clearly plan and organize the work of not only the headquarters, but also the entire field administration of the front so that their activities ensured effective leadership of the troops (forces), constant monitoring of the execution of orders, instructions and instructions, assistance to troops, commanders and staffs in the performance of assigned tasks. Pokrovsky never tired of repeating to the generals and officers that the headquarters works for the commander, helps him make the most optimal decision, prepare the troops for combat missions and ensure their continuous control. The chief of staff demanded from all personnel an honest and conscientious performance of functional duties, while showing initiative and creativity; a truthful, timely and accurate report on the accomplishment of the assigned task.
The chief of staff paid much attention to intelligence issues. When listening to the report of the chief of intelligence of the front, he demanded not just a display of the position of the enemy, but profound conclusions: where when And what forces, the enemy can offer the strongest resistance, strike with ground forces and aircraft, where and in what his weak side, for what it is necessary to pay special attention when performing a specific task (when breaking through the defense, developing an offensive, forcing water barriers, etc.).
A.P. Pokrovsky had the ability to deeply analyze the actions of the enemy and draw accurate conclusions. IN The Central Archive of the Ministry of Defense keeps an explanatory note To plan of the operation of the 3rd Belorussian Front in the East Prussian strategic offensive operation of 1945, written personally by Alexander Petrovich. From this note it can be seen how the chief of staff of the front clearly, briefly and at the same time very succinctly assessed the enemy in content. He drew the following conclusions: “1) In the upcoming operation, the advancing troops will meet a strong enemy defense in depth. Resistance will increase as our troops move forward. 2) Not later than on the 2nd day, strong counterattacks by enemy tank units and infantry should be expected. The most dangerous directions are: Insterburg and Darkemen. 3) In order to prevent the enemy from gaining a foothold on prepared lines, high rates of advance are required from our troops both day and night. 4) Overcoming a strong defense will be possible only under the condition of well-controlled artillery and continuous fire support of infantry and tanks, including the heaviest guns. 5) The fact that the enemy has a large number of tanks and self-propelled guns requires the creation of well-knitted and trained mobile advancing anti-tank groups. 6) Aviation is of particular importance, its strikes should paralyze enemy reserves, artillery and disrupt traffic on railways and highways. These conclusions formed the basis for planning the operation. The course of hostilities confirmed the correctness of the forecast about the nature of the resistance of the Nazi troops, which largely predetermined the achievement of the goals set, because the front and army commands had prepared in advance the necessary measures to neutralize the enemy's plans.
This method of evaluation deserves attention and is quite applicable in modern conditions.
The development of an idea and decision for an operation, its planning, organization and conduct have always been extremely important stages in the activities of the command, staff and all control bodies. This was due primarily to the fact that throughout the war it was necessary to fight with a strong and experienced enemy. The fight against it required not only a sufficient amount of forces and means, but also their skillful use on the battlefields.
In the process of combat operations, the art of commanders, staffs and troops was improved thanks to the constant study and generalization of combat experience and its introduction into practice. In this, the decisive role belonged to the General Staff, as well as the headquarters of operational formations and formations. The headquarters of the Western (3rd Belorussian) Front, as a rule, after the operation, carefully studied the combat experience, deeply analyzed and brought it to the troops in a timely manner.
High military-theoretical training, extensive practical and combat experience were the basis of General A.P. Pokrovsky's broad operational-strategic outlook. This made it possible to deeply and comprehensively analyze the evolving situation, objectively assess the combat capabilities of friendly troops and the enemy, draw the right conclusions, and report to the commander the most optimal proposals on the conception, planning, preparation, and conduct of the operation.
The front headquarters, headed by Alexander Petrovich, prepared and ensured the conduct of many front-line operations, most of which played a large role in the defeat of the Nazi troops. "In strategic offensive operations, the front, as a rule, carried out two or three successive operations, each of which had its own character traits, demanded from the chief of staff good organizational skills, clear planning, daily control over the execution of orders given, especially when breaking through the enemy’s defenses prepared in advance. For example, during the Smolensk strategic operation, the troops of the Western Front carried out three successive (with short pauses) operations.
But there were also such offensive operations in the preparation and conduct of which the front headquarters, headed by A. P. Pokrovsky, made serious miscalculations. One of them is the Spas-Demenskaya operation (1943). The command and headquarters of the front took measures to hide preparations for the offensive from the enemy, but the measures they carried out turned out to be ineffective. Due to the weak control on the part of the front headquarters over the discipline of formations and units in the places of unloading, on the march and in the areas of their concentration, violation of camouflage measures, the enemy detected in advance the preparation of the front troops for the offensive and strengthened his defense in the Smolensk direction, transferring new infantry and armored divisions. As a result of this, the troops of the Western Front from the very beginning of the offensive met with stubborn resistance from the enemy, his fierce counterattacks.
At the end of 1943 and the beginning of 1944 (January-March), the troops of the Western Front launched an offensive in order to defeat enemy groups covering the offensive Soviet troops to the central regions of Belarus. Despite long and fierce battles, they achieved only small tactical successes. This was due not only to limited forces and means, difficulties in material support formations and units, but also serious shortcomings in the organization of the offensive. The front headquarters was unable to timely reveal the enemy grouping, the nature of his defense, to objectively assess the situation and terrain conditions. All this had Negative influence on the quality of the decision taken by the commander, including the choice of the direction of the main attack.
From this experience, Alexander Petrovich drew the necessary conclusions. First of all, he organized a comprehensive study of past battles and battles with all the personnel of the front's field administration, demanded from the heads of departments and departments a sharp increase in professional skills and quality of work, which had a positive effect on the preparation and conduct of subsequent operations.
In fierce battles with the enemy, experience was gained, the skill of Alexander Petrovich grew. He becomes a professionally trained, highly erudite chief of staff of a large association. It is quite natural that Colonel General I. D. Chernyakhovsky, appointed in May 1944 as commander of the troops of the 3rd Belorussian (former Western) Front, met a reliable and experienced assistant in the person of Lieutenant General A. P. Pokrovsky. (In the formation of Ivan Danilovich as a front commander, the headquarters, headed by Pokrovsky, played an important role. As a result of fruitful combat cooperation, a number of front-line offensive operations were brilliantly carried out.
The organizational abilities of A.P. Pokrovsky manifested themselves especially clearly during the preparation of the Vitebsk-Orsha offensive operation of 1944. The 3rd Belorussian Front had to break through the most fortified part of " eastern rampart”, a well-prepared and powerful defensive line of the enemy, to defeat his large operational-strategic grouping, in cooperation with neighboring fronts, to liberate a significant territory of Belarus from the invaders, including its capital, the city of Minsk. To strengthen the front from the reserve of the Headquarters of the 1VGK arrived 11th guards combined arms and 5th guards tank armies, a large number of combined arms, tank, artillery formations and other special units. In total, from June 3 to June 21, the front was supposed to accept, except for the 11th guards army, following its own course, up to 380 military echelons, which had to be secretly withdrawn from the unloading points (Smolensk, Krasnoye) to the concentration areas. It was also necessary to receive a large number of echelons with ammunition, fuel and other materiel. The most important tasks were the equipment of starting positions for the troops of the first echelon, the preparation of command posts, the coordination of units and subunits, the development of elements of interaction, control, support, and a number of other issues. In order to ensure that all of them were carried out in an organized manner, within strictly defined deadlines and secretly from the enemy, the chief of staff of the front developed a calendar plan for the preparation of the operation, approved by the military council of the front. General A.P. Pokrovsky personally supervised its execution. This made it possible to carefully prepare the troops for the upcoming offensive.
The work plan of the military council and the front's field administration for the preparation of the East Prussian operation was also informative and easy to use. It reflected all the most important activities carried out by the commands of the front, armies, headquarters, commanders of the military branches and chiefs of services, as well as troops in the preparation of the operation. Detailed planning and clear coordination of a large set of activities were an important prerequisite for the successful fulfillment of the tasks set.
During the preparation of each operation, A.P. Pokrovsky paid particular attention to the issues of secrecy and achieving surprise. Very indicative in this regard is the experience of preparing the Vitebsk-Orsha operation. 1944. By By order of the chief of staff of the front, operational control officers were sent to the area of the station for unloading new formations and units arriving at the front. They controlled discipline and observance of camouflage measures by troops during unloading, on the march and in areas of concentration. Clear traffic control was organized on the roads from the unloading stations to the areas of concentration. All movements were allowed only at night. A whole range of measures was carried out to mislead the enemy about the true intentions.
This made it possible to hide from the enemy the concentration of a large group of troops in the Bogushev direction, which he considered secondary. The main, according to the Nazi command, was the Orsha direction. He was given the main attention, it was reinforced with reserves, an additional amount of fire and strike weapons. The Bogushevskoye direction was covered much weaker. This miscalculation cost the enemy dearly.
To achieve secrecy in the preparation of the offensive, operational documents were written by hand and only by immediate superiors. For example, graphic plan The operation was developed personally by Lieutenant General A.P. Pokrovsky and the head of the operational department, Major General P.I. Igolkin. The commanders of the branches of the armed forces and the chiefs of services were involved only in the preparation of certain issues of the plan. Combat missions for armies and formations were assigned orally by the commander of the troops of the front or, at his direction, by the chief of staff. The front's written directives for the operation were written separately for each army, also personally by the front's chief of staff, and handed over to the army commanders only on June 20 - three days before the offensive. Only after that the armies were allowed to issue their directives (orders).
Lieutenant General A.P. Pokrovsky was an exceptionally skillful organizer of command and control of troops (forces) in the most difficult conditions of the situation. Despite the increased dynamism of hostilities and the high rate of advance of the Soviet troops (1944-1945), the control of formations and units was stable, operational and continuous. A striking example of this is the command and control of troops by the headquarters of the 3rd Belorussian Front. The front in this period, as a rule, had a large number of mobile troops (associations, formations and units). In the Vitebsk-Orsha operation mentioned above, liaison officers with radio stations were sent to all mobile formations to maintain constant direct communication with the front headquarters. The headquarters of the front and the armies had well-equipped mobile communication centers on vehicles, which contributed to their rapid deployment and the establishment of communication with the troops when the command posts were moved to new areas, especially in conditions of high offensive rates and when pursuing the enemy.
In order to achieve greater flexibility in command and control and bring the leadership closer to the armies, an operational group (the first echelon of the front's field command) was allocated, which, when the defense was breached, was located on the main NP, and subsequently moved after the battle formations, ensuring stable control during the entire operation. Due to the fact that the front dealt two blows, it was decided to control the troops during the period of the breakthrough and the introduction of mobile groups into battle from a command post and two NPs. In addition, the second echelon of headquarters was deployed. Command post was located 50 km from the front line in the direction of the main attack in the area of the Minsk highway, NP-1 - in the offensive zone of the 11th Guards Army north of the highway and NP-2 - in the Bogushevsky direction in the offensive zone of the 5th Army in 3 and 1, 5 km from the leading edge, respectively.
The created command and control system of the troops of the 3rd Belorussian Front fully justified itself both in breaking through the enemy defenses and during the offensive. The decision of the chief of staff of the front to create a well-equipped NP in the zone of the 5th Army was very prudent. This, when the situation demanded, allowed the commander of the front, General I. D. Chernyakhovsky, already on the second day of the operation (June 24), to successfully lead the cavalry-mechanized group into battle from there, and then the 5th Guards Tank Army.
Colonel General A.P. Pokrovsky is known not only as a gifted chief of staff of the front, whose name is associated with the successful actions of the troops of the Western and 3rd Belorussian fronts, but he was one of the first organizers defensive operation groups of strategic fronts. Already from mid-July 1941, he had to serve as chief of staff of the newly created High Command of the South-Western Direction, whose troops (South-Western, southern fronts and strength Black Sea Fleet) fought heavy battles with the advancing Nazi Army Group South. The front line constantly "breathed", changed, moving away to the east. Command and control of troops in all instances was extremely unstable. The reports arrived late, besides, they did not always objectively reflect the situation, most headquarters did not have reliable communications with the troops.
Having shown outstanding organizational skills, Alexander Petrovich managed to quickly establish a more or less stable connection with the fronts, armies and individual formations. Reports began to arrive more regularly, and the given orders reached the executors in a timely manner. It was possible to establish, although not always stable, interaction between the fronts and within them. The headquarters of the direction launched energetic activities to restore the combat capability of formations that had suffered heavy losses, to provide the troops with ammunition and fuel.
Having studied the situation, the chief of staff of the direction came to the conclusion that further holding of the positions occupied by the 6th and 12th armies of the Southwestern Front could lead to their encirclement. He reported his thoughts to the Commander-in-Chief of the direction, Marshal of the Soviet Union S. M. Budyonny, who agreed with his proposal even after the permission of the Headquarters of the VTK. On July 18, he ordered the withdrawal of these armies to the rear line, where it was possible to delay the enemy's advance for some time.
In the post-war period, Colonel-General A.P. Pokrovsky did a great deal of work on generalizing and studying combat experience and developing Soviet military theory. Under his leadership, the military-scientific department of the General Staff summarized the rich combat experience of the Soviet Armed Forces in the Great Patriotic War, developed and published major fundamental and applied scientific works on the history and theory of military art, dozens of collections (combat documents of the Great Patriotic War, materials on the study of war experience, military historical materials), studies of the most important operations and battles (Stalingrad and Battle of Kursk, Berlin operation and others), works on questions of military theory. The collections of military-historical materials considered not only successful, but also unsuccessful operations of the Soviet troops. So, in the 5th edition of the Collection of Military Historical Materials (1951), offensive Southwestern Front in the Kharkov direction V May 1942, the reasons for the heavy defeat of our troops were revealed and certain conclusions were drawn.
The materials published by the military-scientific department of the General Staff were in constant demand among generals and officers, and helped to improve their operational-strategic outlook and professional skills. This is a considerable merit of Colonel-General A.P. Pokrovsky, who was the author or editor of many works.
The Communist Party and the Soviet state highly appreciated the military activities of A.P. Pokrovsky. His merits were marked by many high state awards.
Shtemenko SM. General base during the war years, 1. - M .: Military publishing house, 1975. - S. 205-206.
Vasilevsky A. M. The matter of a lifetime. - M.: Military Publishing House, 1984. - S. 416.
TsAMO USSR, f. 241, op. 2593, D. 664, l. 9.
TsAMO, f. 68, op. 24771, d. 91, l. 16
History of the Second World War 1939-1945.- T. 7. - M .: Military Publishing House, 1976 - S. 273
TsAMO, f. 132a, op. 2642, d. 34, ll. 258-259.
TsAMO, f. 241, op. 2593, d. 505, l. 190.
The fronts were advancing. - M.: Nauka, 1987.- S. 182-186.
TsAMO, f. 251, op. 2606, d. 30, ll. 61-66; op. 4063, d. 22, ll, 6-18.
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- Pokrovsky, Anatoly Vladimirovich (born 1930) - Soviet and Russian surgeon, academician of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences.
- Pokrovsky, Andrey :
- Pokrovsky, Vadim Valentinovich (born 1955) - Academician of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, leading specialist in HIV infection; son of V.I. Pokrovsky.
- Pokrovsky, Valentin Ivanovich (born 1929) - Soviet academician and president of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences (1987-2006).
- Pokrovsky, Valery :
- Pokrovsky, Dmitry Viktorovich (1944-1996) - Soviet musician, conductor, founder of the Dmitry Pokrovsky Ensemble, researcher of Russian folklore.
- Pokrovsky, Egor Arsenievich (1834-1895) - Russian pediatrician, psychologist, philanthropist.
- Pokrovsky, Ivan :
- Pokrovsky, Ivan Mikhailovich - professor of the history of the Russian church.
- Pokrovsky, Ivan Fedorovich (born 1925) - doctor legal sciences, professor, full member (academician) of the Academy of Acmeological Sciences, Academy humanities, International Slavic Academy of Sciences.
Pokrovskaya
- Pokrovskaya, Alina Stanislavovna (born 1940) - Soviet and Russian actress.
- Pokrovskaya, Alla Borisovna (born 1937) - Soviet and Russian actress, daughter of Boris Pokrovsky, wife of Oleg Efremov.
- Pokrovskaya, Anna Mikhailovna (1904-2001) - Soviet teacher, righteous man of the world.
- Pokrovskaya, Irina Mitrofanovna (1902-1970) - Soviet paleontologist, doctor of geological and mineralogical sciences (1947), one of the founders of the Soviet school of palynologists.
- Pokrovskaya, Lyudmila Alexandrovna (1925-2009) - Soviet and Russian orientalist and Turkologist, researcher of the language and culture of the Gagauz.
- Pokrovskaya, Magdalina Petrovna (1901-1980) - Russian bacteriologist.
- Pokrovskaya, Tatyana Nikolaevna (born 1950) - Russian coach, head coach of Russia in synchronized swimming. Hero of Labor Russian Federation (2014)
Settlements
Belarus
- Pokrovsky - a village in the Dobrush district of the Gomel region
- Pokrovsky - a village in the Kamensky village council of the Kormyansky district of the Gomel region
- Pokrovsky - a village in the Otorsky village council of the Chechersky district of the Gomel region
Russia
- Pokrovsky - a village in the Talovsky district of the Voronezh region.
- Pokrovsky - a farm in the Abinsky district of the Krasnodar Territory.
- Pokrovsky is a farm in the Otradnensky district of the Krasnodar Territory.
- Pokrovsky - a farm in the Morozovsky district of the Rostov region.
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An excerpt characterizing Pokrovsky
- Well, where did you "walk", Madonna Isidora? my tormentor asked in a mockingly sweet voice.“I wanted to visit my daughter, Your Holiness. But she couldn't...
I didn't care what he thought, or whether my "outing" made him angry. My soul hovered far away, in the amazing White City, which Easten showed me, and everything around seemed distant and miserable. But Caraffa, unfortunately, did not allow me to go into dreams for a long time ... Immediately sensing my changed mood, the "holiness" panicked.
– Did they let you into Meteora, Madonna Isidora? - Caraffa asked as calmly as possible.
I knew that in his soul he was simply “burning”, wanting to get an answer faster, and I decided to torment him until he told me where my father was now.
“Does it matter, Your Holiness?” After all, you have my father, whom you can ask everything, which is natural, I will not answer. Or have you not had enough time to interrogate him yet?
– I do not advise you to talk to me in such a tone, Isidora. How you intend to behave will largely depend on his fate. Therefore, try to be more polite.
– And how would you behave if instead of mine, your father turned out to be here, Holiness? .. – trying to change the topic that had become dangerous, I asked.
“If my father was a HERETIC, I would burn him at the stake!” - Caraffa answered quite calmly.
What kind of soul did this “holy” person have?!.. And did he have it at all?.. own father could he answer that?
“Yes, I was in Meteora, Your Holiness, and I am very sorry that I will never get there again ...” I answered sincerely.
“Have you really been expelled from there too, Isidora?” Caraffa laughed in surprise.
“No, Holiness, I was invited to stay. I left on my own...
- It can not be so! There is no such person who would not want to stay there, Isidora!
- Well, why not? And my father, Holiness?
I don't believe he was allowed to. I think he should have left. It's just that his time is probably over. Or the Gift wasn't strong enough.
It seemed to me that he was trying, by all means, to convince himself of what he really wanted to believe.
- Not all people love only themselves, you know ... - I said sadly. “There is something more important than power or strength. There is still love in the world...
Caraffa brushed me off like an annoying fly, as if I had just uttered some complete nonsense ...
- Love does not control the world, Isidora, well, but I want to control it!
– A person can do anything... until he starts trying, Your Holiness – I “bite” without restraining myself.
And remembering something that she definitely wanted to know, she asked:
– Tell me, Your Holiness, do you know the truth about Jesus and Magdalene?
– Do you mean that they lived in Meteora? I nodded. - Surely! That was the first thing I asked them about!
– How is this possible?!.. – I asked dumbfounded. – Did you also know that they were not Jews? Caraffa nodded again. – But you don’t talk about it anywhere, do you? Nobody knows about it! And what about the TRUTH, Your Holiness?! ..
- Do not make me laugh, Isidora! .. - Caraffa laughed sincerely. You are a real child! Who needs your "truth"? .. The crowd that never looked for it?! .. No, my dear, Truth is needed only by a handful of thinkers, and the crowd should simply "believe", well, what - it no longer has of great importance. The main thing is that people obey. And what is presented to them at the same time is already secondary. The TRUTH is dangerous, Isidora. Where the Truth is revealed, doubts appear, well, where doubts arise, a war begins... I am waging MY war, Isidora, and so far it gives me real pleasure! The world has always been based on a lie, you see... The main thing is that this lie should be interesting enough to be able to lead "narrow-minded" minds... And believe me, Isidora, if at the same time you start proving to the crowd the real Truth that refutes them “faith” is unknown in what, and you will be torn to pieces, this same crowd ...
- Biography:
He graduated from the Odessa Cadet Corps (1906), the Pavlovsk Military School (1909, the first in graduation). He studied in the aviation class of the St. Petersburg Polytechnic Institute (1912-1913), graduated from the Sevastopol Aviation School (1914). He served in the 10th Little Russian Grenadier Field Marshal Count Rumyantsev-Zadunaisky Regiment. Member of the First World War: captain in the 1st Grenadier Regiment; military pilot - squadron commander and, since 1916, commander of the 12th squadron in Riga. The first Russian pilot to capture an enemy aircraft with a pilot. He was awarded the St. George weapon and the Order of St. George, 4th degree.
In the White movement from the beginning of 1918. On behalf of the Kuban Rada, he formed a volunteer detachment (Kuban Army) of 3,000 fighters, in January - March 1918. The first small detachment of Pokrovsky (about 300 Cossack soldiers) inflicted (21-23 January 1918) they were severely defeated near Enem, near the village of Georgie-Afipskaya. On February 3, 1918, he returned to Ekaterinodar, which soon, on March 13 (February 28), 1918, was forced to leave Sorokin under pressure from the vastly superior Red troops, who, as a result, got the city without a fight. On March 14, 1918, Pokrovsky was appointed commander of the Kuban Army by the Kuban Rada and promoted to colonel, and on March 27 (13) to major general. In April - June 1918 - Commander of the Kuban Territory, in June - August 1918 - Commander of the 1st Kuban Brigade. In August 1918 - January 1919 - commander of the 1st Kuban Cavalry Division, from January 3, 1919 - commander of the 1st Kuban Corps. Since July 1919 - the commander of a group of troops of the Caucasian army near Tsaritsyn, captured Kamyshin on the Volga. On September 9, 1919, he fell ill and surrendered the 1st Kuban Corps to General Pisarev. After recovery, he was appointed head of the rear of the Caucasian army (October - November 1919). From November 26, 1919 to January 21, 1920 - Commander of the Caucasian Army, replaced General Wrangel. He was removed from his post after the complete decomposition of the troops entrusted to him under the blows of the Red Army.
He emigrated from the Crimea to Bulgaria in April 1920 without receiving a command post in the Russian army under General Wrangel. Since 1921 he lived in Varna, planned to organize the landing of armed and politically trained personnel from among the white officers on the Black Sea coast of the Kuban to organize anti-Bolshevik propaganda, sabotage and terrorist attacks. Information about the creation of a white military organization fell into the hands of the Bulgarian police (then the prime minister of Bulgaria was the left-wing politician Alexander Stambolisky, who had a negative attitude towards the white movement), which conducted searches and arrests, frustrating the landing plans. Pokrovsky was forced to flee Varna and go into hiding. On November 3, 1922, members of the Pokrovsky organization killed Alexander Ageev in Sofia, a Cossack activist who worked for the Soviet authorities and agitated the Cossacks to return to Russia. As part of the investigation of this murder, Bulgarian police (there is a version that together with Soviet agents) arrived in the city of Kyustendil, where Pokrovsky was located. When trying to arrest the general offered armed resistance, was mortally wounded by a bayonet and soon died.
Pokrovsky Viktor Leonidovich (September 14, 1889 - November 8, 1922, Kyustendil, Bulgaria), lieutenant general, military pilot. From the nobles, the son of a court adviser, the Orthodox religion. He was educated in the Odessa Cadet Corps, graduated from the Pavlovsk Military School and the Officer School of Aviation of the Air Fleet Department, successfully (1914). From 1907 to 1909 he studied at the Pavlovsk Military School. On August 6, 1909, he was promoted to second lieutenant in the 10th Little Russian Grenadier General-Field Marshal Count Rumyantsev-Zadunaisky Regiment. On December 15, 1912, he was promoted to lieutenant. On January 4, 1914, he was seconded to the Air Fleet Department. June 5, 1914 after graduation Theoretical courses Aviation was sent to the Officer School of Aviation of the Air Fleet Department. On September 13, 1914, he passed the exam for the title of pilot on the Farman apparatus. On September 15, 1914, he was transferred to a special class of the school. On October 24, 1914, after completing the school course, he was assigned to the 21st Corps Aviation Detachment. Member of the First World War. From November 25 to December 19, 1914, he temporarily served as a detachment commander. On April 29, 1915, he was transferred to the 3rd aviation company. On December 26, 1915 he was appointed commander of the 12th Army Aviation Detachment, on January 9, 1916 he was sent to form it. On March 17, 1916, he arrived with a detachment to the theater of operations. 10/28/1916 promoted to staff captain. In March 1917, he resigned as commander of the 12th Army Aviation Detachment. Awarded with orders: St. Stanislaus 3rd Art. (November 23, 1914), St. Vladimir 4th class. with swords and a bow (6/6/1915), St. Stanislaus 2nd class. with swords (19.8.1915), St. George 4th class. “For the fact that on July 15, 1915, while reconnaissance on an airplane and seeing an Austrian airplane from a distance, he caught up with it and, rising above it, began to fire from Mausers, gradually pressing it to the ground. The enemy plane tried to escape, but failed, and after a short exchange of fire, it sank to the ground. In turn, our pilots descended next to the enemy, after which, with Mausers in their hands, they rushed at the Austrians, who were taken prisoner among two people, along with a completely new apparatus of 120 forces of the Aviatik type, with full equipment "(Highest order dated 3.8.1915), St. Anne 3rd Art. with swords and a bow (20.2.1917). Participant civil war. In November 1917, he left for the Kuban, where he began to form a volunteer detachment to fight against Soviet power. Appointed by the Kuban Rada as commander of the troops of the Kuban region, promoted to colonel, then to major general (1918). On February 28, 1918, he was forced to leave the city of Yekaterinodar and took his subordinate units to join the Volunteer Army. On March 14, 1918, in the village of Shenjiy, he joined the army of General L.G. Kornilov. IN Volunteer army from June 1918 the commander of the Kuban cavalry brigade, from July 1918 the head of the 1st Kuban cavalry division, from 03/01/1919 the commander of the 1st cavalry corps. In January - August 1919, the commander of the 1st Kuban Corps as part of the Caucasian Army, General P.N. Wrangel. From 11/2/1919 to 3/8/1920 commander of the Caucasian army. Lieutenant General (April 4, 1919). In the Russian army, General P.N. Wrangel was not appointed and in May 1920 left the Crimea. From 1922 he lived in Berlin, then in the same year he moved to Bulgaria. As a result of a provocation by Soviet agents, on November 8, 1922, he was killed by Bulgarian gendarmes in the city of Kyustendil.
