Chapter 3 War Memoirs of Marshal Baghramyan: Special Military Region -1.return to the army

It has been almost four years since I left the 5th Brinov Cavalry Division from Zhytomir to study at the newly established Military Academy of the General Staff in Moscow.There are thirteen people in our class.Friends joked: This is an unlucky number②, don't expect success.However, the prophecy did not come true.Everyone's studies are going well.True, the "Devil's Dozen" soon became a regular dozen: one student dropped out because of poor grades. -------- ①Blinov (1892-1919) was the commander of the cavalry group of the Ninth Army during the Russian Civil War.After his death the group was reorganized into the 5th Brinov Cavalry Division. ——Translator's Note.

②According to the superstition in Europe and the United States, thirteen is an unlucky number and is called "the devil's dozen". ——Translator's Note. The military academy has enabled us to learn a lot of knowledge, especially military academic knowledge.The achievements of teaching can be proved by the fact that some students in our class have become teachers of the college.The first cadets to replenish the dwindling teaching cadres were the Estonians, brigade 1 Johan Bieblis and colonels Nikolai Yemelyanovich Sviridov, Konstantin Fyodor Rovich Skorobogatkin, etc., who soon switched to teaching jobs after finishing their first year of study.Our squad leader, brigade Vladimir Yefimovich Klimovskikh, and experienced pilot Major Ivan Nikiforovich Rukhle also embarked on this difficult mission. path of.

-------- ①The brigade level here refers to the military rank, not the position.After the Soviet Army implemented the military rank system in 1935, at first there were only the ranks of marshal, colonel, and lieutenant, and no rank of general.The military ranks higher than school officers are brigade level, division level, army level, second-level group army level, and first-level group army level; the military ranks of political cadres are also divided into brigade political commissar level, division political commissar level, and so on. After some reforms were carried out in May 1940, the military ranks above the division level were changed to major general, lieutenant general, general, and general in turn, but the brigade level was still retained, and the military ranks of political cadres remained unchanged, and the unified military ranks were used until 1942-1943. until.The military ranks involved in this book are very complicated, and readers can compare them accordingly. ——Translator's Note.

I successfully passed the graduation exam and was waiting to be sent to the army, but at this moment I was suddenly suggested to stay as the head teacher of the college.Although I had no special expectations, I agreed. I taught the class for two years.Works fine.I acquainted myself with my new duties with the teaching and research group, and nothing seemed to affect my satisfaction with my situation.However, just like a nomad who always wants to leave the place where he has lived for a long time, I, who have dealt with endless maneuvers and marches for half a lifetime in the boiling army life, also began to long to return to the comfortable environment I am used to. .As for my wife, I don't want to disturb her prematurely with my restless fantasies.She, like all wives, was more content with a peaceful, settled life, hoping that the children would study normally, rather than be constantly transferred from one school to another.

I made several attempts.But there was no result, and I was politely declined every time. Once, I talked with Argunov.We envy our comrades who went to the army after graduating from the academy.Brigade B. E. Klimovskikh left his teaching job and became chief of staff of the Western Special Military District.My good friend and a very lovely man Anatoly Nikolaevich Korolev was appointed Minister of Military Transport of the Moscow Military District.Colonel Trofimenko, who had studied with us, has obtained the rank of division and is now in command of the Central Asian Military Region... "You and I," said Argunov with a wry smile, "will soon become learned wretches. As the saying goes, our stories are not told, and our songs are not sung. But people still Will say...will say: these poor ideologues, living out of the army...what is our fault?"

I wanted to raise an objection, saying that being the chief instructor of the Military Academy of the General Staff is also a noble honor.However, other thoughts came unconsciously.We here sometimes do not understand why we despise the commanders who work in military academies, organs directly under the People's Commissariat of National Defense, or even the General Staff.This practice sometimes makes young and promising military officers unwilling or even afraid to serve in the organs directly under the central government, worrying that after five years they will suddenly be "behind" than their classmates who have graduated and worked in the army.

-------- ① This is the Ministry of National Defense. ——Translator's Note. At that time, the difference in status between those who served in academies and institutions directly under the central government and those who served in the army was very conspicuous. In the four years I was at the military academy, few faculty members were promoted while their students were making dizzying promotions in the military. I came to the Military Academy from the 5th Brinov Cavalry Division together with my old friend General Mikhail Ilyich Kazakov, the now well-known military chief.Remember when he was a major.A year later, Mikhail Ilyich interrupted his studies and went to the Central Asian Military District.Two years later, I will happily congratulate him on being awarded the divisional rank.

It used to happen.Unfortunately, there are still... "Have you heard?" Argunov asked me. "General Zhukov has been appointed as the commander of the Kyiv Military District. What if you write a letter to her? Will he not help his old classmates? You must know that you are not asking to come to Moscow, but to go to the army..." I thought about my friend's suggestion.Indeed, I have long been acquainted with Georgi Konstantinovich Zhukov.We commanded cavalry regiments at the same time and studied together at the Leningrad Higher Cavalry School in 1924-1925.But I'd hate to take advantage of what people call a personal relationship even for such a thing.At this moment, my classmate, Major General Rubtsov, suddenly came to Moscow to pick up his family.We studied together at the Military Academy and then as instructors together.A few months ago Rubtsov went to the army.This man was capable and well versed in the staff business (he had come to the Military Academy when he was Chief of Staff of the Infantry Corps).This meeting made us both very happy.

"Well, where are you now? What are you doing?" I asked. "With Zhukov," he answered proudly, "as Chief of War." "Hey, you're in luck too! I can't get away anyway." "Hey," said Rubtsov enthusiastically, "ask Georgi Konstantinovich for help. He will help. He knows you very well. In a word, write quickly and I will hand it over to you personally. he." -------- ① This is the honorific title for Zhukov.In the Soviet Union, only calling each other or a third person by their first and last name is a sign of respect or courtesy.The first name and patronymic are generally in front of the surname, but sometimes they are also behind the surname. ——Translator's Note.

That's how we negotiated.The letter is short and reporting: "I've spent my entire military career in the military and desperately wanted to be in the military...agreeing to any role." I am writing this letter not simply because of a desire to change positions.The international situation has become increasingly tense.Europe is at war.Britain and France did everything possible to divert the disaster to the east and encouraged fascist Germany to attack the Soviet Union, but now they themselves had to resist its fierce attack.Their perfidious policies have left them at their own peril.Our government tried to reach an agreement with Britain and France to take joint action to prevent fascist aggression, but without any results.The reactionary governments of the two countries hoped to isolate the Soviet Union politically, placing the Soviet Union under the attack of Hitler's Germany and militaristic Japan.

The wisdom of the party and the Soviet government prevented this danger.The non-aggression treaty concluded with Germany bankrupted another attempt by the international reactionaries to destroy the world's first socialist country with German and Japanese militarism. Of course, no one believed that the fascist government in Germany would continue to maintain a good-neighborly position for a long time.The people of the Soviet Union understand how the fascists are madly hostile to the workers' and peasants' state.However, the non-aggression pact concluded by the Soviet Union and Germany not only shattered the attempts of the international reactionaries, but also bought our people precious time, which is urgently needed to consolidate the national defense. It is recalled that among the teachers and cadets of the Military Academy of the General Staff there were more and more violent debates about the prospect of the European war.Many people said publicly that after the defeat of France, Hitler's bandits might turn east and invade our homeland. A well-founded mistrust of the "peace-loving" leaders of Hitler in Germany was evident in all conversations.When comrades greet you, they often ask a question: "Well, will there be a war?" Nikolai Tikhonov vividly expressed this alertness in one of his poems: A Londoner staggers towards the bomb shelter, Dragging the wet tapestry along the asphalt. With the cold key in the pocket, But the room has long been turned into ruins. Although we are still facing the map in class, Every night I dream of future tests... Yes, we understand that Fascists, deprived of reason by dreams of world domination, drop bombs on the peaceful cities of England today, and may drop bombs on us even more brutally tomorrow. Can you be at peace when peaceful inhabitants shed blood in your neighbourhood, when their dwellings are reduced to rubble?The Soviet people watched events in the West with unease. The dictum "Fascism is war" reminds our people of danger.Also keeping us on our toes is the fact that, since the summer of 1940, on most of our western frontiers we have become virtually the immediate neighbor of Hitler's Germany, and it is a dangerous neighbor. Worrying thoughts kept haunting my mind.Because of this, I want to return to the army as soon as possible.I am happy to go to any western military district, but the one I most want to go to is the Kyiv military district where I was transferred to study.I understand that in this unsettled situation, the army especially needs commanders who have received the essential campaign training at the Military Academy of the General Staff. While I was waiting for a reply from Kyiv, the outpatient department of the hospital offered to give me a convalescent certificate to Kislovodsk.I had no classes, so gladly took them, and I see no harm in getting fit at any time.Three days later, I was admiring the amazing nature of Kislovodsk and taking a refreshing Narzan mineral bath.The weather is fine, and every recuperator tries to let the body absorb more "heat from the sun". -------- ①A health resort in the North Caucasus. ——Translator's Note. When not in therapy, I love to climb the famous "Valley Temple" which is a favorite of convalescents.This poetic name refers to a picturesque plateau with extremely fresh air, from which you can enjoy a pleasant view of the healing city and the surrounding mountains.There are many acquaintances among the convalescents.We soldiers cannot do without the topic of military affairs and the European situation in our spare time. The comrades spoke excitedly about the vigorous activities of the new People's Commissar of Defense Semyon Konstantinovich Timoshenko, about his intentions to increase the combat readiness of the army and further strengthen discipline.Mikhail Ivanovich Potapov from the Kyiv Military District enthusiastically told everyone that the formation of a mechanized army had begun, and that old tanks would soon be replaced by new high-quality vehicles. The holidays are over in no time.But even on physical leave, I kept thinking: How will Zhukov answer me?Just when I had lost hope, a telegram arrived.General Zhukov informed me that, on his recommendation, the People's Commissar of National Defense appointed me to work in the Kyiv Special Military District.I must go to Kyiv immediately. In the Ministry of Personnel in Moscow, I saw the People's Commissar's order to appoint me as the Chief of the Operations Department of the 12th Army Headquarters.I also had a look at the last appraisal given to me by the head of the academy. Sometimes, the proverb "sweet mouth and hot hands" is applicable.But Lieutenant-General Vasily Konstantinovich Moldvinov, the director of our teaching and research department, cannot use this proverb.He was a "spicy" man, never forgiving the slightest oversight in his work, and always relentlessly criticizing us young teachers.So I don't expect good reviews at all.But when I started reading his autograph testimonial, I couldn't believe my eyes.There are so many words of praise that I can't help but wonder: Is it talking about me?The conclusion at the end of the appraisal is: "Fully competent, can be awarded the rank of major general." These beautiful words come from the mouth of the person we have always thought is the least fond of good words! After receiving the transfer order, I packed up the necessary items and left the home that hadn't moved with me for the first time since I joined the army one night in September.The son and daughter had started a new school year, and the appointment was so sudden that leaving together was out of the question.