General Pavlov. Hero of the Soviet Union Pavlov Dmitry Grigorievich

In the hot July 1941, the front of the Soviet Army, located in the west, was completely defeated by the fascists. The total number of enemy troops was considerably inferior to ours in number. In those days, namely, 74 years ago, this front practically ceased to exist.

Secret Order and Death List

On those difficult days when these events took place, all the soldiers were read the text of an extremely secret resolution under No. 169. Its publication dates back to July 16, 1941. For a long time, the content of this document was of a top-secret nature. And only during Gorbachev's reign, when the supreme authority of the country made a statement that there are no prohibited topics in the history of the Great Patriotic War, the content of this document was published.

The essence of the decree

In this resolution, it was said that all the alarmists, cowards and deserters were considered worse than enemies. Because they not only undermine the common cause, but also greatly offend the honor of the army. Therefore, it is the military duty of the whole command to treat them ruthlessly, allowing them to restore discipline in the military ranks. And all this was done in order to preserve the name of a Red Army soldier in the appropriate light.

After this text, the document listed 9 names of the generals and commissars of the Western Front. They had to appear before a military court for allegedly disgracing the title they were wearing. They also attributed cowardice, voluntary transfer of weapons to the enemies and the fact that they arbitrarily left their positions. The first in this terrible list of suicide bombers was General Pavlov, commander of the Western Front.

The beginning of the military career

Dmitry Grigorievich Pavlov was originally from the Kostroma province. There in 1897 the future colonel-general was born in the family of a poor peasant.
His first education he received first in a rural school, and then - in a classroom. After that, in 1914 he voluntarily joined the army of the Russian Empire. This was the beginning of the First World War. During his service, he very much rose in rank. Pavlov came to the front as a simple rank and file, and after a while became a senior non-commissioned officer. In 1916, he was taken prisoner in Germany and stayed there as a forced laborer until 1919, and after the surrender of Germany he returned to his homeland.

Soon after his return, he becomes a Bolshevik. His career as a red commander begins in the 56th Food Battalion of the Red Army and is rapidly developing. He fought with the formations of Makhno, and also participated in the military operations of the Southern Front. Pavlov occupies all senior positions, but the war is nearing completion, the army begins to shrink. Also, opportunities for further promotion on the career ladder are lost.

Military education of Pavlova

For a period that lasts almost 15 years, Dmitry Grigorievich remains in command of the regiment. All this time he is actively engaged in his military education, since the family of General Pavlov was very poor and had no opportunity to give him this education before. First, the Omsk United Higher Military School of Siberia, where he is improving the skills of a cavalry officer, then - the Military Academy named after Frunze. In the interval between studies, Pavlov fought against the Basmachi gangs in the territory of Central Asia. There he was an assistant to the regiment commander. After graduation, Dmitry Grigoryevich takes part in the hostilities taking place in Manchuria.

His first skills in controlling armored vehicles he acquires in 1931 on courses. They were conducted by the Leningrad Military Transport Academy. It was this type of military equipment that began to enjoy great popularity at that time, and with it Pavlov linked his further career. After that, the future general again takes the post of commander of the 6th mechanized regiment, which was stationed in Gomel.

Only at the beginning of 1934 he finally became the leader of the brigade, the location of which was the city of Bobruisk. After that, it took little more than two years, and Pavlov got to the Civil War in Spain. There he found his pseudonym - General Pablo.

Participation of General Pablo in military operations in the territory of Spain

In the Spanish war Pavlov Dmitry Grigorievich, who had the pseudonym of General Pablo, participated only for eight months. There, he was not only the commander of his mechanized brigade, but also coordinated the activities of combat groups in 9-11 brigades. After this begins his active career growth. During the fighting in the Spanish territory Pavlov received the title of Hero of the USSR. After that he was awarded the title of corpse. He became the head of the ABTU. The contribution that Pavlov Dmitry Grigorievich made to the material development of the armored forces under his command was recognized by virtually all historians.

Pavlov and the Great Patriotic War

Even before the Great Patriotic War Pavlov was appointed commander in the Western Special Military District. This event occurred in the summer of 1940. And already in 1941 Pavlov, Hero of the Soviet Union, became an army general.

It was just on the military district that was subordinate to him that in 1941 the main offensive of the troops of the Third Reich took place. If we take into account the correlation of the experience of the forces at that time, then we can conclude that the Red Army had no chance to win this resistance. Despite this fact, the highest leadership of the Soviet Union made a decision on the significant aggravation of the situation due to the actions that General Pavlov, the commander of the Western Front, had committed.

Pavlov's arrest and sentencing

General Pavlov was arrested on July 4, 1941. At first, as an accusation, he was inclined to incriminate treason. But a little later it was determined that the guilt of General Pavlov is that he was shown cowardice, inaction and unbalance. These "sins" were attributed to all those who were on the death row along with Dmitry Grigorievich. The shooting of General Pavlov was appointed on July 28, 1941.

To explain such a severe punishment, there are a number of reasons. First of all, it is necessary to take into account the fact that the disaster in the Western District was significant. Colonel-General Pavlov was a protege of Uborevich and Meretskov. Therefore, his actions were particularly suspicious. Moreover, one of the reasons for which General Pavlov was shot was his successful political career.

Find the perfect before you meet the terrible

Most modern historians and publicists are inclined to the opinion that this Pavlov, the army general, did everything for the fascists to instantly seize bridges and ferries and destroy a significant part of Russian aviation.

It should be noted that his fault is really significant. Even when he was already aware of Hitler's attack on the Soviet Union, he did not consider it necessary to cancel the play of the Moscow Art Theater, which was to be held in Minsk on June 22 on the stage belonging to the garrison house of the Red Army. Moreover, just a few hours before this fateful event, General Pavlov was on the same show in Moscow.

And even when people who went to a theatrical performance, heard announcements on the radio about the air attack, sounded in full vexation from all sides - they did not understand anything and believed that the military did not choose a very good time for training. And it was only after the end of the first act of repentance that people were announced from the scene about the beginning of hostilities and that all employees in the hall should immediately appear at the military enlistment office. And as for everyone else - they can watch the presentation, and then go home.

This shows that even high military officials did not anticipate the scale of this disaster.

Events in the troops of the Western District

At the disposal of the troops of the Western Front was a fairly large number of tanks, manpower and aircraft, which significantly exceeded the strength of the enemy. But the Soviet generals were not familiar with military history and did not take into account the fact that representatives of the military school of Prussia use a predictable raid even when the enemy exceeds them in quantity. German troops possessed the highest technical and tactical combat training, and the Soviet army was completely unprepared for war. She had no clear idea of how to conduct strategic defense, which in this situation was inevitable.

Significant errors Pavlov and his subordinates

But General Pavlov and his subordinates also made a large number of mistakes. Almost all of the artillery was sent to training firing, which took place in the deep rear. From the site of the exercises to the future front line, there were several hundred kilometers. Very slowly, the construction of reserve airfields took place, on which the combat aviation was to be located in the event that the Germans attacked the country. Because of this, the fascists very quickly destroyed all Soviet aircraft on the ground.

Not closed with mine fields and tank-dangerous directions, although talk about this took place among the military authorities. The bridges were also not prepared for a meeting with the fascists. Uninvited, they simplified the German tankers' crossing of the water barriers, as they had the opportunity to simply move around the bridges. The lines of communication were not protected either. They were destroyed in one night by German saboteurs, part of the "Brandenburg-800" unit.

Who is to blame for defeat?

Pavlov understood about the inconsistency of the Soviet army as early as the first day and quickly reported this to the authorities. But the command was firmly convinced that no one could outsmart Stalin, and even Hitler could not do it. It should be noted that representatives of the Soviet military elite (not all, of course) were not ready to make independent decisions and organize defense. There was a great lack of courage and a willingness to surrender. Pavlov assumed that the war could not begin so quickly, and to prepare for it there is still time.

In the history of the Great Patriotic War, another general Pavlov is mentioned. The 25th tank corps, which struck a terrible blow to Hitler's shelter, was under the command of Major-General Pyotr Petrovich Pavlov. This is the person on whose account a very large number of brave and wise military actions. Both commanders are not connected by anything except the name and rank.

In 1957, the case of General Pavlov was again examined, and he was rehabilitated posthumously. He was also restored to his rank. Stalin was guilty of all this. But this was not due to the fact that General Pavlov's innocence was established, but because he simply had to accuse Stalin of something and prove his guilt about the Soviet Army's unpreparedness for military action. Although, most likely, the time to objectively assess the activities of the general, has not yet come.