Do we remember the names of those brave men who defeated fascism for us? The hero of our story is Sokolovsky Vasily Danilovich (1897-1968) - Hero of the Soviet Union. He was one of the leaders of the legendary battle for Moscow. Today, connoisseurs of military affairs consider him the owner of a genuine talent as a military leader. He is called strong-willed, resolute, purposeful and courageous, ready to devote himself entirely to the holy cause of defending the Motherland.
Vasily Danilovich Sokolovsky: biography, life story
The future marshal was born in 1897, on July 21, in the small village of Kozlinki, which was located in the Bialystok district (now in Poland), in the family of a poor peasant. His childhood, of course, was very difficult, half-starved and cold. However, the boy was quitecapable and was eager to study at the village school all the time. At a more mature age, wanting to become a teacher, he studied at a special school for two years, and after that he worked as a teacher in a village school. In 1914, he decided to continue his studies at the teacher's seminary in the city of Nevel (now located in the Pskov region). Here he became involved in the work of the revolutionary circle of student youth. The times were pre-revolutionary and the members of this organization were being monitored by members of the tsarist secret police. Once, during a meeting, they were attacked, and the leader of the Bolshevik group, Urban, was arrested. All other members, among whom was Sokolovsky Vasily Danilovich, were under investigation. However, the February Revolution put an end to this matter.
Army Life
In early 1918, Vasily Danilovich graduated from the seminary, but after that he did not have to work as a teacher, and the reason for this was the outbreak of the October Revolution. It was at this time that the Workers 'and Peasants' Army began to form in Russia, which later became known as the Red Army. And so V. D. Sokolovsky expressed a desire to join the ranks of this formation. Since he had experience in teaching, he was not taken into the ranks, but was sent to the First Military Instructor Courses in Moscow, where studies began to take place at an accelerated pace. As a cadet, he was quite often involved in the fight and liquidation of gangs - opponents of the revolution. Once he had to take part in a battle withmonarchists, which took place at night in a merchant's club, and this operation is deeply engraved in his memory.
Career start
Sokolovsky, who studied at the courses, was sent to an expeditionary group, which was soon transferred to the Eastern Front, where there was a fight against the Semyonov gang. When approaching Yekaterinburg (at that time the city had not yet been renamed Sverdlovsk), they collided with enemy corps and, having joined the detachment of the Red Guards of the Urals, began to fight with the rebels. For his valor, V. Sokolovsky was appointed commander of a reconnaissance company, and then received the post of regiment commander, which is part of the 2nd division, commanded by R. P. Eideman. It was here that he got his first combat experience.
Further studies
When the Military Academy of the Red Army (then called the Academy of the General Staff) was founded in 1918, the future Marshal Sokolovsky was among the first students. V. Lenin visited this higher educational institution more than once, talked with students. It was here that Vasily Danilovich saw the Soviet leader for the first time, and this meeting made an unforgettable impression on him. Students received theoretical knowledge within the walls of the academy, and then they were sent to study at the front. Sokolovsky was sent to the 10th Army, which fought against Denikin's White Cossacks Golubintsev, Mamontov and Shkuro. After that, he returned to Moscow and continued his studies at the academy. A few years later he was assigned toCaucasian front. The future Marshal Sokolovsky was appointed chief of staff of the 32nd Rifle Division, which took part in the process of establishing the power of the Soviets in Azerbaijan. They also fought against the Armenian revolutionary party Dashnaktsutyun.
Private life
During the Civil War, the commander met with his wife, Anna Petrovna Bazhenova. Of course, she did not suspect that her husband was the future Marshal Sokolovsky. Anna Petrovna worked in the Staritsa district committee of the RCP (b). She, like her future husband once, joined the Red Army voluntarily, worked as an agitator, then as a hospital commissar, and then as a secretary of the party organizer in Tsaritsino. Then she was transferred to Azerbaijan, to the main headquarters to engage in propaganda work. Here she met with Vasya (as she affectionately called the combat commander). After registering the marriage, they went to Moscow, where she began her studies at the Military Economic Academy. However, after graduation, she was unable to return to the army. But V. Sokolovsky was sent to the Turkestan front, where he was most needed. Anna Petrovna went to Tashkent after her husband. However, there, in a foreign land, their little daughter died of illness, and this was a great blow to the family. But they did not have time to grieve for a long time because of the heavy loss. Each of them tried to occupy himself completely to muffle the pain.
Turkestan
The couple lived in Central Asia for three years. Soon Sokolvsky was promoted and was appointedcommander of a group of troops in the Samarkand and Fergana regions. During this period, he was wounded by a Basmach bullet, but he did not want to fail. For courage, courage and resourcefulness, V. D. Sokolovsky was awarded the Order of the Red Banner. In 1924, the Turkestan Republic was proclaimed. After that, their family was again transferred to Moscow.
Years of the Second World War
By the beginning of 1942, the future Marshal Sokolovsky was already the head of the headquarters of the Western Front, and a year later, by order of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief, he was appointed commander of the front, and when the Rzhev-Vyazemskaya operation took place in 1943, he was its immediate leader. It was here that he first fully proved himself and showed everyone what he was capable of. The losses of the Germans were more than 40 thousand people, tanks and other equipment - about 1000. From the middle of 1943, the Western Front participated almost simultaneously in two large-scale offensive operations: Oryol, which was otherwise called "Kutuzov" and Smolensk, named after the Russian military leader - "Suvorov ". In the Smolensk operation, Soviet troops defeated 20 enemy divisions, and 55 were pinned down. By the end of this year, the city was completely liberated from the invaders. By the way, during this period, not only Russians, but also French and Polish troops fought under the leadership of Sokolovsky. For services to the fatherland, at the end of this operation, he was awarded two orders, and also received the title of General of the Army. In the summer of 1946, the mind, valor and courage of Sokolovsky were appreciated and rewarded by the country's leadership. He received the title of Hero and Marshal of the USSR.
Personal characteristic
Sokolovsky Vasily Danilovich - Marshal of the Soviet Union - had an outstanding character. He had a powerful analytical mind, he was reasonable and calm, very diplomatic. They say that when he called to some military unit, he always introduced, and only then reported the reason for the call. He was very fond of Russian classics. I adored Pushkin and Tolstoy. Already being a grandfather, he took his granddaughters on an excursion to Yasnaya Polyana and was very worried that the Germans had damaged the estate of his beloved writer. He worked very hard and slept three hours a day. He liked to pick mushrooms, but he was not at all interested in fishing. Sokolovsky did not have close friends, nevertheless he liked communication. He especially enjoyed spending time with his family - his wife, children and grandchildren.
Conclusion
Vasily Sokolovsky, Marshal of the Soviet Union, has died at the age of 70. A street in the city of Smolensk is named after him. A memorial plaque was installed on one of the houses in the city.
