General Rodimtsev Biography Wikipedia

Colonel General A. Mikhailovskoye Orenburg U-da Orenburg province. Alexander Ilyich was born in a poor family of landless peasants Ilya and Aksinya Rodimtsevs. He was the only son, and, having lost his father, he was forced to work to help feed his family. Alexander Ilyich wrote about this period of his life in his memoirs: “It was burdened and bitter to me to serve as a rich man, but I didn’t have another way, I left my family, school, comrades and hired into farm laborers.” Then he worked in a shoe workshop to feed his mother and four sisters.

Alexander Ilyich was called up for military service in the Red Army in September, but not to the cavalry in which he dreamed of serving, but in a guard company. The company in the CO rifle convoy battalion was deployed in Saratov. He will write about the first years of his army service in the future: “In the army before me, the possibilities of studying were revealed. I greedily attacked books, giving them every free minute, listened and noted by lectures, addicted to the newspapers, was carried away by geography and aviation, began to dream of parachuting these two years did not go to me: I found my calling, my way in life.

Now I did not think of myself outside the rows of the Red Army, with which I was akin to forever. " In the year, his youthful dream came true: after the end of the military service, he arrived in Moscow, entered the United Military School named after the All -Russian Central Executive Committee and was enrolled in the Cavalry Department. He studied with enthusiasm, improved his cavalry skills, studied modern technology.

Alexander Ilyich showed particular interest in machine guns, which he studied well and from which he shot well. After graduating with honors from a military school, since March, he served in the Cavalry Regiment of the Cavalry Division of the Moscow Military District, where he commanded a cavalry platoon, a platoon of a regimental school and a squadron.

At the same time, Alexander Rodimtsev married his countrywoman Catherine, who became his faithful combat girlfriend for life. For four years of service in the regiment, Alexander became an excellent cavalryman and machine gunner.

Later, the writer Mikhail Sholokhov, who knew Rodimtseva, noted that he "could knock out his last name on the wall with a machine -gun with a machine -gun." The international situation at that time was becoming more and more alarming, and in the fall of the year, senior lieutenant A. Rodimtsev under the pseudonym “Captain Pavlito” was sent to Spain, where he had heavy battles in the ranks of internationalists on the river.

Mansanares, under Harama, under Toledo and Brueta. The higher Soviet advisers and Spanish commanders noted that Rodimtsev in all battles showed himself a competent commander, a brave officer and a master of machine -gun business. Twice Hero of the Soviet Union, Army General P. Batov, who at that time, who was at that time, recalled: “I saw Alexander Rodimtsev in Spain on the river.

Harama, where in heavy battles I restrained the onslaught of the Francists, Italian and German interventionists: he repaired machine guns under fire on the battlefield. A military man will understand what a feat it was - to keep machine guns of more than 20 different outdated systems in combat readiness. The Spanish comrades appreciated the contribution of Soviet volunteers to the struggle for freedom, against fascism.

The contribution of the military adviser Alexander Rodimtsev to the preparation of the Guadalahahar operation was especially noticeable, during which thousand were defeated. As a military adviser in units of the Republican Army, the parents stayed until August and acquired important commander skills. Marshal of the Soviet Union K. Meretskov wrote about this in his memoirs: “I often saw him in battle and was able to appreciate his qualities.

Being a military adviser to E. Lister, the Rodimtsev brought me, it seems to me, the great benefits of tactful and skillful advice on leading units, and if necessary, then an example of personal courage in acute combat situations. ” For the excellent implementation of combat missions, he was awarded two orders of the Red Banner, and after returning from Spain, senior lieutenant Rodimtsev was immediately awarded the title of Major.

The title of Hero of the Soviet Union, with the award of the Order of Lenin, Major Rodimtsev, Alexander Ilyich, was awarded on October 22 for the exemplary implementation of a special assignment in the troops of republican Spain. After the establishment of a special distinction, he was awarded the Golden Star medal. From September to January, A. Rodimtsev - commander of the Civil Code of the Cavalry Regiment.

Frunze, whom he graduated with honors, having received the title of Colonel during his studies. A graduate of the Academy was sent as deputy commander in the south of the Cavalry Division, where severe army everyday life began for him. Colonel A. Rodimtsev participated in the campaign of the Soviet troops in Western Belarus in September, and in March was in the troops sent to the Soviet-Finnish war, but did not take part in hostilities.

The commander of the 5th airborne brigade, Colonel A. Rodimtsev in October, a significant turn occurred in the fate of A. Rodimtsev.He was offered to undergo training at the courses of the Air Force Command and Sturmanship at the N. Zhukovsky Military Academy, since during the period of active construction of the airborne troops, commercial personnel were required, preferably with combat experience.

After graduation on May 17, Rodimtsev was appointed commander of the 5th airborne brigade, which was part of the 3rd Airborne Corps in the Kiev Special Military District. Subsequently, Alexander Ilyich wrote in his memoirs that he had to make serious changes to the methodology of training personnel. He saw that the main emphasis in the preparation of paratroopers was on parachute training and landing, but the experience of battles in Spain testified that this was not enough.

Rodimtsev knew that after landing, the paratrooper should fight on the ground, on an unfamiliar area and, possibly, with superior enemy forces. Therefore, he believed that the fighters should improve not only the possession of all types of weapons, techniques of hand -to -hand combat, but also to be tactically competent. In a short time, A. Rodimtsev and officers of his brigade managed to increase the level of preparation of paratroopers.

High command skills, outstanding organizational abilities, A. Rodimtsev demonstrated personal courage and courage during the Great Patriotic War. The airborne brigade under his command withstood the fierce onslaught of the enemy in the first months of the war. Rodimtsev paratroopers took up positions in the Goloseevsky forest on the outskirts of Kyiv and on the night of August 9 attacked the enemy.

After the war, after the war, A. Rodimtsev recalled: “The 5th brigade was advancing! In August, we went with battles of 15 kilometers, an average of meters a day. In August! Who participated in the Patriotic War will understand what to go to the West for that time! Glazunov, representing the brigade commander Rodimtsev to the Order of the Red Banner, noted: “... the brigade fought with a numerically superior enemy, being in less favorable conditions of the terrain than the enemy, but the outcome of the fighting was in favor of the brigade.

The order of the Military Council of the Front was fulfilled ... Colonel of the Rodemtsev, along with the exactingness inherent in the commander of the Red Army, showed exceptional concern for subordinates. Colonel Rodimtsev did not know fatigue, he was where the situation demanded. He was where difficulties were created, where the situation was complicated ...

” In September, the brigade A. Rodimtseva was surrounded and for three days led a defensive battle at the turn of the river. The Sejm, covering the withdrawal of the Soviet troops. Soon, the 3rd Airborne Corps was transformed into the South Rifle Division, and Alexander Ilyich was appointed by its commander. Already in January of the year, the division for successful actions in battles, manifested stamina, courage, discipline, organization and mass heroism of personnel was transformed in the yuvayskaya.

In March, the guards Rodimtsev, in the Army, fought stubborn defensive battles in the Voronezh, Valuy directions and in the Great Beginning of the Don. Rodimtsev was awarded the title of Major General. The heroic defense of Stalingrad is associated with the name of General A. Rodimtsev, where the fighters and commanders of the Guards Rifle Division in the most severe bloody battles reflected the onslaught of the enemy.

The most difficult situation in the battles for Stalingrad was formed by mid -September. At this time, the division received an order to concentrate in the Red Sloboda area and cross the Volga to the city center. This crossing on the night of September 14 became legendary, as it took place in difficult conditions: during the crossing, the hurricane artillery fire did not subside and the air raids of enemy aircraft were constantly performed.

A fuel spilled from the oil storage into the Volga, and the river burned with fire. Through the continuous wall of fire, ruptures of shells and bombs of the Gvardoy Rifle Division forced the Volga and came to the aid of the army, knocking the Germans out of the coastal quarters of Stalingrad. Subsequently, the enemy managed to squeeze the division of Rodimtsev, but not destroy it.

During the days, the guards held a narrow strip of the Volga coast in the city center for more than four kilometers along the front, not allowing the Nazis to break through to the Volga in the strip of its defense. In his memoirs, the Marshal of the Soviet Union G. Zhukov wrote: “On September 13, 14, 15, for Stalingrad were heavy, too heavy days. A fracture in these heavy and, as it seemed at times, the last hours were created by the guards division A.

Major General A. Rodimtsev with the fighters of the Guards Division in Stalingrad. A group of four scouts of the Guards Regiment, headed by Sergeant Y. Pavlov, was sent on the instructions of the division, on January 9, knocked out the Germans from a four -story building in the square and held it for several days. To the aid of the Parents, a platoon of 22 people, headed by Lieutenant I., ordered them in his memoirs, A.

Rodimtsev wrote: “On the personal map of Field Marshal Paulus, this house was marked as a fortress. Captive German intelligence officers believed that the battalion was defended. At first, our army found out about this house, then the whole country and, finally, the whole world ... The glory of the defenders of this house will not fade for centuries. ” On the night of September 16, Mamaev Kurgan was taken by storming, and on the wall of one of the houses the warriors of the Division was drawn: "The guards Rodimtsev stood here." After the end of the battles, they added: “Having survived, we won death!