The truth about the admiral. The story of Alexander Kolchak and Anna Timireva

Alexander Vasilyevich Kolchak was born on November 4, 1874 in St. Petersburg. His father, Vasily Ivanovich, was a hero of the defense of Sevastopol during the Crimean War. Continuing family traditions, 16-year-old Alexander, after graduating from high school, entered the Naval Cadet Corps, where he successfully studied for six years. Upon leaving the corps, he was promoted to midshipman.

The first trip to sea took place in 1890. His first ship was the armored frigate “Prince Pozharsky”. Subsequently, his training ships were the Rurik and the Cruiser. After his studies, Kolchak served in the Pacific Ocean.

Polar Explorer

In January 1900, Alexander Vasilyevich was invited to take part in the polar expedition by Baron E. Toll. The expedition was faced with the task of exploring unknown areas of the Arctic Ocean and searching for the legendary Sannikov Land. Here Kolchak showed himself to be an energetic and active officer. He was even recognized as the best officer of the expedition.

As a result, several members of the expedition, along with Baron Toll, went missing. Kolchak submitted a petition to continue the expedition in order to find members of E. Toll’s team. He managed to find traces of the missing expedition, but there were no surviving members.

Based on the results of his work, Kolchak was awarded an order and was elected a member of the Russian Geographical Society.

In military service

With the beginning of the Russo-Japanese War, Kolchak transferred from the Academy of Sciences to the Naval Military Department. In the Pacific Ocean, he served under the leadership of Admiral S. O. Makarov and commanded the destroyer "Angry". For heroism and courage he was awarded a gold saber and a silver medal.

In World War I, Alexander Vasilyevich commanded the Mine Division of the Baltic Fleet. Bravery and resourcefulness were the admiral's hallmarks. In 1916, Nicholas II appointed Kolchak commander of the Black Sea Fleet. The main task of the fleet was to clear the sea of ​​enemy warships. This task was successfully completed. The February Revolution prevented the implementation of other strategic tasks. In June 1917, Kolchak relinquished command of the Black Sea Fleet.

Civil War and the Supreme Ruler of Russia

After his resignation, Kolchak returned to Petrograd. The Provisional Government placed him at the disposal of the Allies as a leading anti-submarine expert. First, Kolchak arrived in England, and then in America.

In September 1918, he again found himself on Russian soil, in Vladivostok, and already on October 13, 1918, in Omsk, he entered the general command of the volunteer armies in the east of the country. Kolchak led an army of 150 thousand, the goal of which was to unite with the army of A.I. Denikin and march on Moscow. The numerical superiority of the Red Army did not allow these plans to be realized. On January 15, 1920, Kolchak was arrested and ended up in Irkutsk prison.

The investigation was conducted by the Extraordinary Commission. Eyewitness accounts and investigative documents show that during interrogations the admiral behaved courageously and with dignity. On February 7, 1920, the admiral was shot, and his body was thrown into an ice hole.

I read several books by Sergei Smirnov. All of them made a lasting impression on me. But the most powerful, truly explosive effect on me was a book called "Admiral Kolchak. The unknown about the known." For it was a very serious historical analysis, a colossal scientific work, a biography of a very controversial and controversial figure in our history. After all, Admiral Kolchak is still perceived by many as an ominous villain, an English spy, a thief and embezzler of the Empire’s gold reserves, and a bloody Siberian dictator. Right?

For example, I still remember, from my school days, a caustic poem about Kolchak:

English uniform,

French shoulder straps,

Japanese tobacco,

Ruler of Omsk.

A few years ago, the meager knowledge of Russians about Admiral Kolchak was slightly embellished with gold shoulder straps and the crunch of a French roll "Admiral". No matter what various harmful film critics, naval experts and meticulous historians say about it, I personally liked this picture. Trembling banners, foggy Petersburg and sunny Sevastopol; a saber, spectacularly and theatrically thrown overboard by Kolchak-Khabensky; the handsome Kappel-Bezrukov and the beautiful Liza Boyarskaya - it was all to my liking. Just a beautiful oil painting. This isn't a documentary, is it? Right? You can’t blame artists for seeing Admiral THIS way. I propose to regard this film as fiction! Popularization of our history. Surely someone, after watching it, became interested in the personality of Alexander Vasilyevich Kolchak. And through the film, sooner or later it will be published on Sergei Smirnov’s book, as well as on other publications.

From this book I learned a lot about the Russian admiral.

1) About Kolchak’s scientific polar activities

Due to the fact that I served in the Hydrography of the Northern Navy of the USSR, and even on ships that bore the names of famous marine scientists, at one time I was interested in polar research.

I knew at least something about Kolchak. It turned out that really both bad and poor. Now the gap regarding this polar explorer has been closed.

Alexander Kolchak took an active part in Russian polar expedition led by Baron Eduard Toll on the schooner Zarya. This famous hydrographic vessel studied sea currents in the Kara and East Siberian seas, searched for the legendary Sannikov Land, explored known and discovered new islands in the Arctic Ocean.

One of the islands discovered by the expedition in the Taimyr Gulf deservedly bears the name of Kolchak.

Which of you will be able to recognize in this polar explorer in furs the future “Aglitsky spy” and “the plunderer of the gold reserves”?

The photo shows Lieutenant Kolchak during his first winter near the Taimyr Peninsula. He, along with Baron Eduard Toll, often had to harness themselves to dog sleds and help their sled dogs. Polar explorers of the schooner "Zarya" made multi-day hiking trips through ice and snow, and spent the night in tents in severe polar frosts.

In the next photo, third from the left, next to the dog, he is also the future dictator and Supreme Ruler of Russia Alexander Kolchak.

Once, during one of his many trips, he and Baron Toll covered 500 miles on dog sleds in 40 days. In the icy cold and harsh conditions of the Taimyr winter. Which of us today, even with satellite phones and navigators, when dressed in modern super-warm clothes and nano-thermal underwear, is capable of this!? And the polar explorers of the schooner “Zarya” had such winterings two. Two winters (!) in an extreme environment with rapidly dwindling supplies of food and coal.

At the end of that expedition, its leader, Baron Eduard Toll, along with a small group of comrades, went missing and died.

Later, Kolchak developed a rescue operation to search for Toll’s group and led it himself. For seven months, Alexander Vasilyevich searched for his friend, examined all the islands of the Novosibirsk group, but never found anyone...

The scientific materials collected by Kolchak during his polar expeditions turned out to be so numerous, they were so extensive and rich, that a special commission of the Academy of Sciences was created to study them. And in 1909, Alexander Vasilyevich published his largest scientific work - the monograph "Ice of the Kara and Siberian Seas" .

Kolchak also managed to take part in Hydrographic Expedition of the Arctic Ocean, which was organized for the development and development of the Northern Sea Route. It included two new icebreaking ships - "Vaigach" and "Taimyr". The icebreaker "Vaigach" was commanded by Lieutenant Kolchak.

Subsequently, that expedition made the very last significant geographical discovery on the globe - it found and mapped Severnaya Zemlya archipelago.

Also, “Vaigach” and “Taimyr” discovered numerous capes, bays, bays and seas of the Russian Arctic.

So, thanks to the efforts, energy and personal courage of the hydrographer, geographer, cartographer, sailor and polar explorer Alexander Vasilyevich Kolchak, today we are actively using Northern Sea Route. This is the same route through which northern deliveries are made annually and thanks to which the Russian North: Yamal, Taimyr, and other Arctic and Subpolar regions safely survive the long polar winter.

Today, the newest one is being built in Yamal Port of Sabetta, and new routes are being laid for sea gas carriers along the Northern Sea Route - all this became possible thanks to the fact that a hundred years ago Lieutenant Kolchak took depth measurements, studied currents, density and salinity of water, observed ice and mapped islands and shores.

2) Kolchak’s participation in the Russo-Japanese War

During my school years this was not mentioned at all. I remember about the atrocities of the Kolchakites in Siberia. I also remember the poem about the English uniform and Japanese tobacco. But I first learned about his exploits in Port Arthur from a book by Sergei Smirnov.

As soon as Kolchak learned about the beginning of the Russian-Japanese War, he contacted St. Petersburg by telegraph and asked for his transfer from the Academy of Sciences, to which he was “assigned,” to the Naval Military Department. Arrived in Port Arthur and met with the commander of the Pacific Fleet, Admiral Stepan Osipovich Makarov. And he appointed him as a watch commander on the 1st rank cruiser Askold. And two weeks later, Admiral Makarov, whom Kolchak considered his teacher, died on board the flagship squadron battleship Petropavlovsk. The ship was hit by a Japanese mine.

After the death of Admiral Makarov, the mine war became a matter of honor and life for Lieutenant Kolchak. A few days later he was appointed commander of the destroyer "Angry". While commanding this destroyer, he committed two heroic acts that went down in the history of the war with Japan.

First, together with the minelayer Amur and the destroyer Skory, he took part in laying a minefield. And the next day after that, the Japanese battleships Hatsuse and Yashima were killed by mines.

And this became the most resounding success of the First Pacific Squadron during the entire military campaign.

And your MAIN Kolchak accomplished a military feat in the Russo-Japanese War when, commanding the destroyer “Angry,” he placed 16 mines in a place he had previously chosen. And on the night of December 13, 1904, the Japanese armored cruiser Takasago was blown up and sank by these mines.

This success was the second most important for Russian sailors after the sinking of the battleships Hatsuse and Yashima. Alexander Vasilyevich was very proud of this success.

The Japanese War ended for Kolchak in captivity. Wounded and sick, he ended up in a hospital in the city of Nagasaki. Sick officers were asked to either receive treatment in Japan or return to Russia. All Russian officers preferred their homeland.

3) Restoration of the navy after the Japanese disaster

The Russian fleet suffered a crushing defeat. It needed to be revived. Moreover, at a completely new, more modern technical level. Alexander Kolchak took up the task of restoring the navy. In this work he turned out to be one of the key figures. He was involved in planning and organizing the restoration of the naval power of the Russian Empire. He took an active part in the work of the Naval General Staff. He gave lectures at the Nikolaev Maritime Academy, and these lectures were a stunning success. He was vied with each other in being invited to speak at officer meetings of naval units and formations. And after the publication of his article “What kind of fleet do we need,” Kolchak was invited to read the report at a meeting of the State Duma.

The effect of this speech was absolutely amazing - Lieutenant Kolchak became a permanent member of the Duma Defense Commission. Think about it - a naval officer with the modest rank of lieutenant began to take part in increasing the defense capability of the Russian State! Moreover, without being a Duma deputy!

Thanks to his efforts, Sevastopol-class battleships, Izmail-class battlecruisers, qualitatively new submarines and the legendary Novik-class destroyers, which had no analogues throughout the world, were laid down on Russian stocks.

Naval historian Vladimir Gennadievich Khandorin states: " “all the battleships, half of the cruisers and a third of the destroyers of the Soviet Navy, which entered the Great Patriotic War in 1941, were built precisely according to this program.”

Once again, I draw your attention to the fact that all the battleships, half of the cruisers and a third of the destroyers that met the Nazis were built thanks to the active work of Kolchak. As for the unique and legendary destroyers of the Novik series, they successfully served in the Soviet Navy until the mid-50s of the last century. And this is also thanks to Alexander Vasilyevich Kolchak.

4) About Kolchak’s participation in the First World War in the Baltic

Here in my knowledge there was not only a gap, but an Abyss! And Sergei Smirnov’s book covered this failure with facts, figures and arguments. I can assume that if you ask (For example) ten thousand people, it is unlikely that at least one of them will clearly talk about Kolchak’s military exploits in the First World War. Unless by chance you come across a school history teacher, an institute teacher, or some erudite who is passionate about maritime topics.

I personally was shocked after reading information about Kolchak’s “arbitrariness” in unauthorized installation of minefields in the Gulf of Finland on the last peaceful night on the eve of the Great War. Moreover, I once read about this from the writer Valentin Pikul, but somehow it did not linger in my memory. I’ll tell you about this heroic self-will in a little more detail.

At the end of July 1914, Russia could still avoid a terrible, protracted, ruinous and bloody war. And if Emperor Nicholas II had shown statesmanship then, the subsequent catastrophe would not have happened to our country.

The naval officer, captain 1st rank Kolchak understood the inevitability of the impending invasion, and while in Reval, on the night of July 30th, BEFORE official declaration of war, sent a telegram to the commander of the Baltic Sea Naval Forces, Admiral Nikolai von Essen. And in that telegram, almost in the form of an ultimatum, he demanded permission to mine the Gulf of Finland. The wise von Essen understood that if he began to coordinate all this with the General Staff and the indecisive Sovereign Emperor, then time would be lost. And Nikolai Ottovich “gave the go-ahead”. Kolchak's mine division went into the night. On the last peaceful night. And she arranged unexpected surprises for the Germans.

It’s a strange thing - everyone who proclaims their state to be the Reich, for some reason, necessarily counts on a blitzkrieg. Here it is August 1, 1914The striking power of the German fleet, guarded by destroyers, rushed into the throat of the Gulf of Finland. In order to instantly break through the Russian defense forces and drop their anchors at the piers of Kronstadt and at the mouth of the Neva. And suddenly, unexpectedly, where they were not expecting it, five pennants from the destroyers of the German fleet were blown up by mines. Where did they come from, these mines!? - The Germans never understood. Just a day ago, their intelligence was sure that the Gulf of Finland was clear...

In complete confusion, the blitzkrieg fans turned to their bases. And not because of the magnitude of the losses - they were not catastrophic. Of the five destroyers, only two were permanently disabled. But the German sailors were shocked. As it turned out later, the entire Gulf of Finland was blocked eight lines of minefields.

In general, the military wisdom, perseverance, will and “arbitrariness” of captain first rank Kolchak caused Germany very big problems in the Baltic. And for several years in advance. The mine banks reliably locked the sea gates to the capital of the Russian Empire until the very end of the war.

And this was just the beginning of the mine war. Kolchak's destroyers presented the enemy with many unpleasant surprises. One of them, the most famous case, occurred in the waters of Memel. Today this Lithuanian city is called Klaipeda. And then there was a large German naval base there. On November 17, 1914, at the exit from its base, the armored cruiser Friedrich Karl ran into a mine bank.

Isn't it a very beautiful ship? But this handsome man sank to the bottom, and went very beautifully. I repeat once again - I was blown up by Russian mines NEAR YOUR BASE, 30 miles away. By the way, at the beginning of the movie “Admiral” the death of this particular cruiser, the Friedrich Karl, is shown.

And that's not all - the Germans began to blow themselves up on mine banks installed near Danzig. And this is East Prussia, deep in the rear! Then there were explosions near the island of Bornholm - and this, by the way, is not far from the Danish straits! And finally, the most unpleasant surprises for the German Imperial Navy arose in the waters of Kiel - the main and westernmost base of the German fleet in the Baltic!

Germany's losses in the Baltic were enormous - 6 cruisers, 8 destroyers and 23 sea transport vessels. All this demonstrated to the German Command that its fleet was unable to ensure the security of not only the coast of Lithuania and East Prussia, but also the Reich itself. Kolchak’s biographers claim that the commander of the German Baltic Fleet, Prince Heinrich of Prussia, ordered a ban on ships going to sea until a means was found to combat Russian mines.

Kolchak’s mine division openly and with impunity “robberied” in the Baltic, especially along its southern and southeastern coasts. Mine banks, as if by themselves, appeared in the most unexpected places. For example, near Vindava (this is today's city of Ventspils in Latvia) A German cruiser and several destroyers were blown up by Russian mines. In fact, it was Kolchak’s destroyers who were the first to use tactics that years later the submariners of the Third Reich would call the “wolf pack.” Wolf packs of our destroyers terrorized communications and coastal bases of the German fleet throughout the war.

In general, at the end of 1915, the losses of the German fleet in warships exceeded the losses of the Russians 3.5 times, and in transport ships - 5 times. And the contribution of Kolchak’s Mine Division to this defeat was more than high. For example, a great success occurred on May 31, 1916. Three Kolchak destroyers - Novik, Oleg and Rurik - carried out a brilliant operation: within 30 minutes they sank an entire caravan of dry cargo ships coming from Sweden. Not only transport ships, but also every single warship guard went to the bottom along with the Swedish iron ore.

In the minds of a great number of our fellow citizens, a stamp about the sloppiness and moral decay of Baltic sailors during the First World War is rooted. They say they didn’t want to fight, but walked around St. Petersburg with a cigarette in their mouth, with a red bow on their pea coat, sweeping the pavements with wide flares, robbed wine cellars and squeezed cooks in the gateways. Yes, it happened... but later - in 1917. And before the February Revolution, most of the Baltic people fought. And they fought very well! The figures given in Sergei Smirnov’s book about the ratio of naval losses speak for themselves.

5) About Kolchak’s service in the Black Sea Fleet and plans to capture Constantinople

In June 1916, Alexander Kolchak was promoted to vice admiral and appointed Commander of the Black Sea Fleet, becoming the youngest of the commanders of the fleets of the warring powers. During a personal audience with the Emperor, the secret meaning of his transfer to the south was revealed. At Headquarters it was decided to implement the plan, the long-standing dream of the Russian tsars - as old as the Tale of Bygone Years. In St. Petersburg they wanted to repeat what the Prophetic Oleg did, who nailed the shield to the gates of Constantinople, and to correct what the “white general” Mikhail Skobelev could not do - namely, to capture Istanbul-Constantinople and the Black Sea straits. Kolchak immediately left for Sevastopol and began developing an operation plan.

An interesting fact is that when the German cruiser left "Breslau" from the Turkish Bosporus Kolchak personally met him on the battleship "Empress Maria" and with the very first salvo inflicted such damage on him that he hastily returned to the strait, hiding behind a smoke screen.

Battle cruiser "Goben" which was supposed to replace the Breslau in the waters, did not dare to leave the Bosphorus at all. The appearance of Russian dreadnoughts near the Turkish straits radically changed the military situation - the same “Goeben” never sailed into the Black Sea until the end of 1917.

But the cruiser Breslau, which escaped from Kolchak, did not escaped his fate - he was blown up by a Russian mine. It, and several dozen other deadly “gifts” were installed in the Turkish straits by our underwater minelayer “Crab” - please note, The world's first UNDERWATER minelayer!

Kolchak on the Black Sea used his proven Baltic tactics - mining enemy bases and its coast. And this tactic again brought great success. The Bulgarian ports of Varna and Zonguldak were tightly blocked by minefields - the Germans lost 6 submarines on them. For a long time, enemy ships completely disappeared from the Black Sea.

By December 1916, Kolchak’s plan for the “Bosphorus Operation” to capture Istanbul was ready, and it was presented to Headquarters. This daring plan provided for a massive offensive of the Caucasian army along the Asian coast of Turkey towards the straits.

And as soon as the forces of the German-Turkish troops were diverted to break through the Caucasian army, then the Black Sea Fleet would come into play - it would carry out a lightning-fast landing in the rear of the defending enemy, and would capture both the Bosporus and the whole of Istanbul, and then Dardanelles Strait. Thus, the long-standing Slavic dream would come true - the liberation of ancient Constantinople from the Ottomans.

The headquarters approved this plan. Active preparations for its implementation have begun. Hydroplanes even began to arrive in Crimea to form the Black Sea Air Division. She was supposed to support the landing on Istanbul from the air. The pilots were engaged in reconnaissance work and carried out aerial photography of Turkish coasts and fortifications. The fleet conducted training exercises. The Sevastopol Bialystok infantry regiment began to train in loading onto ships and disembarking them on the coast, and was already so drilled by these exercises that it seems to have achieved the skills of a modern marine corps.

But plans to capture Istanbul and return the name Constantinople to it could not be realized. One of the most important reasons is the outright sabotage and court intrigues of the commander of the Caucasian Army - the same army that was supposed to attack Istanbul by land. Ironically, it was commanded by Kolchak’s long-time ill-wisher, Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolaevich. He did everything possible to boycott the Kolchak operation, and ultimately disrupted it. And then the February Revolution broke out, and Emperor Nicholas abdicated the throne. Confusion and vacillation began in the country and in the navy.

A few years later, Kolchak’s comrade-in-arms, flag officer and friend, Rear Admiral Mikhail Ivanovich Smirnov, while in exile, he will write in his memoirs: “If the revolution had not happened, Kolchak would have hoisted the Russian flag on the Bosporus.”

6) About the award dagger thrown overboard

Monarchist Alexander Kolchak was devoted to the throne and fatherland. The news of the Emperor's abdication greatly upset him. He believed that the Fatherland was heading towards destruction. Vice Admiral Kolchak did not accept the February Revolution. Looking ahead a little, I will inform you that a few years later, already as the Supreme Ruler of Russia, he will prohibit celebrating and marking the anniversary of the February Revolution - because it led to a catastrophe - the October Revolution, civil war, the collapse of the Russian Empire, devastation and suffering, death and emigration of millions of our compatriots.

The most striking illustration of Kolchak’s attitude to everything that happened in the summer of 1917 can be seen in the famous scene of throwing an award dagger overboard the battleship “George the Victorious.” Filmmakers from the film "Admiral" For the beauty of the picture, they used some kind of decorative broadsword with an elegantly twisted guard. For some reason, the all-knowing Wikipedia calls this honorary weapon of St. George a golden saber. The general public is convinced that it was a saber, although it should be noted that it didn’t work out at all with sabers in the navy - they weren’t there in the first place. And Kolchak threw away the award for Port Arthur - the St. George dagger “For Bravery”. He threw it out with words that later went around all the newspapers, became very famous and went down in history. He told the revolutionary sailors: “The Japanese, our enemies, even left me weapons. You won’t get it either!”

Kolchak Alexander Vasilyevich is a prominent military leader and statesman of Russia, polar explorer. During the Civil War, he entered the historical chronicles as the leader of the White movement. The assessment of Kolchak’s personality is one of the most controversial and tragic pages in Russian history of the 20th century.

Alexander Kolchak was born on November 16, 1874 in the village of Aleksandrovskoye in the suburbs of St. Petersburg, into a family of hereditary nobles. The Kolchakov family gained fame in the military field, serving the Russian Empire for many centuries. His father was a hero of the defense of Sevastopol during the Crimean campaign.

Education

Until the age of 11, he was educated at home. In 1885-88. Alexander studied at the 6th gymnasium in St. Petersburg, where he graduated from three classes. Then he entered the Naval Cadet Corps, where he showed excellent success in all subjects. As the best student in scientific knowledge and behavior, he was enrolled in the class of midshipmen and appointed sergeant major. He graduated from the Cadet Corps in 1894 with the rank of midshipman.

Carier start

From 1895 to 1899, Kolchak served in the Baltic and Pacific fleets and circumnavigated the world three times. He was engaged in independent research of the Pacific Ocean, most of all interested in its northern territories. In 1900, the capable young lieutenant was transferred to the Academy of Sciences. At this time, the first scientific works began to appear, in particular, an article was published about his observations of sea currents. But the goal of the young officer is not only theoretical, but also practical research - he dreams of going on one of the polar expeditions.

Interested in his publications, the famous Arctic explorer Baron E.V. Toll invites Kolchak to take part in the search for the legendary “Sannikov Land”. Having gone in search of the missing Toll, he takes a whaleboat from the schooner "Zarya", and then makes a risky journey on dog sleds and finds the remains of the lost expedition. During this dangerous campaign, Kolchak caught a severe cold and miraculously survived severe pneumonia.

Russo-Japanese War

In March 1904, immediately after the start of the war, having not fully recovered from his illness, Kolchak achieved a referral to besieged Port Arthur. The destroyer "Angry", under his command, took part in the installation of barrage mines dangerously close to the Japanese raid. Thanks to these hostilities, several enemy ships were blown up.

In the last months of the siege, he commanded coastal artillery, which inflicted significant damage on the enemy. During the fighting he was wounded, and after the capture of the fortress he was captured. In recognition of his fighting spirit, the command of the Japanese army left Kolchak with weapons and released him from captivity. For his heroism he was awarded:

• St. George's weapon;
• Orders of St. Anne and St. Stanislav.

The struggle to rebuild the fleet

After treatment in the hospital, Kolchak receives six months' leave. Sincerely experiencing the virtually complete loss of his native fleet in the war with Japan, he is actively involved in the work of reviving it.

In June 1906, Kolchak headed a commission at the Naval General Staff to determine the reasons that led to the defeat at Tsushima. As a military expert, he often spoke at State Duma hearings with justification for allocating the necessary funding.

His project, dedicated to the realities of the Russian fleet, became the theoretical basis for all Russian military shipbuilding in the pre-war period. As part of its implementation, Kolchak in 1906-1908. personally supervises the construction of four battleships and two icebreakers.

For his invaluable contribution to the study of the Russian North, Lieutenant Kolchak was elected a member of the Russian Geographical Society. The nickname “Kolchak the Polar” stuck to him.

At the same time, Kolchak continues his efforts to systematize materials from past expeditions. The work he published in 1909 on the ice cover of the Kara and Siberian seas is recognized as a new stage in the development of polar oceanography in the study of ice cover.

World War I

The Kaiser's command was preparing for the blitzkrieg of St. Petersburg. Heinrich of Prussia, the commander of the German fleet, expected to sail through the Gulf of Finland to the capital in the first days of the war and expose it to hurricane fire from powerful guns.

Having destroyed important objects, he intended to land troops, capture St. Petersburg and put an end to Russia's military claims. The implementation of Napoleonic projects was prevented by the strategic experience and brilliant actions of Russian naval officers.

Given the significant superiority in the number of German ships, mine warfare tactics were recognized as the initial strategy to combat the enemy. The Kolchak division already during the first days of war laid 6 thousand mines in the waters of the Gulf of Finland. Skillfully placed mines became a reliable shield for the defense of the capital and thwarted the plans of the German fleet to capture Russia.

Subsequently, Kolchak persistently defended plans to switch to more aggressive actions. Already at the end of 1914, a daring operation was undertaken to mine the Danzig Bay directly off the enemy’s coast. As a result of this operation, 35 enemy warships were blown up. The successful actions of the naval commander determined his subsequent promotion.

In September 1915, he was appointed commander of the Mine Division. At the beginning of October, he undertook a bold maneuver to land troops on the shore of the Gulf of Riga to help the armies of the Northern Front. The operation was carried out so successfully that the enemy did not even realize that the Russians were present.

In June 1916, A.V. Kolchak was promoted by the Sovereign to the rank of Commander-in-Chief of the Black Sea Fleet. In the photo, the talented naval commander is captured in full dress uniform with all the military regalia.

Revolutionary time

After the February Revolution, Kolchak was faithful to the emperor to the end. Hearing the proposal of the revolutionary sailors to surrender their weapons, he threw his award saber overboard, arguing for his action with the words: “Even the Japanese did not take away my weapons, I will not give them to you either!”

Arriving in Petrograd, Kolchak blamed the ministers of the Provisional Government for the collapse of his own army and country. After which the dangerous admiral was actually sent into political exile at the head of the allied military mission to America.

In December 1917, he asked the British government to enlist in military service. However, certain circles are already betting on Kolchak as an authoritative leader capable of rallying the liberation struggle against Bolshevism.

The Volunteer Army operated in the South of Russia, and there were many disparate governments in Siberia and the East. Having united in September 1918, they created the Directory, the inconsistency of which inspired distrust in the wider officer and business circles. They needed a “strong hand” and, having carried out a white coup, invited Kolchak to accept the title of Supreme Ruler of Russia.

Goals of the Kolchak government

Kolchak's policy was to restore the foundations of the Russian Empire. His decrees banned all extremist parties. The Siberian government wanted to achieve reconciliation of all population groups and parties, without the participation of left and right radicals. An economic reform was prepared, involving the creation of an industrial base in Siberia.

The greatest victories of Kolchak’s army were achieved in the spring of 1919, when it occupied the territory of the Urals. However, after the successes, a series of failures began, caused by a number of miscalculations:

• Kolchak’s incompetence in the problems of government;
• refusal to resolve the agrarian question;
• partisan and Socialist Revolutionary resistance;
• political disagreements with allies.

In November 1919, Kolchak was forced to leave Omsk; in January 1920 he gave his powers to Denikin. As a result of the betrayal of the allied Czech Corps, it was handed over to the Bolshevik Revolutionary Committee, which seized power in Irkutsk.

Death of Admiral Kolchak

The fate of the legendary personality ended tragically. Some historians cite the cause of death as a personal secret order, fearing his release by Kappel’s troops rushing to the rescue. A.V. Kolchak was shot on February 7, 1920 in Irkutsk.

In the 21st century, the negative assessment of Kolchak’s personality has been revised. His name is immortalized on memorial plaques, monuments, and feature films.

Personal life

Kolchak's wife, Sofya Omirova, is a hereditary noblewoman. Due to the protracted expedition, she waited for her fiancé for several years. Their wedding took place in March 1904 in the Irkutsk church.

Three children were born in the marriage:

• The first daughter, born in 1905, died in infancy.
• Son Rostislav, born March 9, 1910.
• Daughter Margarita, born in 1912, died at the age of two.

In 1919, Sofya Omirova, with the help of British allies, emigrated with her son to Constanta, and subsequently to Paris. She died in 1956 and was buried in the cemetery of Russian Parisians.

Son Rostislav, an employee of the Algerian Bank, participated in battles with the Germans on the side of the French army. Died in 1965. Kolchak's grandson - Alexander, born in 1933, lives in Paris.

The last years of his life, Kolchak's actual wife became his last love. She met the admiral in 1915 in Helsingfors, where she arrived with her husband, a naval officer. After the divorce in 1918, she followed the admiral. She was arrested along with Kolchak, and after his execution she spent almost 30 years in various exiles and prisons. She was rehabilitated and died in 1975 in Moscow.

1. Alexander Kolchak was baptized in Trinity Church, which is known today as Kulich and Easter.
2. During one of his polar campaigns, Kolchak named the island in honor of his bride, who was waiting for him in the capital. Cape Sophia retains the name given to him to this day.
3. A.V. Kolchak became the fourth polar navigator in history to receive the highest award of the geographical society - the Konstantinov Medal. Before him, the great F. Nansen, N. Nordenskiöld, N. Jurgens received this honor.
4. The maps that Kolchak compiled were used by Soviet sailors until the end of the 1950s.
5. Before his death, Kolchak did not accept the offer to blindfold him. He gave his cigarette case to the Cheka officer in charge of the execution.

Kolchak Alexander Vasilievich(November 16, 1874 - February 7, 1920) - Russian military and political figure, oceanographer. Admiral (1918), participant in the Russo-Japanese War, during the First World War he commanded the mine division of the Baltic Fleet (1915-1916), the Black Sea Fleet (1916-1917), leader of the White movement during the Civil War, Supreme Ruler of Russia (1918-1920 ), Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Army, one of the largest polar explorers of the late 19th - early 20th centuries, participant in a number of Russian polar expeditions.

early years

Parents

The Kolchakov family belonged to the service nobility; in different generations, its representatives very often found themselves associated with military affairs.

Father Vasily Ivanovich Kolchak 1837 - 1913, was brought up in the Odessa Richelieu Gymnasium, knew French well and was a fan of French culture. In 1853, the Crimean War began and V.I. Kolchak entered service in the naval artillery of the Black Sea Fleet as a junior officer. During the defense of Malakhov Kurgan he distinguished himself and was awarded the soldier's St. George's Cross. Having been wounded during the defense of Sevastopol, he received the rank of ensign. After the war, he graduated from the Mining Institute in St. Petersburg. The further fate of Vasily Ivanovich was connected with the Obukhov Steel Plant. Until his retirement, he served here as a receptionist for the Naval Ministry, and had a reputation as a straightforward and extremely scrupulous person. He was a specialist in the field of artillery and published a number of scientific papers on steel production. After retiring in 1889 (with the rank of general), he continued to work at the plant for another 15 years.

Mother Olga Ilyinichna Kolchak 1855 - 1894, née Posokhova, came from a merchant family. Olga Ilyinichna had a calm and quiet character, was distinguished by piety and tried with all her might to pass it on to her children. Having gotten married in the early 1870s, A.V. Kolchak’s parents settled near the Obukhov plant, in the village of Aleksandrovskoye, almost outside the city limits. On November 4, 1874, their son Alexander was born. The boy was baptized in the local Trinity Church. The newborn's godfather was his uncle, his father's younger brother.

Years of study

In 1885-1888, Alexander studied at the Sixth St. Petersburg Classical Gymnasium, where he completed three classes out of eight. Alexander studied poorly and when transferred to the 3rd grade, having received a D in Russian, a C minus in Latin, a C in mathematics, a C minus in German and a D in French, he was almost left “for the second year.” On repeated oral exams in Russian and French, he corrected his grades to three minus and was transferred to the 3rd grade.

In 1888, “at his own request and at the request of his father,” Alexander entered the Naval School. With the transition from the gymnasium to the Naval School, young Alexander’s attitude towards studying changed: studying his favorite activity became a meaningful activity for him, and a sense of responsibility appeared. Within the walls of the Naval Cadet Corps, as the school began to be called in 1891, Kolchak’s abilities and talents manifested themselves.

In 1890, Kolchak went to sea for the first time. On May 12, upon arrival in Kronstadt, Alexander, together with other junior cadets, was assigned to the armored frigate “Prince Pozharsky”.

In 1892, Alexander was promoted to junior non-commissioned officer. When he transferred to the midshipman class, he was promoted to sergeant major - as the best in science and behavior, among the few on the course - and appointed as a mentor in the junior company.

In the coming year 1894, the young officer’s graduation, two more important events took place in his life. In her fortieth year, her mother died after a long illness. In the same year, Emperor Nicholas II ascended the throne, with whom Alexander Vasilyevich met several times during his life and whose departure from power subsequently determined the end of Kolchak’s naval career.

At the end of the final academic year, the midshipmen completed a month-long difficult voyage on the corvette “Skobelev” and began taking final exams. At the maritime exam, Kolchak was the only one from the class who answered all fifteen questions asked. As for the rest of the exams, Kolchak also passed all of them with excellent marks, except for mines, which later became a source of his pride in practice, for which he satisfactorily answered four out of six questions.

By order of September 15, 1894, A.V. Kolchak, among all the released midshipmen, was promoted to midshipman.

Scientific work

Having left the Naval Corps for the 7th Fleet Crew, in March 1895 Kolchak was assigned to work as a navigator at the Kronstadt Naval Observatory, and a month later he was assigned as a watch officer on the newly launched armored cruiser of the 1st rank "Rurik". On May 5, “Rurik” left Kronstadt on an overseas voyage through the southern seas to Vladivostok. During the campaign, Kolchak was engaged in self-education and tried to learn Chinese. Here he became interested in oceanography and hydrology of the Pacific Ocean; He was especially interested in its northern part - the Bering and Okhotsk Seas.

In 1897, Kolchak submitted a report with a request to be transferred to the gunboat "Koreets", which was heading at that time to the Commander Islands, where Kolchak planned to do research work, but instead was sent as a watch teacher to the sailing cruiser "Cruiser", which used for training boatswains and non-commissioned officers.

On December 5, 1898, the “Cruiser” set sail from Port Arthur to the location of the Baltic Fleet; on December 6, Kolchak was promoted to lieutenant. Due to his departure to the Imperial Academy of Sciences, Kolchak would remain in this rank for about 8 years (at that time the rank of lieutenant was considered high - lieutenants commanded large ships).

Kolchak also wanted to explore the Arctic. For various reasons, the first two attempts turned out to be failures, but the third time he was lucky: he ended up on the polar expedition of Baron E. Tol.

In 1899, upon returning from a voyage on the frigate "Prince Pozharsky", Kolchak brought together and processed the results of his own observations on the currents of the Japanese and Yellow Seas and published his first scientific article "Observations on surface temperatures and specific gravities of sea water, carried out on the cruisers “Rurik” and “Cruiser” from May 1897 to March 1899.”

In September 1899, he transferred to the battleship Petropavlovsk and sailed on it to the Far East. Kolchak decided to take part in the Anglo-Boer War that began in the fall of 1899. He was driven to this not only by a romantic desire to help the Boers, but also by the desire to gain experience in modern warfare and improve in his profession. But soon, when the ship was in the Greek port of Piraeus, Kolchak received a telegram from the Academy of Sciences from E.V. Toll with an offer to take part in the Russian polar expedition on the schooner “Zarya” - the same expedition that he was so eager to join back in St. Petersburg . Toll, who needed three naval officers, became interested in the young lieutenant’s scientific works in the magazine “Sea Collection”.

At the end of the Russo-Japanese War, Alexander Vasilyevich began processing materials from polar expeditions. From December 29, 1905 to May 1, 1906, Kolchak was seconded to the Academy of Sciences “to process cartographic and hydrographic materials of the Russian polar expedition.” This was a unique period in the life of Alexander Vasilyevich, when he led the life of a scientist and scientific worker.

The Izvestia of the Academy of Sciences published Kolchak’s article “The last expedition to Bennett Island, equipped by the Academy of Sciences to search for Baron Toll.” In 1906, the Main Hydrographic Directorate of the Maritime Ministry published three maps, which were prepared by Kolchak. The first two maps were compiled on the basis of collective surveys of expedition members and reflected the line of the western part of the coast of the Taimyr Peninsula, and the third map was prepared using depth measurements and surveys made personally by Kolchak; it reflected the western coast of Kotelny Island with Nerpichy Bay.

In 1907, Kolchak’s translation into Russian of M. Knudsen’s work “Tables of freezing points of sea water” was published.

In 1909, Kolchak published his largest study - a monograph summarizing his glaciological research in the Arctic - “Ice of the Kara and Siberian Seas”, but did not have time to publish another monograph dedicated to the cartographic work of Toll’s expedition. In the same year, Kolchak left for a new expedition, so the work of preparing Kolchak’s manuscript for printing and publishing the book was carried out by Birulya, who in 1907 published his book “From the Life of Birds of the Polar Coast of Siberia.”

A.V. Kolchak laid the foundations of the doctrine of sea ice. He discovered that “the Arctic ice pack moves clockwise, with the “head” of this giant ellipse resting on Franz Josef Land, and the “tail” located off the northern coast of Alaska.”

Russian polar expedition

At the beginning of January 1900, Kolchak arrived in St. Petersburg. The head of the expedition invited him to lead the hydrological work and also act as a second magnetologist.

On a clear day on June 8, 1900, travelers set off from the pier on the Neva and headed for Kronstadt.

On August 5, the sailors were already heading towards the Taimyr Peninsula. As we approached Taimyr, sailing on the open sea became impossible. The fight against ice became exhausting. It was possible to move exclusively along skerries; several times the Zarya ran aground or found itself locked in a bay or fiord. There was a moment when we were about to stop for the winter, having stayed for 19 days in a row.

Toll failed to fulfill his plan to sail on the first navigation to the little-explored eastern part of the Taimyr Peninsula; now he wanted, in order not to waste time, to get there through the tundra, for which it was necessary to cross the Chelyuskin Peninsula. Four people gathered for the trip, on 2 heavily loaded sledges: Toll with musher Rastorguev and Kolchak with fireman Nosov.

Starting on October 10, on October 15, Toll and Kolchak reached Gafner Bay. A warehouse with provisions was laid out near a high rock for the planned spring hike from here deep into the peninsula.

On October 19, the travelers returned to base. Kolchak, who carried out astronomical clarifications of a number of points along the way, managed to make significant clarifications and corrections to the old map made following the results of Nansen’s expedition of 1893-1896.

On the next trip, on April 6, to the Chelyuskin Peninsula, Toll and Kolchak went on a sleigh. Toll's musher was Nosov, and Kolchak's was Zheleznikov. Toll and Kolchak hardly recognized the place near Gafner Bay where they had established a warehouse in the fall. Directly above this place, next to the rock, there was a snowdrift 8 meters high. Kolchak and Toll spent a whole week excavating the warehouse, but the snow compacted and became hard underneath, so they had to abandon the excavations and try to carry out at least some research. The travelers' wishes differed: Kolchak, as a geographer, wanted to move along the coast and take photographs of it, while Toll was a geologist and wanted to go deep into the peninsula. Brought up on military discipline, Kolchak did not challenge the decision of the head of the expedition, and for the next 4 days the researchers moved along the peninsula.

On May 1, Toll made an 11-hour forced march on skis. Toll and Kolchak had to pull the burden along with the remaining dogs. Although the tired Toll was ready to spend the night anywhere, Kolchak always managed to insist on finding a suitable place to spend the night, although this still required walking and walking. On the way back, Toll and Kolchak managed not to notice and missed their warehouse. Throughout the entire 500-mile journey, Kolchak conducted route surveys.

It took Toll 20 days to recover from the exhausting campaign. And on May 29, Kolchak, with Doctor Walter and Strizhev, went on a trip to the warehouse, which he and Toll passed on the way back. Upon returning from the warehouse, Kolchak made a detailed survey of the Zarya raid, and Birulya - another part of the coastline.

Throughout the entire expedition, A.V. Kolchak, like the other travelers, worked hard, carried out hydrographic and oceanographic work, measured depths, studied the condition of the ice, sailed on a boat, and made observations on terrestrial magnetism. Kolchak repeatedly made trips overland, studying and exploring the little-studied territories of various islands and the mainland. As his colleagues testified, Kolchak did not take on different types of work with equal zeal. What seemed important to him and aroused his interest, the lieutenant did with great enthusiasm.

Kolchak always did his own work in the best possible way. Kolchak’s personal role in the expedition is best evidenced by the certification given to him by Baron Toll himself in a report to the President of the Academy of Sciences, Grand Duke Konstantin Konstantinovich.

In 1901, he immortalized the name of A.V. Kolchak, naming after him one of the islands discovered by the expedition in the Taimyr Gulf and a cape in the same area. At the same time, Kolchak himself, during his polar campaigns, named another island and cape after his bride - Sofia Fedorovna Omirova - who was waiting for him in the capital. Cape Sophia retained its name and was not renamed during Soviet times.

On August 19, Zarya crossed the longitude of Cape Chelyuskin. Lieutenant Kolchak, taking with him an instrument for determining latitude and longitude, jumped into the kayak. He was followed by Toll, whose boat was almost overturned by an unexpectedly emerging walrus. On the shore, Kolchak took measurements, and a group photograph was taken against the backdrop of the constructed guria. By noon, the landing party returned to the ship and, having given a salute in honor of Chelyuskin, the travelers set sail. Kolchak and Seeberg, having made calculations, determined the latitude and longitude of the cape; it turned out to be slightly east of the real Cape Chelyuskin. The new cape was named after "Zari". At one time, Nordenskiöld also missed: this is how Cape Vega appeared on the maps to the west of Cape Chelyuskin. And “Zarya” has now become the 4th ship after “Vega” with its auxiliary ship “Lena” and “Frama” Nansen to round the northern point of Eurasia.

On September 10, a northeast wind blew, and fine ice began to float across the water. The second winter of the expedition began. With the help of the expedition, around Vollosovich’s house, a house for magnetic research, a meteorological station and a bathhouse were soon built from driftwood carried by Lena to the sea.

During the week spent on the campaign, Kolchak on the Balyktakh River observed an interesting phenomenon that the soldiers of his Eastern Front would encounter in 1920 in their famous “Ice Campaign.” During extremely severe frosts, the river freezes to the bottom in some places, after which the ice cracks under the pressure of the current, and water continues to flow over it until it freezes again.

On the evening of May 23, Toll, Seeberg, Protodyakonov and Gorokhov moved towards Bennett Island on 3 sledges, carrying with them a supply of food for a little more than 2 months. The journey took 2 months, and by the end of the journey the provisions were already running out.

On August 8, having carried out some necessary ship work, the remaining members of the expedition set off in the direction of Bennett Island. According to the memoirs of Katin-Yartsev, the expedition was going to go through the strait between the islands of Belkovsky and Kotelny. When the passage was closed, Mathisen began to go around Kotelny from the south in order to go through the Blagoveshchensky Strait to Cape Vysokoy and pick up Birulya. In a shallow strait, the ship was damaged and a leak appeared. There were 15 miles left to Vysokoye, but Mathisen was cautious and decided to try to bypass New Siberia from the south. The plan was carried out, and by August 16, Zarya was moving north at full speed. However, already on August 17, ice forced Mathisen to turn back and try to re-enter from the west, now not between Kotelny and Belkovsky, but west of the second.

By August 23, Zarya remained at the minimum coal quota that Toll spoke about in his instructions. Even if Mathiesen had been able to get to Bennett, there was no coal left for the return trip. None of Mathisen's attempts got him within 90 miles of Bennett. Mathisen could not turn south without consulting Kolchak. Alexander Vasilyevich, most likely, also did not see any other way out; at least subsequently he never criticized this decision and did not dissociate himself from it.

On August 30, the Lena, the auxiliary steamer that once rounded Cape Chelyuskin together with the Vega, entered Tiksi Bay. Fearing freezing, the captain of the ship gave the expedition only 3 days to prepare. Kolchak found a secluded, quiet corner in the bay where the Zarya was taken. Brusnev remained in the village of Kazachye and had to prepare deer for Toll’s group, and if he did not appear before February 1, go to New Siberia and wait for him there.

At the beginning of December 1902, Kolchak reached the capital, where he was soon preparing an expedition whose goal was to rescue Toll’s group.

For the Russian polar expedition, Kolchak was awarded the Order of St. Vladimir, 4th degree. Based on the results of the expedition in 1903, Alexander Vasilyevich was also elected a full member of the Imperial Russian Geographical Society.

Russo-Japanese War

Upon arrival in Yakutsk, Kolchak learned about the attack of the Japanese fleet on the Russian squadron in the Port Arthur roadstead and about the beginning of the Russo-Japanese War. On January 28, 1904, he contacted Konstantin Konstantinovich by telegraph and asked for his transfer from the Academy of Sciences to the Naval Department. Having received permission, Kolchak applied for a transfer to Port Arthur.

Kolchak arrived in Port Arthur on March 18. The next day, the lieutenant met with the commander of the Pacific Fleet, Admiral S. O. Makarov, and asked to be appointed to a combat position - on a destroyer. However, Makarov looked at Kolchak as a person who crossed his path during the preparation of the expedition to rescue E.V. Toll, and decided to hold him back, appointing him as a watch commander on the 1st rank cruiser Askold on March 20. Admiral Makarov, whom Kolchak, despite the hidden conflict, considered his teacher, died on March 31 when the squadron battleship Petropavlovsk exploded on a Japanese mine.

Kolchak, who most of all disliked monotonous and routine work, achieved his transfer to the Amur minelayer. The transfer took place on April 17. Apparently, this was a temporary appointment, since four days later he was appointed commander of the destroyer "Angry". The ship belonged to the second detachment of destroyers, inferior to the best ships of the first detachment and therefore engaged in routine work guarding the entrance to the harbor or escorting minesweepers. The appointment to such a job was another disappointment for the young officer eager for battle.

Restless and somewhat even adventurous in character, Kolchak dreamed of raider operations on enemy communications. He, bored with defensive tactics, wanted to participate in offensives, face-to-face battles with the enemy. Once, in response to a colleague’s delight at the speed of the ship, the lieutenant gloomily replied, “What’s good? Now, if we went forward like that, towards the enemy, it would be good!”

On May 1, for the first time since the beginning of hostilities in the east, Kolchak had the opportunity to take part in a serious and dangerous mission. On this day, the operation began, developed by the commander of the Amur minelayer, Captain 2nd Rank F.N. Ivanov. "Amur" with 50 mines on board, not reaching 11 miles from the Golden Mountain, separated from the Japanese squadron, laid a mine bank. “Angry” under the command of Kolchak, together with “Skory”, walked with trawls ahead of “Amur”, clearing the way for him. The next day, the Japanese battleships IJN Hatsuse and IJN Yashima were killed by mines, which became the most resounding success of the First Pacific Squadron during the entire campaign.

Kolchak’s first independent command of a warship lasted until October 18, with an almost month-long break to recover from pneumonia in the hospital. And yet Kolchak managed to accomplish a military feat at sea. Conducting his daily routine work, Kolchak on his destroyer daily trawled the outer roadstead, was on duty at the passage into the bay, fired at the enemy, and laid mines. He chose a place to install the can, but on the night of August 24 he was prevented by three Japanese destroyers. The officer showed persistence; on the night of August 25, the “Angry” went to sea again, and Kolchak set 16 mines in his favorite place, 20½ miles from the harbor. Three months later, on the night of November 29–30, the Japanese cruiser IJN Takasago was blown up and sank by mines placed by Kolchak. This success was the second most important for Russian sailors after the sinking of the Japanese battleships IJN Hatsuse and IJN Yashima. Alexander Vasilyevich was very proud of this success, mentioned it in his autobiography in 1918 and during interrogation in Irkutsk in 1920.

By this time, work on the destroyer was becoming more and more monotonous, and Kolchak regretted that he was not in the thick of events, where the fate of Port Arthur was being decided.

On October 18, at his own request due to his state of health, Kolchak was transferred to the land front, where by this time the main events of the military campaign had moved.

Alexander Vasilyevich commanded a battery of different caliber guns at the artillery position “Armed Sector of the Rocky Mountains”, the overall command of which was exercised by Captain 2nd Rank A. A. Khomenko. Kolchak's battery included two small batteries of 47-mm cannons, a 120-mm cannon firing at distant targets, and a battery of two 47-mm and two 37-mm cannons. Later, Kolchak’s economy was reinforced with two more old cannons from the light cruiser “Robber”.

During the siege of Port Arthur, Lieutenant Kolchak kept notes in which he systematized the experience of artillery shooting and collected evidence of the unsuccessful July attempt to break through the ships of the Port Arthur squadron to Vladivostok, again showing himself as a scientist - an artilleryman and strategist.

By the time of the surrender of Port Arthur, Kolchak was seriously ill: a wound was added to articular rheumatism. On December 22, he was admitted to the hospital. In April, the hospital was evacuated by the Japanese to Nagasaki, and sick officers were offered treatment in Japan or return to Russia. All Russian officers preferred their homeland. On June 4, 1905, Alexander Vasilyevich arrived in St. Petersburg, but here his illness worsened again, and the lieutenant was again hospitalized.

World War I

Pre-war service in the Baltic Fleet

On April 15, 1912, Kolchak was appointed commander of the destroyer Ussuriets. Alexander Vasilyevich went to the base of the mine division in Libau.

In May 1913, Kolchak was appointed to command the destroyer Border Guard, which was used as a messenger ship for Admiral Essen.

On June 25, after training and demonstration mine laying in the Finnish skerries, Nicholas II and his retinue, Minister I.K. Grigorovich, Essen, gathered on board the “Border Guard” commanded by Kolchak. The Emperor was satisfied with the condition of the crews and ships; Kolchak and other ship commanders were declared “nominal royal favor.”

At the headquarters of the fleet commander, they began to prepare papers for Kolchak’s promotion to the next rank. The certification prepared on August 21, 1913 by Alexander Vasilyevich’s immediate superior, commander of the mine division, Rear Admiral I. A. Shorre, characterized Kolchak as follows:

On December 6, 1913, “for distinguished service,” Alexander Vasilyevich was promoted to captain of the 1st rank and 3 days later he was already appointed acting head of the operational department of the headquarters of the commander of the naval forces of the Baltic Fleet.

On July 14, Kolchak began performing the duties of flag captain for operational matters at the Essen headquarters. On this day, Kolchak was awarded the French Order of the Legion of Honor - French President R. Poincaré was visiting Russia.

As one of the closest assistants to the commander of the Baltic Fleet, Kolchak focused on preparatory measures for the rapidly approaching major war. Kolchak’s job was to inspect fleet detachments, naval bases, consider protective measures, and mining.

War in the Baltic

On the evening of July 16, Admiral Essen's headquarters received an encrypted message from the General Staff about the mobilization of the Baltic Fleet from midnight on July 17. All night a group of officers led by Kolchak was busy drawing up instructions for the battle.

Subsequently, during interrogation in 1920, Kolchak would say:

For the first two months of the war, Kolchak fought as a flag captain, developing operational assignments and plans, while always striving to take part in the battle itself. Later he was transferred to the Essen headquarters.

During this war, the battle at sea became much more complex and diversified than before; defensive measures, primarily in the form of minefields, became very important. And it was Kolchak who proved himself to be a master of mine warfare. The Western allies considered him the best mine expert in the world.

In August, the German cruiser SMS Magdeburg, which ran aground, was captured near the island of Odensholm. Among the trophies was a German signal book. From it, the Essen headquarters learned that the Baltic Fleet was opposed by rather small forces of the German fleet. As a result, the question was raised about the transition of the Baltic Fleet from defensive defense to active operations.

At the beginning of September, the plan for active operations was approved, Kolchak went to defend it at the Supreme Headquarters. Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolaevich recognized the active operations of the Baltic Fleet as premature. Feeling the wary attitude of Headquarters towards Essen, Kolchak was very upset by the failure of his mission, “he was extremely nervous and complained about excessive bureaucracy, which interfered with productive work.”

In the fall of 1914, the Essen headquarters decided to take advantage of the weakening of vigilance on the part of the Germans, confident in the passive tactics of the Russian naval forces, and with the help of the constant work of destroyers, “fill up the entire German coast with mines.” Kolchak developed an operation to blockade German naval bases with mines. The first mines were laid in October 1914 near Memel, and already on November 4, in the area of ​​​​this mine bank, the German cruiser Friedrich Carl sank. In November, a can was also delivered near the island of Bornholm.

At the end of December 1914, near the island of Rügen and the Stolpe Bank, on the routes along which German ships sailed from Kiel, minefields were laid, in which Captain Kolchak took an active part. Subsequently, the SMS Augsburg and the light cruiser SMS Gazelle were blown up by mines.

In February 1915, Captain 1st Rank A.V. Kolchak commanded a “special purpose semi-division” of four destroyers during a mine-laying operation in Danzig Bay. There was already a lot of ice in the sea, and during the operation Kolchak had to use his experience of sailing in the Arctic. All destroyers successfully reached the minefield site. However, the covering cruiser Rurik ran into rocks and was holed. Kolchak led his ships further without the cover of cruisers. On February 1, 1915, Kolchak laid up to 200 mines and successfully returned his ships to base. Subsequently, four cruisers (among them the cruiser Bremen), eight destroyers and 23 German transports were blown up by mines, and the commander of the German Baltic Fleet, Prince Heinrich of Prussia, had to order a ban on German ships to go to sea until a means was found to fight the Russians minami.

Kolchak was awarded the Order of St. Vladimir, 3rd degree with swords. Kolchak’s name also became famous abroad: the British sent a group of their naval officers to the Baltic to learn mine warfare tactics from him.

In August 1915, the German fleet, taking active action, attempted to break into the Gulf of Riga. It was the minefields that stopped him: having lost several destroyers to Russian mines and damaged some cruisers, the Germans soon canceled their plans due to the threat of new losses. This then led to the disruption of the offensive of their ground forces towards Riga, since it was not supported by the navy from the sea.

At the beginning of September 1915, due to the injury of Rear Admiral P. L. Trukhachev, the post of head of the Mine Division was temporarily vacant, and it was entrusted to Kolchak. Having accepted the division on September 10, Kolchak began to establish connections with the ground command. We agreed with the commander of the 12th Army, General R.D. Radko-Dmitriev, to prevent the German advance along the coast with joint forces. Kolchak's division had to repel the large-scale German offensive that had begun both on water and on land.

Kolchak began to develop a landing operation in the German rear. As a result of the landing, the enemy observation post was eliminated, prisoners and trophies were captured. On October 6, a detachment of 22 officers and 514 lower ranks on two gunboats, under the cover of 15 destroyers, the battleship "Slava" and the air transport "Orlitsa", set off on a campaign. The operation was personally led by A.V. Kolchak. The loss ratio was 40 people killed on the German side versus 4 wounded on the Russian side. The Germans were forced to take troops from the front to protect the coastline and anxiously await Russian maneuvers from the Gulf of Riga.

In mid-October, when snowfalls began and Kolchak took the ships to the Rogokul harbor on the Moonsund archipelago, a telephone message came to the flagship destroyer: “The enemy is pressing, I ask the fleet for help. Melikov." In the morning, approaching the coast, we learned that Russian units were still holding out on Cape Ragocem, cut off by the Germans from their main group. Standing on its barrel, the destroyer "Sibirsky Strelok" connected with Melikov's headquarters. The rest of Kolchak's destroyers approached the shore and opened shrapnel fire on the attacking German chains. On this day, Russian troops defended their positions. In addition, Melikov asked for Kolchak’s help in his counteroffensive. Within an hour, the German positions fell, the city of Kemmern was taken, and the Germans hastily fled. On November 2, 1915, Nicholas II, based on Radko-Dmitriev’s report, awarded Kolchak the Order of St. George, 4th degree. This award was awarded to Alexander Vasilyevich for commanding the Mine Division.

Kolchak’s return to his previous place of service - to the headquarters - turned out to be short-lived: already in December, the recovered Trukhachev received a new assignment, and on December 19, Alexander Vasilyevich already received the Mine Division again, and this time as its acting commander, on a permanent basis. However, even during the short time he worked at headquarters, Captain Kolchak managed to do a very important thing: he developed an operation plan for mining Vindava, which was successfully implemented later.

Before the ice covered the Baltic Sea, Kolchak, barely having time to receive the Mine Division, launched a new mine-barrage action in the Vindava area. However, the plans were interrupted by the explosion and half-sinking of the destroyer Zabiyaka, which canceled the operation. This was Kolchak's first unsuccessful operation.

In addition to laying minefields, Kolchak often sent groups of ships out to sea under his personal command to hunt for various enemy ships and provide patrol service. One of these exits ended in failure when the patrol ship Vindava was lost. However, failures were exceptions. As a rule, the skill, courage and resourcefulness demonstrated by the commander of the Mine Division aroused admiration among his subordinates and quickly spread throughout the fleet and in the capital.

The fame that Kolchak gained for himself was well-deserved: by the end of 1915, the losses of the German fleet in terms of warships were 3.4 times higher than those of the Russians; in terms of merchant ships - 5.2 times, and his personal role in this achievement can hardly be overestimated.

In the spring campaign of 1916, when the Germans launched an attack on Riga, the role of Kolchak’s cruisers Admiral Makarov and Diana, as well as the battleship Slava, was to shell and impede the enemy’s advance.

With the assumption of the title of Supreme Commander at Headquarters by Nicholas II on August 23, 1915, attitudes towards the fleet began to change for the better. Kolchak also felt this. Soon his promotion to the next military rank began to move forward. On April 10, 1916, Alexander Vasilyevich was promoted to rear admiral.

With the rank of rear admiral, Kolchak fought in the Baltic with the transportation of iron ore from Sweden to Germany. Kolchak’s first attack on transport ships was unsuccessful, so the second campaign, on May 31, was planned to the smallest detail. With three destroyers “Novik”, “Oleg” and “Rurik”, Alexander Vasilyevich sank a number of transport ships within 30 minutes, as well as all the escorts who bravely entered into battle with him. As a result of this operation, Germany suspended shipping from neutral Sweden. The last task that Kolchak was engaged in in the Baltic Fleet was related to the development of a large landing operation in the German rear in the Gulf of Riga.

On June 28, 1916, by decree of the emperor, Kolchak was promoted to vice admiral and appointed commander of the Black Sea Fleet, thus becoming the youngest commander of the fleets of the warring powers.

War in the Black Sea

At the beginning of September 1916, Alexander Vasilyevich was in Sevastopol, having visited Headquarters on the way and receiving secret instructions there from the Emperor and his chief of staff. Kolchak’s meeting with Nicholas II at Headquarters was the third and last. Kolchak spent one day at Headquarters on July 4, 1916. The Supreme Commander-in-Chief told the new commander of the Black Sea Fleet about the situation on the fronts and conveyed the contents of the military-political agreements with the allies on Romania’s imminent entry into the war. At Headquarters, Kolchak was familiarized with the decree awarding him the Order of St. Stanislav, 1st degree.

Using the methods worked out in the Baltic, after some time, under his personal leadership, Kolchak carried out mining of the Bosphorus and the Turkish coast, which was then repeated, and practically completely deprived the enemy of the possibility of active action. 6 enemy submarines were blown up by mines.

The first task set by Kolchak to the fleet was to clear the sea of ​​enemy warships and stop enemy shipping altogether. To achieve this goal, feasible only with a complete blockade of the Bosphorus and Bulgarian ports, M. I. Smirnov began planning an operation to mine the enemy’s ports. To fight submarines, Kolchak invited his comrade from the capital’s officer circle, Captain 1st Rank N.N. Schreiber, the inventor of a special small mine for submarines, to the Black Sea Fleet; Nets were also ordered to block submarine exits from ports.

Transportation for the needs of the Caucasian Front began to be provided with reasonable and sufficient security, and during the entire war this security was never broken through by the enemy, and during the time Kolchak commanded the Black Sea Fleet, only one Russian steamer was sunk.

At the end of July, the operation to mine the Bosphorus began. The operation began with the submarine "Crab", which spent 60 minutes in the very throat of the strait. Then, by order of Kolchak, the entrance to the strait was mined from coast to coast. After which Kolchak mined the exits from the Bulgarian ports of Varna and Zonguldak, which hit the Turkish economy hard.

By the end of 1916, the commander of the Black Sea Fleet had achieved his goal by firmly locking the German-Turkish fleet, including SMS Goeben and SMS Breslau, into the Bosphorus and easing the strain on the Russian fleet's transport service.

At the same time, Kolchak’s service in the Black Sea Fleet was marked by a number of failures and losses that might not have happened. The largest loss was the death of the flagship of the fleet, the battleship Empress Maria, on October 7, 1916.

Bosphorus operation

The Naval Department of the Headquarters and the headquarters of the Black Sea Fleet developed a simple and daring plan for the Bosphorus operation.

It was decided to deliver an unexpected and swift blow to the center of the entire fortified area - Constantinople. The operation was planned by the sailors for September 1916. It was supposed to combine the actions of ground forces on the southern edge of the Romanian Front with the actions of the fleet.

From the end of 1916, comprehensive practical preparations for the Bosphorus operation began: they conducted training in landings, shooting from ships, reconnaissance cruises of destroyer detachments to the Bosphorus, comprehensively studied the coast, and carried out aerial photography. A special landing Black Sea Marine Division was formed, led by Colonel A.I. Verkhovsky, which was personally supervised by Kolchak.

On December 31, 1916, Kolchak gave the order to form the Black Sea Air Division, whose detachments were supposed to be deployed in accordance with the arrival of naval aircraft. On this day, Kolchak, at the head of a detachment of three battleships and two air transports, undertook a campaign to the shores of Turkey, but due to increased excitement, the bombardment of the enemy’s shores from seaplanes had to be postponed.

M. Smirnov already wrote in exile:

Events of 1917

The events of February 1917 in the capital found Vice Admiral Kolchak in Batum, where he went to meet with the commander of the Caucasian Front, Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolayevich, to discuss the schedule for maritime transport and the construction of a port in Trebizond. On February 28, the admiral received a telegram from the Naval General Staff about the riot in Petrograd and the capture of the city by the rebels.

Kolchak remained faithful to the emperor to the last and did not immediately recognize the Provisional Government. However, in the new conditions, he had to organize his work differently, in particular, in maintaining discipline in the fleet. Constant speeches to the sailors and flirting with committees made it possible for a relatively long time to maintain the remnants of order and prevent the tragic events that occurred at that time in the Baltic Fleet. However, given the general collapse of the country, the situation could not help but worsen.

On April 15, the admiral arrived in Petrograd at the call of War Minister Guchkov. The latter hoped to use Kolchak as the head of a military coup and invited Alexander Vasilyevich to take command of the Baltic Fleet. However, Kolchak’s appointment to the Baltic did not take place.

In Petrograd, Kolchak took part in a government meeting, where he made a report on the strategic situation in the Black Sea. His report made a favorable impression. When the topic of the Bosphorus operation came up, Alekseev decided to take advantage of the situation and finally bury the operation.

Kolchak also participated in a meeting of front and army commanders at the headquarters of the Northern Front in Pskov. From there, the admiral made a painful impression about the demoralization of the troops at the front, fraternization with the Germans and their imminent collapse.

In Petrograd, the admiral witnessed armed soldier demonstrations and believed that they needed to be suppressed by force. Kolchak considered the refusal of the Provisional Government to Kornilov, the commander of the capital's military district, to suppress the armed demonstration to be a mistake, along with the refusal to act in a similar way if necessary in the fleet.

Returning from Petrograd, Kolchak took an offensive position, trying to enter the all-Russian political scene. The admiral’s efforts to prevent anarchy and the collapse of the fleet bore fruit: Kolchak managed to raise morale in the Black Sea Fleet. Impressed by Kolchak’s speech, a decision was made to send a delegation from the Black Sea Fleet to the front and to the Baltic Fleet to raise morale and agitate for the preservation of the combat effectiveness of the troops and the victorious conclusion of the war, “to wage the war actively with full effort.”

In the fight against defeatism and the collapse of the army and navy, Kolchak did not limit himself solely to supporting the patriotic impulses of the sailors themselves. The commander himself sought to actively influence the sailor masses.

With the departure of the delegation, the situation in the navy worsened, there was a shortage of people, while the anti-war agitation intensified. Due to defeatist propaganda and agitation on the part of the RSDLP (b), which intensified after February 1917 in the army and navy, discipline began to decline.

Kolchak continued to regularly take the fleet to sea, as this made it possible to distract people from revolutionary activity and attract them. Cruisers and destroyers continued to patrol the enemy coast, and submarines, regularly changing, were on duty near the Bosphorus.

After Kerensky's departure, confusion and anarchy in the Black Sea Fleet began to intensify. On May 18, the committee of the destroyer “Zharky” demanded that the ship’s commander, G. M. Veselago, be written off “for excessive bravery.” Kolchak ordered the destroyer to be placed in reserve, and Veselago was transferred to another position. The dissatisfaction of the sailors was also caused by Kolchak’s decision to put the battleships “Three Saints” and “Sinop” for repairs and distribute their overly revolutionary-minded crews to other ports. The growth of tension and left-wing extremist sentiments among the Black Sea residents was also facilitated by the arrival in Sevastopol of a delegation of Baltic Fleet sailors, consisting of Bolsheviks and supplied with a huge load of Bolshevik literature.

During the last weeks of his command of the fleet, Kolchak no longer expected and did not receive any help from the government, trying to solve all problems on his own. However, his attempts to restore discipline met with opposition from the rank and file of the army and navy.

On June 5, 1917, the revolutionary sailors decided that officers were required to hand over firearms and bladed weapons. Kolchak took his St. George saber, received for Port Arthur, and threw it overboard, saying to the sailors:

On June 6, Kolchak sent a telegram to the Provisional Government with a message about the riot that had occurred and that in the current situation he could no longer remain as commander. Without waiting for an answer, he transferred command to Rear Admiral V.K. Lukin.

Seeing that the situation was getting out of control, and fearing for Kolchak’s life, M.I. Smirnov called A.D. Bubnov via direct wire, who contacted the Naval General Staff and asked to immediately report to the minister about the need to call Kolchak and Smirnov in order to save them lives. The response telegram from the Provisional Government arrived on June 7: “The Provisional Government... orders Admiral Kolchak and Captain Smirnov, who committed an obvious rebellion, to immediately leave for Petrograd for a personal report.” Thus, Kolchak automatically fell under investigation and was removed from the military-political life of Russia. Kerensky, who even then saw Kolchak as a rival, used this chance to get rid of him.

Wandering

The Russian naval mission consisting of A.V. Kolchak, M.I. Smirnov, D.B. Kolechitsky, V.V. Bezoir, I.E. Vuich, A.M. Mezentsev left the capital on July 27, 1917. Alexander Vasilyevich traveled to the Norwegian city of Bergen under a false name - to hide his tracks from German intelligence. From Bergen the mission proceeded to England.

In England

Kolchak spent two weeks in England: he became acquainted with naval aviation, submarines, anti-submarine warfare tactics, and visited factories. Alexander Vasilyevich had good relations with the English admirals; the allies confidentially initiated Kolchak into military plans.

IN THE USA

On August 16, the Russian mission on the cruiser Gloncester left Glasgow for the shores of the United States, where it arrived on August 28, 1917. It turned out that the American fleet never planned any Dardanelles operation. The main reason for Kolchak’s trip to America disappeared, and from that moment on his mission was of a military-diplomatic nature. Kolchak stayed in the USA for about two months, during which time he met with Russian diplomats led by Ambassador B.A. Bakhmetyev, the Ministers of Navy and War, and the US Secretary of State. On October 16, Kolchak was received by American President William Wilson.

Kolchak, at the request of his fellow allies, worked at the American Naval Academy, where he advised academy students on mine affairs.

In San Francisco, already on the west coast of the United States, Kolchak received a telegram from Russia with a proposal to nominate his candidacy for the Constituent Assembly from the Cadet Party in the Black Sea Fleet District, to which he agreed, but his response telegram was late. On October 12, Kolchak and his officers set off from San Francisco to Vladivostok on the Japanese steamer Kario-Maru.

In Japan

Two weeks later, the ship arrived at the Japanese port of Yokohama. Here Kolchak learned about the overthrow of the Provisional Government and the seizure of power by the Bolsheviks, about the beginning of negotiations between the Lenin government and the German authorities in Brest about a separate peace, more shameful and more enslaving than which Kolchak could not imagine.

Kolchak now had to decide the difficult question of what to do next, when a power was established in Russia, which he did not recognize, considering it treasonous and responsible for the collapse of the country.

In the current situation, he considered his return to Russia impossible and reported his non-recognition of a separate peace to the allied English government. He also asked to be accepted into service “anyhow and anywhere” to continue the war with Germany.

Soon Kolchak was summoned to the British embassy and informed that Great Britain willingly accepted his offer. On December 30, 1917, Kolchak received a message about his appointment to the Mesopotamian Front. In the first half of January 1918, Kolchak left Japan via Shanghai for Singapore.

In Singapore and China

In March 1918, having arrived in Singapore, Kolchak received a secret order to urgently return to China to work in Manchuria and Siberia. The change in the British decision was associated with persistent petitions from Russian diplomats and other political circles, who saw in the admiral a candidate for the leader of the anti-Bolshevik movement. Alexander Vasilyevich returned to Shanghai by the first steamer, where his English service ended before it began.

With Kolchak’s arrival in China, the period of his foreign wanderings ended. Now the admiral was faced with a political and military struggle against the Bolshevik regime inside Russia.

Supreme Ruler of Russia

As a result of the November coup, Kolchak became the Supreme Ruler of Russia. In this position, he tried to restore law and order in the territories under his control. Kolchak carried out a number of administrative, military, financial and social reforms. Thus, measures were taken to restore industry, supply peasants with agricultural machinery, and develop the Northern Sea Route. Moreover, from the end of 1918, Alexander Vasilyevich began to prepare the Eastern Front for the decisive spring offensive of 1919. However, by this time the Bolsheviks were able to bring up large forces. Due to a number of serious reasons, by the end of April the White offensive had fizzled out, and then they came under a powerful counterattack. A retreat began that could not be stopped.

As the situation at the front worsened, discipline among the troops began to decline, and society and higher spheres became demoralized. By the fall it became clear that the white struggle in the east was lost. Without removing responsibility from the Supreme Ruler, we nevertheless note that in the current situation there was practically no one next to him who was able to help solve systemic problems.

In January 1920, in Irkutsk, Kolchak was handed over by the Czechoslovaks (who were no longer going to participate in the Civil War in Russia and were trying to leave the country as quickly as possible) to the local revolutionary council. Before this, Alexander Vasilyevich refused to run away and save his life, declaring: “I will share the fate of the army.” On the night of February 7, he was shot by order of the Bolshevik Military Revolutionary Committee.

Awards

• Medal "In memory of the reign of Emperor Alexander III" (1896)
• Order of St. Vladimir, 4th class (December 6, 1903)
• Order of St. Anne, 4th class with the inscription "For bravery" (October 11, 1904)
• Golden weapon “For bravery” - a saber with the inscription “For distinction in affairs against the enemy near Port Arthur” (December 12, 1905)
• Order of St. Stanislaus, 2nd class with swords (December 12, 1905)
• Large gold Constantine medal (January 30, 1906)
• Silver medal on the St. George and Alexander ribbon in memory of the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905 (1906)
• Swords and bow for the personalized Order of St. Vladimir, 4th degree (March 19, 1907)
• Order of St. Anne, 2nd class (December 6, 1910)
• Medal “In memory of the 300th anniversary of the reign of the House of Romanov” (1913)
• French Legion of Honor Officer's Cross (1914)
• Cross "For Port Arthur" (1914)
• Medal "In memory of the 200th anniversary of the naval battle of Gangut" (1915)
• Order of St. Vladimir, 3rd class with swords (9 February 1915)
• Order of St. George, 4th class (November 2, 1915)
• Order of the Bath (1915)
• Order of St. Stanislaus, 1st class with swords (4 July 1916)
• Order of St. Anne, 1st class with swords (1 January 1917)
• Golden weapon - dagger of the Union of Army and Navy Officers (June 1917)
• Order of St. George, 3rd class (15 April 1919)

Memory

Memorial plaques in honor and memory of Kolchak were installed on the building of the Naval Corps, which Kolchak graduated from, in St. Petersburg (2002), on the station building in Irkutsk, in the courtyard of the chapel of St. Nicholas of Myra in Moscow (2007). On the facade of the building of the Museum of Local Lore (Moorish Castle, the former building of the Russian Geographical Society) in Irkutsk, where Kolchak read a report on the Arctic Expedition of 1901, an honorary inscription in honor of Kolchak, destroyed after the revolution, has been restored - next to the names of other scientists and explorers of Siberia. Kolchak’s name is carved on the monument to the heroes of the White movement (“Gallipoli Obelisk”) at the Parisian cemetery of Sainte-Geneviève-des-Bois. In Irkutsk, a cross was erected at the “resting place in the waters of the Angara.”

Alexander Vasilievich

Battles and victories

Military and political figure, leader of the White movement in Russia - Supreme Ruler of Russia, admiral (1918), Russian oceanographer, one of the largest polar explorers of the late 19th - early 20th centuries, full member of the Imperial Russian Geographical Society (1906) .

Hero of the Russian-Japanese and First World Wars, leader of the White movement, one of the most striking, controversial and tragic figures in Russian history of the early 20th century.

We know Kolchak as the Supreme Ruler of Russia during the Civil War, a man who unsuccessfully tried to become the very dictator who would lead the White armies to victory with an iron hand. Depending on their political views, some love and praise him, while others consider him a fierce enemy. But if not for the fratricidal civil war, who would Kolchak remain in our memory? Then we would see in him the hero of several wars with an “external” enemy, a famous polar explorer and, perhaps, even a military philosopher and theorist.

A.V. Kolchak. Omsk, 1919

Alexander Vasilyevich was born into a family of hereditary military men. He began his studies at the 6th St. Petersburg Gymnasium (where, by the way, among his classmates was the future head of the OGPU V. Menzhinsky), but soon, of his own free will, he entered the Naval School (Naval Cadet Corps). Here he showed very extensive academic abilities, excelling primarily in mathematics and geography. He was released with the rank of midshipman in 1894, but in terms of academic performance he was second in the class, and only because he himself refused the championship in favor of his friend Filippov, considering him more capable. Ironically, during the exams, Kolchak received the only “B” in mine work, in which he distinguished himself during the Russo-Japanese and First World Wars.

After graduation, Alexander Vasilyevich served on various ships in the Pacific and Baltic fleets, and was promoted to the rank of lieutenant. However, the young and energetic officer strived for more. The end of the 19th century was marked by increased interest in geographical discoveries, which were supposed to reveal to the civilized world the last unexplored corners of our planet. And here the public’s special attention was focused on polar research. It is not surprising that the passionate and talented A.V. Kolchak also wanted to explore the Arctic expanses. For various reasons, the first two attempts turned out to be failures, but the third time he was lucky: he was included in the polar expedition of Baron E. Tol, who became interested in the young lieutenant after reading his articles in the “Sea Collection”. A special petition from the President of the Imperial Academy of Sciences, Vl. book Konstantin Konstantinovich. During the expedition (1900-1902), Kolchak supervised hydraulic work, collecting a number of valuable information about the coastal regions of the Arctic Ocean. In 1902, Baron Tol, together with a small group, decided to separate from the main expedition and independently find the legendary Sannikov Land, as well as explore Bennett Island. During this risky campaign, Tolya's group disappeared. In 1903, Kolchak led a rescue expedition, which managed to establish the actual death of his comrades (the corpses themselves were not found), and also to explore the islands of the Novosibirsk group. As a result, Kolchak was awarded the highest award of the Russian Geographical Society - the gold Konstantinovsky medal.

The completion of the expedition coincided with the beginning of the Russo-Japanese War. Kolchak, being, first of all, a naval officer, imbued with duty to the Fatherland, submitted a petition to be sent to the front. However, upon arrival at the theater of operations in Port Arthur, he was disappointed: Admiral S.O. Makarov refused to give him command of a destroyer. It is not known for certain what motivated this decision: either he wanted the lieutenant to rest after the polar expeditions, or he thought it was premature to appoint him to a combat position (especially in military conditions!) after a four-year absence from the fleet, or he wanted to reduce his temperament zealous lieutenant. As a result, Kolchak became the watch commander on the cruiser Askold, and only after the tragic death of the admiral was he able to transfer to the minelayer Amur, and four days later received the destroyer Angry. So Kolchak became one of the participants in the legendary defense of the Port Arthur fortress, which became a glorious page in the history of Russia.

The main task was to clear the outer raid. At the beginning of May, Kolchak took part in laying minefields in the immediate vicinity of the Japanese fleet: as a result, two Japanese battleships were blown up. At the end of November, a Japanese cruiser was blown up by the mines he had laid, which became a resounding success for the Russian fleet in the Pacific Ocean during the war. In general, the young lieutenant established himself as a brave and proactive commander, comparing favorably with many of his colleagues. True, even then his excessive impulsiveness was evident: during short-term outbursts of anger, he did not shy away from assault.

In mid-October, due to health reasons, Kolchak was transferred to the ground front and took command of a 75-mm artillery battery. Right up until the surrender of the fortress, he was directly on the front line, conducting an artillery duel with the enemy. For his services and bravery, Kolchak was awarded the St. George's Arms at the end of the campaign.

After returning from a short captivity, Alexander Vasilyevich plunged headlong into military and scientific activities. Thus, he became a member of an informal circle of young naval officers who sought to correct the shortcomings of the Russian fleet identified during the Russo-Japanese War and contribute to its renewal. In 1906, on the basis of this circle, the Naval General Staff was formed, in which Kolchak took the position of chief of the operational unit. At this time, on duty, he often acted as a military expert in the State Duma, convincing deputies (who remained largely deaf to the needs of the fleet) of the need to allocate the required funding.

As Admiral Pilkin recalled:

He spoke very well, always with great knowledge of the matter, always thinking what he said, and always feeling what he thought... He did not write his speeches, the image and thoughts were born in the very process of his speech, and therefore he never repeated himself.

Unfortunately, at the beginning of 1908, due to a serious conflict between the maritime department and the State Duma, it was not possible to obtain the required allocations.

At the same time, Alexander Vasiliev was engaged in science. At first he processed materials from polar expeditions, then compiled special hydrographic maps, and in 1909 he published the fundamental work “Ice of the Kara and Siberian Seas,” which laid the foundations for the study of sea ice. It is curious that it was republished in 1928 by the American Geographical Society in a collection that included the works of 30 of the world's most prominent polar explorers.

In May 1908, Kolchak left the Naval General Staff in order to become a member of the next polar expedition, but at the end of 1909 (when the ships were already in Vladivostok) he was recalled back to the capital to the naval department to his previous position.

Here Alexander Vasilyevich was involved in the development of shipbuilding programs, wrote a number of general theoretical works, in which, in particular, he spoke in favor of the development of all types of ships, but proposed to primarily pay attention to the linear fleet. He also wrote about the need to strengthen the Baltic Fleet due to the fear of a serious conflict with Germany. And in 1912, the book “Service of the General Staff” was published for internal use, which analyzed the relevant experience of other countries.

It was then that A.V.’s views finally took shape. Kolchak on the philosophy of war. They were formed under the influence of the ideas of the German Field Marshal Moltke the Elder, as well as Japanese, Chinese and Buddhist philosophies. Judging by the available evidence, for him the whole world was presented through the prism of the metaphor of war, by which he understood, first of all, a natural (“natural”) phenomenon for human society, a sad necessity that must be accepted with honor and dignity: “War is one of the unchangeable manifestations of social life in the broad sense of this concept. Subject as such to the laws and norms that govern the consciousness, life and development of society, war is one of the most frequent forms of human activity, in which the agents of destruction and destruction intertwine and merge with the agents of creativity and development, with progress, culture and civilization.” .

War gives me the strength to treat everything “good and calmly”, I believe that it is above everything that is happening, it is above the individual and my own interests, it contains duty and obligation to the Motherland, it contains all hopes for the future, and finally, it contains the only moral satisfaction.

Note that such ideas about the world historical process (as an eternal war between peoples, ideas, values), which is governed by objective laws, were widespread in the intellectual circles of both Russia and Europe, and therefore Kolchak’s views as a whole differed little from them , although they had certain specifics associated with his military service and selfless patriotism.

In 1912, he was transferred as commander to the destroyer Ussuriets, and in May 1913 he was appointed to command the destroyer Pogranichnik. In December, he was promoted to captain of the 1st rank, as well as transferred to the headquarters of the Baltic Fleet to the position of head of the operational department. The commander then was the outstanding Russian admiral N.O. Essen, who favored him. Already in the summer of 1914, shortly before the start of the war, Kolchak became flag captain for the operational part. It was in this position that he met the First World War.

It was Kolchak who became the ideological inspirer and the most active participant in the development of almost all plans and operations of the Baltic Fleet at this time. As Admiral Timirev recalled: “A.V. Kolchak, who had an amazing ability to draw up the most unexpected and always witty, and sometimes ingenious plans of operations, did not recognize any superior except Essen, to whom he always reported directly.” Senior Lieutenant G.K. Graf, who served on the cruiser Novik when Kolchak commanded the Mine Division, left the following description of his commander: “Short in stature, thin, slender, with flexible and precise movements. A face with a sharp, clear, finely carved profile; proud, hooked nose; the firm oval of a shaved chin; thin lips; eyes flashing and then extinguishing under heavy eyelids. His whole appearance is the personification of strength, intelligence, nobility and determination. Nothing fake, contrived, insincere; everything is natural and simple. There is something about him that attracts eyes and hearts; “At first sight he attracts you and inspires charm and faith.”

Considering the superiority of the German fleet over our Baltic, it is not surprising that both Kolchak and Essen focused on waging a mine war. If in the first months the Baltic Fleet was in passive defense, then in the fall ideas were increasingly expressed about the need to move to more decisive actions, in particular, to laying minefields directly off the German coast. Alexander Vasilyevich became one of those officers who actively defended these views, and later it was he who developed the corresponding operations. In October, the first mines appeared near the Memel naval base, and in November - near the island. Bornholm. And at the end of 1914, on the eve of the New Year (old style), a daring operation was undertaken to lay mines in the Danzig Bay. Although A.V. Kolchak was its initiator and ideological inspirer, direct command was entrusted to Rear Admiral V.A. Kanin. Let us note that Alexander Vasilyevich played a key role in these events: not reaching 50 miles from his destination, Kanin received an alarming report that the enemy was in close proximity, and therefore decided to stop the operation. According to eyewitness accounts, it was Kolchak who insisted on the need to bring the matter to an end. In February, Alexander Vasilyevich commanded a special-purpose semi-division (4 destroyers), which laid mines in the Bay of Danzig, which blew up 4 cruisers, 8 destroyers and 23 transports.

Let us also note the skill with which the minefields were placed directly off our coasts: they made it possible to reliably protect the capital, as well as the coast of the Gulf of Finland, from enemy attack. Moreover, in August 1915, it was minefields that prevented the German fleet from breaking into the Bay of Riga, which was one of the reasons for the failure of German plans to capture Riga.

By mid-1915, Alexander Vasilyevich began to be burdened by staff work, he strove directly into battle, and in particular, expressed a desire to become the commander of the Mine Division, which happened in September 1915 due to the illness of its commander, Admiral Trukhachev.

At that time, the Russian ground forces of the Northern Front were actively fighting in the Baltic states, and therefore Kolchak’s main goal was to assist the right flank of our front in the Gulf of Riga region. So, on September 12, the battleship “Slava” was sent to Cape Ragotsem with the aim of shelling the enemy position. During the ensuing artillery battle, the commander of the ship was killed, to which A.V. immediately arrived. Kolchak took command. As Slava officer K.I. Mazurenko recalled: “Under his leadership, Slava, again approaching close to the shore, but without anchoring, opens fire on the firing batteries, which are now quite clearly visible from Mars, and quickly takes aim at them , pelts with a hail of shells and destroys. We took revenge on the enemy for the death of our valiant commander and other soldiers. During this operation we were attacked by airplanes to no avail."

Subsequently, the Mine Division took a number of other measures to provide assistance to ground units from the sea. So, on September 23, enemy positions near Cape Shmarden were fired upon, and on October 9, A.V. Kolchak undertook a bold operation to land troops (two naval companies, a cavalry squadron and a subversive party) on the coast of the Gulf of Riga in order to assist the armies of the Northern Front. The landing force was landed near the village of Domesnes, and the enemy did not even notice the Russian activity. This area was patrolled by small Landsturm detachments, which were quickly swept away, losing 1 officer and 42 soldiers killed, 7 people were captured. The landing party's losses amounted to only four seriously wounded sailors. As Senior Lieutenant G.K. Graf later recalled: “Now, no matter what you say, there is a brilliant victory. Its meaning, however, is only moral, but still it is a victory and a nuisance to the enemy.”

The active support of ground units had an impact on the position of Radko-Dmitriev’s 12th Army near Riga; moreover, thanks to Kolchak, the defense of the Gulf of Riga was strengthened. For all these exploits he was awarded the Order of St. George, 4th class. Officer N. G. Fomin, who served under Kolchak’s command, recalled this as follows: “In the evening, the fleet remained at anchor when I received a telephone message from the Headquarters of the Supreme High Command with approximately the following content: “Transmitted by order of the Sovereign Emperor: Captain 1st Rank Kolchak. I was pleased to learn from the reports of Army Commander XII about the brilliant support provided to the army by ships under your command, which led to the victory of our troops and the capture of important enemy positions. I have long been aware of your valiant service and many exploits... I award you St. George of the 4th degree. Nikolai. Present those worthy of a reward."

Of course, there were some failures. For example, at the end of December, an operation to lay mines near Memel and Libau failed because one of the destroyers itself was blown up by a mine. However, in general, we must highly appreciate Kolchak’s activities as commander of the Mine Division.

In the winter of 1916, when the Baltic Fleet was frozen in ports, many ships were actively rearmed. Thus, by the opening of navigation, due to the installation of new, more powerful artillery guns, the cruisers of the Mine Division turned out to be twice as strong.

With the opening of navigation, the active activity of the Baltic Fleet resumed. In particular, at the end of May the Mine Division carried out a “lightning raid” on German merchant ships off the coast of Sweden. The operation was led by Trukhachev, and Kolchak commanded three destroyers. As a result, the enemy ships were scattered and one of the escorting ships was sunk. Subsequently, historians complained to Kolchak that he did not take advantage of surprise by firing a warning shot and thereby allowing the enemy to escape. However, as Alexander Vasilyevich himself later admitted: “I, having in mind the possibility of meeting with Swedish ships... decided to sacrifice the benefit of a surprise attack and provoke some action on the part of the moving ships that would give me the right to consider these ships enemy.”

In June 1916 A.V. Kolchak was promoted to vice admiral and appointed commander of the Black Sea Fleet. As G.K. Graf recalled: “Of course, it was very difficult to part with him, since the entire division loved him very much, admiring his colossal energy, intelligence and courage.” At a meeting with Supreme Commander-in-Chief Nicholas II and his chief of staff, General M.V. Alekseev received instructions: in the spring of 1917, an amphibious operation was to be carried out to capture the Bosphorus Strait and the Turkish capital of Istanbul.

A.V. Kolchak in the Black Sea Fleet

Kolchak’s assumption of command of the Black Sea Fleet coincided with the receipt of news that the most powerful German cruiser Breslau had entered the Black Sea. Kolchak personally led the operation to capture him, but, unfortunately, it ended unsuccessfully. You can, of course, talk about the mistakes of Alexander Vasilyevich himself, you can also point out that he has not yet had time to get used to the ships handed to him, but it is important to emphasize one thing: personal readiness to go into battle and the desire for the most active actions.

Kolchak saw the main task as the need to stop enemy activity in the Black Sea. To do this, already at the end of July 1916, he undertook an operation to mine the Bosphorus Strait, thereby depriving the enemy of the opportunity to actively operate in the Black Sea. Moreover, a special detachment was constantly on duty to maintain minefields in the immediate vicinity. At the same time, the Black Sea Fleet was engaged in convoying our transport ships: during the entire period the enemy managed to sink only one ship.

The end of 1916 was spent planning a daring operation to capture Istanbul and the straits. Unfortunately, the February Revolution and the bacchanalia that began after it thwarted these plans.

Kolchak remained faithful to the emperor to the last and did not immediately recognize the Provisional Government. However, in the new conditions, he had to organize his work differently, in particular, in maintaining discipline in the fleet. Constant speeches to the sailors and flirting with committees made it possible for a relatively long time to maintain the remnants of order and prevent the tragic events that occurred at that time in the Baltic Fleet. However, given the general collapse of the country, the situation could not help but worsen. On June 5, the revolutionary sailors decided that officers were required to hand over firearms and bladed weapons.

Kolchak took his St. George saber, received for Port Arthur, and threw it overboard, saying to the sailors:

The Japanese, our enemies, even left me weapons. You won't get it either!

Soon he surrendered his command (under the current conditions, nominally) and left for Petrograd.

Of course, the strong-willed officer, statesman Alexander Vasilyevich Kolchak could not please the increasingly left-leaning politicians in the capital, and therefore he was sent into virtual political exile: he became a naval consultant to the American Navy.

Symbols of the Supreme Ruler of Russia

Kolchak spent more than a year abroad. During this time, the October Revolution took place, the Volunteer Army was created in the South of Russia, and a number of governments were formed in the East, which created the Directory in September 1918. At this time A.V. Kolchak returned to Russia. It must be understood that the positions of the Directory were very weak: the officers and broad business circles, who advocated a “strong hand,” were dissatisfied with its softness, politicking and inconsistency. As a result of the November coup, Kolchak became the Supreme Ruler of Russia.

In this position, he tried to restore law and order in the territories under his control. Kolchak carried out a number of administrative, military, financial and social reforms. Thus, measures were taken to restore industry, supply peasants with agricultural machinery, and develop the Northern Sea Route. Moreover, from the end of 1918, Alexander Vasilyevich began to prepare the Eastern Front for the decisive spring offensive of 1919. However, by this time the Bolsheviks were able to bring up large forces. Due to a number of serious reasons, by the end of April the White offensive had fizzled out, and then they came under a powerful counterattack. A retreat began that could not be stopped.

As the situation at the front worsened, discipline among the troops began to decline, and society and higher spheres became demoralized. By the fall it became clear that the white struggle in the east was lost. Without removing responsibility from the Supreme Ruler, we nevertheless note that in the current situation there was practically no one next to him who was able to help solve systemic problems.

In January 1920, in Irkutsk, Kolchak was handed over by the Czechoslovaks (who were no longer going to participate in the Civil War in Russia and were trying to leave the country as quickly as possible) to the local revolutionary council. Before this, Alexander Vasilyevich refused to run away and save his life, saying: "I will share the fate of the army". On the night of February 7, he was shot by order of the Bolshevik Military Revolutionary Committee.

General A. Knox (British representative under Kolchak):

I admit that I sympathize with Kolchak with all my heart, more courageous and sincerely patriotic than anyone else in Siberia. His difficult mission is almost impossible due to the selfishness of the Japanese, the vanity of the French and the indifference of the rest of the allies.

Pakhalyuk K., head of the Internet project “Heroes of the First World War”, member of the Russian Association of Historians of the First World War

Literature

Kruchinin A.S. Admiral Kolchak. Life, feat, memory. M., 2011

Cherkashin N.A. Admiral Kolchak. A reluctant dictator. M.: Veche, 2005

Count G.K. On Novik. Baltic fleet in war and revolution. St. Petersburg, 1997

Mazurenko K.I. On the “Slava” in the Gulf of Riga // Marine Notes. New York, 1946. Vol.4. No. 2., 3/4

Internet

Platov Matvey Ivanovich

Military Ataman of the Don Cossack Army. He began active military service at the age of 13. A participant in several military campaigns, he is best known as the commander of Cossack troops during the Patriotic War of 1812 and during the subsequent Foreign Campaign of the Russian Army. Thanks to the successful actions of the Cossacks under his command, Napoleon’s saying went down in history:
- Happy is the commander who has Cossacks. If I had an army of only Cossacks, I would conquer all of Europe.

Suvorov Alexander Vasilievich

The great Russian commander, who did not suffer a single defeat in his military career (more than 60 battles), one of the founders of Russian military art.
Prince of Italy (1799), Count of Rymnik (1789), Count of the Holy Roman Empire, Generalissimo of the Russian land and naval forces, Field Marshal of the Austrian and Sardinian troops, Grandee of the Kingdom of Sardinia and Prince of the Royal Blood (with the title "King's cousin"), Knight of all Russian orders of their time, awarded to men, as well as many foreign military orders.

Golenishchev-Kutuzov Mikhail Illarionovich

(1745-1813).
1. A GREAT Russian commander, he was an example for his soldiers. Appreciated every soldier. “M.I. Golenishchev-Kutuzov is not only the liberator of the Fatherland, he is the only one who outplayed the hitherto invincible French emperor, turning the “great army” into a crowd of ragamuffins, saving, thanks to his military genius, the lives of many Russian soldiers.”
2. Mikhail Illarionovich, being a highly educated man who knew several foreign languages, dexterous, sophisticated, who knew how to animate society with the gift of words and an entertaining story, also served Russia as an excellent diplomat - ambassador to Turkey.
3. M.I. Kutuzov is the first to become a full holder of the highest military order of St. St. George the Victorious four degrees.
The life of Mikhail Illarionovich is an example of service to the fatherland, attitude towards soldiers, spiritual strength for Russian military leaders of our time and, of course, for the younger generation - future military men.

Kornilov Vladimir Alekseevich

During the outbreak of the war with England and France, he actually commanded the Black Sea Fleet, and until his heroic death he was the immediate superior of P.S. Nakhimov and V.I. Istomina. After the landing of the Anglo-French troops in Yevpatoria and the defeat of the Russian troops on Alma, Kornilov received an order from the commander-in-chief in the Crimea, Prince Menshikov, to sink the ships of the fleet in the roadstead in order to use sailors for the defense of Sevastopol from land.

Nevsky, Suvorov

Of course, the holy blessed prince Alexander Nevsky and Generalissimo A.V. Suvorov

Romanov Mikhail Timofeevich

The heroic defense of Mogilev, the first all-round anti-tank defense of the city.

Vasilevsky Alexander Mikhailovich

Alexander Mikhailovich Vasilevsky (September 18 (30), 1895 - December 5, 1977) - Soviet military leader, Marshal of the Soviet Union (1943), Chief of the General Staff, member of the Headquarters of the Supreme High Command. During the Great Patriotic War, as Chief of the General Staff (1942-1945), he took an active part in the development and implementation of almost all major operations on the Soviet-German front. From February 1945, he commanded the 3rd Belorussian Front and led the assault on Königsberg. In 1945, commander-in-chief of Soviet troops in the Far East in the war with Japan. One of the greatest commanders of the Second World War.
In 1949-1953 - Minister of the Armed Forces and Minister of War of the USSR. Twice Hero of the Soviet Union (1944, 1945), holder of two Orders of Victory (1944, 1945).

Yudenich Nikolai Nikolaevich

One of the most successful generals in Russia during the First World War. The Erzurum and Sarakamysh operations carried out by him on the Caucasian front, carried out in extremely unfavorable conditions for Russian troops, and ending in victories, I believe, deserve to be included among the brightest victories of Russian weapons. In addition, Nikolai Nikolaevich stood out for his modesty and decency, lived and died as an honest Russian officer, and remained faithful to the oath to the end.

Kappel Vladimir Oskarovich

Perhaps he is the most talented commander of the entire Civil War, even if compared with the commanders of all its sides. A man of powerful military talent, fighting spirit and Christian noble qualities is a true White Knight. Kappel's talent and personal qualities were noticed and respected even by his opponents. Author of many military operations and exploits - including the capture of Kazan, the Great Siberian Ice Campaign, etc. Many of his calculations, not assessed on time and missed through no fault of his own, later turned out to be the most correct, as the course of the Civil War showed.

Svyatoslav Igorevich

I would like to propose the “candidacies” of Svyatoslav and his father, Igor, as the greatest commanders and political leaders of their time, I think that there is no point in listing to historians their services to the fatherland, I was unpleasantly surprised not to see their names on this list. Sincerely.

Suvorov Alexander Vasilievich

An outstanding Russian commander. He successfully defended the interests of Russia both from external aggression and outside the country.

Chuikov Vasily Ivanovich

Soviet military leader, Marshal of the Soviet Union (1955). Twice Hero of the Soviet Union (1944, 1945).
From 1942 to 1946, commander of the 62nd Army (8th Guards Army), which particularly distinguished itself in the Battle of Stalingrad. He took part in defensive battles on the distant approaches to Stalingrad. From September 12, 1942, he commanded the 62nd Army. IN AND. Chuikov received the task of defending Stalingrad at any cost. The front command believed that Lieutenant General Chuikov was characterized by such positive qualities as determination and firmness, courage and a great operational outlook, a high sense of responsibility and consciousness of his duty. The army, under the command of V.I. Chuikov, became famous for the heroic six-month defense of Stalingrad in street fighting in a completely destroyed city, fighting on isolated bridgeheads on the banks of the wide Volga.

For the unprecedented mass heroism and steadfastness of its personnel, in April 1943, the 62nd Army received the honorary title of Guards and became known as the 8th Guards Army.

Skobelev Mikhail Dmitrievich

A man of great courage, an excellent tactician and organizer. M.D. Skobelev had strategic thinking, saw the situation both in real time and in the future

Nevsky Alexander Yaroslavich

He defeated the Swedish detachment on July 15, 1240 on the Neva and the Teutonic Order, the Danes in the Battle of the Ice on April 5, 1242. All his life he “won, but was invincible.” He played an exceptional role in Russian history during that dramatic period when Russia was attacked by three sides - the Catholic West, Lithuania and the Golden Horde. Defended Orthodoxy from Catholic expansion. Revered as a pious saint. http://www.pravoslavie.ru/put/39091.htm

Bagramyan Ivan Khristoforovich

Marshal of the Soviet Union. Chief of Staff of the South-Western Front, then at the same time of the headquarters of the troops of the South-Western direction, commander of the 16th (11th Guards Army). Since 1943, he commanded the troops of the 1st Baltic and 3rd Belorussian fronts. He showed leadership talent and particularly distinguished himself during the Belarusian and East Prussian operations. He stood out for his ability to react prudently and flexibly to emerging changes in the situation.