The 15th Army was a field army of the

Red Army The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army (Russian: Рабо́че-крестья́нская Кра́сная армия),) often shortened to the Red Army, was the army and air force of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic and, after ...

during the

Russian Civil War , date = October Revolution, 7 November 1917 – Yakut revolt, 16 June 1923{{Efn, The main phase ended on 25 October 1922. Revolt against the Bolsheviks continued Basmachi movement, in Central Asia and Tungus Republic, the Far East th ...

and Polish-Soviet War, which existed between 7 June 1919 and 26 December 1920.

History

The 15th Army was formed on 7 June 1919 by transformation of the Army of Soviet Latvia which existed since 4 January 1919. The Army of Soviet Latvia was operationally subordinated to the command of the Northern Front , and on 19 February 1919, became part of the newly formed Western Front. The army headquarters was stationed in

Daugavpils Daugavpils (; russian: Двинск; ltg, Daugpiļs ; german: Dünaburg, ; pl, Dyneburg; see other names) is a state city in south-eastern Latvia, located on the banks of the Daugava River, from which the city gets its name. The parts of the c ...

. The 15th Army conducted in July 1919 defensive battles against Estonian troops and withdrew under the onslaught of enemy forces from the territory of Latvia, except

Latgale Latgale ( ltg, Latgola; ; ger, Lettgallen; be, Латгалія, Łathalija; pl, Łatgalia; la, Lettgallia), also known as Latgalia is one of the Historical Latvian Lands. It is the easternmost region and is north of the Daugava River. While m ...

. In August 1919 the 15th Army conducted the Pskov operation and liberated Pskov. In September-October 1919, she defended Petrograd against the forces of

Nikolai Yudenich Nikolai Nikolayevich Yudenich ( – 5 October 1933) was a commander of the Russian Imperial Army during World War I. He was a leader of the anti-communist White movement in Northwestern Russia during the Civil War. Biography Early life Yuden ...

, and led in October-November a counter-offensive towards Luga,

Volosovo Volosovo (russian: Волосово) is the name of several types of inhabited localities in Russia, inhabited localities in Russia. Leningrad Oblast As of 2022, two inhabited localities in Leningrad Oblast bear this name. ;Urban localities *Volos ...

Gdov Gdov (russian: Гдов) is a town and the administrative center of Gdovsky District in Pskov Oblast, Russia, located on the river Gdovka, just from its outflow into Lake Peipus. Population: History It was first mentioned in the beginning of ...

and

Yamburg Kingisepp (russian: Ки́нгисепп or ), formerly Yamburg (), Yam (), and Yama (; Votic: ), is an ancient town and the administrative center of Kingiseppsky District of Leningrad Oblast, Russia, located along the Luga River southwest o ...

, thus participating in the defeat of Yudenich's Northwestern Army.
Since July 1919 the left flank of the Army had been fighting defensive battles against the advancing Polish troops in Belorussia. After the final defeat of Yudenich, the 15th Army was able to concentrate all its forces against the Polish Army. In the spring and summer of 1920, the 15th Army was part of the attack group of the Western Front and acted against the

First Polish Army First or 1st is the ordinal form of the number one (#1). First or 1st may also refer to: *World record, specifically the first instance of a particular achievement Arts and media Music * 1$T, American rapper, singer-songwriter, DJ, and rec ...

. In May 1920, she attacked near

Švenčionys Švenčionys (, known also by several alternative names) is a town located north of Vilnius in Lithuania. It is the capital of the Švenčionys district municipality. , it had population of 4,065 of which about 17% is part of the Polish minority ...

Maladzyechna Maladzyechna ( be, Маладзе́чна, Maladziečna, ; russian: Молоде́чно, Molodechno; pl, Mołodeczno) is a city in the Minsk Region of Belarus, an administrative centre of the Maladzyechna District (and formerly of the Maladzyech ...

and

Zembin Zembin ( be, Зе́мбін, russian: Зе́мбин, pl, Ziembin) is a locality in the Barysaw District of Minsk Region, Belarus History Origins and Polish-Lithuanian period According to the research of the 19th century, Zembin is the old ...

, but was stopped by the enemy's attack in the rear. In July 1920, she conquered Molodechno and

Lida Lida ( be, Лі́да ; russian: Ли́да ; lt, Lyda; lv, Ļida; pl, Lida ; yi, לידע, Lyde) is a city 168 km (104 mi) west of Minsk in western Belarus in Grodno Region. Etymology The name ''Lida'' arises from its Lithuani ...

. During the

Battle of Warsaw (1920) The Battle of Warsaw (Polish: ''Bitwa Warszawska'', Russian: ''Варшавская битва'', transcription: ''Varshavskaya bitva''), also known as the Miracle on the Vistula ( Polish: ''Cud nad Wisłą''), was a series of battles that resu ...

she forced the Niemen and Narew rivers and advanced towards the Wkra River north of Warsaw, but was then forced to retreat to the East. In September-October 1920 she defended the approaches to Minsk. In early October the 15th Army was put into reserve. On 26 December 1920, the administration of the 15th Army was disbanded, and the troops transferred to the 3rd Army.

Commanders

Jukums Vācietis Jukums Vācietis (russian: Иоаким Иоакимович Вацетис, link=no, ''Ioakim Ioakimovich Vatsetis''; 11 November 1873 – 28 July 1938) was a Latvian Soviet military commander. He was a rare example of a notable Soviet leader w ...

(06.01.1919 — 10.03.1919), * Pēteris Slavens (10.03.1919 — 07.06.1919). * Pēteris Slavens (07.06.1919 — 25.06.1919) * Sergei Kharlamov (25.06.1919 — 31.07.1919) *

August Kork August Ivanovich Kork (, also Аугуст Яанович Корк; 11 June 1937) was an Estonian Red Army commander (Komandarm 2nd rank) who was tried and executed during the Great Purge in 1937. Kork became an officer of the Imperial Russi ...

(31.07.1919 — 15.10.1919) * Aleksander Kukk (15.10.1919 — 22.10.1919) *

(22.10.1919 — 16.10.1920) * B.L. Nеgrodov (16.10.1920 — 25.10.1920) * Sergei Mezheninov (25.10.1920 — 26.12.1920)

Chief of Staff

* Parfeniy Maigur (06.01.1919 — 07.06.1919), * Aleksander Kukk (26.09.1919 — 24.09.1920) Members of the Revolutionary Military Council include *

Arkady Rosengolts Arkady Pavlovich Rosengolts (Russian: Арка́дий Па́влович Розенго́льц; 4 November 1889 – 15 March 1938; sometimes spelled Rosengoltz or Rosenholz) was a Bolshevik revolutionary, Soviet military leader, politician an ...

(9.06.1920 — 26.09.1920) *

Mikhail Lashevich Mikhail Mikhailovich Lashevich (russian: Михаил Михайлович Лашевич; 1884 in Odessa, Russian Empire – 30 August 1928 in Harbin, China), also known under the name ''Gaskovich'', was a Soviet military and party leader. L ...

(29.08.1920 — 26.12.1920)

Source

* * {{Soviet Armies of the Russian Civil War Soviet field armies in the Russian Civil War Military units and formations established in 1919 Military units and formations disestablished in 1920