Mikhail Ilyich Kazakov (; – 25 December 1979) was an

army general Army general is the highest ranked general officer in many countries that use the General officer#French (Revolutionary) system, French Revolutionary System.　 In countries that adopt the general officer four rank system, it is rank of genera ...

of the

Soviet Army uk, Радянська армія , image = File:Communist star with golden border and red rims.svg , alt = , caption = Emblem of the Soviet Army , start_date ...

and a

Hero of the Soviet Union The title Hero of the Soviet Union (russian: Герой Советского Союза, translit=Geroy Sovietskogo Soyuza) was the highest distinction in the Soviet Union, awarded together with the Order of Lenin personally or collectively for ...

. After serving as an ordinary soldier in the final stages of 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 ...

, Kazakov became a political commissar during the 1920s but shifted over to command and staff positions from the mid-1920s. He rose to chief of staff the

Central Asian Military District The Red Banner Central Asian Military District was a military district of the Soviet Armed Forces, which existed in 1926–1945 and 1969–1989, with its headquarters at Tashkent (1926–1945) and Almaty (1969–1989). By USSR Order No.304 of 4 ...

by the time

Operation Barbarossa Operation Barbarossa (german: link=no, Unternehmen Barbarossa; ) was the invasion of the Soviet Union by Nazi Germany and many of its Axis allies, starting on Sunday, 22 June 1941, during the Second World War. The operation, code-named after ...

began, and 1942 and 1943 served as chief of staff and deputy commander of fronts, with a stint as commander of the

69th Army The 69th Army (russian: 69-я армия) was a field army established by the Soviet Union's Red Army during the Second World War. History Formation, Operation Star, and Third Battle of Kharkov The army was formed in February 1943 with the ...

during the

Third Battle of Kharkov The Third Battle of Kharkov was a series of battles on the Eastern Front of World War II, undertaken by Army Group South of Nazi Germany against the Soviet Red Army, around the city of Kharkov between 19 February and 15 March 1943. Known to ...

. Kazakov commanded the 10th Guards Army from early 1944 as it advanced into the

Baltic states The Baltic states, et, Balti riigid or the Baltic countries is a geopolitical term, which currently is used to group three countries: Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. All three countries are members of NATO, the European Union, the Eurozone, ...

and blockaded the

Courland Pocket The Courland Pocket (Blockade of the Courland army group), (german: Kurland-Kessel)/german: Kurland-Brückenkopf (Courland Bridgehead), lv, Kurzemes katls (Courland Cauldron) or ''Kurzemes cietoksnis'' (Courland Fortress)., group=lower-alpha ...

. Postwar, he rose to command of the

Southern Group of Forces Southern may refer to: Businesses * China Southern Airlines, airline based in Guangzhou, China * Southern Airways, defunct US airline * Southern Air, air cargo transportation company based in Norwalk, Connecticut, US * Southern Airways Express, ...

and the

Leningrad Military District The Leningrad Military District was a military district of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. In 2010 it was merged with the Moscow Military District, the Northern Fleet and the Baltic Fleet to form the new Western Military District. Hi ...

, ending his career as first deputy chief of the

General Staff A military staff or general staff (also referred to as army staff, navy staff, or air staff within the individual services) is a group of officers, enlisted and civilian staff who serve the commander of a division or other large military un ...

Early life and Russian Civil War

A Russian, Kazakov was born to a peasant family on 9 October 1901 in the village of

Velikusha Velikusha (russian: Великуша) is a types of inhabited localities in Russia, rural locality (a Village#Russia, village) in Kichmengskoye Rural Settlement, Kichmengsko-Gorodetsky District, Vologda Oblast, Russia. The population was 36 as of 2 ...

Vologda Governorate Vologda Governorate (russian: link=no, Вологодская губерния, ''Vologodskaya guberniya'', ''Government of Vologda'') was an administrative division (a '' guberniya'') of the Russian Empire and the Russian SFSR, which existed fr ...

. He completed primary school and after the

October Revolution The October Revolution,. officially known as the Great October Socialist Revolution. in the Soviet Union, also known as the Bolshevik Revolution, was a revolution in Russia led by the Bolshevik Party of Vladimir Lenin that was a key moment ...

in 1917 became a member of the local revolutionary committee and a soldier in a food detachment. Conscripted into 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 ...

in July 1920 during the

, Kazakov was sent to the 3rd Reserve Regiment in

Arkhangelsk Arkhangelsk (, ; rus, Арха́нгельск, p=ɐrˈxanɡʲɪlʲsk), also known in English as Archangel and Archangelsk, is a types of inhabited localities in Russia, city and the administrative center of Arkhangelsk Oblast, Russia. It lies o ...

, and a month later became secretary to the regimental commissar. He fought on the Southern Front from August 1920 as a copyist in the office of the commissar of the 136th Brigade of the 46th Rifle Division, then as a

Red Army man Red Army man () was the lowest military rank in the Red Army of the Soviet Union from 1918 to 1946. On 30 November 1917, after the October Revolution, the Military Revolutionary Committee cancelled all "officer and class ranks" in keeping with t ...

of the 407th Rifle Regiment. Kazakov participated in the battles against the

Army of Wrangel The Russian Army (russian: Русская армия, Russkaya armiya), commonly known as the Army of Wrangel (russian: Армия Врангеля, Armiya Vrangelya, label=none), was a White Army active in South Russia during the Russian Civil W ...

in the Nikopol bridgehead, the Perekop–Chongar Operation in November and the elimination of anti-Soviet forces in Crimea in December.

Interwar period

After the end of the war, Kazakov served as a political commissar in the 46th and 3rd Crimean Rifle Divisions, serving as a company political commissar in the 21st Rifle Regiment from July 1921. In January 1922 he became assistant commissar of the regiment, then became commissar of the 19th Rifle Regiment in March. Kazakov subsequently became a party organizer in the 7th Regiment before transferring to the 2nd Red Cossack Cavalry Division in June 1924 to become commissar of its 8th Cavalry Regiment. With the division, he became an instructor and propagandist of the division political department before moving to a command role as assistant regimental commander for supply. Kazakov graduated from the

Novocherkassk Novocherkassk (russian: Новочерка́сск, lit. ''New Cherkassk'') is a city in Rostov Oblast, Russia, located near the confluence of the Tuzlov and Aksay Rivers, the latter a distributary of the Don River. Novocherkassk is best known as t ...

Cavalry Officers Improvement Course (KUKS) in 1927 and the

Frunze Military Academy The M. V. Frunze Military Academy (russian: Военная академия имени М. В. Фрунзе), or in full the Military Order of Lenin and the October Revolution, Red Banner, Order of Suvorov Academy in the name of M. V. Frunze (rus ...

in 1931. This education prepared him to assume operational positions, and he became deputy chief of the administration and supply department of the Frunze Academy upon his graduation in May 1931. He transferred to the 2nd Cavalry Corps, stationed in the

Kiev Military District The Kiev Military District (; , abbreviated ) was a military district of the Imperial Russian Army and subsequently of the Red Army and Soviet Armed Forces. It was first formed in 1862, and was headquartered in Kiev (Kyiv) for most of its exist ...

, to serve as chief of the 1st section of its staff in June 1933, and became commander and commissar of the 29th Cavalry Regiment of the 5th Cavalry Division in March 1936. Promoted to colonel in the same year, Kazakov was sent to study at the General Staff Academy, being appointed deputy chief of staff of the

upon his graduation in July 1937. Kazakov succeeded to the position of chief of staff of the district in April 1938, rising to the ranks of ''

kombrig (russian: комбриг) is an abbreviation of Commanding officer of the brigade (russian: командир бригады, komandir brigady; ), and was a military rank in the Soviet Armed Forces of the USSR from 1935 to 1940. It was also the ...

'' on 15 July of that year and ''

komdiv (russian: комдив) is the abbreviation to Commanding officer of the Division (russian: командир дивизии, komandir divizii; ), and was a military rank in the Soviet Armed Forces of the USSR in the period from 1935 to 1940. It ...

'' on 31 December 1939. When the Red Army introduced general officer ranks on 4 June 1940, he became a

major general Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...

World War II

Shortly after the beginning of

, Kazakov became chief of staff of the 53rd Separate Army, formed from the Central Asian Military District for the Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran. While the army was stationed in Iran, he served as its acting commander in late October. After the army headquarters was disbanded, Kazakov's request to be sent to the front was granted and in January 1942 he became chief of staff of the

Bryansk Front The Bryansk Front (russian: Брянский фронт) was a major formation of the Red Army during the Second World War. First Formation (August - November 1941) General Andrei Yeremenko was designated commander of the Front when it first fo ...

. Transferring to serve in the same position with the

Voronezh Front The 1st Ukrainian Front (Russian: Пéрвый Украи́нский фронт), previously the Voronezh Front (Russian: Воронежский Фронт) was a major formation of the Soviet Army during World War II, being equivalent to a ...

on 20 July, Kazakov participated in the organization of training and planning for the Ostrogozhsk–Rossosh Offensive and the Voronezh–Kastornoye operation. Promoted to

lieutenant general Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a three-star military rank (NATO code OF-8) used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the ...

in January 1943, Kazakov commanded the

in February and March 1943. After the

, he became assistant commander of the forces of the

Reserve Front The Reserve Front was a major formation of the Red Army during the Second World War. First Formation The Reserve Front describes either of two distinct organizations during the war. The first version was created on July 30, 1941 in a reorganiza ...

, which ultimately became the Steppe Front, in April. In July he transferred to become deputy commander of the

, which became the

Baltic Front The 2nd Baltic Front (russian: 2-й Прибалтийский фронт) was a Front (military formation), major formation of the Red Army during the World War II, Second World War. History The 2nd Baltic Front was formed on October 20, 1943 ...

on 10 October and then the 2nd Baltic Front ten days later. Kazakov was given command of the 10th Guards Army of the front on 20 January 1944 and led it for the rest of the war in the Riga Offensive and the blockade of the

. He was promoted to

colonel general Colonel general is a three- or four-star military rank used in some armies. It is particularly associated with Germany, where historically general officer ranks were one grade lower than in the Commonwealth and the United States, and was a ra ...

in September. For his "skillful leadership and personal courage" displayed in the war, Kazakov was made a

in February 1978.

Postwar

After the end of the war, Kazakov commanded the army until August 1946, and participated in the

Moscow Victory Parade of 1945 The Moscow Victory Parade of 1945 ( rus, Парад Победы, r= Parad Pobedy) also known as the Parade of Victors ( rus, Парад победителей, r= Parad pobediteley) was a victory parade held by the Soviet Armed Forces (with the C ...

. Transferred to the

Transcaucasian Military District The Transcaucasian Military District, a military district of the Soviet Armed Forces, traces its history to May 1921 and the incorporation of Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia into the Soviet Union. It was disbanded by being redesignated as a Grou ...

, he became district deputy commander in August 1946 and its chief of staff in February 1947. Relieved from his post for "an incorrect attitude to the issues of national formations" in the district, Kazakov was appointed assistant commander of the forces of the

South Ural Military District The South Ural Military District (YuUrVO(ЮУрВО)) was a military administrative division of the Soviet Armed Forces. It existed from 1 December 1941 to 15 January 1958. History According to the directive No. 0444 of People's Commissar of Def ...

, effectively a demotion. This proved temporary as he was appointed chief of staff of the

Odessa Military District The Odesa Military District (russian: Одесский военный округ, ОВО; , abbreviated ) was a military administrative division of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. In 1998 most of its territory was transformed into the Southern Operat ...

in November 1950 and commander of the

Ural Military District The Red Banner Ural Military DistrictHistory of the Ural Military District / Edited by Alexander Egorovsky, Ivan Tutarinov – 1 – Moscow: Voenizdat, Military Publishing House of the Ministry of Defense of the Soviet Union, 1970 – 352 Pages ...

in May 1953. Promoted to

in August 1955, Kazakov was appointed deputy commander-in-chief of the Ground Forces for combat training in January 1956. His rise to senior posts continued and he commanded the

in Hungary from December of that year and then the

from October 1960. Kazakov was appointed chief of the Combined Staff of the Unified Armed Forces of the

Warsaw Treaty Organization Warsaw ( pl, Warszawa, ), officially the Capital City of Warsaw,, abbreviation: ''m.st. Warszawa'' is the capital and largest city of Poland. The metropolis stands on the River Vistula in east-central Poland, and its population is official ...

and simultaneous first deputy chief of the

in November 1965. This proved to be his last active post as in August 1968 he was effectively retired as an inspector-advisor of the

Group of Inspectors General The Group of Inspectors General of the Ministry of Defense of the Soviet Union (), colloquially known as the paradise group, was a body of the Soviet Ministry of Defense established in 1958. A sinecure position for semi-retired senior officers, th ...

. Kazakov died in Moscow on 25 December 1979 and was buried at the

Novodevichy Cemetery Novodevichy Cemetery ( rus, Новоде́вичье кла́дбище, Novodevichye kladbishche) is a cemetery in Moscow. It lies next to the southern wall of the 16th-century Novodevichy Convent, which is the city's third most popular tourist ...

Awards and honors

Kazakov was a recipient of the following decorations: *

Order of Lenin The Order of Lenin (russian: Орден Ленина, Orden Lenina, ), named after the leader of the Russian October Revolution, was established by the Central Executive Committee on April 6, 1930. The order was the highest civilian decoration b ...

(3) *

Order of the October Revolution The Order of the October Revolution (russian: Орден Октябрьской Революции, ''Orden Oktyabr'skoy Revolyutsii'') was instituted on October 31, 1967, in time for the 50th anniversary of the October Revolution. It was conferr ...

Order of the Red Banner The Order of the Red Banner (russian: Орден Красного Знамени, Orden Krasnogo Znameni) was the first Soviet military decoration. The Order was established on 16 September 1918, during the Russian Civil War by decree of th ...

(4) *

Order of Suvorov The Order of Suvorov () is a military decoration of the Russian Federation named in honor of Russian Generalissimo Prince Alexander Suvorov (1729–1800). History The Order of Suvorov was originally a Soviet award established on July 29, 1942 ...

, 1st and 2nd classes *

Order of Kutuzov The Order of Kutuzov (russian: орден Кутузова ''orden Kutuzova'') is a military decoration of the Russian Federation named after famous Russian Field Marshal Mikhail Illarionovich Kutuzov (1745–1813). The Order was established du ...

, 1st class *

Order of the Red Star The Order of the Red Star (russian: Орден Красной Звезды, Orden Krasnoy Zvezdy) was a military decoration of the Soviet Union. It was established by decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of 6 April 193 ...

(2) *

Order "For Service to the Homeland in the Armed Forces of the USSR" The Order "For Service to the Homeland in the Armed Forces of the USSR" (russian: Орден «За службу Родине в Вооружённых Силах СССР»), also known as the Order "For Service to the Motherland in the Armed For ...

, 3rd class * Medals * Foreign orders and medals

References

Citations

Bibliography

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Kazakov, Mikhail 1901 births 1979 deaths People from Vologda Oblast People from Nikolsky Uyezd Bolsheviks Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union candidate members Second convocation members of the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union Fourth convocation members of the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union Fifth convocation members of the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union Sixth convocation members of the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union Seventh convocation members of the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union Army generals (Soviet Union) Soviet military personnel of the Russian Civil War Soviet military personnel of World War II Frunze Military Academy alumni Heroes of the Soviet Union Recipients of the Order of Lenin Recipients of the Order of the Red Banner Recipients of the Order of Suvorov, 1st class Recipients of the Order of Kutuzov, 1st class Recipients of the Order of Suvorov, 2nd class Recipients of the Order "For Service to the Homeland in the Armed Forces of the USSR", 3rd class Burials at Novodevichy Cemetery