Pavel Rybalko
Encyclopedia
Marshal of the Armoured Troops Pavel Semjonovich Rybalko (23 October 1892 – 28 August 1948) was a commander of armoured troops in the Red Army
during and following World War II
.
as a soldier, as an assistant commander of the partisan squadron during the Russian Civil War
and as a cavalry
commander and a commander and instructor during the Polish-Soviet War
. After attending the Frunze Military Academy in 1931–1934, he served in the Far East in 1935 and was afterwards assigned to the Auto-Armoured Tank Directorate in Moscow. During this period, he studied intensively the principles of modern armoured warfare, as developed by western theorists (Generals Von Kleist
, Guderian
, Fuller
) as well as the doctrine of "Deep Operations"
as theorized by Triandafillov
and Tukhachevsky. His next assignments were as military attaché
in Poland (where he was the last military attaché, leaving few days before the Soviet invasion
) and China, before taking a post of lecturer in tactics at the Kazan
tank school.
Front, his Tank Army spearheaded the different operations that tried to exploit and transform the Germans' defeat in Stalingrad in a large-scale strategic victory in the southern theater of operations. This included the liberation of Kharkov – one of the first major Soviet towns to be reconquered by the Red Army – in late February. But Manstein's counter-offensive
recaptured the town and inflicted serious damages to an exhausted and over-extended 3rd Tank Army.
Refitted and renamed 3rd Guards Tank Army, Rybalko's army played crucial roles in the strategic counter-offensives that followed the Battle of Kursk
(Operation Kutuzov
), in the recapture of Kiev (6 November 1943). The winter and spring of 1944 saw a succession of large operations aiming at the destruction of the southern wing of the Wehrmacht
. These operations (Zhitomir-Berdichev in Dec 1943 – Jan 1944, Proskurov-Chernovits in March–April 1944) succeeded at least in the complete liberation of Ukraine
by the end of the summer. In these various operations, Rybalko showed impressive tactical and operational skills, particularly during the Lvov-Sandomierz Operation.
Still in command of his 3rd Guards Tank Army, Rybalko took a major place in the various operations that were launched in North Ukraine, Galicia (summer 1944) and Silesia (late 1944 and winter 1945). Finally, as part of Konev's 1st Ukrainian Front, Rybalko's army was one of the four Guards Tank armies engaged in the giant battle for Berlin
.
Following the war he became commander of the mechanized forces of Red Army.
Rybalko emerged from the war as one of the most brilliant soviet tank commanders. He fully understood the nature of armoured warfare and mastered the operational aspects of armoured armies command.
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...
during and following World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Pre-war
Pavel Rybalko served in the Russian and then the Soviet Army from 1914. He served during the World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
as a soldier, as an assistant commander of the partisan squadron during the Russian Civil War
Russian Civil War
The Russian Civil War was a multi-party war that occurred within the former Russian Empire after the Russian provisional government collapsed to the Soviets, under the domination of the Bolshevik party. Soviet forces first assumed power in Petrograd The Russian Civil War (1917–1923) was a...
and as a cavalry
Cavalry
Cavalry or horsemen were soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback. Cavalry were historically the third oldest and the most mobile of the combat arms...
commander and a commander and instructor during the Polish-Soviet War
Polish-Soviet War
The Polish–Soviet War was an armed conflict between Soviet Russia and Soviet Ukraine and the Second Polish Republic and the Ukrainian People's Republic—four states in post–World War I Europe...
. After attending the Frunze Military Academy in 1931–1934, he served in the Far East in 1935 and was afterwards assigned to the Auto-Armoured Tank Directorate in Moscow. During this period, he studied intensively the principles of modern armoured warfare, as developed by western theorists (Generals Von Kleist
Paul Ludwig Ewald von Kleist
Paul Ludwig Ewald von Kleist was a leading German field marshal during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords...
, Guderian
Guderian
Guderian may refer to:People with the surname Guderian:*Heinz Guderian, a military theorist and innovative General of the German Army during the Second World War....
, Fuller
J.F.C. Fuller
Major-General John Frederick Charles Fuller, CB, CBE, DSO was a British Army officer, military historian and strategist, notable as an early theorist of modern armoured warfare, including categorising principles of warfare...
) as well as the doctrine of "Deep Operations"
Deep operations
Deep battle was a military theory developed by the Soviet Union for its armed forces during the 1920s and 1930s. It was developed by a number of influential military writers, such as Vladimir Triandafillov and Mikhail Tukhachevsky who endeavoured to create a military strategy with its own...
as theorized by Triandafillov
Vladimir Triandafillov
Vladimir Kiriakovitch Triandafillov was a Soviet military commander and theoretician.-Biography:He was born on March 14, 1894 in Magaradzhik in Kars of Pontic Greek parents. The family name derives from triantáfyllo, Modern Greek for the rose flower. His family moved to Russia...
and Tukhachevsky. His next assignments were as military attaché
Military attaché
A military attaché is a military expert who is attached to a diplomatic mission . This post is normally filled by a high-ranking military officer who retains the commission while serving in an embassy...
in Poland (where he was the last military attaché, leaving few days before the Soviet invasion
Soviet invasion of Poland (1939)
The 1939 Soviet invasion of Poland was a Soviet military operation that started without a formal declaration of war on 17 September 1939, during the early stages of World War II. Sixteen days after Nazi Germany invaded Poland from the west, the Soviet Union did so from the east...
) and China, before taking a post of lecturer in tactics at the Kazan
Kazan
Kazan is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia. With a population of 1,143,546 , it is the eighth most populous city in Russia. Kazan lies at the confluence of the Volga and Kazanka Rivers in European Russia. In April 2009, the Russian Patent Office granted Kazan the...
tank school.
Second World War
Very surprising, and to his extreme frustration, Rybalko spent the first year of the war as a lecturer in Kazan. He finally got an operational assignment in May 1942 as deputy commander of the 3rd Tank Army of the Reserve of the Supreme High Command. All through the war, Rybalko's name was closely associated with the 3rd Guards Tank Army. In the winter of 1942–1943, included in the VoronezhVoronezh
Voronezh is a city in southwestern Russia, the administrative center of Voronezh Oblast. It is located on both sides of the Voronezh River, away from where it flows into the Don. It is an operating center of the Southeastern Railway , as well as the center of the Don Highway...
Front, his Tank Army spearheaded the different operations that tried to exploit and transform the Germans' defeat in Stalingrad in a large-scale strategic victory in the southern theater of operations. This included the liberation of Kharkov – one of the first major Soviet towns to be reconquered by the Red Army – in late February. But Manstein's counter-offensive
Third Battle of Kharkov
The Third Battle of Kharkov was a series of offensive operations on the Eastern Front of World War II, undertaken by the German Army Group South against the Red Army, around the city of Kharkov , between 19 February and 15 March 1943...
recaptured the town and inflicted serious damages to an exhausted and over-extended 3rd Tank Army.
Refitted and renamed 3rd Guards Tank Army, Rybalko's army played crucial roles in the strategic counter-offensives that followed the Battle of Kursk
Battle of Kursk
The Battle of Kursk took place when German and Soviet forces confronted each other on the Eastern Front during World War II in the vicinity of the city of Kursk, in the Soviet Union in July and August 1943. It remains both the largest series of armored clashes, including the Battle of Prokhorovka,...
(Operation Kutuzov
Operation Kutuzov
Operation Kutuzov was a military operation by the Red Army in its fight against the German Wehrmacht during World War II. It was named after Mikhail Illarionovich Kutuzov, the Tsarist General credited with saving Russia from defeat during the invasion by Napoleon in 1812.The Operation began on 12...
), in the recapture of Kiev (6 November 1943). The winter and spring of 1944 saw a succession of large operations aiming at the destruction of the southern wing of the Wehrmacht
Wehrmacht
The Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:...
. These operations (Zhitomir-Berdichev in Dec 1943 – Jan 1944, Proskurov-Chernovits in March–April 1944) succeeded at least in the complete liberation of Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
by the end of the summer. In these various operations, Rybalko showed impressive tactical and operational skills, particularly during the Lvov-Sandomierz Operation.
Still in command of his 3rd Guards Tank Army, Rybalko took a major place in the various operations that were launched in North Ukraine, Galicia (summer 1944) and Silesia (late 1944 and winter 1945). Finally, as part of Konev's 1st Ukrainian Front, Rybalko's army was one of the four Guards Tank armies engaged in the giant battle for Berlin
Battle of Berlin
The Battle of Berlin, designated the Berlin Strategic Offensive Operation by the Soviet Union, was the final major offensive of the European Theatre of World War II....
.
Post-war
Rybalko emerged from the war as one of the most brilliant soviet tank commanders. He fully understood the nature of armoured warfare and mastered the operational aspects of armoured armies command.
External links
Biography on Generals.dk Biography- Stalin's Generals, Harold Shukman Ed, Richard Woff, Phoenix Book, 2001
- Red Army Tank Commanders, Richard N. Armstrong , Schiffer Publishing, 1994