Mitrofan Grekov. The defense of Tsaritsyn(panorama fragment, to 1934)
Failures in the defense of Tsaritsyn during the civil war have not received extensive coverage in the historical literature. Until recently praised mainly the heroism of the defenders of Tsaritsyn, who managed a formidable time to defend strategically important center. At the same time he remained in the shadow of the price, which he paid for the victory of the Red Army, a, Consequently, and approved under the organization of defense command failures this strategic direction.
Upon loss of the Red Army made 60000 human. They really were huge, if consider, By the beginning of the offensive on the Tsaritsyn in July 1918 Don, the army had to Krasnov 45 thousand. bayonets and sabers, about 150 guns, and the Soviet troops in the Tsaritsyn area totaled 42 thousand. bayonets and sabers, over 100 guns. In the official literature often attributed to a huge loss of bitter class struggle, but, apparently, there are other, no less important reasons.
Don Krasnov's army was preparing to deliver the main blow by two groups of troops: under the command of General Pitshelaurova (about 20 thousand. bayonets and sabers) District of Ust-Medveditsa District, the left flank - to Kamyshin, and the right - along the railroad to Tsaritsyn; under the command of Colonel Mammoth (about 12 thousand. bayonets and sabers) from the area in the direction of Nizhni Chir Voropanova - Tsarina. In addition to these forces were preparing to attack the two auxiliary groups: One - under the command of Colonel Polyakov, its goal was, to strike a blow at Tsaritsyn from south, from the area of the Grand-Ducal. The other - under the command of Colonel Alferov. This group focused northwest Pitshelaurova troops and had, comes to Povorino, cut the railroad, Tsarina connects with Moscow.
Command of the Red Army, Considering the importance of the Tsaritsyno district as a strategic base for the association of the counterrevolutionary forces of the South and East, strong efforts in quantitative and qualitative strengthening of the strategic direction of the troops. To summer 1918 the troops were scattered units and part of the 3rd and 5th Ukrainian Army, departed with fights with Ukraine and Donbas (combined according to the order number 4 from 23 June 1918 year in the "group of Voroshilov"), and the volunteer corps of the local residents, wanted to arms to defend the Soviet regime.
In May 1918 , the military leader of the North Caucasus District Commissariat for Military Affairs was appointed a former tsarist general A. E. Snesarev. He arrived in Tsaritsyn with the task to gather a large area units and combat groups and organize resistance to the advancing from the south General Krasnov's army. According to the plan Snesariev Red Army, suppressing the enemy's advance and causing him to incur heavy losses, We should have organizational form, and then, going to the decisive attack, destroy the enemy.
M. Greeks. Comrade Stalin, Voroshilov and Shchadenko in the trenches of the Empress
Defense Plan, which was reflected in the order number 11 from 16 July 1918 Year of the North Caucasus Military District, Soviet troops in the Tsaritsyn area was divided into sections: Ust-Medveditsk (Mironov Head), Tsaritsyno (Head Voroshilov), Gushunsky (Head Bolotskyy). Troops, Located at the front 500 km, We had to defend settlements, comfortable boundaries, overlap the main road, ensure the safety and regularity of communications by rail Dirt - Tsarina, Tsarina - Tikhoretskaya. To repel the enemy attack was supposed to conduct counterattacks, buildup resistance force due to maneuver along the front, extension reserve and newly developed parts of depth. On the approaches to Tsaritsyn along the railway line Gumrak - Voropanova - Sarenta were built 2-3 trenches, barbed wire line with a length of about 40 km. The wings were the Soviet forces were covered by the fire of the Volga Flotilla Ship. Analysis of combat operations plan for the Tsaritsyn direction gives every reason to conclude, it was designed to meet the real military-political situation, the balance of forces of the opposing sides and set the main tasks of the command of the Red Army. However, to implement this plan failed, what is seen as one of the main reasons for the large losses of the Red Army. Change of plan due to the activities and. AT. Stalin and. E. Voroshilov, that, not having sufficient military training, unceremoniously began to interfere in the operational and strategic areas of the district leadership, making disorder and confusion in the work to establish a business. Stalin, arrived in Tsaritsin emergency authority for bread blanks, announced Snesariev wrecking plan, because he is the "seal defencism". At first, he is arrested for allegedly conspiring almost all district headquarters, and then illegally arrested and displaces Snesariev. Created in July 1918 the Revolutionary Military Council of the North Caucasian military district in the composition and. AT. Stalin, TO. E. Voroshilov, FROM. TO. Minin put forward his plan for fighting. He called for the application of the enemy defeat by active offensive operations in the two directions: in the south in the direction of the grand-ducal - Tikhoretskaya (task - to get into operational military relationship with the Red forces, operating in the North Caucasus), in the western direction (task - to defeat and capture the group Mammoth abroad Nizhni Chir - Kalach - Kremensky). Troops Ust-Medveditsk area had to restrain the offensive forces of General Pitshelaurova towards Balashov - Kamyshin. Stalin pursued, Voroshilov and Minin policy of ignoring decisions of the Revolutionary Military Council of the Republic, suspension of P. P. IDSytin from South Front command affected the position at the front. The November advance of the Red Army also did not bring success, It was the same bloody. The reasons for this are seen in the, that the attack was carried out on a broad front, there was no massing of forces and means on the directions of the main attacks, and came to the front of fresh forces into the battle with stroke, without proper training. The enemy also acted successfully, creating strike groups, using a superiority in cavalry, quickly threw them from one direction to another, He inflicted short, but strong blows to our troops. Newly heroic efforts had to hold back the onslaught of the enemy. After another approach and mobilization of reserves from the center on the orders of the Commander of the Southern Front II. A. Slaven Red Army went on the offensive in January, summing up the heroic and largely dramatic defense of Tsaritsyn. Gabriel Tsobehiya
