Pictured: Personnel review for the period from July 1948 to October 1949 for the head of the printing department of the 9th Mechanized Division of the 3rd Guards Mechanized Army, Colonel Ivan Vasilievich Zhibrik; The final signature page of the attestation with signatures by Army General V. I. Chuikov (top, dated 29 November 1949) and Marshal of the Armed Forces S. I. Bogdanov (bottom, dated 5 January 1950); Generals Chuikov and Bogdanov in Berlin, 1945. An excerpt from the review: In the position of the head of the political department of the 9th mechanized cadre regiment and the 9th mechanized division, [Zhibrik] has been working since July 1948. During this period of time, he proved himself to be able-bodied… However, in practical work, he has not yet achieved the elimination of emergencies and the reduction of various immoral phenomena, which continue to remain in large numbers in the division… Demanding to himself and his subordinates, he correctly combines his exactingness with concern for the needs and demands of officers and soldiers. In work, he knows how to find the main thing and bring the work started to the end. He approaches the solution of issues in principle and solves them promptly and correctly… Conclusion: The position of the Chief of the Political Department of the mechanized division corresponds. In view of the lack of a complete political education, it is necessary to send [him] to higher courses... Translated by Igor Musienko Marshal Chuikov often spoke of his soldiers’ valor and hailed his subordinate officers and troops and their significant contributions to achieving a massive victory over the Germans in the Great Patriotic War. Marshal of the Armed Forces Bogdanov was no exception, and he and Chuikov forged a close partnership as the Red Army pushed closer to Berlin. Vasily Ivanovich admired his fighting comrade Semyon Ilych, and had the kind of relationship where Bogdanov referred to his Commander as “Vasya,” a diminutive of Vasily, in personal conversation. During the Great Patriotic War, Colonel-General Bogdanov served as Commander of the 2nd Tank Corps, and was an active, fighting general who was with his troops, mirroring the example of Colonel-General Chuikov. During the offensive in Poland, Soviet tanks broke into Lublin's eastern suburb during the morning of 23 July 1944, clearing it quickly but meeting heavy resistance along the River Vyszczicsa, which splits the city. Under heavy fire from Soviet tanks, numerous German soldiers intent on escaping were killed; the commandant of Lublin was taken prisoner as well. The 3rd Tank Corps had taken control of the northwest suburbs, as well as the Lublin-Warsaw Road, but German resistance continued in the southeast suburbs. John Erickson wrote the following in his book titled The Road to Berlin : “[Semyon Ilych] Bogdanov decided to go to Maj.-Gen. Vedeneyev’s HQ [3rd Tank Corps] to see for himself, and he learned that only tanks were in action here; Vedeneyev intimated that until the infantry from 57th Brigade came in he could not get the German machine-gunners out of their lairs in the strongly built stone houses. Bogdanov thought that Vedeneyev was dragging his feet, that he overestimated German powers of resistance. He invited him to take a little tour of the town, with a single tank for escort leading the two jeeps holding Bogdanov, Vedeneyev, adjutants, and intelligence officers. Nothing stirred as the tiny convoy moved down deserted streets past burning tanks and smashed German trucks: no shots, no sign of life in any house. A few yards further on, however, an anti-tank weapon opened fire and disabled the lead tank, killing the crew. Bogdanov gave orders to turn back, but when the jeeps swung round they at once came under more fire which brought Bogdanov’s own jeep to a halt; the Army commander got out and then slumped to the pavement, his shoulder smashed by an explosive bullet. After they had walked more than a mile and a half, the remaining officers fighting off German attempts to trap the party, a Soviet truck picked up the general, whose command passed to Maj.-Gen. A. I. Radzievsky, Chief of Staff to the 2nd Tank Army.” Marshal Chuikov shed more light on the situation Bogdanov found himself in at Lublin and their brief conversation after his severe injury in his work titled From Stalingrad to Berlin : “The fact that Bogdanov found himself in the heat of battle was not a surprise to me. This is in his nature: to see everything with his own eyes and lead the troops directly on the battlefield, and not from the deep rear. I did not condemn Bogdanov. The commander will only correctly assess the situation, especially in modern highly maneuverable combat, when he feels the pulse of the battle. Well, sometimes you have to take risks, but it pays off in saving the lives of many soldiers, and success comes with less bloodshed. We must also take into account the enormous moral significance of a commander's behavior in battle.  The fighters, seeing him next to them in the most intense moments, are imbued with greater confidence in victory. The soldiers love such a commander, they are ready to cover him […] and follow him into the most furious fire because they see that he shares all the difficulties with them. I found Semyon Ilyich at the army hospital north of Lublin. He was about to be evacuated. I asked: ‘Semyon, how are you?’ He, overcoming severe pain, cheerfully responded: ‘Nothing, Vasya, I'll be back soon, and we'll definitely go to Berlin together.’ About two months later he actually returned, and we again moved forward to the Oder, and then to Berlin.” Twice Hero  of the Soviet Union Bogdanov was promoted to Marshal of the Armored Troops on 1 June 1945, and he continued to work together with Chuikov. After the war, he served in Berlin and remained the Commander of the 2nd Guards Tank Army for a time. He was eventually reassigned to command the 7th Mechanized Army in Belarus before retiring in 1956.

Pictured L-R: Commander of the 62nd Army Artillery, Major-General Pozharsky; 62nd Army Military Council members Major-General Gurov, Commander Lieutenant-General Chuikov, and Chief of Staff Major-General Krylov, Stalingrad. In social science studies, there are times when students consider leadership and management to be one and the same. These constructs are complementary in nature and require different skill sets. It is rare for a person to be both an effective manager and a visionary leader—but Marshal Chuikov was both. He was a truly gifted individual who had the passion and vision for excellence and knew how to achieve it. Management theorist Douglas MacGregor published Theories X and Y  in 1960 to address human behavior in organizations. Managers who reflect Theory X assume their team members must be micromanaged to be extrinsically motivated to achieve results, usually through some form of coercion. It is important to note that coercion is not considered to be a leadership act. However, Theory Y is in alignment with true leadership practices, encouraging an environment of collaboration and inspiring followers to achieve results through positive reinforcement and recognition. Marshal Chuikov was an empathetic leader who fully understood what his soldiers were facing as they battled in the trenches. He was also familiar with ways to positively motivate his army because he knew that coercion would only go so far in a desperate situation. In the ruins of Stalingrad, there grew a sniper movement which Vasily Ivanovich endorsed and encouraged. Snipers like Vasily Zaitsev were celebrated in the army newspaper, which served to lift morale for the soldiers. In Michael Jones’ book titled Stalingrad: How the Red Army Triumphed , Zaitsev is quoted about how effective Chuikov’s leadership was. “Chuikov’s support for the sniper movement was vital. Another commander might have banned it. But Chuikov saw its psychological potential to demoralize the enemy, saying famously: ‘It will make every German feel he is living under the barrel of a gun.’ He believed it could enormously lift the morale of [his] soldiers. He carried the Army Council with him—and toward the end of October [1942] they decided to create sniper detachments in every division and regiment. It became [the] official policy. […] Chuikov believed in these [snipers], and he trusted them. Zaitsev was struck by the effect this had—and expressed a timeless truth about the relationship between a general and his troops: ‘Trust is the source of a soldier’s inspiration and faith is the mother of his courage. For the commander, faith and trust are the keys to a soldier’s heart—to that hidden cache of energy that a combatant may not realize he has inside of himself.’"

Pictured: The Military Council of the 62nd Army, along with Major-General A. I. Rodimtsev (top photo, second from right; bottom photo, far right). Stalingrad, 1942-1943. When a person achieves the heights of status and recognition as someone like Marshal Chuikov, there is typically a mix of truth and myth surrounding them. One of the reasons I have enjoyed researching Chuikov’s life and work is the sheer volume of information available online and in books. It takes time to digest mountains of accounts, and I will have plenty of material for many years of study. However, one of my favorite activities is examining apocryphal stories and substantiating a counterargument. Chuikov possessed numerous outstanding traits and qualities, but his mercurial temperament was known about and discussed. Stories about his actions abound—for example, Rutgers University historian and author Jochen Hellbeck recorded the following in his work Stalingrad: The City That Defeated the Third Reich… “In [the novel] Life and Fate , [author] Vasily Grossman depicts the infighting among Red Army commanders, each bent on obtaining the greatest accolades. He mentions an incident at the February 4, 1943, victory rally where a ‘drunken Chuikov leapt [sic] on Rodimtsev and tried to strangle him—merely because Nikita Khrushchev had thrown his arms around Rodimtsev and kissed him without so much a glance at Chuikov.’ After this incident, the NKVD reprimanded Chuikov for his ‘unpleasant behavior’” (p. 265). However, when family members of these two famous generals who fought side by side during the Great Patriotic War were asked about their relationship and the alleged “scuffle” in particular, the nature of their bond was spoken of in brighter, warmer terms. Based on their knowledge, the likelihood of such a heated confrontation was very low. Nikolai Chuikov, Vasily Ivanovich’s grandson, shared the following in an interview : "Grandfather highly appreciated A. I. Rodimtsev, called the best division commander in his army. He believed that if it were not for the actions of the 13th Guard Division, we might not have held Stalingrad. […] My grandfather respected him for his personal bravery and courage. Their relationship was excellent both during the war and after. And both families were friends. […] By the way, I asked Rodimtsev’s son about the relationship between his father and my grandfather, meaning the rumors. He said they were crazy ideas. War participant Maria Rokhina said that after winning the battle, everyone expected Chuikov and Rodimtsev to receive Heroes of the Soviet Union [medals]. But, allegedly, Chuikov and Rodimtsev got drunk and fought, and because of the drunken fight unacceptable for the commanders, they were not given the Hero Stars then. This is complete nonsense. Chuikov and Rodimtsev have always been friends—they had an excellent relationship. My grandfather called him Sasha. And [Rodimtsev called my grandfather] by name and patronymic—Vasily Ivanovich. Chuikov and Rodimtsev traveled together to Stalingrad after the war, and visited each other. Of course, my grandfather also had closer friends, especially colleagues. But he always had an excellent relationship with Rodimtsev. […] Once, I heard a version of [the] fight, [and] I talked about it with Aunt Ninel, Chuikov’s daughter. […] She said she had not heard about this, that she did not believe the veracity of this story and was not convinced that this could be [true], because they always had a very good relationship. This is also evidenced by the fact that the families of Chuikov and Rodimtsev communicated very warmly. And now we, their descendants, continue to be close people.” An earlier interview  about General Rodimtsev revealed the following remarks from his son Ilya: “The guardsmen of Major-General Alexander Ilyich Rodimtsev, who received his first Gold Star of the Hero (No. 45) back in Spain, gained particular fame. His son Ilya Alexandrovich […] says: ‘In the Rodimtsev family, the name of Chuikov has always been pronounced with special love. The first time Vasily Ivanovich and my father met in Stalingrad. On the night of September 15, 1942, the 13th Guards Division, commanded by my father, crossed into the burning Stalingrad. For the first day and a half, my father could not even get to the headquarters of the 62nd Army, because the Germans were at the very Volga. The fighters immediately entered the battle to oust the Germans from the city center and ensure the crossing of further units. By the evening of September 15, at the headquarters of the 62nd Army near Mamaev Kurgan, Rodimtsev reported to Chuikov that he had arrived with his division. Vasily Ivanovich asked: ‘Did you understand the situation in Stalingrad? What are you going to do?’ My father replied: ‘I am a communist and will not leave Stalingrad.’ Vasily Ivanovich liked this answer, because a few days before, on September 12, Chuikov replied that we could not and would not give up Stalingrad. Thus began the Stalingrad epic. For 140 days and nights my father was in Stalingrad, he never went to the left bank. Chuikov had many divisions in the army, and they all fought with dignity. However, Vasily Ivanovich himself, remembering his commanders, always singled out three: Alexander Rodimtsev, Ivan Lyudnikov, and Viktor Zholudev. After the war, my father met with Vasily Ivanovich Chuikov many times, their friendship was preserved for life. When my father passed away in 1977, Vasily Ivanovich came to our family, recalled Stalingrad and uttered the following words: ‘It's hard to say how it would all end if it were not for the 13th [Guards] Division, which saved the city in the last hours.’”

Pictured: Colonel-General Chuikov’s 62nd (8th Guards) Army on the streets of Odessa in April 1944. A large group of Soviet soldiers, including two women in front, march down a street. When researching an internationally known leader like Marshal Chuikov, there are times when information is discovered which seems to be completely out of character. I recently found such an instance and was compelled to address it in my blog. One can rightfully assert that my approach to the topic of Marshal Chuikov’s life and work is biased. However, I take time to compare the information with my research conducted over the past two years to bring clarity and address potentially apocryphal anecdotes as needed. Recently, I discovered a description of a source of disparaging information about Marshal Chuikov in post-war Germany. Under an alias, a former 8th Guards logistics officer, Red Army deserter and defector Vladimir Fedorovich Petrovsky published a book with the help of one of his contacts after leaving East Germany. Historian Igor Petrov  shared the following about this work: “In February 1947, a very strange book was published in the American zone of occupation of Germany. The author called himself Sabik-Vogulov. The book was titled In Defeated Germany . […] The author in this book described in great detail the unsightly behavior of Soviet soldiers and officers in relation to the civilian German population at the end of the war and in the first post-war months. […] But the author also spoke about his own commander as follows: ‘A typical […] tyrant who proved himself to be a master of [the] massacre of people subordinate to him.’ He also told how this general allegedly shot a traffic controller, a Soviet servicewoman, who stopped his car for a check. The identity of the general, whose name and patronymic were given, was deciphered quite easily: it was Vasily Ivanovich Chuikov.” Having spent time researching Marshal Chuikov through his own writings and the accounts of those who worked closely with him and knew him, the incident of shooting a Soviet female traffic controller who was serving the public appears to be slanderous. What was the logic in it? In other words, why would someone like Chuikov, who valued female soldiers and officers and wrote prolifically about their selfless contributions and who took measures to protect women during the worst of days, dispatch a Soviet woman who was simply doing her job in post-war Germany? To substantiate my viewpoint, I evaluated his writing about the women who served in the defense of Stalingrad to whom he gave his highest praise. In his book titled The Battle for Stalingrad , Vasily Ivanovich shared the following: “Thinking back to the battle on the banks of the Volga, I must dwell for a moment on one important question which has, in my opinion, not been given enough attention in literature about the war, and is sometimes, without justification, ignored in attempts to draw conclusions from our experience in it. I am thinking about the part played in the war by women, who played a tremendous role not only at the rear, but at the front also. They bore all the burdens of military life on the same footing as men, and went right through to Berlin with the men” (239). After spending several pages heralding the contributions of Soviet women in the effort to defend Stalingrad, he wrote about a situation when the Military Council made the decision to send female soldiers to the eastern bank of the Volga: “In the second half of October the situation grew considerably worse, and the distance between the front line and the Volga grew so short that the Army Military Council had to ferry some units and establishments across to the left bank, so as to avoid unnecessary losses. First and foremost it was decided to send the women across to the left bank. Commanders and chiefs of staff were ordered to propose to women soldiers that they should temporarily go across to the left bank, so as to rest and return to us in a few days. The Military Council took this decision on 17 October. On the morning of 18 October a deputation of women signallers came to see me. The deputation was led by Valya Tokareva, a native of Kamyshin. She put a point-blank question to me: ‘Comrade Commander, why are you sending us packing out of the city? We want to die or win alongside the rest of the Army. Why are you making a distinction between women soldiers and men? Do we really work any worse? As you like, but we’re not going across the Volga.’ As this conversation took place on 18 October, the day we transferred to our new command post, I told them that at our new command post we could not use all kinds of equipment; circumstances compelled us to use smaller signalling equipment, like portable radios, and this was our only reason for sending them across to the other bank, temporarily, until we had organized enough room for heavier types of equipment. The women’s deputation agreed to carry out the Military Council’s order, but asked me to give my word of honour that as soon as conditions were ready for them to resume work, we would bring them back across to the right bank. […] We kept our word. At the end of October, together with signalling equipment, we brought them back to the dug-outs we had prepared. They were extremely pleased. That was the kind of woman we had at the front” (252-3). During the heat of battle, Commander Chuikov tried to protect the women serving in the 62nd (8th Guards) Army, to the best of his ability. He certainly respected women and their unflinching commitment to defending the Motherland, and recognized them for their effort and contributions. And this appreciation is stated in Chuikov’s other books as well. In the work titled Soviet Women in the Great Patriotic War , author V. S. Murmantseva quoted from Marshal Chuikov’s account titled Unparalleled Feat : “In the battles for the city on the Volga, military signalmen also acted bravely. In the communications units of the 62nd Army, girls were mainly employed, ‘who knew how to faithfully carry out an order.’ Having sent female signalmen to intermediate points of communication, the commanders were sure that under any conditions communication will be provided. ‘[Even if] artillery and mortars are hitting this point, even if bombs are raining down on it from aircraft, even if enemies surround this point, the women will not leave without an order, even if they are in danger of death’ – this is how the Commander of the 62nd Army, V. I. Chuikov, characterized them. Confirmation of this [lies in] dozens of examples […] and, in particular, the feat of Elena Stempkovskaya, who died, but did not leave her combat post” (177-178). Back to Petrovsky’s writing… I appreciate that historian Igor Petrov used the term “allegedly” when describing the purported incident with Chuikov. When accusing a highly respected and popular prominent leader of such reprehensible behavior, one has to wonder at the motivation behind it. Is it based on revenge? And it begs the question… Could Marshal Chuikov, the man who wrote so highly about women in the Red Army who helped to secure victory over Fascist Germany—the Commander who actively worked to protect women when he could—be the same person who would callously shoot a Soviet female traffic officer for halting his car for a check? My definitive answer is and will always be a resounding “ Nyet!"

Pictured (clockwise): Photo of American and Red Army officers and soldiers meeting on the Elbe River near Torgau; Colonel-General V. I. Chuikov’s signature on a characteristic review form, signed 25 April 1945; the reverse side of the Elbe River meeting photograph dated 25 April 1945; the front view of a battle characteristic review for Colonel Sergey Borisovich Vil’din, a Belarussian who served in Lieutenant-General Pozharsky’s artillery of the 8th Guards Army. The Second World War began in 1939 with the German invasion of Poland in September. For the Soviets, the Great Patriotic War began 22 June 1941  when the Germans invaded the USSR in Operation Barbarossa. Four years later in late April 1945, Marshal Zhukov’s 1st Belorussian Front and Marshal Konev’s 1st Ukrainian Front were racing to capture Berlin to end the war in Europe. Soldiers from the 1st Ukrainian Front encountered American troops east of Torgau on the Elbe River for the famous “ East Meets West ” event on 25 April 1945. The next day, Commander Chuikov’s 8th Guards Army of the 1st Belorussian Front captured the Tempelhof Airport in Berlin with the intent of preventing upper-level Nazis from leaving the city by air. Marshal Chuikov wrote about the importance of taking Tempelhof in his work titled From Stalingrad to Berlin : “It must be said that the capture of Tempelhof airport was very important for the entire battle for Berlin. It was the last platform in Berlin from which planes could take off. And of course, the enemy did everything to keep in his hands this only window into the air. The airfield was defended by anti-aircraft units, Waffen-SS detachments, and tanks placed with a bracket along the border of the take-off field from the south and east. Most of the tanks were buried in the ground and turned into fixed firing points. Apparently, the Berlin garrison was left without fuel reserves for tanks: all gasoline, as shown by captured tankers, was taken by pilots for aircraft. According to the testimony of the prisoners, in the underground hangars there were planes, fully refueled, ready for takeoff at any minute. They had crews on duty around the clock, and they included pilots and navigators who in the past were trusted to airlift Hitler, […] Goebbels, Bormann, and other leaders of the Third Reich. It could be concluded that Hitler and his associates were still in Berlin. We couldn't let them slip through that single window! Regiments of the 39th and 79th Guards Rifle Divisions were tasked with encircling the airfield. The gunners were ordered to keep the take-off pads under fire. We didn't know the exact coordinates of the exit gates from the underground hangars, so the assault squads, reinforced by tanks, aimed to cut with the fire of machine guns the runways and thus block the aircraft underground. The plan could not have been better. Not a single plane had taken off there since the evening of 25 April. By noon on 26 April, the airfield and the entire Tempelhof airport, with hangars and communication centers, including the main building Flughafen, were in our hands.”

Pictured: Commander of the 62nd Army of the Stalingrad Front, Lieutenant-General V. I. Chuikov; Commander of the 64th Army, Lieutenant-General M. S. Shumilov (center); and member of the Military Council of the Southern Front, Lieutenant-General N. S. Khrushchev on the podium during a rally in the liberated Stalingrad, 4 February 1943. In his book titled The Battle for Stalingrad , Marshal Chuikov recalled his time before taking command of the 62nd Army. He received formal higher education at the Frunze Military Academy, where he excelled at his studies to the point that he was invited to an additional year of study focusing on Chinese language and culture training. Years later, after he returned to Moscow from his second call of duty in China where he served as military advisor to Chiang Kai-Shek from late 1940 until early 1942, Chuikov was placed in command of a reserve army in the Tula Region. This reserve army, renamed the 64th Army, was called into action in July 1942. Due to a severe car wreck in mid-1942 that injured Chuikov’s spine, causing him to be placed in traction for a week, he used a walking stick for at least one year afterward (19). However, the fact that he walked with a cane, dressed differently, and was refined due to his higher education and experience in China set him apart from others. Khrushchev wrote the following about his first impressions of Lieutenant-General Chuikov in his memoirs titled Memoirs of Nikita Khrushchev: Commissar, 1918-1945, Volume 1 : “Chuikov was elegantly dressed. His clothing was unusual, not what the other generals were wearing during the war. He was holding a riding crop. He gave the not especially favorable impression of a man who was putting on airs. […] In view of the terrible situation and also the fact that Chuikov had just arrived from China and outwardly appeared to have odd mannerisms, he created an unfavorable impression. We were obliged to raise the question of replacing him. Chuikov was relieved of his duties; he was transferred to an operational group, and Shumilov was appointed to replace him as head of the 64th Army” (400). However, Khrushchev’s opinion of Chuikov improved as Vasily Ivanovich demonstrated his effective leadership when tasked with organizing remnants of retreating soldiers into units of defense. When Stalin asked Khrushchev his opinion of Chuikov being promoted to Commander of the 62nd Army to defend Stalingrad, he replied: “Chuikov has shown himself to be a very good commander of a detachment that he himself organized. I think that in the future too, he will be a good organizer and a good commander of the 62nd Army” (402). Marshal Chuikov was outspoken in his opinion about Khrushchev, as theirs was an uneasy relationship. His grandson Nikolai shared the following  about their difficulties: “[Nikita] Khrushchev was the enemy. My grandfather didn't like him very much either. This dislike began in the military [at] Stalingrad. On the Square of the Fallen Fighters on 4 February 1943, there was a rally in honor of the victory in the Battle of Stalingrad. Khrushchev, as a member of the Military Council of the Stalingrad Front, came to the rally and began to make a speech. But he never came to Stalingrad during the battle. And Chuikov said quite loudly: ‘We won, but no one saw you here.’ And it went into the microphone, and everyone heard and laughed. Khrushchev hated Chuikov forever. Already when Khrushchev was the head of the country, my grandfather often disagreed with him, in particular, on the Caribbean Crisis [also known as the Cuban Missile Crisis] and on relations with China. But Khrushchev snapped: ‘Go command the ground forces, but don't get in here!’ He wanted to demote my grandfather from his position, but [Khrushchev] himself was close to losing power, his strength was weakening. And then Kosygin, with whom Chuikov had good relations and complete mutual understanding, offered him the post of Head of the Civil Defense of the USSR. It was a state committee, analogous to a ministry, and it was subordinate to the Chairman of the Council of Ministers—that is, Kosygin. Chuikov, by the way, took an active part in the conspiracy against Khrushchev.”

Pictured: Lieutenant-General V.I. Chuikov on the banks of the Volga, 1943. A Red Army soldier on the Eastern Front during the Great Patriotic War, Ivan Philippovich Makarov, wrote his memoirs about his experiences which were later published under the title Born Under a Luck Star. Makarov served in the 112th Siberian Division, in the 524th Regiment. The 112th Siberian Division  was assigned to the 64th Army in the summer of 1942, and then transferred to the 62nd Army in Stalingrad. In the book, Ivan relates the story of when he witnessed General Chuikov at the front enforcing the “Not a Step Back!” Order #227 : “Our regiment came to a halt. A black car approached us and stopped in front of our platoon. Three military men got out of the car. The first one was General Chuikov. The second was divisional commander Sologub, and the third was the commander of our 524th regiment. Our commander was without his hat and belt. We all turned to face them. I think this was the first time our men saw the general responsible for the life and fate of thousands of soldiers. I fixed my eyes on General Chuikov and watched his every move. His face showed no emotion. ‘Comrade soldiers and commanders, we have just captured a traitor of the Motherland. You all know this man very well. He is your regiment commander. The deaths of your former regiment commander and commissar were his handiwork. His transgression was that he independently ordered the withdrawal of our troops on the opposite bank of the River Don.’ General Chuikov unbuckled his holster and pulled out a small pistol. He slowly pointed the pistol at our regiment commander, who stood with his head bowed low. The gun shuddered twice and fired two shots. The ‘traitor,’ now with two bullets in his head, dropped dead at the feet of the general. […] Chuikov tried to be outwardly calm, but his face and eyes betrayed great angst. It was clear to everyone that he'd done this dirty work for the first time. The general walked away from the corpse and spoke to us again, ‘Comrades! Stalin and the Motherland have ordered us Not One Step Back ! There is the River Volga, where our Stalingrad lies! Stalingrad is the city of Stalin. The Volga is bread and fuel for us. I order you to attack, not retreat!’” Before making a judgment on his behavior, I think it behooves a person to place himself in Chuikov’s position. Based on the situation, and considering the meat of Order #227  as well as the Germans’ intent to completely destroy the Soviet Union, Vasily Ivanovich displayed an iron will and fortitude. He also possessed an intimate understanding of an important truth—being a leader often means completing tasks one may wish to avoid entirely. The reader must recall that all  Red Army soldiers, from the Commander to the infantry, were held to Order #227 . If Vasily Ivanovich had conducted an unauthorized retreat, he too would have faced harsh consequences. What applied to the common soldier also applied to leadership. One must also consider his experience on the steppe leading up to the Battle for Stalingrad. Chuikov encountered soldiers who could not locate their commanding officers and were confused and disorganized. Just like any organization, an army cannot function properly without strong leadership to provide direction on objectives. I appreciate Makarov’s candid description of what happened—while Chuikov had to mete out draconian discipline at such a desperate time, he certainly did not find a sadistic pleasure in it. The fact that his personal angst was evident to all of those around him speaks of the general’s depth of emotion. In the face of a certain annihilation from an enemy hellbent on destroying them all, it was a necessary albeit harsh task to undertake. Chuikov had to enforce Order #227  and establish his authority to halt widespread panic and retreat amongst the troops.

Pictured: Red Army sappers removing mines from the grounds around Stalingrad, 1943 After the final surrender of the Germans in Stalingrad, Lieutenant-General Chuikov was granted a short leave to visit his family. Historian Jochen Hellbeck includes details of this brief trip in his volume titled Stalingrad: The City that Defeated the Third Reich. News of the stunning victory at Stalingrad spread across the globe, and the Commander of the 62nd Army had already achieved a legendary status. Chuikov shared about the experience of an outing with his family in an interview from March 1943: “In 1943, with comrade Stalin’s permission, I took a plane to see my family in Kuybyshev (modern day Samara). It coincided exactly with the anniversary of the Red Army on 23 February 1943. I was invited to the theater. They persuaded me to give a short speech. Marshal of the Soviet Union B. M. Shaposhnikov was there. Many people spoke, and they were greeted cordially but when the last of them gave me the floor, I stood there like an idiot for five minutes. Every time I opened my mouth, they’d interrupt with applause. I could sense how well they understood our situation and our struggle…” (290). While Chuikov was away from his soldiers, Major-General Krylov served as interim Commander of the 62nd Army, which was tasked with clearing sections of Stalingrad of mines, weapons, and ammunition left over from months of heavy combat. Nikolai Ivanovich was more than capable of organizing and leading the clean-up effort, which was necessary for the city to be habitable again. Effective leaders prepare their subordinates to step into a leadership role when needed, which often leads to future promotions. This is one example of how Chuikov empowered and entrusted his staff to successfully carry out dangerous operations in his absence. The collection of documents and materials titled Stalingradskaya Gruppa Voysk: Fevral – Mai 1943 G. provides the detailed orders for 23 February 1943, a portion of which is included here. “Pursuant to the order of the NKO of the USSR dated 22.2.1943, No. 0/78[0/st] ‘minefields clearance and the elimination of unexploded shells and air bombs in the mountains. Stalingrad and the region’ orders: On the territory of the mountains, Stalingrad and all its environs completely remove all the remaining minefields, land mines and subversive surprises set by both our troops and the enemy, as well as destroy unexploded ordnance, bombs, mines, and hand grenades. To carry out these works, supply the 5th and 8th engineer-mine brigades of the RGK, 326, 327 army engineer battalions, 47 separate engineer-mine company and division sapper battalions. […] Responsible for mine clearance to my deputy chief of engineering troops under Colonel Comrade Tkachenko V.M. to provide the working parts with tools, accessories, and documentation on minefields, as well as to establish a procedure for reporting on mine clearance, ensuring the personal responsibility of each performer for his work. Simultaneously with demining work, collect abandoned weapons, ammunition and other property in their areas and hand them over to trophy teams at the direction of the head of the rear. To my deputy for rear services, release fuels and lubricants [materials] to the working units at their request; select from the trophy five serviceable thrust for minesweeping; organize the reception and removal of weapons, ammunition and other property collected during mine clearance. The chief of communications of the army to provide work by telephone and radio communications. Report on the progress of work to be submitted every day through the operational department by 1900 hours” (32-33). Commander of the 62nd Army, Major-General Krylov Member of the Military Council, Lieutenant-General Gurov Deputy Chief of Staff of the 62nd Army, Major-General Eliseev

Pictured: Document for Guards Private Nikolai Efimovich Yakushchenko. The document "For the Capture of Berlin" was signed by Hero of the Soviet Union, Commander of the 216th Guards Rifle Regiment, Lieutenant-Colonel Alexander Ivanovich Semikov on 16 October 1945. Due to his communication efforts with his soldiers, Marshal Chuikov was known for taking risky actions during the Great Patriotic War. Unlike other commanders, his HQ was close to the front lines and at times he was in the trenches right along with his men. A visual person, Vasily Ivanovich could "read" the enemy, find their weaknesses, and devise tactics to neutralize them. Commander Chuikov was in constant contact with his soldiers and studied the enemy's position and behavior at great length, even from the air. On 23 July 1942, Lieutenant-General Chuikov requested a trip with a pilot to conduct a flyover of the battlefield on the steppe. However, his plane did not go unnoticed by the enemy… Captain Semikov saved Chuikov’s life when his PO-2 plane was shot down by a Junkers Ju-88 near Stalingrad. Quick in action, Semikov jumped into his Willys vehicle with a couple of machine gunners and rushed to the crash site. There he picked up Commander Chuikov and his pilot, breaking away from the German pursuers with their attack dogs, with machine guns ablaze at the enemy. Vasily Ivanovich wrote about his timely rescue by Captain Semikov in his book titled The Battle for Stalingrad : “Our pursuer, seeing our plane burst into flames, presumably decided that we had been killed. Circling around, he headed west and was lost over the horizon. We were soon picked up on the steppe and taken by car out of the danger area by Captain A. I. Semikov, an officer from the operations section at 62nd Army HQ, afterward made a Hero of the Soviet Union” (33). Lieutenant Colonel Semikov, 1945 It is impossible to say what the outcome of the Battle of Stalingrad might have been if it were not for Semikov's quick action on Chuikov's behalf. More of Semikov’s story is found here : “The Commander of the [62nd] Army V. I. Chuikov went by plane to personally determine the configuration of the enemy's front line of defense. One of the Fascist vultures spotted the PO-2 plane and rushed towards it. Everyone who watched this picture, including Captain Semikov, did not know that Commander Chuikov was in the PO-2. The German pilot managed to knock out their plane, and it fell near the forward edge. Semikov was the first to reach the downed plane. To his surprise, General Chuikov was the passenger. It was impossible to hesitate—a minute of delay and the commander could be in the hands of enemy soldiers. Disregarding the danger, Captain Semikov carried the commander to the rear. In the period from September 1942 to 2 February 1943, the day of the complete liberation of Stalingrad, Captain Semikov, at the risk of his life, had to go many times with orders through the besieged city to the units conducting street battles. A dozen times he was in the area of the Tractor Plant, the same amount in the area of the factories ‘Barrikady’ and ‘Red October.’ […] [Following the war,] Lieutenant-Colonel Semikov served in Germany for several years, and then returned to his homeland where he was appointed Military Commandant of the Khimki District of the Moscow region. From this position at the end of the 1950’s, Colonel Semikov was transferred to the central apparatus of the USSR Ministry of Defense, in which he worked for almost 15 years alongside his former commander, Marshal of the Soviet Union V. I. Chuikov.”

Pictured: (L-R) 62nd Army Commissar, Major-General K. A. Gurov; 62nd Army Commander, Lieutenant-General V. I. Chuikov; 64th Army Commander, Colonel-General M. S. Shumilov; 13th Guards Rifle Division Commander, Major-General A. I. Rodimtsev in Stalingrad, 1943. In the field of management sciences, Human Relations Theory  addresses how improved conditions lead to higher productivity. Positive social bonds in organizations and an understanding that each employee is unique often mean greater employee productivity and motivation, which is also true of military personnel. During wartime, it also requires meeting basic needs such as food and warmth in addition to comradery (see Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs ). In his book titled Stalingrad: How the Red Army Triumphed , Michael Jones shared the example of Chuikov’s efforts to improve conditions for his soldiers by setting the standard of officers sharing their meals with front-line soldiers. The effect of these actions lifted soldier morale significantly. “Mereshko spoke of an immediate change in the atmosphere under Chuikov, which ultimately led to a unique spirit of equality and unity within the army. He gave an important practical example: ‘Officers received more butter, biscuits, and sugar in their rations, and also factory-made cigarettes. When Chuikov took command, something astonishing happened. Commanders of units were strongly encouraged to bring their rations into the dugout and share it with their soldiers. In fact, over time, it was considered almost a criminal offense if an officer ate or smoked without sharing with his soldiers.’ ‘You could see it in the little things,’ said [Konstantin] Kazarin. ‘As an officer, I got extra rations, so I would take the food down and share it with my men. My gesture was really appreciated. Once I brought some salted herring. I was struck by the painstaking way that my soldiers divided that fish—counting for exactly the number of people they had. In the midst of all the horror and chaos, it was such loving care and attention to detail.’ Out of myriad moments like these arose real comradeship in battle.' Mikhail Borchev, in charge of a Katyusha unit at Stalingrad, confirmed this: ‘Everything changed when Chuikov took command. Our army now had a new maxim: The regular soldier is all-important—it is he who defends the commander .’"

Pictured: an article titled «Ровесник Века» (“Rovyesnik Vyeka”), translated as “Contemporary of the Century,” written by I. Paderin to honor Marshal Chuikov’s 80th birthday appearing in the Soviet magazine Огон ë к  ( Ogonyek), No. 7, February 1980 edition; cover art for Paderin’s book titled Земля Hе Tерпит Pобких  ( Zemlya Ne Tyerpit Robkikh ), translated as The Earth Does Not Tolerate the Timid, published in 1970. From his humble beginnings, Marshal Chuikov rose through the ranks to achieve the highest military rank in the former Soviet Union at the age of 55 (this will be a topic of a future blog post). One of the purposes of researching Vasily Ivanovich is to learn about the factors that shaped his leadership style throughout his career. He was most famous for his command in Stalingrad; however, Marshal Chuikov led a lifetime of service, and there are so many rich experiences to write about. One of the people in Chuikov’s life who shaped his way of thinking and being was his father, Ivan. Before a 12-year-old “Vasyatka” left his childhood home in Silver Ponds to work in St. Petersburg, his father gave him pithy advice which stayed with him for the rest of his days. In an article appearing in Ogonyek , 8th Guards veteran and author Ivan Paderin shared the following: “After a while, Vasyatka threw his knapsack behind his back, and [he left his] parental home. In front of the gate his father, placing his wide palm on his son’s shoulder, said: ‘Live honestly. Believe simple people, and they will understand you, they will not leave you in trouble. They have all the power. Do not run away from the people's misfortune. And if you become a soldier, stand for the people. Remember, the earth does not tolerate the timid . For the cause, for the truth, do not feel sorry for yourself.’ His father said these words quietly. But they sounded in the ears, like bells, strongly…" (14).

Pictured: General Batyuk (left) and General Chuikov at an observation post in Stalingrad, early 1943. On 19 September 1942, Batyuk's 284th Rifle Division was transferred to the right bank of the Volga and incorporated into the 62nd Army. Leaders who practice active leadership  must be directly involved with their team members or employees. Throughout the process, they encourage, engage, and cheer on the team. Active leaders connect with their subordinates on a personal level, forming a genuine connection. Leadership is no longer about standing on the sidelines, but being an integral part of the organization. In his numerous memoirs, Marshal Chuikov was quick to recognize outstanding soldiers within the 62nd – 8th Guards Army. One such person whom Chuikov admired, General Batyuk, practiced active leadership with his soldiers in Stalingrad. Although Batyuk was killed in action in Ukraine in July 1943 and did not live to see the end of the war, his influence and leadership example made a very strong impression on Vasily Ivanovich. In his book titled The Battle for Stalingrad , Marshal Chuikov wrote the following: “A few words about Divisional Commander Nikolay Filippovich Batyuk. He arrived in the city a Lieutenant-Colonel and left it, after Paulus’s army had been smashed, a General. He combined three invaluable qualities—the tenacity of a commander, courage, and Party spirit. He could be strict and just, he was feared and loved. His men saw him frequently. He suffered with his legs, and at times could scarcely walk, but he did not sit comfortably in his dug-out: he went out to the front line, to his observation posts, using a stick, but he returned to his dug-out on his aide-de-camp’s shoulders, but only at night, so that no one should see. Batyuk did everything he could to conceal his illness, and I found out about it only in January, when he could virtually not walk at all without assistance. He would not hesitate to tell any chief of staff or subordinate the truth to his face, however bitter it might be. His reports required neither clarification nor verification; they were always correct. […] General Batyuk did not accompany us to Berlin. He was killed in the Ukraine, Slavyansk. We buried him on the bank of the northern Donets. It would be just to remove his remains to Volgograd, to Mamayev Kurgan, where the division he commanded fought. This was something he earned, because he was a driving force in the battle for Mamayev Kurgan, for the city on the Volga.” (277-278)