Evening star., 1942-12-26

ftOtOs
barians, that they didn't know when
to quit
The battle Of Smolensk, the first
great battle of the war, was the tip
OIL on Shaposhnikov's strategy.
Aided by surprise, the Germans
raced through comparatively unde-
Tended positions until they reached
Smolensk in July, 1941. There they
We're checked for two and a half
months as the Russians launched a
terrific series of counterattacks
When the Germans finally ad-
vanced, it was Pyrrhic victory for
them.
All Served Soviet Purpose.
Similarly. the Russian German
war has been punctuated by a series
OF bitter sieges-Odessa, Leningrad
Moscow, Sevastopol and Stalingrad.
The places that fell, like Sevastopol
served their purpose in delaying the
Nazl drive for many weeks; the
others. like Moscow and Stalingrad,
became Springboards for great
Russian counterattacks.
In the Russian scheme of things
the most amazing thing about Mar
shal Shaposhnikov is that he still
Is alive and in high position.
A man who has served under the
Car. Lenin, Trotsky and Stain
might easily have been purged some
where along the line. Shaposh
nlkov's survival can be attributed
to his love for Russia, above every
thing. and to the fact that he was
always professional soldier and
brilliant strategist.
Marshal Shaposhnikov was born
go years ago, the son of a minor
government official. After STUDYING
science and mathematics in high
school he entered the Moscow Mill
tary Academy. There he won a
scholarship to the Imperial Acad-
emy of the general staff. He was
graduated at the head of his class
and was made a lieutenant in the
Imperial Army.
During the World War Shaposni-
kov learned how to fight the Ger
mans both in the field, with a cav
airy regiment, and In strategy. as
a member of the Russian field staff.
He emerged from the conflict with
the rank OF colonel.
Shaposhnikov cast his lot with
the Soviet forces. during the days of
the Russian revolution, and became
chief of operations of the field staff
of the revolutionary military coun-
Gil Of the republic According to
Red historians he devised the sue
cessful strategic moves against the
White and Allied intervention
armies, which freed the Soviet Union
from external danger. Lenin CRATE
fully awarded him the Order OF the
Red Banner in 1921.
During the next decade he rose
steadily through a succession of
military posts. serving as COM
mander Of the Leningrad and Mos
COW garrisons. In 1929 he was made
chief of the general stan OF the
Red Army.
In 1882 Shaposnikov was assigned
the task of recognizing the Frunze
Red Banner Military Academy, the
Russian equivalent of West Point
There he conducted special courses
for ofncers and future officers. Even
Molotov and Stain were reported
IN attendance. Among the mar
shals pupils are some OF the top
notch Soviety Army f1gures-Gen.
Khukov and Marshals Voroshilov
and Budenny.
For his successful guidance of the
operations of the Red Army" mean
ing Russia's seizure OF Eastern
Poland and the subsequent war with
Finland, Shaposhnikov received in
January, 1910, the Order of Lenin,
the Soviet's highest award. In
May, 1910, he was raised to the
rank Of marshal of the Red Army.
When he participated in the futile
military talks with the Allies in
1899 Shaposnikov was rumored to
be pro- British. When he took part
in the negotiations leading to the
Soviet-Nazi interlude Of peace he
was said to be prot German. But his
life reveals him to be ardently and
completely pro-Russian.
In October, l94l. he resumed his
position rs chief Of stan of the Red
Army, but his strategy had guided