Evening star., 1949-03-25
BY the kssoeioted Press

Marshal Vasilevsky, personally
we'll known to Gen. Eisenhower
and British Field Marshal Wis.
count Montgomery. ran up an i'm
pressive record in World War II
From the rank of major general
he rose in not much more than a
year to general Of the army jan
uary 18. 1943, and became a mar
shal and chief of staff not long
afterward. His new promotion
raises him from the post Of Dep
uty Minister of Armed Forces.
His troops smashed the German
Voronezh front January II, 1913
and he led. the successful Soviet
campaign in the Crimea in 1914
which liberated Sevastopol. He
is one Of the most decorated of
Russian soldiers. and twice re-
ceived the award of Hero Of the
Soviet Union.
He sat among the top half
dozen members Of the supreme
command which mapped strategy
in the critical days Of the war
and engineered the Russian drive
to Berlin.
Marshal Vasilevsky started his
military career in the Cars army.
serving with a Cossack regiment
in World War I. He sided with
the Bolshevik forces during the
revolution and Joined the Red
Army, becoming a student of
large-scale military operations.
Marshal Bulganin, a graying
man with goatee. is famed as an
organizer and for his passion for
efficiency. He started a banking
career and became chairman of
the state bank of the U. S. S. r. In
1941 he was appointed to the
military council which planned
the defense Of Moscow, and began
a swift rise in military affairs
with his skilled handling of men
and rubles countable in the mil
lions.
In March. 1947, he was ap-
pointed Minister of the Armed
forces. and was promoted from
general to marshal the. following
November. He has Served at
various times also as a member
Of the Communist, Party Central
committee. member OF the Presi-
Adium Of the Moscow Soviet, So
Wet representative on the Polish
Committee. member of the Presi-
and premier of the Russian Soviet
Federated Socialist Republic,
largest republic in the Soviet
Union.
Both Marshal VasilevSky and
Marshal Bulganin were born in
1895. (Other sources give Bull
ganin's age as SO and Vasilevsky' s
as 40. instead of sd Both men
also are members of the Supreme
Soviet ParliamenD.
Word of the new shift came in
two one-sentence announcements
by the Presidium, broadcast early
this morning by the Moscow radio
and published in the morning
newspapers which appeared later
Marshal Vasilevsky was closely
associated with Gen. Eisenhower
and Lord Montgomery on their
visits to Moscow. They were or
friendly terms.
He accompanied Gen. Eisen-
hover to a physical culture pa.
rade in Red Square and later took
him to football game. They met
frequently at official and unof-
fetal functions, and Gen. Eisen-
hover seemed to enjoy his COM
pany.
Likewise, when Lord Montgom-
cry came to Moscow, Marshal
Vasilevsky entertained him. They
exchanged gifts of liquor, and the
marshal gave Lord Montgomery O
farewell gift of a Lined over
coat.
Both Marshal Bulganin and
Marshal Vasilevsky attended ses-
sions of the Supreme Soviet this
month. The former occupied a
seat near Mr.. Stain. and they
conversed several times while the
Prime Minister was attending q
Joint session of the parliamentary
body.
The new change is interpreted
by observers outside Russia as
fitting into the same pattern a.
earlier ones which relieved Polit.
buro members of active admins
tration work, apparently so they
can give full time to policy prob.
lens.
1t follows the release of v. M
Molotov as Foreign Minister ant
appointment Of Andrei Y. Vishin
sky to succeed him: release O
A. 4 Mikoyan as Minister of For
eign Trade, and designation o
MA. Menshikov to succeed him
the advancement Of Andrei A
Gromyko to become Mr.. Vishin
sky's chief deputy. and severa
other switches.
The release of top level figure
bore no indication that they wer'
being denoted, but, on the con
trary, that Russia was seeking
bigger things of them in theil
Politburo work.
Never. however, has the Sovie
Union given a definite Statement
of its reasons for the shakeup
IT has ignored speculation abroad
which included suggestions tina
Mr.. Stain himself may be gettini
things In order so that he ma!
retire. u