Is it true that Stalin planned military operations on the globe?

According to considerable opinion, the Soviet leader, by virtue of his illiteracy, led the actions of the fronts not through the maps of the General Staff, but through a regular globe. We checked if it was true.

The most famous source of this information is Nikita Khrushchev’s secret report “On the Cult of Personality and its consequences”, read at the XX Congress of the CPSU on February 25, 1956. Criticizing the actions of Stalin during the Great Patriotic War, Khrushchev I remembered:

“Take it,” I say, “the map, Alexander Mikhailovich (Comrade Vasilevsky is present here), show Comrade Stalin what the situation was. And I must say that Stalin planned the operation according to the globe. (Revolution in the hall.) Yes, comrades, take the globe and shows the front line on it. So, I say to Comrade Vasilevsky, show the situation on the map, because under these conditions you cannot continue the previously planned operation. For the benefit of the case, you need to change the old solution. INUnder these conditions, you cannot continue the previously planned operation. ”

Despite the original secrecy, later fragments of the report were published in the press (up to American newspapers New York Times And Washington Post), and many of his provisions went to the people.

We will not consider the often raised question about the competence of Stalin in the leadership of military operations - it requires a separate proceeding and, to a large extent, transition to a subjective plane. We are interested in purely a statement about the globe.

Criticizing Stalin for many methodological mistakes (especially in the initial phase of the war), Marshal Georgy Zhukov in his “Memories and Reflections” (1969) nevertheless Notice:

“The version that the Supreme Commander -in -Chief studied the situation and made decisions on the globe is not true is not true. Of course, he did not work with a tactical destination, but he did not need it. But in the operational cards with the situation applied to them, he sorted out well. ”

Almost three years (1942–1945) held the position of chief of the General Staff Marshal Alexander Vasilevsky confirms This point of view:

“He completely agrees with G.K. Zhukov about the ill -fated globe. He was not in the working office of I.V. Stalin, he was in his rest room, and few were invited there. Stalin always had work maps prepared by the General Staff in all directions and theaters of war, which was necessary. ”

It is not very clear what prevented Vasilevsky from objecting to Khrushchev during the report of the latter, but the memories of the military leader appeared after the death of the former Secretary General. More detailed information Gives Another marshal - Kirill Meretskov:

“... In some books, the version was going on, as if I.V. Stalin led combat operations“ on the globe ”. I never had to read anything more ridiculous. During the war, being in the headquarters and in the office of the Supreme Commander -in -Chief with reports, present at numerous meetings, I saw how things were being decided. I.V. Stalin also turned to the globe, for he faced the tasks of such a scale. But actually, he always worked with a map and when the upcoming operations is analyzed, although far from always, even “smalled”. The latter seemed unnecessary to me. <...> I will not say that I always agreed with how I.V. Stalin resolved issues, especially since we had to argue how much it was possible for me in the framework of subordination, both in small and major problems. But it is wrong to blame him for the lack of interest in details. It simply is not true. Even in strategic military issues, I.V. Stalin was not guided by the orientation of the "globe." It is all the more funny to say this in relation to tactical issues, but they also interested him, and a lot. ”

From memories Another marshal - Alexander Golovanov:

“Stalin carefully examined the cards, and at the end of the report, Zhukov pointed his finger on the map and asked:
- And what is this?!
Georgy Konstantinovich bent over the map and, slightly blushing, replied:
- The officer who applied the situation, inaccurately inflicted the line of defense here. She passes here.
And he showed the exact location of the front edge (on the map, the line of defense, apparently applied in a hurry, partially passed through the swamp).
“It is desirable that they come here with the exact data,” said Stalin.
For each of us, it was a subject lesson. So turn here "on the globe"! "

During the Great Patriotic War, the general Sergey Stemenko He was engaged in various staff work: he took part in the assessment of the situation on the fronts, prepared proposals for the report to the Supreme Commander -in -Chief, and since April 1943, being the first deputy, and then the head of the operational department of the General Staff, played an important role in planning operations of Soviet troops. This is what he will later write in his memoirs:

“Behind the end of the table, in the corner [of Stalin's Cabinet], there was a large globe. It should be noted, however, that over hundreds of times visiting this office, I never had to see it to be used when considering operational issues. Talking about the leadership of the actions of fronts on the globe is groundless. ”

Thus, despite the ambiguous assessments of the role of Stalin as the Supreme Commander -in -Chief, the large military leaders of the Second World War of the Second World War converge: Khrushchev widespread information that the Soviet leader planned operations on the globe is a fiction.

Fake

What do our verdicts mean?

Read on the topic:

1. G.K. Zhukov. Memories and thoughts.

2. A.M. Vasilevsky. The matter of life.