Yakubovsky Ivan Ignatievich is one of the most famous heroes of World War II. For his courage and professionalism, he was twice presented for the highest award (Hero of the Soviet Union). For many years his personality has been an example to the younger generation. And the operations carried out are an example of the ideal strategy and tactics on the battlefield. In addition to military merits, Ivan Ignatievich showed his managerial skills in the postwar period. For several decades, he played a significant role in the Red Army and the life of the USSR.
Yakubovsky Ivan Ignatievich: biography. Youth
Yakubovsky Ivan was born in the territory of modern Belarus in 1912. His parents were ordinary peasants. At the time of the birth of Ivan, the family already had five children. Therefore, since childhood, he worked hard, helping parents in daily affairs. Immediately, in the Mogilev province, he graduated from school. After graduation, he continues to work on the collective farm. He takes an active citizenship. At eighteen, he becomes secretary in the village council. At the same time, he gets a job at a brick factory. Two years later, among the graduates of the Orsha College was Yakubovsky Ivan Ignatievich. The family had high hopes for him, since from childhood the guy showed extraordinary abilities.
Conscription
Immediately after graduating from college, he was drafted into the Red Army for military service. For training, he is sent to the Minsk military school, in which he studies until 1934. Then begins a military career. In Vitebsk, he receives a training platoon subordinate. In this position, he proved himself well, so the command offers him to continue his studies. A year later, he was sent to Leningrad for further training. There he listens to a course for the commanding staff of armored forces. After that, Yakubovsky was assigned to command a tank platoon.
In 1939, the situation in Europe grew tense. The war is about to break out. The Soviet Union is trying to push its borders as far as possible. In mid-September begins the Polish campaign of the Red Army. Soviet troops occupied the territory of modern Western Ukraine and Belarus. During this campaign, Polish troops did not show resistance, and the local population massively supported the Red Army. Nevertheless, maneuvering a few kilometers from the Wehrmacht troops, the military carried out a difficult mission. Yakubovsky Ivan Ignatievich and the unit entrusted to him perfectly fulfilled their task and in a short time occupied all the indicated settlements.
Finnish war
That same winter, a new war began, preceding World War II. To ensure the security of the northern border and eliminate the Finnish threat, the Soviet army decides to launch an offensive on Finland. This operation will later be called the "winter war". Yakubovsky also took part in it. Breaking many kilometers deep into Finland, the Soviet troops were faced with a number of serious problems. Constant supply disruptions, terrible cold, the actions of Finnish saboteurs led to serious losses.
The beginning of World War II
At the time of the Nazi Germany attack on the USSR, Ivan Ignatievich Yakubovsky was on the Western Front. The war machine of the Third Reich broke through to the capital of the Byelorussian SSR - Minsk. Fights for the city began. In bloody battles, many soldiers died on both sides. However, after 3 days the city fell. The Red Army caught panic. Yakubovsky’s division moved to Mogilev. A few days later, the Nazis besieged the city. Heroic resistance did not bring serious successes in the defense of Mogilev, but managed to thwart German plans for a quick capture of the entire BSSR.
For his courage, Yakubovsky was presented to the Order of the Red Star. After retiring from Belarus, he commanded various formations on the Western Front.
Retreat of troops
In the spring of 1942, heavy fighting for the Donbass began. In the Donetsk steppes of the Red Army, it was finally possible to carry out a series of offensive operations. Settlements several times passed from hand to hand. Yakubovsky has always been at the forefront. Once his tank was knocked down and the car caught fire, but Ivan was able to get out. After the fall of Donbass, he took part in other key battles of the Great Patriotic War. Acted near Stalingrad and forced Don. The list of those who distinguished themselves in the battle of Kursk was Yakubovsky Ivan Ignatievich. The captain’s family was evacuated at that time and regularly sent letters to the front, which Ivan himself later recalled repeatedly.
After the victory over the Germans near Kursk, a swift offensive began along the entire front line. City after city was liberated. A special obstacle to the Red Army was the Dnieper. Forcing the river turned out to be extremely difficult. In order to break up the German force grouping in the Kiev region, it was necessary to take the strategically important city of Fastov. During his release, Yakubovsky Ivan Ignatievich distinguished himself. The feat of his team the very next day was printed by newspapers across the country. The unit entrusted to him destroyed more than 30 enemy tanks.
Yakubovsky Ivan - Hero of the Soviet Union
For these merits, the commander was introduced to the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. After the liberation of Kiev, Ivan was awarded the title of deputy commander of the tank corps. His compound is involved in the attack on Lviv. During this operation, Yakubovsky’s tanks play a significant role in expanding the Sandomierz bridgehead. Heavy fighting did not stop for a day. Reinforcements approached the Nazis from the west. Despite all the efforts of the Polish Army Ludova, they without loss broke through to the front.
The offensive could get bogged down in protracted battles, if not for Yakubovsky Ivan Ignatievich. The commander’s feat during the Lviv-Sandomierz operation brought him the second gold
star of the Hero of the Soviet Union.After the war
The end of the war Yakubovsky met in Berlin. His unit participated in the capture of the Nazi capital and perfectly completed the task. During the fighting, Ivan was wounded several times, his car caught fire. For direct participation in the battles he earned great respect from the personnel. After the war, he graduated from the Academy of the General Staff and commanded the tank forces of several districts. After 15 years, he received the post of commander in chief of a group of forces in East Germany. This military district was extremely important because it was located on the border of Western countries. During the Berlin crisis, when the world was on the verge of a new war, Yakubovsky worked as deputy commander in chief and was responsible for all organizational work.
Marshal
He then worked at the headquarters and the Ministry of Defense. In 1967, by order of the commander-in-chief, a new marshal of the Soviet Union, Ivan Yakubovsky, was announced. He will publish interesting facts of his biography and memories of this event in his memoirs. For his military merits, the marshal received not only Soviet awards, but also foreign ones. Including German and Czechoslovak.
Ivan Yakubovsky died in 1976. To this day, in some cities there are monuments to him, as well as streets named after the hero. Many people still remember who Ivan Yakubovsky is, Marshal of the Soviet Union.