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The 1st Cavalry Army (russian: Первая конная армия, Pervaya konnaya armiya) was a prominent
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army (Russian language, Russian: Рабо́че-крестья́нская Кра́сная армия),) often shortened to the Red Army, was the army and air force of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist R ...
military formation. It was also known as "Budyonny's Cavalry Army" or simply as ''Konarmia'' (Кона́рмия, "Horsearmy").
History
When the
Russian Civil War
{{Infobox military conflict
, conflict = Russian Civil War
, partof = the Russian Revolution and the aftermath of World War I
, image =
, caption = Clockwise from top left:
{{flatlist,
*Soldiers ...
broke out in 1918, a non-commissioned officer named
Budyonny organized a small
cavalry
Historically, cavalry (from the French word ''cavalerie'', itself derived from "cheval" meaning "horse") are soldiers or warriors who fight mounted on horseback. Cavalry were the most mobile of the combat arms, operating as light cavalry in ...
force in the
Don region out of local
Cossacks
The Cossacks , es, cosaco , et, Kasakad, cazacii , fi, Kasakat, cazacii , french: cosaques , hu, kozákok, cazacii , it, cosacchi , orv, коза́ки, pl, Kozacy , pt, cossacos , ro, cazaci , russian: казаки́ or ...
. This force rapidly grew in numbers, sided with the
Bolshevik
The Bolsheviks (russian: Большевики́, from большинство́ ''bol'shinstvó'', 'majority'),; derived from ''bol'shinstvó'' (большинство́), "majority", literally meaning "one of the majority". also known in English ...
s and eventually became the 1st Cavalry Army. It was transformed from a
guerrilla force into a proper military unit under the command of
Semyon Budyonny
Semyon Mikhailovich Budyonnyy ( rus, Семён Миха́йлович Будённый, Semyon Mikháylovich Budyonnyy, p=sʲɪˈmʲɵn mʲɪˈxajləvʲɪdʑ bʊˈdʲɵnːɨj, a=ru-Simeon Budyonniy.ogg; – 26 October 1973) was a Russian ca ...
, and the political guidance of
Kliment Voroshilov
Kliment Yefremovich Voroshilov (, uk, Климент Охрімович Ворошилов, ''Klyment Okhrimovyč Vorošylov''), popularly known as Klim Voroshilov (russian: link=no, Клим Вороши́лов, ''Klim Vorošilov''; 4 Februa ...
, and at a crucial time too with the red army not doing particularly well in the southern front due to a lack of cavalry.
This army played an important role in winning the Civil War for the Bolsheviks, driving the
White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White ...
General
Anton Denikin
Anton Ivanovich Denikin (russian: Анто́н Ива́нович Дени́кин, link= ; 16 December Old_Style_and_New_Style_dates">O.S._4_December.html" ;"title="Old_Style_and_New_Style_dates.html" ;"title="nowiki/>Old Style and New St ...
back from his advance towards Moscow.
In 1920 Budyonny's Cavalry Army took part in the defence from
Poland
Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populou ...
during the
Polish-Bolshevik War, at first with remarkable success. The 1st Cavalry Army
pushed Polish forces out of Ukraine and broke through Polish southern frontlines, but later was bogged down at
Lvov. This in turn led to a heavy defeat of the rest of the
Bolshevik
The Bolsheviks (russian: Большевики́, from большинство́ ''bol'shinstvó'', 'majority'),; derived from ''bol'shinstvó'' (большинство́), "majority", literally meaning "one of the majority". also known in English ...
forces in the
Battle of Warsaw. When Budyonny's Cavalry finally joined the battle it was also soundly defeated in the
Battle of Komarów
The Battle of Komarów, or the Zamość Ring, was one of the most important battles of the Polish-Soviet War. It took place between 30 August and 2 September 1920, near the village of Komarowo (now Komarów) near Zamość. It was the last lar ...
, known as the last great cavalry battle in history. At this point, the 1st Cavalry Army's morale and discipline were at a low point and robbery and violence against the civilian population became commonplace. The 1st Cavalry Army also became known for periodic outbreaks of murderous anti-semitism.
[Barmine, Alexander, ''One Who Survived'', New York: G.P. Putnam (1945), footnote, p. 21]
The remains of the 1st Cavalry Army were sent south to fight
Wrangel’s
White forces in
Ukraine
Ukraine ( uk, Україна, Ukraïna, ) is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the second-largest European country after Russia, which it borders to the east and northeast. Ukraine covers approximately . Prior to the ongoing Russian inva ...
and the
Crimea
Crimea, crh, Къырым, Qırım, grc, Κιμμερία / Ταυρική, translit=Kimmería / Taurikḗ ( ) is a peninsula in Ukraine, on the northern coast of the Black Sea, that has been occupied by Russia since 2014. It has a p ...
. In May 1921 the 1st Cavalry Army was moved to
North Caucasus
The North Caucasus, ( ady, Темыр Къафкъас, Temır Qafqas; kbd, Ишхъэрэ Къаукъаз, İṩxhərə Qauqaz; ce, Къилбаседа Кавказ, Q̇ilbaseda Kavkaz; , os, Цӕгат Кавказ, Cægat Kavkaz, inh, ...
. This movement was the basis of myth about the invincible 1st Cavalry Army, which has been cultivated by
Soviet propaganda
Propaganda in the Soviet Union was the practice of state-directed communication to promote class conflict, internationalism, the goals of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, and the party itself.
The main Soviet censorship body, Glavlit ...
. On 4 May, its field headquarters was used to form the headquarters of the
North Caucasus Military District
The North Caucasus Military District was a military district of the Russian Armed Forces, which became in 2010 the Southern Military District and lately also included the Black Sea Fleet and Caspian Flotilla.
It comprised the Republic of Adygeya, ...
(2nd formation). However, troops remained subordinated to the army staff until its dissolution on 11 October 1923.
The march of the 1st Cavalry Army became popular after the
Russian Civil War
{{Infobox military conflict
, conflict = Russian Civil War
, partof = the Russian Revolution and the aftermath of World War I
, image =
, caption = Clockwise from top left:
{{flatlist,
*Soldiers ...
and was celebrated in a song, ''
We are the Red Cavalry'' (russian: Мы красная кавалерия). Other titles of the song were "Мы красные кавалеристы" (We, Red cavalrymen) and "
�арш Буденного (
Budenny march), and "Марш красных конников" (March of the Red horsemen).
In commemoration, a monument to the 1st Cavalry Army was built in Lvov oblast, Ukraine.
Notable figures in the 1st Cavalry Army
*
Semyon Budyonny
Semyon Mikhailovich Budyonnyy ( rus, Семён Миха́йлович Будённый, Semyon Mikháylovich Budyonnyy, p=sʲɪˈmʲɵn mʲɪˈxajləvʲɪdʑ bʊˈdʲɵnːɨj, a=ru-Simeon Budyonniy.ogg; – 26 October 1973) was a Russian ca ...
*
Kliment Voroshilov
Kliment Yefremovich Voroshilov (, uk, Климент Охрімович Ворошилов, ''Klyment Okhrimovyč Vorošylov''), popularly known as Klim Voroshilov (russian: link=no, Клим Вороши́лов, ''Klim Vorošilov''; 4 Februa ...
*
Georgy Zhukov
Georgy Konstantinovich Zhukov ( rus, Георгий Константинович Жуков, p=ɡʲɪˈorɡʲɪj kənstɐnʲˈtʲinəvʲɪtɕ ˈʐukəf, a=Ru-Георгий_Константинович_Жуков.ogg; 1 December 1896 – ...
, Soviet military commander, famous for his role in World War II.
*
Grigory Kulik
Grigory Ivanovich Kulik ( ua, Григорій Іванович Кулик; russian: Григо́рий Ива́нович Кули́к, Grigóriy Ivánovich Kulík; 9 November 1890 – 24 August 1950), a Soviet Union, Soviet military commande ...
, Soviet military commander
*
Kirill Meretskov, Soviet military commander
*
Semyon Timoshenko
Semyon Konstantinovich Timoshenko (russian: link=no, Семён Константи́нович Тимоше́нко, ''Semyon Konstantinovich Timoshenko''; uk, Семе́н Костянти́нович Тимоше́нко, ''Semen Kostiantyno ...
, Soviet military commander
*
Andrei Grechko, Soviet military commander
*
Efim Shchadenko, Soviet military commander
*
Andrei Bubnov, Soviet military commander
*
Semyon Krivoshein, Soviet military commander
*
Isaac Babel, journalist and writer, who wrote the
1920 Diary and the book ''
Red Cavalry'' based on his experiences
*
Vadim Yakovlev,
yesaul
*
Grigori Maslakov, Soviet military commander, who later defected to the
Makhnovists
References
Sources
*
* Д. Ознобишин. К истории Первой Конной Армии // журнал "
Вопросы истории", № 12, декабрь 1949. стр.109-126
External links
Bibliography of the Polish-Soviet War The City University of New York
{{DEFAULTSORT:1st Cavalry Army
Military units and formations established in 1918
1918 establishments in Russia
Soviet Cavalry Armies