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 ...
during 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 Polish-Soviet War, which existed between 7 June 1919 and
26 December 1920.
History
The 15th Army was formed on 7 June 1919 by transformation of the Army of Soviet Latvia which existed since 4 January 1919.
The Army of Soviet Latvia was operationally subordinated to the command of the Northern Front , and on 19 February 1919, became part of the newly formed
Western Front Western Front or West Front may refer to:
Military frontiers
*Western Front (World War I), a military frontier to the west of Germany
*Western Front (World War II), a military frontier to the west of Germany
*Western Front (Russian Empire), a majo ...
.
The army headquarters was stationed in
Daugavpils
Daugavpils (; russian: Двинск; ltg, Daugpiļs ; german: Dünaburg, ; pl, Dyneburg; see other names) is a state city in south-eastern Latvia, located on the banks of the Daugava River, from which the city gets its name. The parts of the c ...
.
The 15th Army conducted in July 1919 defensive battles against Estonian troops and withdrew under the onslaught of enemy forces from the territory of Latvia, except
Latgale
Latgale ( ltg, Latgola; ; ger, Lettgallen; be, Латгалія, Łathalija; pl, Łatgalia; la, Lettgallia), also known as Latgalia is one of the Historical Latvian Lands. It is the easternmost region and is north of the Daugava River. While ...
. In August 1919 the 15th Army conducted the Pskov operation and liberated Pskov. In September-October 1919, she defended Petrograd against the forces of
Nikolai Yudenich
Nikolai Nikolayevich Yudenich ( – 5 October 1933) was a commander of the Russian Imperial Army during World War I. He was a leader of the anti-communist White movement in Northwestern Russia during the Civil War.
Biography
Early life
Yuden ...
, and led in October-November a counter-offensive towards Luga, Volosovo,
Gdov
Gdov (russian: Гдов) is a town and the administrative center of Gdovsky District in Pskov Oblast, Russia, located on the river Gdovka, just from its outflow into Lake Peipus. Population:
History
It was first mentioned in the beginning of ...
and Yamburg, thus participating in the defeat of Yudenich's Northwestern Army.
Since July 1919 the left flank of the Army had been fighting defensive battles against the advancing Polish troops in Belorussia. After the final defeat of Yudenich, the 15th Army was able to concentrate all its forces against the Polish Army.
In the spring and summer of 1920, the 15th Army was part of the attack group of the Western Front and acted against the First Polish Army. In May 1920, she attacked near Švenčionys,
Maladzyechna
Maladzyechna ( be, Маладзе́чна, Maladziečna, ; russian: Молоде́чно, Molodechno; pl, Mołodeczno) is a city in the Minsk Region of Belarus, an administrative centre of the Maladzyechna District (and formerly of the Maladz ...
and Zembin, but was stopped by the enemy's attack in the rear. In July 1920, she conquered Molodechno and
Lida
Lida ( be, Лі́да ; russian: Ли́да ; lt, Lyda; lv, Ļida; pl, Lida ; yi, לידע, Lyde) is a city 168 km (104 mi) west of Minsk in western Belarus in Grodno Region.
Etymology
The name ''Lida'' arises from its Lithuan ...
. During the
Battle of Warsaw (1920)
The Battle of Warsaw (Polish: ''Bitwa Warszawska'', Russian: ''Варшавская битва'', transcription: ''Varshavskaya bitva''), also known as the Miracle on the Vistula ( Polish: ''Cud nad Wisłą''), was a series of battles that resu ...
she forced the Niemen and Narew rivers and advanced towards the
Wkra River
Wkra is a river in north-eastern Poland, a tributary of the Narew river, with a length of 255 kilometres and a basin area of 5,348 km² - all within Poland.3rd Army.
Commanders
Commanders
*
Jukums Vācietis
Jukums Vācietis (russian: Иоаким Иоакимович Вацетис, link=no, ''Ioakim Ioakimovich Vatsetis''; 11 November 1873 – 28 July 1938) was a Latvian Soviet military commander. He was a rare example of a notable Soviet leader w ...
(06.01.1919 — 10.03.1919),
*
Pēteris Slavens Pēteris Slavens (russian: Славен, Пётр Антонович, ''Slaven, Pyotr Antonovich'') (Cēsis, 5 April 1874 – Valmiera, 14 November 1919) was a Latvian Soviet military commander, who fought in the Russian Civil War.
Military career
...
(10.03.1919 — 07.06.1919).
*
Pēteris Slavens Pēteris Slavens (russian: Славен, Пётр Антонович, ''Slaven, Pyotr Antonovich'') (Cēsis, 5 April 1874 – Valmiera, 14 November 1919) was a Latvian Soviet military commander, who fought in the Russian Civil War.
Military career
...
(07.06.1919 — 25.06.1919)
* Sergei Kharlamov (25.06.1919 — 31.07.1919)
*
August Kork
August Ivanovich Kork (, also Аугуст Яанович Корк; 11 June 1937) was an Estonian Red Army commander ( Komandarm 2nd rank) who was tried and executed during the Great Purge in 1937.
Kork became an officer of the Imperial Russ ...
(31.07.1919 — 15.10.1919)
* Aleksander Kukk (15.10.1919 — 22.10.1919)
*
August Kork
August Ivanovich Kork (, also Аугуст Яанович Корк; 11 June 1937) was an Estonian Red Army commander ( Komandarm 2nd rank) who was tried and executed during the Great Purge in 1937.
Kork became an officer of the Imperial Russ ...
Sergei Mezheninov
Sergei A Mezheninov (January 19, 1890 – September 28, 1937) was a Soviet komkor (corps commander).
He fought for the Imperial Russian Army during World War I before going over to the Bolsheviks during the subsequent civil war.
During this wa ...
(25.10.1920 — 26.12.1920)
Chief of Staff
* Parfeniy Maigur (06.01.1919 — 07.06.1919),
* Aleksander Kukk (26.09.1919 — 24.09.1920)
Members of the Revolutionary Military Council include
* Arkady Rosengolts (9.06.1920 — 26.09.1920)
* Mikhail Lashevich (29.08.1920 — 26.12.1920)