Army Of Soviet Latvia
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The 15th Army was a field army of the
Red Army The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army, often shortened to the Red Army, was the army and air force of the Russian Soviet Republic and, from 1922, the Soviet Union. The army was established in January 1918 by a decree of the Council of People ...
during the
Russian Civil War The Russian Civil War () was a multi-party civil war in the former Russian Empire sparked by the 1917 overthrowing of the Russian Provisional Government in the October Revolution, as many factions vied to determine Russia's political future. I ...
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. The army headquarters was stationed in
Daugavpils Daugavpils (see also other names) is a state city in southeastern Latvia, located on the banks of the Daugava River, from which the city derives its name. The parts of the city to the north of the river belong to the historical Latvian region ...
. 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 (; ; ; ; ; ; Belarusian Latin alphabet, Belarusian Latin: ''Łathalija''; ), also known as Latgalia or Latgallia, is one of the Historical Latvian Lands. It is the easternmost region of the country and lies north of the Daugava River. Wh ...
. 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 ( Russian: Николай Николаевич Юденич; – 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 northweste ...
, and led in October–November a counter-offensive towards Luga, Volosovo,
Gdov Gdov () is a types of inhabited localities in Russia, 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 menti ...
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 Švenčionys (; ; known also by several Švenčionys#Etymology, alternative names) is a city in eastern Lithuania, and capital of the Švenčionys district municipality, located north of Vilnius. , it had a population of 4,065 of which about 17% ...
,
Maladzyechna Maladzyechna, or Molodechno, is a town in Minsk Region, Belarus. It serves as the administrative centre of Maladzyechna District (and formerly of Molodechno Region from 1944 to 1960). Maladzyechna is located northwest of Minsk. In 2006, it had ...
and Zembin, but was stopped by the enemy's attack in the rear. In July 1920, she conquered Molodechno and
Lida Lida is a city in Grodno Region, western Belarus, located west of Minsk. It serves as the administrative center of Lida District. As of 2025, it has a population of 103,262. Etymology The name ''Lida'' arises from its Lithuanian name ''Ly ...
. During the
Battle of Warsaw (1920) The Battle of Warsaw (; , ), also known as the Miracle on the Vistula (), was a series of battles that resulted in a decisive Polish victory and complete disintegration of the Red Army in August 1920 during the Polish–Soviet War. After the ...
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 (; – 28 July 1938) was a Latvian and Soviet military commander. He was a rare example of a notable Soviet leader who was not a member of the Communist Party (or of any other political party), until his demise during the Great ...
(06.01.1919 — 10.03.1919), *
Pēteris Slavens Pēteris Slavens (; Cēsis, 5 April 1874 – Valmiera, 14 November 1919) was a Latvian Soviet military commander, who fought in the Russian Civil War The Russian Civil War () was a multi-party civil war in the former Russian Empire sparked ...
(10.03.1919 — 07.06.1919). *
Pēteris Slavens Pēteris Slavens (; Cēsis, 5 April 1874 – Valmiera, 14 November 1919) was a Latvian Soviet military commander, who fought in the Russian Civil War The Russian Civil War () was a multi-party civil war in the former Russian Empire sparked ...
(07.06.1919 — 25.06.1919) * Sergei Kharlamov (25.06.1919 — 31.07.1919) *
August Kork August Ivanovich Kork (, also Аугуст Яанович Корк; 12 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 Rus ...
(31.07.1919 — 15.10.1919) * Aleksander Kukk (15.10.1919 — 22.10.1919) *
August Kork August Ivanovich Kork (, also Аугуст Яанович Корк; 12 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 Rus ...
(22.10.1919 — 16.10.1920) * B.L. Nеgrodov (16.10.1920 — 25.10.1920) *
Sergei Mezheninov Sergei Aleksandrovich Mezheninov (19 January 1890 – 28 September 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. Dur ...
(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 Arkady Pavlovich Rosengolts (Russian: Арка́дий Па́влович Розенго́льц; 4 November 1889 – 15 March 1938; sometimes spelled Rosengoltz or Rosenholz) was a Bolshevik revolutionary, Soviet military leader, politician an ...
(9.06.1920 — 26.09.1920) *
Mikhail Lashevich Mikhail Mikhailovich Lashevich (; 1884 – 30 August 1928), also known under the name ''Gaskovich'', was a Soviet military and party leader. Lashevich was born as Moisey Gaskovich into a Jewish merchant family in Odessa. He joined the Russia ...
(29.08.1920 — 26.12.1920)


Sources

* * {{Soviet Armies of the Russian Civil War Soviet field armies in the Russian Civil War Military units and formations established in 1919 Military units and formations disestablished in 1920 Latvia in the Russian Civil War