There are people who left an indelible mark on the history of Russia. Among them Voronov Nikolai Nikolaevich - Marshal and Hero of the Soviet Union. A man who went through several wars and devoted almost his entire life to protecting the Motherland. This article is about him.
Childhood
Nikolai Nikolaevich Voronov was born in the last year of the 19th century on April 23 in St. Petersburg. His father had good career prospects. But, being a supporter of revolutionary changes, after the events of 1905 he came to the attention of the gendarmes and ended up in the army of the unemployed for a long time.
A family with three children experienced terrible hardships. Unable to withstand eternal poverty, Voronov's mother committed suicide in 1908. First, the children were taken in by her friend, and then they returned to their father, who finally found a job.
Little Kolya entered to study only on the second attempt, and even then - in a private institution. They did not want to take a child from an unreliable family into the state. But five years later (in 1914) Nikolai had to drop out of school due to financial difficulties.problems.
Youth
To feed himself, the future marshal got a job as a secretary for an honest attorney. The father took his daughters to the village, where it was easier to survive. But in the year 16 he was taken to the front, and the care of the sisters fell on the fragile shoulders of his brother.
We had to work even harder. Nevertheless, Voronov Nikolai Nikolaevich, who from childhood was distinguished by stubbornness and willpower, continued to independently gnaw at the granite of science. In 1917, he managed to successfully pass the exams and receive a matriculation certificate.
Civil and Soviet-Polish wars
In the spring of 1918, the biography of Nikolai Nikolaevich Voronov, who had not previously thought about a career as an officer, flowed in a new direction. A bloody civil war was in full swing in Russia, and this could not but disturb the young man. One day, after reading an advertisement in the newspaper about recruitment for artillery courses, he decided to sign up for them. This sealed his fate forever.
After completing his studies, Nikolai Nikolaevich Voronov received the rank of red commander and led a platoon of the 2nd battery, which at that time fought with the White Guards of Yudenich near Pskov. The young red commander, according to colleagues, was distinguished by a cheerful, easy disposition. He knew how to distract the soldiers from heavy thoughts and motivate them to heroic deeds. Including my own example.
Since mid-spring of the twentieth year Voronov took part in the Soviet-Polish military campaign. During the attack on Warsaw, the battery he commanded entered into an unequal battle with the enemy, who hadsignificant quantitative advantage. The Red Army had to retreat, and Nikolai Nikolaevich took on the mission to destroy the guns.
During the performance of this task, he was seriously shell-shocked. A little later he was taken prisoner, where he stayed for more than six months. He was ill with pneumonia, typhoid fever, almost lost his legs, but survived. And in April of the twenty-first year, as part of the prisoner exchange procedure, he was deported to the USSR.
Service 1922 to 1937
After returning to his homeland, Voronov Nikolai Nikolaevich was treated for a long time in the hospital, and then returned to duty. The horrors of the war he experienced did not lead him astray. He served in the 27th Omsk Rifle Division. He was in good standing with the leadership, which, as a sign of encouragement, sent him to study at the Frunze Academy. Voronov successfully graduated in 1930.
Becoming a certified specialist, Nikolai Nikolaevich commanded a regiment of artillerymen of the 1st Moscow proletarian division. Twice visited Italy, where he took part in military maneuvers. In 1934 he headed the 1st artillery school in Leningrad, for the successful leadership of which, 2 years later, he received the Order of the Red Star.
It was very useful for Voronov Nikolai Nikolaevich to visit Spain, which was burning in the fire of the civil war. Staying there as a volunteer, he learned a lot of new and necessary for his profession. This experience was useful to him later - during the Second World War.
ChiefRed Army artillery
From 1937 to 1940, Voronov led the artillery of the Red Army, which he managed to significantly modernize during this time. Being a competent and experienced specialist, he introduced many new programs, and even joined the commission that developed the weapon system at the highest level. It was going to a big war, and everyone understood it.
This period of the life of Nikolai Nikolaevich was marked by participation in the Soviet-Finnish campaign, as well as in the operation to annex Northern Bukovina and Bessarabia to the Soviet Union. In 1939, he got into a serious accident and miraculously survived. But the injuries he received had a significant impact on his he alth. In 1940, Voronov was promoted to the rank of colonel-general of artillery.
The Great Patriotic War
During the Great Patriotic War, Nikolai Nikolaevich did not take direct part in the hostilities. His mission was different. In the very first days after the perfidious invasion of the Nazis, he was engaged in strengthening the air defense of the capital. Later he built the anti-tank defense of Leningrad.
Among his most important merits is the withdrawal of artillery pieces from the retreat zones to the rear. It was not easy to pull off such an operation. But it was these guns that played a huge role when our troops went on the offensive.
Another achievement is the reform, during which the air defense forces came under the control of the Red Army. This allowed the gunners and air defense forces to operate more smoothly. A little later, Voronov developed a project according to which the infantryaccompanied by mobile artillery guns. This solved the burning issue. The infantrymen received at least some protection from enemy aircraft, which had previously behaved extremely brazenly out of impunity and disrupted more than one important operation.
As a representative of the Headquarters, Voronov visited the area of the Stalingrad and Kursk battles. The top leadership often sent him to the most important areas of military events to adequately assess the situation. Stalin believed him. And Nikolai Nikolaevich in most cases justified the trust.
Voronov represented the Soviet side at a meeting with Churchill in 1942. In 1943 he was awarded the rank of marshal. And since February 1944, Voronov Nikolai Nikolaevich was the Chief Marshal of Artillery of the USSR.
Post-war years
In 1946, on the initiative of Voronov, the Academy of Artillery Sciences was established in Moscow, which he headed 4 years later. Huge research work was carried out here with the participation of leading Soviet scientists. From 1953 to 1958, Nikolai Nikolayevich supervised the Leningrad Artillery Command Academy. And at the very end of the 50s, he went to work in the General Inspectorate of the Moscow Region.
Since 1965 Voronov Nikolai Nikolaevich - Hero of the Soviet Union. The assignment of this title to him was timed to coincide with the 20th anniversary of the Victory. Marshal until the end of his life was active in the patriotic education of youth. He died on February 28, 1968 from cancer. The ashes of the hero are buried near the walls of the Kremlin.
Private life
Little is known about Voronov's personal life. He didn't expose herfor show Marshal was married, had a son who followed in his father's footsteps and became a candidate of military sciences.
Nikolai Nikolayevich was remembered by relatives, friends, acquaintances and colleagues as a very sociable, endearing person with a good sense of humor. Among his hobbies are sports (especially football and tennis). He also loved taking pictures and going hunting.
The biography of Nikolai Voronov and the awards he received is an example for posterity. His contemporaries also learned a lot from him. The contribution of this man to the development of military affairs and to the victory over fascism is difficult to overestimate.
