Kirill Meretskov (7 Jun 1897 - 30 Dec. 1968)
Meretskov was permanent advisor to Stavka (the Soviet High Command) when Germany invaded, but was arrested by the Soviet secret police, the NKVD, as an alleged member of an anti-Soviet military conspiracy. He was interrogated and released. His guilty plea helped to sentence other members of the conspiracy, and Meretskov himself was pardoned.
He became commander of the 4th Army and defended Leningrad. Here, he led his troops to victory by recapturing Tikhvin. This counterattack helped to strengthen Soviet resolve and interfere with other German offensives. Meretskov would be defeated later at Lyuban in 1942 as commander of the Volkhov Front and deputy high commander of the Western Front. Meretskov would blame a subordinate commander for the defeat, knowing that accepting defeat, as a former prisoner, would risk his life.
After Lyuban, Meretskov joined forces with Govorov and managed to break the German blockade of Leningrad. Later, following numerous offensives on the Germans, Leningrad was completely freed and the Soviet counteroffensive was well under way. In February 1944, Meretskov led forces in Finland and in 1945 he would command in Manchuria, battling the Japanese.
For more information on Kirill Meretskov:
Glantz, David M. The Battle for Leningrad 1941 – 1944 (Kansas: Kansas University Press), 2002.
(Russian) “Кирилл Афанасьевич Мерецков”, on http://www.hrono.ru/biograf/bio_m/mereckov_ka.php [last accessed 29/03/2012].
He became commander of the 4th Army and defended Leningrad. Here, he led his troops to victory by recapturing Tikhvin. This counterattack helped to strengthen Soviet resolve and interfere with other German offensives. Meretskov would be defeated later at Lyuban in 1942 as commander of the Volkhov Front and deputy high commander of the Western Front. Meretskov would blame a subordinate commander for the defeat, knowing that accepting defeat, as a former prisoner, would risk his life.
After Lyuban, Meretskov joined forces with Govorov and managed to break the German blockade of Leningrad. Later, following numerous offensives on the Germans, Leningrad was completely freed and the Soviet counteroffensive was well under way. In February 1944, Meretskov led forces in Finland and in 1945 he would command in Manchuria, battling the Japanese.
For more information on Kirill Meretskov:
Glantz, David M. The Battle for Leningrad 1941 – 1944 (Kansas: Kansas University Press), 2002.
(Russian) “Кирилл Афанасьевич Мерецков”, on http://www.hrono.ru/biograf/bio_m/mereckov_ka.php [last accessed 29/03/2012].