Boris Mikhailovich
Shaposhnikov
1882-1945
Boris Mikhailovich Shaposhnikov was an outstanding Soviet military leader, military theorist and statesman, Marshal of the Soviet Union (May 7, 1940). He was born on October 2, 1882 in Zlatoust in the family of a white-collar worker. He finished Krasnoufimsk Industrial School, Alekseevsk Real School in Perm, Moscow Military School (1903) and the Imperial Nicholas Military Academy of the General Staff (1910). He was a participant of the First World War: served as senior adjutant of a division, assistant to the senior adjutant of the army intelligence department, chief of staff of a brigade and division, regiment commander, Colonel (1917). He was in the Red Army since 1918, member of the All-Union Communist Party (Bolsheviks) since 1930. During the Civil War, he held key staff positions: Assistant Chief of the Operational Directorate of the Field Staff of the Revolutionary Military Council (1918), Chief of the Intelligence Directorate (1918), Chief of the Operational Directorate (1919-1921). After the war he was First Assistant to the Chief of the Red Army Staff (1921-1925). He participated in the work of the Lausanne Conference as a military expert (1922-1923). He was Commander of the Leningrad (1925-1927) and Moscow (1927-1928) Military Districts, Chief of the Red Army Staff (1928-1931), Commander of the Volga Military District (1931-1932), Head and Military Commissar of Military Academy named after M.V. Frunze (1932-1935). He became Commander of the Leningrad Military District again (1935-1937). He was Chief of the General Staff of the Red Army (1937-1940, 1941-1942), Deputy People’s Commissar of Defence of the USSR (1940-1943). He was the author of the fundamental work “The Brain of the Army” (1929). During the Great Patriotic War, he participated in the planning of operations in the initial period of the war and the counteroffensive near Moscow, and was a member of the Stavka of the Supreme High Command. From 1943 until the end of his life he was Head of Higher Military Academy named after K.E. Voroshilov. He was Deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of the 1st convocation. He was awarded three Orders of Lenin (1939, 1942, 1945), two Orders of the Red Banner (1921, 1944), the Order of Suvorov 1st Class (1944), two Orders of the Red Star (1934, 1938), as well as pre-revolutionary awards: Orders of St. Anna 2nd Class with Swords, 3rd and 4th Class, St. Stanislaus 3rd Class with Swords and Bow, St. Vladimir 4th Class with Swords and Bow. Shaposhnikov’s name has been assigned to streets in several cities, a large anti-submarine ship of the Pacific Fleet, a lane in Moscow (now Kolymazhny), and the “Vystrel” officer training courses.
Address: Moscow, Povarskaya St., 28, building 1
