Shaposhnikov, Marshal Boris

Shaposhnikov, Marshal Boris (1882–1945),Red Army officer, highly valued by Stalin, who served as Chief of the General Staff (CGS) from 1928 to 1931, from 1937 to 1940, and during the early part of the German–Soviet war.

Shaposhnikov was an extremely able and talented staff officer who drew up the plans for the Soviet occupation of eastern Poland during the Polish campaign and the Red Army's eventual success in the Finnish–Soviet war. In August 1937 he became deputy to the Defence Commissar, Voroshilov, as well as CGS, but when Voroshilov was removed in May 1940 so was Shaposhnikov, though the same month he was promoted marshal of the Soviet Union. He left his post as CGS in August 1940 to take charge of the new Stalin Line which was being constructed on the Soviet Union's new borders. After the German invasion in June 1941 (see BARBAROSSA) he again became CGS and a member of the Stavka. But his health declined and in May 1942 he was replaced by Vasilevsky and again became Deputy Defence Commissar. In June 1943 he was appointed to head the Voroshilov Higher Military Academy, a post he held until his death.

Bibliography

Shukman, H.(ed.), Stalin's Generals (London, 1993).