Voroshilov, Marshal Kliment

The Oxford Companion to World War II | 2001 | 700+ words | Copyright

Voroshilov, Marshal Kliment (1881–1969), Stalin's earliest and most intimate military associate, who became the Soviet defence minister in 1925 and a marshal in 1935. His incompetence, and Stalin's obstinacy, resulted in profound embarrassment in the 1939–40Finnish–Soviet war and his removal from the defence ministry.

In July 1941 he was appointed to command North-West front (army group) to stem the German onslaught on Leningrad. However, by September he had conclusively demonstrated his unsuitability for field command and was replaced. For two months in 1942, he was the nominal C-in-C of the partisan movement; and in January and December 1943, he lent his presence—briefly, in the planning stage—to offensives at Leningrad and in the Crimea. Nevertheless, Stalin retained him in the Stavka throughout the war. He was also a member of the Soviet delegation at several Allied conferences (see Grand Alliance) and was prominent in post-war Soviet politics.

Earl Ziemke

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I. C. B. DEAR and M. R. D. FOOT. " Voroshilov, Marshal Kliment." The Oxford Companion to World War II. 2001. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

I. C. B. DEAR and M. R. D. FOOT. " Voroshilov, Marshal Kliment." The Oxford Companion to World War II. 2001. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O129-VoroshilovMarshalKliment.html

I. C. B. DEAR and M. R. D. FOOT. " Voroshilov, Marshal Kliment." The Oxford Companion to World War II. 2001. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O129-VoroshilovMarshalKliment.html

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