Dmitry Timofeyevich Kozlov
Encyclopedia
Dmitry Timofeyevich Kozlov (October 23 (November 4) 1896, Razgulyayka, now in Nizhny Novgorod Oblast
- December 6 1967, Minsk
) was a Soviet military commander.
. He served in the First World War and graduated from officer training school in 1917. He moved to the Red Army
in 1918, commanding a battalion then a regiment in the Russian Civil War
.
In December 1922 he became the commander of the 4th Turkestan Regiment, then of the 109th Regiment in September 1924. He moved to the staff in 1928, then to head the Kiev Infantry School in 1930. He then became the commander and commissar of 44th Rifle Division
in January 1931. Next he became a general tactical lecturer at the RKKA Military Academy
in December 1935, deputy commander of the troops in Odessa Military District
in April 1940, head of the Main Directorate of Red Army Air Defence in December 1940. 1940 also saw him promoted to lieutenant general
. He also fought in the Russo-Finnish War.
and when the Germans invaded in August that year he was put in command of the Transcaucasian Front
, where he led the Soviet contingent in the Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran
.
He moved to command the Caucasian Front in December 1941 and the Crimean Front
in January 1942. He commanded the Kerch Peninsula landings
but, despite initial successes, the operation ended in disaster, with the Soviets losing over 176,000 men, 37 tanks, around 3,500 guns and mortars and 400 aircraft and losing the bridgehead to the Germans in Operation Trappenjagd. On 4 June 1942 he was demoted to major general and removed from command of the front. In August that year he was transferred to command 24th Army and from October 1942 was assistant deputy commander of the Voronezh Front
.
Kozlov headed Kharkov's defence and was one of the last Russians to leave it before the Germans recaptured it on 14 March 1943. From 14 to 21 March 1943 Soviet divisions were constantly withdrawing through the woods northeast of Mokhnachev, and Kozlov took the same route away from Kharkov. From May to August 1943 he was given a post on the Leningrad Front
and from August 1943 was made deputy commander of the Transbaikal Front
, where he took part in the Soviet intervention against Japan. From 1946 until his retirement in 1954 he was made deputy commander of Transbaikal. He died in 1967 in Minsk.
Nizhny Novgorod Oblast
Nizhny Novgorod Oblast is a federal subject of Russia . Its administrative center is the city of Nizhny Novgorod. Population: The oblast is crossed by the Volga River. Apart from Nizhny Novgorod's metropolitan area, the biggest city is Arzamas...
- December 6 1967, Minsk
Minsk
- Ecological situation :The ecological situation is monitored by Republican Center of Radioactive and Environmental Control .During 2003–2008 the overall weight of contaminants increased from 186,000 to 247,400 tons. The change of gas as industrial fuel to mazut for financial reasons has worsened...
) was a Soviet military commander.
1914-1941
Born in the village of Razgulyayka, he left school in 1915 and joined the Russian Army at the rank of PraporshchikPraporshchik
Praporshchik is a rank in the Russian military.-Imperial Russia:Praporshchik was originally a name of a junior commissioned officer rank in the military of the Russian Empire equivalent to ensign...
. He served in the First World War and graduated from officer training school in 1917. He moved to the Red Army
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...
in 1918, commanding a battalion then a regiment in the Russian Civil War
Russian Civil War
The Russian Civil War was a multi-party war that occurred within the former Russian Empire after the Russian provisional government collapsed to the Soviets, under the domination of the Bolshevik party. Soviet forces first assumed power in Petrograd The Russian Civil War (1917–1923) was a...
.
In December 1922 he became the commander of the 4th Turkestan Regiment, then of the 109th Regiment in September 1924. He moved to the staff in 1928, then to head the Kiev Infantry School in 1930. He then became the commander and commissar of 44th Rifle Division
44th Rifle Division (Soviet Union)
The 44th Kievskaya of the Red Banner Rifle Division of Nikolay Shchors, or 44th Kievskaya for short, was an elite military formation of the Soviet Union....
in January 1931. Next he became a general tactical lecturer at the RKKA Military Academy
Soviet military academies
There were/are a number of military academies in the Soviet Union/Russia of different specialties.Unlike Western military academies such as West Point, Soviet, now Russian, military and police institutions referred to as "academy" are post-graduate professional military schools for experienced...
in December 1935, deputy commander of the troops in Odessa Military District
Odessa Military District
The Odessa Military District was a military administrative division of the Imperial Russian military, the Soviet Armed Forces and the Ukrainian Armed Forces and was known under such name from around 1862 to 1998. It was reorganized as part of the Military of Ukraine and the Military of Moldova in...
in April 1940, head of the Main Directorate of Red Army Air Defence in December 1940. 1940 also saw him promoted to lieutenant general
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General....
. He also fought in the Russo-Finnish War.
1941-1967
In January 1941 he was appointed commander of the troops of Transcaucasian Military DistrictTranscaucasian Military District
The Transcaucasian Military District, a military district of the Soviet Armed Forces, traces its history to May 1921 and the incorporation of Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia into the USSR...
and when the Germans invaded in August that year he was put in command of the Transcaucasian Front
Transcaucasian Front
Transcaucasian Front or Transcaucasus Front was a Front of the Soviet Army during the Second World War. This sense of the term is not identical with the more general usage of military front which indicates a geographic area in wartime, although a Soviet Front may operate within designated...
, where he led the Soviet contingent in the Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran
Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran
The Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran was the Allied invasion of the Imperial State of Iran during World War II, by British, Commonwealth, and Soviet armed forces. The invasion from August 25 to September 17, 1941, was codenamed Operation Countenance...
.
He moved to command the Caucasian Front in December 1941 and the Crimean Front
Crimean Front
The Crimean Front was one of the Soviet Army fronts of World War II. It was commanded throughout its existence by Dmitr Timofeyevich Kozlov and was made up of the Soviet 44th, 47th and 51st Armies...
in January 1942. He commanded the Kerch Peninsula landings
Battle of the Kerch Peninsula
Battle of the Kerch Peninsula was a World War II offensive by German and Romanian armies against the Soviet Crimean Front forces defending the Kerch Peninsula, in the eastern part of the Crimea. It was launched on 8 May 1942 and concluded around 18 May 1942 with the near complete destruction of...
but, despite initial successes, the operation ended in disaster, with the Soviets losing over 176,000 men, 37 tanks, around 3,500 guns and mortars and 400 aircraft and losing the bridgehead to the Germans in Operation Trappenjagd. On 4 June 1942 he was demoted to major general and removed from command of the front. In August that year he was transferred to command 24th Army and from October 1942 was assistant deputy commander of the Voronezh Front
Voronezh Front
The Voronezh Front was a front of the Soviet Union's Red Army during the Second World War. The name indicated the primary geographical region in which the Front first fought, based on the town of Voronezh on the Don River....
.
Kozlov headed Kharkov's defence and was one of the last Russians to leave it before the Germans recaptured it on 14 March 1943. From 14 to 21 March 1943 Soviet divisions were constantly withdrawing through the woods northeast of Mokhnachev, and Kozlov took the same route away from Kharkov. From May to August 1943 he was given a post on the Leningrad Front
Leningrad Front
The Leningrad Front was first formed on August 27, 1941, by dividing the Northern Front into the Leningrad Front and Karelian Front, during the German approach on Leningrad .-History:...
and from August 1943 was made deputy commander of the Transbaikal Front
Transbaikal Front
The Transbaikal Front was a front formed on September 15, 1941 on base of the Transbaikal Military District. Initially, it included the 17th and 36th armies, but in August 1942 the 12th Air Army was added to the front, and, finally, in June-July 1945 the 39th and the 53rd armies, the 6th Guards...
, where he took part in the Soviet intervention against Japan. From 1946 until his retirement in 1954 he was made deputy commander of Transbaikal. He died in 1967 in Minsk.