Grigori Shtern
| Grigori Mihailovich Shtern | |
|---|---|
Grigori Mihailovich Shtern
|
|
| Born |
July 24, 1900 Smila, Russian Empire |
| Died | October 28, 1941 (aged 41) |
| Allegiance |
 Soviet Union (1922–1941) |
| Service/branch |
 Red Army
|
| Years of service | 1919–1941 |
| Rank | Colonel General |
| Commands held |
1st Red Banner Army Far Eastern Front 8th Army |
| Battles/wars | Spanish Civil War, Battle of Lake Khasan, Battle of Khalkhin Gol (Nomonhan), Winter War |
| Awards | Hero of the Soviet Union among others |
Grigori Mihailovich Shtern (Russian: Григорий Михайлович Штерн, 24 July (6 August) 1900 – 28 October 1941) was a Soviet officer in the Red Army and military advisor during the Spanish Civil War. He also served with distinction during the Soviet-Japanese Border Wars and the Winter War.
Shtern was born into a Jewish family in Smila, Kiev Governorate in 1900. He started his military career as a Commissar of a Red Army brigade in 1919, the same year he joined the Bolshevik Party. Shtern graduated from the Military Academy of the Red Army in 1929 and worked for the People's Commissariat for Military Affairs. He was appointed commander of the 7th Cavalry Division in 1936. Shtern served as a Soviet military advisor to the Spanish Republican Army during the Spanish Civil War between January 1937 to April 1938.
After returning from Spain, Shtern became chief of staff of the Far Eastern Front, commanded by Vasily Blyukher, who would soon be executed in the Great Purge. During the July and August 1938 Battle of Lake Khasan, Shtern was given command of operations after Blyukher's initial counterattack failed. He attacked the Japanese troops on the disputed ridge with numerically superior forces and slowly pushed them back. The pressure of the Soviet attack forced the Japanese to a cease-fire on 11 August as they could not hold the ridge without widening the conflict. On 31 August Stalin decided to abolish the Far Eastern Front as he felt it had not "proved its worth", and Shtern was given command of the new 1st Red Banner Army. On 9 February 1939 he was promoted to Komandarm 2nd rank.
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