Pyotr Georgievich Lushev | |
|---|---|
 Lushev in 1980 | |
| Native name | Пётр Гео́ргиевич Лу́шев |
| Born | 18 October 1923 |
| Died | 23 March 1997(1997-03-23) (aged 73) Moscow, Russia |
| Allegiance | Soviet Union |
| Branch | Soviet Army |
| Years of service | 1941–1992 |
| Rank | Army General |
| Commands | 1st Guards Tank Army Volga Military District Central Asian Military District Moscow Military District Soviet Forces in Germany Unified Armed Forces of theWarsaw Treaty Organization |
| Battles / wars | |
| Awards | |
Pyotr Georgievich Lushev (Russian:Пётр Гео́ргиевич Лу́шев; 18 October 1923 – 23 March 1997) was anArmy General of theSoviet Army during theCold War who was the lastSupreme Commander of the Unified Armed Forces of the Warsaw Treaty Organization. Lushev was made aHero of the Soviet Union on his birthday in 1983.
Pyotr Georgievich Lushev was born into a peasant family in the village Poboishche Emetsky district of the Arkhangelsk province (now the Kholmogorsky district of the Arkhangelsk region),Russia. A few years later, the family moved to the settlement of the lumber mill named after Lenin (LDK No. 3) within the boundaries of Arkhangelsk. He graduated from secondary school No. 95 in Arkhangelsk
Immediately after the start of theGreat Patriotic War in August 1941, Lushev was drafted into theRed Army. He graduated from the courses as ajunior lieutenant. He entered active service in the army in June 1942. He fought on theVolkhov andLeningrad fronts. He commanded aninfantryplatoon, and from 1944 a riflecompany. In 1945 he got promoted to senioradjutant of thebattalion. This post now corresponds tochief-of-staff of the battalion.
Lushev participated to theSinyavin offensive operation in 1942, during which he was wounded, the Leningrad-Novgorod operation, the Baltic operation, and the blockade of theCourland pocket.[1]
After the war in 1947, he graduated from the officer training courses. He served as chief of staff of a tank battalion, and then later a commander of a tank battalion. He was a member of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union since 1951. In 1954 he graduated from the Military Academy of Armored Forces named after JV Stalin. In 1954, he commanded a tank regiment, and was later a deputy commander and then a commander of a tank division. In 1966 he graduated from the Military Academy of the General Staff.
From June 1969 he was first deputy commander, and from November 1971 - commander of the 1st Guards Tank Army in the Group of Soviet Forces in Germany ( Dresden, GDR ). In 1973 he graduated from the Higher Academic Courses at the Military Academy of the General Staff. On July 30, 1973 he was made First Deputy Commander-in-Chief of theGroup of Soviet Forces in Germany. In June 1975 was made a commander of the troops of theVolga Military District, colonel-general (February 1976). In December 1977 - commander of the troops of theCentral Asian Military District. In November 1980 - commander of the troops of theMoscow Military District. The military rank "army general" was conferred by the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of November 2, 1981. In July 1985 he was made the Commander-in-Chief of the Group of Soviet Forces in Germany.
June 1986 - First Deputy Minister of Defense of the USSR . Since January 24, 1989 - Commander-in-Chief of the United Armed Forces of the Warsaw Treaty member states, he was the last military commander to occupy this post. Since April 26, 1991 - military inspector-adviser of theGroup of Inspectors General of the Ministry of Defense of the USSR.
Member of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR 10th and 11th convocations (1979–1989). People's Deputy of the USSR in 1989–1991. Member of the CPSU Central Committee in 1981–1990.
In 1992 he retired, living in Moscow before his death on 23 March 1997; Lushev is buried in theNovodevichy Cemetery.
In memory of Pyotr Lushev in 2005, a memorial plaque was erected on the building of the secondary school No. 95 in the city of Arkhangelsk, which he graduated from.
| Military offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Commander of the1st Guards Tank Army 1971–1973 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Commander of the Volga Military District 1975–1977 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Commander of the Central Asian Military District 1977–1980 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Commander of the Moscow Military District 1980–1985 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Commander of Soviet Forces in Germany 1985–1986 | Succeeded by Valeriy A. Belikov |
| Preceded by | Supreme Commander of the Unified Armed Forces of the Warsaw Treaty Organization 1989–1991 | Succeeded by post abolished |
Commanders of theWarsaw Pact | ||
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| Supreme Commanders |
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| Chiefs of Combined Staff |
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| Group of Soviet Occupation Forces in Germany (1945–54) |
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| Group of Soviet Forces in Germany (1954–89) |
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| Western Group of Forces (1989–94) |
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‡ Chief of theSoviet Military Administration in Germany | ||
