Arkady Yermakov

In this name that follows Eastern Slavic naming customs, the patronymic is Nikolayevich and the family name is Yermakov.

Arkady Nikolayevich Yermakov
Born	(1899-09-22)22 September 1899 Mtsensk, Oryol Governorate, Russian Empire
Died	25 October 1957(1957-10-25) (aged 58) Moscow, Soviet Union
Allegiance	Russian SFSR  Soviet Union
Service / branch	Soviet Army
Years of service	1918–1957
Rank	Lieutenant-General
Commands	100th Rifle Division 2nd Rifle Corps Operational Group Yermakov 50th Army 20th Army 60th Rifle Corps 23rd Guards Rifle Corps 36th Guards Rifle Corps 2nd Guards Rifle Corps
Battles / wars	Russian Civil War World War II Winter War Eastern Front
Awards	Order of Lenin (3) Order of the Red Banner (2) Order of Kutuzov, 2nd class

Arkady Nikolayevich Yermakov^[a] (22 September [O.S. 10 September] 1899 – 25 October 1957) was a Soviet Army lieutenant general.

Yermakov served as a Red Army commander during the Winter War and World War II. He served as the Senior Military Adviser to the Chinese People's Liberation Army during the Cold War.

Early life and career

Winter War

During the Finnish Winter War, then Kombrig Yermakov commanded the Soviet 100th Rifle Division which was involved in the breakthrough of the Mannerheim Line which brought about the end of the war. He authored a report about the performance of Soviet Teletanks in that campaign.^[1]

World War II

Early War

Battle of Moscow and the Yermakov Operational Group

During the Battle of Moscow, General Yermakov came to command what was known as the Yermakov Operational Group which grouped the 3rd Army, 13th Army, and 50th Army under his operational control in the Bryansk Front fighting against German Army Group Center. Ermakov's command was controversial for his focus on offensive operations from mid August to late September 1941. Marshal Yeryomenko credited his command's actions for significantly weakening the strength of the German Attack Groupings. Conversely, General Sanalov criticized him for paying insufficient attention to the defense during this time, leading to later losses.^[2]

Arrest, Court Martial, and Reinstatement

On January 29, 1942, while commander of the 50th Army, General Ermakov was arrested and court-martialed. He was later released, reinstated appointed Deputy Commander of the 20th Army later that year in June. He was to become commander of the 20th Army on March 20, 1943.

Post-war service

He was Senior Military Adviser to the Chinese People's Liberation Army between 1953 and 1957, and died shortly after serving in that position.

Awards

Soviet orders and medals

Foreign awards

Notes

1. Russian: Аркадий Николаевич Ермаков

References

Citations

1. "Russia Tried to Conquer Finland with Flamethrower Robot Tanks". 30 April 2018.
2. Sokolov 2015, p. 112.

Bibliography

• Lopukhovsky, Lev (2013). The Viaz'ma Catastrophe, 1941: The Red Army's Disastrous Stand Against Operation Typhoon. Translated by Stuart Britton. Solihull: Helion. ISBN 9781908916501.
• Sokolov, Boris Vladimirovich (2015). Marshal K.K. Rokossovsky: The Red Army's Gentleman Commander. Translated by Stuart Britton. Solihull: Helion. ISBN 9781909982109.
• Vozhakin, Mikhail Georgievich, ed. (2005). Великая Отечественная. Командармы. Военный биографический словарь [The Great Patriotic War: Army Commanders: Military Biographical Dictionary] (in Russian). Moscow: Kuchkovo Pole. ISBN 5860901135.