Issa Pliyev
| Issa Alexandrovich Pliyev | |
|---|---|
| Born |
25 November 1903 Stariy Batakoyurt, Russian Empire (now North Ossetia, Russia) |
| Died | 2 February 1979 (aged 75) |
| Allegiance | Soviet Union |
| Years of service | 1926 - 1968 |
| Rank | General of the Army |
| Commands held |
5th Cavalry Division 2nd Guards Cavalry Corps 1st Guards Cavalry Mechanized Group Mobile Group Pliyev Soviet Mongolian Cavalry Mechanized Group 13th Army North Caucasus Military District Soviet Ground Forces in Cuba |
| Battles/wars |
Battle of Moscow Battle of Romania (1944) Battle of Debrecen Invasion of Manchuria |
| Awards | Twice Hero of the Soviet Union |
Issa Alexandrovich Pliyev (Ossetian: Плиты Алыксандры фырт Иссæ; Russian: Исса Александрович Плиев) (also spelled as Pliev) (25 November [O.S. 12 November] 1903 — 2 February 1979) was a Soviet military commander, Army General (1962), twice Hero of the Soviet Union (16 April 1944 and 8 September 1945), Hero of the Mongolian People's Republic (1971).
During World War II, Pliyev commanded several mechanized cavalry units, ranging from regiments to army corps. The military historians David Glantz and Jonathan House described Pliyev as a "great practitioner of cavalry operations in adverse terrain".[1] Pliyev became known in the West largely for his involvement in the Cuban Missile Crisis.
Early life and career
Issa Pliyev started his military career in the Red Army in 1922. He graduated from the Leningrad Cavalry school in 1926, from the Frunze Military Academy in 1933 and from the Soviet General Staff Academy. He joined the Communist party in 1926.[2]
World War II
At the start of the invasion of the Soviet Union, Pliyev commanded the 50th Cavalry Division (renamed 3rd Guards Cavalry Division). His unit participated in the Battle of Moscow and the Battle of Stalingrad.[2] Pliyev commanded cavalry-mechanized group consisting of 4th Guards Cavalry Corps and 4th Mechanized Corps during the Bereznegovataia-Snigirevka Operation along the Black Sea coast, as part of the 3rd Ukrainian Front under Army General Rodion Malinovsky.[3]
During Operation Bagration in the summer of 1944, part of the 1st Belorussian Front, Pliyev's cavalry-mechanized group attacked towards Slutsk.[4] According to Glantz and House, the unit was highly successful in exploiting the operational breakthrough.[1] In the fall of 1944, he commanded a cavalry-mechanized group consisting of two divisions during the Battle of Debrecen.[1]
He ended the war in command of the Soviet-Mongolian Cavalry-Mechanized Group of the Transbaikal front in Manchuria, fighting against the Japanese Kwantung Army.
Post-war
After the war, Pliyev continued his career in the military. He commanded 13th Army in 1947-49. In 1955-1958, he was appointed First Deputy and then in 1958 - Commander of the North Caucasus Military District.
In 1962 Pliyev's troops took part in suppressing Novocherkassk riots.[5] During the Cuban Missile Crisis he was the commander of Group of Soviet forces as part of the Operation Anadyr in Cuba.[2]
In 1968, Pliyev became an advisor for the General Inspectors Group of the Ministry of Defense of the USSR.
Awards
Pliyev was awarded five Orders of Lenin, three Orders of the Red Banner, two Orders of Suvorov (1st Class), Order of Kutuzov (1st Class), numerous medals and nine foreign orders.
Books Authored
- Плиев И.А.. Через Гоби и Хинган (Through the Gobi Desert and the Khingan Mountains). 1965.
- Плиев И.А.. Конец Квантунской армии (The End of the Kwantung Army). 1969
Honours and Awards
- Soviet Awards
- Foreign Awards
 |
Hero of the Mongolian People's Republic (Mongolian People's Republic) |
 |
Order of Sukhbaatar, three times (Mongolian People's Republic) |
 |
Order of the Red Banner, two times (Mongolian People's Republic) |
 |
Medal "For Victory over Japan" (Mongolian People's Republic) |
 |
Order of the Polar Star (Mongolian People's Republic) |
 |
Medal "30 year anniversary of the Battle of Khalkhin Gol" (Mongolian People's Republic) |
 |
Medal "40 year anniversary of the Battle of Khalkhin Gol" (Mongolian People's Republic) |
_Rib.png){kind=small} |
Order of Red Banner (Czechoslovak Socialist Republic) |
 |
Czechoslovak Military Commemorative Medal (Czechoslovak Socialist Republic) |
 |
Silver Cross of Virtuti Militari (Poland) |
 |
Commander's Cross Polonia Restituta, (Poland) |
 |
Commander, Legion of Merit (USA) |
 |
Commander of the Legion d'Honneur (France) |
_-_ribbon_bar.png){kind=small} |
Croix de guerre 1939–1945 with bronze palm (France) |
References
Citations
- 1 2 3 Glantz & House 2015, p. 286.
- 1 2 3 Roberts 2012, p. 149.
- ↑ Glantz & House 2015, p. 247.
- ↑ Glantz & House 2015, p. 268.
- ↑ Baron 2001, p. 46.
Bibliography
- Glantz, David; House, Jonathan (2015). When Titans Clashed: How the Red Army Stopped Hitler. University Press of Kansas. ISBN 9780700621217.
- Roberts, Priscilla Mary (2012). Cuban Missile Crisis: The Essential Reference Guide. Abc-Clio Inc. ISBN 9781610690652.