On the Issue of the Command-and-Control System in the Battle for the Caucasus of the Great Patriotic War

Abstract

The article is devoted to the study of the little–studied issue of the history of the Battle for the Caucasus - the composition and condition of the command-and-control system, the analysis of the degree of its compliance with the tasks being solved and the nature of the impact on the success of the actions of troops in defense and offensive. On the basis of available historical sources, the approximate composition of the governing bodies of the Transcaucasian, North Caucasian and Southern fronts is restored, the professional qualities of individual commanders, commanders and superiors are evaluated, the locations of front-line command posts are indicated, their security is considered, and the nature of the work of communications equipment at critical moments of battles is analyzed. An attempt is being made to understand how stable the connection was and how capable it was to ensure the successful actions of the troops. As a result, conclusions are drawn about why, during the defensive period of the battles, the management of associations, formations and units was often absent or difficult, why, in conditions of stabilization of the front line, the vulnerability of the control bodies remained high, what measures were taken to effectively lead the troops, which allowed at the final stage of the battle for the Caucasus to avoid mistakes in the leadership of the troops during the offensive and it is more effective to solve the tasks set during operations.