Aleksei Antonov

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Aleksei Innokentievich Antonov (Алексей Иннокентьевич Антонов; 9 September 1896 - 16 June 1962) was a General of the Soviet Army, awarded the Order of Victory for his efforts in World War II.

[edit] Career

Born in Hrodna, the son of a Tsarist artillery officer, Antonov graduated from Frunze Military Academy in 1921 and joined the Red Army during the Russian Civil War. He became an instructor at Frunze Military Academy in 1938.

In 1941, Antonov became Chief of Staff for the Soviet Southwestern Front and Southern Front. In the following year he became Deputy Chief General Staff of the combined Soviet forces and Head of the Operations Directorate. His duty was to liaise with other officers and inform Stalin of the military situation.

By 1944 Antonov was Chief Spokesman and was present at both the Yalta and Potsdam Conferences. At the Yalta Conference he briefed the Western Allies on how the Allies could aid Soviets by bombing lines of communications which led to the Dresden raid.

After the war Antonov became Deputy Commander-in-Chief and then Commander-in-Chief of the Transcaucasus Military District. In 1955, he became Chief of Staff of the Combined Forces of the Warsaw Pact. He held this post until his death in 1962.

[edit] Family

Antonov was married to famous ballerina Olga Vasiliyevna Lepeshinskaya [1].

[edit] Sources

• Bonn, Keith E. (2005). Slaughterhouse: Handbook of the Eastern Front.