Aleksandr Vasilevsky

Vasilevsky, as Chief of the General Staff, co-planned Operation Uranus, the Soviet counteroffensive that encircled the German 6th Army at Stalingrad. He coordinated the deployment of reserves and the timing of the attack. The operation was a turning point in World War II.

Vasilevsky was appointed Chief of the General Staff of the Soviet Armed Forces in June 1942, replacing Boris Shaposhnikov. He was responsible for strategic planning and coordination of major operations, including the Battle of Stalingrad and the Battle of Kursk.

Vasilevsky was appointed commander-in-chief of Soviet forces in the Far East and planned the Manchurian Strategic Offensive against Japan. His forces defeated the Kwantung Army in a rapid campaign, leading to Japan's surrender and the end of World War II.

Vasilevsky was appointed Minister of Defense of the Soviet Union in 1949, succeeding Nikolai Bulganin. He oversaw the post-war reorganization of the Soviet military and the development of nuclear weapons. He served until 1953, when he was replaced after Stalin's death.