Ivan Alexeyevich Polyakov
Encyclopedia
Ivan Alexeyevich Polyakov (1886-1969) was a Cossack
military leader who fought in World War I
(on the Russian side), and in World War II
(on the German side).
According to his file at the Hoover Institution
website, he joined Pyotr Krasnov
's Cossack army in 1917. He moved to Serbia in 1919.
In WWII he joined Andrey Vlasov
's Russian Liberation Army
(ROA), which fought on the side of Germany against the Soviet Union. He was Don Cossack Ataman
(leader/chief) from 1947-1965. In 1952 he moved to the United States
. He wrote two books.
In 1949 a letter of his was published in the journal Russia, describing the post-war fate of the Cossacks who had fought on the German side against the Soviet Union. He claimed that tens of thousands were killed by the Red Army after being violently repatriated by British troops.
Cossack
Cossacks are a group of predominantly East Slavic people who originally were members of democratic, semi-military communities in what is today Ukraine and Southern Russia inhabiting sparsely populated areas and islands in the lower Dnieper and Don basins and who played an important role in the...
military leader who fought in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
(on the Russian side), and in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
(on the German side).
According to his file at the Hoover Institution
Hoover Institution
The Hoover Institution on War, Revolution and Peace is a public policy think tank and library founded in 1919 by then future U.S. president, Herbert Hoover, an early alumnus of Stanford....
website, he joined Pyotr Krasnov
Pyotr Krasnov
Pyotr Nikolayevich Krasnov , 1869 – January 17, 1947), sometimes referred to in English as Peter Krasnov, was Lieutenant General of the Russian army when the revolution broke out in 1917, and one of the leaders of the counterrevolutionary White movement afterward.- Russian Army :Pyotr Krasnov...
's Cossack army in 1917. He moved to Serbia in 1919.
In WWII he joined Andrey Vlasov
Andrey Vlasov
Andrey Andreyevich Vlasov or Wlassow was a Russian Red Army general who collaborated with Nazi Germany during World War II.-Early career:...
's Russian Liberation Army
Russian Liberation Army
Russian Liberation Army was a group of predominantly Russian forces subordinated to the Nazi German high command during World War II....
(ROA), which fought on the side of Germany against the Soviet Union. He was Don Cossack Ataman
Ataman
Ataman was a commander title of the Ukrainian People's Army, Cossack, and haidamak leaders, who were in essence the Cossacks...
(leader/chief) from 1947-1965. In 1952 he moved to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. He wrote two books.
In 1949 a letter of his was published in the journal Russia, describing the post-war fate of the Cossacks who had fought on the German side against the Soviet Union. He claimed that tens of thousands were killed by the Red Army after being violently repatriated by British troops.