Valeri Danilov
Encyclopedia
Valeri Danilov is a Russia
n military historian and a retired officer (Colonel
). Danilov has Candidate of History Sciences degree (кандидат исторических наук) and is a professor at the Academy of Military Science.
In 1993, Yuri Gorkov and Valeri Danilov published a previously classified document, called Considerations to the plan of the strategic development of the armed forces of the Soviet Union, (dating back to May 15, 1941) which proposed a strike on Germany. Allegedly, it was composed by Zhukov and Timoshenko and presented to Stalin. The publishing of this plan initiated a longer discussion among the Russian historian over Stalin's actual strategy in 1941.
Contrary to many historians both within Russia and the West (David Glantz
), Valeri Danilov has argued that - taking into account the concentration of power to Stalin's hand - it is highly implausible, that the Soviet defense commissar and the chief of staff could have prepared such a document without Stalin's authorization. Considering the 1937 purges of the higher officers, it is hardly possible that staff officers would have risked antagonised official Soviet policy. Danilov suggests - and he is supported by Meltyukhov, Nevezhin and others - that this draft by Zhukov was actually basis for Soviet military planning in 1941.
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n military historian and a retired officer (Colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
). Danilov has Candidate of History Sciences degree (кандидат исторических наук) and is a professor at the Academy of Military Science.
In 1993, Yuri Gorkov and Valeri Danilov published a previously classified document, called Considerations to the plan of the strategic development of the armed forces of the Soviet Union, (dating back to May 15, 1941) which proposed a strike on Germany. Allegedly, it was composed by Zhukov and Timoshenko and presented to Stalin. The publishing of this plan initiated a longer discussion among the Russian historian over Stalin's actual strategy in 1941.
Contrary to many historians both within Russia and the West (David Glantz
David Glantz
David M. Glantz is an American military historian and the editor of the Journal of Slavic Military Studies....
), Valeri Danilov has argued that - taking into account the concentration of power to Stalin's hand - it is highly implausible, that the Soviet defense commissar and the chief of staff could have prepared such a document without Stalin's authorization. Considering the 1937 purges of the higher officers, it is hardly possible that staff officers would have risked antagonised official Soviet policy. Danilov suggests - and he is supported by Meltyukhov, Nevezhin and others - that this draft by Zhukov was actually basis for Soviet military planning in 1941.
Works
- Данилов.В.Д. Сталинская стратегия начала войны: планы и реальность -- Другая война. 1939-1945 гг; or Danilоv V. Hat der Generalsstab der Roten Armee einen Praventiveschlag gegen Deutschland vorbereitet? // Österreichische Militarische Zeitschrift. 1993. №1. S. 41-51. Online text in Russian
- Данилов Валерий Забывчивость или обман? О некоторых нестыковках в освещении преддверия Великой Отечественной войны (Online text)
- Валерий Данилов Сталин опоздал... - Родина, 1995, №7, с. 70-73 Online text