Babadzhanian, Hamazasp

Home , Frunze Military Academy, Georgy Zhukov, Hero of the Soviet Union, Ivan Konev, Rodion Malinovsky

Born: February 18th, 1906 Died: November 1st, 1977 (Aged 71) Ethnicity: Armenian Field of Activity: Red Army

Brief Biography Hamazasp Khachaturi Babadzhanian was a Russian military general who served during multiple wars for the Soviet Union, rising to prominence during the Great Patriotic War. He was born in 1906 into an impecunious Armenian family in Chardakhlu, Azerbaijan. He attended a secondary school in Tiflis in 1915 but due to familial financial difficulties was forced to return home and toil in the fields on his family’s plot of land, later working as a highway worker during 1923-24. Babadzhanian joined the Red Army in 1925 and later attended a Military School in Yerevan in 1926, graduating as an officer in 1929, as well as joining the Soviet Communist Party in 1928. He received various postings, mopping up armed gangs in the Caucasus region in 1930 and aided in liquidating the Kulak revolt.

Babadzhanian moved around frequently, generally within the Transcaucasus and Baku regions, until 1939-1940, when he served in the Finno-Soviet war. He played a pivotal role in numerous battles in World War 2, participating in the battle of Smolensk, as well as contributing a fundamentally in Yelnya, where he overcame a far superior German force. For his efforts in recapturing Stanslav he received the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. He provided support in Poland, as well fighting in Berlin, contributing to the capture of the Reichstag.

After the Great Patriotic War Babadzhanian would prove crucial in quelling the Hungarian Revolution in 1956, and some time after in 1975 became Chief Marshal of the Tank and Armoured Troops, a rank only he and one other attained.

Biographical Analysis

Hamazasp Babadzhanian's career progression illustrates the role of political alignment and individual ambition in attaining success within the Red Army. Babadzhanian, like Ivan Bagramyan, an Armenian military official who was interestingly born in the same town with a similar trajectory, from humble impoverished backgrounds and pursuing success within the military.

Babadzhanian was obviously a communist conforming to Leninist ideals, as he was in 1924 elected as secretary of a local Komsomol, in which he demonstrated keen leadership qualities, resulting in his enrolment into military school where he would also become secretary at the school’s Komsomol committee, then taking the party in 1929 upon his graduation. Multiple promotions after Stalin’s death are similarly indicative of Babadzhanian’s loyalty to communism. Babadzahanian was also a member of the Central Committee of Communist Party of Ukraine, was recurrently nominated to the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, acting during its 6th and 7th convocations. Whether it was political alignment or tactical intellect responsible for his advancement is speculative, however perhaps a degree of ruthlessness, similar in many other Red Army officers, contributed to his military furtherance. What is intriguing is Babadzhanian’s repeated involvement in quelling civil insurrection. Though he lived too far east in Azerbaijan, as well as being in Georgia during 1915, his family, being Armenian, may have been associated with the Armenian Genocide. In fact, many fleeing the turmoil found themselves in the regions surrounding Chardakhlu. Later he would work in aid in liquidating the Kulak revolt, and proceeding World War 2 would prove crucial in destroying the Hungarian Revolution. In Hungary, he led the 8th Mechanized Army in the second Russian intervention during Konev’s ‘Operation Whirlwind’. Such instances are interesting giving consideration of the Soviet’s rise to power, and their precarious maintenance of it.

Babadzhanian’s major ascendance to prominence occurred during World War 2. He received numerous postings, playing a supporting role in some battles whereas proving fundamental in some others. In Yelnya, Babadzhanian was noted for overcoming a far superior German force, his regiment was the first to reenter the city. He also took part in the battle of Rzhev, under the military command of Georgy Zhukov and Ivan Konev. Babadzhanian’s true prowess was demonstrated during the taking of Stanislav, where valiantly he led his forces across the Dniester after 11 days of fighting. For this distinguished accomplishment he was conferred the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. He would later fight in Poland, reaching the borders of Germany within a month’s time. He would soon reach, and take an active role in the seizure of Frankfurt, before reaching Berlin in time for the capture of the Reichstag. For his leadership and bravery

Babadzhanian was presented with the Order of Suvorov. Fascinatingly Babadzhanian was supposed to receive a second Hero of the Soviet Union, but was denied. Babadzhanian became one of many Armenians serving in the Russian army who exceptionally distinguished themselves. From his home village of Chardakhlu 1250 served in World War 2, 12 became generals, 7 were awarded with the Hero of the Soviet Union and 2, he and Ivan Bagramyan, subsequently became Marshals of the Soviet Union. An Important aspect of the Soviet’s militaristic practices is the role played by education. Babadzhanian’s repeated exposure to knowledge and enrolment, as well as administration, in Soviet military schools reveals the centralised importance and emphasised nature towards the Soviets. He attended Aleksandr Myasnikyan Unified Military School in Yereven in 1925, then in 1942, during the Great Patriotic War, he was sent to the Frunze Military Academy. In 1948 he graduated the Higher Military Academy. During the latter stages of his career Babadzhanian was head of the Rodion Malinovsky Military Academy of Armoured Forces. Babadzhanian would also go on to write two published works, the first book about Russian tanks and the second on Russia’s victory during the Great Patriotic War. As the armoured contingent of the military was Babadzhanian’s speciality, his literary work, as well as being head of a military academy centred around them is unsurprising, particularly when giving regard to his acquisition of the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. When he led his armoured regiment in the capturing of Stanislav, coinciding with his command during the Hungarian Revolution, his involvement primarily involved armoured tanks. His continued education, however, is interesting, as it appears to demonstrate that Babadzhanian was principally a self-made man. Regardless of political affiliation or tactical military prowess of which have been acquired through birth which, however, likely contributed in part, Hamazasp Babadzhanian’s career trajectory is responsible foremost to his unyielding hard work and insightful ambition. Babadzhanian's continued education, however, is interesting, as it appears to demonstrate that Babadzhanian was principally a self-made man. Demonstrating the duality of character in the attainment of power within the Soviet Red Army. Babadzhanian grew up in an ethnicity escaping genocide in a neighbouring country, yet participates in the annihilation of similar entities during his convocations as an officer. His political alignment, along with his character, being that of unyielding ambition, tactical insight and the pursuit of knowledge, is what led this impoverished Armenian boy to become one of the leading military figures in Russia.

Primary Sources: Tkachev, Sergei. War Heroes, 2 July 2013. Accessed September 2, 2016. http://www.warheroes.ru/hero/hero.asp?id=21715

Secondary Sources Armenian Soviet Encyclopedia. "Hamazasp Khachaturi Babadzhanian" Yerevan: Armenian Academy of Sciences (1976), 188. Babadzhanian, Hamazasp. Дороги Победы (The Road to Victory). Moscow: Molodaia Gvardiia, 1972. Pavlov, Mikhail. Russian Ministry of Defense Encyclopedia. Accessed September 4, 2016. http://encyclopedia.mil.ru/encyclopedia/history/more.htm?id=12078887@cmsArticle War Heroes. "Babajanyan Hamazasp Khachaturovich". Accessed September 4, 2016. http://www.warheroes.ru/hero/hero.asp?Hero_id=1034

Additional Information

Babadzhanian's religious affiliation is speculative. However, due to census information procured from the time it's likely that Babadzhanian was either a Roman Catholic, or an Armenian Apostolic. Though the Bolsheviks fostered an atheist view on religion throughout their political dealings, and as Babadzhanian was a committed communist and appears to have conformed to Leninist ideals, it's entirely likely he remained an atheist.

Babadzhanian's political affiliation may have been affected by the fall of the Russian Empire as, interestingly, Azerbaijan declared its independence after the Russian Revolution, but however was reincorporated into the Soviet Union a couple years proceeding. Whether these political proceedings affected his alignment remain unknown, though he did become secretary of a local Komsomol during his schooling in Yerevan.