“Personally, I am far from being able to conceal resentment or anger in the media unlimited arbitrariness. I only regret not having been able to fight really against this evil. In the fight against despotism and tyranny, I did not have the ability to conduct a deadly battle.” The author of these words was not a dissident and enemy of the Soviet regime. On the contrary, he was a hero of the Soviet Union, holder of the Order of Lenin, a superbly displaying General of the World War II. The name of this wonderful Russian man who holds the high honor of an officer is Matvey Shaposhnikov.
My friends reminded me of him in contrast to Hamazasp Babajanyan, whose statue was recently erected in Yerevan. Marshal Babajanyan has also courageously fought against Nazism; he had displayed high skills of a General, for which perhaps he deserves a statue (it is another question as to what kind of).
The difference between these two commanders was expressed after the World War II. Our compatriot carried out the immoral and “cannibal” command of the Soviet government – bringing out tanks in Hungary against the people revolted against the Soviet and democratically elected government. While, General Matvey Shaposhnikov refused to carry out such a command in the city of Soviet Novocherkask.
This happened in June 1962, when the workers of this city had come out into the streets for the spontaneous rally against the abrupt deterioration of their living conditions. Deputy Commander of the North Caucasian Military District, Lieutenant General Shaposhnikov had received a command to bring out tanks against protesting workers, but the General refused to carry out the command, saying, “I do not see the enemy against whom I should bring out our tanks.” Moreover, to avoid provocations, the General was ordered to discharge the submachine guns and hand over the ammunition. Due to the non-interference of the army, 26 people died in Novochekask. If Shaposhnikov had carried out the command, the number of casualties would be thousands. In the fall of 1956, in Hungary, during the operation “Vikhr”, which involved the 8th Mechanized Army headed by Babajanyan, more than 3 thousand people were killed. Later, Babajanyan became a Chief Marshal of Armored Forces. While Shaposhnikov was expelled from the Party, demobilized and even a criminal case was filed under the article “anti-Soviet propaganda”, as he was trying to write letters to different addresses about the events in Novocherkask.
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“We had no choice; we were carrying out commands,” – the officers of Nazi Germany sending thousands of people to the gas chambers used to say. It is a delusion: there is always a choice.
Aram ABRAHAMYAN
