RUSSTAL033 General Vasily Chuikov

 

General Vasily Chuikov was in command of the Russian 62nd Army defending the besieged city of Stalingrad.  He developed important new tactics for close combat, most notably the concept of keeping at constant close quarters with the Germans so as to minimize their advantage in firepower.  He also developed the informal Stalingrad school of streetfighting where combat teams heavily armed with SMG's and Grenades would rapidly assault the enemy.   He used the destruction of the city by the German Luftwaffe to his advangtage, turning destroyed rubbled buildings into heavily fortified strongpoints.   He was late promoted to Marshal of the Soviet Union for his service at Stalingrad.