Yakov Kreizer - After The War

After The War

After the war, Kreizer's advancement was stalled. For ten years he remained commander of 45th Field Army and Colonel-General while less distinguished Generals were getting higher promotions. In 1953, during the (Doctors Plot) Kreizer refused to sign a letter in favor of the campaign.

The change came with a consolidation of power by Nikita Khrushchev who knew Kreizer from the battle of Stalingrad and had a high opinion of him. Under Khrushchev, Kreizer commanded several Military Districts, the highest Soviet territorial units, each consisting of several armies: South Ural District (1955–1958); Transbaikal District (1958–1960) and Ural District (1960–1961).

With the worsening of Soviet relations with China, resulting from the Sino-Soviet split, the Soviet government became apprehensive of Chinese militancy. To strengthen the security of the Soviet borders and as a warning signal to the Chinese, the Kremlin appointed Kreizer to Commander-in-Chief of the Soviet armies in the Far East (Far East Military District) (1961–1963). Following this promotion in 1962 Kreizer received the rank of General of the Army, equivalent to British and German Field Marshal and General of the Army (United States). He was the only Jewish officer who achieved such high rank in the Soviet post-Great Purge military.

To confirm his status in the Soviet Party-state hierarchy, Kreizer was selected with a few others from the top Soviet military to the Supreme Soviet of the USSR (1962–1966). It appears that the Kremlin foresaw Kreizer for future higher promotion, but he became ill and in 1963 moved to a less demanding command of the Higher Officer Training school "Vystrel." He served there until May 1969 when he joined the senior Group of General Inspectors of the Ministry of Defense, an honorific office for the most outstanding military commanders on their virtual retirement. He died half a year later.

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