Pavlov, Pavel

Born Feb. 19 (Mar. 2), 1892, in Tbilisi; died July 18, 1924, near Kuangchou, China. Soviet military leader. Member of the Communist Party from 1919. Son of an officer. Pavlov was a student at the St. Petersburg Polytechnic Institute from 1909 to 1914. He was arrested for revolutionary activity in 1910–11 and in 1914. He joined the army in 1914 and graduated from a school for ensigns in 1915. He served in World War I (1914–18) as a staff captain in the life guards of the Volyn’ Regiment. In 1917, Pavlov was a member of committees ranging from the regimental to front level. In 1918 he commanded a partisan detachment in fighting against the German occupation forces and the Hetmanate. He became military leader and military commissar of Kiev Province in 1919. Pavlov commanded the right-bank group of the Twelfth Army in August 1919. From September to November 1919, he commanded a detached rifle brigade that was part of the main attack force of the Southern Front.

From December 1919 to 1921, Pavlov successfully commanded a brigade and a division in fighting against Wrangel’s troops, the Makhno movement, and the Antonov revolt. He graduated from higher academic training courses in 1923. Pavlov fought against the Basmachi in Middle Asia in 1922 and 1923–24. In April 1924 the Soviet government sent him to China as chief military adviser to Sun Yat-sen. Pavlov died during a crossing of the Tung River. He was awarded two Orders of the Red Banner, the Bukhara Gold Star First Class, and a personal gold weapon.