▁Army ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 0 . ▁After ▁fighting ▁in ▁the ▁Russian ▁Civil ▁War , ▁he ▁became ▁an ▁officer ▁and ▁rose ▁to ▁command ▁ 5 0 th ▁R if le ▁Corps ▁Arm ored ▁and ▁Mechan ized ▁forces ▁during ▁the ▁Winter ▁War . ▁After ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁war , ▁Rod in ▁became ▁deput y ▁commander ▁of ▁the ▁ 2 4 th ▁T ank ▁Division ▁and ▁fought ▁in ▁the ▁Balt ic ▁Operation ▁and ▁L ening rad ▁Str ateg ic ▁Def ensive . ▁Given ▁command ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 2 4 th ▁T ank ▁Brigade ▁in ▁September ▁ 1 9 4 1 , ▁he ▁led ▁the ▁unit ▁during ▁batt les ▁around ▁L ening rad ▁and ▁in ▁the ▁Ly ub an ▁Off ensive ▁Operation . ▁From ▁June ▁ 1 9 4 2 , ▁Rod in ▁commanded ▁the ▁ 2 6 th ▁T ank ▁Corps ▁and ▁led ▁the ▁unit ▁during ▁Operation ▁U ran us . ▁For ▁its ▁actions , ▁the ▁corps ▁became ▁the ▁ 1 st ▁Gu ards ▁T ank ▁Corps ▁and ▁Rod in ▁received ▁the ▁title ▁Hero ▁of ▁the ▁Soviet ▁Union . ▁After ▁St aling rad , ▁he ▁was ▁promoted ▁to ▁command ▁the ▁ 2 nd ▁T ank ▁Army ▁and ▁led ▁it ▁during ▁Operation ▁K ut uz ov ▁and ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁the ▁D nie per , ▁but ▁was ▁dismiss ed ▁due ▁to ▁lack ▁of ▁progress ▁and ▁heavy ▁losses ▁in cur red ▁in ▁the ▁army ' s ▁advance . ▁In ▁September ▁ 1 9 4 3 , ▁Rod in ▁became ▁commander ▁of ▁the ▁Western ▁Front