Who was the most badass single soldier in history?

Originally Answered: Who was the most bad**s single soldier in history?

There is something particularly badass about Russians sailors, and its no exception when it comes to…

Lieutenant Viktor Leonov

Viktor Nikolayevitch Leonov was a crazy, mad and seriously intimidating russian sailor who was literally
so bloody scary that he defeated 3,500 Japanese soldiers by staring them down and telling them
that he would kill every single one of them even though they'd already captured him and were
holding him at gunpoint (I will explain that later).

Not only that he was also a pioneer in the art of modern warfare, a two-time Hero of the Soviet Union,
and a man who was so badass that every time he thought about how much he hated Fascists he grew
his beard bit by bit until it was seriously long.

He and his men operated during the early part of the war and laid the foundations of the most hardcore
special operations forces in the world, the Russian Spetsnaz, who as we know, do military training like
this based off what he and his men went through:
Throughout 1941, Lieutenant Leonov single-handedly commanded dozens of successful raids against
Finnish and German troops. What made them so successful? They were so fu***** crazy that no one,
and I mean NO ONE from the axis side thought anyone was literally as insane to charge directly an
enemy position (such as a gunner position) straight on with basically just rifles and bayonets, killing who
ever got in there way while crossing over minefields and a beach full of snipers while having the least
causalities; he did this over 50

times.

In fact, in one of his missions on the Norwegian cost, he and his men coordinated and killed over 100
German troops, captured 25 vehicles and ignited untold quantities of fuel all without suffering a
single friendly casualty.
In fact, just to show more of his badassness, in October 1944, he was told to silence 4 155mm coastal
defence guns that had been kicking the shit out of anything the Russians used against it. and they
were supported by enough anti-aircraft weaponry that any paratrooper operation was going to end
up in death.
But Leonov wasn't about to be deterred. Instead of trying the frontal approach, he did something even
more insane, he landed his troops several miles up the coast, somehow force-marched a team of about
100 commandos a half-dozen miles deep behind enemy lines without anybody noticing, ambushed an
88mm flak cannon position that just so happened to be strategically positioned right near the 155mm
guns.

(photo, a 88mm flak cannon)

The Soviets captured the 20-man artillery unit and forced them to call for more German reinforcements,
and then when the reinforcements showed up Leonov turned the artillery guns TOWARDS the Germans
reinforcements and blew them all up.

He then immediately attacked the rest of 155s, capturing 60 men (including the commanding officer)
without so much as firing a shot. This unbelievable ass kicking helped the Soviets land in Finland, and
earned Leonov his first Gold Star of the Hero of the Soviet Union the highest award for military bravery
the USSR had to offer.
After the fall of Berlin, Viktor Leonov still wasn't done kicking the shit out of people, so he transferred to
the Pacific front so he could unleash his badass-ness on the Japanese.

His most famous operation there was the aforementioned capture of the airfield one of the most straight-
up craziest things I think I've ever heard in my life.

Rather than leading the operation to capture the airfield, Leonov was serving under a Captain, who had
his 140-man team parachute into what was supposed to be a lightly-defended airfield.

However, once the men hit the ground and started taking fire, they realized that this was no lightly
defended area, and that they were now staring at something on the order of 3,500 Japanese rifles
aimed at their heads.
Leonov's commander surrendered, and the ten officers, including Leonov were taken into the Japanese
HQ to meet with the Japanese commander.

The soviets immediately demanded his surrender.

The Japanese commander said no way. So guess what Leonov did. He jumped out of no were, super
pissed, slammed his fist down on the table, and shouted: "We've been fighting in the West throughout
the war and we have enough experience to assess our situation. We will not allow ourselves to be taken
hostage! You will die like rats when we break out of here!" Then he pulled out a hidden grenade and
said he was going to blow everyone up inside the room if the Japanese did not surrender.

The Japanese surrendered. The Russians captured

2,200 troops, three artillery batteries, five aircraft, and whole lot of ammunition. He was awarded (again)
the hero of the Soviet Union. In fact, it is said that the only reason he retired because there was no more
room on his chest for any more medals.

After his retirement, he wrote a book about his life and was seen as a hero and had a ship named after
him. But in 1991 when the Soviet Union collapsed, so did his legacy and he was basically forgotten. He
died on October the 7th 2003, which was not mentioned in any newspaper in Russia or overseas. And
this is one of the reasons I chose him because he was forgotten, and now someone might remember
him.
(photo: Viktor Leonov on the right posing for a photo)

sources

 https://www.wearethemighty.com/articles/this-russian-sailor-convinced-an-enemy-
garrison-to-surrender-after-they-took-him-prisoner

Viktor Leonov
Blood on the Shores
Book: ‘Blood on the Shores’ by Viktor Leonov
http://www.ww2incolor.com/forum/showthread.php/11263-Viktor-Leonov-my-Hero
Viktor Leonov - Wikipedia
The Navy Magazine “Sea Collection” (2004, № 5 (1890), p. 6),