Gordov was born on 30 December 1896 in the village of Matveyevka in Ufa Governorate. He was the son of peasants. Gordov joined the Imperial Russian Army in 1915 and was promoted to junior sergeant. He enlisted in the Red Guard in 1917, joining the Red Army in 1918. Gordov ended the Russian Civil War as the commander of the 53rd Infantry Regiment, fighting in the campaign against Nestor Makhno, for which he was awarded the Order of the Red Banner. Between 1925 and 1926, Gordov served as an advisor in the Mongolian People's Army. In 1932, he graduated from Frunze Military Academy and then became the chief of staff of the Moscow Red Banner Infantry School in 1933. He was the Chief of Staff of the 18th Rifle Division from May 1935 to 1937. In July 1937, Gordov became the commander of the 67th