Georgy Zhukov is a great commander. His name is inextricably linked with the most significant victories in the history of the Great Patriotic War. Zhukov is a marshal whose signature is under the act of unconditional surrender of Germany. This is the commander who took the Victory Parade on Red Square. Photo of George Zhukov, a skilled commander and an extraordinary person, you can see below.
The military commander was awarded two crosses of St. George the Victorious and four times awarded the honorary title of Hero of the Soviet Union. Georgy Zhukov is a great commander who won the battle against the most powerful army in the world, but who lost in the political battles in Moscow.
Childhood and youth
Georgy Zhukov, whose biography began at the end of the nineteenth century, was born in the new style on December 1, 1896 near Kaluga, in the village of Strelkovka. His parents were simple poor peasants. With a laudable sheet, Georgy Zhukov graduated from the parish school in three classes, then he was sent to study in a furrier's workshop, located in Moscow. Here Zhukov was able to simultaneously complete the course of the city school, designed for two years. At the same time, the boy attended evening classes.
On August 7, 1915, the young man was drafted into the army. He served in the cavalry troops. As part of the tsarist army, Zhukov took part in the hostilities of the First World War. At the end of 1916, a young non-commissioned officer was sent to the Southwestern Front, where he fought in the tenth Novgorod Dragoon Regiment.
The fourth degree cross of St. George was awarded to Zhukov for the capture of a German officer.
But soon the military career was interrupted before it even began. Zhukov received severe shell shock, partially lost his hearing, and was sent to a reserve regiment. He received the second St. George Cross for a military wound. This time the award was of the third degree. In December 1917, the squadron was disbanded. George went to his parents in the village, where he fell ill with typhus for a long time.
Zhukov was considered a good soldier and awarded. However, his fate was not unusual. There were more than one hundred thousand brave soldiers like him. It is difficult to say how the fate of George Zhukov would have been if it had not been for the revolution in Russia.
The beginning of a military career
As a non-commissioned officer, Georgy Zhukov unconditionally and immediately accepted the October Revolution. It is worth noting that for the royal cavalry this fact was uncharacteristic. Among the few was George Zhukov. His biography as a military began with the advent of a new government, which needed experienced team personnel. Zhukov began to serve in the Red Army and made a dizzying career.
Under Soviet rule, which suited his social background, Zhukov graduated from machine gun and cavalry higher courses. Already in 1919 he joined the Communist Party. His further path was not much different from the standard career of the young Bolsheviks. Initially, he was appointed company commander, then a squadron, and then a regiment.
Zhukov’s service took place in the privileged forces — in the cavalry. There, the generals were Voroshilov and Budyonny - Stalin's comrades in the Civil War. These generals also contributed to the advancement of Zhukov through the ranks. From numerous purges carried out in the army in the twenties and thirties, his life position saved him, adhering to which, Georgy Konstantinovich did not join either Trotsky's group or his opposing team.
Zhukov received his first very important post in 1938. He was appointed to command the troops of the special Belarusian district.
War with japan
In August 1939, Georgy Zhukov was sent to defend the Mongolian borders. There he confronted the sixth Japanese army. Before the appointment of the great commander, the position of the army group in the Far East was deplorable. The units of the Red Army had a weak forward line. At the same time, the rear was almost completely absent. The bare steppe, where the troops were stationed, extended for many kilometers. At the same time, the military towns were nothing more than a cluster of dugouts. The situation of the units was aggravated by an acute shortage of drinking water and fuel. In addition, officers and soldiers of the Red Army did not have sufficient experience in fighting in the deserts and in the steppes. In this regard, the Japanese had a clear advantage.
Arriving at the place, Zhukov quickly appreciated the situation. At the same time, he managed to quickly replace the existing military command and control system. As a result of fierce battles, the Japanese army was seriously defeated.
Prewar years
Georgy Zhukov took the post of commander of the Kiev military district in 1940. According to the Soviet military doctrine, these parts were assigned the most significant role. However, after the defeat of the Red Army in the war with the Finns, Stalin radically revised the approaches that he relied on when building the entire structure of the armed forces. In this regard, Zhukov was recalled to Moscow. In early 1941, the commander, being the army general, was appointed head of the General Staff. At the same time, the deputy defense commissioner of the country was Georgy Zhukov. A brief biography of the great commander in the pre-war years, which was set out above, allows us to judge him as an outstanding and talented person.
German attack
At the beginning of the war, Georgy Zhukov was in the same position. In addition, the day after the invasion of Germany, the commander became one of the members of the Headquarters of the Supreme Commander.
The outbreak of war caused confusion, bordering on the panic that was present at the top levels of the army leadership. During this period, the controllability of the troops was practically reduced to zero. The headquarters was unable to keep up with the front-line events and poorly oriented in the situation. During this period, Stalin's discontent with the current situation grew. At the same time, he tried to vent his malice on the members of the Headquarters. Among them was Zhukov. After another sharp conversation, the commander resigned. He was removed from his post. During the second half of 1941, the general was appointed to command several fronts. Rapid movements were associated with the inability to perform official duties by the top commanders of the Red Army. In this regard, they often had to be changed.
Milestones of war
Georgy Zhukov ... The characteristic of his heroic military art is the grandeur of feats of arms and victories. The military leader was a direct participant in all operations and the most important events that occurred in the Great Patriotic War.
The most significant milestones in the formation of the leadership art of G.K. Zhukov were the defense of Moscow and Leningrad, the battle of Stalingrad and Yelnya, the Battle of Kursk, as well as the Korsun-Shevchenkovskaya, Vistula-Oder, Kiev, Belorussian and Berlin large-scale operations.
The first victory was won by him in the most difficult conditions. At that time, our troops were retreating in all directions. However, Zhukov was able to literally snatch victory near Yelnya. This was the first successful offensive operation after the start of World War II.
Zhukov with particular strength showed his firm character during the defense of Moscow and Leningrad. In these operations, his commander’s art was not manifested in the form of vivid operational maneuvers. At these moments significant for the country, Georgy Zhukov, the great commander and talented commander, was able to show his iron will. This was expressed in the tough organization of the business entrusted to him, as well as in the firmness in the management of his subordinates.
The Western Front, which basically collapsed in September 1941, recovered again by October-November of the first year of the war. And this happened under the command of Zhukov. The great commander was able to carry out successful defensive operations. At the same time, he not only repelled the advance of the Nazis, but also threw them away from Moscow.
The talent of the great commander Zhukov was also shown during the Stalingrad events. Together with Vasilevsky, he accurately captured the moment when it was necessary to abandon counterattacks, stop wasting forces and prepare a thorough operation that would allow not only to go on the offensive, but also to encircle and destroy the enemy’s troops.
1943 year
Already on January 18, G.K. Zhukov was awarded the next rank. He became the first Marshal of the Soviet Union since the beginning of World War II.
A new insight into the very essence of strategic defense was for the commander of the Battle of Kursk. During its holding, the troops switched to defense. At the same time, they did this not involuntarily, but carefully prepared. This has not been possible during the Great Patriotic War. In 1941 and in 1942, they looked at defense only as a forced, and therefore temporary type of military maneuver. Moreover, it was believed that such positions should reflect the advance of the enemy by limited forces and in short time intervals. However, the experience of military operations, this theory has not received confirmation. During the fighting, it turned out that on a strategic scale, defending oneself, one can not only hold positions, but also defeat the enemy without a large offensive operation. At the same time, large forces must be involved in the defense and fierce defensive actions taken. In military art, this was a real significant discovery.
Already in April 1943, Marshal Zhukov determined a place suitable for battle. He reported his plan to defeat the enemy to the Supreme Commander. Zhukov and Stalin found mutual understanding on this issue. On April 12, the great commander received approval for the conduct of hostilities from the General Headquarters.
In the troops of the Central and Voronezh fronts, Marshal Zhukov spent all of May and June. The commander delved into all kinds of tiniest details that were revealed in preparation for the battle. At the same time, our intelligence worked with the accuracy of the watch mechanism, which managed to find out the exact time of the German offensive. According to her, she was scheduled for three in the morning on June 5th. In agreement with Stalin, Zhukov began conducting artillery training at 2.20. It was in those places where the enemy was supposed to advance, our artillery rumbled. The first stage of the skillfully prepared operation ended on July 15. And then the troops of the Central Front went on the offensive. On the fifth of August Belgorod and Oryol were cleared of the Germans, and on the 23rd - Kharkov.
During the defensive, and then the offensive stage, Marshal G.K. Zhukov skillfully coordinated all the actions of the Steppe and Voronezh fronts.
1944 year
After the Zhytomyr-Berdichev military operation, a peculiar Korsun-Shevchenkovsky ledge was formed. His Vatutin and Zhukov, turning to Stalin with a report, suggested "cutting off". During this operation, there was a conflict with Konev. The latter accused the commanders of the inaction that they allegedly showed in relation to the German grouping. Stalin transferred the command of the inner front of the circle to Konev. Relations Zhukov with the latter complicated.
In the period from March to April 1944, the 1st Ukrainian Front went to the Carpathian foothills. His command was carried out by Marshal G.K. Zhukov, who was awarded the highest military award for the particularly outstanding services to his homeland - the Order of Victory No. 1. Thousands of his soldiers were also awarded medals and orders.
In the summer of 1944 G. K. Zhukov led the operation "Bagration". He coordinated the actions of the Belarusian fronts. The operation was well prepared and provided with all necessary material and technical means. As a result of the fighting, the troops liberated a large number of settlements in Belarus.
In July 1944, Zhukov coordinated the actions of the 1st Ukrainian Front. The advance of his troops was carried out in the Rava-Russian, Stanislavsky and Lviv directions. The result of the two-month offensive was the defeat of the two largest strategic groups of fascist troops. At the same time, Belarus, Ukraine, part of Lithuania and the eastern regions of Poland were completely cleared of enemies.
The complete defeat of the enemy armies “Northern Ukraine” and “Center”, as well as access to Warsaw and the seizure of large bridgeheads on the Vistula significantly brought our troops closer to Berlin.
In August 1944, Zhukov was summoned to Moscow, where he received an assignment from the State Defense Committee. The purpose of this assignment was to prepare the troops of the 3rd Ukrainian Front for a war with Bulgaria, which collaborated with Hitler. The outbreak of hostilities was announced on September 5, 1944. However, the unexpected happened. Bulgarian troops met our army under red banners and without weapons. In addition, the population showered Russian soldiers with flowers.
Since the end of November 1944, Marshal Zhukov has been working on a plan to capture the German capital.
1945 year
Zhukov at the last stage of World War II led the First Belorussian Front. He carried out the Vistula-Oder operation. The fighting was carried out jointly with the Ukrainian 1st Front, which was under the command of Konev. As a result of hostilities, Warsaw was liberated and Army Group A was defeated.
The 1st Belorussian Front ended the war by participating in the operation to
capture Berlin. After the end of all hostilities, Zhukov, the Marshal of Victory, accepted unconditional surrender from the hands of Hitler’s General Wilhelm von Keitel.
After the war
Until the days of April 1946, Zhukov served as commander in chief of the Soviet military administration in Germany. After that, he took the post of commander in chief of the ground forces. But in June 1946, Stalin, convening a military council, charged Marshal Zhukov with exaggerating his own merits in carrying out basic operations during the Great Patriotic War. The reason for this was the testimony of Novikov, the arrested air marshal. As a result, Zhukov was removed from the post of commander in chief, removed from the Central Committee and sent to the secondary Odessa district. Stalin had his own calculation. He understood that Zhukov could be useful to him in the event of a new war. That is why the great commander remained to serve in the army.
At the beginning of 1948, according to the testimony of adjutant Semochkin, Zhukov was charged with hostile attitude towards Stalin himself and with the corruption of his moral character. After that, the great commander had a heart attack. Immediately after the illness, he was sent to the post of commander of the military Ural region, where there were practically no troops. However, soon this story continued in a completely different direction. Zhukov, despite the persecution, already in 1950 was elected to the Supreme Council of the state. In the fall of 1952, the marshal became a candidate member of the Central Committee. This was facilitated by Stalin's plans for an invasion of Western Europe. That is why the return of Zhukov to the ranks of the army leadership was being prepared.
The first deputy minister of defense and a member of the Central Committee, the marshal became after the death of Stalin. He played a significant role in the arrest of Beria.
In the fall of 1954, Zhukov became the leader of the exercises during which nuclear weapons were first used. And in February 1955, the Marshal took the post of Minister of Defense. In June of that year, he helped Khrushchev defeat the opposition. The plenum elected him to the Presidium of the Central Committee. It was the peak of the career of George Konstantinovich.
In 1957, Khrushchev brought charges against Zhukov, in which he pointed to the preparation of a coup. The reason was the formation of special units of special forces without the knowledge of the country's leadership. Khrushchev Zhukov was no longer needed. The head of state in a possible war relied on nuclear and missile weapons. Marshal was removed from all posts.
The memoirs written by Zhukov were very popular with readers. The years of life that the great commander devoted to the army were described by him in the book "Memoirs and Reflections." This became the most popular publication about the Great Patriotic War.
Marshal of Victory passed away on June 18, 1974. He was buried near the Kremlin wall. The memory of this extraordinary commander will forever remain in the hearts of Russian people.