Zhukov is an exceptional figure in Russian history, a man of rare military talent. The life that raised him to the heavens, it was overthrown. He was afraid of people like Stalin and Khrushchev, hated Brezhnev. Possessing a huge power, they humiliated him, moving to secondary positions, or even left out of work, but with all the desire could not deprive him of military glory, world fame. We will not belittle the merits of other generals. Each of those who led the people to victory is worthy of boundless gratitude. But the palm must still give GK. Zhukov, for only it stuck for a title, not under "table of ranks" — the people's Marshal.
Future Marshal was born in Kaluga village in a peasant family. After leaving for Moscow, he worked in his uncle's furrier's workshop. In 1915 he was drafted into the army, was a private in the cavalry, rose to the rank of non-commissioned officer. Fought bravely, was awarded two crosses of St. George. In the summer of 1916 he was seriously wounded: his hearing was seriously damaged.
In autumn 1918 he joined the Red Army, commanded a platoon and a squadron in the Civil war. The first order of the red banner was awarded for participation in the suppression of the peasant uprising of A. S. Antonov in Tambov province. In 1925 he graduated from advanced training Courses commanders of the cavalry, in 1930 Courses of higher command personnel. His 4th Caucasian division for discipline and combat training in 1935 was awarded the order of Lenin (Zhukov also received the order of Lenin). Since the summer of 1938-Deputy commander of the Belarusian military district.
In June 1939, Zhukov led the 1st army group, which at that time was barely holding back the Japanese 6th army that invaded the area of the Khalkhin-Gol river on the territory of the Soviet Union of Mongolia. Thanks to the decisive actions of Zhukov, the Japanese army was surrounded and destroyed. Khalkhin-Gol was one of the main reasons for the refusal of the Japanese leadership to attack the USSR. For the victory in the Mongolian steppes Zhukov received his first star of the Hero of the Soviet Union and the rank of General of the army.
In the summer of 1940 Zhukov was appointed commander of the Kiev special military district-the most powerful in the red army. In the same year he participated in a military campaign to join the USSR Bessarabia and Northern Bukovina. In January 1941 Zhukov became chief of the General staff and at the same time Deputy people's Commissar of defense.
During the war he was the second after Stalin's man in the Soviet military hierarchy. Was a permanent member of the Supreme command, and from August 1942 — the only Deputy Supreme Commander and 1st Deputy Commissar of defense. Repeatedly went to the troops as a representative of the Rate, commanded different fronts, and often in a critical situation, was at the origins of many major strategic operations.
Immediately after the German attack, Stalin sent Zhukov to the South-Western front, where he managed to organize a powerful counterattack on the advancing tank columns of the Wehrmacht. In August 1941, due to the insistent demands of Zhukov to withdraw troops from Kiev, Stalin removed him from the post of chief of General staff, ordered to lead the Reserve front.
From this moment on, Zhukov again finds himself in his element — in the role of commander and coordinator of large military groups directly in the areas of hostilities. The most important stages of Zhukov's military biography were Yelnya near Smolensk, the defense of Leningrad and Moscow, the counteroffensive near Moscow, the battle of Stalingrad and Kursk, the battle of the Dnieper, Korsun-Shevchenko, Belarusian, Vistula-Oder and Berlin operations.
Near Yelnya in August 1941, he conducted the first successful offensive of the red army against the Wehrmacht, during which the Soviet guard was born. In Leningrad Zhukov arrived on the instructions of Stalin in September 1941, in a critical situation, was able to stabilize the front and prevent the seizure of the blockaded city. Zhukov was recalled in October in Moscow, when there was a direct threat to the capital. In the crisis situation, he headed the Western front, which made a decisive contribution to the defense of Moscow. At the initiative of Zhukov, a plan of counter-attack near Moscow was developed.
Some researchers try to criticize Zhukov, arguing that he fought not with skill, but with numbers, winning with the help of primitive frontal attacks, which led to huge losses. Meanwhile, the commander himself was an ardent opponent of this method of warfare. In his Directive of December 9, 1941, it was stated that some of our units instead of detours and encirclement of the enemy push him from the front with a frontal attack and at the same time complain of heavy losses. Instead, Zhukov was ordered to create a strong strike groups with tanks, cavalry, machine gunners and safely bypass the strong points of the enemy, depriving him of the opportunity to maneuver.
In the period of the battle of Stalingrad, Zhukov and A. M. Vasilevsky proposed to abandon the private ineffective counter-attacks, but to develop an original offensive operation to encircle and defeat the whole of the Stalingrad grouping of the opponent. This idea was brilliantly realized. Equally innovative was the plan of Zhukov and Vasilevsky to carry out in the summer of 1943 on the Kursk bulge first defensive operation, which allowed to bleed the enemy, and then go into a powerful counterattack.
For the commander's handwriting Zhukov was characterized by great will and courage, firmness and perseverance in defending their own decisions and bringing them to the immediate performers. In relations with subordinates, he did not always show restraint, could be rude and cruel, but the commander always and above all, guided by the interests of the case. As a rule, in its operations there were less irretrievable losses, than at other commanders.
Were have Zhukov and failures. The Rzhev-Vyazma operation (January-April 1942) remained unfinished, and the surrounded 33rd army of the Western front could not be unblocked. Unsuccessful there were two airborne operations held in the Western front in 1942 and the 1st Ukrainian front in 1943 suffered heavy losses the troops of the Western and Kalinin fronts in November and December 1942, "operation Mars" — a failed attempt of the encirclement of the 9th German army in the Rzhev salient. Zhukov had other failures and mistakes, but not them, namely victories, their scale and significance determined the place and glory of the commander in the history of the great Patriotic war.
In early 1943, after the direct coordination of Zhukov was broken blockade of Leningrad, he was awarded the title of Marshal of the Soviet Union. In 1944 he received the second, and in 1945 — the third star of the Hero of the Soviet Union. He was twice during the war was awarded the highest military order "Victory". Historically, it is true and deeply symbolic that the troops under his command (1st Belarusian front) at the end of the war were advancing on the main-Berlin direction. It was Zhukov who was instructed to accept the unconditional surrender of Germany on the night of 8 to 9 may 1945. And on June 24, 1945 Marshal Zhukov hosted the historic Victory Parade on red square in Moscow.
After the war, the fate of the famous commander was not easy. When Stalin was commander of the Odessa and Ural. Under Khrushchev, Zhukov, the Soviet defense Minister (1955-1957). He was awarded another "gold star", he became a Hero of the Soviet Union four times. However, Khrushchev also sent Zhukov to resign.
G. K. Zhukov prepared and with considerable difficulties published memoirs-the famous "Memories and reflections", which have stood since 1969 more than 10 publications and translated into a number of languages.