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Georgi Konstantinovich Zhukov (1896-1974) was born to peasant parents near Moscow. Receiving little formal education he was conscripted into the Tzarist army before World War One, Seeing hard service as a Sergeant of Dragoons. In appearance he conformed to the Western perception of a Soviet general : a Large , bluff "bear". And some considered he was indifferent to his troops' casualties. Nevertheless , Beneath this apparent cold exterior was a sharp military brain ,honed during the Russian Civil War when Zhukov commanded a Bolshevik cavalry corps. The fact that Stalin served with him undoubtedly helped his future Red Army career. He joined the Communist Party (1919) and remained an ardent member throughout his life, reflecting his humble origins and experience of Tzarist opression. Although Stalin eventually became jealous of his success, demoting him by transfering him to a minor command (1946), his dedication to the Party was rewarded after Stalin's death (1953). He Became Soviet Minister of Defence (1955) and the first professional soldier to become a full member of the Party's Central Commitee (1956). However he was not a natural politician: in the struggle of the mid-1950s that eventually gave Khruschev supreme power, Zhukov backed the wrong side. He was "retired" from office. Zhukov's relationship with Stalin was difficult. The more successful Zhukov became military, the more he threatened the Supreme Commander politically. But he was the best general available in 1941 ,When the USSR was under most threat, and one of the few men who could defeat the Germans, not just inside Russia but all the way to Berlin. Stalin periodically tried to oust Zhukov by promoting or demoting him. Each time it was clear there was no real alternative to this skilled soldier. This constant uncertainty must have affected Zhukov, putting him under pressure to succed. Always aware he was being watched, his "demotion" in 1946 probably came as no suprise. Other pressures were also apparent. In 1941, Zhukov knew his actions were all that stood between the Germans and Moscow. Battles had to be fought to delay the enemy, at least untill the weather broke and winter set in . When German forces stood poised to take the Caucasus (1942), Zhukov's conduct of the Stalingrad battle was a gamble which , had it failed, would have lengthened the was considerably. In the offensives to push the Germans out of Russia, through Poland and into Berlin, Zhukov may have enjoyed overwhelming numerical superiority but understood that his reputation and future depended on delivering victory. Battle Experience |
