Georgy Zhukov

Russian Marshal Georgy Zhukov is considered by some to be the Red Army commander most responsible for the defeat of the Germans on the Eastern Front in World War II. He was responsible for the victory at Stalingrad, breaking the siege of Leningrad and leading the final offensive to liberate Berlin. Zhukov accepted the surrender of the Germans, on behalf of Russia, on May 9, 1945.

Zhukov gained immense popularity as a war hero, a popularity which caused tension with Soviet leaders. Although Stalin gave him control of the army in 1946, he demoted him in 1947. After Stalin's death in 1953, Nikita Khrushchev brought Zhukov back to government as deputy defense minister, promoting him to defense minister in 1955. In 1957, however, Khrushchev felt threatened by Zhukov's popularity, and removed him from his position. Zhukov retired, and was not seen in public again until 1964, after Khrushchev was ousted.

• Hero of the Soviet Union (4x)
• Order of Lenin (4x)
• Order of the Red Banner (3x)
• Order of Suvorov, First Class (2x)
• Order of Victory (2x)
• Cross of St. George (2x)
• Virtuti Militari
• Order of the Bath
• Legion of Merit

• "One day there is certain to be another order of the Soviet Union. It will be the Order of Zhukov, and that order will be prized by every man who admires courage, vision, fortitude, and determination in a soldier."—Dwight D. Eisenhower, 1945
• "Zhukov was the only person who feared no one. He was not afraid of Stalin."—Marshal Semyon Timoshenko