Marshal Georgi Zhukov (1896–1974) was a distinguished Soviet military leader and a key figure in the Soviet victory during World War II. He joined the Soviet Army in 1918 and rose to become Chief of General Staff by 1941. As Deputy Supreme Commander from 1942, he led crucial operations including the Soviet counteroffensive at Yelnya, the defence of Leningrad and Moscow, and the decisive battles of Stalingrad and Kursk. He also directed the breakthrough of the Leningrad blockade and commanded the First Byelorussian Front in the final assault on Berlin. Zhukov accepted Germany’s unconditional surrender on 8 May 1945.

After the war, he served as Minister for Defence and received numerous Soviet and international honours, including four Hero of the Soviet Union awards. This text, based on both personal memory and official records, presents Zhukov as a brilliant strategist, deeply respected by his peers, known for his clarity, courage, decisiveness, and composure under pressure. His leadership played a central role in the Soviet Union’s defeat of Nazi Germany.

Marshal of the Soviet Union
A.M. VASILEVSKY

Translated from the Russian by N. Burova (Chs. 22, 23), R. Daglish (Ch. 15),
P.Garb (Ch. 16), G. Kozlov (Ch. 17), S. Sossinsky (Ch. 21), M. Sydney
(Chs. 14, 18, 19, 20)
Designed by Alexander Smirnov

This is a cleaned, optimised scan  by Ismail, sent to him by Christian Kellum.
From Thomas Mrett’s Archive Collection.

You can get the Volume 1 here and here.

You can get the Volume 2 here and here.

Contents

Volume 1

Foreword 7
CHAPTER 1. Childhood and Youth 17
CHAPTER 2. A Soldier’s Life 43
CHAPTER 3. I Take Part in the Civil War 58
CHAPTER 4. Regimental and Brigade Commander 94
CHAPTER 5. At the Red Army’s Cavalry Inspectorate. In command of the 4th Cavalry Division 128
CHAPTER 6. The 3rd and 6th Cavalry Corps of the Byelorussian Military District 165
CHAPTER 7. The Undeclared War on the Khalkhin G o l 177
CHAPTER 8. In Command of Kiev Special Military District . 207
CHAPTER 9. Eve of the War 227
CHAPTER 10. The War Begin s 280
CHAPTER 11. The Supreme Command G H Q 334
CHAPTER 12. The Enemy Yelnya Salient Is Eliminated .375
CHAPTER 13. The Fighting for Leningrad 415

Volume 2

CHAPTER 14. The Battle of Moscow 7
CHAPTER 15. The Ordeal Continues (1942) 68
CHAPTER 16. Strategic Nazi Defeat at Stalingrad 109
CHAPTER 17. The Crushing Defeat of the Nazi Troops in the Kursk Bulge 144
CHAPTER 18. Fighting for the Ukraine 212
CHAPTER 19. Liberation of Byelorussia and the Ukraine 264
CHAPTER 20. From the Vistula to the O d e r 301
CHAPTER 21. The Berlin Operation 342
CHAPTER 22. Unconditional Surrender of Nazi Germany 389
CHAPTER 23. The Potsdam Conference. The Control Council for
Governing Germany 429
Conclusion 474
Name Index 482