The Marshal of Victory: 120 years of legendary Soviet hero Georgy Zhukov

Georgy Zhukov was conscripted into the army in 1915. During World War I, he was awarded the Cross of St. George twice, and promoted to the rank of non-commissioned officer for his bravery in battle. After the 1917 Revolution he joined the Bolshevik Party. Photo: Georgy Zhukov, future marshal of the Soviet Union, 1916

In 1939 an unknown general Georgy Zhukov defeated Japan at the Battle of Khalkhin-Gol. For his victory, Zhukov was declared a Hero of the Soviet Union. Photo: Army General Georgy Zhukov commands a counterattack near Yelnya, Russia, 1941

On 22 June 1941, Germany launched Operation Barbarossa, an invasion of the Soviet Union and in October Georgy Zhukov was assigned by Stalin to defend Moscow. Photo: Soviet marshal Georgy Zhukov outside the town of Kursk, where the WW II biggest tank battle took place, 1943

Under Zhukov's leadership, Red Army troops successfully defended Moscow and won victories at Stalingrad and Berlin. Photo: Soviet Marshal Georgy Zhukov at the ceremony of signing of the declaration of surrender of Nazi Germany, 1945

Soviet Marshal Georgy Zhukov riding horse during a Victory Parade in Red Square marking victory over the Nazi Germany in the Great Patriotic War, 1945

General Secretary of the All-Union Communist Party Joseph Stalin, Red Army Marshals Semyon Budyonny and Georgy Zhukov attend the Moscow Victory Parade in Red Square atop Lenin’s Mausoleum on June 24, 1945

Zhukov's troops captured Berlin in 1945. The historical battle earned him his third title of Hero of the Soviet Union honour. Photo: Soviet Marshals Georgy Zhukov, Konstantin Rokossovsky, Vasily Sokolovsky and British Field Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery walking by the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, July 12, 1945

After the war, Zhukov was the supreme military commander of the Soviet Occupation Zone in Germany. Photo: Marshal Georgy Zhukov in Moscow Kremlin, November, 1945

In 1955, Zhukov was appointed Defense Minister. Photo: Marshal Georgy Zhukov and Prime minister of India Jawaharlal Nehru meet for talks, Delhi, 1957

On his 60th birthday, Zhukov received his fourth Hero of the Soviet Union title. Photo: Soviet marshal Georgy Zhukov rides on an elephant`s back during his official visit to India, 1957

In 1957 Zhukov was forced out of the government, and then stayed away from politics. Photo: Georgy Zhukov and his wife Galina talking with sculptor Viktor Dumanyan, 1966

Georgy Zhukov was married twice and had three daughters. He died on 18 June 1974 and was buried on the Red Square next to the Kremlin walls. Photo: Soviet Marshal Georgy Zhukov looking at the photos made by famous Soviet photographer Yevgeny Khaldei, 1972