Georgy Zhukov (1 Dec. 1896 - 18 Jun 1974)
Zhukov was serving as a General Chief of Staff when Germany invaded the USSR in 1941. Having predicted a German-Soviet war, preparations had been made by Zhukov, though somewhat ignored by other leaders. As a Chief of Staff, he was responsible got planning operations and researching German strategy. He would later become Commander of Reserve Front, battling in the Yelnya Offensive.
In September 1941, Zhukov became Commander of the Leningrad Front, ordered to defend the city by any means. Here he employed quick strike tactics to wear down German armies. He would continue to oversee the battle throughout its entirety until 1944, albeit in absentia. Following Leningrad he would return to the Reserve Front, merge this with the Western Front, and defend Moscow from Germany attack. In 1942 he would help devise and coordinate Operation Mars.
August of that year saw Zhukov made Deputy Commander-in-Chief, and he went to Stalingrad to coordinate Operation Uranus with Vasilevsky, defeating the Germans there, before returning to Leningrad to break the siege. He was made Marshal of the Soviet Union in January 1943. Following this he commanded during the battle of Kursk, before pushing his forces through the Ukraine, Poland and East Prussia. He was granted the honour of capturing Berlin in 1945, overseeing the German surrender.
For more information on Georgy Zhukov:
Axell, Albert. Marshal Zhukov (Toronto: Pearson Education), 2003.
Spahr, William J. Zhukov: The Rise and Fall of a Great Captain (Novato, CA: Presidio Press), 1993.
In September 1941, Zhukov became Commander of the Leningrad Front, ordered to defend the city by any means. Here he employed quick strike tactics to wear down German armies. He would continue to oversee the battle throughout its entirety until 1944, albeit in absentia. Following Leningrad he would return to the Reserve Front, merge this with the Western Front, and defend Moscow from Germany attack. In 1942 he would help devise and coordinate Operation Mars.
August of that year saw Zhukov made Deputy Commander-in-Chief, and he went to Stalingrad to coordinate Operation Uranus with Vasilevsky, defeating the Germans there, before returning to Leningrad to break the siege. He was made Marshal of the Soviet Union in January 1943. Following this he commanded during the battle of Kursk, before pushing his forces through the Ukraine, Poland and East Prussia. He was granted the honour of capturing Berlin in 1945, overseeing the German surrender.
For more information on Georgy Zhukov:
Axell, Albert. Marshal Zhukov (Toronto: Pearson Education), 2003.
Spahr, William J. Zhukov: The Rise and Fall of a Great Captain (Novato, CA: Presidio Press), 1993.