Georgy Zhukov - Hero of the Soviet Union! - WW2 Biography Special

Georgy Zhukov's rise to one day become the Hero of the Soviet Union did not happen overnight. Instead, the son of a poor tradesman has slowly worked himself up the ranks of the Red Army using his grit, determination, and iron will.
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Between 2 Wars: • Between 2 Wars
Source list: bit.ly/WW2sources
Hosted by: Indy Neidell
Written by: Francis van Berkel
Director: Astrid Deinhard
Producers: Astrid Deinhard and Spartacus Olsson
Executive Producers: Astrid Deinhard, Indy Neidell, Spartacus Olsson, Bodo Rittenauer
Creative Producer: Joram Appel
Post-Production Director: Wieke Kapteijns
Research by: Francis van Berkel
Edited by: Mikołaj Cackowski
Sound design: Marek Kamiński
Map animations: Eastory ( / eastory )
Colorizations by:
Carlos Ortega Pereira, BlauColorizations, / blaucolorizations
Jaris Almazani (Artistic Man), ...
Olga Shirnina klimbim2014.wo...
Sources:
Mil.ru
Cross of Saint-George Issue for subaltern officers 1917, courtesy Robert Prummel
from the Noun Project: company soldiers by Andrei Yushchenko, ak 47 by TMD
Soundtrack from the Epidemic Sound:
Reynard Seidel - Deflection
Johannes Bornlof - The Inspector 4
Johannes Bornlof - Deviation In Time
Rannar Sillard - March Of The Brave 4
Johannes Bornlof - Death And Glory 2
Phoenix Tail - At the Front
Archive by Screenocean/Reuters www.screenocea....
A TimeGhost chronological documentary produced by OnLion Entertainment GmbH.

[@WorldWarTwo]

Hopefully you're all staying safe in these difficult times. We're still marching on so that we can keep all of you entertained when you're stuck at home. But we can only continue doing so thanks to your ongoing support. Ad-revenue has dropped significantly because of COVID, and we rely on your support now more than ever. If you can, please support us on www.patreon.com/timeghosthistory or timeghost.tv. Please let us know what other Bio's you'd like to see. And if you would like to know something about a smaller topic, make sure to submit that as a question for our Q&A series, Out of the Foxholes. You can do that right here: community.timeghost.tv/c/Out-of-the-Foxholes-Qs. Cheers, Francis *RULES OF CONDUCT* STAY CIVIL AND POLITE we will delete any comments with personal insults, or attacks. AVOID PARTISAN POLITICS AS FAR AS YOU CAN we reserve the right to cut off vitriolic debates. HATE SPEECH IN ANY DIRECTION will lead to a ban. RACISM, XENOPHOBIA, OR SLAMMING OF MINORITIES will lead to an immediate ban. PARTISAN REVISIONISM, ESPECIALLY HOLOCAUST AND HOLODOMOR DENIAL will lead to an immediate ban.

[@luxembourgishempire2826]

You probably barely had any ad revenue coming in KZbin has been so stupid the past few years cutting it further shows how KZbin hates history.

[@exnihilo5087]

@@luxembourgishempire2826 Not only that, but all of this demonitization hurts the chances of their videos popping in people's recommended. The same thing is happening to The Great War and TimeGhost History.

[@starroving6464]

Hope all goes well for the WW2 team too!

[@alexamerling79]

Thank you for continuing to post these. Hope you guys are staying safe. You guys are a bright light for me in these dark times.

[@maciejniedzielski7496]

Please do the biography of Rokossowski - very good stratège

[@Conn30Mtenor]

Another fun fact: Eisenhower heard that Zhukov loved fishing and sent him as a gift a well-stocked tackle box. Zhukov was so touched by the thoughtful gift that whenever he went fishing he only used Ike's tackle.

[@deplorablecovfefe9489]

Thoughtfulness and the fact the Russia doesn't make fishing tackle.

[@mnemonicpie]

@@deplorablecovfefe9489 he lived in a quasi socialist state called the Soviet Union. It was anti-Russia actually.

[@tjanderson5892]

A gesture that actually caused Zhukov a heap of trouble that followed him the rest of his life. Stalin was pissed and jealous of Zhukovs success and friendliness w/ the future US President. Stallin not able to kill him made sure he’d achieve nothing politically and also banished him to Siberia or somewhere like it.

[@sloshed-rat]

​@@tjanderson5892Odessa, Ukraine. Banishment is banishment, though. Zhukov was denounced and deemed "anti-Stalinist" in spite of everything he did for Stalin in WWII.

[@Gubble-oq6dn]

@@tjanderson5892he received this tackle after Stalin turned on him though.

[@realmongolia101]

A long time Mongolian fan here. It's nice to see piece of our history is mentioned by your channel. Thanks a lot Indy sir. By the way Georgy Zhukov is a highly publicized and respected historical figure in our country to the degree that we have his house museum and statue at the center of our capital city Ulaanbaatar.

[@WorldWarTwo]

You're welcome, glad to hear you appreciated it. Yes the statue erected to Zhukov in Ulaanbaatar was the first one dedicated to him. A lot of statutes and memorials even survived the collapse of the Soviet Union.

[@tulgabadrakh3110]

Of course! He saved us from the Japanese. Look what happened to the people in the countries occupied by Japan. The reason we didnt suffer genocide was literally because of Zhukov and his army.

[@greenman6141]

@@Sirvalian Well the Japanese would hardly have treated the Mongols nicely. They didn't treat anyone nicely. They were in the throws of their own master racism.

[@Zechariah_Mathieson1871]

@@Sirvalian The Japanese believed that they were Superior to everyone else and treated everyone the same

[@luiscastaneda5250]

@@Zechariah_Mathieson1871 through mass genocide

[@polarvortex6496]

Georgy Zhukov. Also known as: “Yes, he did earn all those medals.”

[@marco8414]

@@robertcrawshaw9978 Dressed like a North Korean general officer, but actually able to back it up.

[@hahabrrrrr4465]

@@marco8414 the chaddest of all chad, probably the only one general that is dressed like a DPRK general but earned every single one of it

[@MaxwellAerialPhotography]

**Throws of great coat with victorious intent**

[@VNn2023]

First, sorry for my bad english. He deserve all the medals, he basically was one of the people that save the world, if nazi won they will killed immediatly half of all "sub-humans" (east-european , africans, indians etc) and litteraly eslaved other half, an ecatombe so big that is out of immigination.

[@soheilzarrein2991]

Technically it's the north Koreans who dressed like him.​@@marco8414

[@sid2112]

One of the few political figures to die of old age with his reputation intact in Soviet Russia.

[@kr0k0deilos]

and later in post soviet Russia

[@sid2112]

@@kr0k0deilos indeed, hell of a military general for sure. He earned it.

[@lubu2960]

not in my hoi4 game

[@levpaninlp]

Not really. Khrushchev tried to tarnish his reputation, Zhukov's memoirs were heavily edited multiple times. And also the myth that he was a butcher emerged then. Rokosovsky probably is the best remembered soviet commander.

[@sid2112]

@@lubu2960 a fellow man of culture I see.

[@podemosurss8316]

5:07 His divisional commander was Rokkossovski? Ah, the irony. In WW2 it was Rokkossovski who, for most of the war, was subordinated to Zhukov. Both were excelent commanders, and had a sort of friendly rivalry going on, but also held each other in high regard.

[@tomaszbukowski249]

Rokossowski was arrested as a Polish spy in 1937. That stopped his career for a few years.

[@tomaszbukowski249]

@Yugesh Patnaik Didn't hurt that much as crushing toes with hammer and having front teeths knock out. That NKVD did to Rokossowski. And much less then a humiliation in front of your men what Zukov did to Rokossowski in 1944.

[@ql2499]

I noticed that too

[@amysnapp823]

Tomasz Bukowski what did Zhukov do to Rokossovski?

[@podemosurss8316]

@@amysnapp823 Well, in 1944 Zhukov was one of the top heads of the STAVKA and Rokkossovski was leading the Soviet advance in Poland, and proposed to enter Warsaw when the uprising was going on (at the end of the day that proposal was denied for strategic and political reasons). Maybe he refers to that.

[@illbuyourniknak]

“Right, what’s a war hero gotta do to get some lubrication ‘round here?” *Throws off coat Sovietly*

[@elektrotehnik94]

best character in the movie “Death of Stalin”

[@spencereagle1118]

He did like a 'wee swally'. One evening, at the height of the fighting around Stalingrad, Russia's top general, following a little sub zero knees up, managed to fall through the ice of the Volga whilst as drunk as a skunk and had to be rescued. It's in Beevor's book on Stalingrad.

[@MikeJones-qn1gz]

I took Berlin, I think I can take a fat lump in an overcoat

[@shawa666]

I’m going to have to report this conversation. Threatening to do harm, or obstructing a member of the Presidium in the process of, look at your fucking face

[@johnbaugh2437]

God that was a hysterical movie! My favorite character

[@indianajones4321]

Zhukov was the best character in the movie “Death of Stalin” imagine if he had seized power instead of Khrushchev after Stalin’s death and the trial of Beriya

[@indianajones4321]

@Heikki Remes agreed, him and Vasily Stalin were the best characters in the movie

[@ShortT-RexLikeArms]

@@indianajones4321 You're not even a person, you're a testicle

[@tisFrancesfault]

I don't think he'd ever want that.

[@davidbrennan660]

...... “look at your at your fooking face!”

[@tellemgangbang6540]

@@MattBiden ok baby boomer

[@tdzida]

1:00 "Arriving in the Russian capital at the age of eleven" Moscow wasn't the capital of the Russian Empire it was Saint Petersbourg

[@theamici]

true, though Moscov had been the capital for a large part of the history before that

[@mikhailv67tv]

Still arriving at 11 to work is pretty amazing

[@trizvanov]

@@mikhailv67tv That was pretty normal for majority of the children back then. Not just in Russia either.

[@WorldWarTwo]

Yep, silly writing mistake on our parts trying to make the text not so repetitive. The rest is good though, we promise.

[@tdzida]

@@WorldWarTwo Silly mistakes as this one don't diminish the hard work you have put into making videos which have always been of high quality. We enjoy watching you videos and we are grateful to you and your team for spending so much effort and research into making them. It was a great journey so far and I hope it will continue as such. Cheers!

[@SuperLusername]

Can't help but respect a man who recognizes talent and dedication. Someone else would force Kalashnikov to focus on his tasks, but Zhukov...well he acted as a catalyst too one of the most exported products Russia ever produced and the most iconic weapon in human history.

[@Kruppt808]

They say if the world nukes itself the only thing that will left is roaches and AK'S

[@doolittlegeorge]

I believe Kalishnikov's parents were literally "mowed down" by German machine guns. The AK-47 is in my view an all too over-rated weapon imo as well. Has interesting symbolic significance tho. The Red Army did have the *Tokerov* I think it was called as a sidearm. Always wanted to see one of those.

[@SuperLusername]

@@doolittlegeorge possibly overrated from technical pov. But its historic significance can not be overstated. The pistol was Tokarev, I think.

[@AS-Stardust]

How about Konstantin Rokossovsky

[@oLii96x]

And Konev, Budyonni, Bersarin etc etc

[@realmario979]

Yes, where my boy Rokossovsky at?

[@MH-tr4kn]

Yes

[@Paciat]

Rokossovsky is interesting. He lived thru the purges, been tortured, but never signed false accusations. He kept a pistol near him at all times in case Stalin would want to enprison him again.

[@Loup-mx7yt]

AS Rokossovskt was as good as Zhukov imo

[@PavelKahun]

I read a comment about him: He kicked Japanese behinds so hard, they decided that they should attack America instead.

[@marcoAKAjoe]

Lol

[@lawrenceallen8096]

You mean when the Japanese humiliated the Russians in the Russo-Japanese war? In any event, attacking America sure worked out well for the Japanese, right?

[@PavelKahun]

@@lawrenceallen8096 No, I mean when Zhukov destroyed them at Khalkhin Gol. And "it" working out for Japanese so well, that's kind of the point of the joke.

[@GAZAMAN93X]

@@lawrenceallen8096 Khalkin Gol. how do you not know about this? we're talking about WW2 & The USSR how how you go way back to Imperial Russia & The Russo-Japanese War?

[@GAZAMAN93X]

@@PavelKahun ignore him. he doesn't know what he's talking about.

[@KhangNguyen-gd3zw]

The first thing that struck me is the fact that Indy can pronounce the "zh" in Zhukov's name perfectly!

[@Paciat]

@@doctornefardio Lol, in Poland we have Ź and Ż and pronounce Zhukov differently cause we lack Ž in our language.

[@lubu2960]

is like sh in spanish

[@ArkadiBolschek]

@@lubu2960 You mean the _word_ "spanish", right? Because there is no _sh_ sound in the Spanish language.

[@59ikm]

@@ArkadiBolschek There is "sh" but not "zh" like in "Zhukov" in spanish. In portuguese it´s another matter, i'm fairly certain the sound in "Já" is the same as "Zh" in russian. I mention portuguese because i've heard/spoken both languages in my life. Could be wrong though.

[@ImmortaL7294]

@@ArkadiBolschek He is still wrong regardless. It's pronounced like the J in Jean in French.

[@viettrungnguyen1242]

"All right,boys. Meet your dates for tonight."

[@illbuyourniknak]

“I’ll take the tall blonde.”

[@olvrbmw]

Love it! I was wondering if/when someone would reference that movie.

[@alphariusfuze8089]

*It will be an honour*

[@billpolychronidis7805]

The edited medals was pretty cool

[@derrickstorm6976]

Where?

[@billpolychronidis7805]

@@derrickstorm6976 when he talks about the generals, he has a portrait of them,and while he says the name of the medal,it gets edited down left of the portrait

[@jonbaxter2254]

Ever since Death of Stalin, I always imagine Zhukov with a thick Yorkshire accent

[@Surv1ve_Thrive]

the actor who plays Zhukov is John Isaacs, I checked and he’s a scouser, )( fromLiverpool) ..but he has changed his accent. To me John Isaacs looked bit too fresh faced and carefree for what Zhukov had been through. the toughest battles in WW2. Played him too Flashman like perhaps. It was a comedy though I realise.

[@packr72]

Somewhat related but Lenin spoke English with an Irish accent.

[@TheIlovetrolling]

I liked how the entire army is just northern hard men.

[@sw9458]

@@Surv1ve_Thrive it was a comedy

[@Surv1ve_Thrive]

@@sw9458 "It was a comedy though I realise" that is a quote in my own post, by me. but thanks for letting me know this comedy film is a comedy. i was just saying Zhukov is someone who helped save the Soviet union in the toughest battles of the toughest war. he was played a bit like a fresh faced IT sales executive in my opinion.

[@blackpowderuser373]

"I fooked Germany. I think I can take on a flesh lump in a fookin waistcoat."

[@ninaa4192]

"What's a war hero got to do to get some lubrication around here?"

[@ninaa4192]

@Ryan King "Nikita Krushchev! Balls like the Kremlin's domes!"

[@raggedclawstarcraft6562]

Is it from "enemy at the gates"? :D if so, then too bad since he didn't say that. As well as "serve me berlin on the plate". Why? Since this film is so antihistoric, I can't even imagine. But people still learning from it, thinking it is actually legitimate. So sad. Why this film even created in the first place? With such biased minds behind the wheel as well?

[@Shadowman4710]

"I mean I'm smiling but I'm really fooking furious."

[@madwolf0966]

Ruslan Zarifov "The Death of Stalin". It's historic with a tad twists here and there but still Historically authentic. (As usual except a couple of parts)

[@Waschizo]

Hero of the Soviet Union has to be the coolest sounding award ever

[@Johnny-Thunder]

Better than 'The Knight's Cross with Golden Oak Leaves, Swords, and Diamonds'?

[@erikk4555]

@@Johnny-Thunder I'm with you. And the fact it was given to 1 man.

[@marcoAKAjoe]

Yep

[@lingeringsnowleaf3829]

@@Johnny-Thunder too long and too random

[@mnemonicpie]

aka gigacommie

[@alexandernevsky333]

One of my childhood heroes! Anyone who could keep the Red Army together after the drubbing they took in '41 and build it into the empire destroying force that it became by '44 is certainly a unique and powerful individual. I love Zhukov!

[@arunchandramathi9572]

Our Favourite war hero love from India

[@buffalogal9139]

He is to me, one of the very most interesting generals in the 2nd WW. Have read several books about him.

[@JimSmithInChiapas]

4:58 Konstantin Rokossovsky, the officer who wrote that appraisal of Zhukov, was no slouch himself.

[@andro7862]

Rokossovsky deserves an episode himself. Quite possibly the greatest soviet commander.

[@podemosurss8316]

Those two were the top military commanders of the USSR in WW2.

[@pianowhizz]

Was nice to see Japan giving the Soviets some battle training prior to the main events in the west. Zhukov also played a massive role in the Cuban Missile Crisis - avoiding WWIII / nuclear apocalypse.

[@Brandon-a-writer]

russia's war by richard overy is a great account of the war in the east for anyone who can't access primary sources. Zhukov is still well thought of today in Russia. if i'm not mistaken, Eisenhower once considered him the best field commander of the WW2 era. love these videos, Indy. As an historian and former teacher, you guys know how to do everything right. :)

[@WorldWarTwo]

Always great to hear compliments from another historian! Thanks for giving viewers the Overy tip, I'm sure people will appreciate it.

[@ivopetkov7535]

Marcial Zhukov's order: SERVE ME BERLIN ON A PLATE!!!

[@Bruno_Wosniak]

Finished reading his autobiography a month ago, the level of detail in which he wrote was heavy, describing with detail about every operation in which he took part since the beggining of his career! There is much to be learned from him!

[@ДмитрийТарков-н2р]

I was dissapointed with his autobiography. I expected something personal, genuine thougths on the events of WW2 and Cold War. But due to censorship it appeared to be quite boring and repulsively patriotic

[@Bruno_Wosniak]

@@ДмитрийТарков-н2р Indeed, there was much of a propaganda, but also some stories told are interesting, like the one explaining why he conducted the first victory parade in 1945 instead of Stalin.

[@user-wb7ur4yp6z]

Westerners like to compare Patton with Zhukov , while I say Patton never faced such desperate situations like during the battle of Moscow.

[@ArkadiBolschek]

@@Internetbutthurt Looks like things are heating up in the WW2 fandom (and I wouldn't have it any other way)

[@j.vonhavre1741]

Zhukov was a butcher. Facts don't care about your bolshevik feelings. The massive casualties spent in frontal assaults to allow his flanking maneuvers against under strength German divisions are proof. The merit of an officer, junior command or senior, is measured in losses prevented (value of life), unless you're of the red persuasion where individuality (God given right), is nullified for the collective goal. In regards to Patton, he was so "overrated" his mere name attached to a ruse invasion force worried German high command to the point of allowing their previously impenetrable western front to be compromised. If any allied general was feared and respected, it was Patton.

[@user-wb7ur4yp6z]

J. von Havre you have to know how many heavy army groups the Germans deployed in the eastern front and how efficient they were. Even in late 1944 when everyone knew Germany was to lose the war and short of oil tanks and actually everything ,they still managed to have equal causaulties with the well fed and equipped American army in the battle of bulge.

[@user-wb7ur4yp6z]

J. von Havre the western allies never faced those heavy German army groups like in the eastern front. If they did, they will either be kicked out of the continent like back in 1940 or forced to sacrifice their American British soldiers like Zhukov did.

[@j.vonhavre1741]

@@Internetbutthurt I was replying to the OP, hence the reason your name didn't precede my comment. Welcome to KZbin.

[@stephenwood6663]

I wargamed the battles at Khalkhin Gol last summer, at the 80th anniversary of the campaign itself. I find it interesting how the envelopment tactics and use of massed aircraft as a kind of aerial artillery which served him so well in Mongolia are tactics which he continues to use to good effect in the years which would follow.

[@alfstlen3160]

"He was blown off his horse by a mine" holy moly (my real reaction contained more swearing) that must be so brutal. Just !boom! And you're thrown of the horse. Head ringing. The horse's leg spinning in the air and hitting the ground a few meters away. If unlucky enough, you regain hearing and hear the constant screaming of the horse you bonded with.

[@gengis737]

To have a bomb blowing under your horse was standard in earlier time. Standard procedure for Napoleonic era officers when seeing nearby a shell nearly to explode was to ride above it, bend the legs, so that the horse got all the conflagration. No chance for the horse to scream, it will just fall on the belly drop dead.

[@comradekenobi6908]

Poor horse

[@Shurikova666]

It is also not mentioned that during the suppression of the Tambov mutiny, he received a saber blow to the chest, but he was saved by a belt from a field bag. He would certainly have been finished off by the enemy, but he was saved by the assistant Commissioner who shot the enemy with a revolver. Nevertheless, he went about coughing for almost a month from chest pain. By the way, the story about Kalashnikov is implausible here.

[@JohnJohn-zq2ph]

0:59 Moscow was not the capital then, Saint-Petersburg was.

[@kr0k0deilos]

good catch :)

[@pomiklom2499]

Petrograd was

[@aleksandarnikolic7757]

Great episode as always. In my hometown of Pozarevac in Serbia we have a monument dedicated to Zhukov, besides a monument dedicated to fallen Soviet soldiers who participated in the liberation of the town.

[@apmoy70]

Zhukov had a difficult childhood. He grew up at an orphanage and knew nothing of his heritage. Boris Bunakov (whose mother Anastasia's maiden name was 'Grekova') writes that in the Battle of Maloyaroslavets (1812) within Davout's ranks served many Greeks who were captured by Marshal Kutuzov. The Greek POW were spared, and held at the villages of Novaya Sloboda, and Strelovka, near Moscow. Since Greece was still under the Ottomans, the Greeks stayed, and put down roots in this area. Their Russified descendents from Novaya Sloboda bore the surname 'Grekov' (Греков), and those from Strelovka, 'Zhukov' (Жуков, from жук, the beetle, because they were of darker complexion than the Russian natives). I don't believe it personally, but the myth never-the-less exists.

[@BringBacktheGreeks]

Amazing story. Thank you Αποστόλη !

[@kr0k0deilos]

Αποστόλη, that is pretty far fetched Zhukov, is not an uncommon russian surname, infact I have an ansestor called 'Zhukova' in my family tree. As for 'Grekova', yes there is a chance that it implies greek origin (after all, a handfull of greeks lived in the Russian Empire from the times of Catherine the Great and probably way before that, Catherine even gave them quite a few privilleges, for example they weren't drafted in the army) but most probably it has another origin, 'Греков' was a surname of a lot of Don Cossacks, in fact during the French invasion of Russia of 1812 among the Don Cossack regiments are registered 38 officers with the surname Греков, among them 5 Cossack generals: Пётр Матвеевич Греков 8-й, Алексей Греков, Степан Греков, Дмитрий Греков and Тимофей Греков. The third and the most far fetched senario (in case of Zhukov's heritage) is nobility, the surname Греков starts to appear among russian nobility around 1550 possibly from Обрюта Михайлович Греков who was sent to the Patriarch of Constantinople to learn Greek language, in 1625 Фёдор Иванович Греков is registered in the 'velvet book' (an official document that had records on all russian nobility and their ansestry). Well, that was a freaking long post for something very trivial 😅

[@apmoy70]

@@kr0k0deilos Nice, thanks for the post. I do not believe it myself, as I've said, but as I was searching the net for more information, I found a recent interview of his daughter Era Georgievna (whos' still alive at the age of 92 btw), to a Greek reporter. She remembers her father facetiously saying to his young daughters 'who knows? maybe our family stems from the ancient Greeks.' She also says that her grandfather had the nickname Kostya-Greek (Костя-грек) and that's unusual for a Russian to name his son Georgiy (Георгий) instead of Yurii (Юрий). Is the latter true?

[@kr0k0deilos]

@@apmoy70 Actually Юрий became a popular name during the 1920-30s, before the revolution it was mostly found in russian nobility and upper class, Георгий on the other hand is a cannon christian name, so you will find more russians named Георгий rather than Юрий before 1900.

[@bleepbleep5245]

@@apmoy70 Possible , who knows? and by the way Kostya is short for Konstantin in russian

[@noelmajers6369]

I hugely admire this series. This probably the most unbiased, honest but least agenda driven presentation of military history I have ever seen. The key is that the presentation purely from the standpoint of the protagonists evolved without so much as a fig given to some irrelevant outside political agenda. You, sir, present history as it is, not what someone else thinks it should be. I hugely congratulate you. Nice feature on George Orwell, BTW. Subscribed.

[@francescqueralt9681]

[Everyone liked that]* *except for Beriya.

[@comradekenobi6908]

Fuck Berya

[@Ludwig_Perpenhente]

@@comradekenobi6908 literally

[@Jamhael1]

Well, nobody gives A FLYING FUCK about Beriya's opinion anyway, so...

[@TheSciuzzo]

All Right! What’s a war hero got to do to get some LUBRICATION around here?

[@illbuyourniknak]

*Throws of coat Sovietly*

[@ByzantineCapitalManagement]

Please also cover Ivan Konev, Vatutin, Rokossovsky and the meme himself, Budyonny

[@lorenzodimaio6672]

@@apokos8871 Chuikov was a great general, but there were generals that had more credit for soviet victories, Erëmenko and Vasilevsky were the creators of operation uranus and many other operations, Rokossovsky too was a great military general, also Vatutin, then I would surely name Chukiov or the often forgotten Tolbukhin.

[@jeremyzapanta8731]

Hey everyone, what about Semyon Timoshenko or Ivan Bagramyan?

[@leavemealoneyoutube1707]

There are so many great generals from the divisional command to overall command that fought in the war. So many. Malinovsky is very underrated, he ended up capturing Budapest. There's Chernyakovsky, who I believe was the Marshal of the Soviet Union who was Jewish. There's the dashing Rodimstev who despite being a general would engage enemy soldiers at Stalingrad. These men were all bad ass.

[@podemosurss8316]

Don't forget Shaposhnikov, his staff work was very important too.

[@ByzantineCapitalManagement]

@@apokos8871 no he was third best.

[@GerardPerry]

"...the result of iron will, toughness and determination." And you surviving after Stalin executed everyone who would have been ahead of you in the Red Army pecking order.

[@Blazo_Djurovic]

Well, he already seems to have had Stalin's eye on him. As long as hi stayed out of politics he was sure to be given good appointments. Plus RA itself seems to have been grooming him given that one of his first division and like commands had actual armor in it.

[@belisarius6949]

Surviving against Stalin deserves a medal of its own.

[@podemosurss8316]

Well, he was so badass that he often argued with Stalin... and Stalin was the one who changed his mind.

[@johnadamski9913]

Stalin tortured and killed 13 of his top 15 military commanders.

[@podemosurss8316]

@@johnadamski9913 Please define "top military commanders". It is true that many top military commanders were executed, but that number seems strange.

[@artoriastheabysswalker]

Quite interesting that important Red Army figures basically served under each other. Mikhail Tukhachevsky commanded the 1st Samar Infantry Division, the Iron Division, as a general while Gaik Bshishkyan led if directly and among the men of the Division was Zhukov himself. Two Marshall of the Soviet Union and one fairly important commander, military administrator and theorist all on the same command chain.

[@DedMan516]

Without a doubt one of my favourite military leaders in history. He was innovative and decisive in his decision making which was crucial in the defeat of Nazi Germany. Even on a personal level he is someone I can admire, his pursuit for knowledge and commitment to the communist cause makes him a personal hero.

[@kalle911]

"commitment to the communist cause" lmao

[@Imnotyourdoormat]

even as a youngster studying systematic strategies, an extremely experienced elder told me to forget about Rommel or even Patton and focus on a Russian cat-bird called....Zhukov.

[@Jamhael1]

The old mandem knows who is the bare badman...

[@napoleonibonaparte7198]

“I’ll take the tall blonde...”

[@starroving6464]

haha soviet babies go brrrr

[@dragonstormdipro1013]

More funny knowing that he believed in the genius of Kalashnikov

[@blackpowderuser373]

"Goodluck ladies..."

[@comradekenobi6908]

Napoleon, is that how you also picked your wife?

[@josephchellis4117]

Napoleon gets it

[@ryanmedina5090]

It seems to me that Zhukov was pretty smart about how he handled his career. It seems in the time of Stalin that one survived to stand out by blending in and not standing out till Stalin said, ok you're my boy... now go kill these people for me.

[@christiandauz3742]

Um, he was one of the very few people that said no to Stalin and lived Stalin wanted Kursk to be an offensive operation, Zhukov said no and wanted the Germans to attack

[@podemosurss8316]

@@christiandauz3742 Actually the Soviets were also planning offensive operations on their own, it's just that the Germans attacked first (the Soviets were expecting attacks on the area, though). But Zhukow did argue with Stalin several times during WW2, and not only lived to tell but actually Stalin trusted him.

[@RustedCroaker]

@@podemosurss8316 You had read too much Rezun's fantasy books. Read some real history.

[@podemosurss8316]

@@RustedCroaker I haven't read any Renzun book, but what I read were translations of declassified Soviet offensive plans made during spring 1943 to be executed in july.

[@LKalyuzhny]

@@podemosurss8316 I read all Rezun's books but i absolutly neutral to him.

[@nymalous3428]

It was a nice touch having those medals appearing attached to his portrait as he earned them. Also, is the little red flower Indy is wearing because of the poem In Flander's Field, by John McCrae? I only just noticed it. Zhukov seemed a bit ruthless, but probably less so than many of his contemporaries. I was inclined to disbelieve his reports of ineptitude on the Asian front, since he would have been the one to swoop in and "save the day," but he actually seemed to know what he was talking about, and indeed did sweep in and bring success to the Russians... at least for a short while. Besides, he may not have known he would be in charge after his reports were submitted.

[@WorldWarTwo]

Thank! And that't not a flower, that is the microphone cap - which is red for some reason.

[@nymalous3428]

@@WorldWarTwo Ah! That's a funny mix-up on my part. :)

[@b.chaline4394]

As historian Jean Lopez said, Zhukov is probably the greatest general of WW2. No one had more pressure than him, both from the enemy and from within. How he could deal with it for 4 entire years, I have no idea. He certainly wasn't the most subtle of tacticians and you can definitely hold severals blunders such as Rzhev and Seelow against him, but in the end I simply cannot think of another general who cumulated such a sharp tactical eye with a larger overview of war in the industrial age as a whole. Simply put, I think Zhukov was the whole package and regardless of politics, he deserves more recognition in the west.

[@milostomic8539]

Zhukov, Rommel and Patton in my opinion are 3 greatest land commanders of WW2.MacArthur was good as well, although he messed up big time in the Korean war. As for guerrilla warfare I pick Serbian general Dragoljub Mihailovic who was an expert in the field. I hope this channel will cover all those i mentioned.I mean it's a must.

[@tyberfen5009]

After a small rest: Video 11 of demanding the return of Cats on Vacuums!

[@WorldWarTwo]

They left at the top of your game. It's better for everyone

[@elementso07]

Just discovered your page. Love everything you’re putting out. Recently found out that my dad was held by Zhukov as a baby.

[@starroving6464]

Hey Indy Neidel! Have you ever heard of a guy named Konstantin Rodzaevsky (not to be confused with Rokossovsky) the leader of a Russian Fascist Party during 1930s to 1945? He had a very interesting life actually. He is a Russian Fascist living outside Russia in Manchuria, and was the leader of a Russian Fascist Party, but also, interestingly he was supported by the Japanese.

[@WorldWarTwo]

I have not heard about him, no. Looks like an interesting figure. I'll add him to our longlist, thanks!

[@thelexkex]

@@WorldWarTwo Oh the irony, double irony )

[@dell2693]

Great episode, I'm not sure if this is the first Biography Special but I found it very interesting. Really appreciate all the great work you all do.

[@WorldWarTwo]

It's not the first and it certainly won't be the last. You can see the playlist here: kzbin.info/aero/PLsIk0qF0R1j6kO-tbG-Xa57aEsDeAIhHZ

[@yanmayster3389]

Moscow was not the capital of Russia in 1908, St Petersburg was

[@Rockbagaren]

You mean Petrograd?

[@ImmortaL7294]

@@Rockbagaren Petrograd was the name of the city only between 1914 and 1924. It was renamed because the original name Saint Petersburg (Санкт-Петербург) sounded too German during WW1. It was later renamed Leningrad after Lenin's death and stayed that way until 1991 when the original name was returned by a referendum.

[@WorldWarTwo]

Yep, silly writing mistake on our parts trying to make the text not so repetitive. The rest is good though, we promise.

[@MrAwesomeRage]

Hello Indy! I have followed your ww2 week by week from the start..i really like the series. I have always thought that 'i dont need to donate, everyone else will do it' but this time i just feel like donating, especially because of covid-19, i hope all the best for you and your crew!

[@WorldWarTwo]

Thank you and the best for you and yours too!

[@esmemusyse]

"If we come to a minefield, our infantry attacks exactly as it were not there." Georgy Zhukov Such a tactical genius..

[@Salt0fTheEarth]

pausing the offensive before the minefield is what the enemy wants you to do so they can shell you while you're out in the open. They did in fact calculate that fewer losses were taken by proceeding through the minefield than by pausing your operation to clear them or attempt to bypass them.

[@3aToi4u]

A story about the best soviet tank division commander - Michail Katukov, would be nice too. And about the great masterminds behind soviet succesful offensives - a duo soviet high command staff officers, Antonov and Vasilevskii.

[@MrXenon1994]

We need a full Zhukov movie starring Jason Isaacs, it would be biblical

[@simonlee8889]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/nnTZlKGia5ybpLc this should do much better.........

[@podemosurss8316]

Not Jason Isaacs, but I think you might enjoy the Soviet film "Bitva za Moskvu" (The Battle for Moscow) in which Zhukov is played by Mikhail Ulianov (and he does an excellent role).

[@Broheim1]

Another great episode The quote 4:50-5:07 by Rokossovsky, that once were Georgy Zhukovs boss, and then will become his subordinate after falling out with Stalin during the purge, somehow getting reinstated later. I suppose you are already planning on doing one about him in the future? From the little that I have read about him, he has just as Zhukov a great story.

[@WorldWarTwo]

He's definitely on the longlist for future BIO's

[@WorldWarTwo]

Thanks for the compliment. Rokossovsky is definitely on the longlist for future BIO's,

[@Gronk79]

Zhukov, on June 26, 1953, led a group of armed officers who arrested Beria. That was probably the highest ranking posse in history.

[@youngmasterzhi]

Meet your dates for tonight!

[@anadaere6861]

I only know of these guys because of war games and most games always put Zhukov, Eisenhower, Manstein and Yamashita at top spots

[@Ro_0z]

"By 1930, his division commander has this to say about him" - interesting "Konstantin Rokossovsky, 1930" - Holup. Didn't know that they were colleagues that early!

[@madjackblack5892]

I visited his house in Ulaabaatar, Mongolia last year. Small, but some neat exhibits inside. If you ever get the chance, check it and the Mongolia Military Museum nearby. The latter is extremely cool with some amazing stuff.

[@AnktDVD]

Hey Indy big fan! Would love to see a video about the largest volunteer army of the British Force, The Indian forces. As an Indian I feel like India's contributions are often forgotten.

[@WorldWarTwo]

We'd definitely like to cover them. Their finest hour will be in the Burma campaign so maybe around then.

[@casparcoaster1936]

Good God Indy, never heard of that relationship tween Zhuky & Kalashni!!! This is a great channel, many many thanks, or, in obessed with WW2ese... many tanx!

[@roberthoward9500]

In the first portrait behind Indy Zhukov looks like a young Matt Damon.

[@QuizmasterLaw]

"and i will cover that and more" Zhukov didn't push or profit Directly from the purges, he hung out on the sidelines as opposed to from the yardarm. Yes, there were a lot of open superior positions but he never fed the machine and so didn't get eaten by it.

[@yourlocalt72]

fun fact: he was one of few men stalin feared

[@Blazo_Djurovic]

Ehhhhh. I doubt ANYONE Stalin truly feared would have kept their heads :D MAYBE later post war when he had the fame, he might have been on the short list who to remove if he gets any inkling that army might be up to something...

[@yourlocalt72]

Блажо Ђуровић well zhukov was a celebrity after ww2 and stalin couldnt touch him so he removed zhukov from chief of army

[@marcoAKAjoe]

@@yourlocalt72 I'm not surprised...

[@sirkowski]

Stalin feared plenty of people. Zhukov is the only who survived. :)

[@JoePro84]

Wasnt Zhukov sent to Siberia for a while in the last years of Stalin?

[@dc10fomin65]

My father was in the Red Army that went all the way to Berlin, he told me horrible stories about that war and specific incidents. I still have in my possession and original photo of German Field Marshal Frederich von Paulus who my father saw with his own eyes during the Siege of Stalingrad and subsequent demise of the German army and defeat!

[@MorningGI0ry]

“Right what does a war hero have to do to get some lubrication round here”

[@illbuyourniknak]

“Jesus Christ, did Coco Chanel take a shit on your head?”

[@yochaiwyss3843]

"I'll have to report this conversation, threatening to do harm, or obstructing any member of the presidium in the process of-- Look at your fucking Face! hahaha!"

[@gardreropa]

One of the best, if not the best video produced by the TimeGhost so far! Thorough research and very well-balanced, unbiased narrative! You have made my entire week, and thank you TimeGhost Team for this sweet candy of a video!

[@WorldWarTwo]

Thanks!

[@luxembourgishempire2826]

What a legend

[@ruskibeaner5983]

Could u do one of konev and rokossovsky as well? There are virtually no biographies about them here on KZbin, or at least as many good biographies as there are for zhukov.

[@WorldWarTwo]

They're on the longlist for future BIO's so maybe at some point!

[@davidbrennan660]

This breakdown of field security in regard to information and the identity of senior members of the Red Army personnel has been noted and is under investigation by Internal Security State Organs.

[@shanewhitaker5649]

HKA I’m pretty sure I also read somewhere that after the war when he was falling out with Stalin for excessive popularity, he would keep a bag filled with loaded AKs and pistols in case he and his staff had to fight their way out of MBD/KGB hands

[@clovisra]

@@shanewhitaker5649 no KGB. Stalin's NKVD.

[@shanewhitaker5649]

@@clovisra the NKVD by this point had been renamed and remodeled

[@clovisra]

​ @Shane Whitaker Is it True?! I thought NKVD was renamed KGB after Beria destitution. NKVD was Beria's militia with strong troops strongly armed. Zhukov was contacted by Khrushchev and has transfered, secretly to Moscou area, something like a division of the red army under his command. Just in case that Beria's militia resisted.

[@shanewhitaker5649]

@@clovisra Beria had been replaced as head of the NKVD shortly before it was renamed to the “MBD” in the late 40s. Zhukov was actually in Moscow because of Stalin’s funeral, and his position as field marshal of the Red Army. Before Stalin’s death, however, he was extremely paranoid (and rightly so) about being purged. He stayed strapped at all times with multiple kalashnikovs and Tokarev pistols.

[@raggedclawstarcraft6562]

Moscow wasn't a capital at the times of 1908. It became capital only in 1917. Also Strelkovka, not Stelkovka.

[@michaelochido3244]

There is a good Russian TV series with English subtitles....Marshal Zhukov......about his life after the Berlin victory and how Stalin,Beria and Kruschev were suspicious and yet very afraid of him......it was said at that time that no tank could move in Russia without his approval.He also features in the Russian Ww2 great series ...Liberation...the offensive from Moscow to Berlin

[@paulfisker]

Thank you! I love🔥 TG 🔥 Great episode! Love your writing Indy. Every history is WELL TOLD. This is galactic high quality content!!!

[@WorldWarTwo]

Thank you! We're glad you liked it. There is much more where that came from.

[@thebunkerparodie6368]

will you debunk the "bolshevik hordes!" myth that wehraboo love to say? Also for some reason my parent agree for 80€ model but not being a patreon,sorry

[@Wustenfuchs109]

The whole "Bolshevik hordes" myth was in fact in large part due to the commanding style of the guy in the video. Soviet Union had very skilled officers, but in many crucial instances they were placed subordinate to Zhukov who simply gave to order to rush the Germans until they give in.

[@namesurname624]

@@Wustenfuchs109 that is also a myth

[@darthstructure7370]

No lie. I must have seen this video like 20 times. I love this!!!!

[@WorldWarTwo]

We're happy to hear that!

[@fredferd965]

He was also totally ruthless. Screw up on the battlefield, even once, and you were either shot, or sent to a penal battalion. Perhaps only Konev was more ruthless - hard to say. But, for all of that, he was the greatest, most successful ground commander of the Second World War, what they called the Great Patriotic War. No commander of either side could equal him.

[@ReluctantStallion]

Fantastic channel. Great delivery. Knowledge of history is key.

[@WorldWarTwo]

Thanks!

[@joonaslaakkonen8624]

I hope you can survive through these unfortunate COVID times, because these videos make my day. Thay are so interesting. The weekly WW2 episodes really got me into WW2 and I have spent so much time on learning about it. Interesting stuff!

[@Fortuna_Magica]

Wonder when that 2nd episode is dropping :-) wars about over now and im so looking forward to the next part of this story :-)

[@leonardolongolippera7588]

I had just watched "the death of Stalin" a few days a go and Zhukov is absolutely amazing in that film, I was intrigued about the man in real life, thanks for this!!!

[@simonlee8889]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/nnTZlKGia5ybpLc

[@HenriqueRJchiki]

MARSHALL ZHUKOV'S ORDER'S, SERVE ME BERLIN ON A PLATE!

[@Thecognoscenti_1]

Right, what's a war hero gotta do to get some lubrication around here?

[@illbuyourniknak]

“Jesus, Christ, did Coco Chanel take a shit on your head?”

[@Thecognoscenti_1]

@@illbuyourniknak I fucked Germany, I think I can take a flesh lump in a fucking waistcoat.

[@linkieloos]

"What's a war hero got to do to get some lubrication around here?" - Zhukov, Death of Stalin

[@soviet_yoda8820]

People who say this man was a great tactician have forgotten about the Rzhev meatgrinder where he multipale times showed incomptence but otherwise not a bad generel he just just counted upon his enemy being weak and were generaly unable to play against equally strong enemies

[@stc3145]

I believe he also said « if there is a minefield, our men will charge as if it is not there»

[@229masterchief]

@@stc3145 That quote is taken out of context, what it actually meant that Soviet infantry formation should have mine disarming capabilities that allow them to attack through it, instead of relying on specialized sapper or engineering unit.

[@realmacgrey6421]

Zhukov lost the largest tank battle in history. During 22.-26.6.1941 near Luck, Grodno and Rovno triangle. His legend is based upon his own memoires where he lies and lies...

[@229masterchief]

@@realmacgrey6421 Pretty sure that the largest tank battle in history was Brody 1941, followed by Kursk 1943 but ok

[@milindpania]

Lovely episode. Keep up the good work. I hope we can get similar episodes on Mikhail Tuchachevsky, Konstantin Rokossovsky and Alexander Vasilevsky.

[@WorldWarTwo]

Tuchachevsky is already killed before WW2 starts but Rokossovsky and Vasilevsky are on the longlist for potential BIO's

[@229masterchief]

You could see in pictures taken after the war that his hair literally went grey.

[@Kruppt808]

Not exactly the same thing, look at usa presidents before they take office and then after yikes. Leadership is a thankless job and ages you really quick.

[@rrt4511]

@@Kruppt808 except the Donald, his hair looks pretty much the same now

[@Kruppt808]

@@rrt4511 say what you want. that hair has been looking good since the 90s. like almost identical in the last 30 years...... he is pretty lucky guy. in that respect :P

[@fahad_hassan_92]

Never knew Mikhail and Zhukov had some relation, cool!

[@thomasmyers9128]

Putting down the “ Peasant Revolt “ = Crushing the Poor Folks......

[@adam9ish]

It was more like drowning them in blood afaik

[@r-saint]

Stop that desk from shaking! :D

[@eatentoast3172]

1:18 A soldiers from my country in 1914! (serbian soldiers)

[@asadpuppy1259]

I didn't know Zhukov was one of the reasons behind Kalashnikov's success.

[@fullmetalgamers1276]

MARSHAL ZHUKOVS ORDERS SERVE ME BERLIN ON A PLATE

[@victorvarganov876]

Hes one of the greatest military leaders in Russian history

[@eprst45]

Спасибо Вам История заслуживает своих героев и историков! Греоргий Жуков был великим полководцем, Вы всё еще остаётесь великим историком! :)

[@VSP4591]

Jukov had received the title Hero of Soviet Union 4 times. Only Leonid Brejnev had so many Hero Titles as Jukov. This is a pretty impressive performance.

[@vuktodic1356]

Leonid : i would like to award you the highest honor i can bestow Leonid puts medal on himself

[@VSP4591]

@@vuktodic1356 I guess, Soviet Union was the only country to award many time the title of HERO. The normal logic used to say that somebody can be HERO only once in a lifetime. They are the living proof that you can be HERO for 3-4 times.

[@stanislaskowalski7461]

"He has risen from lowly tradesman to the very top of Soviet high command." Wait, wait... Was he really supposed to rise above his petit bourgeois condition? Seems that some are more equal.

[@monkehitstring]

Lowly tradesman who lived in poverty. Had to work ever since he was 11, idk how that makes him "petit-bourgie" You're really just throwing words around rn.

[@stanislaskowalski7461]

@@monkehitstring Irony.

[@jacksonbernard855]

Stanislas Kowalski tradesmen are not petite bourgeoisie

[@thebrazilianhistorian6530]

6:57 lol he broke a stalemate on my birthday

[@eymeeraosaka2954]

One of the best Generals of WWII but sadly not given much recognition by the West...

[@Wustenfuchs109]

From what I have read about Zhukov from the history books, the guy was anything but a good commander. Victories that he participated in were usually pre-prepared and then he'd take command in order to push his image as a hero. All victories he got to claim for his own were with a superior force (usually several times bigger than the enemy) with huge casualties that could not be justified. From the first "major" ones in the Far East where he fought the Japanese 2:1 in manpower, 10:1 in tanks, 2:1 in artillery and 3:1 in airplanes to the fabled ones around Moscow, Stalingrad and Berlin. In the Battle of Moscow, there was the Rzhev "Meat Grinder" that was actually 2 times worse than Stalingrad in terms of Soviet casualties (over 2.3 million casualties), for Stalingrad, everything was already prepared, he just came and assumed command over the commanders that were already there for months, Zhukov was there just at the end. His rush for Berlin was especially problematic - that's April 1945 and he is still losing more men than the Germans that are sending kids and old men to fight. He was a butcher, simple as that. He climbed through the ranks on the political ladder and he never knew how to actually command and outsmart the enemy - he just ordered the men to go forward. Anyone can be a general like that. The only reason he won anything at all was due to the younger cadre of capable officers that he took the command over in certain operations. The very men he argued against when they presented him with an actual plan that was more than "zerg rush the Germans". Notable example was in 1944 when Rokossovsky argued for multiple axis of advance in the summer offensive but Zhukov argued against him. Only after Rokossovsky was sent back to plan 3 more times (during which he would not agree to change his mind) did Stalind decide to end the deadlock and agree with Rokossovsky against the original plan by Zhukov - and that was one of the rare instances where Soviets killed more than double the Germans. He was a political puppet, nothing more - and that showed after the war as well, the roles he played. His defeats and embarrassments were pushed to the side, almost forgotten, while the expensive victories he claimed for himself were pushed to the forefront. Officers that had way smaller defeats were executed while Zhukov, with Rzhev debacle under his belt, was proclaimed a hero - in a single battle he lost several times more soldiers out of the OOB than the entire Allied Coalition for the entire war, he did not even win, and he got 1 German for 4 Soviet soldiers. Soviet Union had many great, excellent even, commanders of all ranks. Properly schooled, capable officers. Zhukov was not one of them, he was a butcher that just got to wear a uniform because the Big Boss liked him.

[@lootboxersidn9158]

Can you do one on mannerheim

[@aritakalo8011]

I think the team said already in comments during winter war episodes, that there definitely will be a special on Mannerheim. Just matter of them getting around to it and the suitable moment.

[@WorldWarTwo]

Mannerheim *might* get relevant again later this year. *If* he does, then we'll definitely make an episode about him!

[@ShinobuSakurazaka]

"Right, what's a war hero got to do to get some lubrication around here?" - Georgy Zhukov, 1953

[@alexamerling79]

Zhukov, the Wehrmacht's worst nightmare.

[@TheIfifi]

An unexpected character, obviously expected him at some point but this was early. Very interesting figure.