On September 29, 1994, the Mayor of Moscow, Yurii Luxhkov, announced that a monument would be erected to honor Marshal Georgi Zhukov, the Soviet Union’s most important military commander in World War II and the conqueror of Berlin. The monument was erected on Poklonnaya Hill on May 9, 1995, the 50th Anniversary of Germany’s defeat. Zhukov also directed the successful defense of Moscow in the autumn of 1941.

After the war, Joseph Stalin regarded Zhukov as a potential threat, and relegated him to minor posts. He returned to prominence under Nakita Khrushchev, only to be shunted aside once again in 1957, when he pushed too vigorously for the military’s independence.

In the same decree of April 10, 1944, Chief of the General Staff, Marshall Vasilievsky was the chevalier of order No.2.

AlexanderM. Vasilievsky, 1895-1977, Marshal of the Soviet Union, Soviet High Command; Commander Voronezh Front; Commander Bryansk Front; Commander Second Belorussian Front; Commander Far East Front; Appointed Chief of Soviet General Staff, June 1942, in which capacity he served almost to the end of the war. Of 34 months in the post he spent 22 at the various fronts. In February 1945 he took over command of the Third Belorussian Front after the death of General Chernyakhovsky. Commander-in-Chief Soviet armies in the Far East August 1945 (twice awarded Order of Victory).

Chief of the State Defense Committee, Commander-in-Chief, Marshal of the Soviet Union, Stalin was the chevalier of order No .3.

Decree of July 28, 1944.

Joseph (Iosij’) Vissarionovich Dzhugashvili Stalin, 1879-1953, Political Leader of the Communist Party and Soviet State; Chairman of the State Defense Committee; Supreme Commander-in-Chief; Soviet Leader 1925-1953, (twice awarded Order of Victory).

On November 5, 1944, the Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, Comrade M. I. Kalinin, awarded the Order of Victory to Marshal of the Soviet Union I. V. Stalin, for outstanding merits in the organization and realization of offensive operations of the Red Army, which resulted in the defeat of the German Army and radical changes in situations on the front. At the same time, Stalin was also awarded the order of the Red Banner, in accordance to a decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR dated June 4,1944, governing awarding generals, staff officers, and sergeants with orders and medals for long time service.

22 The Medal Collector VOL. 46 No.10 The war with Germany was quickly winding to a close when Stalin decided to award the Order of Victory to his field commanders. Decrees of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR followed one after another, announcing the awards.

The following is a chronological list of the other Soviet Commanders awarded the Order of Victory:

Decree of March 19, 1945.

Konstantin Konstaninovich Rokossovsky, 1896-1968, Marshal of the Soviet Union, Commander of the Don Front at Stalingrad and the Central Front at Kursk; Commander, Second Baltic Front; Commander, First Belorussian Front; Commander, Second Belorussian Front; Commander of the vast Soviet Victory Parade in Red Square, Moscow, 24 June 1945. Commander-in-Chief Soviet Forces in Poland 1945-49.

Figure 6

Marshall of the Soviet Union I. V. Stalin receiving the Order of Victory from Comrade M, I, Kalinin.

VOL. 46 No. 10 The Medal Collector 23 Ivan Stepanovich Konev, 1897-1973, Marshal of the Soviet Union, Commander Kalinin Front at Kursk; Commander Steppe Front; Commander Second Ukrainian Front; Commander First Ukrainian Front in Soviet offensive in the Ukraine, Poland and the battle for Berlin. Commander-in-Chief Soviet forces of occupation in Austria and Hungary 1945-46.

Most everyone was sure that the Order of Victory, the highest order of the State, would only to be awarded once in a person’s life. It was a surprise to everyone, when on March 30, 1945, G. K. Zhukov was awarded a second Order of Victory.

Decree of March 30, 1945.

Georgi Konstantinovich Zhukov, 1896-1974, Marshal of the Soviet Union, awarded a second Order of Victory.

Figure 7

Marshal Rokossovsky’s uniform, with his orders and medals at the Central Order of the Red Star Armed Forces Museum of the USSR.

24 The Medal Collector VOL. 46 No.10