From War Hero to Political Outcast

Georgy Zhukov’s dramatic fall from grace in 1957 marked one of the most striking political downfalls in Soviet history. The man who had accepted Germany’s surrender in 1945 and led Soviet forces to victory in World War II found himself abruptly dismissed as Defense Minister following the October Plenum of the Central Committee. Nikita Khrushchev, whom Zhukov had supported against the “Anti-Party Group” just months earlier, now accused the marshal of “Bonapartism” – seeking military dictatorship.

Zhukov’s reaction to this political earthquake reveals much about his character. As he later told writer Konstantin Simonov, he retreated to his home and essentially slept for fifteen days, aided by sleeping pills. “I resolved not to become a victim,” Zhukov explained, “not to become depressed, not to break down, not to lose my will to live.” This period of forced rest allowed him to process the trauma through dreams where he relived the accusations and defended himself. After this psychological recovery period, he turned to fishing – a lifelong passion that provided solace in difficult times.

Personal Crises Amid Political Storm

Zhukov’s political troubles coincided with deepening personal crises. His long-term affair with Galina Semenova, a military doctor he had met during his posting to the Urals, became public knowledge when he lost his ministerial position. His wife Alexandra, who had known about Galina’s existence but not that she had moved to Moscow, discovered the full extent of the relationship, including the existence of their daughter Maria.

Zhukov’s solution to this domestic upheaval was characteristically pragmatic. He exchanged his large apartment on Granovsky Street for two smaller ones – one for Alexandra and their daughter Era, while he moved to a dacha with Galina and Maria. Remarkably, his daughters from his marriage remained unaware their parents had separated until the formal divorce in 1965, after which they sided with their mother and refused to speak to Zhukov for over a year. He would eventually marry Galina in 1966, beginning a new chapter in his personal life.

The Bitter Years of Retirement

Though Khrushchev had promised alternative employment, Zhukov was forced into full retirement in February 1958 at age 61. While his material conditions remained comfortable by Soviet standards – including a generous pension, access to official cars, and medical care – the proud marshal chafed under constant KGB surveillance. Security reports reveal Zhukov’s growing bitterness, criticizing Khrushchev’s policies at military funerals and private gatherings.

Particularly galling was the official rewriting of World War II history that minimized his contributions. The multi-volume “History of the Great Patriotic War” published from 1960 onward downplayed Western Allied assistance and Zhukov’s strategic role. Former colleagues like Marshal Konev publicly criticized his wartime decisions, while military historians systematically erased his name from accounts of key battles he had directed, including Moscow, Stalingrad, and Berlin.

Writing History Against the Current

Facing this campaign of historical erasure, Zhukov turned to writing his memoirs in the late 1950s. As he told his daughter Era when she questioned why he bothered under political censorship, he was writing “for the desk drawer” and “for history.” This monumental project became both a personal vindication and crucial historical document.

Zhukov gained access to the Defense Ministry archives at Podolsk, studying some 1,500 documents to substantiate his account. He consulted extensively with fellow commanders like Vasilevsky, Rokossovsky, and Bagramyan, though some relationships remained strained by past conflicts and political pressures. His closest confidant during this period was General A.N. Antipenko, a loyal subordinate who had served with him since 1945 and later campaigned for his rehabilitation.

The Long Road to Rehabilitation

Khrushchev’s ouster in October 1964 opened possibilities for Zhukov’s return to public life. The process began tentatively in 1965, when Marshal Konev – his old rival – publicly acknowledged Zhukov’s military genius and suggested his participation in upcoming Victory Day celebrations.

The 20th anniversary of Victory Day in May 1965 marked Zhukov’s symbolic rehabilitation. When he entered the Kremlin Palace of Congresses, the audience gave him a standing ovation that surpassed even the applause for Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev. The next day, Zhukov stood on Lenin’s Mausoleum reviewing the military parade – his first appearance there since 1957. At a Kremlin reception afterward, spontaneous applause greeted him again, demonstrating his enduring popularity despite years of official disgrace.

The Memoirs: A Battle With Censors

In 1965, Zhukov signed a contract with the Novosti Press Agency to publish his memoirs. The editing process became a four-year negotiation with Soviet censors concerned about his portrayal of Stalin, the Communist Party’s role in the war, and his own contributions. Hundreds of pages were cut or altered, while politically necessary additions were inserted – including praise for Brezhnev’s modest wartime role that Zhukov privately dismissed as obvious fabrication.

When finally published in 1969, “Reminiscences and Reflections” became an instant sensation despite an initial limited print run. The book offered an authoritative military perspective on the war while carefully navigating political sensitivities. For Soviet citizens, it restored a hero to his rightful place in history; for historians, it provided unprecedented insights into Soviet decision-making, based on documents Zhukov had accessed before archives closed to researchers.

Twilight Years and Enduring Legacy

Zhukov’s final years were marked by personal losses and declining health. His wife Galina died of cancer in 1973 at just 47, following years of illness. Zhukov himself suffered a debilitating stroke in 1968 that left him partially paralyzed. Yet he continued working on an expanded second edition of his memoirs until his death on June 18, 1974.

The Soviet state gave Zhukov a hero’s funeral, with his ashes interred in the Kremlin Wall – a honor reserved for the most prominent figures. The official eulogy praised his “unbending will, courage and organizational talent,” carefully avoiding mention of his political disgrace. Over 100,000 mourners filed past his coffin, demonstrating the deep public affection that had survived official attempts to erase his memory.

Posthumous Vindication and National Icon

In death, Zhukov’s reputation grew beyond the constraints of Soviet politics. During the 1980s, new publications and memoirs humanized the marshal, showing his private struggles and family life. The uncensored version of his memoirs finally appeared in 1990, restoring critical passages about Stalin’s purges and wartime mistakes.

Post-Soviet Russia embraced Zhukov as a national hero untainted by communist ideology. Monuments were erected, including an imposing equestrian statue near Red Square in 1995. The government established military decorations in his name and officially rescinded all Khrushchev’s accusations in 1999. Today, Zhukov remains perhaps Russia’s most celebrated wartime leader – a complex figure whose military brilliance and personal resilience transcended political persecution to secure his place in history.

Through all his trials – political purges, wartime pressures, personal betrayals, and historical revisionism – Zhukov maintained the qualities he valued most: a sense of duty, personal courage, and unyielding integrity. As his answers to a personality questionnaire late in life revealed, these were the virtues he prized above all others, the foundation of a character that withstood both the horrors of war and the vicissitudes of Soviet politics. His life stands as testament to how historical truth eventually prevails over temporary political expediency.