In the World War II era, there were many influential military figures around the world. Some have reaped the fruits of success, others have experienced the bitter taste of defeat. The Soviet Union was one of the victorious countries of this war. Although many Soviet military officers contributed to this, General Georgy Zhukov was instrumental to Russian success in World War II because he designed and implemented many battle strategies that took their opposition by storm. Georgy Konstantinovich Zhukov was born on December 1, 1896 into a peasant family. He worked in the fields until he was apprenticed to a furrier at the age of twelve. After completing his apprenticeship in 1912, he entered the fur trade, but it was short-lived, because Zhukov was drafted into the army for the First World War in 1915. He performed his duties commendably in the cavalry and was awarded the Cross of St. Peter. George twice. He served with the 106th Reserve Cavalry and the 10th Novgorod Dragoon Regiment, but his service in World War I ended after he was seriously wounded. Shortly thereafter, Zhukov joined the Bolshevik Party and joined the Red Army. He remained in the cavalry, serving in the famous 1st Cavalry Army. He was awarded the Order of the Red Banner for his help in suppressing the Tambov Rebellion in 1921. Over time, he steadily rose through the ranks and was first assigned command of a cavalry division in 1933. The problems they arose from 1937 to 1939 during the Stalin period. purge of the Red Army, but Zhukov avoided it and was chosen to command the 1st Soviet Mongolian Army Group. Its goal was to stop Japanese aggression on the Mongolia-Manchurian border, and throughout the summer of 1939, the two sides clashed back and forth, with no real gain whatsoever... middle of paper... .for eliminating the Germans. Zhukov was not only a military leader and a Soviet patriot, but a symbol of hope for the entire Russian nation. He is still remembered today as a hero. Works Cited "Georgy Konstantinovich Zhukov (Soviet Marshal) - Online Encyclopedia Britannica". Encyclopedia - Encyclopedia Britannica online. Encyclopedia Britannica. Network. December 19, 2011. "Georgy Zhukov - Georgy Zhukov Biography of World War II." Military history - Wars through the ages - Battles and conflicts - Weapons of war - Military leaders in history. About.com. Network. December 19, 2011. .Schroeder, Jay. "George Konstantinovich Zhukov." EShistory at OSU | Welcome to EHistory. Network. December 19. 2011. .