ACCIDENTAL HONOUR TO ZHUKOV  BY STALIN

SARASIJ MAJUMDER

An interesting, but hilarious incident occurred after World War—II.

Who would take the Victory Parade in Moscow, June 1945?

After Nazi Germany had officially surrendered, Stalin summoned Marshal Zhukov to his Dacha and told him to take the Victory Parade about to be held at Red Square. Zhukov, not sure if Stalin really meant it or if he was just testing him, cautiously replied that since Stalin had made the greatest contribution to the victory, he should take the parade. However, Stalin insisted that Zhukov should do it; he even let Zhukov ride his favourite Arab stallion (as per Soviet tradition, a victory parade must be taken on horseback).

The next day when Zhukov arrived at the parade rehearsal, he met Stalin’s son Vasily who leaked him a big secret: actually, Stalin had been preparing for weeks to take the parade on horseback. However, a few days before, he had fallen from the horse, suffered some quite serious injuries and could not ride in the near future. That’s why he had given Zhukov the honour.

“And which horse was he riding when he fell?” Zhukov asked.

“The very same Arab stallion that you are about to ride.”

For the whole week before the parade, Zhukov had to invest significant effort in mastering the horse.

He rode the Stallion quite well in the parade.

The photo of Marshal Zhukov on the leading white Arab Stallion and Marshal Rokossovsky on a black horse, Red Square, 24th of June 1945 is shown  above.

 

Acknowledgement:-

1.0 Marshal of Victory – By Zhukov

2.0 PHOTO-- GETTY