“We’re told that “his talent was for deployment...”
That’s just as well, because everything I read about the history of Russian infantry over centuries says they were not good at getting themselves deployed....for what ever reasons.
They always had masses of nearly indestructible and dogged troops, decent weapons (sometimes superior), stamina, and endurance, will.... but were never good at mobilizing.
I saw a news reel of Zhukov in a post war parade, on a breathtaking white horse.... just WOW!
There is a very interesting story about Zhukov on the white horse I read if my memory is right from Antony Beevor’s The Fall of Berlin. Stalin was suppose to ride the white horse but the horse threw him off in practice. Stalin then remarked let Zhukov ride the horse. Stalin’s son told Zhukov what happened and after that he made sure he got in a lot of practice before the parade.
There is a very interesting story about Zhukov on the white horse I read if my memory is right from Antony Beevor’s The Fall of Berlin. Stalin was suppose to ride the white horse but the horse threw him off in practice. Stalin then remarked let Zhukov ride the horse. Stalin’s son told Zhukov what happened and after that he made sure he got in a lot of practice before the parade.