In contrast to the purge of the “anti-party group” in June, 1957, the removal of Marshal Georgii Zhukov from power has occasioned relatively little comment from Soviet authorities. However, even if the agents of Soviet totalitarianism have remained silent about the reasons for the purge of Zhukov, a consideration of the dynamics of the totalitarian system may help us to reach an explanation.
This study will first explore the official charges on the basis of which his removal was justified in the Resolution of the Central Committee, Marshal Konev's speech, and subsequent statements. These charges were: (1) promotion of the cult of Zhukov in the Soviet Army; (2) reduction and curtailment of party control over the army; (3) misdirection in military matters, particularly in military science and organizational questions; (4) adventurism and Bonapartism.