Ivan Stepanovich Konev (1897-1973) was one of those young Soviet commanders who crushed the most powerful military force in Europe in the 30-40s of the 20th century - the army of the Third Reich. This military leader was distinguished by his ability to prepare and conduct large-scale front-line operations, including encircling and destroying huge enemy groups. None of the operations carried out by Konev repeated another. The book tells about the life of an outstanding commander, about the failures of the first battles and brilliantly conducted battles of the Great Patriotic War, about Konev’s relationship with Stalin, Zhukov and Khrushchev and his post-war activities, including participation in the construction of the Berlin Wall and the suppression of the Hungarian uprising. Rare documents from the Konev family archive are being published for the first time.