[MattinNJ]

Interesting anecdote. The Soviets had a high level German spy in Tokyo (name escapes me). He was the one who informed the Soviets that the Japanese would not invade Russia. That enabled Stalin to shift his forces to the Western Front-some skiied most of the way. That turned the tide at Stalingrad

Anyway, the spy was sentenced to die in one of Stalin's purges. A General reminded Stalin of what the spy had done. Stalin slowly turned and an icy grin spread over his face as he said-"Gratitude is a disease for dogs". Dude died.

[Sherman Logan]

Richard Sorge.

He was a Soviet spy posing as a German journalist and businessman in Japan.

He was arrested in mid-October, 1941 and hanged (by the Japanese, not the Soviets) in 1944.

Since the war-changing information about the Japanese decision not to attack Siberia was transmitted in late September of ‘41, if the Japanese had arrested him three weeks earlier the war might have had a different outcome.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Sorge

Your anecdote about Stalin’s ingratitude may be true, but not about Sorge.