Stalin and his ALLY Adolf Hitler colluded to attack Poland.The heavy loss was inevitable, unless Stalin ordered to take the preemptive action attacking Germany.Certainly Stalin did not order the start of the war between Germany and the USSR.Should Americans hold FDR liable for the loss in Pearl Harbor? - granada
But. The heavy loss was inevitable because Stalins purges had eliminated the top command of the Red Army. And also because Stalins purges had decimated the population of the USSR.
Stalin DID NOT attack Hitler first.
. . . but by allying himself with Hitler and the invasion of Poland, he participated in the initiation of WWII and isolated himself from Britain, which had allied itself with Russia against Germany during WWI. In fact the USSR was unfriendly to Britain before Hitler invaded the USSR.
Yeah, he didn’t order the start of the war between Germany and the USSR, although that’s only because Hitler ended up beating Stalin to the punch of starting said war. It’s pretty clear from some battle plans and a secret speech that Stalin was at least planning to order the start of the war between Germany and the USSR, as you can read here: https://www.fff.org/explore-freedom/article/setting-record-straight-stalin-used-hitler-start-world-war-ii/
Russia/USSR didt participate the the Treaty of Versailles.
Were France and Britain trustworthy?
Don’t forget the two countries signed Munich agreement with Adolf Hitler in 1938.
And it was Britain who refused to ally with USSR to confront Germany in first place.