Precisely what many of these Russians seem to be forgetting. Sure, Stalin led them to victory over Germany, but Stalin also made it possible for Germany to come within miles of Moscow.
Good thoughts StoneColdGOP, but one correction.
Stalin did not lead anyone to victory--the generals like Zhukov, Rokossovski (who was freed from GULAG in 1941), etc lead it. Stalin had no military experience whatsoever--he could gave himself titles of Generallissimus, but that's was simply out of vanity. It was top Soviet Army Generals that won this war. Stalin could not plan any military victory. All he did during the war was giving an approval to this or that military operation, like Zhukov winter 1942-1943 Stalingrad counteroffensive that encircled hundreds of thousands German troops and turned the tide on the Eastern Front (and to large extent of WWII) on the Allied Side.
No. It was the USA who lead the victory over Germany.
Not only did we give them everything from airplanes to A-bombs. But also gave them all the German battle plans. gotten from our breaking the Japanese purple code. ( yes the
Japanese ) ( a good read on this is the book:
Marching Orders
Bruce Lee 1995 )
And
Hitler And the SS
One of the reasons The German Army advanced so fast. Is at first the people looked at Hitler as there savior & liberator from Stalin. So did not fight and “ stuck there bayonets in the snow” .
The dumb SS after there capture started shooting them and sent the off to the camps.
So they had a choice die under Hitler or live under Stalin. And started to fight back.
If the Germans had treated these people as liberated people. They would have picked up there arms and lead the way to Moscow.
And the people killed under Stalin is more like 80 mil.