I don’t see how someone seeing a dictator throwing so many millions of his people at an enemy that they eventually are driven out is seen as doing a good job.
Anyone with a large enough population can overcome avoid losing a war if they just don’t give a damn and have a strong enough internal police to prevent being overthrown while sending many millions to their deaths as bullet absorbers.
Germany had the quality. The Soviet Union had the quantity. You’ve got to go with what you’ve got.
I am uncomfortable praising Stalin here. One reason the Soviets were so unprepared in 1941 is that Stalin had ruthlessly killed off most of his officer class. But after the initial shock of the German invasion wore off, Stalin was (usually) smart enough to let his generals take care of the details.
Hitler interfered with his generals. And so did LBJ in Vietnam. And so did Bush II in Afghanistan and Iraq. Stalin did not. And Stalin won. There is a lesson worth remembering here.