“....he greatly helped the Russians resist German aggression and occupation in World War II.”
Greatly helped? Stalin started purging the military officer corp in October of 1940, the Germans invaded June of the following year.
Don’t forget that the left in the USA loved Stalin too.
I am certainly aware that he did such things and I certainly do not mind you pointing out something like the Nazis attacking Russia not long after Stalin’s purging of the military officer corps. All that I wanted to do was simply mention how Stalin’s lead of resisting the Germans (with help from the famous Russian winter, of course) assisted in creating that positive perception of him, despite the many other very bad things that took place under his rule.
Greatly helped? Stalin started purging the military officer corp in October of 1940, the Germans invaded June of the following year.
Stalin started killing military officers in the 1930’s.