This was a subject of considerable debate in the university course on the Russian Revolution I took back in the early 1990s, concerning whether Stalin was a positive or negative force in that country’s history. Without question, you could certainly talk about the horrible crimes against humanity that he and his bunch committed, but it was also mentioned that he greatly helped the Russians resist German aggression and occupation in World War II.
“....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.
On this day (August 23) in 1939, Germany and the Soviet Union sign a non-aggression pact, stunning the world, given their diametrically opposed ideologies.
The only single thing that saved Russia in history is the vastness of the country. And that is why Hitler screwed it up. He was to dam stupid to understand why.
Anyone who intends to invade and take over that hole will have to do it from the middle and bottom up and not west to east or east to west.
You should ask for your money back for that course. Stalin was the reason hitler got as far as he did. Stalin was warned by his generals that the invasion was coming and did nothing. Winter stopped hitler not stalin
“but it was also mentioned that he greatly helped the Russians resist German aggression and occupation in World War II.”
Blocking battalions and threats of execution will do that.
To say nothing of what happened to Russians that were in German occupied areas after they were liberated.
After the evil Stalin purged the Red Army it put up such a horrible performance in the Russo-Finnish War that Hitler decided that he could attack Russia and win. Stalin set up his own near demise. Unfortunately most of the world had to suffer as a consequence.
YEAH, Stalin Asisted German aggression (think Poland) before he Resisted German aggression.