Questions tagged [stalin]
For questions about Joseph Stalin, the leader of the U.S.S.R. from 1922 to 1952 and a leading figure in the Bolshevik Revolution.
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Why did Stalin bother with signed confessions?
Why did Stalin bother having signed confessions beaten out of anyone? I'm reading Simon Montefiore's book Stalin and am curious about the length he went to to get a real signature on faked documents.
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Were any members clergy (priests, rabbis, or imams) in the USSR members of Communist party or KGB operatives?
Inspired by question Were there in the USSR monasteries decorated with Soviet orders?. Although religion was contrary to the dominant Marxist ideology (but see Christian Communism), it was tolerated ...
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Did Stalin describe Beria as his Himmler?
The Wikipedia article on Lavrentiy Beria states:
At the Yalta Conference, Stalin introduced Beria to U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt as “my Himmler”.
However, the only reference given there is an ...
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Did Western governments object to repression of western communists during Stalinism? [closed]
I am interested in the repression of western communists (traveling to or residing in the USSR) during the Stalin era. How extensive was it? What were the justifications from the Soviet point of view? ...
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Did Stalin prevent the partitioning of Bulgaria by the western Allies after WW2?
In connection with an ongoing debate about the fate of the Soviet Army monument in Sofia, Bulgaria, one of the arguments that defenders of the monument put forth is that -- in spite of the 45+ year ...
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Was Lassalism persecuted in the USSR during the Stalin period?
Background
Ferdinand Lassalle was the founder of the General German Workers Association (ADAV), which is considered as the first organized labor movement (at least in Germany) and would later evolve ...
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Is the assertion that the A-bomb deterred Stalin plausible? [closed]
An answer on Quora asserted that if the USA had not dropped the a-bomb on Japan that Stalin would've invaded France and not stopped to meet the rest of the allies in Germany?
Is there any evidence to ...
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Where can I read the 1966 letters opposing Stalin's rehabilitation?
On 14 February 1966, 25 notable Soviet scientists and cultural figures sent a letter to CPSU General Secretary Leonid Brezhnev urging against the rehabilitation of Joseph Stalin. Another similar ...
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Why was Stalin OK with the UN's headquaters being placed in the US?
It feels like Stalin should have objected to this because this gives the US some extra influence. Why not insist on placing the headquaters somewhere more neutral?
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Communist Party member Stances on Molotov Ribbentrop Soviety German Treaty [closed]
I am reading "Toward Freedom, The Case against Race Reductionism" by Toure Reed. In his section about Black Progressives, he writes about how the influence of the Communist Party on the NNC ...
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Were deportations committed by Stalin during WWII covered in Allies' press? [closed]
Was the deportation of the Chechen and Ingush populations (carried out in 1944) covered in the media of the Allied powers?
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How did Charles de Gaulle become the leading figure of French liberation movement?
How did Charles de Gaulle become the leading figure of French liberation movement? While acknowledging his talents and the personality, I find it hard to believe that he was the only or the most ...
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Why did Stalin pressure Allies to open second front even though his purpose was to grab as much land as possible for his future satellite states?
After the surprise German attack in 22 June 1941 on Soviet Union, the latter suffered a series of catastrophic defeats during the following months, up to the point it is still debatable today whether ...
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What turns a man into a tyrant? [closed]
First of all, I must apologize for my bad English as it is not my first language.
So first, a bit of background. I'm doing a project on J. Stalin, A. Hitler, P. Pot and M. Zedong and why did these ...
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Did Soviet people know Stalin's birth name?
We all know now that Stalin's birth name was Jughashvili (Ioseb Besarionis dzе Jughashvili). Lenin was born Ulyanov, Trotsky was Lev Davidovich Bronstein, Kamenev was Leo Rosenfeld, etc.
Searching ...
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Would Stalin have dropped the nuclear bomb on Germany in 1945, if he had it then? [closed]
In an interview on RT Putin said, "I really doubt that Stalin,
in the Spring of 1945, if he had a nuclear bomb, I doubt that he would have
dropped it on Germany. In 1941 or 1942, when it was a ...
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How true is the Soviet killing quota under Stalin? [closed]
In The Soviet Story from 1:37:54 to 1:38:54, killing quotas of Soviet citizens are talked about. I could not find any concrete reason, evidence, or documentation suggesting that such "killing ...
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What was Louise Bryant's (John Reed's widow) view of the Soviet Union at end of her life?
American journalist and radical Louise Bryant (1885-1936), was, with her husband and fellow newspaper reporter John Reed, a sympathetic eyewitness to the 1917 October Revolution and beginning of the ...
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Why wasn't Stalin deposed? How did he keep power for so long? [closed]
Stalin's two next successors, Malenkov and Khrushchev, were both ousted.
Why wasn't Stalin? Note that the cult of personality around Stalin was not so much directly tied to the man and his vanity, ...
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How did the world react to Trotsky's assassination?
Exiled former Russian leader Leon Trotsky was murdered in Mexico in August 1940 (with an ice pick) by a Soviet agent in the interest of Trotsky's old rival for power, the then Soviet dictator Stalin. ...
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Was the assassination of Kirov really that significant in consolidating Stalin's power? [closed]
I understand that the assassination of Kirov was what triggered the launch of the Great Purge and therefore, what allowed for Stalin to consolidate his power, but would there be something more ...
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Did Stalin kill all Soviet officers involved in the Winter War?
Did Stalin kill all of the Soviet officers involved in the Winter War, when it ended?
A documentary called "Warlords: Hitler vs Stalin" made this claim, but Wikipedia doesn't seem to mention this.
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After the split with Stalin, what was Yugoslavia's official attitude towards Soviet history before Stalin's takeover?
In 1939, Tito published a pamphlet attacking Trotsky and Trotskyism. Unsurprising since he was still no different to any other Communist at that time, and was a supporter of Stalin.
Josip Broz Tito: ...
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Looking for good documentation about daily life under Stalinist USSR
I am contemplating the idea of making a role playing game set in USSR under Stalin, specifically the period between when he gained full power (roughly 1930) and operation barbarossa (June 1941).
I am ...
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Why did the rest of the Eastern Bloc not invade Yugoslavia?
When Tito was resisting Stalin/Soviet rule, according to the Wikipedia article on Tito:
An invasion of Yugoslavia was planned to be carried out in 1949 via the combined forces of neighbouring ...
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Why did Stalin exile Trotsky instead of killing or imprisoning him?
Leon Trotsky, one of the original founders of the Bolshevik Revolution, was strongly opposed to the leadership and policies of Joseph Stalin. In response to Trotskys public criticism of him, Stalin ...
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How did historians find out about the undoctored version of Stalin's doctored photographs?
Stalin ordered some photographs to be altered because his enemies were in it. How did historians get their hands on the undoctored version? Because many a sources describe this as erasing the people ...
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How was money transferred in early 1900s' Russia?
I'm reading Young Stalin by Simon Sebag Montefiore. The book frequently quotes letters between him and fellow revolutionaries, often when he was in internal exile in some obscure corner of Siberia.
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What was the logic behind Stalin's brutality?
In this article Stalin's behaviour is argued to be the result of a calculated and fanatical strategy. Stephen Kotkin's book 'Stalin' is referenced, and the suggestion is that criticism of Stalin as ...
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When did Josef Wissarionowitsch become "sexy" Stalin?
According to KnowYourMeme, among others, a relatively young Stalin is so good looking in a certain picture that he is often referred to as "sexy Stalin":
This is indeed a pretty picture of a ...
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Did Stalin have full control of the government in 1936?
I know that Stalin was only one of several successors to Lenin (and not a favored one at that) when Lenin died. However, Stalin was able to quickly forge alliances within the Party to oust his most ...
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Statement Issued by Communist Party regarding Collectivization: Contradictory?
As seen in the following statement issued by the Central Committee of the Communist Party: (https://www.loc.gov/exhibits/archives/e2livest.html)
Addendum to point 20, Politburo minutes no. 94
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Did Stalin's son, Yakov, commit suicide?
In Milan Kundera's book "The Unbearable Lightness of Being" there's a mention of Stalin's son, Yakov, who, reportedly, committed suicide.
Quoting from the book (emphasis mine):
Not until 1980 were ...
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Why were Soviet attitudes towards Israel inconsistent in the late 40's and 50's?
What are the different theories explaining the inconsistent attitude Soviet Russia had towards the nascent State of Israel between the years 1947 and 1953?
Communist Russia's hate of Zionism is well ...
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Why did the Hungarians protest and react so much about Khrushchevs secret speech? [closed]
I know that Khrushchev made a secret speech but I don't really understand what the speech was about and why it made the Hungarians so angry to protest.
I know that the protest was about the lack of ...
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After WW2, why did Stalin let Finland off with some loss of territory rather than occupation and crushing reparations? [closed]
Finland did lose 10% of its territory and 20% of its industry according to Wikipedia, but given Stalin's paranoia, why was it not occupied by Soviet troops?
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Is this anecdote about Stalin, Roosevelt and Churchill true?
The first time I heard the story about the plans for German officers once the surrender happened was that Stalin wanted to summarily execute 50 thousand of them, Churchill was very angry about this ...
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Why did Stalin and the Soviet leadership have Leon Trotsky assassinated?
Leon Trotsky was killed with a mountaineering ice axe in Mexico. The method of murder chosen was interesting. If he was a political fugitive in far off Mexico, why bother dealing with him? What about ...
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Is there evidence that Stalin stopped religious persecution during WW2? [closed]
I read in some articles that during WW2 the Soviets reopened the churches and allowed their people to do their religious practices.
Is there any evidence to confirm such things?
If yes up to which ...
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Did Stalin give special treatment for his home country?
Did Stalin during his reign gave any special interest or priviliges to Georgia and the Georgian people?
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Did Stalin disarm the Chinese Communist Party around 1927?
Can anyone provide a few details on this? Did Stalin telegraph to order disarmament of Chinese workers and to whom? And when? I am very confused about the chronology of Events. The book I mention ...
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Why was Stalin surprised by the German attack in June 1941?
Although he was warned by many, including Churchill, of the forthcoming German attack on 22 June, Stalin did not believe those warnings and was surprised when the attack started. I believe the ...
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Did Amadeo Bordiga tell off Stalin this way?
I read somewhere that Amadeo Bordiga, Italian Communist, said something along these lines to Stalin's face:
If the Soviet Union is the homeland of all proletarians and the revolution, then let it ...
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How many Old Bolsheviks outlived Stalin?
The term "Old Bolshevik" refers to those who joined the Bolshevik party before the Russian Revolution of 1917. According to D. A. Chygayev (as quoted by Mark Deutsch), in 1922 there were 44,148 ...
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Why did Stalin push for the Great Purge against the Red Army in 1936?
From what we now know of Stalin, he seemed to have believed in the basics of Marxist-Leninism. As a communist, didn't he fear that killing his own military's leadership would seriously endanger the ...
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Which historical figure is attributed with the most death of his people? [closed]
I've heard friends of mine say that Stalin's reign produced more death than the Third Reich. I have not been able to verify this anywhere. Wikipedia does not offer a figure as to how many deaths ...
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Why didn't Stalin use force to bring Tito into line?
In 1956 and 1968, the Soviets invaded Eastern European countries because they had deviated from Moscow's model.
Why didn't they do this to Tito? His independent inclinations are usually explained by ...
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Why did Stalin keep the famine of 1932 a secret?
The famine of 1932 took millions of lives, before the Soviet authorities took some measures to alleviate the lives of the peasants. During the whole time, and for decades afterwards, the affair was ...
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Does any evidence exist that suggests Hitler’s primary reason for declaring war on America was an attempt to draw Japan into his war with Russia?
During the first few months of the Nazi invasion of Russia, Stalin feared a Japanese attack from the east would create a two front war. In August, he was finally convinced by intelligence reports that ...
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What were non-Communist contemporary reactions to Stalin's purges?
Stalin had people such as Kamenev, Zinoviev and Bukharin and many others convicted of trying to overthrow the Soviet Union, something which we know to be untrue.
Abroad, foreign communist parties ...
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