Stalin and The Betrayal of Leningrad part 1/5

Part 1/5

Stalin was always suspicious of Russia's former capital. Its huge cultural, scientific and economic importance, its historical role as the cradle of the 1917 Revolution, its pre-eminent position in the history of the Russian intelligentsia - all produced a dangerous spirit of independence when viewed from the Kremlin.

From 1918 to 1926, moreover, it was the power base of Grigorii Zinoviev, one of Stalin's main rivals to succeed Lenin.

After Zinoviev's downfall Stalin installed Sergei Kirov as first secretary of the Leningrad party, and Trotsky's and Zinoviev's followers were ruthlessly purged. Though a loyal Stalinist, Kirov may well also, in turn, have come to be seen as a threat.

A popular figure and - unlike Stalin - a Russian, by the early 1930s he was certainly seen by some in the Party as preferable to Stalin as leader. His assassination in December 1934 has often been attributed to Stalin, though official investigations under Khrushchev, Gorbachev and Yeltsin failed to unearth conclusive evidence of this.

What is certain is that Stalin seized the opportunity presented by Kirov's death to purge Leningrad of former oppositionists and members of the old ruling and professional classes - and also to appoint one of the rising generation of Stalinist cadres, Andrei Zhdanov, as ruler of the USSR's second city.

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• leningrad
• lenin
• Joseph
• Stalin
• communist
• crimes
• USSR
• soviet
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• ww2
• history
• totalitarianism
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• purge

[ComradeAgopian]

I would agree Trotsky would not have turned on the Party and military , as Stalin did . But recall Trotsky fulled supported forced collectivism , and was against Lenins NEP program . The misery of the working class and poor , the explotation would have been the same regardless of which Bolshevik was in power .

[bjr43]

Where did you find these documentaries?

[blaugot]

False actually, Stalin was preparing for an invasion into western Europe. He had the largest army on earth at the time. He was ready smash into Western Europe and spread Communism by force just like Lenin in Russia.

[densaner77]

Stalin was a deeply flawed and paranoid man. What should be remembered is that the USSR and run not by communists but bolsheviks. Bolshevism was little better than fascism and the resullts were much the same. Yes Stalin managed to turn the USSR into an economic and military superpower. But did he have to be such a sh*t about it?

[ssmusic214]

@saszsasz "Stalin was a visionary that founded the first truly modern state." is fantasy myth invented by communists. Industrial growth of Russia was going at faster pace during 1890s and under Stolypin than anytime under Communists.

[280GTXXX]

@RFXCGZZ Stalin was a mass murderer worse the hitler.

[Greygoose511]

mao+hitler+stalin burn in hell!

[saszsasz]

@RFXCGZZ "Stalin was a visionary that founded the first truly modern state."-so conclusion is that to build roads and factories in Russia you have to use terror?! that you have to execute intellectuals, officers, 'kulaks' and others fictitous 'enemies of the people'? that you have to build labour camps (gulag system) all over the country? deport all nations? devastate agriculture (by collectivisation)? invade neighbours? thats all what you beloved stalin did...

[RFXCGZZ]

This is disgusting. Stalin is a hero! Under him the USSR was the first completely literate nation in the world! The first universal healthcare! The first minority benefits and benefits for the handicapped! The separation of State and Church!

Stalin was a visionary that founded the first truly modern state. These were only a few of his accomplishments, with the rest being equally as great or better. He is a hero of the human race, and it sickens that this Nazi propaganda promotes these lies.

[happosai27]

@gsensplion exactly ^^

[gsensplion]

STALIN IS THE BIGGEST CRIMINAL OF THE WORLD LIKE ALL THE COMMUNISTS

[Rohv]

I find it interesting that Stalin failed to anticipate Hitler's invasion of the Soviet Union even when given concrete intelligence data, since Stalin was a man who was completely paranoid and could see enemies where none existed but when given proof beyond reasonable doubt he failed to notice.