Vassilis Daskalopoulos, Ilianna Kotini
Timeline: World War
II
26 Feb. 2010
The Influence of Stalin’s actions and policies
in The Great Patriotic War (1941-1945)
1939, Sept: War
officially begins
1939: Nazi Soviet Pact
1939/40: FinnishRussian War, USSR
gains territory
1940: USSR occupy
Latvia, Estonia,
Lithuanis
1941: Non aggression
Pact between USSR
and Japan
1941, June 22: War on
USSR is declared
1942/43: Stalingrad
Battle
1943, Nov: Stalin’s
plan to annex Eastern
Prussia and Poland
approved
1945: Yallta and
Potsdam
Coneferences
between the Big Three
1945, April: Red Army
reaches Berlin, Hitler
Suicides
1. Internal Attitude: Before the War even begun, Stalin had established a tight
system of control. The principles were very simple:
 Anyone to speak against the regime, or come close to revolution was
purged immediately. At the same time, not all the information was
disclosed to the public. Often the soviet people knew only what Stalin
wanted them to know.
 Stalin played strongly on Lenin’s legacy and the image that he was the
one chosen to continue it, was powerful enough for the Soviet people
to let him lead unquestionably.
 Stalin’s cult of personality: Stalin was portrayed as a savior/ hero. Very
few connected him to the famines and purges occurring at the time, so
when he asked the nation to work
harder for the war, it was done.
Stalin continued these tactics
a) Stalin never exposed real facts of the war
to the nation. He addressed the nation
on November 6, 1941 with false facts on
how the war was progressing1.
“During the four months of war we lost
350,000 in killed and 378,000 missing; our
wounded number 1,020,000. In the same
period the enemy lost over 4,500,000 men
killed, wounded and taken prisoner.” 2
1945 May 8: War ends
1
"Joseph Stalin." Joseph Stalin. Web. 21 Feb. 2010. <http://www.spiritus-temporis.com/joseph-stalin/world-warii.html>.
2
On the Great Patriotic War. Moscow: Foreign Languages, 1946. Foreign Languages Publishing House, May 2003.
Web. 21 Feb. 2010. <http://marx2mao.com/Stalin/GPW46.html#s2>.
Vassilis Daskalopoulos, Ilianna Kotini
26 Feb. 2010
Although information of the Soviet Army from 1939 to 1941
is still classified, it is known that the German figure is
inflated. In actual fact, by the end of operation Barbarossa
the Nazis had lost 250,000 dead and had 500,000 wounded
soldiers3. The Soviet army was not doing very well at the
time, but these false facts increased appreciation for Stalin’s
efforts.
b) When Stalin recovered his nerve in the early days of
the Nazi invasion, he focused not only on industrialization but also on self sufficiency. Stalin
sustained production during the war by moving all factories east of the Volga. This way he kept
the production out of reach of the Luftwaffe.4
c) Stalin realized that as the war wore on, those at the front who saw the Soviet army be defeated
by the Nazis would be discouraged and would wish to retreat. On July 28, 1942 he gave an Order
of the Day stating that this was not acceptable:
“It is impossible to tolerate commanders and commissars
who admit that some panic-mongers determined the situation on the field of
combat and carried away in departure other soldiers and opened the front to the
enemy. The panic-mongers and cowards should be exterminated in place.” 5
Those who retreated, or quit were either shot or arrested by the NKVD. This harsh measure kept the
army together during the hardest time and ultimately led to the victory over the Nazis.
d) The USSR was tried heavily during the war. Slavs were subject to Hitler’s genocide plan due to
‘inferiority’. At the end of the war, 20 million Russians (both civilians and military) were dead.
“The Russian people, trusted the correctness of the policy of its Government, and it made
sacrifices to ensure the rout of Germany. This… proved to be that decisive force which
ensured the historic victory over the enemy of humanity—
over fascism.” (J. Stalin, May 24, 1945)6
3
"Operation Barbarossa." Wikipedia. Web. 21 Feb. 2010.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Barbarossa#Middle_phase_.283_July_1941_-_2_October_1941.29>.
4
"Joseph Stalin." Joseph Stalin. Web. 21 Feb. 2010. <http://www.spiritus-temporis.com/joseph-stalin/world-war-ii.html>.
5
Stalin, Joseph. "Toast to the Russian People." Reception in Honour of Red Army Commanders. Moscow. 21 Feb. 2010. Speech.
6
Stalin, Joseph. "Toast to the Russian People." Reception in Honour of Red Army Commanders. Moscow. 21 Feb. 2010. Speech.
Vassilis Daskalopoulos, Ilianna Kotini
26 Feb. 2010
The experience of the war, and the fact that it ended in victory was vital in securing Stalin’s position.
Remember that Tsar Nicholas was brought closer to abdication by the fact that he lost the RussoJapanese War. Stalin had brought victory after many decades of loss. He had delivered his promise
in full.
2. Foreign Policy and Action:
a) Neutrality Pact 1939: This pact between Japan and the USSR provided Stalin with another strong
ally. Japan was very dominant in Asia at the time. The two countries agreed to maintain peaceful
relations and to remain neutral in times of conflict. It was obvious from this and later pacts that
Stalin signed that he was not convinced to keep the promises he made. Instead it was his
strategy to fortify the USSR against the advancing Nazi Army.
b) Nazi Ribbentrop Pact in 1939: Stalin carefully considered
signing the pact. He reasoned that by allying with Hitler, he
would gain time to prepare properly and to have the
power to choose when to enter the war. He also thought
that Germany would allow the USSR to take parts of
Poland as well as Yugoslavia. 7
c) As the war wound up, several conferences took place
involving the Big Three (Stalin, Churchill – later replaced
by Atlee, Roosevelt- replaced by Truman). These took
place in Tehran, Yalta and Potsdam. Stalin truly showed
leadership and was rather demanding during the
conferences. 8
Churchill and Stalin made an informal agreement (Percentages agreement, 1944) that divided
Eastern Europe between the USSR and British territory. 9
d) At the end of the Great Patriotic War, Stalin begun taking over territory in Eastern Europe.
3. Increase of power and force: Another factor that
helped Stalin was the fact that the USSR became
internationally powerful. At the end of the war,
7
Stalin, Joseph. "Speech to the Politburo." Stalin's speech to the Politburo on 19 August 1939. 21 Feb. 2010. Speech.
8
"Joseph Stalin." Joseph Stalin. Web. 21 Feb. 2010. <http://www.spiritus-temporis.com/joseph-stalin/world-war-ii.html>.
9
"World War 2." Web. 21 Feb. 2010. <http://www.paperlessarchives.com/wwii_conferences.html>.
Vassilis Daskalopoulos, Ilianna Kotini
26 Feb. 2010
Stalin begun building a buffer of communist friendly countries around the USSR.
a) In the Yalta conference it was agreed between the Big Three that after liberation, Nazi territory
would be allowed to elect its own government. Beginning in 1945, Stalin broke this agreement,
initially arresting the new Polish Government members. He initially took over Albania and
Bulgaria. In the next three years he would
overtake most of Eastern Europe. This
divide and conquer tactic was called ‘salami
tactics’. Increased territory expanded
Stalin’s influence and power. The territories
stayed under the USSR until a few years
before its collapse in 1991.
b) At the end of the war, Stalin made sure that
he was portrayed as the main reason for victory. He put up posters, and set up a very large
victory parade (on May 9th, 1945). At the end of the day, Stalin wanted to be remembered and
connected to the positive things happening to the USSR.10
Conclusion:
Stalin continued his previous policies of withholding information, and purging those who disagreed
throughout the Great Patriotic War. However, it was not only this total control that enabled him to
ensure his position as dictator but also the fact that he managed to make Russia self sustainable
throughout the war.
More striking was the turnabout of the war between the Nazis and the Soviets. Despite their initial
defeat, the USSR behaved very dominantly towards the end of the war. Their victory sealed Stalin’s
position as leader. He was forceful but he delivered which meant that the Russian people appreciated
what was achieved more than what he took away from them.
Lastly, Stalin was not only dominant within the USSR but also internationally. He was demanding and
active in conferences, and he managed to expand his influence through territorial gains.
10
Lynch, Michael. Stalin's Russia 1924-53. London: Hodder Education, 20089. Print.
Vassilis Daskalopoulos, Ilianna Kotini
26 Feb. 2010
Works Cited :
Primary Sources:
Stalin, Joseph. "Order No 277." The order of the National Commissar for the defense of the
Soviet Union. Moscow. 21 Feb. 2010. Speech.
Stalin, Joseph. "Speech to the Politburo." Stalin's speech to the Politburo on 19 August 1939. 21
Feb. 2010. Speech.
Stalin, Joseph. "Toast to the Russian People." Reception in Honour of Red Army Commanders.
Moscow. 21 Feb. 2010. Speech.
On the Great Patriotic War. Moscow: Foreign Languages, 1946. Foreign Languages Publishing
House, May 2003. Web. 21 Feb. 2010. <http://marx2mao.com/Stalin/GPW46.html#s2>.
Vassilis Daskalopoulos, Ilianna Kotini
26 Feb. 2010
Secondary Sources:
"Joseph Stalin." Joseph Stalin. Web. 21 Feb. 2010. <http://www.spiritus-temporis.com/josephstalin/world-war-ii.html>.
Lynch, Michael. Stalin's Russia 1924-53. London: Hodder Education, 20089. Print.
"World War 2." Web. 21 Feb. 2010.
<http://www.paperlessarchives.com/wwii_conferences.html>.