Description

An authoritative account of Stalin as a wartime leadershowing how his paradoxical policies of mass mobilization and repression affected all aspects of Soviet society

The Second World War was the defining moment in the history of the Soviet Union With Stalin at the helm it emerged victorious at a huge economic and human cost But even before the fighting had ended Stalin began to turn against the architects of success

In this original and comprehensive study Alfred J Rieber examines Stalin as a wartime leader arguing that his policies were profoundly paradoxical In preparation for the war Stalin mobilized the whole of Soviet society in pursuit of his military goals and intensified the centralization of his power Yet at the same time his use of terror weakened the forces vital to the defense of the country In his efforts to rebuild the country after the devastating losses and destruction he suppressed groups that had contributed immeasurably to victory His steady ruthless leadership cultivated a legacy that was to burden the Soviet Union and Russia to the present day