Joseph Stalin

Introduction: A Reign of Fear

This chilling statement encapsulates the brutal reality of Joseph Stalin's rule. Under his iron fist, an estimated 20 million Soviet citizens perished. For a quarter of a century, he ruled the USSR with ruthless terror—no one, not even his closest family, was safe. Yet, upon his death, he was mourned as a national hero.

This is the story of Joseph Stalin, the dictator whose legacy remains one of history's darkest chapters.

Early Life: From Gori to Revolution

A Violent Childhood

Joseph Stalin was born Iosif Vissarionovich Dzhugashvili on December 18, 1878, in Gori, Georgia (then part of the Russian Empire). His father, Vissarion "Beysa" Zhukashvili, was a shoemaker and an abusive alcoholic who frequently beat his wife and son. His mother, Ekaterina, also disciplined him harshly.

Stalin grew up in a violent environment—Gori was a rough town where street brawls were common. A traumatic moment came in 1892, when he witnessed the public hanging of two criminals, fueling his hatred for the Tsarist regime.

From Seminary to Marxism

Despite his harsh upbringing, Stalin excelled academically. He attended a church school, sang in the choir, and earned a scholarship to the Tiflis Theological Seminary at 15. However, he was more drawn to Marxist writings than the Bible. By 1899, he was expelled for revolutionary activities.

He adopted the alias "Koba" (inspired by a Georgian folk hero) and joined the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party (RSDLP). By 1903, the party split into Bolsheviks (led by Lenin) and Mensheviks—Stalin sided with Lenin.

Rise to Power: Revolution and Ruthlessness

The 1917 Revolution

Stalin was in Siberian exile when the February Revolution (1917) toppled Tsar Nicholas II. Upon release, he became editor of Pravda ("Truth"), the Bolshevik newspaper. Initially, he supported the provisional government, but Lenin—returning from exile—condemned this stance.

When Lenin ordered the October Revolution (1917), Stalin reluctantly backed the armed uprising. The Bolsheviks, led by Leon Trotsky, seized power, and Stalin was appointed People's Commissar of Nationalities.

The Russian Civil War (1918-1922)

During the civil war, Stalin was sent to defend Tsaritsyn (later Stalingrad). He clashed with Trotsky, even imprisoning his supporters on a leaky barge to drown. By 1922, Lenin made him General Secretary of the Communist Party—a position he used to consolidate power.

Lenin's Mistrust and Death

Lenin soon regretted promoting Stalin, calling him "too rude" and urging his removal in a secret testament. When Lenin suffered a stroke, Stalin verbally abused Lenin's wife, calling her a "syphilitic whore." Many believe this stress hastened Lenin's death in 1924.

Stalin then orchestrated Lenin's deification, positioning himself as his rightful successor.

The Dictator Unleashed: Purges, Famine, and Terror

Eliminating Rivals

Stalin's main rival was Leon Trotsky, whom he exiled in 1927 and later had assassinated in 1940. He purged the party, executing 56% of the 1934 Congress delegates.

Collectivization & The Holodomor

In 1928, Stalin enforced forced collectivization, seizing farms and declaring "liquidation of the kulaks (wealthy peasants)." Resistance meant execution or deportation to gulags.

The result? A man-made famine (1932-33), especially in Ukraine ("Holodomor"), where 10 million starved while Stalin exported grain.

The Great Terror (1936-1939)

After the assassination of Sergey Kirov (1934)—likely ordered by Stalin—he launched the Great Purge.

• Show trials with forced confessions.
• Arrest quotas—local officials were encouraged to exceed execution targets.
• Military purges: 30,000 officers were executed or imprisoned, weakening the USSR before WWII.

By 1939, millions were in gulags or dead.

World War II: From Near-Defeat to Victory

The Nazi-Soviet Pact (1939)

Stalin, fearing Hitler, signed a non-aggression pact, buying time. But on June 22, 1941, Germany invaded. Stalin was shocked, briefly collapsing before rallying.

The Brutal War

• Kiev (1941): Stalin refused to evacuate—500,000 captured or killed.
• Moscow (1941): Stalin stayed, rallying troops in a Red Square parade.
• Stalingrad (1942-43): A turning point, but with massive Soviet losses.

When his son Yakov was captured, Stalin refused a prisoner swap, leaving him to die.

Post-War Dominance

By 1945, 25 million Soviets were dead, but Stalin emerged victorious. At Yalta, he secured Eastern Europe, sparking the Cold War.

Final Years: Paranoia & Death

Even after WWII, Stalin's paranoia continued:

• Returning POWs were sent to gulags.
• Jewish doctors were falsely accused in the "Doctors' Plot" (1952).

On March 5, 1953, Stalin died after a stroke. His funeral saw mass mourning, but in 1956, Khrushchev exposed his crimes, dismantling his cult.