Trying to understand Stalin

kowalskil · October 2nd, 2011, 03:00 PM

How did Stalin manage to outmaneuver so many

After reading an interesting, and rather unique, book about Stalin, I just posted a very short review of it, at the Amazon’s website. Here it is, for those who might be interested:

I agree with those who wrote that Montefiore's voluminous "Stalin: The Court of the Red Tsar" is not always easy reading. But it is certainly worthwhile for the light it sheds on relations between Stalin and his close subordinates, those whom he liquidated and those who survived him. Stalin's methods of domination--both brutal and ideological--are skillfully described. The same applies to personal relations between communist leaders. The Soviet Union was the first country in which the idea of proletarian dictatorship, formulated by Marx, was implemented. That is why all aspects of Soviet history are worth studying. Be aware that the number of characters is unusually large. Fortunately, Stalin's family tree and the introductory section entitled "List of Characters" should help readers to deal with this problem.

Ludwik Kowalski (see Wikipedia)
.

P.S. The link to my free online autobiography is not showing in the signature. But Google will show it to you.

October 2nd, 2011, 03:00 PM	#1
kowalskil Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: New Jersey, USA Posts: 62	Trying to understand Stalin How did Stalin manage to outmaneuver so many After reading an interesting, and rather unique, book about Stalin, I just posted a very short review of it, at the Amazon’s website. Here it is, for those who might be interested: I agree with those who wrote that Montefiore's voluminous "Stalin: The Court of the Red Tsar" is not always easy reading. But it is certainly worthwhile for the light it sheds on relations between Stalin and his close subordinates, those whom he liquidated and those who survived him. Stalin's methods of domination--both brutal and ideological--are skillfully described. The same applies to personal relations between communist leaders. The Soviet Union was the first country in which the idea of proletarian dictatorship, formulated by Marx, was implemented. That is why all aspects of Soviet history are worth studying. Be aware that the number of characters is unusually large. Fortunately, Stalin's family tree and the introductory section entitled "List of Characters" should help readers to deal with this problem. Ludwik Kowalski (see Wikipedia) . P.S. The link to my free online autobiography is not showing in the signature. But Google will show it to you. __________________ "Diary of a Former Communist: Thoughts, Feelings, Reality." My testimony is based on a diary kept between 1946 and 2004, in the USSR, Poland, France and the USA. Ask Google for Ludwik Kowalski.