this post was submitted on 09 Mar 2024
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What's the deal with Stalin? (hexbear.net)
submitted 8 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
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In my continued exposure to leftist spaces and a leftist view on history it has become clear that all I understand about Stalin is the reactionary rhetoric I've been fed my whole life. I have only just started on reading theory and exposing myself to a leftist view, so Stalin as a topic isn't something I've reached yet.

But I have to ask, and I think this is the place to ask it, what is the deal with Stalin?

The vibe I get is that people at a minimum don't hate Stalin, but also maybe at most appricate Stalin. I'm aware that the efforts of the USSR during WW2, especially in regards to Nazi aggression are a credit to his administration and leadership, but is that really where the vibe starts and stops?

I'm not looking for a dissertation on the guy, but just the notes or primary points. I'll take reading suggestions too.

Thanks comrades.

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[–] [email protected] 42 points 8 months ago (1 children)

Stalin didn't have a liberal counterpart to balance the Spanish republican resistance around and didn't have the balls to turn it communist. His insistence on a United front had him minimize the potential of the Chinese communist yet boosted the reactionary Chang Kai Shek.

This can literally be summed up as he was more worried of fighting a war on two fronts, meaning a japanese invasion from occupied Manchuria. Do you think it makes more sense to unconditionally support a weakened CPC after their long march into a war with Republican China with the goddamn japanese wolves on everyone's doorstep? Do you think it makes sense to sink more resources into the losing Spanish Republican civil war after the western powers have completely turned their backs on it and the fascist states were ramping up their support?

No. You do as Stalin did, cut your losses in Spain, promote a cessation of hostilities and a united front with your eastern neighbors and secure a pact of non-aggression against the Japanese Imperialist dogs, all so you can focus your efforts on the coming nazi war machine.

[–] [email protected] 20 points 8 months ago (1 children)

This.

Reading Stalin's letters with Dimitrov has driven home how much they tried to create a united front in Spain and made sacrifices to better the situation there, only for it not to be enough. Stalin was in no way going to let China be lost to Japan, a way bigger threat to Mongolia and the USSR by the way. Mao and him go back and forth a LOT on splitting particularly with what ended up being the destruction of the 4th army.

Mao was correct not to trust the KMT in that case, but the Comintern was right to pressure them and the KMT to work together despite that. It was not something as clear cut as sending more rifles in HOI

[–] [email protected] 8 points 8 months ago (1 children)

Where can you find these letters of Stalin about the Spanish Civil War?