Joseph Stalin: A Psychopath in Power

Joseph Stalin is one of the most colorful figures in world history. He was the leader of the Soviet Union for 30 years in the first half of the 20th century.

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Born into a poor Georgian family, Joseph Stalin went to a church school, where he gained his education. There, alongside being a troublesome youngster, Stalin started reading pro-revolutionary novels and Karl Marx’s books, which prompted his later political career.

Stalin was in charge of organizing worker strikes and find fundings for his cause in Georgia. Once, he managed to rob a bank during the day and run off with around 4 million dollars in today’s money.

Later, when Stalin met Lenin and became part of the Bolsheviks, he ran the party newspaper Pravda and would often get caught during his illegal activities. He wasn't drafted for the WWI due to an arm injury.

After Red October and the fall of the Russian Empire, Stalin was left in charge of the new Soviet Republic, together with Vladimir Lenin and Leon Trotsky.

Lenin’s health deteriorated and he passed away, leaving Stalin in charge. Stalin took absolute power and soon started going after anyone who would even remotely oppose him – he commenced his infamous Great Purge.

Over a million people were killed and many more sent to prison. 90% of the army’s generals, 80% of its colonels and well over half its corps commanders were all purged.

With the rise of Nazism and the beginning of WWII, Stalin struck a pact of non-aggression with Germany, since he couldn’t make an agreement with the British. The Soviets and the Germans together entered Poland, but Stalin neglected warnings that Germany would attack them.

Once that happened, the Soviets were unprepared and suffered the heaviest losses in the war. Four years later, they managed to halt German advancements, and push them back, while their capture of Berlin marked the end of WWII in Europe.

After a brief period of time when the new world superpowers got along, the Soviets and the U.S. started spreading their influence across the world. The tensions grew and the Iron Curtain was formed.

Stalin’s health was waning and he was found dead in his office at the age of 74. During his funeral, the crowd was so huge that hundreds of people lost their lives.

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