it is for history coursework
2007-03-07 22:58:23 · 10 answers · asked by Anonymous in Politics & Government ➔ Government
The answer to this question could fill a book. The one I always think of most is the battle of Stalingrad. Where soldiers of the Red Army were sent into battle against German machine gun and tank emplacements, with no gun. They were told to pick up the gun of the soldier in front when he got killed. Some were even made to carry a massive red flag (might as well have worn a sign saying please shoot me). And worst of all, if they retreated for any reason they were machine gunned by their own officers, directly on Stalin's orders (his infamous "Not one step backward" speech). The film "Enemy at the Gates" and the game "Call of Duty" illustrate these events very well.
That was just one example of Stalin's ruthlessness towards his own people, but as I said, there are probably enough to fill a book. You can get more info by following these links though -
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/stalin_joseph.shtml
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Stalin
2007-03-08 00:00:59 · answer #1 · answered by Spacephantom 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The Russian peasants who owned most of the land in Russia were not all that keen on Communism. Stalin simply starved them to death and they died in their millions. Stalin was a ruthless dictator. He also killed thousands of military commanders including senior generals of the Red Army as well as regimental commanding officers. The result of this was that the Red Army was incapable of taking on the German Army when it arrived in c1940/41.
The rest is history.
2007-03-08 19:43:38 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Stalin was just as ruthless as Hitler in many respects. He killed just as many Jews as Hitler did, but only over a longer period. Freedom of speech and freedom of press was totally cracked down upon. Anyone questioning the government was either killed or sent to the gulag. Stalin's version of a Nazi death/work camp.
2007-03-07 23:04:17 · answer #3 · answered by Robert and Tanya 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Through colletivising farms in Ukraine he brought about the biggest famine in modern european history food rotted on the docks while people starved it was used a political weapon to secure Ukraine for the Soviet Union
2007-03-07 23:12:27 · answer #4 · answered by Mack J 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Stalin purged his nation of anyone he felt to be a threat to himself and Communism. Under his rule, he executed millions. He purged his country of intellectuals as he felt them to be the greatest threat.
Communism later fell due to the inherent weakness of the system, as well as the actions of President Ronald Reagan, who justly called the USSR an "Evil Empire".
2007-03-08 00:41:35 · answer #5 · answered by Eric K 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
To begin with, he killed 20 million of them. Thats pretty ruthless. Thats more than 3 times as many as Hitler killed.
2007-03-07 23:09:52 · answer #6 · answered by greatlakesdude 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Enforced repeated screenings of the EuroVision song contests. The heartless bastardd he was..
2007-03-08 02:19:42 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
He took people as slaves, starved people, turned his back on the poor people and looked after the rich people.
2007-03-08 00:42:22 · answer #8 · answered by Micheal 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
ASK THE MILLIONS OF RUSSIAN FAMILIES WHO LOST LOVED ONES.
2007-03-08 00:54:31 · answer #9 · answered by vulcan19412003 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
i took a class in college about him... look up purges. systematic killing of his people ("traitors").
2007-03-07 23:04:21 · answer #10 · answered by Pneurbies 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋