[Richthofen]

But doesn't that mean there would have been deep internal problems already if one man can start and destroy everything like that?

[Besoshvili]

Gorbachev and Yeltsin were both scum, and they did nothing of any merit insofar as the Soviet Union is concerned; however who enabled the liberalization of the system that would even allow such ideas to be spoke in public, much less acted upon? Certainly something went wrong with the entire apparatus well before Gorbachev or Yeltsin were in power. It was the degeneration of liberalism within the Soviet Union that brought it down; the line held by the revisionists deteriorated the system from within. The abandonment of socialism and the adoption of pluralism cost the Soviet Union its very own existence.

[Ossi]

Hekken,

another 30 years of stalinism? Therefore as far as the 1980-90s? Njet!!!

The only thing I'll never forgive Nikita for, is his weak approach during the cuban missle crisis. He shouldn't have blinked first. In that situation Stalin would have been much better placed. He would have teached Kennedy some manners.

[Besoshvili]

Quote:

But doesn't that mean there would have been deep internal problems already if one man can start and destroy everything like that?

Khrushchev had help, mainly through the military via Zhukov. However, I see it more as a problem of not having a viable, pre-determined means of succession, rather than anything problematic within the governing system of the Soviet state. Don't forget, Khrushchev put himself in the absolute position of power -- making himself both First Secretary of the CPSU and Premiere of the Soviet Union -- a position with limitless power.

[Richthofen]

I personally find that nowadays we have weak politicians who are too easily intimidated or don't know what they are doing. So basically, they're pansies. Reagan can be viewed as a weak politician since he could only use force to intimidate others.

For instance, I don't think Reagan would have dared to mess with Stalin if they were in the same time era. Reagan would have been screwed if he did.

[Ossi]

Its pictures like these that make me physically sick
What is he looking at his watch for? He probably knew his time was up. And where is his uniform?

[Richthofen]

Didn't Gorbachev get punched in the face in 1996 while running for President of Russia?

Wait, Gorbachev had a uniform?

[Ossi]

At least Stalin would have worn his nice white uniform (the one he had in yalta & potsdam) or Castro his olive green one.

[Richthofen]

I thought Stalin wore a light brownish-green uniform and then a white one at Potsdam, and his traditional dark green one at Yalta.

You know, I've always wondered why Gorbachev never attempted to demote Stalin from Generalissimo of the Soviet Union or strip Brezhnev of his rank of Marshall of the Soviet Union. Gorbachev had found time to remove Brezhnev's Order of Victory?

[Ossi]

Did Gorbacev do that to Brezhnev? No, don't tell me I'll hate him even more. I am surprised he didn't destroy the lenin mausoleum.

[Richthofen]

Gorbachev found that he had enough time to waste to come up with the paperwork to remove Brezhnev's Order of Victory which he did not deserve anyways.

[Marshal Konev]

In the spirit of sharing, Gorbachev, Yeltsin, and Brezhnev should share this title.

1. Brezhnev: While I do find Khrushchev's denigration of Stalin to be quite harmful to the USSR, it was Brezhnev who, in the last years of his leadership, allowed corruption and lack of imagination to fester in the top echelons of the government. That was the downfall of the USSR. This was the muck that Andropov, and later, Gorbachev tried to fix. Following the declining influence of Mikoyan, Kosygin, etc., Brezhnev failed to hold his colleagues (or some of his family members) to any respectable standard as public servants, thus almost completely destroying the revolutionary, social progressive spirit in the nation that Stalin worked so hard to build up.

2. Gorbachev: Perestroika and glasnost were too extreme and destructive; 'nuff said

3. Yeltsin: 'nuff said

[Jacob Peters]

I very much agree that Stalin's successors severely fukced up the country. The Brezhnev era was ridiculously stagnant, corrupt, and militarist. But even the worst of the Brezhnev era was not nearly as bad as the catastrophe brought by 'perestroika' or the post-'91 IMF-directed plundering.

[Besoshvili]

Quote:

I thought Stalin wore a light brownish-green uniform and then a white one at Potsdam, and his traditional dark green one at Yalta.

He traditionally wore his party tunic and also the grey greatcoat that he was seen wearing at Yalta. However, when victory became immintent for the Soviets, the Politburo fitted him (against his wishes) with a special Generalissimo's uniform.

Quote:

You know, I've always wondered why Gorbachev never attempted to demote Stalin from Generalissimo of the Soviet Union or strip Brezhnev of his rank of Marshall of the Soviet Union. Gorbachev had found time to remove Brezhnev's Order of Victory?

As if his regime wasn't plagued enough, this would've been political suicide. At least the Stalin aspect; despite the "de-Stalinization" efforts and attempts made by successor's, Stalin remained (and remains to this day) a very popular figure throughout Russia, and the former Soviet Republics (particularly Sakartvelo).

In retrospect, I think things might have changed for the better had Yuri Andropov survived in office longer. While the system was in terrible dissarray from the Khrushchev and Brezhnev regimes, Andropov seriously wanted to get back on track. One of his major goals IIRC was to take on the dreadful alcoholism that plagued much of the Soviet population, as well as attempting to re-socialize aspects of the economy that were liberalised post-Stalin.

[Richthofen]

Yalta:

Here

Potsdam:

Here
Here

Is this the same uniform as the one at Yalta?:

Here

And I thought Stalin was appointed Generalissimo Union on June 27, 1945. How could he have got the Generalissimo uniform before that, when he should have been wearing his Marshal uniform? Also, I've read that a Generalissimo uniform was designed for him, but he never wore it. Here.

Another thing: Are you saying that the Soviets were saying to the CPSU: "You can remove Stalin from the National Anthem, you can remove him from Lenin's Mausoleum, but don't you dare demote him from his rank of Generalissimo of the Soviet Union."?

What are your views on Chernenko? Did he even do anything?

[soviet78]

Chernenko half-heartedly continued Andropov's reforms, including increased focus on consumer spending, and labour union and education reform. As virtual ideological younger sibling of Brezhnev though, Chernenko was more conservative in his approach, and slowed the most revolutionary aspects of his predecessor, including the rooting out of corruption (there are rumers that after his death piles of money were found in his personal desk and safe, for example).

His greatest potential legacy is having been so sick during most of his leadership that Gorbachev really had an opportunity to gain influence and to ultimately to kill him off at an opportune moment for his own rise to absolute power. When the emergency meeting was held to elect Chernenko's successor, Gorbachev's chief rival for the leadership, Grigory Romanov, Andropov style reformist and a secretary of the Central Committee of the CPSU, and two of his closest allies in the Politburo were conveniently outside Moscow at the time and thus couldn't participate in the leadership election.

[hugas]

Quote:

I think it`s Gorbachev who in fact worked for the Americans and soled out the USSR. Now he lives in USA, he even celebrated his 75th birthday in Croatia.

what are you talking about? he lives in Russia, and he has scientists office. he is also journalist, now and he is responsibility for the fall of USSR.

[Red Robespierre]

Who are the three blind mice that voted for Iosef Stalin?

[Red_Walker]

Quote:

what are you talking about? he lives in Russia, and he has scientists office. he is also journalist, now and he is responsibility for the fall of USSR.

Do you have any actual source that could prove this?
75-year old journalist?
I am apsolutey certain that he celebrated his 75th birthday in Croatia having gathered all people responsible for the fall of socialism in Europe.
Russians hate him. I spoke to a russian that used to work in soviet army. He said that he would kill him when he`d see him in person.

[Ossi]

Are you talking about that guy with the birth mark on his head.
If yes, I too would give him something of my mind but I would not go as far as killing him.