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Biography - Joseph Stalin [VHS]

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During his decades-long reign as absolute ruler of the Soviet Union, Stalin made himself the very face of Communism, rewriting history to make of him a hero of the Revolution itself. No idealistic thinker, Stalin was the thug who could be counted upon to always get things done - at any cost. Even today, one associates Stalin much more quickly than Lenin with the defunct USSR, and some Russians actually look back upon Stalin's reign with an element of nostalgia, denying Stalin's crimes the way Stalin denied elements of the history of his own country. History clearly shows us that Stalin was the most evil man/killer of the twentieth century and quite possibly the most paranoid, brutal leader the world has ever known. It seems impossible to believe that he could be looked upon as "Uncle Joe" during the days of the Russian-American-British alliance against the Germans in World War II, for Stalin cared only for power and nothing else.

Stalin saw enemies everywhere, even among his closest associates, and he even betrayed and executed prominent members of the original Bolshevik Revolution during the era of his infamous purges. Lenin, in his final days, had turned against Stalin, knowing just how brutal a man he was, yet Stalin was able to rise to absolute power by forming political alliances and then betraying (and killing) those he had allied himself with; he basically wiped out everyone he saw as a potential threat. Russian heroes such as Trotsky and Bukharin were betrayed and eliminated by an increasingly paranoid Stalin. In terms of the general population, some 20 million Soviet citizens were killed by Stalin in one form or another. Millions starved to death while Stalin refused to acknowledge the fact that his collectivization plans were complete failures. Soldiers returning home from World War II were exiled and killed to eliminate any future threat they might pose to Stalin. Gulags were set up and masses of people forcefully relocated, resulting in hardship and deaths on a massive scale. Ridiculously cruel punishments were handed down for the most trivial of crimes, while false charges were just as good as legitimate crimes in Stalin's book. Stalin crushed the Russian people under his boots, using terror and torture to cement his complete dominance over the entire population of the country.

Many of the heinous crimes committed by Stalin are recounted in this biographical presentation. Most remarkably of all, we are shown that many of Stalin's subjects blamed the terror and repression of everyday life on overzealous local leaders rather than Stalin himself; when Khrushchev spoke of Stalin's brutalities in 1956, many were deeply shocked by the allegations. It seems hard to believe in today's world, but Stalin remained popular throughout his entire career. He was in fact a godlike figure, thanks to his shameless use of endless propaganda and indoctrination programs.

This video offers an interesting perspective on Hitler and Stalin. The Russian leader saw enemies everywhere at home, but he miscalculated greatly when he believed that Hitler would stick to his word and not invade Russia. Stalin was shocked when Germany attacked, and his military (whose leadership core had been decimated by Stalinist purges) teetered on the brink of defeat in the early months of the fight. The fear of another such attack via the Polish corridor of Europe compelled him to lay claim to the nations of Eastern Europe following the war; thus it was that the Iron Curtain descended upon Europe in the wake of World War II.

This is one of the more impressive programs in the A&E Biography series. Featuring interviews with such stalwart individuals as Stephen J. Cohen, Mikhail Gorbechev, Condaleezza Rice, Stalin's former interpreter, and Stalin's grandson, this video grants you very insightful access into the mind and black heart of one of history's most evil murderers and liars. For Stalin, "death solves all problems," and Stalin was, in this maniacal context, the greatest problem-solver in history. His crimes against mankind and millions of his own people must never be forgotten.

My friends are often surprised when I mention that one of the historical figures that I would like to meet is Joseph Stalin. I would like the opportunity to look into the eyes of a man who methodically planned and ordered the deaths of over 20 million people. Of course, I would only do so through the safety of historical retrospective, because without that, it would mean certain death. Stalin was a brutal man, yet in his own way a master politician. One of the most astonishing facts of history was the public and private statements of Franklin Roosevelt, who said that he liked "Old Joe." These statements were made after Roosevelt was well aware of what Stalin had done in the Soviet Union.
This history of Stalin captures the essence of his rule and the amazing hold he had on the vast Soviet Union. Millions of people treated him as an infallible demi-god, although one wonders how much of the adulation was genuine compared to that which was simple self-preservation in a society terrified with itself. The best part, and the most telling about Stalin was the description of how he eliminated all of his rivals among the old Bolsheviks. By making alliances with one side and then the other, Stalin was able to eliminate all of his enemies. In the final analysis, the old Bolsheviks (other than Stalin), were fundamentally intellectuals, who were ruthless to their external enemies, but could not stomach a death battle with a comrade. Stalin of course had no such scruples and he swept aside all opposition, killing all who even hinted at opposition.
With the downfall of the Soviet Union, more information has come out and we now know how much of a tyrant Stalin was. We should all study this tape and learn what unchecked power can do to a country and a man. It is also a reminder of how wise the framers of the U. S. constitution were when they designed the three branches of government with the conflicting checks and balances.

In a span of only 45-50 minutes of total video time, the producers of this biography of Stalin can't spend much time lingering on the details of Stalin's life. The pace is quick, starting with "the Man of Steel's" birth, his rise to power, abuse of power, role in WW2 and ultimate death and legacy. Incorporating lively and interesting narration by Jack Perkins, archival footage and photographs as well as interviews with Gorbachev, Stalin's grandson, gulag survivors, a former aid to Stalin and several American Soviet historians, the production captures the essence of Stalin's life and leadership, but does not penetrate deeply into the multiple layers of academic history.

I read quite a bit of information about Stalin on the internet, from various sources, before I purchased and watched this video. I thought the information presented by this relatively short film was lacking in many interesting details of Stalin's story. I appreciated being able to view some photos and video of the Russian times in which he ruled, but I think the film should have been longer for such an infamous person of history.

I really enjoyed this biography and I learned new things about Stalin. If you want to learn something new about Stalin, you will want this.

Fair, informative and up to date. A good history of Stalin and his country during his life.

This video serves well the casual viewer who is looking for a quick introduction to the life of this monster. The interviews that put Stalin into an historical context are quite interesting, especially those with Condoleezza Rice, a renowned Kremlinologist before becoming National Security Advisor to President George W. Bush.

Good Video. I used it for my Sophomore World History Class. The kids liked all the horror he created, GREAT vendor!!!

Quit Stalin (stalling) and buy this book! (that was a joke but this is a good book).