New light on the GPW, Stalin's Secret Journal

[cpdeyoung]

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[gwgardner]

Very interesting series of excerpts from the dictator's journal. Have you found any entries that reveal an overall objective for Stalin's war efforts? What are his ultimate goals?

[cpdeyoung]

Skipping ahead past the defeat of Persia, we find this section which in some ways answers this question :

"The incorporation of three Soviet Socialist Republics from the former state of Persia into the USSR, and the seven from the former state of Turkey, has been completed. As these diverse lands have not advanced to proletariat based states, they will remain under the tutelege of the Party, but will enjoy the services of the Soviet State. Already the Party is organizing training, and the land redistribution is as popular as it was in the former Russian state. These peoples were too far from modernity to join the Comintern as nations, but that may come in the future. In this time of war and uncertainty the various parties were quick to choose the closer integration which comes from joining the USSR. The Poles have already been promised separate national status as a soviet state. In the former Baltic states a third model is in place as these are enjoying the temporary status of Special Military Districts, a status which reflects their geographic location, for these territories are vital to the defense of our many peoples.

While I consider the threat from Germany and her running dogs the most serious it must be said that the British with their constant interference with our justified defense is rankling me. Greece would surely fit well in our system, with a prominent role in the new easterm Mediterranean state, but Churchill insists in calling our needs there aggression, and has threatened war. I shall make my decision on incorporating Greece on the needs of the Peoples State, and not be dictated to by the imperialists. Our first goal is to survive, to keep the fragile chalice of all peoples hopes, the Soviet Peoples State alive and well. Across the world, people look to us for an end to imperialist war, for a peace where all men will be able to live by their work, and not slave for the false states which represent Capital, not the people.

Our goals are the goals of the Comintern : Defend the peoples state, and free the workers of other states from the oppression of Capital."

J. Stalin, SJrn

Analysts feel that at the early part of the conflict Stalin was deeply fearful of the German State, and his first thought was to hold against, and then throw back their attack. Some wonder at his deep conviction that Hitler would turn on the USSR, when the Nazis were trying so hard to convince him otherwise. The mainstream of analysis is that only a fool would not have seen the German threat and have prepared against it. We tend to agree with this view as only delusion would explain how anyone could be fooled by the Nazis.

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