Stalin

Profiles in Power

by Hiroaki Kuromiya

This profile looks at how Stalin, despite being regarded as intellectually inferior by his rivals, managed to rise to power and rule the largest country in the world, achievieving divine-like status as a dictator. Through recently uncovered research material and Stalin’s archives in Moscow, Kuromiya analyzes how and why Stalin was a rare, even unique, politician who literally lived by politics alone. He analyses how Stalin understood psychology campaigns well and how he used this understanding in his political reign and terror. Kuromiya provides a convincing, concise and up-to-date analysis of Stalin’s political life.

Genres: History, Biography, Soviet Union, Russian History, Politics, Nonfiction

246 pages, Paperback

First published November 3, 2005

About the author

Hiroaki Kuromiya
Professor, Department of History

Education
B.A. at Tokyo University, 1977
M.A. at Tokyo University, 1979
Ph.D. at Princeton University, 1985

Research Interests
Modern Eurasia

Courses Recently Taught (at Indiana University Bloomington)
Various courses related to the history of Russia, Ukraine, and the Soviet Union as well as Stalin and Mao
The Cold War and World War II

Reviews

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was definitely not turgid in its prose but came across with a certain detachment that bordered on mechanical and so also mechanical in its arguments. I am forgiving in this regard as this was a concise biography and concise is precisely what suited me -- I had no inclination to read a large bio or multi volume bio about this evil man. Perhaps the author attempted to insulate readers from the nearly incomprehensible extent of Stalin’s inhumanity as Stalin was incapable of any compassion towards humans or even animals.

Just preceding and during WWII the tenuous rapprochement with the Allies held together while the more immediate menace of Hitler prevailed. The alliance soon fractured, however, at wars end under the intense pressure, paranoia and politics of the Supreme Soviet Commander. Upon the return of 1.5 million Russian soldiers previously held as German prisoners of war -- Stalin considered all POW's traitors -- Stalin just sent them all directly to the Gulag.

The grave famine of 1932-33 -- some of several famines were actually planned -- took the lives of 7-8 million; in 1940 Stalin himself admitted that 25 - 30 million starved to death due to famine. Sometimes people were just marched into closed pens and locked in to starve; it was just politics and according to Stalin “Death solves all problems.” Following in 1934 another one million were executed as enemies of the people. Stalin again “while one death is a tragedy, a million deaths is a mere statistic.”

All books on Stalin attribute to him from 20 million to 60 million deaths of innocent non combatant Russian men, women and children. The numbers being so huge it is difficult to derive an accurate count but his reign of terror was so comprehensive, ghastly and vast it is almost impossible for the human brain to grasp. Found in his personal library and marked with his pencil was the following quote from Genghis Khan “The death of the conquered are necessary for the conqueror’s peace of mind”

Neither the family nor the closest collaborators of Joseph Stalin escaped his wretchedness either and when his death was finally announced on the radio in 1953, the entire world exhaled a deep sigh of relief.

The light and revelation cast upon Nazi policies and atrocities over the years has never similarly been shone upon the policies and atrocities of the former Soviet Union. Perhaps with this book and several others recently published future generations can learn of the legalized injustice used to snuff out tens of millions of innocent lives. And maybe, just maybe no man will surpass Stalin as the most inhumane man in the history of mankind.

[Bryan Schwartz · Rating 3 out of 5]

It took me too long to get through Dr. Kuromiya's superb biography of the "Man of Steel". For its length, this political biography was surprisingly detailed and well researched. I was thoroughly pleased by the liberal quotation of Stalin's own words and the primary source material.
For all its good bits, Stalin felt at times as though it were stitched together from a number of articles. The narrative structure could be choppy and it seemed to repeat itself in several sections more than necessary.
Still, taken together, this book provided fascinating insight into Stalin's political ideology and his enigmatic personality.

[Collin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great biography of one of the most important and mysterious persons of the 20th century. Kuromiya does an excellent job illustrating and synthesizing a portrait of such a complex leader, and does well to highlight Stalin’s strengths and successes while recognizing, and not diluting, his shortcomings, failures, and crimes. In addition, the book is succinct and focuses on the important information. For anyone interested in learning about Stalin, I would highly recommend this book.

[Solomon Bloch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good short Stalin biography. Kuromiya paints Stalin as the politician, the schemer, the paranoiac, the Machiavellian. He sees, like Kotkin, that Stalin is mostly a creature created from the politics of his time and place. If you want a taste of Stalin, this is an excellent book to read.

[Sasha · Rating 2 out of 5]

Different interpretation on Stalin's life. It showed that Stalin was not evil, as most bipographers will portray, but Stalin did what he did because he believed in the ideology.

[Kat · Rating 2 out of 5]

Another book that wasn't horrible, per se, but it's so hard to get into a topic like Stalin.

[Jack · Rating 3 out of 5]

Granted, I kind of knew this going into the book, but Stalin was a real asshole. Fine overview of his approach to politics, his desire for power, and his ideological beliefs.

[George · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent brief biography. Based on up-to-date research, the book covers a lot of ground intelligently and succinctly. The attempts to analyze Stalin's personality are generally successful.