ALSO BY STEPHEN KOTKIN

Stalin:

Paradoxes of Power, 1878–1928

Armageddon Averted:

The Soviet Collapse, 1970–2000

Magnetic Mountain:

Stalinism as a Civilization

Steeltown, USSR:

Soviet Society in the Gorbachev Era

Uncivil Society:

1989 and the Implosion of the Communist Establishment

PENGUIN PRESS

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Copyright © 2017 by Stephen Kotkin

Penguin supports copyright. Copyright fuels creativity, encourages diverse voices, promotes free speech, and creates a vibrant culture. Thank you for buying an authorized edition of this book and for complying with copyright laws by not reproducing, scanning, or distributing any part of it in any form without permission. You are supporting writers and allowing Penguin to continue to publish books for every reader.

Photograph credits appear here.

Kotkin, Stephen.

Stalin / Stephen Kotkin. volumes cm

Includes bibliographical references and index. Contents: Volume I. Paradoxes of power, 1878–1928.

ISBN 9781594203794 (hardcover)

ISBN 9780143127864 (paperback)

Volume II. Waiting for Hitler, 1929–1941.

ISBN 9781594203800 (hardcover) / ISBN 9780735224483 (e-book)

1. Stalin, Joseph, 1879–1953. 2. Stalin, Joseph, 1879–1953—Psychology. 3. Heads of state—Soviet Union—Biography. 4. Dictators—Soviet Union—Biography. 5. Soviet Union—Politics and government—1917–1936. 6. Soviet Union—Politics and government—1936–1953. 7. Political culture—Soviet Union—History. 8. Soviet Union—History—1925–1953. I. Title.

DK268.S8K65 2014

947.084”2092—dc23 [B]

2014032906

Maps by Jeffrey L. Ward

While the author has made every effort to provide accurate telephone numbers, internet addresses, and other contact information at the time of publication, neither the publisher nor the author assumes any responsibility for errors, or for changes that occur after publication. Further, publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party Web sites or their content.

Version_1

for Alex Levine and Joyce Howe

who, beginning with the rough patches in graduate school, held me together

Midway on life’s journey

I found myself in a dark wood,

for the straight path was lost.

DANTE ALIGHIERI,

The Divine Comedy, 1308–1321

It cannot be called virtue to kill one’s fellow citizens, betray one’s friends, be without faith, without pity, without religion; by these methods one may indeed gain power, but not glory.

NICCOLÒ MACHIAVELLI,

The Prince, 1513

CONTENTS

ALSO BY STEPHEN KOTKIN

TITLE PAGE

COPYRIGHT

DEDICATION

EPIGRAPH

PREFACE

MAPS

PART I

EQUAL TO THE MYTH

CHAPTER 1 | Triumph of the Will

CHAPTER 2 | Apocalypse

CHAPTER 3 | Victory

CHAPTER 4 | Terrorism

CHAPTER 5 | A Great Power

PART II

TERROR AS STATECRAFT

CHAPTER 6 | On a Bluff

CHAPTER 7 | Enemies Hunting Enemies

CHAPTER 8 | “What Went On in No. 1’s Brain?”

CHAPTER 9 | Missing Piece

PART III

THREE-CARD MONTE

CHAPTER 10 | Hammer

CHAPTER 11 | Pact

CHAPTER 12 | Smashed Pig

CHAPTER 13 | Greed

CHAPTER 14 | Fear

CODA

LITTLE CORNER, SATURDAY, JUNE 21, 1941

SOVIET ADMINISTRATIVE STRUCTURE

PHOTOGRAPHS

NOTES

BIBLIOGRAPHY

CREDITS

INDEX

PREFACE

But if there isn’t a tsar, who’s going to rule Russia?

ALEXEI, 1917, when his father, Nicholas II, abdicated for both of them