Stalin Dies: Soviet Strongman's Grip Finally Breaks
Joseph Stalin signed a non-aggression pact with Hitler in 1939, then expressed shock when Germany invaded the Soviet Union in 1941. He had purged most of his senior military officers — shooting or imprisoning some 35,000 — in the years before the war, leaving the Red Army hollowed out precisely when it needed leadership most. He also ignored 84 separate intelligence warnings that an invasion was coming. He survived both the purges he ordered and the war he almost lost. He died in his dacha in March 1953, having apparently suffered a stroke, lying on the floor for hours because his guards were afraid to disturb him. No one knows exactly how long he lay there before anyone dared check.
March 5, 1953
73 years ago
Key Figures & Places
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