The Gun Counter

[strike]Soviet Union[/strike] Russia Whitewashing Stalin?

A nationwide Russian poll seeking to name the greatest-ever countryman is set to end Sunday, and former Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin is in the running for No. 1, the BBC reported.

The greatest Russian ever?

If you consider short and long term effect and results, ol' Joe pretty much takes the top honors.
Promoting and 'creating' the Union as such you have to give him trememdous credit.

Greatness doesn't always come from good deeds but in this case from leadership ability and vision. Stalin saw what he wanted/needed and had the ability to get to that goal through "bloody" determination, an iron fist and the desire to get the job done regardless of the requirements.

I think it could be a translation error/sloppy English. Being "Great" used to mean mighty... although many of the older Russians do seem to like Stalin for some odd reason...

Maybe it's a "Person of the Year" type of thing. Not necessarily a "good" person, but instead the person who had the greatest impact on the nation.

Ivan the Terrible, Peter the Great... I wish we could choose legal suffixes!
//shakes fist at the world//

Wait... see my new thread over at The Kitchen Table!

Actually I have to include myself in the running. Being a pure Russkie of 6'5" and 340 pounds I qualify as a great Russian.
But it was Peter The Great who took Russia from a feudal bassackwards country into the modern European era. His exploits abroad personally learning how to build ships and develop commerce are great reading.

Find a used copy of Peter The Great by Robert E. Massie

Aglifter wrote:although many of the older Russians do seem to like Stalin for some odd reason...

Given what would have happened to them and their families if they didn't...

I meant that they currently like Stalin, not that they worshipped "Uncle Joe" while he was in power.

Aglifter wrote:I meant that they currently like Stalin, not that they worshipped "Uncle Joe" while he was in power.

Most of the current crop of "older Russians" would have been kids when Stalin's cult of personality was in full swing. What's the bit the Jesuits say about starting to teach them young?