Why do you think so many people on the Marxist left defend Stalinism?
Why do you think so many people on the Marxist left defend Stalinism?
Simply put, they have no idea what they’re talking about.
Stalin took credit for defeating Nazis (after carving up Poland with them first, but who cares about minor historical details) and was leading this big global superpower that could stand up the The Evil West (while also crushing every other leftist organization that didn’t bend the knee, but again, minor details).
And from there it’s a pretty simple leap to the world being divided into the Good Camp and the Bad Camp. The US is clearly in the Bad Camp (which is the part I don’t argue). The USSR was against the US. Therefore it must be the Good Camp. The idea of multiple evil people opposing each other is a bit too complicated for them.
Pop quiz though, how many times did the USSR offer to ally against the Nazis with Poland and who torpedoed that?
Minor historical detail really.
No I mean when the USSR offered to fight the Nazis with Poland, France and the UK
That is such a ridiculous take even British historians disagree with you.
Are you interested in understanding history and trying to learn from it?
There were many talks, the British and French governments refused to commit, prefering to let the Nazis kill Slavs. They told the Polish government that despite Hitler loudly saying how he was going to kill Slavs and take their land this would not happen. The USSR said they would fight, first in Czechoslovakia when it was annexed, second when the Nazis were building up forces on Poland’s boarders. Both times they needed permission to send armies through (and later in obvs) Poland.
The polish government, being capitalist shitbags, were terrified of a revolution and denied this. Preferring to take their chances with Hitler and the dubious guarantees of the British. This worked out famously well for them.
The ussr, having been a nation of serfs 20 years ago, and being unable to fight alone abandoned the talks that were being deliberately sabotaged for a NAP to buy time. Literally the same strategy as the UK yet somehow this is an example of the USSR being evil? Despite this being their backup backup plan.
Framing it as the evil USSR carving up Poland with Hitler is not just subtly wrong, it’s almost the opposite of reality.