this post was submitted on 06 Dec 2025
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The military command was fairly solid, although Stalin indeed played an important role there.
It's hard to assess properly, not in least part because Stalin was in office for almost 20 years when Hitler invaded USSR and plenty could go differently in that timeframe, but I believe USSR would win regardless, first because of other important people in the chain of command, second because allies lended significant help pressuring the Reich on other fronts (and also conducting joint operations with USSR) and third because plenty of people did understand the risks.
Either way, it would be very devastating, even if someone else properly reinforced the Soviet troops ahead of time. Stalin did what he could, given the circumstances.
It was an industrial war. Yes, the command was critical. Yes allies were critical. But Stalin directed the economy on the basis of a prediction of the war in a way that I don't think any other economic thinker at the time would have