Red Cigars

On our trip to Russia in 2007,  I made a couple of unique purchases.  One was a Joseph Stalin ashtray. Another purchase was some Cuban cigars.  Stalin is obviously one of history's most notorious figures and recognized names.  Some call him a tyrant and a brutal dictator.  Others speak very highly of his prominence in leading the Red Army to victory against the Nazis in World War II. As with much of history, myth becomes fact and facts get altered.  In no way am I endorsing Joseph or whitewashing the very well-documented travesties he orchestrated.  I am simply wanting to point out the complexities involved in examining any historical figure.  If a guy is on our side ...well, he's grand.  If he's on the opposing side, he's a demon. What's unique about Stalin is that he was our friend during WWII and his country, whom we later claimed was an evil empire, was one of our dear allies when the world's back was against the wall.  I say, let's take a puff on a good cigar and think about that a bit.  Another thing we can do is tune into programs like this, which give us more insight into the history and how complex it is in unraveling.  As Napoleon said  (or did he?) - by the way, when counting bodies piled high, there's been no greater murderer in history than Napoleon - "What is history but a fabled agreed upon?"

Here's an e-mail I sent to my brother Mark in May 2005.  I had just completed reading the book Stalin: The Court of the Red Tsar by Simon Sebag Montefiore.

Mark, I think you would enjoy these descriptions of Stalin, especially the ways he cunningly used people.  It's no wonder that people who met him were unconvinced that he was a psychopathic dictator.  Of course, he had some "unworldly" admirable qualities that made his ruthlessness all the more effective.

Stalin was simple and modest.

He was aware of the absurdities of the cult (people worshiped him), intelligent enough to know that the worship of slaves was surely worthless.

Stalin was not altogether ruthless and unmerciful. In fact, his charm put people at ease. He often surprised people with his humor, graciousness and self-effacing manner. These characteristics made him very seductive.

A technical school student was goofing off and threw a dart in an administrative office that hit Stalin portrait right square in the middle. Somehow this got back to Stalin and Stalin simply wrote a personal to the student. He said, "He who hits the target should be praised."

During the early stages of the Battle for Stalingrad in WWII, a Russian General made a grave miscalculation that allowed his regiment to be encircled and slaughtered by Germen forces. He was sent to Stalin expecting the worst. Stalin told him, "You know, in WWII, after our army fell into German encirclement the general was court-martialed by the Tsar and hanged." But Stalin forgave him and sent him back to the front.