Joseph Stalin

Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin (18 December 1878 – 5 March 1953) was the Premier of the Soviet Union from 6 May 1941 to 5 March 1953. He was among the Bolshevik revolutionaries who brought about the October Revolution and had held the position of first General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union's Central Committee from 1922 until his ...

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Documents about Joseph Stalin

Thursday 11th January 1940

Meeting minutes

extract PM meets with junior ministers. Warns Britons “must take the war more seriously” and response to Scandinavian situation
person Geoffrey Lloyd, Baron Geoffrey-Lloyd
person Joseph Stalin
person Andrew Duncan
person John Reith, 1st Baron Reith
place Finland
place Russian Empire
organisation Foreign and Commonwealth Office
 

Wednesday 14th February 1940

Military Assistance to Finland.

extract Secret memo by MP Philip Noel Baker outlines in detail situation on Finnish-Russian front “and the prospects of peace”
person Joseph Stalin
place Great Britain
place Finland
place Russian Empire
place East Germany
place Moscow
place Stockholm
place Denmark
 

Wednesday 3rd July 1940

Meeting minutes

extract Directive from PM on morale to Civil Service. Must "set an example", report those spreading "alarm and despondency"
extract Cabinet rejects request by Chiefs of Staff for east coast evacuation. "Public opinion already somewhat jumpy"
extract Cabinet agrees UK air raid casualty figures will no longer be released. Gives enemy information, might demoralise country
person Alexander Cadogan
person Andrew Greenwood
person Stafford Cripps
person Joseph Stalin
person Malcolm MacDonald
place Gisborne, New Zealand
place Halifax Peninsula
place South Wales
organisation Home Office
organisation Royal Air Force
organisation British Army
organisation Parliament of the United Kingdom
 

The Baltic States.

extract Lord Halifax recommends British government refuse to recognise USSR's occupation by "force and fraud" of Baltic States
person Sumner Welles
person Joseph Stalin
person E. F. L. Wood, 1st Earl of Halifax
place Finland
place East Germany
place Albania
organisation Bank of England
 

Wednesday 2nd October 1940

German-Italian-Japanese Treaty.

extract Halifax: Three Power Pact means UK "must show a solid front" with US in Far East even if Japan move "huge piece of bluff"
person Joseph Stalin
person Adolf Hitler
place Moscow
place Europe
place Republic of China
organisation Foreign Office (Germany)
 

Monday 24th February 1941

Meeting minutes

extract PM Churchill: In my opinion the enterprise is a risk we must undertake. At worst bulk of force could be got back to Egypt
extract PM Menzies: If enterprise "only a forlorn hope it had better not be undertaken." Is there substantial chance of success?
extract PM Churchill: "Difficulties...must not be under-rated". If colleagues have misgivings "they should express them now"
extract PM Churchill: Cabinet must now "reach a most important decision, namely, whether to open a new theatre of war in Greece"
person Archibald Wavell, 1st Earl Wavell
person Joseph Stalin
place Greece
place Egypt
place Turkey
place Bulgaria
organisation Luftwaffe
 

Thursday 8th May 1941

Meeting minutes

extract Eden: I think Stalin's open assumption of power shows he realises the clouds are gathering
extract PM: Enemy "short of ammunition, petrol and food". "With good fortune the Battle of Egypt might well turn in our favour"
extract PM informs Cabinet Operation Tiger, to send tank reinforcements to General Wavell through the Mediterranean, is underway
extract Air Chief: "Light night" led to 23 enemy aircraft being brought down. Air Secretary to congratulate Fighter Command
person Walter Hines Page
person Herbert Morrison
person Joseph Stalin
place Egypt
place Iceland
place Manchester, New Hampshire
place Syria
place Greenwood, Nova Scotia
organisation Home Office
organisation New Zealand Treasury
organisation RAF Coastal Command
organisation House of Commons of the United Kingdom
organisation United Nations