Stalin Fooled So Many

 

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I have been enjoying reading Victor Suvarov’s book The Chief Culprit recently, where he shows in great detail how Stalin was planning to invade Europe, how he had managed to turn the European powers against each other, and how he was set up for the invasion, had all of his military assets either on the border or heading towards the border with Germany, and how Hitler’s surprise attack actually brought the whole invasion undone. Hitler could not beat Stalin, but Stalin was not able to get as far into Europe as he was clearly intending to go. It is a fascinating book and very well researched and written.

But it also makes you wonder. If there was a mastermind like Stalin, who was such a master manipulator and able to push all of these major powers almost into the exact right position for him to strike prior to WW2, could there possibly be someone in today’s world who is doing the same thing with the war in Ukraine and the western powers? Suvarov proves conclusively that Stalin wanted war and did everything he could to put the Soviet Union into the best position for that war, ready to strike while Europe was weak. Are there leaders on the world stage today who could be thinking the same way?

The Americans clearly want war, because they believe it will bleed the Russian forces and are probably hoping that the war in Ukraine will do to Russia what the war in Afghanistan did to the Soviet Union.

Russia clearly are willing to fight to defend their sovereignty in their region and are not afraid of facing off whoever would seek to threaten that independence and influence.

But what about China? What about Britain? What about India? What about the other countries who are lining up on either side of the conflict? Are any of those nations capable of pulling off the same kind of manipulative strategy as the Soviet Union? Better, are there any statesmen who could be planning such a long game? 

The longer Russia is forced to fight in Ukraine - where yes they will win - the more it will cost their economy, and though they appear capable of maintaining this war for some time, there still must be limits on how long they can go or want to go. America is in an even worse position, because they do not have anywhere near the level of production they need for a prolonged war. However, their arms industry must be salivating at the money that can made at least in the short-term. Even if it causes an economic crisis which breaks more and more people in the West. They also do not want to lose their hegemony over the world, which they currently are. 

China has more productive capability than anyone else. How do they benefit from America and Russia bleeding each other in Ukraine? I can't help but think greatly. 

It is interesting to ponder. If there was a Stalin around today, someone who was able on a grand scale to get his opponents almost completely dancing to his tune, who would it be?