Complete table in McAndrew p.209 using pages 200-209. Also use Thornes for section on Stalin’s leadership, p18-19, and religious concessions, p.30.

Then read p.30-32 in Thornes and decide which reasons would generally be supported by Western historians and which would be supported by Soviet historians.

Failures Refused to make strategic retreats to

save thousands of lives. Instead allowed troops to be encircled at Kiev and Leningrad 1941.

Had obsessions with cavalry, dating back to experience he had in Civil War after the Revolution. Suffered disasters in some campaigns such as in Crimea.

Successes Sacked incompetent generals, including his

old comrade Voroshilov. Made concessions to gain valuable support,

such as from the Church who he had previously persecuted.

Stalin did allow considerable authority to able subordinates, including Molotov, Voznesenski, Malenkov and Beria.

Hitler surrounded himself with yes-men, where Stalin learned to take advice from generals who were able to contribute to the military debate, such as Marshal Zhukov. Hitler rarely allowed this, instead he acted on intuition or personal hunches.

Using the pictures, write a short profile of and stick them on a piece of paper.