The Soviet Union under Stalin seemed to be a glorious period. He led the country to victory in World War II against Germany and Japan. However, behind the war, Stalin also had his moments of timidity.
After the outbreak of the Soviet-German war, even the powerful Stalin felt the pressure in the face of the fierce attack of the German army. Despite all the measures of resistance taken by the Soviet leadership, little was achieved.
Stalin privately expressed his sense of loss, and once sighed: "The country entrusted by Lenin can be destroyed in my hands!" He lived in seclusion in the dacha for several days, and when Beria and others came to report, Stalin felt extremely frightened, thinking that he had come to arrest him. During World War II, Stalin also felt cringe: when he saw Beria approaching from afar, his mood sank to the bottom.
Shadow and Light: From Brest to World War II.
In February 1918, Germany launched a full-scale attack on Soviet Russia.
Faced with this crisis, the Bolsheviks**, led by Lenin, made a difficult choice, and in March of the same year they signed the Brest Peace Treaty with Germany in Brest, which protected the fragile Soviet power by exchanging territory and reparations for a temporary peace.
This move bought valuable time and paved the way for the formation of the Red Army and the restoration of the economy. In November, a revolution broke out in Germany, and Soviet Russia abrogated this unequal treaty.
A few decades later, historians found a collection of original documents on the early days of World War II in the Stalin archives.
On June 22, 1941, a new page was opened in history.
On that day, Hitler ruthlessly tore up the Soviet-German non-aggression pact and launched a large-scale and far-reaching military offensive.
The Germans launched a surprise attack on the Soviet Union with an astonishing force of 181 divisions, 20 brigades, some 5.5 million soldiers, 4,980 aircraft, 4,300 tanks and 470,000 artillery pieces - and mercilessly attacked the unprepared Soviet Union.
In this blitzkrieg, the Soviet military top brass was caught off guard by a serious underestimation of the possible treachery of the German fascists. Whether it is the combat readiness of the army, the upgrading of advanced equipment, or the reserve of war resources and the construction of the defense system, they are not yet in place.
However, Stalin had an almost fantastical trust in the Soviet-German Non-Aggression Pact. When the shadow of war hung over the Soviet land, Stalin's heart was still unable to accept the harsh reality of the German invasion.
Despite the fact that the Supreme High Command issued an order to counterattack the German troops, it was expressly forbidden for Soviet troops to cross the border to return fire. Stalin's decision, in essence, deprived the Soviet Union of the sharp edge of counterattack in the storm.
Even on June 23, the day after the German invasion, Stalin instructed Molotov, who was in charge of diplomacy, to have his last official meeting with the German ambassador to the Soviet Union, Schulenburg.
During the meeting, Stalin, who still hoped for a peaceful settlement of the conflict between the two countries, expressed an unrealistic optimism: "The conflict between our two countries can be resolved exclusively through peaceful negotiations......”
Stalin's struggles.
When Molotov returned to Stalin's office, he felt that the eyes around him were watching him, as if he could see through his inner struggle.
Uneasy and anxious, Molotov walked quickly to the edge of his seat, his voice trembling, and he could barely organize his thoughts: "Ambassador Schulenburg informs us that Germany has declared war on us. They made an excuse - claiming that it was to prevent the ...... of the upcoming Soviet attack”
When Stalin heard this, his body seemed to lose support, and he leaned weakly on the back of his chair, his eyelids drooped, and he seemed to fall into deep contemplation. But soon, he opened his eyes violently again, and anger burned in his eyes.
His gaze scanned the room like an arrow, and everyone present felt his fierce anger.
Eventually, his eyes were fixed on Molotov, who had given him numerous reasons in this room, insisting that Hitler would never fight on two fronts, and that he believed that we had at least one or two years left. But now, all that time has gone?
There was a long silence in the room. Eventually, Stalin's hoarse voice broke the silence and said vaguely: "We screwed ......."Molotov sighed deeply and replied heavily: "Yes, all of us ......."It's all messed up ......”
The country in our hands is gradually passing away the ideals that Lenin has given us. Stalin's voice had always been low, but these words poured out from the depths of his heart, full of endless remorse and helplessness.
Molotov had never seen such a heavy expression on Stalin's face. This stern and ruthless leader, who has always ruled the country with an iron fist, looks extremely heavy at the moment.
Molotov took a deep breath, gritted his teeth, and said in a low but firm voice: "Lenin once successfully defended the Soviets in the face of a strong enemy....Stalin's brow moved slightly, and his gaze fell on Molotov, understanding that he was referring to the Brest Peace Treaty of 1918. It was a difficult choice, and Soviet Russia was forced to cede land and pay reparations under the tremendous pressure of the German army, but in exchange for the living space of the Soviet power. The situation now seems somewhat similar.
You mean that we should conclude a new Brest peace treaty with Hitler? Stalin asked, his voice revealing thoughtfulness. Molotov nodded lightly in agreement.
Stalin thought for a moment and decided: "We can try to negotiate with Hitler." It doesn't matter if it's even slightly more favorable for Germany. But most importantly, we need to find a reliable way to communicate our intentions. At such a moment, the slightest leak of rumors can have unforeseen consequences. ”
Molotov blinked and came up with a plan: "In two days, German diplomats will return home through Turkey." Ambassador Schulenburg was among them, ......”
Stalin pondered for a moment and said, "Then let Schulenburg convey this message." Write me a personal letter and send it to Hitler......”
Hanging in a desperate situation, the fate of history was changed by the decision of Stalin and the Soviet leadership such as Molotov and Beria.
In an extremely dire situation, they began to consider signing a new Peace of Brest with Germany, hoping to make some concessions in exchange for precious respite.
It was a tactic modeled after Lenin to buy time in order to adjust the strategy and prepare for a counterattack.
However, Stalin's inner contradictions were acute: on the one hand, in the face of an unfavorable war situation, he believed that he had to make temporary concessions; On the other hand, he hoped that the Soviet army would persist in the hard fight and strive for a more favorable negotiating position.
To this end, the USSR secretly initiated contacts with Germany.
In the process, Beria was given an important task. He instructed his henchman Pavel Sudopradov that all operations must be carried out in secrecy and not appear in an official capacity.
At the same time, Stalin showed anxiety when he received a report from Zhukov on the state of defense in Moscow.
He said to Beria: "Comrade Lavrenti, please think of the possibility of signing the 'New Brest Treaty' with Germany alone. We can be willing to give up parts of the Baltics, Belarus, Ukraine. ”
Shortly after the outbreak of the war, a German diplomat named Gorhard Geegel, who was actually a Soviet lurker**, left the Soviet Union. In the tense atmosphere of the war, Soviet spy networks became active, providing Moscow with a wealth of critical intelligence.
Beria received a report that there were many high-ranking ** and military leaders in the German army who did not support the continuation of the invasion of the Soviet Union, and they hoped to end the war as soon as possible and avoid a situation of fighting on two fronts. This report excited Stalin, and he quickly took steps to send Molotov to meet with the Bulgarian ambassador in an attempt to broker a Soviet-German truce, while at the same time sending Beria a secret letter to sue for peace.
The Soviet Union also began to spread the news that Moscow was in dire need of peace, claiming that the Soviet Union did not trust Britain and was unwilling to sign a treaty with it. These tactics seem to be paying off.
The German ambassador to the Soviet Union, Schulenburg, quickly reported this information to the chief Ribbentrop, who arranged a meeting with Hitler.
Hitler, however, was unimpressed by these news and even severely rebuked Schulenburg. He was convinced that the Germans would quickly occupy Moscow and thus quickly end the war.
Hitler's attitude led to a dramatic change in the situation. Schulenburg was dismissed shortly thereafter, and Stalin's secret letters were secretly withheld by him.
Later, a major general Pavlenko, who was the editor-in-chief of Military History, revealed that Stalin sent contradictory signals when the Germans launched a large-scale military operation called "Typhoon" against Moscow.
On the one hand, he inspired the Soviet military and civilians to defend Moscow to the death, vowing to "never let the bloody hands of the Nazis defile Lenin's mausoleum", and on the other hand, he secretly tried to reach an armistice with Germany.
This dual strategy shows Stalin's complex mentality in the face of great pressure.
However, the news from Berlin was depressing.
On October 12, 1941, the German headquarters issued a firm order: "The Führer has decided: Moscow's ...... of surrender will not be accepted."Resolutely exterminate all those who try to defend Moscow! ”
The reply that Beria brought back from Berlin was even more desperate: Hitler did not intend to negotiate at all, because he was convinced that the Soviet Union was about to be conquered.
This answer brought Stalin's mood to the bottom. He has always been known for his steadiness, but he began to be eroded by pessimism, and it was difficult to hide his inner tension and anxiety when talking to people.
He also seems to feel some "thief-mindedness", and even expresses the worry that he will be arrested.
In that moment of uncertainty and crisis, even a leader as strong as Stalin could not fully hide his panic and helplessness.
Stalin's original intention to seek peace talks can be traced back to a profound realism. As the leader of the Soviet Union, he was faced not only with a dire war situation, but also with the future of the entire country having to think about it.
In this case, although his decision may be controversial in history, there is no doubt that his intention was to defend the country, for the survival and prosperity of the Soviet people.
The Soviet Union finally defeated the mighty Third Reich and became a hero in the resistance against the Nazis. This is not only the result of history, but also an indelible memory in people's hearts.