Discuss the political climate in Russia during Stalin's youth.

Why did Stalin ally with Hitler in 1939? Was the Nazi-Soviet Pact a sound strategic choice?

Discuss the ideological roots of the persecution of the kulaks.

How did Stalin maintain and reinforce his own power in the 1930s?

In what ways was the Cold War a natural corollary of Stalin's will to power? How was it an extension of Marxist ideology?

What was the difference between the New Economic Policy and the Five-Year Plan? Which was more successful?

Discuss Stalin's life in the context of this century. How will he be remembered in the future?

Popular pages: Joseph Stalin