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Civilization #59: The Man of Steel

2025-06-10 People & Blogs
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Predictive History
Predictive History
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How did a poor Georgian high school drop-out help lead a fringe and fanatical political party (the Bolsheviks) into absolute power in Russia? How was Stalin able to eliminate his competitors? How did he defeat Hitler in World War II? In this talk to his Beijing high school students, Jiang Xueqin explains that Stalin was the "ubermensch," the man of steel who willed a new reality into being. Lenin could not have maintained the Bolsheviks without financing from Stalin's criminal activities. After the October Revolution and the Russian Civil War, Lenin was intent on stopping Stalin's rise to power. But Stalin outmaneuvered his adversaries, including Leon Trotsky, the heir to Lenin's legacy. After the Great Purge, Stalin created a cult of personality, and bent the entire state apparatus to his will. This proved pivotal in World War II when Stalin transformed the Soviet Union from a poor feudal nation into a global industrial power. References: 1. State and Revolution by Vladimir Lenin 2. Darkness at Noon by Arthur Koestler 3. Joseph Stalin's wiki bio: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Stalin 4. Vladimir Lenin's wiki bio: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vladimir_Lenin Recommended Watching: I watched many YouTube videos to prepare for this lecture. Here are some recommendations. 1. The Rest of History podcast on Operation Barbarossa: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5TlBr1KBQo 2. Noj Rants on "Lenin's Non-Marxist Origins": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7KjQcgMUWXA 3. Zoomer Historian on "Operation Barbarossa Myth": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3UIHQbFJicg 4. Russian History Museum on the Friendship between Lincoln and Czar Alexander II: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42IIgWKsKQ4

Top Comments (10)

@thatboi2852 2025-06-10

If this is the quality of lecture that chinese high school students gets, now i can understand why they are developing so much.

770 112 replies
@Revevhfj83r74 2025-06-10

When he started as leader soviet union had wooden plows. Before dying, he left it with nuclear weapons .

321 46 replies
@slugbones 2025-06-22

What an incredible professor. Glad to have found this channel. This is the history they DO NOT TEACH in the USA.

285 41 replies
@annoyingcomment 2025-06-28

Hello Professor! I was born in Brest Belarus so I am pretty aware about some aspects of WW2 including USSR perspective and casualties, national way of thinking, social problems like alcoholism rates and live longevity. I was raised in Russia through leaving in 4 different regions, plus also I have roots in Donbas Ukraine spending there every summer during my school holidays. I started my own research on Feb 24 2022. Was shocked by the way things were unfolding so I decided to find the roots of the conflict and understand each side perspectives, plans and narratives. I live in United States so I was able to experience and observe it from the inside, having conversations with locals, doing debates etc. My goal was to find middle ground within pro west / pro Ukraine / pro EU / pro Russia propaganda and media lies, which I was able to achieve. This whole course and Professor’s angle is such a jam and rare voice of reason. I am thankful to be able to listen to this and learn. There were certain topics which I was aware of overall but wasn’t able to see mechanics or logics behind and now I am getting all answers to my questions. Great job Professor. Thank you.

197 7 replies
@HalilKarad 2025-06-12

The list of four possibilities for the Soviet union surviving or not in WW2 is actually a gem in my opinion. Its such an interesting thought exercise, because Stalin definately would have been aware of his options. Unfortunately we would not have a way of knowing for sure.

125 12 replies
@whykozhoma 2025-10-06

Honey please don't talk about the history of USSR during our family dinner. Me after 1 shot of vodka.

97 1 replies
@Revevhfj83r74 2025-06-10

Your thought on secret police opened a whole new thought level to me

62 6 replies
@Jizzlobberz 2026-01-26

Having the courage to forecast the next Ubermensch correctly is the true ubermensch. 👑

5
@goaheadmakemyday7126 2025-07-07

This has been such an incredible journey! Can't wait to round up with the final episode!

4
@etherealme4336 2026-02-10

The battles between The Werhmacht and The USSR on the Ostfront made 'D-day' look like a picnic

3

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