Joseph Stalin - Dictator or great leader? To most Americans there is not much of a debate on the answer to that question but our local tour guide in Sochi said that Russians are divided. While some think he was a powerful, effective leader, others believe he was ruthless dictator.
Although we were not able to go to Yalta on this cruise thanks to all the turmoil in the Ukraine, Michael Wilcox did give a very interesting lecture about the Yalta Conference after World War II.
It was held in Yalta because Stalin did not like to fly. Churchill and Roosevelt came to him. At this conference these three men determined the destiny of Eastern Europe for the next 50 years.
Joseph Stalin, Franklin Roosevelt, and Winston Churchill - Three powerful men with three different personalities and outlooks on life! Roosevelt had that good old American optimism and it was very evident in his dealings with Stalin.
"If we give Stalin what he wants now and don't ask for too much, then we will be able to work with him in the future."
Churchill was much more of a realist. He knew that the real danger in Europe was Russian aggression and communism. Roosevelt was more concerned about British Imperialism.
Stalin was an opportunist whose attitude was that Russia would do what they wanted and that they would do it with the Allies consent. And that is exactly what happened! Eastern European history since the end of WWII validates Churchill's concerns.
Within a few months of the Yalta Conference Franklin Roosevelt was dead. Churchill was voted out of office. Only Stalin remained in power and he kept power until 1953.
Two 'take-aways' from Michael Wilcox's lecture on the Yalta Conference:
- The world does need American optimism but it had better be tempered with Churchill realism.
- We each need to make the world a better place in wherever we are and in whatever way we can.
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