Atlas shrugs, Atlas starves. The End. The most fatal flaw in Ayn Rand's book.

[blindpig]

27. If the Party membership was unhappy with Stalin they could have removed him.

Yet there was a party congress well before Trotsky began his tricks. And of course the Nazis and capitalists were responsible for most of the propaganda but Trotsky gave them invaluable ammunition.

If Soviet economic planning was so bad how did they manage to build 50,000 tanks, more than doubling the output of the German industrial giant? And this with their industry in tatters after the first 6 months.

I don't think that Superman could have stopped Barbarossa in the first few months. While German equipment was not so much better than anyone else their tactics, strategy, organization and training were state of the art. I would especially emphasize training and experience. The Germans began training for the next war in the early 20's, draftees trained for 2 years and then one years service, after that they were in the reserves for 20 years. This gave them a huge number of well-trained troops from the git. As noted, couple that with the experience gained in the campaigns in Poland, France and the Balkans and you've got a tremendous advantage. The loss of that experienced personnel to Soviet forces(The same can be seen in the Luftwaffe's fortunes after the Battle of Britain.) was certainly a factor in the Nazi's declining fortunes. The pact was an unfortunate necessity, if it gave Hitler breathing room it also gave that to the Soviet Union. Stalin's primary effect in the war was that of a indomitable, resolute leader. Given the horrendous early losses this cannot be underestimated.