MPL Talks: The Life of Josef Stalin

Our Major Leaders of World War II series continued with a program about Josef Stalin, our ally during the war and greatest threat afterward.

Our speaker, John Foster—who, in addition to being a librarian, also has a doctorate degree in history—discussed:

• Stalin’s rise through the ranks of his party
• his misdeeds, from armed robbery to mass murder
• the difference between Stalinism, Leninism, and Marxism
• how Stalin would “erase” his opponents from history

For those who want a deeper dive into Stalin’s life, Foster recommends Stephen Kotkin’s, Stalin Vol. I: Paradoxes of Power.

If you enjoy history, the next talk in our WWII series will be at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 19, at our Main Branch. The subject will be Winston Churchill.

Other historical talks by Foster can be watched on our YouTube page, including:

• Franklin Delano Roosevelt
• The Battle of Stalingrad
• The Nazi’s Final Solution
• The Fall of Berlin
• Nazism in Power