• Introduction 3
• Biographies 4
• Hitler 4
• Rise to Power
• Accomplishments
• Fall
• Stalin 9
• Rise to Power
• Accomplishments
• Fall
• Case Studies 12
• Hitler 12
• Stalin 16
• Conclusion 19

The twentieth century has seen many leaders come and go, but few have had the impact that Hitler and Stalin had. These two men, along with Mao of China, helped shaped the world as it is today. Hitler was one of the greatest motivators of his time. His uplifting speeches and fierce rhetoric rallied a desperate people in Germany. He made promises to restore Germany to the state it had been before their defeat in World War I. A defeat that Hitler felt and often called a disgrace for Germany. In Mein Kampf, Hitler outlined his theories, ideas, and plans that he vowed would lead Germany into the future. He talked of rearmament of Germany and Lebensraum. He called for a change in government, and in the Munich Beer Hall Putsch, Hitler made a failed attempt to overthrow the government. However, after leading the Nazi Party through a series of successful elections, 1933 marked the beginning of Hitler’s reign as Furher of Germany. He did so legally through the constructs of a democratic system. This system was subsequently abolished, and Hitler became dictator of Germany. Stalin was also a very important to world history because he created the Communist Red Machine; the world came to know as Russia, a powerful country that would last long beyond his death. Stalin was the successor of Lenin. Lenin had led the Bolshevik revolution in Russia, and he installed the communist government. Stalin would not only continue Lenin’s theories, but he would also expand on these ideas. Lenin had preached that socialism could start in Russia, Stalin took the idea one step further. He preached the idea of "socialism in one country." Stalin felt that if Russia protected her vast territory and pulled on her vast national resources, then Russia could complete the idea of a socialist state in Russia alone. Stalin’s greatest legacy was how powerful he made Russia. Following World War II, Russia was one of the two superpowers of the world. The United States only rivaled their power. The fundamental question for this paper is who was the more effective leader and why? The reason this question is important is because of the great impact that both men had on world history. Hitler created a German state that was feared by many. Following World War II, many European countries were very worried about another German rise. Stalin created a powerful communist Russia, which would last until the late 1980s. There is not a history book today that does not take an in depth look at Hitler and Stalin.

These two men changed the course of history, and this question needs to be studied.

This paper will be separated into four basic parts. Then the parts will have subdivisions that will make it easier to understand and follow. The four parts are an introduction, followed by a biography of each. Next will be the case studies of Hitler and Stalin. Finally, the research question will be answered in the conclusion. Each section is the broken down into smaller parts. For an easier read, in each section Hitler will be dealt with in the first half and Stalin will be dealt with secondly.

The Rise of Hitler

Hitler had been rejected from serving in the Austro-Hungarian army because he failed his physical. However, after being swept up in the hysteria, Hitler volunteered to serve in the Bavarian Army, and this wish was granted. Hitler’s platoon was thrust into a ferocious battle at Ypres. In 1918 Hitler was awarded the Iron Cross, First Class. This honor was seldom bestowed upon soldiers below officer class. Hitler was awarded metals for courage during the war, and he was given one of the most dangerous jobs. Hitler was a message runner. However the Germans were defeated in World War I, and what was known as Bavaria was no more.

Another important development came from the end of World War I. This development was the Treaty of Versailles, which ended the war. The reason this treaty is significant is because it is one of the main reasons Hitler was able to rise to power. One of the concepts discussed in the study of leadership is that leadership can arise from certain situations. Versailles created a situation that begged for Germany to look for a nationalistic leader. When the Allies drafted the Treaty of Versailles, they did so in a way to punish Germany as much as possible for their involvement in the war. German was put through a disarmament program that depleted their military. Also, German was forced to renounce all rights to lands and colonies they held outside the German territory. The punishment was so harsh that most Germans became enraged and very nationalistic, and like a wild animal backed into a corner Germany was going to fight back. The

only thing they needed was someone to lead them, and Hitler was the right kind of person, in the right place, at the right time. Hitler was an pro-German, anti-Capitalist person, and that sat very well with the German population. Therefore, it can be said the Treaty of Versailles set the stage for Hitler’s rise to power.

The years following World War I, Hitler and some of his friends attended a short indoctrination at Munich University. The lectures were on political theory, banking and other subjects. These lectures would mold Hitler into the man he became. Prior to this time Hitler’s ideals were an incoherent mixture of hatred of Jews, Communists and foreigners; pride for the German army; and the lofty ideals about the role of the artist in society. These lectures allowed Hitler to flavor his ideals with the jargon of a college lecturer. The result was a natural orator. Until this point in his life, Hitler had remained apolitical. However, at the age of thirty, Hitler joined the German Workers Party. The German Workers Party would be the foundation of the future Nazi Party. As part of the German Workers Party, Hitler was put in charge of propaganda and recruiting. Because of his energy and dedication, Hitler became the most dynamic individual in the Party. Soon he was renewing old memberships, approached new recruits, and organized weekly meeting that drew crowds of around three thousand. Not only was Hitler organizing these meeting, but also he was normally the principal speaker there. Hitler was beginning to gain power within the party.

It was through the German Workers Party that Hitler met Dietrich Eckart. Eckart was a wealthy German that would have a profound influence on Hitler’s life. Eckart was a much older man that had an obsession with hatred of Jews. In Hitler, Eckart saw the person that could spread his philosophy. Hitler was perfect for this job. Hitler was a medal winner from World War I, his accent was working-class ex-soldier and he wasn’t afraid to voice the party’s bigotry, hatreds, and fears. Eckart influenced Hitler’s readings, as well as coaching Hitler to improve his speaking skills. Also Eckart used his vast web of media connections to promote Hitler and through Hitler publicize the Party’s need for funds. The final steps to solidify Hitler’s push for power occurred in 1920. First Eckart purchase a paper to promote the party, and the slogan was revealed. That slogan was "Germany awake!" Later the German Workers Party was renamed to the Nazi party in order to capture more votes.

This is the beginning of the rise of the Nazis, but more importantly this is the beginning of the Hitler the world would come to know. As the 1920s and 1930s progressed Hitler’s power increased. Eckart, along with others, had provided the Hitler with the keys to power. Hitler added his own blend of energy, intuition, and contempt for the public and a willingness to lie. However Hitler was still learning. In 1923, Hitler and the Nazis tried to obtain power of the government in a violent revolt. It failed and Hitler was arrested and imprisoned. During his prison time Hitler had a revelation. He realized that he could no longer center his ambitions on Bavaria, rather he had to expand. The new focus for Hitler was Berlin. Hitler also realized he needed a tactical change as well. It was now evident to Hitler that a violent revolution would not work. He decided that the army would determine his policies. This would allow a Nazi alliance with the army.

In 1930, Hitler and the Nazis arrived on the national political stage. Hitler had promised a foreign policy that would restore the Germans to their rightful place in Europe. He also promised the moderates of the middle-class a future in politics. These two ideas became the credo for Hitler during his call to arms for World War II. The middle-class was the difference. The Nazi power base was the middle class, and this base was unmatchable by the Communists, who had controlled the government. The Nazi party increased its popular vote, and the seat counts in the German government rose from twelve seats to one hundred seven seats. Everyone with the exception of the Catholic Center Party lost votes to the Nazis. In the 1932 Reichstag elections, Nazis won two hundred thirty of six hundred eight seats. The Nazis were now the largest party in the Reichstag. In 1933, the day before the elections, the Reichstag building was set on fire. Goring declared that all Communists and their alliance partners were to be arrested. Hitler realized this was his chance to seize power. Amongst the chaos Hitler went to see then President Von Hindenburg. Hitler persuaded him into signing an emergency decree giving power to Hitler. In the elections the Nazis won only 44% of the vote, and the results meant the Nazis would have to compromise with center parties in order to rule. This was not in Hitler’s plans though. Hitler decided to ask the Reichstag for dictatorial powers, and with much of the opposition in hiding, Hitler was able to again the 66% needed for this measure to pass. To ensure the passage the Kroll Opera House was guarded by the SS. There were only a few steps left for Hitler to overcome. Hitler removed the powers of the sovereign German states, as well as the trade unions. Finally, Hitler gained the army. That was it, as now Hitler had total control of Germany.

Lebensraum means living space. After Hitler was appointed Chancellor in 1933, he undertook a series of measures designed to re-establish Germany. The measures planned to rid Germany of its obligations under the Treaty of Versailles, restore the economy which had been devastated by the Great Depression, rearm the country to increase their international power, and acquire Lebensraum, living space, for Germany. Hitler spoke of this idea in his book Mein Kampf believed that the only place Lebensraum could come from was the countries of the East. These were the countries of Czechoslovakia, Austria, and most notably Russia. Hitler held on to the idea of Lebensraum throughout his dictatorship and into World War II. The importance of Lebensraum is that it ended up being one of the reasons Hitler lost World War II. Just prior to World War II, Hitler and Stalin signed a non-aggression pact, but Hitler always thought about Lebensraum at Russia’s expense. Finally during World War II, Hitler and the Nazis invaded Russia, and Lebensraum can be seen as the justification of the invasion. Hitler had spoken of the living space, and this was his attempt to acquire it. However the invasion did not go well for the Nazis, and many historians see the failure of the Russian invasion as a turning point of World War II.

Hitler is most well known for his conquests during World War II. He also was successful at other political ventures as well. There are three major accomplishments that Hitler should be remembered for. One of which was his rise to power. Hitler was not given much during his rise to power. Rather Hitler used his charisma and work ethic to obtain the power within his own party. He then became an opportunist. When the chaos of 1933 occurred, Hitler saw and seized his opportunity to gain power. Another one of Hitler’s great accomplishments was German economic property under his rule. Since Germany had no colonies, their most pressing concern was to find a way to trade for raw materials. Hitler circumvented the normal trade methods, Hitler found countries to trade with. To make the deal more attractive for these countries, Hitler would subsidize the exports. They could also distribute the raw materials to whoever they wanted, but most importantly they could vary the value of the mark depending on the state of the global economy. This gave Hitler and the Nazis tight control over the German economy. Between 1933 and 1936Germany prospered and their standard of living rose to be higher than that of Britain. The third accomplishment is Hitler’s military tactics. The blitzkrieg was a very impressive German move. Their ability to sweep through and conquer countries in a matter of days was very impressive. The German military was a machine that cut through most of Europe like a buzzsaw. Poland fell victim in only a matter of days. Hitler had many accomplishments during his reign, but these three were the most important. The is important because it is how Hitler came to be, the second because it was the positioning if Germany for World War II, and the third because it was the German attempt at world domination.

Other German accomplishments that occurred under Hitler are the creations of the Autobahn and the compact car. Another accomplishment of Hitler was the efficiency of the German State. Unlike our present system here in the United States, Germany ran like a finely tuned machine. Government transportation ran on time or even early. It was said that you could set your watch to the trains. Government, banking, and all other government programs were efficient and effective. Hitler was a dictator and a very demanding one. This level of efficiency made it easier for Hitler to first off bring Germany back to a powerful and prosperous state, and secondly it made it easier for him to retain his power. So long as everything ran efficiently and effectively the people were happy. The result of a happy power base is that Hitler gained a carte blanche, and his people would follow. These events will be revisited later when discussing Hitler’s merits as an effective leader.

It was said that Hitler had one fatal flaw, and it was a flaw in his personality. This flaw was his obsessive hatred with Jews. This flaw caused other downfalls for Germany and Hitler. Under Hitler, Jews were persecuted and in science alone this severely hindered the Germans. They were deprived of military technology that Germany would desperately need in World War II. Such things as the nuclear warhead, that was designed for the United States by Openheimer, would have been Germany’s. They would have also had the v2 rocket that would deliver the warhead. Eventually the tactics that achieved power were Hitler’s downfall. The harsh tactics and the lies created an anti-Nazi alignment throughout European countries. Hitler’s ambition was the final nail in his coffin. Hitler was too ambitious. Actions such as refusal to allow his troops to retreat for better positions and hiring himself to lead the army were fatal mistakes. This all snowballed and Hitler’s reign ended when he committed suicide at the end of World War II.

Rise of Stalin

Iosef Vissarionovich Dzhugashvili, also known as the "Man of Steel," became one of Russia’s premier Communist leaders. However, as was Hitler’s, Stalin’s path to power was a very rough one. Stalin was educated in Tiflis Theological Seminary, but he was expelled for voicing his support for Marxism. After the expulsion, Stalin joined the Bolshevik underground. The Bolsheviks were the opposition to the Russian government, and the Russian czars disliked the underground. Stalin, along with other Bolshevik followers, was arrested and transported to Siberia, but escaped in 1904.Eventually the Bolshevik Revolution would occur and Lenin would assume control of Russia. Russia was now under communist rule, and Stalin’s rise to power was about to begin.

The ensuing years witnessed his closer identification with revolutionary Marxism, his growing intimacy with Lenin and Bukharin, his early disparagement of Leon Trotsky. With the Revolution of 1917 and the replacement of Kerensky's weak Provisional Government by Lenin and the Bolsheviks, Stalin was in good favor with Lenin, and was therefore rewarded for his service. Following the successful revolution, Stalin was appointed Commissar for Nationalities and a member of the Politburo. Although his activities throughout the counter-revolution and the war with Poland were confined to organizing a Red "terror" in Tsaritsin (Stalingrad). With his appointment as General Secretary to the Central Committee in 1922, Stalin began stealthily to build up the power that would guarantee his control of the Soviet Union after Lenin's death. When Lenin died in 1924, Stalin saw an opportunity. Unlike some leaders, Stalin did not overlook his chance, and seized control of Russia. However there was some opposition to Stalin’s reign, namely Trotsky.

During his rise to power, Stalin and Trotsky had developed a rivalry. Stalin and Trotsky

were born at the same time. They were both devout Communists devoted to spreading

the theory and ideas of Communism throughout the world. Both men were in the good favor of Lenin, and were major players on the party. However, this is where the similarities ended. Trotsky was believed to have the same kind of candor and flexibility as Lenin. Stalin was seen as more rigid and strict. When Lenin died, Stalin assumed power and put a motion before the Third Party Conference who issued a decree giving the Central Committee the power to expel Party members for factionalism. Trotsky and his allies issued an attack on Stalin and Stalinism. They took the extreme root advocating a change of government. The problem was that all communists believed that the government was proletarian and therefore any change in government would be anti-proletarian and therefore treasonable. Using this sentiment, Stalin engineered the expulsion of Trotsky and his allies. Now the path was clear for Stalin to take total control.

Stalin’s rise was based on two principals. The first was his theories of socialism, and the second was his alignment with the right. The first pillar of Stalin was his idea of "Socialism in one country." This concept was an innovation on an idea that Lenin had started, Lenin said that socialism could start in Russia, but Stalin extend this thought to say that not only could socialism begin in Russia, but it could also be completed in Russia. Russia was a vast country rich in natural resources. Stalin felt that by drawing on Russia’s potential growth and protected by its size, the task was accomplishable. Too many this idea seemed ludicrous, but Stalin was unwavering. He truly believed that if left in peace, Russia would have no problem completing this revolution. The second pillar was Stalin’s alignment with the right. The alignment was a tactical move, since Trotsky and his allies were of the Left. With his alignment, Stalin placed himself in a position to eliminate his opposition. That is exactly what he did, and with the elimination of the left Stalin had created an unmatched power base. He had finally obtained total dictatorial power over Russia. Russia was about to embark on the age of Stalinism.

The final ingredient to Stalin’s rise was his personality. Stalin was a cruel and ruthless individual. He had a vision and that was to obtain total power and control by any means necessary. He did not care who he hurt, what he had to do, or the consequences of his actions. Rather Stalin did what was necessary to obtain control and eliminate the opposition. Trotsky did not have this type of demeanor, and it cost him. Stalin was not afraid to attack Trotsky with everything he had. He used all his knowledge, as well as his ability to bully other into agreement, as a means of eliminating people such as Trotsky and Zinoviev. Such a demeanor has caused many to criticize Stalin. His demeanor allowed Stalin to shape Russia into one of the most powerful nations in the world. When Stalin died, he died as the most powerful man in the world. He also died as the one of the greatest mass murderers in history.

Stalin’s greatest accomplishment was his creation of "Mother Russia." Lenin had created a strong Communist Russia, but Stalin created a machine. He created a Russia that would become the most powerful Communist nation in the world. Directly after World War II and through the better part of the twentieth century, Russia was only rivaled by the United States in power and military strength. Stalin’s theories and personal quest for unlimited power had created the Russia that countries came to fear. Also, since Stalin was so ruthless, there was little opposition within his own country. Very simply, when Stalin spoke, everyone sat up and listened. His demeanor seemed to be symbolic of the new demeanor of Russia.

His second accomplishment was his military tactics during World War II. In 1941 the prosperity of the Nazis' initial thrust into Russia could be accounted for in part by the disposal of the Red Army on the frontiers, ready to invade rather than repel invasion. Stalin's strategy followed the traditional Muscovite pattern of plugging gaps in the defenses with more and more bodies and trading space for time in which imposing climatic conditions could whittle away the opponents' strength. Sustained by material furnished by Britain an the United States, the Red Army responded to Stalin's call to defend not the principles of Marx and Engels, but "Mother Russia."

The third accomplishment of Stalin was his ability to exploit the unwarranted Anglo-American fear that Russia might get out of the war, Stalin easily outwitted the allied leaders of the Teheran and Yalta Conferences. With the Red Army's invasion of German soil, Soviet soldiers were encouraged to penetrate far beyond the point where they had last been employed. Thus Stalin's dominance of the Potsdam Conference, followed by the premature break up of the Anglo-American forces, left Stalin with a territory enlarged by more 180,0000 square miles which, with satellites, increased the Soviet sphere of influence by more than 760,00 square miles. While Stalin consolidated his gains an "iron curtain" was dropped to cut off Soviet Russia and her satellites from the outside world. At the same time, a Cold War ensued between east and west.

An entirely unscrupulous man, Stalin consistently manipulated Communist imperialism for the greater glory of Soviet Russia and the strengthening of his own person as autocrat. He died, in somewhat mysterious circumstances, in 1953. Unlike Hitler, Stalin did not lose his grip on power. Stalin was able to retain and even expand his power up to his final days.

The previous part of this paper has explained how both Hitler and Stalin achieved their power, some of their finest accomplishments, as well as the way they lost their power. Now it is time to look at each one's claim to being the more effective leader. The facts will be presented, and a case study of both Hitler and Stalin will be completed. Then on the basis of these facts, a conclusion will be drawn to answer the question set forth at the beginning of this paper. Who was the more effective leader? There are many things to be considered as to what makes a leader effective. One criterion is results. Does the end result look like the vision the leader set forth? Then there is the leader’s vision, intelligence, charisma, and luck. There are other qualities that leaders have, but these are the ones that this paper will look at.

Hitler

Hitler rose to power in Germany on the wave of change. Unlike many others in this time period, Germany was in a sad state of affairs. Hitler’s rise took place during the interwar period, and Germany had been punished greatly for her part in World War I. The allies and the Treaty of Versailles left Germany devastated, and in a state of chaos. One of the conditions of the Treaty of Versailles was that then Prince Max would hand Germany’s government over to Friedrich Ebert. Ebert was a Social Democrat of the far left, and this led to many problems. He was open to attacks from all people on the right, and most Germans were also very unhappy with their situation after World War I. Since Ebert was in power, regardless of if it was his fault or not, most German’s blamed him for their situation. While the discontent and civil disobedience were occurring, Hitler was rising. It was during this time that Hitler was expanding his education and joined the German Workers Party, who would later change their name to the Nazi Party. . Once Hitler had gained the power in his own party he moved to the national stage. After Hitler was in power he played on the emotions of his followers. Hitler realized that a vast majority of Germany was very dissatisfied with their position. Therefore Hitler’s battle cry was "Germany Awake" a very nationalistic cry. This was the beginning of the peaceful revolt that was led by Hitler. Soon through elections Hitler was able to seize power in the German Parliament. However after the elections in 1933, we truly saw Hitler’s disposition. He used an underhanded trick to seize power from any opposition.

Hitler was a very ambitious person. He never wanted to take a step backwards. It was always forward, forward, forward. It was once joked that Hitler did not know the meaning of the word conservative. The fact that he would not take a back step to anybody was very evident in

every step he took. One example was when the results of the 1933 election returned. The Nazis only won 44% of the vote and were forced to compromise with someone else. Hitler did not want this, he wanted total control. The result was a Kroll Opera House under siege, and the Reichstag decreeing Hitler the chief commander of Germany. Another example to look at is World War I. When Hitler invaded Russia, he attacked hard and pushed forward. Even though a harsh Russian winter was starting, Hitler continued forward. In reality Stalin was allowing Hitler in, and ad decided to let the winter kill the Nazis. The problem is that Hitler did not notice this and he pushed forward. In the end, this motivation to always move forward, killed the Nazis chances in Russia. This defeat was one of the worst for the Nazis, and started to spell the end of World War II.

Hitler had some truly great qualities as a leader. He did have vision, intelligence, charisma, and was a bit lucky. First of all was Hitler’s vision, and actually he had two visions. There was a vision that the German population saw at first, then there was he second, personal vision. The first vision was to gain complete power of the German government, and the second was complete world domination by his Nazi Party. Both vision were very ambitious and they both had one important quality. Hitler was able to garner support for each vision. The first vision was very relevant to the people because they wanted to expel the current government. Hitler and the Nazis were the change the rest of Germany had been looking for. This was the first of many situations where Hitler was lucky. The discontent with the interwar government made it much easier for Hitler to garner power. Since the present government was disliked, all that was required of Hitler was to present the Nazi party as the best of the alternatives, and that he did.

Also Hitler had great charisma. One of the greatest and most useful qualities of a leader is the ability to speak well, and to motivate his constituents and followers. Hitler was able to do this. He was one of the greatest speakers in the world. He had a quality and character that sparked enthusiasm in everyone that watch him speak. Another quality that aided Hitler with his oratory skills was his appearance. Hitler was about 5’9" and around 155 pounds. This was not a very imposing figure, but rather people were able to identify with Hitler and his ideas. When one can identify with a leader and feel like he is one of us, it makes it that much easier for the leader to lead. People are more willing to follow someone that they can identify with. Hitler was also very emotional when he spoke. He looked like he believed wholeheartedly in everything he said and did. Along with his charisma was Hitler’s intelligence. He was smarter than an average person, and he always liked education. He practiced his speaking skills and learned the knowledge that would later become so useful in his motivational speeches.

Now Hitler did have the qualities of a leader, but he also had some circumstances that aided in his rise and retention of power. First of all there was the German population at large. This was a group of people that wanted change. They wanted and were willing to be led. The state of German affairs was dismal after World War I. The allies truly wanted to cripple Germany, in order to assure that a war of such magnitude would never happen again. The problem was that the Allied actions only backed Germany into a corner. A sense of national pride and unity. Germany reacted to this situation like any wild animal backed into a corner would. They decided to fight, and they only needed one thing. That one thing was someone to organize and lead them. Hitler was the man, so it is safe to say that Hitler’s leadership arose from a situation. Secondly, Hitler had the backing necessary for him to rise to power. Men like Eckart and Roem that were great allies for Hitler. Every leader must have a certain group of people that he can call his confidants. These people provide the emotional and financial support for a leader, as well as being the people a leader can trust. Eckart was that person. He first of all provided the financial support that Hitler needed to control the government. The newspaper that he bought became a very easy and widespread way for Hitler to communicate with a vast part of the population. On the other side Eckart introduced Hitler to the place where Hitler would later build his home away from Germany. Heifitz used the analogy of a dance floor. He said that every leader needs to have the ability to leave the dance floor and relax. Eckart introduced Hitler to a place where Hitler could hide and relax.

Overall, Hitler has to be regarded as one of the most effective leaders of our time. He was ambitious, ingenious, and he found a way to accomplish it. He had many great accomplishments while guiding Germany. First of all, Germany’s economy thrived under Hitler. Also Hitler created the concepts of the autobahn and the compact car. Last year, the newly redesigned Volkswagen Beetle was a hit. This car was a brainchild of Hitler. However there is one other factor that this paper takes into consideration. That factor is the factor of longevity. This is not referring to how long one stayed in power, but rather how long after they were gone did the world feel their effect. For Hitler is was not very long. Following World War II, the Allies made sure to destroy the Nazi Party. They did not want to take a chance that Germany would rise once again and cause World War III. This meant completely dismantling the party, disarmament, and trying to install a democratic government in Germany. This meant that in a matter of just a couple of years, all that Hitler built was gone. We learn about Hitler in today’s history class, but we do not feel the effects of his actions earlier this century. Therefore it can be concluded that Hitler had little or effectively no longevity. He accomplished a lot in his time, but in the end all the accomplishments were for naught.

Stalin

Stalin, like Hitler, road to prominence on the coattails of change Stalin rose to power during the Bolshevik Revolution. He, along with Trotsky, was a favorite of the Bolshevik leader, Lenin. However Stalin and Trotsky did not get along at all. This confrontation showed us the first of Stalin’s leadership qualities. That quality was the quality of ruthlessness. Even prior to Lenin’s death Stalin had started positioning himself to become Lenin’s successor. Then when Lenin finally died, Stalin made sure that he would be the man to get the power. However Trotsky did not go quietly, but Stalin was ready for the fight. Stalin was unfazed by the challenge, and was willing to do anything required to obtain total power. He did not care what the consequences were. He went as far to have all books, which mentioned Trotsky, use the name Judas Trotsky. The name Judas was used to imply traitor. As the fighting progressed, Stalin maneuvered himself into a position to exile Trotsky and his supporters. When the opportunity presented himself, Stalin exiled Trotsky and his supporters. This cleared the path for Stalinism, but the way he achieved his power would be a precursor to one of the hallmarks of Stalinism, ruthlessness.

Secondly, Stalin contrasted Hitler in one vital way. During World War II, Stalin was a much more defensive leader than Hitler was. While Hitler was unwilling to take a step backwards, Stalin was willing to retreat a bit. As Hitler attacked into Russia, he had tunnel vision. Another of Heifitz qualities of a leader was the ability to step off the dance floor and see the entire picture. Stalin had this ability. Stalin realized that he could save lives and energy by using the pull back and plug the hole method. What Stalin did was he did fight the Nazis, but he did not engage the fight. Rather, once the Nazis attacked Stalin would defend Russia with his army. He would move his troops around, so as to plug the holes that would develop in the fighting fronts. However, he never tried to advance. There was one simple reason to this methodology. Stalin saw the bigger picture, and realized that the harsh Russian winter would do more damage to the Nazis, than the Red Army could ever. He also knew that this strategy would only work if Hitler and his army were pulled far enough into Russia. This is where and how the pull back and plug the hole method worked. Stalin exhibited a great quality of a leader when he saw the bigger picture than just the present. The invasion of Russia could have turned out completely different if Stalin had attacked. But unlike Hitler, Stalin realized that was a mistake.

Then there is Stalin’s vision. Stalin’s vision was a powerful and unrivaled Russia. Stalin had a vision of socialism in one country. Stalin was a firm believer in Marx and his theories, as was Lenin. However Stalin and Lenin differed in their opinions of socialism in one country. Lenin felt that socialism could only start in Russia. The difference was that Stalin felt that socialism could not only start in Russia but it could also end in Russia. Stalin firmly believed that Russia could create a completely socialist system in one country. He felt that drawing upon Russia’s size and vast national resources his dream could be completed. This was quite an ambitious vision that many of Stalin’s detractors laughed at. This didn’t phase Stalin. This was another great quality of Stalin. He did not let other people phase his own decisions. Stalin had a vision for Russia, and no matter what anyone else said Stalin was going to try and complete that vision. Stalin had a vision of an unrivaled Russia, and he almost completed that vision. There was only one country that could even come close to rivaling Russia, and that was the United States.

Another factor that made Stalin a great Russian leader was the situation of Russia when he took over. Stalin gained power from one of the most popular leaders of his time, Lenin. The Bolshevik revolution did not take place long before Stalin took over, so the Bolshevik sentiments were still strong within many Russians. Stalin was a Lenin supporter and Lenin truly liked Stalin, but Stalin was very different from Lenin. Lenin was flexible and had a certain candor. Stalin was rigid and ruthless. Stalin had to find a way to make the people accept his dictatorial power and his style. One way was by fear. Stalin was so ruthless and people knew it. Many people were afraid to challenge Stalin. They felt that if you disagreed with Stalin you would be either exiled or killed. This was a very effective tool, as he used the trick of exile to eliminate his opposition. That set the example for the rest of the country to toe the mark. Also Stalin wanted to increase the power and wealth of a Russia still getting over the revolution. Stalin was able to find ways to accomplish this as well. Stalin left Russia as one of the wealthiest and strongest nations in the world.

One thing that Hitler was an opportunist and he was also lucky. In a way, Stalin was neither. Certain circumstances beyond Hitler’s control occurred and Hitler saw the chance to capitalize. He did exactly that. Hitler was able to seize lucky chance events to enhance his power. Stalin was lucky in a way. However, Stalin created his own luck by hard work and intelligent manipulations. One example was Stalin’s shift to the right. In order to put himself in the perfect position to exile Trotsky, Stalin needed to change his political orientation. He had to be the exact opposite of Trotsky and his supporters. On the other hand, Stalin could not look like he was abandoning Lenin’s theories, and to complicate the problem even more he had to make this shift in a very short period of time. This was the ingeniousness of Stalin, as he was able to accomplish this task. He not only made the shift, but Stalin even strengthened his own position against the opposition. This shift also exhibited another of the qualities Stalin possessed, and that was flexibility. Even though Stalin was seen as a fierce, strict, ruthless man, he was able to quickly adjust to any situation easily. In World War II, Stalin was able to adjust to the problems the Nazis caused. He was able to adjust to the problems Trotsky caused. Not only was Stalin able to adjust to these situations, but he was able to strengthen himself and Russia as well. The perfect example is following World War II. Stalin adjusted to the circumstances that had occurred, and he created the Berlin Wall and the Iron Curtain.

As was done with Hitler, it is important to look at the longevity of Stalin’s accomplishments. This is where Stalin differentiates himself from other Soviet and European leaders of the twentieth century. Stalin created a Russian machine that became known as "Mother Russia." Russia would become the leader of the Communist countries of Europe and around the world. The only country on Russia’s level was the United States. Following World War II, the world became divided into two parts. Part one was the United States and her allies, while part two was Russia and her allies. Stalin’s dream had been realized, and his dream would live on into the late 1980’s. Stalin died in 1953, but the Soviet Union he created would last for 35 more years. That shows that Stalinism had a great impact on Russia. Also Stalinism can be found in other countries around the world. Places like China and North Korea are still communist and are still following along the path that Stalin had created. China has now taken the position of the communist country to challenge the United States. If it had not been for Stalin, this might not have been possible. Also just recently Russia showed she still had some might left. They were able to prevent the United Nations from getting involved in the Kosovo crisis. They have been long time allies with Serbia, and they were going to protect their allies interests. Russia had this ability because of their position as a permanent member of the UN Security Council. This position is just another example of Russian might in the post-World War II era.

This paper was started with one intention. The intention was to answer the question of who was the more effective leader, Hitler or Stalin. The facts and case for each has been presented, and now the conclusion will answer that question. The answer will not only be given, but the reasons why will also be given. However before we get to the answer, let us revisit the facts briefly.

Facts

Hitler was one of Germany’s most effective leaders. His rise took place during a time of strife and discontent. It was during the interwar period that Hitler joined the German Workers Party, who would later change their name to the Nazi Party in order to capture more votes. Hitler worked his way to the top of his party, and led them to a historic victory in the elections of 1930. The Nazi party increased its seat count to 107. Then as time progressed, Hitler positioned himself to take control of his country. When the coincidental fire of the Kroll Opera House occurred, Hitler, ever the opportunist seized the chance and took control of Germany. Under his leadership, Germany flourished and gained power and international recognition. Hitler finally set Germany on the path of World War II. Germany was successful early in the war, but in the end the allies were just too much, and he lost. In the end, a crushing defeat and treaty to end World War II ended all of Hitler’s work. Hitler, fearing the consequences of his action, committed suicide.

Stalin rose to power after Lenin had established the new Communist regime in Russia. Stalin’s problem was attaining power, but clearing his path to keeping his power. He had to eliminate Trotsky and any opposition on the left. His ruthless tactics and willingness to do anything enabled him to do this. Once he gained power, Stalin embarked Russia on a course that would make it one of the most powerful nations in the world. Stalin believed in socialism in one country, which was a crazy idea too so many. Stalin believed in was possible and definitely attainable. Stalin also created his own luck and opportunity. He was able to adapt to situation and create a position of Russian strength from each situation. When he needed to adjust to eliminate Trotsky, Stalin moved to the right and did it in a matter of days. Stalin was also very independent. No one was able to change his mind, regardless of what they said. Stalin had his mind and he followed it. Finally, Stalin created a powerful Russia that would remain powerful for years beyond his death.

Who was the more effective leader? Stalin was the more effective leader of the two. When you look at the two cases you find that Stalin and Stalinism was more successful than Hitler and Nazism.

Why was Stalin the pick? When you look at both cases, Stalin exhibited more qualities of an effective leader, especially since his Russia lasted longer than Hitler’s Germany. First of all, Hitler was a much luckier person than Stalin. Stalin did not have the coincidences of the fire in the Parliament building or the ailing health of leader to exploit. Yes, Lenin was in ailing health his final years, but Stalin was unable to exploit this. He just positioned himself in the proper places to take the power after Lenin died. Stalin had to create a way to eliminate his opposition. Hitler used the fire to create mass hysteria, and then the military to shut his opposition out. Secondly Stalin was more adaptable and had the ability to see the bigger picture. In their only head to head meeting in World War II, Stalin defeated Hitler. He was able to do this by first of all adapting to the situation. Stalin was able to plug the holes in his defense quickly. He also saw the big picture of an oncoming harsh Russian winter. He knew by withdrawing, Hitler would hang himself when the winter started. Stalin was right, and he not only staved off a Russian invasion, but he also increased Russian strength for the post-war period. The final and most important factor is the longevity of the results. Hitler and his Germany did not last past the end of World War II. Stalinism lasted a better part of the twentieth century. Stalinism created the Berlin Wall, and it was quite a sight to see it fall. Overall, Stalin was a more effective leader because his system was able to thrive and survive well after he died. This was the true mark of how effective a leader Stalin was. Stalin and his vision for Russia can be summed up in a quote from John F, Kennedy.

Whenever a question like this is answered, there is always room for much debate. It would be very interesting to hear your thoughts on this issue.

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