[jboot]

Well, I think it is fairly obvious that a considerable majority of Russians decided sometime during 1942 that the Nazis were even worse (for them) than the Commies.

Of course.

But a lot of them feared the guns to their rear more than those to their front. The kommisar's pistol aimed at the back of your head (or at your loved ones) is a powerful motivator. The Soviet man made the greatest sacrifices of the war, but saw none of the fruit.

[Restorer]

No arguments from me.

I'd like to recommend a book I recently read.

Soviet Tragedy: A History of Socialism in Russia

Perhaps the best outline I've seen of why their system worked out the way it did, despite the noble intentions of many of its founders.

It shows pretty conclusively, IMHO, the Stalin was not an anomaly in the system, he was its logical expression.