Page 42 - The Chief Culprit
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Why Did Stalin Like Hitler’s
Book So Much?
Germany’s most evil enemy is and will always be France.
—A H, MEIN KAMPF
A
study of the war between Germany and the Soviet Union should start with the ques-
tion: Why did Hitler invade? In 1924 Hitler wrote in his book Mein Kampf: “We
want to return to that point, where our previous development halted six hundred
years ago. We want to halt Germany’s constant efforts to expand to the south and west, and
have our sights set towards the territories situated to the east.” is phrase became famous
and has been quoted time after time. Politicians, diplomats, generals, historians, and jour-
nalists have tirelessly repeated these words. Even in the 1920s this quote was cited in the
essays and public speeches of Soviet leaders. Trotsky, Bukharin, Zinoviev, and Kamenev
repeated it. In the 1930s, especially after the Nazis came to power, Hitler’s frankness re-
sounded with new authority. Any public speaker on the impending war began with this
proclamation by Hitler.
After Stalin’s death in 1953, hordes of historians quoted Hitler and accused Stalin of
short-sightedness. e Fuehrer openly declared his intentions. Stalin should have read Mein
Kampf and taken appropriate measures. From the moment that Mein Kampf first appeared
in 1925 until the moment Hitler invaded in 1941, this quote was repeated from every loud-
speaker. It was shouted at factory meetings, it was used to scare the people. It was repeated
by the Comintern and printed in schoolbooks. After all this, how could the German invasion
have been a surprise for Stalin? Did Stalin himself read Mein Kampf ?
Yes, he read it. Moreover, Stalin was the first foreign reader. He was its greatest scholar
and fan. e first translation of Mein Kampf was into Russian, under Stalin’s personal orders.
e book was published for the leadership of the party and the army. Marshal of the Soviet
Union Konstantin Konstantinovich Rokossovsky wrote: “In our time we all read Hitler’s book
Mein Kampf.” e translation was completed without obtaining the author’s permission. But
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his royalties were paid, though not right away. At the moment Mein Kampf was published,
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