What Putin could learn from Stalin

On 29 August 1942, as German tanks reached the Volga river near Stalingrad, Josef Stalin consulted his most senior General, Georgy Zhukov about his strategy. Despite his impoverished background, Zhukov was intelligent, demanding and strong-willed. The general persuaded Stalin to delay counter-attacking the Nazis for a week to allow time for supplies and artillery to reach the Red Army. Five days later Stalin discovered the Nazis had almost reached the Stalingrad suburbs. Incensed, the Soviet dictator ordered General Zhukov to attack immediately. The Soviets did counter attack but Zhukov later objected and argued this tactic was not feasible.

Despite his despotic instincts, Stalin accepted the general’s advice and ordered him to produce a new plan. On 12 September Zhukov presented Operation Uranus – which in effect tied down the Germans with minimal defence, causing attrition, while he assembled a new army for encirclement. At first Stalin was reluctant. He feared that Stalingrad would be lost.