Ernst Topitsch Stalin's War Pdf

A Critical Review of Ernst Topitschs Stalins War: A Radical New Theory of the Origins of the Second World War

Ernst Topitsch was a controversial Austrian philosopher and historian who argued that Stalin was the main instigator of World War II. In his book Stalins War: A Radical New Theory of the Origins of the Second World War, he claimed that Stalin had planned to conquer Europe and use Germany as a pawn to provoke a war with the Western democracies. He also accused the Western allies of appeasing Stalin and ignoring his aggressive intentions.

Ernst Topitsch Stalin's War Pdf

Topitschs book was first published in German in 1985 and translated into English in 1987. It received mixed reviews from scholars and critics, some of whom praised it as a bold and original thesis, while others dismissed it as a conspiracy theory and a distortion of historical facts. In this article, we will examine some of the main arguments and evidence that Topitsch presented in his book, as well as some of the counterarguments and criticisms that have been raised against it.

Stalins Plan to Conquer Europe

Topitschs main argument was that Stalin had a grand strategy to conquer Europe and establish a Soviet-dominated world order. He based this claim on several sources, such as Stalins speeches, writings, and actions, as well as the testimonies of defectors and former Soviet officials. He also cited some secret documents that allegedly revealed Stalins plans, such as the Operational Directive No. 1, which was supposedly issued by Stalin in August 1939 and outlined his intention to attack Germany after it invaded Poland.

According to Topitsch, Stalin had been preparing for war since the early 1930s, when he launched a massive industrialization and militarization program in the Soviet Union. He also sought to expand Soviet influence and control in Eastern Europe and Asia, by supporting communist parties and movements, forming alliances with neighboring countries, and intervening in civil wars and conflicts. He argued that Stalins ultimate goal was to create a Eurasian bloc that would include Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Turkey, Iran, India, China, Japan, and Mongolia.

Topitsch claimed that Stalin used Hitler as a tool to provoke a war with the Western democracies, by encouraging him to pursue his expansionist ambitions and signing a non-aggression pact with him in 1939. He also alleged that Stalin secretly supported Hitlers invasion of Poland, France, and Britain, by supplying him with raw materials and intelligence, and by refraining from attacking him from the east. He argued that Stalins plan was to let Hitler weaken the Western powers, and then launch a surprise attack on Germany when it was exhausted and isolated.

The Western Allies Appeasement of Stalin

Topitsch also criticized the Western allies for their appeasement of Stalin and their ignorance of his aggressive intentions. He accused them of failing to recognize the Soviet threat and of neglecting their own security interests. He blamed them for allowing Stalin to annex Eastern Poland, the Baltic states, Bessarabia, Bukovina, Finland, and parts of Romania under the pretext of creating a buffer zone against Nazi Germany. He also blamed them for abandoning Poland to Soviet occupation and for accepting Stalins demands at the Yalta and Potsdam conferences.

Topitsch argued that the Western allies were deceived by Stalins propaganda and diplomacy, which portrayed him as a peace-loving leader who wanted to cooperate with them against Hitler. He also claimed that they were influenced by pro-Soviet sympathizers and agents within their own governments and media, who spread misinformation and disinformation about Soviet policies and actions. He suggested that some of them were even blackmailed or bribed by Stalin to support his interests.

Topitsch concluded that the Western allies appeasement of Stalin enabled him to achieve his goals of dominating Europe and Asia, and paved the way for the Cold War. He warned that Stalins successors would continue his expansionist agenda and pose a grave danger to world peace.

Criticism and Evaluation

Topitschs book has been widely criticized by historians and experts for its lack of credibility and validity. Some of the main c481cea774