Real Dictators S02 E02 Part 2: The Secretary Becomes Dictator

With the First World War underway, Stalin’s journey to becoming a brutal dictator begins to grind into gear. After the War, Russian society is turned upside down. Stalin thrives in the chaos, masterminding a string of elaborate takedowns of his rivals. Rising to party leader, Stalin visits a ruthless purge on his enemies. After the ‘Great Purge’ comes the ‘Great Terror’, as the dreaded secret police cleanse the country of so-called traitors. Rural society collapses under this onslaught. But Stalin’s brutality does not go unchallenged. A showdown with his own wife at a dinner party has tragic consequences.