Joseph Stalin 1879 - 1953

Soviet Dictator and Commander in Chief of the Red Army. Having drastically reduced the effectiveness of the Red Army by executing most of its more able commanders shortly before the war, Stalin tried in vain to stall the German invasion of the USSR by placating Hitler in any way possible. Stalin was probably the most evil person to have lived this century. He was totally ruthless and thought nothing of sacrificing hundreds of thousands of his own troops as cannon-fodder.

Viachislav Molotov 1890 - 1986

Soviet Commissar for Foreign Affairs. Molotov was instrumental in the signing of non-agression pacts with both Germany and Japan. He was involved in virtually all meetings outside the USSR and often took the place of Stalin during Allied conferences in Moscow.

Marshal Alexander Vasilievsky 1895 - 1977

Chief of General Staff of the Red Army. Vasilievsky took an active role in the planning and co-ordination of most strategic operations during the war.

Marshal Georgi Zhukov 1896- 1974

Deputy Supreme Commander in Chief of the Red Army. Zhukov directed the defence of Moscow against the German Army in 1941. Susequently he was instrumental in organizing the successful Soviet counter-offensive which ultimately led to the downfall of the Wehrmacht.

Lavrenty Beria 1899 - 1954

Head of Soviet intelligence organization, the NKVD. Beria was also responsible for propaganda, partisan activities and Soviet prisoner of war camps.

Marshal Boris Shaposhnikov 1882 - 1945

Soviet Chief of General Staff before Vasilievsky took over when Shaposhnikov became ill in November 1941.

Georgy Malenkov 1902 - 1988

Responsible for equipment production for the Red Army and various political and economic affairs.

Admiral Nikolai Kuznetsov 1902 - 1974

Commander in Chief of the Soviet Navy.

Col. General Aleksandr Novikov 1900 - 1976

Commander in Chief of the Soviet Air Force (VVS).

Marshal Semyon Timoshenko 1895 - 1970

Commissar of Defence responsible for the re-organization of the Red Army.