Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin(born Ioseb Besarionis dzе Jugashvili)(December 18, 1878 - March 5, 1953) Second Leader of theSoviet Unionand Leader of Soviet Union inWorld War II. Infamous for the "Great Purge" politics that wiped out a significant portion of theRed Army's officers, as well as a large number of civilians just prior to Nazi Germany's invasion. He would ultimately defeat Germany at an extremely high cost in casualties and eventually died under suspicious circumstances. A few years after his death, he was denounced by his successorNikita Khrushchev.