@tangs I am pretty sure I know why the Russian people didn't stand up to him - they have simply been cowed by a century of control by a system, which used physical violence or removal to a Gulag - and poverty, and spying and reporting by citizens on each other as a control system - and the czars before them were even more oppressive . . . and were just beginning to appreciate some freedom, some small luxuries.
So a population, hoping perhaps for the first time in generations, for a better standard of living - is not inclined to question authority - especially if he is clad in the mantle of benign gentleman in an elegant suit, with some manners (not like Russia's previous uncouth brutes - with some exceptions) - he fooled them all.
Even the West.
The sad thing is, if he had tried to seriously improve the standard of living for his fellow Russians, allowed a bit more democracy and kept European industry fuelled with his oil - and - maybe together with Europe challenged the hegemony of the U.S.A. (in a friendly way) - he/they could all by now benefit from this - instead he destroyed the modest gains this generation and their parents made.
To what end? another generation of mothers, sisters, girl friends will mourn their youthful sons, brothers, sweethearts for the remainder of their lives!
Taurisk
