Join us for a lecture on Joseph Stalin, a man who left many legacies, but one of the most defining was that he took a nation from a backward peasant economy to an atomic bomb in 21 years.

Week 1: Joseph Vissarionovich Dzhugashvili

Learn about the Georgian chieftain’s life, from childhood to the Russian Revolution. As a bank robber, he “procured” funds for the Bolsheviks and, for his actions, would be consigned to Siberia at least seven times, escaping six. By 1917, Stalin was set to launch his political career as one of the dominate figures in the Bolshevik Party.

About the Presenter

Mark Albertson is the historical research editor at Army Aviation magazine and is a long-time member of the United States Naval Institute. In addition, Mark teaches history at Norwalk Community College.

His courses include: World War I and Iraq: Creation of Colonialism; A History, Vietnam; A History, World War I; The Turning Points of World War II; The Great Patriotic War: The Titanic Clash Between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union; and American Empire: Grand Republic to Corporate State.

In May 2005, Mark was presented with a General Assembly Citation by both houses of the state legislature in Hartford for his effort in commemorating the centennial of battleship Connecticut.