Was Stalin really that bad

[Shadowdweller]

Quite aside from possible genocide or resource mismanagement, Stalin's treatment of his own political allies was pretty brutal. For example, after Stalin's death a letter from one-time friend and revolutionary ally, Nicholai Bukharin was found amongst his possessions....calling Stalin by a familiar nickname (Koba) and begging to know why he had to die. Stalin's inner circle included luminaries such as serial rapist Lavrentiy Beria.