Although Joseph Stalin was notoriously paranoid, there's little doubt that many wanted him dead. Today, the number of attempts made on the dictator's life remain unclear. But a scuffle in the street and the assassination of one of Stalin's colleagues puts the dictator on high alert, and he closes the NKVD iron fist of protection. As purges and assassinations leave millions of bodies in their wake, records show that Stalin's greatest adversary, under the sign of the swastika, has the leader right in his crosshairs. Were Nazi commandos on site in Tehran for a fateful conference between Josef Stalin, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and Winston Churchill? The testimony of a trained assassin leaves historians wondering. Years later, a mysterious prisoner of war gets recruited and makes a daring sprint towards Moscow. After the war, Stalin's suspicions are cast on those hired to keep his people healthy. After so many failed assassination attempts, was the last plot against Stalin's life successful? As he succumbs to illness at 74 years old, is his death less than natural?
Up Next in To Kill a Dictator - Season 1
-
Kim Il Sung
Just as Korea gains its freedom after decades under Japanese occupation, Kim Il Sung's rise to power once again tips the scales dragging a country divided back into warfare. Kim's reputation as a fierce warrior, grants him the role of leader in North Korea's Soviet-led puppet government. His rapi...
-
El Jefe
They called him, 'El Hefe' because he ruled the Dominican with an iron fist during what became 'The Bloodiest Era' in Latin America history. Over 30 years, Rafael Trujillo spearheads massacres, tortures, imprisons, and murders anyone who dares to voice dissent. In response, the Dominican Liberati...
-
Saddam Hussein
Under Saddam Hussein's rule, fearsome purges, mass genocides, political executions, and invasions of neighboring powers become the norm. Early murderous tendencies set the stage for years of ruthless resolve, as Hussein deploys horrific chemical weapons against his fellow countrymen. As the situa...
