Well, being from russia I have somewhat more varied sources, I think I looked up last week tatar deportation from crimea, something like 20k were collaborating (including giving shelter, which considering family ties is not that implicating) 5k likely directly involved in military activities, 200k relocated - seems completely disproportionate.
It’s solving big issue by ethno judgment, of course it was war and blah blah, still could have been done miles better (especially travel conditions and return honestly, even doing same shit).
As for purges, meh, I think there were a lot of opportunistic purge of inconvenient critics (not only for stalin, for local parties as well), numbers don’t make sense otherwise and stories as well.
Well, being from russia I have somewhat more varied sources, I think I looked up last week tatar deportation from crimea, something like 20k were collaborating (including giving shelter, which considering family ties is not that implicating) 5k likely directly involved in military activities, 200k relocated - seems completely disproportionate.
It’s solving big issue by ethno judgment, of course it was war and blah blah, still could have been done miles better (especially travel conditions and return honestly, even doing same shit).
As for purges, meh, I think there were a lot of opportunistic purge of inconvenient critics (not only for stalin, for local parties as well), numbers don’t make sense otherwise and stories as well.
Fair. You have to decide how far to take the "it was war and blah blah blah" argument.