Stalin and Mao were communists and they handsomely defended communism and transformed their respective countries into global powers. You have bought into capitalist demonization of Stalin and Mao. Stalin in particular was responsible for the enormous growth of the USSR and for providing high standars of living to all citizens in the Soviet Union like they never experienced before. They both also had to defend themselves against imperialist aggresion while trying to support global communist struggle.
Don't be so quick to jump into cold war propaganda against Stalin, with all his failures and shortcomings he was still an amazing leader.
Its amazing how propaganda can shape human perception. Stalin literally oversaw transforming the Soviet Union from agrarian society to world superpower, yet it is "unbelievable". This is what capitalist propaganda does to your brain, you literally believe lies are true, and actual reality is false. The USSR was not an industrialized, first world nation, no, it was a cartoon nightmare. I pity you. Your brain is completely consumed by propaganda. Wish you the best in freeing yourself from propaganda.
