Stalin poster of the week 18 (SPotW18)

Iraklii Toidze, All our forces – to support our heroic Red Army and our glorious Red Navy! All the power of the people – to defeat the enemy! I. Stalin., 1941

Iraklii Toidze (тоидзе, ираклии), All our forces – to support our heroic Red Army and our glorious Red Navy! All the power of the people – to defeat the enemy! I. Stalin. (все наши силы – на поддержку нашей героической красной армии, нашего славного красного флота! все силы народа – на разгром врага! И. Сталин.), 1941

Iraklii Toidze’s 1941 poster ‘“All our forces — to support our heroic Red Army and our glorious Red Navy! All the power of the people — to defeat the enemy!” Stalin.’ quotes from Stalin’s famous radio address to the Soviet people of July 3, 1941 and shows a determined Stalin striding to the right accompanied by Soviet tanks and aircraft.

Stalin’s outstretched hand and extended finger point the way forward to victory

The figure of Stalin forms a curious mixture of motion and stability. His gaze is steady and unflinching. The extended arm, showing the way forward with pointed index finger, is rigid and firm. Stalin is fixated on victory and the strength of his will carries the army and airforce with him.


The force of his forward momentum is revealed by the way in which his coat lapels fly about him, and by the swirling motion of the clouds in the sky. These stormy clouds part above Stalin’s head, suggesting that even the forces of nature bend to Stalin’s will, making way for his unstoppable progress towards victory.

Clouds part above Stalin’s head. Even the forces of nature can be bent to his steely will

Many posters of this era are captioned with quotes from Stalin, which had become akin to quoting scripture, and the posters are captioned as if these words contain deep wisdom, spiritual guidance, and unimpeachable truth.


Writing in 1942 about Stalin’s speeches during the war thus far, President of the USSR Mikhail Kalinin said:

‘We call these historic speeches not only in the sense that they are documents but because of their influence on our people and on our army. They are speeches that make history.’

Many people, both immediately after the war and today, claim that Stalin’s speeches had a rallying effect on the nation and contributed to the Soviet victory in the Second World War.

Stalin’s steely gaze, as presented in propaganda posters, formed an image of determination and strength around which the nation could rally during times of crisis