Was Stalin preparing for an attack on Germany before Hitler struck first?

[Lefty Scaevola]

The deplyment of russian forces was midly indicative of attack, but there is not other evidence for it, and much that contradicts such intent.

[Sava]

The deployment of troops could be agrued either way, but knowing Hitler's success with the Blitzkrieg and the strength of the mechanized Nazi army, Stalin did not have the stength in number of tanks. If T34 production were at its peak before the German attack, then maybe this idea would have merit, but Stalin was not planning to invade Germany. If he was, he would have had a large mobile vehicle force in place, and he didn't... it didn't even exist at that time. Not until Stalingrad did the T34 production really reach monumental proportions.

"Quantity has a quality all its own" -- Lenin

[chequita guevara]

Re: Was Stalin preparing for an attack on Germany before Hitler struck first?

Yes.

Stalin was slowly building his forces up to the point that he would be able to attack. He was planning on attack in 1944, give of take.

The officer purge was stupid from a military point of view, but not a political one. Trotksy built the Red Army, and many of the officers were still loyal to him, despite the Stalinist lies. Had the purges not taken place before the Stalin-Hitler pact, it is possible they would have launched a coup d'etat (or even if there was no pact). Stalin and the bureaucracy couldn't continue with this potential dagger at their throat.