Iosif Vissarionovich Dzhugashvili, commonly known by his adopted name Joseph Stalin, was a Soviet revolutionary and politician who led the Soviet Union from the mid-1920s until his death in 1953. He was known by various synonyms, including "the Iron Man," "the Bolshevik," "Uncle Joe," and "the Generalissimo." Stalin's leadership was characterized by his ruthless tactics, which included purges of political opponents and brutal suppression of dissent. Despite the atrocities committed under his rule, Stalin remains a controversial figure in Russian history, with some hailing him as a hero while others revile him as a tyrant.