In 1941 Stalin also exircised some. Economical situation droped drammaticaly. Im still enjoying it having no posibility to drink Bavarian beer.
He first exercised some in 1939, signing an alliance with Hitler. He first invaded Poland in 1939, followed by Finland, and then the Baltic States. Did I forget something? Ah! Romania!
You mean that USSR was waging a war of conquest in 1941? I kinda thought in was invaded by Germany Did I miss any recent incursions into Russian territory?
The lessons of the Volyn tragedy never learned it seems. And Poland is the best friend of banderovets now.
What in general would change if he wouldnt? Fashism in Europe would dissipate by itself? Or may be the great poland would help this?
Volhyn? Well - I do believe that was a consequence of inhuman relations of the Polish "Masters" and Ukrainian "Serfs" that outlived the era of slavery. This pot was boiling ever since Poland betrayed the independent Ukraine during the peace talks in Riga, in 1921. Hence - we pretty much yielded what we sow over 20 years earlier there. And we're not "best friends" of Ukraine now. We're leeches sucking their manpower, their youth, their best people. Polish economy would not develop as it does (over 7% pa) without Ukrainians and other "guest workers". There is not enough labour on the labour market here. Polish unemployment rate (2%) is second-lowest in the entire EU (and it is said 2% is the "natural" unemployment rate - as some people simply can't be bothered to go to work).
The Great Poland is same kind of utter bullshit the "Big Russia" concept is. Russia remains the biggest country in the world, with most abundant natural resources once could ever imagine... and antiquated, inefficient industry, XIX century style of economy. What Russia needs is reforms, and not new territories.
It's Lviv (or Lwów if you prefer it Polish). No, there's no point in Poland claiming it back. I can visit is as a tourist attraction, part of independent Ukraine, I don't mind (and as a matter of fact I did). But you won't understand that. Will you? The problem with Russia is that it is still thinking in XIX-th century, imperialist terms. Even USSR was imperialist in this respect. That would not be an issue in the XIX-th century world... but c'mon it's the 3rd decade of XXI-st century!
Lwów - consonant with Russian pronunciation. Do you understand that you think by means of propaganda on your part? And you don't know anything about how Russia lives?
Funny to see when USA's actions and wishes declares as Russians... USA with its satellites come and take goverments, economics, resources, set up military bases and missiles all around the world - you may see this "brilliant" results in Irak, Syria, Lybia, etc. - but this guys demonising Russia instead, which sitting still and, little more than never, reacts on completedy idiotic and dangerous moves near Russian borders. And where is the logic, where is the sense?
I don't see anything Russian in the way we pronounce Lwów. It was once the capital of Kievan Rus... only to become one of the largest cities of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth (as part of Kingdom of Poland). It had nothing to do with Russia up to September 1939, when it was captured during the USSR's invasion of Poland.
Only not Kievan Rus I recommend to learn some history. For many years, the territory of Russia was only a multitude of principalities, without a single capital city.