Stalin had the weapons, the trade, and the international clout. Tito depended on all of that, but in 1948, the Cominform's condemnation wasn't enough to remove him. How did he build his own power base under Moscow's shadow? This story begins with a purge: the execution of Milan Gorkić left the Yugoslav party in the hands of a leader whose formal confirmation wouldn't come until 1939. We follow Josip Broz from the metalworking shops and Yugoslav prisons to the Hotel Lux and the offices of the Comintern. Between clandestinity, discipline, and Soviet dependence, we explore the rise of the man known as Walter and the question that runs through his trajectory: how did he manage to maintain power that seemed to depend on Stalin?

#History #WorldHistory #20thCenturyHistory #SovietHistory #USSR #Tito #Stalin #Yugoslavia #Comintern #Comintern