JOSEPH STALIN (1879 - 1953) Soviet Premier and dictator who reorganized the government and army through bloody purges of his political enemies, allied with the Nazis who then turned on him and invaded the Soviet Union, costing 20 million lives. Important typed D.S. "J. Stalin" in indelible pencil as "People's Commissar of Defense, Marshall of the Soviet Union", 1p. large 4to., Moscow, Apr. 18, 1943, in Russian. Headed: "On the Reorganization of the 325th Rifle Division Into a Guards Rifle Division", Stalin honors the bravely of a Russian rifle division. In part: "...During battles for our Soviet Motherland against the German invaders, the 325th Rifle Division has shown examples of courage, bravery, discipline, and organization. While waging continuous battles with the German invaders, the division has inflicted heavy losses on fascist troops and its crippling blows have destroyed the enemy's personnel and equipment, mercilessly routing the German invaders...the reorganized division shall be given a Guards banner...". Stalin also reorganizes the division into the 90th Guards Rifle Division under the command of Major General Nikolay Boleslavovich Ibyanskiy and gives the new division's officers: "a basic pay of one and a half times the standard rate, as well as double combat pay". The 325th Rifle Division had been established at Morschansk in October, 1941 and fought in the desperate battle for the defense of Moscow, the first defeat inflicted on Germany in World War II. Rough left margin and two negligible tears at right margin, else near fine .