Stalin dies Nov 23,1941 Molotov takes over

What happens if Stalin dies in an auto accident on that date? Does the confusion that occurs because of his death outweigh the benefits of having someone who is actually sane running the show?
 
What happens if Stalin dies in an auto accident on that date? Does the confusion that occurs because of his death outweigh the benefits of having someone who is actually sane running the show?
At this time most part of Soviet govermant is in Kuybyshev-it could rule over the country.
 
What happens if Stalin dies in an auto accident on that date? Does the confusion that occurs because of his death outweigh the benefits of having someone who is actually sane running the show?

I am not sure whether anybody could stay sane, alive and successfully deal with the mess Stalin has left behind at this point.
 
What's goverment for?

Stalin has managed, at this point, to weed out any possible (able) successor and the new ones haven´t moved up the ranks yet. Molotov is a possibility but he might crack under the pressure as well. We are talking winter 1941, not 1938 or 1948. The government could handle day to day affairs but any major decisions were made by Stalin personally.
 
Stalin has managed, at this point, to weed out any possible (able) successor and the new ones haven´t moved up the ranks yet. Molotov is a possibility but he might crack under the pressure as well. We are talking winter 1941, not 1938 or 1948. The government could handle day to day affairs but any major decisions were made by Stalin personally.
This nice word-"collective goverment":D When there are Nazis are at the gates of the moscow fighting for the rule is background
 
This nice word-"collective goverment":D When there are Nazis are at the gates of the moscow fighting for the rule is background

I wouldn't count on that. There may be considerable infighting war or no war. It is almost certain army units wouldn't be involved but assassinations and political "double dealing" would still be possible.
 
It would have been more likely that Lavrentiy Beria, "People's Commissar for Internal Affairs", would have taken the reigns of power. As the head of the NKVD, Stalin's secret police, he really was the power behind Stalin. He was one of Stalin's only close confidants, and probably the only remaining competent Commissar in Sovnarkom.

Kalinin, the legal head of state of the USSR, might have asserted a bit more independence, but probably Beria would remain the power behind the throne. Beria would have taken the position of Chairman of Sovnarkom, serving as the head of government.
 
Beria takes over. Whether or not Molotov and other leaders die in accidents depends on how power-mad he actually was.
 
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