The correct answer to this open question is the following.
Joseph Stalin was capable of maintaining his power in the Soviet Union because he was a strong military ruler that led the Soviet Union as a dictator.
He was a prominent figure during World War II and an important ally in the ally's victory over Germany, Japan, and Italy.
After the war, Stalin protected the USSR's political and economic interests spreading Communism. He creatied the so-called satellite states in the case the western European countries tried to invade the Soviet Union. We are talking about nations such as Czechoslovakia, Albania, East Germany, Poland, Bulgaria, Romania, and Hungary.
He was part of the first period of the Cold War and his strong military presence allowed him to stay in power until his death on March 5, 1953.
