--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is estimated that Josef Stalin killed…" description: "\"“It is estimated that Josef Stalin killed more than twenty million people during his reign of terror. The Baltic states of Lithuania, Latvia, and Eston..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c8b/ruta-sepetys-2570_believing_it-is-estimated-that-josef-stalin-killed_1157317.jpg" --- # It is estimated that Josef Stalin killed more than twenty… ![“It is estimated that Josef Stalin killed more than twenty million people during his reign of terror. The Baltic states of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia lost more than a third of their population during the Soviet genocide. The deportations reached as far as Finland. To this day, many Russians…” quote by Ruta Sepetys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c8b/ruta-sepetys-2570_believing_it-is-estimated-that-josef-stalin-killed_1157317.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c8b/ruta-sepetys-2570_believing_it-is-estimated-that-josef-stalin-killed_1157317.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c8b/ruta-sepetys-2570_believing_it-is-estimated-that-josef-stalin-killed_1157317.jpg) > ““It is estimated that Josef Stalin killed more than twenty million people during his reign of terror. The Baltic states of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia lost more than a third of their population during the Soviet genocide. The deportations reached as far as Finland. To this day, many Russians deny they ever deported a single person. But most Baltic people harbor no grudge, resentment, or ill will. They are grateful to the Soviets who showed compassion. Their freedom is precious, and they are learning to live within it. For some, the liberties we have as American citizens came at the expense of people who lie in unmarked graves in Siberia. Like Joana for Lina, our freedom cost them theirs. Some wars are about bombing. For the people of the Baltics, this war was about believing. In 1991, after 50 years of brutal occupation, the three Baltic countries regained their independence, peacefully and with dignity. They chose hope over hate and showed the world that even through the darkest night, there is light. Please research it. Tell someone. These three tiny nations have taught us that love is the most powerful army. Whether love of friend, love of country, love of God, or even love of enemy - love reveals to us the truly miraculous nature of the human spirit.”” [Ruta Sepetys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruta-sepetys/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote reflects on the massive suffering under Soviet oppression, the resilience of Baltic peoples, and the power of love and hope to overcome atrocity. **In simple terms:** Soviet oppression caused immense loss, but love and hope endure. Key Takeaway Remember history, cherish freedom, practice compassion. Themes history resilience love hope memory Mood reflective somber inspirational Type historical philosophical motivational When to use this quote - education - memorials - peace activism - intercultural dialogue Key Concepts genocide collective trauma human spirit Questions to Reflect On - How can societies balance remembrance with reconciliation? - What role does love play in post‑conflict healing? A Different Perspective Denial and selective memory can obscure truth and impede healing. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Country love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country-love/) [Darkest Night](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/darkest-night/) [Human spirit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-spirit/) [Josef stalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/josef-stalin/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Love of god](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love-of-god/) [People who lie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-who-lie/) [Reign of terror](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reign-of-terror/) ## Related quotes > [“Some wars are about bombing. For the people of the Baltics, this war was about believing. In 1991, after fifty years of brutal occupation,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruta-sepetys/some-wars-are-about-bombing-for-the-people-of-the-baltics-this-war/) [Ruta Sepetys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruta-sepetys/) > [There are exceptions of course, like for instance the Baltic States, which are members of the European Union, together with Ukraine and Moldova, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garry-kasparov/there-are-exceptions-of-course-like-for-instance-the-baltic-states/) [Garry Kasparov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garry-kasparov/) > [“Aiva Rozenberga was 13 years old when 2 million people stood hand in hand in 1989 across the three Baltic states of Lithuania, Latvia,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/aiva-rozenberga-was-13-years-old-when-2-million-people-stood-hand-in/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Nowadays, there are plans to separate the Baltic states from the common power system of the former Soviet Union and to integrate them into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-putin/nowadays-there-are-plans-to-separate-the-baltic-states-from-the/) [Vladimir Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-putin/) > [I assume that our colleagues from both the United States and the European Union will proceed from current humanitarian law and ensure political freedoms…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-putin/i-assume-that-our-colleagues-from-both-the-united-states-and-the/) [Vladimir Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-putin/) > [ \[Ben Carson\] critics say that your inexperience shows. You've suggested that the Baltic States are not a part of NATO, you were unfamiliar with… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megyn-kelly/ben-carson-critics-say-that-your-inexperience-shows-you-ve-suggested/) [Megyn Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megyn-kelly/) > [The Baltic republics have invented something totally new. Do you know what? They use the word 'non-citizens' for people who have been living for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-putin/the-baltic-republics-have-invented-something-totally-new-do-you-know/) [Vladimir Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-putin/) > [The U.S., together with trans-Atlantic allies, never recognized the occupation of the Baltic states by the Soviet Union. Moscow faced pressure or retaliation every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kersti-kaljulaid/the-u-s-together-with-trans-atlantic-allies-never-recognized-the/) [Kersti Kaljulaid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kersti-kaljulaid/) > [Following the end of the Cold War, there was much discussion concerning the point of NATO. In the event, it was reinvented as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-jacques/following-the-end-of-the-cold-war-there-was-much-discussion/) [Martin Jacques](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-jacques/) > [We believe in the power of 21st-century international norms. Russian President Vladimir Putin believes in the power of lies and brute force, and implicitly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-lowry/we-believe-in-the-power-of-21st-century-international-norms-russian/) [Rich Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-lowry/) > [When there's a person, there's a problem. When there's no person, there's no problem. Josef Stalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stalin/when-there-s-a-person-there-s-a-problem-when-there-s-no-person-there/) [Joseph Stalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stalin/) > [ I believe that we are going to get along very well with him \[Josef Stalin\] and the Russian people - very well indeed. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt/i-believe-that-we-are-going-to-get-along-very-well-with-him-josef/) [Franklin D. Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt/) > [While public school history courses in the United States stress the horrors of the German Nazi murder of 6 million Jews and Josef Stalin's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-ott/while-public-school-history-courses-in-the-united-states-stress-the/) Jonathan Ott > [Inconsiderate to the last, Josef Stalin, a man who never had to meet a deadline, had the bad taste to die in installments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-j-liebling/inconsiderate-to-the-last-josef-stalin-a-man-who-never-had-to-meet-a/) [A. J. Liebling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-j-liebling/) > [“Hitler had done quite enough in his career to prove how utterly untrustworthy he was long before the Nazi–Soviet Pact was signed in August…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-roberts/hitler-had-done-quite-enough-in-his-career-to-prove-how-utterly/) [Andrew Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-roberts/) ## More by Ruta Sepetys > [“I didn’t agree with Cokie. It wasn’t just rich folks. Mother was soul broke, too.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruta-sepetys/i-didn-t-agree-with-cokie-it-wasn-t-just-rich-folks-mother-was-soul/) [Ruta Sepetys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruta-sepetys/) > [“What if this is a horrible mistake?" I croaked. "Oh, it'll be horrible fine, just a bunch of pretentious rich people with shelves of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruta-sepetys/what-if-this-is-a-horrible-mistake-i-croaked-oh-it-ll-be-horrible/) [Ruta Sepetys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruta-sepetys/) > [“There was no ‘Miss Woodley.’ There was Willie. Willie was about life, and she grabbed it by the balls. Y’all know that. She loved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruta-sepetys/there-was-no-miss-woodley-there-was-willie-willie-was-about-life-and/) [Ruta Sepetys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruta-sepetys/) > [“The fact that Cincinnati thought I resembled him in any way sickened me. It made me want to run and hide. When I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruta-sepetys/the-fact-that-cincinnati-thought-i-resembled-him-in-any-way-sickened/) [Ruta Sepetys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruta-sepetys/) > [“Well, I don't know, Lina. But let's just say I've met a lot of dead people.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruta-sepetys/well-i-don-t-know-lina-but-let-s-just-say-i-ve-met-a-lot-of-dead/) [Ruta Sepetys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruta-sepetys/) > [“War is catastrophe. It breaks families in irretrievable pieces. But those who are gone are not necessarily lost.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruta-sepetys/war-is-catastrophe-it-breaks-families-in-irretrievable-pieces-but/) [Ruta Sepetys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruta-sepetys/) > [I wasn't certain of anything anymore, except that New Orleans was a faithless friend and I wanted to leave her.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruta-sepetys/i-wasn-t-certain-of-anything-anymore-except-that-new-orleans-was-a/) [Ruta Sepetys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruta-sepetys/) > [“Andrius turned. His eyes found mine. "I'll see you," he said. My face didn't wrinkle. I didn't utter a sound. But for the first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruta-sepetys/andrius-turned-his-eyes-found-mine-i-ll-see-you-he-said-my-face-didn/) [Ruta Sepetys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruta-sepetys/) > [“Some wars are about bombing. For the people of the Baltics, this war was about believing. In 1991, after fifty years of brutal occupation,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruta-sepetys/some-wars-are-about-bombing-for-the-people-of-the-baltics-this-war/) [Ruta Sepetys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruta-sepetys/) > [“I don't want to see no dead body. Willie ain't in there. She put her walkin' shoes on. She gone to see the Lord.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruta-sepetys/i-don-t-want-to-see-no-dead-body-willie-ain-t-in-there-she-put-her/) [Ruta Sepetys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruta-sepetys/) > [“They drink like fish and ask the most probing questions." "Welcome to the South." Patrick laughed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruta-sepetys/they-drink-like-fish-and-ask-the-most-probing-questions-welcome-to/) [Ruta Sepetys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruta-sepetys/) > [“That’s a good hustle,” I told him. “We both got a little hustle, don’t we?” He pulled on his jacket. “But I like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruta-sepetys/that-s-a-good-hustle-i-told-him-we-both-got-a-little-hustle-don-t-we/) [Ruta Sepetys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruta-sepetys/) > [Andrius, I'm...scared." He stopped and turned to me. "No. Don't be scared. Don't give them anything Lina, not even your fear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruta-sepetys/andrius-i-m-scared-he-stopped-and-turned-to-me-no-don-t-be-scared-don/) [Ruta Sepetys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruta-sepetys/) > [Sometimes there is such beauty in awkwardness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruta-sepetys/sometimes-there-is-such-beauty-in-awkwardness/) [Ruta Sepetys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruta-sepetys/) > [Have you ever wondered what a human life is worth? That morning, my brother's was worth a pocket watch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruta-sepetys/have-you-ever-wondered-what-a-human-life-is-worth-that-morning-my/) [Ruta Sepetys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruta-sepetys/) [Explore all 155 Ruta Sepetys quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruta-sepetys/) ## More Believing quotes > [And if the mind thinks with a believing attitude one can do amazing things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/and-if-the-mind-thinks-with-a-believing-attitude-one-can-do-amazing/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) > [I've never let anyone talk me into not believing in myself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/i-ve-never-let-anyone-talk-me-into-not-believing-in-myself/) [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) > [“Believing is not the same as knowing. Believing is second-hand knowledge, whereas knowing is first-hand experience. When your action comes from a level of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yogi-kanna/believing-is-not-the-same-as-knowing-believing-is-second-hand/) [Yogi Kanna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yogi-kanna/) > [Things aren't always as they appear. I've been believing things to be a certain way because I want them to be that way. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brett-dennen/things-aren-t-always-as-they-appear-i-ve-been-believing-things-to-be/) [Brett Dennen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brett-dennen/) > [You cannot will yourself to be happy while believing that you have no right to happiness, or that you are unworthy of it. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-roberts/you-cannot-will-yourself-to-be-happy-while-believing-that-you-have-no/) [Jane Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-roberts/) > [It's never late to go after your dreams. All it takes is believing and hard work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vitor-belfort/it-s-never-late-to-go-after-your-dreams-all-it-takes-is-believing-and/) [Vitor Belfort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vitor-belfort/) > [“There are five important things for living a successful and fulfilling life: never stop dreaming, never stop believing, never give up, never stop trying,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-bennett/there-are-five-important-things-for-living-a-successful-and/) [Roy Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-bennett/) > [Start believing that things are going to change for the better. Not because you deserve it, but simply because God loves you that much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/start-believing-that-things-are-going-to-change-for-the-better-not/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I never stopped believing in my ability or what I was doing. I want to pass that sense of faith and perseverance on to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vantile-whitfield/i-never-stopped-believing-in-my-ability-or-what-i-was-doing-i-want-to/) [Vantile Whitfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vantile-whitfield/) > [“It’s not easy to believe in anything when your whole world turns upside down. The main thing is to keep believing in yourself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsay-jayne-ashford/it-s-not-easy-to-believe-in-anything-when-your-whole-world-turns/) [Lindsay Jayne Ashford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsay-jayne-ashford/) > [Stop expecting, Start believing¦ If you truly love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/stop-expecting-start-believing-if-you-truly-love/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [This idea that once you get into politics... you are now signed up for lifelong duty being in elective office, makes a fundamental error…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-gonzalez/this-idea-that-once-you-get-into-politics-you-are-now-signed-up-for/) [Matt Gonzalez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-gonzalez/) > [Chairman Mao not only introduced Pinyin in China, but also simplified half the Chinese characters, believing that fewer strokes would enable more people to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-tang/chairman-mao-not-only-introduced-pinyin-in-china-but-also-simplified/) [David Tang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-tang/) > [It's one thing believing in yourself, it's another thing having other people believe in you, and that is the greatest gift, honestly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-magnussen/it-s-one-thing-believing-in-yourself-it-s-another-thing-having-other/) [Billy Magnussen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-magnussen/) > [We have been deceived into believing prayer is all about persuading God to release His power. We no longer need to beg or plead;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-wommack/we-have-been-deceived-into-believing-prayer-is-all-about-persuading/) [Andrew Wommack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-wommack/) Browse all 1,471 Believing quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“It is estimated that Josef Stalin killed more than twenty million people during his reign of terror. The Baltic states of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia lost more than a third of their population during the Soviet genocide. The deportations reached as far as Finland. To this day, many Russians deny they ever deported a single person. But most Baltic people harbor no grudge, resentment, or ill will. They are grateful to the Soviets who showed compassion. Their freedom is precious, and they are learning to live within it. For some, the liberties we have as American citizens came at the expense of people who lie in unmarked graves in Siberia. Like Joana for Lina, our freedom cost them theirs. Some wars are about bombing. For the people of the Baltics, this war was about believing. In 1991, after 50 years of brutal occupation, the three Baltic countries regained their independence, peacefully and with dignity. They chose hope over hate and showed the world that even through the darkest night, there is light. Please research it. Tell someone. These three tiny nations have taught us that love is the most powerful army. Whether love of friend, love of country, love of God, or even love of enemy - love reveals to us the truly miraculous nature of the human spirit.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ruta Sepetys" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruta-sepetys/it-is-estimated-that-josef-stalin-killed-more-than-twenty-million/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Believing" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruta-sepetys/it-is-estimated-that-josef-stalin-killed-more-than-twenty-million/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c8b/ruta-sepetys-2570_believing_it-is-estimated-that-josef-stalin-killed_1157317.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c8b/ruta-sepetys-2570_believing_it-is-estimated-that-josef-stalin-killed_1157317.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c8b/ruta-sepetys-2570_believing_it-is-estimated-that-josef-stalin-killed_1157317.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It is estimated that Josef Stalin killed more than twenty million people during his reign of terror. The…” — Ruta Sepetys", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Ruta Sepetys", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruta-sepetys/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“It is estimated that Josef Stalin...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruta-sepetys/it-is-estimated-that-josef-stalin-killed-more-than-twenty-million/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruta-sepetys/it-is-estimated-that-josef-stalin-killed-more-than-twenty-million/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```