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Pretty safe to say that those in West Germany were happier to lose to the US or UK forces than those in the East losing to the Soviets.

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Yes, but I fear that the US may have drawn a somewhat flawed conclusion from that success. I think the outcome of toppling a dictator depends hugely on the reason for that dictator's ascent and the cultural context.

They were happy to loose to the West who had less reason (by an order of magnitude or more) to hate them.

That Stalin was butcher seems a bit mute compared to the German responsibility of the savagery of the Eastern Front.

It's perhaps worth remembering that Putin is from Leningrad, and that his older brother died in the German siege. Also, he was close to Yeltsin, and watched him die from alcoholism, after relentless humiliation by the US and allies.

So it's a fair bet that he has issues.

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