. ▁He ▁suffered ▁a ▁stroke ▁in ▁the ▁fall ▁of ▁ 1 9 4 5 ▁and ▁was ▁ill ▁for ▁months . ▁This ▁was ▁followed ▁by ▁another ▁stroke ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 7 . ▁St alin ▁became ▁less ▁active ▁in ▁the ▁day - to - day ▁running ▁of ▁the ▁state ▁and ▁instead ▁of ▁party ▁meet ings , ▁preferred ▁to ▁inv ite ▁the ▁Polit b uro ▁members ▁to ▁all - night ▁d inners ▁where ▁he ▁would ▁watch ▁mov ies ▁and ▁force ▁them ▁to ▁get ▁dr unk ▁and ▁embar rass ▁themselves ▁or ▁say ▁something ▁inc rimin ating . ▁ ▁Korean ▁War ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 5 0 , ▁the ▁Soviet ▁Union ▁protest ed ▁against ▁the ▁fact ▁that ▁the ▁Chinese ▁seat ▁at ▁the ▁United ▁Nations ▁Security ▁Council ▁was ▁held ▁by ▁the ▁National ist ▁government ▁of ▁China , ▁and ▁boy c otted ▁the ▁meet ings . ▁While ▁the ▁Soviet ▁Union ▁was ▁absent , ▁the ▁UN ▁passed ▁a ▁resolution ▁condem ning ▁North ▁Korean ▁actions ▁and ▁offering ▁military ▁support ▁to ▁South ▁Korea . ▁After ▁this ▁incident ▁the ▁Soviet ▁Union ▁was ▁never ▁absent ▁at ▁the ▁meet ings ▁of ▁the ▁Security ▁Council . ▁ ▁See ▁also ▁ ▁Notes ▁ ▁References ▁▁▁▁▁ ▁Further ▁reading ▁▁▁ ▁Br ze zin ski , ▁Z b ign iew . ▁The ▁Grand ▁Fail ure : ▁The ▁B irth ▁and ▁Death ▁of ▁Commun ism ▁in ▁the ▁Tw enti eth ▁Century ▁( 1 9 8 9 ). ▁ ▁H os king , ▁Geoff rey . ▁The ▁First ▁Social ist ▁Society : ▁A ▁History ▁of ▁the ▁Soviet ▁Union ▁from ▁Within