▁end ▁of ▁the ▁war , ▁and ▁having ▁the ▁most ▁powerful ▁military ▁production ▁capabilities . ▁ ▁War ▁and ▁St alin ist ▁industrial - mil it ary ▁development ▁Although ▁the ▁Soviet ▁Union ▁received ▁aid ▁and ▁weapons ▁from ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁under ▁the ▁L end - Le ase ▁program , ▁the ▁Soviet ▁production ▁of ▁war ▁materials ▁was ▁greater ▁than ▁that ▁of ▁Naz i ▁Germany ▁because ▁of ▁rapid ▁growth ▁of ▁Soviet ▁industrial ▁production ▁during ▁the ▁inter war ▁years ▁( add itional ▁supplies ▁from ▁l end - lease ▁account ed ▁for ▁about ▁ 1 0 – 1 2 % ▁of ▁the ▁Soviet ▁Union ' s ▁own ▁industrial ▁output ). ▁The ▁Second ▁Five ▁Year ▁Plan ▁raised ▁steel ▁production ▁to ▁ 1 8 ▁million ▁tons ▁and ▁coal ▁to ▁ 1 2 8 ▁million ▁tons . ▁Before ▁it ▁was ▁interrupted , ▁the ▁Third ▁Five ▁Year ▁Plan ▁produced ▁no ▁less ▁than ▁ 1 9 ▁million ▁tons ▁of ▁steel ▁and ▁ 1 5 0 ▁million ▁tons ▁of ▁coal . ▁ ▁The ▁Soviet ▁Union ' s ▁industrial ▁output ▁provided ▁an ▁arm aments ▁industry ▁which ▁supported ▁their ▁army , ▁helping ▁it ▁resist ▁the ▁Naz i ▁military ▁off ensive . ▁ ▁According ▁to ▁Robert ▁L . ▁H utch ings , ▁" One ▁can ▁hardly ▁doubt ▁that ▁if ▁there ▁had ▁been ▁a ▁slower ▁bu il dup ▁of ▁industry , ▁the ▁attack ▁would ▁have ▁been ▁successful ▁and ▁world ▁history ▁would ▁have ▁evol ved ▁quite ▁differently ." ▁For ▁the ▁labor ers ▁involved ▁in ▁industry , ▁however , ▁life ▁was ▁difficult . ▁Work ers ▁were ▁encourag ed ▁to ▁ful fill