1st March

On this day in history, in 1953, Joseph Stalin suffered what is thought to have been a stroke. When he didn't emerge from his room his staff were concerned, though had been told not to disturb him. Eventually, at 10pm he was discovered by Peter Lozgachev, who sent for the doctor.

Stalin died four days later. The official cause of death named as "cerebral hemorrhage", though it is suspected that he was in fact assassinated.