One of that things the CIA had to explain is that enormous, even dictatorial personal power isn’t necessarily the same thing as absolute and unchallenged power. Their power bases are dependant on support from others, and that support isnt guaranteed, that’s just the reality of being electrically charged meat with social structures.

So US politicians would come to power believing Stalin could do literally anything he wants and all you have to do is convice one man and then the CIA would explain that some things you want him to do would result in Beria or whoever launching a coup to seize power for themselves.

TL;Dr some people believe dictators can do whatever they want when in reality all power structures are based what people will accept without violent reprisal

That doesn’t mean they aren’t a dictator, it just means pretending one person holds all power and blame is naive