In stalin's rhetorical situation, who was his audience a. world powers seeking to go to war with the ussr b. military strategists and generals appointed by stalin c. the soviet population that was under attack by nazis d. soviet and german armies in their encampments

The right answer is letter C. the soviet population that was under attack by nazis

On June 22, 1941, Germany launched a gigantic campaign against Stalin's dominions.  In less than 30 days the Nazis had already advanced some 800 km into the territory of the USSR. In the first months of the invasion, the reaction of the Communist Party and Red Army high command was limited, given the Nazi strike force. However, in pronouncement to Soviet citizens, Stalin ordered the strategy of "scorched earth", that is, citizens should resist invasion at any cost. If this were not possible, they should eliminate (burn, destroy) any means of subsistence that could serve the Nazi troops, such as plantation fields, etc.