Stalin did not tolerate anyone who opposed him, and this is where his cruel methods come into play. He utilized a harsh forced famine in Ukraine, with 4.5 to 7 million victimes. “Stalin used the forced famine as part of a political strategy..” to oppress his people. Another cruel method of his were public trials of his “great purges”, purging anyone opposing him. In these trials, “[defendants] confessed...to a number of crimes.
The genocide that Stalin inflicted on the Ukrainians began in 1929 with massive deportations of the most successful farmers of Ukraine. All farmers were forced to give up their land to the government. These farms would then be state owned and factory ran. If farmers and families would refuse to leave their homes, they would be drug out of their houses and forced onto freight trains that would then take them to remote areas. To add on, the Soviet Union sharply increased Ukraine 's’ production quotas, to make it near impossible to fill, which eventually led to the widespread starvation all across Ukraine.
Although Russia won, many Russian civilians and soldiers died (“Joseph Stalin – Powerful Communist Ruler”). After World War 2, Stalin continued to dictate. Various examples of this were the initiation of purges, executions and exiles to labour camps to rid him of any opposition or other influences (“Joseph
Stalin didn’t just use the secret police to crush the hopes and dreams of his people. He also banned religion. This was done because he believed in science and he didn’t want people to focus on life without communism. (Document Four) Stalin’s political actions can be seen as completely tyrannical but he did impact society as
Research question: "Was Stalin's Great Terror in the late 1930s driven by a fear of foreign infiltration?" This investigation focuses on the late 1930s when the state-orchestrated purges were most intense. This investigation studies the purge of foreign elements who might betray the state during war. The purge of the Red Army and the intelligence apparatus is analysed in relation to the threat of these organisations being penetrated by foreign countries. The Kulak Operation is analysed in relation to the threat of foreign countries encouraging rebellion amongst kulaks.
More than 750,000 people were killed and millions were accused of conspiring against Stalin ( Joseph Stalin: National hero 17). Stalin wanted power, and would do anything to keep it. Stalin once said, “ Death is the solution to all problems. No man - no problems ”(Joseph Stalin Quotes 2 ). He believed that getting rid of anyone who contradicted him or his beliefs would help him maintain power.
Stalin went on a spree of execution, imprisoning and firing many officials (especially the officials with higher level) “The Great Purge 1934-1940.”(H-Headlines). Stalin would do whatever it takes to upset any building power bases or alliances who he thought might work against him to take his leadership status.
Post WWl, Russia was still not industrialized, suffering economically and politically and in no doubt in need of a leader after Lenin’s death. “His successor, Joseph Stalin, a ruthless dictator, seized power and turned Russia into a totalitarian state where the government controls all aspects of private and public life.” Stalin showed these traits by using methods of enforcement, state control of individuals and state control of society. The journey of Stalin begins now.
Imagine living in a society brainwashed by propaganda, where you only can think what you are told. From 1929-1953, citizens of the Soviet Union had to endure this under the rule of Joseph Stalin. Joseph Stalin ruled the Soviet Union in 1929 right after the death of Vladimir Lenin, the first leader of the Soviet Union. From the moment he came into power, Stalin started instilling fear in the population, and those he viewed as a threat were sent to his gulags or labor camps.
Process of Findings The first part of this report will discuss the evidence pertaining to the “genuinely concerned, pragmatic” side to Joseph Stalin’s leadership. Stalin was a leader who was honoured and praised by many of his people in the USSR for various reasons. He was portrayed on propaganda posters as a kind, caring and genuinely concerned leader particularly towards children who were the future of the USSR (Source A). By Stalin being portrayed as a leader who shows genuine concern and care for the children of his country, it propagates the message that children and the entire population of the USSR will have an “enlightened future” under his leadership13 (Source A), and would in turn help Stalin gain more support for himself.
Stalin’s use of Strong language shows us how truly serious the Soviet Union were going to be in promoting and carrying out their plans. The use of state terror to encourage such production increases proves this even further. The regime also used propaganda in the form of Stakhanovism to promote the industrial revolution that the country went through. This use of propaganda promoted Aleksei Stakhanov as the ideal Soviet worker who could apparently produce one hundred and two tonnes of coal in one shift.
Like Napoleon, Stalin would get rid of anyone who would rebel against his rules or disagree with what he was doing... According to the article "Stalin Banishes Trotsky" by the Editors of History.com, “He ordered someone to kill Trotsky.” This evidence
IDENTIFICATION AND EVALUATION OF SOURCES The focus of this investigation will be “What were the causes of Stalin’s purges during 1936-1940?” and this book will analyze based on historians did he really consolidate his power over Russia during late 1930’s . For the purposes of investigation it will solely focus on late 1930’s to answer the question in more depth .Thus, The Great Terror: A Reassessment by Conquest Robert is source of great value and strength for this investigation because book focus completely on time frame of 1935- 1940 and also begins book with description of purges and goes in more depth of why according to the author Stalin started purges in Russia and lastly by the end of the book author
However, this only scratches the surface of what Stalin put the Soviet Union through. Stalin was a very persuasive man, his writings make it seem as if he is in the right and is innocent. To support this statement, two pieces of Stalin's writings were
Lenin even states in his directive to the Communist Party Leadership that, “Stalin has concentrated enormous power in his hands, and I am not sure he always knows how to use that power with sufficient caution… Stalin is too rude and this fault becomes unbearable in the office of General Secretary. Therefore I propose to find a way to remove Stalin from that position and appoint to it a man who is… more patient, more loyal, more polite, and more attentive to comrades”(Doc 7). This states the basic personality of Stalin and how many did not feel he would rule well because of the carelessness he had with the power of running a country of that size and the ignorance he shows political-wise. Another method of his terrible reign was the famine that had occurred amongst the people.
