10.1 The Cult Of Stalin Flashcards
Overview
When Stalin became leader of the Soviet Union, he knew that he had to control society to keep hold of his position.
Stalin realised he also needed the mass support of the people so he ensured that propaganda was used to include communist and Stalinist propaganda in everyday life.
How did Stalin secure the support of the Soviet citizens
He wanted them to become aware of his greatness
His name and picture were everywhere
Newspapers had stories of his great achievements and gave him nicknames such as man of steel
He created an image of himself as a caring leader
He promised to reward those who were loyal to him with better housing and promotions.
How + why did Stalin change history to suit his needs
He did this to:
- glorify his own part in past events (e.g revolution) and remove the part played by his enemies
He edited photos so that old leading Bolsheviks and his rivals were removed from photos and disappeared from soviet history
He created new photos emphasising that he was very close to Lenin
