6. Condition of soviet union by 1941

Question 1

one party centralisation

stalin by 1941

Answer 1

• led highly centralised + authroitarian one party state.
• foundations in leninist years, lenins constitutions permitted existance of one party state
• increased dominence throughout years e.g. CW

Question 2

one party centralisation

Stalin and marxism

Answer 2

• stalin went further than lenin, extending one party domination and redifing centralisation
• made clear communist parties only canditates for election
• enforced preservation

Question 3

one party centralisation

gov structure

Answer 3

• provided for parrell appointmens in gov and party heirarcy
• nomenklature - system of privliges used to reward loyal officers, concentrated decision making into much smaller no of hands.
• all authority more towards Stalin than party

Question 4

one party centralisation

impact of stalin

Answer 4

• restricted those who he had direct access to.
• commisars trembled in meetingsas stalin paced behind collages
• no inderpendent committes allowed to emerge
• no rival power centres
• youger officials placed in positions of power

Question 5

one party centralisation

limitations

Answer 5

• suggest ‘one party state woth powerful leader’ chnaged to ‘personal dictatorship’
• but stalin relied on workings of highly bureucratic stucture, that some policies pursued actually weakened his control
• plenty of corruption w/in ranks: lying, falsifying stats, inaccurate reports
• local officials owuld protect each other against central demands

Question 6

attacks on opposition

Lenin

Answer 6

• created cheka and prison camps for ideological + political enemies
• attacked SR’s, mensheviks
• non-violent purges to party = 150k members expelled in 1921
• 1921 faction ban

Question 7

attacks on opposition

stalin

Answer 7

• intinsified lenins intolerance
• continued lenins ‘class-warfare’ - mainly directed at Kulaks and bourgisies
• political attacks more brutal
• arested millions of ordinary citizens and 600k party members exucuted
• ‘correction camps’ developed into gulags supplying slave labour

Question 8

stalins econ strengths

Answer 8

• 5 year plans transformed russia into highly industrialised + urbanised nation.
• farms collectivised and free market ended.
• 1926 17% pop in towns, 1939 33%
• 1940, USSR overtook britain in steel + iron productions, not far behind germany.
• developed heavy industry, transport + power resources = 9 aircraft factores contructed by 1939, 1938-4 spending on rearmerment rose 27.5 to 70.9 billion roubles.

Question 9

stalin econ weaknesses

Answer 9

• ecpn dev uneven
• consumer goods scares 1941 as their production was neglected.
• poor quality of goods
• central planning system inefficient and unorganised.
• 1941, still producing less gain under the NEP
• 1936 - major crop failure, yeild smaller than 1941 + weakened nations reserves
• insufficent attention to mordern farming techniquies, also not trained to use or repair it.

Question 10

stalin society - strengthened communist control

Answer 10

• Peasants lived and worked in kolkhozes under Party supervision
• Urbanization and expansion of town populations created a stronger working class proletariat.

Question 11

stalin society - mass culture dev

Answer 11

• Education, propaganda, the leadership cult, public celebrations, arts, culture, and show trials promoted socialist values.
• Despite these efforts, “Stalinism” never entirely reshaped public opinion.

Question 12

stalin society - qualitiy of life and public

Answer 12

• Quality of life didnt improve substantially; low rations, poor housing, and lack of consumer goods persisted.
• Internal passports (reintroduced in 1932) restricted movement, strict censorship, and pervasive propaganda were in place.
• support for state welfare and pride in achievements, but resignation to hardships and hope for a better future.

Question 13

Soviet union by June 1941 - nazi germany

Answer 13

• increased defense spending (from 16.5% in 1937 to 32.6% in 1940), but Stalin ignored intelligence reports, miscalculated timing of the German invasion on 22 June 1941.
• sudden shift from Soviet-German friendship to fighting former allies, along with the lack of anti-fascist propaganda since 1939, left Soviet troops psychologically unprepared - rapid german advance.

Question 14

soviet union by 1941 - army

Answer 14

• Red Army weakened by purges (1936-1938) removing senior officers and proponents of advanced military theories like Mikhail Tukhachevsky, resulting in inadequate training and lack of military initiative.
• produced 230 tanks, 700 military aircraft, and over 100,000 rifles per month, but faced deficiencies in equipment quality and insufficient investment in agriculture