Chapter 2: Stalin's character Flashcards
What was Stalin’s background?
Working class/ poor background
What was the job of Stalins mother?
Seamstress
What was the job of Stalins father?
Shoemaker
Who in Stalin’s family was a shoemaker?
Father
Who in Stalin’s family was a seamstress?
Mother
What did Stalins mother do to him as a child?
Beat him severely
Who beat Stalin severely as a child?
His mother
Why did Stalins tough childhood allow?
Leader of proletariat and was able to gain mass support from the masses
Where did Stalin find a place to become a priest?
Tiflis
What was Stalin intrigued by?
Lenin’s writing
Underground work of revolutionaries
What was Stalins false name?
Koba
What was Koba?
Stalins false name?
What did Lenin describe Stalin as?
That wonderful Georgian
Who described Stalin as the wonderful Georgian?
Lenin
Between what period was Stalin arrested frequently?
1902-15
What happened to Stalin between 1902-1915
Arrested frequently
How many times did Stalin escape Siberia
5 times
What happened to Stalin whilst he was in prison?
Gained reputation for toughness
Where did Stalin gain a reputation for his toughness?
Whilst in prison
What toughened Stalin?
Death of first wife in 1907
When was the death of Stalins first wife?
1907
What did the death of Stalins first wife mean?
Hardened
What was the false name that Stalin later took?
Stalin
What does Stalin mean?
Man of steel
What was the reasoning behind Stalin changing his name of Stalin?
Emphasises strength which could reflect how he will lead Russia into strength
How many times was Stalin arrested by 1917
8 times
What did Stalin become in the Petrograd Soviet?
Seat on executive committee
On what committee was Stalin given a seat?
Executive committee of Petrograd Soviet
What was Stalins original opinion on WW1
Pro war
What changed Stalins opinion on the war?
Lenin’s opinion
What did Stalin Sharing the same views as Lenin show?
Emphasised connection
What was the importance of Sverdlov and Trotsky
Main leaders of October revolution
What was Sverdlovs opinion on Stalin?
Didn’t like Stalin
Who didn’t like Stalin?
Sverdlov
Where was Stalins office located?
Close to Lenin’s
What did Stalins office being close to Lenin’s mean?
Able to have more influence and show Lenin he was trust worthy
What happened between Stalin and Trotsky in Tsaritsyn?
Argued as Stalin didn’t like taking orders from Trotsky
Who did Stalin argue with during the civil war because he didn’t like taking orders from this person?
Trotsky
Why was Stalin removed from his military post during the civil war?
Due to disobedience
What did Stalins disobedience during the civil war mean?
Removed from military post
Why did Lenin ignore Stalins disobedience
Stalin was hard working and important to Lenin
What did it mean whilst Stalin was Liaison office between Politburo and
Orgburo
Allowed him to monitor both parties polices and workforce
What did Stalins growth in position show?
Lenin had trust in him which improved his reputation
Who was the diarist Of the revolution
Sukhanov
What did Sukhanov say about Stalin?
No effect in the revolution and was not memorable
What did Lenin say about Stalin in his testament?
Held an enormous amount of power and unsure whether he would use it wisely
In what essay was Lenin critical of the Workers and Peasants Inspectorate (Stalin was head of)
Better Fewer, But better
What did Stalins rise within Government mean?
Patronage
What did Stalins patronage mean?
Able to appoint people to key positions
strengths of Stalin
strong position in the party (General Secretary), hard worker, had vast knowledge of expanding the party’s machinery, placed loyal supporters in key positions, amiable and friendly, reasonable and reliable, underestimated by opponents, mastered marxism and leninism
Useful ally as he could provide votes
weaknesses of Stalin
seen as rude and violent, minor role in Oct Rev, overshadowed by others, Lenin turned against him in the Testament
