Russia paper 3 content (Up to GP war) Flashcards
What position did Stalin hold in the Communist Party since 1922?
He served as general secretary of the party.
What was the Lenin Enrolment (1923-1925)?
It aimed to increase party membership, doubling it from 500,000 to 1,000,000.
Who were the new members recruited during the Lenin Enrolment?
Many were young, rural, and poorly educated men who often followed local leaders.
What was the ban on factions (1921)?
It was a ban enforced by Lenin that could result in expulsion from the party.
How did Stalin use the ban on factions against his opponents?
He expelled Trotsky, Kamanev, and Zinoviev in 1927 using this ban.
What was Trotsky’s perceived weakness in the party?
His failure to attend Lenin’s funeral in January 1924 damaged his reputation.
What was Trotsky’s previous political affiliation before joining the Bolsheviks?
He was previously a Menshevik.
What was Trotsky’s stance on the party’s bureaucracy?
He openly criticized it during the Thirteenth Party Congress in 1924.
What was Stalin’s notable policy that contrasted with Trotsky’s ideas?
Stalin introduced ‘Socialism in one country’ as opposed to Trotsky’s ‘Permanent revolution’.
What was the impact of collectivisation on the peasant population?
By 1933, 70% of the population was collectivised, and by 1936, it was 90%.
What was a significant human cost of collectivisation?
3.5-7 million people died in Ukraine due to famine caused by collectivisation.
What was the main goal of Stalin’s Five-Year Plans?
To rapidly industrialise the USSR and catch up to Western rivals.
What was a major failure of the Five-Year Plans?
Unrealistic targets led to competition and bribery among factories, making production statistics unreliable.
What was the Yezhovshchina?
A period between 1937-38 marked by mass purges as Stalin believed traitors had infiltrated the party.
What was NKVD order 00447?
An order issued by Stalin to expel any opposition, resulting in the arrests of 250,000 people.
What was the role of propaganda in Stalin’s maintenance of power?
It gained popular support for the Five-Year Plans and collectivisation, especially through film and posters.
What was the significance of Stalin’s cult of personality?
By 1938, he was portrayed as a god-like figure, reinforcing his leadership and control.
What event triggered the purges under Stalin?
The death of Sergei Kirov, who was seen as a significant opposition figure.
What happened to Zinoviev and Kamanev during the purges?
They were put on show trial and executed, creating a climate of fear within the party.
What happened to those put on trial during the purges?
They confessed to their crimes and were executed.
What was the purpose of the purges in 1937-1938?
To consolidate Stalin’s power and gain the obedience of the people.
What did NKVD order 00447 entail?
It was issued by Stalin to expel any that opposed the party, resulting in the arrests of 250,000 people in the USSR.
Who were some of the individuals arrested during the purges?
The arrests included scientists, teachers, and writers.
What was a common reason for arrests during the purges?
Arrests were often based on arbitrary reasons with no real justification needed.
What happened to victims of the NKVD interrogations?
Victims were forced to admit their opposition to Stalin and often had to give up their peers.
What were the consequences for many Soviet citizens during the purges?
Many died due to torture, in gulags, on the way to gulags, or were executed.
What was the impact of forced labor during the purges?
Forced labor was used on projects such as the White Sea Canal, where an estimated 25,000 died.
What was the status of terror after 1938?
Stalin called an end to the terror in 1938, but it continued at a reduced capacity until his death.
How many people were estimated to be arrested and sent to gulags during Stalin’s reign?
Conquest estimates that 7-8 million were arrested and another 7-8 million were sent to gulags.
What was the impact of the purges on the armed forces?
35,000 officers were arrested, leading to a loss of trained leaders during a time of rapid expansion.
How did the purges affect military decision-making during the Great Patriotic War?
Commanders waited passively for orders, which often arrived too late to make a positive difference.
What was the effect of rigid conformity in military tactics?
It led to frontal assaults that incurred enormous losses of men and equipment.
How did the purges affect foreign perceptions of the Red Army?
They led foreign governments, especially the Germans, to believe that the Red Army was weakened.
What was the impact of the purges on the military-industrial complex?
The purges meant that production was not maximized, leading to poor quality and fewer tanks and aircraft.
What was the political impact of the Great Patriotic War on Stalin’s leadership?
The war helped Stalin consolidate his leadership and instill fear in the public.
What were orders 270 and 227 during the Great Patriotic War?
These orders stated that soldiers guilty of cowardice could be sent to punishment companies.
What was the fate of soldiers who surrendered or retreated?
They were labeled as traitors or deserters and could be shot or sent to punishment camps.
How many men served in punishment camps during the war?
Over 430,000 men served in punishment camps.
What was the significance of ethnic cleansing during the war?
It helped Stalin consolidate power by relocating minority groups that posed a threat.
What was the impact of Stalin’s censorship during the war?
All media was censored for ideological mistakes, and defeatist talk could lead to imprisonment.
What economic changes occurred in the USSR due to the Great Patriotic War?
The USSR shifted industry from the West to the East, moving 1523 factories by 1941.
What was the impact of Operation Barbarossa on Soviet industry?
The USSR lost 85% of prewar industry and 50% of steel production to the Germans.
How did the production of the T-34 tank change during the war?
Its production time dropped from 8000 hours in 1941 to 3700 by 1943.
What were the devastating impacts of the war on the Soviet economy?
An estimated 27 million Soviets died, and 1700 towns and 70,000 villages were destroyed.
What was the effect of the Scorched Earth Policy announced by Stalin?
It further reduced economic capacity by destroying agriculture and industry.
What was the consequence of the destruction caused by the war?
25 million were left homeless, and infrastructure needed to be rebuilt after the war.
