Russia - Stalin's USSR Flashcards
Why was Stalin fortunate in the timing of Lenin’s death?
He was about to be dismissed by Lenin.
Who did most people expect to succeed Lenin?
Trotsky
Give one reason why Trotsky did not succeed Lenin.
brilliant (made people envious), Jewish
Give two reasons why Stalin was successful in taking over the leadership of the Communist Party.
Politbureau underestimated Stalin, negatives of Trotsky
Give two reasons why Stalin wanted to push forward a policy of industrial expansion.
economic stability, support from workers
When did the first Five Year Plan start?
1928
Give two things which the First Five Year Plan concentrated on.
coal, heavy industry
Where were many factories built? Why?
east of Ural Mountains, safe from invasion
Why did the plans last less than five years according to Stalin?
Targets reached ahead of schedule
Name two ways in which Stalin raised the money to carry out the Five Year Plans.
grain exports; charging peasants heavily for use of equipment
Name one way in which the workers were educated.
Foreign workers employed to come over to Russia and teach them: provided a new generation of skilled workers
Name one way in which workers were encouraged to increase their production.
Medals awarded, ruthless discipline: labour camps and Stakhanovites Movement
Name two ways in which the Five Year Plans can be said to be a success.
prosperity, caught up other European powers
Name two ways in which the Five Year Plans can be said to be a failure.
Never reached aims/targets, peasants/workers got poorer
Name an example of a showpiece Soviet city that was built as part of the Five Year Plans.
Magnitogorsk
What was the name given to Stalin’s policy towards agriculture?
Collectivisation
What did this policy involve?
Joining together of smaller farms to make larger collective farms (kolkhoz)
What was the name given to the rich peasants who were identified as enemies of the state?
Kulaks
Name one way in which Stalin’s policy towards agriculture can be said to be a success.
90% of farms were collectivised by 1937, grain production went up after 1933
Name two ways in which Stalin’s policy towards agriculture can be said to be a failure.
Human cost, peasants hated it
How many died between 1932-33 from famine due to poor harvests and requisitioning of grain?
Around 13 million
Give two ways in which Stalin was able to exert control over the entire USSR.
Communists were the only political party, churches were persecuted
Which sections of society were targeted during the Great Purges?
Members of the Communist Party, the army
Who was put on show trial and when?
1936- Zinoviev and Kamenev, 1938 - Bukharin
