Stalin Flashcards
what is stalin famous for?
for his successes during WW2 and for leaving a legacy of death and terror as he turned a backward Russia into a world superpower
dates of birth and death
18.12.1879 - 05.03.1953
when did it all start and how?
in 1895, he came in contact with Messame Dassy
what is Messame Dassy? and what did it do to him?
a secret organization that supported Georgian independence from Russia; the socialist members of it introduced him to the writings of Karl Marx and Vladimir Lenin
when did he join Messame Dassy?
in 1898
when and why did he leave school? and what did he do after?
in 1899 because of his political views; he stayed in Tiflis devoting his time to the revolutionary movement
1901
he joined the Social Democratic Labor Party and worked full time for the revolutionary movement
1902
he was arrested for the 1st time for coordinating a labor strike and exiled to Serbia
what happens after escaping from exill
he was marked be the Okhranka (that tsars secret police) and continued his work in hiding
1922
he was appointed to the newly created office of general secretary of the communist party > it gave him control over all party member appointments which allowed him to build his base and so he consolidated his power so that nearly all members of the central command owed their position to him
what happens after Lenins death
in 1924 he set out to destroy the old party leadership and take total control
how did he destroy the old party leadership and take total control
he had people removed from power through bureaucratic shuffling and denunciations:
- many were exiled to Europe and America
- a vast regin of terror having people arrested at night
- rivals were accused of aligning with capitalist nations convicted of being “enemies of people” and executed
when did he start creating collective farms
in the late 1920 and early 1930
why did he create the farms and why didn’t it work
he believed that collectivism would accelerate food production; but the peasants resented losing their land and working for the state so as a result millions of people were sent to labor camps and executed
when and why was a non-agression pact with Hitler and Nazi Germany signed
in 1939 because the war was about to start
