Stalin Flashcards
Where did Stalin spend over a year in exile?
Siberia
What role did he take during the civil war?
Commissar for nationalities, giving him political experience.
What were some of the opinions seen in Lenin’s testament?
Trotsky said to have “outstanding ability” Stalin is suggested to be removed from his position of power.
Why was Lenin’s testament shelved after it was presented in 1924?
Nearly all members of the Politburo had reason for suppressing it.
What did Stalin do as General Secretary of the Communist Party (ap. 1922)?
Recorded and conveyed party policy, enabling him to build up personal files on all the members of the party. He knew about everything.
What happened with the elimination of Trotsky?
1925: a vote against Trotsky meant that he was relieved from his position as commissar for war. Kamenev and Zinoviev played a key part, they were then targeted by Stalin.
When and why was Trotsky exiled?
1929: he tried to directly oppose and challenge Stalin’s power.
What was Stalin’s defeat of the left?
Beginning 1925, Stalin turned the left parties against Trotsky, using Kamenev and Zinoviev to create an anti-Trotsky CPSU, before turning on them.
When and what were the communist party purges?
1928-29: removes anyone seen to be disloyal
When is Collectivisation announced?
November 1928
How many Kulaks were arrested and deported between 1929-1932?
2.5 million
When were there food shortages in Stalin’s regime
1927,28,29, kind of just general famine
How many victims of famine were there under Stalin
4.5 million
How did Stalin secure a cult of personality?
Presented himself as Lenin’s successor in propaganda, Trotsky was away for Lenin’s funeral, Stalin seized the opportunity, trained young people in the Komosol.
When did Stalin end the NEP?
1928
What was Collectivisation?
Ending private peasant ownership, small farms taken and turned into huge farming camps.
How much of Russia was collectivised by 1930?
50%, however realistically it wasn’t actually this successful
When was there famine following Stalin’s grain requisition?
1932-34
How much grain had been collected by the end of 1931
22.8 million tonnes
When and what were Stalin’s show trials?
1936-38: the guilt of the defendant has already been determined, many old Bolsheviks were found guilty of treason and were executed or imprisoned. Officers would torture or threaten the families of the people on trial.
What were Stalin’s five year plans?
Began 1928, Introduced Collectivisation aimed to advance industry by setting impossible targets and standards.
When and what was the Stakhanovite movement?
1935: Stakhanov mined 100 tonnes of coals in 5 hours, used as an example for everyone and for propaganda purposes to heighten production levels
When and what was the Great Purge?
1936-38: people were ‘disappeared’, old members were trialed and executed, 35,000 of the army were imprisoned or shot, ordinary people were also purged, being urged to call in crimes of neighbours or friends.
How many peasant holdings were collectivised by 1930?
1/4
By what year we’re all farms collectivised?
1941
How many peasants were dispossessed and sent to gulags? And how many died?
10 million, 2-3 million died.
How much did grain exports increase from 1928-1933?
4.8 million
