Stalin Flashcards
Trial of the 16, 17 and 21
1936 - Trial of the 16
ZINOVIEV / KAMENEV ; accused as agents of TROTSKY
1937 - Trial of the 17
Trotskyites accused
1938 - Trial of the 21
involved Nikolai Bukharin and other members of the old Bolshevik elite
- Bukharin executed by firing squad
Stalin & the KULAKS
1929 - Stalin announces the LIQUIDATION of the KULAKS - Dekulakinisation
Kulaks - wealthy/land owning/ productive peasants
They opposed collectivisation… so Stalin saw them as a threat
Stalin’s tactical exacerbation of FAMINE
HOLODOMOR
- Ukraine, the ‘bread basket of Europe, was a threat to Stalin
- 10 million died in “murder by starvatin”
KAZAKHS
- the normandic lifestyle did not adpat well to forced collectivisation: 1/3 population died
The famine effectively destroyed traditional Kazakh society.
why did Stalin target UKRAINE in the famine
Ukraine had a strong sense of national identity and a history of resistance to Soviet control.
Stalin feared Ukrainian nationalism and independence movements, especially since Ukraine had briefly been independent after World War I.
By weakening the Ukrainian peasantry and intelligentsia, he aimed to crush potential rebellion.
Stalin’s purge of the secret police
Once the purge began to wind down in 1938, Stalin turned on the NKVD leadership itself.
Yezhov was removed from his post in late 1938 and replaced by Lavrentiy Beria—a shrewder, more politically skilled figure.
In 1940, Yezhov was arrested, interrogated (and tortured), and eventually executed.
leaders of the NKVD
Yagoda (1934–1936)
Yezhov
Beria
Soviet Constitution 1936
propaganda - illusion of democracy to western allies
pledges made in the 1936 constitution
“universal sufferage”
“thoroughly democratic”
“freedom of press and religion”
“employment gurantee”
STAKHANOVITE movement
1935 -The movement aimed to increase worker productivity and promote socialist emulation, and it was closely tied to the Soviet Communist Party’s rapid industrialization and collectivization initiatives.
2nd - five year plan
what did Alexi Stakhanovite achieve which was so impressive
One summer night in August, 1935, a young Soviet miner named Alexei Stakhanov managed to extract 102 tonnes of coal in a single shift.
(15x the average worker)
from the Donbass region
acclaimed success of Stakhanovite movement
labour productivity rose from 41% to 82% between first and second 5YP …
industrial cities created during the 1st 5-Y-P
MAGNITOGORSK
population was 25 in 1929, 25,000 in 3 years
GORKI
city built from scratch
significance of 17th party congress for Kirov
Kirov was pressured into presenting a criticism … he received standing ovation
Kirov’s rise to popularity
Growing Dissent within the Party: As Stalin’s purges and repressive tactics escalated, a number of party members began to voice (or quietly harbor) opposition. Kirov was seen as a potential alternative
Moderate Stance: Unlike Stalin, Kirov was seen as more moderate and less brutal in his policies. He was known for being personable, pragmatic, and not overtly ideological.
Public Persona: He was well-liked by the public and many within the Party due to his warm demeanor and down-to-earth nature. His speeches often attracted enthusiastic crowds.
what was the Ryutin affair
The Ryutin Platform (1932):
he called for an end to Stalin’s dictatorship, the rehabilitation of expelled party members like Trotsky, and a return to collective leadership.
he openly called for Stalin’s peaceful removal from power
Significance of the ‘Ryutin affair’
Rare Open Dissent:
At a time when criticism of Stalin was already dangerous, Ryutin’s document was a bold and rare open challenge to Stalin’s personal authority.
It represented one of the last serious internal oppositions to Stalin before the purges wiped out dissent.
what did the Ryutin affair reveal about Stalin’s power at this point in time
Stalin’s Reaction:
Stalin wanted Ryutin executed, but at that time (1932), he did not yet have the unchecked power to do so.
The Politburo, still functioning with some collective leadership, voted against execution, and Ryutin was sentenced to 10 years in a labor camp.
This moment showed that Stalin’s power was not yet absolute—but that would soon change.
Prelude to the Great Terror:
Ryutin’s case deeply infuriated Stalin, who never forgot the challenge.
When Stalin had consolidated more power, Ryutin was re-arrested in 1937 during the Great Purge and executed.
The affair was used to justify increased repression, surveillance, and loyalty purges within the Party.
why was Kirov purged
Rising Popularity = Political Threat
At the 17th Party Congress in 1934, many delegates supposedly voted against Stalin and for Kirov in internal ballots (though results were falsified or destroyed).
Even if Kirov wasn’t actively opposing Stalin, his popularity made him a potential rival, and Stalin was notoriously paranoid
significance of Kirov’s assassination
his death is widely believed to have been engineered or exploited by Stalin to launch the purges that followed.
Removing Kirov sent a powerful message to anyone in the Party who might have been thinking about challenging Stalin’s authority.
His death became a turning point—Stalin used it to portray himself as the victim of a vast conspiracy and to justify a brutal crackdown.
why was Ukraine’s environment a target during the Famine
Ukraine’s fertile land, particularly the rich black soil known as chernozem, combined with favorable climate conditions, makes it a major exporter of grains and other agricultural products
why was Holodomor tactical
the Holodomor was an act of genocide, as defined by the intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial, or religious group.
Targeting Ukrainian Identity
The famine coincided with Stalin’s crackdown on Ukrainian nationalism, culture, and intellectuals—suggesting a political motive to weaken Ukraine as a distinct national entity
analysis of Kazakhstan’s famine
the famine is widely seen as a colonial-style atrocity—a deliberate effort to break the Kazakh resistance and impose full Soviet control.
Some scholars argue it meets the criteria of genocide, particularly cultural genocide, though the legal classification remains debated.
impact of Kazakhstan’s famine on those living there
Mass Animal Seizures
Kazakhs depended on livestock for survival. The state confiscated livestock en masse, destroying their food source and economy.
Extremely High Death Toll
Roughly 1.5 million Kazakhs (around 40% of the population) died, and many more fled to China, Iran, and other countries.
the famine’s cultural impact on Kazakhstan
Nomadic Lifestyle Destroyed
Stalin’s collectivization aimed to sedentarize the Kazakh nomadic population, forcibly settling them into collective farms unsuited to their way of life.
