Stalin (1941-1953) Flashcards
Was Stalin a continuation of Lenin?
Some of the foundations were certainly laid out by Lenin and Stalin not only continued these, he went further than Lenin had ever done, extending one-party domination and redifining centralisation
When were the Internal passports introduced under Stalin and what did they do?
1932 and they restricted freedom of moment - similarly to the ex-serfs from 1961 who had to remain within their commune/Mir
What was the % of defence spending in 1940?
32.6%
Why was Stalin taken by surprise when the Nazi’s invaded on 22nd June?
Due to the previous Nazi-Soviet pact signed as well as Stalin’s ignorance towards intelligence reports and he seemed to miscalculate when the Germans would turn East
Why was Stalin’s army disadvantaged upon arrival of war? (Soviet Union)
> Due to the purges of the Red Army between 1936 and 1938 which had removed most senior officers and sapped the strength of the army.
Soviet fighting capacity had also been affected by inadequate training.
Stalin had also re-established the ‘dual command’ of military units - bringing back political commissars which had been abandoned in the late 1930s. This increased Party control but hindered combat capabilities
By 1941, how many rifles were the Soviet Union producing per month?
100,000 rifles
Why was the Soviet Union not economically ready for war?
Despite the move towards rearmament in the Third Five Year Plan, there were deficiencies in the quantity and quality of equipment. Due to increased expenditure on the military, there had been insufficient investment in the collective and state farm system, which was still not producing enough to feed population.
How did Stalin’s terror continue even during the war?
In the first weeks of the Second World War, Stalin authorised the shootings of more officers for ‘cowardice’ when they failed to prevent the advance of the Germans
Why is Stalin argued to be an ‘absolute monarch’ by Volkogonov?
As he wielded unrestricted political power over the Stater and its people
What was the invasion of the Germans on 22nd June 1941 known as?
Operation Barbarossa
Who did Stalin leave the public announcement of war to?
Molotov - ‘our cause is just, the enemy will be smashed, victory will be ours’
What was the Stavka established in 1941?
Supreme Military demand responsible for all military planning
What was the ‘dacha’ and when was it withdrawn by Stalin?
A second home in the country, often used by Russians in the summer and on 27th June 1941
What Committee was set up by the Politburo after the announcement of war?
State Defence Committee (GKO)
What was the State Defence Committee in control of?
Absolute authority over the Party, state, military and other organisations and directs the wartime economy = a small group of five
Who did Stalin heavily rely on to organise military forces?
Zhukov, deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Red Army, who successfully defended Moscow in November 1941 and ultimately led the Soviet Troops to Berlin in April 1945
What did Stalin issue in 1942 when Germans threatened Stalingrad?
Order 227 = ‘Not One Step Backwards’
> Any soldier who fell behind or tried top retreat was to be shot on sight, and more than 150,000 people were sent to death under this order
> The NKVD gained ‘blocking units’ equipped with machine guns in the rear action, to prevent desertion or retreat
Partisan…
is a member of a military force behind the front line opposing the control of the area by the enemy
What action did Stalin take to prevent political disintegration in 1941?
He dissolved the Volga German autonomous republic in 1941 and sent its people to the East. He also relied on the deportation of ‘suspect’ ethnic groups such as the Karacahi, the Chechens and the Crimean Tartars < argued to be an extension of the purges as they were brutally treated
Which ethnic groups were deported by Stalin on terms of being ‘suspicious’?
The Karachai The Chechens The Ingushi The Crimean Tartars ^ around 1.5 million people
How many people were deported by Stalin away from their homeland during the war?
1.5 million > argued as an extension of the purges as they were treated brutally and only two thirds survived the journey to Siberia
What was the result of Stalin putting an emphasis on the political education of troops?
Increasing numbers chose to join the Party and over the war, 3.6 million new members joined the Party of which 2.5 million of these were from the amry
What did the war help to strengthen politically?
The belief in the communist system and Stalin, by 1945, declared the war had shown superiority and resilience of the socialist system. It was a victory for communism over fascism.
What was the ‘scorched earth policy’?
Destroying anything useful to the enemy before retreating. Stalin ordered both soldiers and civilians to deny the German troops basic supplies as they moved Eastwards
How many entire factories together with workers were moved from western Russia and the Ukraine to area’s in the East?
1523
What other changes were made to benefit the war? (WW2)
New railways were built or redirected and the industrial bases rapidly linked to the front line
Why were People’s Commissars established?
To supervise the different sections of wartime production such as tanks, aircraft and guns
What did compulsory State Orders allow?
For changes to take place in a very short time frame > full control
How many new industrial enterprises were built during the war in the Urals (mountains)?
3500
How was the food problem controlled?
Strict rationing and demanding quotas on collective farms
How was the morale and incentive of peasants kept high?
Peasants were allowed to keep private plots and to sell their produce
What foreign aid did the Soviet Union benefit from that the kept hidden from the people of Russia?
- The UK and the USA supplied essential war materials
- In total, 17.5 million tons of military equipment, vehicles, industrial supplies, and food were shipped from the West to the USSR - 94% coming from the USA
- Lend-Lease scheme in 1941, $11 billion of aid from USA
How many tons of military equipment was provided to the USSR from the west?
17.5 million tons
How many $ did the Lend-Lease scheme in 1941 provide for the USSR?
$11 billion
How many Soviets initially signed up after the announcement of war in Moscow?
120,000 to fight for the ‘Motherland’
Where were the White Collar Workers sent?
To munition factories
What was the impact of war fro workers?
> 12 hour day
Became normal for workers to sleep in their factories
Factories were under martial law and discipline was tightened so severe punishments for negligence, lateness or absenteeism.
Unauthorised absences were punishable by death
How was soldiers families who were taken captive affected?
They had their military ration cards confiscated.
How many soldiers were killed from 1941 and 1945?
8.6 million
How many deaths were there during the war due to starvation?
25 million deaths
What social problems did the Soviet Union face during the war?
> A pathetic rationing system that led to mass starvation
Acute housing and fuel shortages, causing health problems to escalate
Poor living conditions and working conditions
