Stalin's rise, and cult

Question 1

RECAP: When did Lenin die?

Answer 1

Jan 1924

Question 2

Who were the main leadership contenders?

Answer 2

Trotsky,Bukharin,Stalin

Question 3

Why was Trotsky weak during the leadership contest?

Answer 3

Fell ill with a malaria-like illness in late 1923

Question 4

What immoral things did Stalin do to take power?

Answer 4

• Told Trotsky Lenin’s funeral was 26ᵗʰ Jan, when it was 27ᵗʰ. This meant Trotsky thought he could not get back in time.
• Lenin’s Testament, which commended Trotsky and expressed doubt over Stalin, was censored and never published.

Question 5

What made Stalin more appealing than Trotsky?

Answer 5

• Supported “Socialism in one country” rather than a worldwide revolution
• Was a peasant from Georgia, rather than an intellectual.

Question 6

What was Stalin’s cult of personality?

Answer 6

• All posters, paintings, photographs and films of Stalin portrayed him as a hero.
• Towns, streets and buildings were named after him.
• Old photographs were altered to rewrite history, as Stalin’s contribution to the October Revolution was altered.