The third Five Year Plan (1938-42)

Question 1

What were the aims of the third Five Year Plan and how can they be described

Answer 1

The plan had ambitious targets such as:

• Rise industrial production by 92%
• Targets changed with the war and rapid rearmament became a focus
• Complete transition to Communism

Question 2

Which area of industry was the main beneficiary from the third Five Year Plan
Which other areas also saw strong growth

Answer 2

Heavy industry was the main beneficiary, with strong growth in machinery and engineering. Resources increasing diverted to rearmament

Question 3

How many 5YP did Stalin introduce before his death in 1942 and what was the legacy of the plans

Answer 3

3 5YP under Stalin

Eventually 9 more (12 in total) showing his successors couldn’t shake his industrial policies.

Question 4

How did spending rise in terms of rearmament between 1938 and 1940

Answer 4

Spending on rearmament doubles from 1938-1940

Question 5

Which areas didn’t prosper or succeed under the third FYP

Answer 5

• Steel production stagnated
• Oil failed to meet targets, causing a fuel crisis
• Many industries found themselves short of raw materials.

Question 6

What new measures were used in 3FYP to ensure labour discipline and what continues from first and second plan

Answer 6

• Continuity: Gulags (labour camps- prisoners worked till death and could be sent there for no reason), lateness by 20 mins could result in execution. Exhale or execution for saboteurs or robbers.
• Introduced internal passports in 1940 to stop workers from switching jobs and ensuring factories were guaranteed a stable supply of labour.

Question 7

State biggest problems facing 3rd 5YP

Answer 7

-Dearth/lack of good managers, specialists and technicians following Stalin’s purges.
Large number of officials had been investigated and removed. Hundreds of officials removed by Gosplan.
-Managerial initiative stifled as they were terrified of making mistakes, as could result in execution or gulag.
-1940: decree issued making poor quality production a criminal offence.

Question 8

What event destroyed the third 5YP and why. What position was USSR in by 1941

Answer 8

German invasion (WW2) destroyed the third 5YP,causing conditions of Soviet industrial workers to be marginally lower  than in 1928. 
The hardship of workers in last decade meant that by 1941 the USSR was economically strong enough to engage in an ultimately successful military struggle of unprecedented duration and intensity.