Topic 3 - Stalins Dictatorship

Question 1

Who were the possible successors of Lenin

Answer 1

Joseph Stalin and Leon Trotsky

Question 2

Why Stalin won the leadership

Answer 2

He stopped Lenin’s testament (pro Trotsky) being read out
Stalin gave the speech at Lenin’s funeral after Trotsky was late.

Had the powerful position of General Secretary, meaning he controlled the jobs and gained support

By 1928 by removing all of his rivals, it was clear Stalin had replaced Lenin as the leader of the party.

Question 3

When was Trotsky exiled from the USSR

Answer 3

1929

Question 4

When was the great Terror

Answer 4

1936 - 1938

Question 5

What was the Great Terror or Purges + SFD

Answer 5

People were encouraged to inform on people who spoke out against the state. Anyone who was caught doing so would be sent to labour camps (Gulags) or killed. By 1938 1 million people had been killed.

Question 6

What was the secret police under Stalin called

Answer 6

The OGPU

Question 7

The role of the OGPU in the terror

Answer 7

They dealt with political ‘crimes’ (speaking against the state). The OGPU could arrest people and get confessions through any method such as torture. They would imprison people without trial or would set up fixed trials.

Question 8

Who was purged + SFD

Answer 8

The Politburo, the communist party, teachers, engineers, scientists, the armed forces, even the secret police.

By 1939, Stalin had purged important party leaders.

Question 9

Who ran the prison camps

Answer 9

The Gulag (hence the name “Gulags”)

In 1928 there were about 30,000 people in camps
By 1938 there were about 7 million

Question 10

What is propaganda

Answer 10

Propaganda is the giving of information, true or false, in order to provoke a bias (make someone think in a certain way)

Question 11

What were show trials + SFD

Answer 11

These were fake trials where the accused were blackmailed into confessing

The OGPU arrested 40,000 suspects for ‘trial’
In 1934 Kirov got killed and in 1936 sixteen old Bolsheviks were put up for trial for his assassination.

Question 12

The importance of show trials (4)

Answer 12

Gave the impression of a fair trial

The accused normally confessed, so people believed they were guilty

The trials suggested that there was a danger of the revolution - they would therefore support and unite behind Stalin

Trials scared people into being less critical

Question 13

Effects of the purges

Answer 13

Atmosphere of fear. This enforced obedience but also created resentment

Because so many people were killed there was a loss of useful people (13 of the 15 top generals in the red army)

Created a government of inexperienced people who were simply loyal to Stalin. The country, especially the army, was weaker because of this.

Question 14

What methods of propaganda did Stalin use

Answer 14

Censorship of media

Censorship of education (paste over people that were “out of favour”)

Pro-Stalin posters, banners, songs, poems, books, and films
Talks + speeches about the benefits of the Stalinist regime.

People visiting from other countries were taken on show tours to make the country seem better.

Question 15

Why did Stalin use propaganda

Answer 15

To turn people against his enemies 
Get people to accept his decisions 
To get people to put up with hardships 
Get people to work harder 
To build up a 'cult of Stalin'

Question 16

What was the Cult of Stalin

Answer 16

Stalin’ supporters quickly began building a cult of Stalin. These people would worship him like a god and accept anything he said. Although Stalin said publicly that Lenin and Communism was more important than he was, his image was everywhere.
~ Made him popular
~ Removed opposition

Question 17

What was the 1936 constitution

Answer 17

In 1936, ‘Stalins Constitution’ was hailed as ‘the most democratic system in the world’, however it is seen now as mostly propaganda to make other countries accept Stalins rule.

Question 18

When did Lenin die

Answer 18

January 21, 1924

Question 19

What was the ‘official culture’

Answer 19

Censorship meant that everything had to be simple and easy for anyone to understand. It also had to conform with Stalins ideas.

Question 20

Who were Zinoviev and Kamenev and what happened to them?

Answer 20

They were supporters of Stalin and members of the politburo who persuaded the rest of the politburo not to sack Stalin.

Even though they had worked with Stalin against Trotsky, Zinoviev and Kamenev, by 1926 they were forced into an alliance with Trotsky and they were expelled from the communist party.

Question 21

How the 1936 constitution was used as propaganda

Answer 21

It made other countries accept Stalins rule. The ‘democratic’ one party system was widely approved of.