WW2 and High Stalinism 1941-53 Flashcards
How many of the Red Army were killed or taken prisoner between June-December 1941?
6 million
What was the Nazi-Soviet pact?
10 year non-aggression pact signed by Germany and Russia in 1939 - also gave Russia right to occupy Poland, Baltic states and Romania in event of war
What % of the Red Army fell as casualties at Stalingrad between September-November 1942?
75%
What arguments are there for Stalin being a strong wartime leader?
Showed strong leadership and was a rallying force in desperate times, didn’t leave Moscow when it was being evacuated, issued ruthless orders, began to listen to High Command more
What arguments are there for Stalin being a weak wartime leader?
Purge of high-ranking Red Army officers in 1937 significantly weakened army and shattered morale, unprepared for initial German invasion, showed no remorse for sending millions to die in battle
What was the GKO?
State Committee for Defence
How much of the USSR’s GDP could it devote to the war effort in comparison to other nations?
50%, in comparison to others which only devoted 20%
How did the image of Stalin in wartime contrast to that of Nicholas II?
Stalin was seen as a brave and all-seeing leader who successfully defeated the Germans in contrast to Nicholas who gambled his power on this and lost
When did Stalin take control of military command?
20 July 1941
How was Stalin recognised after the victory in WW2?
‘The father of the people of the USSR’
How many were deported to gulags as a result of the Nazi-Soviet pact in 1939-40?
1.5 million
What percentage of deported nationalities died in the first five years after deportation?
1/4
How many Soviet citizens were stranded in German-occupied Europe?
Over 5 million
What was Stalin’s policy regarding prisoners of war?
He believed them to be deserters - over 3 million men and women were sentenced to terms in camps
What impact did the German invasion have on industry?
Halved industrial production
How efficient were Soviet factories by winter 1942?
Producing aircraft, tanks, guns and shells faster than German factories
How much did the Russian economy at home rely on women?
4/5 collective farmers were women, 53% of total workforce, 80-90% in light industry
What conditions did Russian workers have to suffer through during the war?
Overworked, underfed, very cold and poorly housed - 8000 female factory workers had to live in holes in the ground in one plant
What was Lend-Lease?
American aid enabling USSR to pay for war supplies
What % of Russia’s GDP was Lend-Lease by 1944?
10%
How many USSR deaths were there in WW2?
27 million, 9 million of which were military and 18 million were civilians