Dictatorship And Conflict In The USSR, 1924-53
Overview
When Lenin died in January 1924, almost nobody expected Joseph Stalin to succeed him. He was not the party's best speaker, its best writer or its best-known revolutionary, and Lenin's final dictated notes had recommended removing him from his post. Within five years he had defeated every rival, and within ten he was directing an economic transformation and a campaign of terror that reached into the leadership of his own party.
This note covers the leadership struggle, the Five-year Plans and collectivisation, the purges and the cult of personality, daily life in the Soviet Union, and the Second World War and its aftermath. The human cost was enormous and the numbers are contested; where they are, you will be given the range and told why historians disagree.
Objectives
- The leadership struggle, 1924-29: the rivals for the leadership including Stalin, Trotsky, Kamenev, Bukharin and Zinoviev, strengths and weaknesses of Stalin and Trotsky, Stalin's steps to power
- Five-year Plans and collectivisation: Stalin's economic aims, reasons for industrialisation, Gosplan, the first three Five-year Plans, Stakhanovites, reasons for and nature of collectivisation, Kolkhoz and Motor Tractor Stations, the kulaks, the Great Famine
- Purges, show trials, the cult of Stalin and the revision of history: reasons for purges, the murder of Kirov, the NKVD and the gulags, the Moscow Show Trials, purges of the armed forces, the cult of personality, censorship, propaganda, socialist realism
- Life in the Soviet Union, 1924-41: effects of Stalin's policies on living and working conditions, changes in family life and employment, changes in the political position of women, changes in education, persecution of ethnic minorities
- The Second World War and after, 1941-53: Soviet setbacks, reasons for survival and success, the significance of Stalingrad, post-war recovery and the Fourth Five-year Plan, post-war purges, the strength of the USSR on the death of Stalin
Lesson Note
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Lesson Evaluation
Congratulations on completing the lesson on Dictatorship And Conflict In The USSR, 1924-53. Now that youve explored the key concepts and ideas, its time to put your knowledge to the test. This section offers a variety of practice questions designed to reinforce your understanding and help you gauge your grasp of the material.
You will encounter a mix of question types, including multiple-choice questions, short answer questions, and essay questions. Each question is thoughtfully crafted to assess different aspects of your knowledge and critical thinking skills.
Use this evaluation section as an opportunity to reinforce your understanding of the topic and to identify any areas where you may need additional study. Don't be discouraged by any challenges you encounter; instead, view them as opportunities for growth and improvement.
- Which post did Stalin hold from 1922 that gave him control over appointments within the Communist Party? A) Commissar for War B) General Secretary C) Chairman of the Comintern D) Head of Gosplan Answer: B
- Which policy did Stalin adopt in opposition to Trotsky's permanent revolution? A) War communism B) The New Economic Policy C) Socialism in one country D) Collective security Answer: C
- What was a kolkhoz? A) A state depot supplying tractors to farms B) A collective farm on which land and livestock were pooled C) A forced labour camp D) A model factory worker Answer: B
- Whose murder in December 1934 was used as the pretext for the purges? A) Trotsky B) Kirov C) Yagoda D) Tukhachevsky Answer: B
- Roughly how many executions do Soviet archives record for 1937 and 1938 combined? A) About 68,000 B) About 681,000 C) About 6.8 million D) About 12,000 Answer: B
Available on the Green Bridge App
Download the Green Bridge CBT app on your phone or computer to access full lesson notes, practice questions, and more.
Available on the Green Bridge App
Download the Green Bridge CBT app on your phone or computer to access full lesson notes, practice questions, and more.
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