What is Stalin most famous for?
Joseph Stalin (1878-1953) was the dictator of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) from 1929 to 1953. Under Stalin, the Soviet Union was transformed from a peasant society into an industrial and military superpower. However, he ruled by terror, and millions of his own citizens died during his brutal reign.
What did Stalin do in the Russian revolution?
After being elected to the Bolshevik Central Committee in April 1917, Stalin helped Lenin to evade capture by authorities and ordered the besieged Bolsheviks to surrender to avoid a bloodbath. The Bolsheviks then seized Petrograd and Stalin was appointed People’s Commissar for Nationalities’ Affairs.
What did Stalin do in the Cold War?
Stalin was the leader of the Soviet Union in the early years of the Cold War and played a significant role in Cold War events such as the Berlin Blockade and the Korean War. This was significant because it saw Joseph Stalin face off against the United States.
When did Stalin take power?
Grigory Zinoviev successfully had Stalin appointed to the post of General Secretary in March 1922, with Stalin officially starting in the post on 3 April 1922.
What was Stalin remembered?
He is remembered to this day as the man who helped save his nation from Nazi domination—and as the mass murderer of the century, having overseen the deaths of between 8 million and 20 million of his own people.
How did Stalin get power?
After Lenin’s death, a struggle for power in the party broke out in the open. Stalin, through his office as General Secretary, took advantage of his knowledge of the existing antagonisms among the Bolshevik Party’s leaders. Soon after Lenin’s death, Stalin joined Zinoviev and Kamenev in a Politburo Triumvirate.
How did communism start in Russia?
In Russia, efforts to build communism began after Tsar Nicholas II lost his power during the February Revolution, which started in 1917, and ended with the dissolution of the USSR in 1991. In 1922, the Communist Reds were victorious and formed the Soviet Union, making Russia communist.
What was Stalinism and collectivisation?
Stalin ordered the collectivisation of farming, a policy pursued intensely between 1929-33. Collectivisation meant that peasants would work together on larger, supposedly more productive farms. Almost all the crops they produced would be given to the government at low prices to feed the industrial workers.