About Stalin & Russia

Joseph Stalin is the Russian dictator who took control of the Soviet Union after the death of Vladimir Lenin in 1924. He was the foremost Communist leader of the era, and led the Soviet Union through World War II and the beginning of the Cold War. He was notorious for political repression and for the ruthless purging of his enemies. Stalin would lead Russia through thousands of deaths in war and after and establish the country as a superpower years before his death.

History of

After being born in 1878 and immersing himself in Marxist teachings, Joseph Stalin rose within the political underground to a spot on the Bolshevik Central Committee in 1913. After meeting Vladimir Lenin, Stalin began preaching the need for a socialist economy and a cultural autonomy. He then became General Secretary under Lenin in 1922, and by the mid 1930s Stalin rose to the foremost power in Russian politics. Through political maneuvering, Joseph Stalin became the most powerful man in the country by the outbreak of World War II.

The Facts

Joseph Stalin's supreme impact on the Russian people and state began in the 1930s, when he increased the power of Russia's secret police and intelligence. He improved the economy through his New Economic Policy, which allowed a flexible market. He implemented a socialist economy, collectivizing agriculture and encouraging a rise in production. He led the Russian armies through fighting in World War II against the Germans, and was a strong proponent of the capturing of Berlin. He led the Russian superpower through the Cold War face off with the United States, dying near the end of the Korean War conflict in 1953.

Features

Joseph Stalin's reign as Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars in Russia is generally characterized by intense growth and incredible loss of life. While he increased economic production by as much as 200% in some years, the over-purging of agricultural opportunities resulted in famine and millions of deaths in the 1930s. His ambition for conquest and victory led to success in war, but countless casualties, both civilian and military.

Effects

The effects of Joseph Stalin on the Russian state can most notably be seen in the transformation of their government for two decades into a totalitarian regime. With little political options for over twenty years, the Russian people were forced into Communism, a political reality which was not relinquished until the 1990s. The people of Russia fell victim to political repression and ethnic resettlement, but benefited from industrialization.

Significance

Joseph Stalin played one of the most significant roles in 20th century world history. One of Russia's most important and controversial leaders, he led the country to victory in war, the rise to superpower status, four decades of uncertainty in the Cold War, and an estimated 30 million unnatural deaths over three decades. Though his policies would be officially denounced in 1956, his influence in Russia remains unquestioned.