Soviet RussiaSoviet Russia1921 – 19391921 – 1939

V.I. LeninV.I. Lenin

• Lenin’s policies of the Red Terror, the Lenin’s policies of the Red Terror, the victories of the Red Army under Trotsky victories of the Red Army under Trotsky and the economic mobilization of War and the economic mobilization of War Communism won the Civil War for the Communism won the Civil War for the BolsheviksBolsheviks..

War CommunismWar Communism• The communist The communist

program of program of complete control of complete control of the economy and the economy and requisition of food requisition of food from the peasants from the peasants worked during the worked during the Civil War.Civil War.

• After the war After the war was over the was over the peasants began peasants began to sabotage the to sabotage the program by program by hoarding food.hoarding food.

Famine and CollapseFamine and Collapse

• The problems of The problems of the post-the post-revolution period revolution period were exacerbated were exacerbated by drought and by drought and famine.famine.

• It is estimated that as many as It is estimated that as many as five million people died of five million people died of starvation between 1920 – ’22starvation between 1920 – ’22

• Russian industry also Russian industry also collapsed and by 1921 collapsed and by 1921 industry was only 20% industry was only 20% of its pre-war levels.of its pre-war levels.

The New Economic PolicyThe New Economic Policy

• In order to avoid total In order to avoid total ruin, Lenin abandoned ruin, Lenin abandoned War Communism in favor War Communism in favor of his New Economic of his New Economic Policy (NEP).Policy (NEP).

• This policy was a This policy was a modified form of modified form of capitalism.capitalism.

• Peasants could keep and Peasants could keep and sell their food.sell their food.

• Small shops were Small shops were allowed to operate under allowed to operate under private ownership.private ownership.

• By 1922, famine had By 1922, famine had ended and industrial ended and industrial output was up to 75% of output was up to 75% of pre-war levelspre-war levels..

• The NEP saved the The NEP saved the country from country from economic ruin but economic ruin but the communists the communists expected the expected the program to be a program to be a temporary measure temporary measure on the road to true on the road to true CommunismCommunism..

The Death of LeninThe Death of Lenin• After suffering After suffering

a series of a series of strokes, Lenin strokes, Lenin died on January died on January 21, 1924.21, 1924.

• Lenin’s death Lenin’s death caused a power caused a power struggle among struggle among the party the party leadership.leadership.

Lenin PreservedLenin Preserved

LEFT vs. RIGHTLEFT vs. RIGHT

• The seven member The seven member politburo was politburo was divided over the divided over the issue of the issue of the direction the direction the country should country should take.take.

The LeftThe Left• The Left, led by Leon The Left, led by Leon

Trotsky, wanted to end the Trotsky, wanted to end the NEP and begin a rapid NEP and begin a rapid industrialization at the industrialization at the expense of the peasantry.expense of the peasantry.

• Trotsky also called for the Trotsky also called for the expansion of revolution expansion of revolution throughout the world.throughout the world.

LEON TROTSKYLEON TROTSKY

The RightThe Right• Politburo members on Politburo members on

the right wanted to the right wanted to abandon international abandon international revolution and revolution and concentrate on concentrate on economic economic development by development by continuing the NEP.continuing the NEP.

Joseph StalinJoseph Stalin• Iosif Dzhugashvili Iosif Dzhugashvili

was born in Gori, now was born in Gori, now in the Republic of in the Republic of Georgia.Georgia.

• In 1910,he adopted In 1910,he adopted the pseudonym the pseudonym Stalin, meaning “a Stalin, meaning “a man of steel.”man of steel.”

• While studying for the While studying for the priesthood, Stalin read priesthood, Stalin read forbidden literature, forbidden literature, including the works of including the works of Karl Marx, and soon Karl Marx, and soon converted to a new converted to a new orthodoxy: Russian orthodoxy: Russian Marxism.Marxism.

• Before Before graduation he graduation he quit the quit the seminary to seminary to become a full-become a full-time time revolutionary.revolutionary.

• He was He was arrested and arrested and exiled to exiled to Siberia eight Siberia eight times between times between 1902 –1913.1902 –1913.

• In 1907 he helped organize a bank In 1907 he helped organize a bank holdup “to expropriate” funds.holdup “to expropriate” funds.

• This caught the attention of Lenin This caught the attention of Lenin who raised him into the upper who raised him into the upper reaches of the party in 1912.reaches of the party in 1912.

• As the Bolsheviks' expert on nationalism, As the Bolsheviks' expert on nationalism, Stalin was Lenin's choice to head the Stalin was Lenin's choice to head the Commissariat for Nationality Affairs.Commissariat for Nationality Affairs.

Comrade “Card-Index”Comrade “Card-Index”

• Within the party Stalin Within the party Stalin strengthened his strengthened his position by dogged position by dogged organizational work organizational work and devotion to and devotion to administrative tasks.administrative tasks.

• He was commissar He was commissar for state control for state control from 1919 to 1923, from 1919 to 1923, and—more and—more important—in 1922 important—in 1922 he became he became secretary-general of secretary-general of the party.the party.

Lenin’s TestamentLenin’s Testament• Before his death, Before his death,

Lenin came to Lenin came to regard the flaws regard the flaws in Stalin's in Stalin's personality and personality and conduct as conduct as political liabilities.political liabilities.

• In his political In his political “testament” Lenin “testament” Lenin doubted whether doubted whether the party's general the party's general secretary would secretary would use his great use his great power with power with sufficient caution.sufficient caution.

• He also He also attacked Stalin attacked Stalin as being “too as being “too rude” and rude” and called for his called for his removal. removal.

Trotsky PurgedTrotsky Purged

• After Lenin's death Stalin acted against his archrival After Lenin's death Stalin acted against his archrival Trotsky, the foremost candidate for Lenin's mantle.Trotsky, the foremost candidate for Lenin's mantle.

Rykov Kamenev Zinoviev

• Stalin had Stalin had Trotsky and his Trotsky and his supporters supporters expelled from expelled from the Party and the Party and exiled.exiled.

• By skillful By skillful manipulation and manipulation and clever sloganeering, clever sloganeering, but especially by but especially by interpreting Lenin's interpreting Lenin's precepts to a new precepts to a new generation, Stalin generation, Stalin bested all his rivals.bested all his rivals.

The First Five Year PlanThe First Five Year Plan

• Stalin now began a Stalin now began a revolutionary revolutionary program of industrial program of industrial development, development, emphasizing the emphasizing the production of capital production of capital goods and goods and armaments.armaments.

• He succeeded He succeeded in quadrupling in quadrupling the production the production of heavy of heavy machinery and machinery and doubling oil doubling oil production.production.

• The annual The annual growth rate of growth rate of the Soviet Union the Soviet Union was between 14 was between 14 – 20 percent per – 20 percent per year.year.

• Whole cities were built overnight Whole cities were built overnight in the Urals and in Siberia.in the Urals and in Siberia.

CollectivizationCollectivization

• He coupled this industrial He coupled this industrial development with a ruthless, development with a ruthless, personally supervised expropriation personally supervised expropriation of grain from peasants in Siberia.of grain from peasants in Siberia.

• When other crises When other crises threatened in late threatened in late 1929, he expanded 1929, he expanded what had been a what had been a moderate moderate collectivization collectivization program into a program into a nationwide offensive nationwide offensive against the against the peasantry.peasantry.

The KulaksThe Kulaks• The well-to-do The well-to-do

peasant peasant proprietors called proprietors called Kulaks, were to Kulaks, were to bear the brunt of bear the brunt of Stalin’s program Stalin’s program of collectivization.of collectivization.

• By 1934, By 1934, 26 million 26 million peasant peasant farms had farms had been been collectivized.collectivized.

• Millions were displaced, and Millions were displaced, and unknown millions died in the unknown millions died in the massive collectivization.massive collectivization.

The Great TerrorThe Great Terror

• In the mid-1930s Stalin launched a In the mid-1930s Stalin launched a major campaign of political terror major campaign of political terror against the “Old Bolsheviks.”against the “Old Bolsheviks.”

Kirov's funeral. Stalin is seen marching behind the casket.Kirov's funeral. Stalin is seen marching behind the casket.

Rykov Kamenev ZinovievRykov Kamenev Zinoviev

The Old BolsheviksThe Old Bolsheviks

• The purges, arrests, and The purges, arrests, and deportations to labor camps touched deportations to labor camps touched virtually every family in the USSR.virtually every family in the USSR.

                                 

                     

                                 

                     

                                  

                    

                                 

                     

Gulag Labor CampGulag Labor Camp

• Former rivals of Former rivals of Stalin admitted to Stalin admitted to fictitious crimes fictitious crimes against the state against the state in show trials and in show trials and were sentenced to were sentenced to death.death.

• Untold millions Untold millions of party, of party, industry, and industry, and military leaders military leaders disappeared disappeared during the during the “Great Terror.”“Great Terror.”