Stalin

• Stalin led the Soviet Union out of post-revolution turmoil and stabilised the country after Lenin's death

• He revolutionised Soviet industry using the Five Year Plans, making it a much stronger country, economically

• Stalin led the Soviet Union through wartime hardship and to ultimate victory in WWII

• He brought the Soviet Union out of international isolation from the 1930s onwards

• By the time he died in 1953, the Soviet Union was established as one of the world's two established superpowers, along with the USA.

• Like Lenin, he had dictatorial tendencies and suppressed democracy and civil liberties to an even greater extent in Communist Russia

• Stalin terrorised Soviet society with the secret police, mass executions and expulsions from the country

• Stalin distorted the truth and re-wrote past events with his use of propaganda

• He removed all opposition and any potential rivals including Trotsky

• Stalin pushed the Soviet Union into a damaging "Cold War" with the West, resulting in almost forty years of international tension.

LENIN'S FUNERAL

• important as showed loyalty to Lenin
• Stalin used to discredit Trotsky
• Stalin told Trotsky the wrong date of the funeral
• Trotsky was regarded as disloyal as missed funeral

LENIN'S TESTAMENT

• instructed for Stalin's removal
• Stalin persuaded Zinoviev & Kamenev who were also criticised to stop it being published
• conviced Central committee to not pass it
• were then able to hide Stalin's repuation

IDEOLOGICAL TACTICS

• Stalin adopted industrialisation & socialism in 1 country = most popular policies of the time

BUHKARIN'S MEDICAL

• Stalin used his influence as General secretary to prevent Buhkarin from attending important meetings
• When Buhkarin travelling by air, Stalin arranged for plane 2 be grounded twice
• inisisting Buhkarin needs medical checks

FACTION FIGHTING

• 192 ban on factions
• alliance between Zinoviev,Kamenav &B done in secret meeting in which Stalin was present so he spilled the beans and got them in trouble

Purge of the Party

• all those who had played prominent roles in 1917 revolution /Lenin's government purged
• Stalin was the only one left from the orignal Politburo
• Trotsky- exile mexico- assaisinated in 1940
• members were executed/committed suicide

The Purge Of Army

• Claimed to be supported by Nazi forged docs
• 1/3 army officals, rest commisars/political supervisors
• removed 3 of 5 marshalls, 13 of 15 commanders
• showed Stalin was loosing touch with reality- needed them as expected war

Mass Murder

• NKVD ordered to remove 'anti soviet element'
• produced list of 250,00 ppl
• helped by ppl- denounced friends & neighbours
• survival stategy
• some denounced for beneifts e.g.  for better housing
• 1937-8= 1.5 million executed

Who were the victims?

• Communist part people
• Bourgeois
• Armed forces/ NKVD
• 10% of adult males
• urban areas / less educated
• 30-45 yr olds in managerial / professional posts
• 5% women
• nationalities

• Truimvirate was established to ensure Trotsky wouldn't have a majority Politburo
• He managed to fill congress with well instructured stalinist delegates
• General Secretary was a dominant places in the Party Structure
• Drew up approved lists of candidates sent to the party congress
• Stalin formed a tatical alliance with Bukharin forming the Duumvirate therefore could command a majority of delegates that atteneded congress
• As Head of the Central Control Commission to formally disclipine his oppentants for advocating trotsky polices
• Commissar for nationalities

• Trumvirate had two strategies of denying trotsky power by unabling him to master the party and destroy his influnence and ideology for Lenin
• Kamenev and Zinovev argued Stalin case therefore Stalin kept his job
• In 1925 Stalin's policy of socialism in one country proved popular with the party masses
• Ruthless and pragmatic
• Stalin didn't get involved in arguments therefore denigity intake
• growing idelogy prestiage and tactical manevouring that assured victory
• ability to manipulate appointments and promotions within a party
• Stalin gave speeches at Lenins funeral

• Lenin's testament was kept a secret despite it asking for Stalin's removal
• Trotsky did little to further his own cause, por health mean neglected his powerful position in the the Politubro, refused to make private alliances
• Zinonev and Kamenev lost the debate meant losing all authority
• Trotsky remained aloof during the debate
• Zinoviev and Kamenev authority had been shattered
• Trotsky refused to apologise and sent into exile
• Bukharin had frequent disagreements with Lenin
• Trotsky didn't attend funeral
• Underestimated stalin

Lenins ban on factions meant Trotsky could be expelled

Lenin was seriously ill could expolit position in the power struggle

Lenin didnt give a successor wanted a collective leadership