Reasons that Enabled Stalin to Hold onto Power in the U.S.S.R. There were many reasons which enabled Stalin to hold on to power in the USSR. One of the many ways which helped Stalin to control the USSR was the use of the NKVD (secret police). The Secret police was Stalin’s own police force which he used to execute opposition, secure oppositions of which he thought enemies and beat civilians which refused to follow his command. This helped Stalin to gain virtually all power over the people of the USSR due to normal civilians being scared to oppose Stalins laws and simply people decided to obey him. Another key factor which gave Stalin power was Stalin’s control over the Judges and the courts rulings. Stalin control over the juries and convictions saw to the death of 500,000 or imprisonment of any sort of opposition he thought of as a threat to his leadership. Stalin had supports in key jobs, juries, solicitors and all important judges who saw to Stalin being right on all his false accusations. The accusations he set forward were to clean out any oppositons with in or out of his party and any doubt of his ruling ways. Another factor which led on to Stalin keeping power in the USSR was his cult of personality, he played it in such a manner that the general public didn’t fear him rather they admired him. Also communism was extremely popular amongst the people and they saw him as “dictator of the people”. To make Stalin look good and vicious propaganda played a huge part in this. The academic syllabuses were changed to allow the children to learn about Stalin, and the children were made to join the young pioneers. The people were overloaded with leaflets, posters, flyers, statues all in Stalin favour. Also Stalin had songs and poems made in his honour. This method of propaganda had one sole purpose and that was to brainwash the people and that is exactly what this did, this made the public think Stalin was best suited for leadership.
He had an extreme thirst for power that drove him to completely reform Russia aware from its Tsar monarchy into a Communist empire. Unfortunately while he did have major influence and the devotion of his people, he was also extremely stubborn and paranoid. This paranoia caused him to crush his opposition in any means necessary, even using torture and death to get his way. Stalin’s stubborn and paranoid nature combined with conflicting political ideologies is what essentially drove the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet
The Bolsheviks, the ruling party of the Soviet Union, was lead by the Lenin. When Lenin died in January of 1924, he left behind no clear successor, and vague indications of his intended plans for the Bolshevik party. A power struggle for control of the party ensued, one in which many historical figures arose. Within this plethora of names, two of the most important names in Soviet history arose, Leon Trotsky, and Joseph Stalin. As the power struggle continued, the mutual antagonism grew, resulting in a life or death struggle. Eventually, Stalin was able to seize power and exile Trotsky. The reason for Stalin's success over Trotsky can be seen in their respective methodologies. Initially, the two were both long-time Marxists, in great positions of power, and both had worked closely alongside Lenin. However, where Stalin was willing to abuse his powers within the state, Trotsky refused to abuse his power. Secondly, Trotsky arose on the scene of the power struggle much earlier than Stalin, and allowed Stalin to bide his time and attack at his convenience. Finally, Stalin chose his allies wisely, and when they no longer suited his needs, was able to drop them and ruin their reputations in so doing. Trotsky however, formed uneasy alliances with other party members, ones that questioned his reputation. In the end, Stalin was in a position of great authority and command, leaving Trotsky in a position of futility.
The use of censorship to remove opposition demonstrated that radical groups in both tsarist and communist regimes were halted in influencing the masses to become radical so that they can overthrow the regimes. However, in Nicholas 2nd’s regime, censorship was effective as it was another repressive measure to remove opposition. Nicholas felt that the Russian youth were exposed to propagandist’s ideals so with the belief that the government had power to control what is published or read censorship decreased the influence that radical groups needed to carry out their plans. Tight rules of censorship continued since 1848-1855 then changed in 1855-63 as censorship was relaxed with the implementation of the glasnost (Policy of openness) . Which indicated that the government realized the idea to withdraw ‘dangerous orientation’ which increased books in 1855 as there were 1,020 and 1864 with 1,836 establishing that it was easy to print material especially when the government had economic and social problems. Resulting in radical groups influenced to the extent that they were powerful enough to assassinate Alexander 2nd in 1881. However, the rules remained relaxed until the 1905 revolution, which effectively removed oppositional groups in influencing people in a crucial time where propaganda would have been effective in overthrowing the tsar.
They could arrest anyone on suspicion of being an enemy of the state without any evidence. But Stalin used the NKVD as a central control to a bigger extent than the Tsar. During the purges (1934-38) the NKVD were vital. They arrested twenty million people in 1937 and created fear amongst communist workers, which became their biggest motivator.
C. The Secret Russian Police, the KGB and NKVD, was the main reason why Stalin was feared by his people, and because of the fear that was driven into the people, Stalin was able to keep his powerful position for a period of time.
In the beginning Josef Stalin was a worshiper of his beloved Vladimir Lenin. He followed his every move and did as he said to help establish and lead the Bolshevik party. Much of the early part of his political career was lost due to his exile to Siberia for most of World War I. It wasn’t until 1928, when he assumed complete control of the country were he made most of his success. After Lenin’s death in January 1924, Stalin promoted his own cult followings along with the cult followings of the deceased leader. He took over the majority of the Socialists now, and immediately began to change agriculture and industry. He believed that the Soviet Union was one hundred years behind the West and had to catch up as quickly as possible. First though he had to seal up complete alliance to himself and his cause.
At the start of WWII, Joseph Stalin and Adolf Hitler signed a nonaggression pact that benefitted both countries. The pact meant that neither country could take military actions against the other, however, both dictators knew that they would break the pact when they signed it. The pact benefitted Stalin because it allowed him time to prepare his attack against Germany and turn the capitalist nations against each other. It also benefitted Hitler because he didn't have to worry about the Russians attacking Germany so he was able to focus on becoming a world power and attacking other countries. Before the pact was broken the USSR annexed many parts of Eastern Europe to expand his power. In June 1941, Germany broke the Nazi-Soviet pact when they
In 1934 to 1938 many thousands of his real or assumed opponents were executed as traitors and millions were imprison or sent to force labour camps
boosted the USSR’s economy. Therefore Stalin had created a country which seemed corrupt at the time, but later on it improved by the hard work Stalin had forced upon them.
Stalin came into power by outmaneuvering his rivals for control of the power after the death of his predecessor Vladimir Lenin (who was also a vicious dictator). After becoming dictator, Stalin made Russia into an industrial and military superpower but not out of respect but out of terror and strict regime. He killed millions of his own people to keep order or from his huge
In the words of John C. Maxwell, “Leadership is influence”. Stalin was a strict dictator who ruled the Soviet Union for over two decades. He was able to obtain more power by gaining popular support from the citizens of the Soviet Union. Although Stalin forced industrialization on the Soviet Union and caused the worst man-made famine in history, he gained many supporters throughout his time as dictator. Stalin won the support of the Soviets through relentless propaganda, strict censorship, and the imposition of Russian culture unto the Soviet Union.
The personality of authoritarians will always exert more influence on its nation’s policies compared to a democratic leader, where the power is shared. This renders Stalin’s behavior and actions more vital to historical explanation. (Kleinman, p.390) Stalin also had more power over his policies and never experienced domestic pressure, like US leaders did. We do not know if it was because of social alienation, technological innovation or economic desperation that made people susceptible to great authoritarians that resulted in tyranny. (Gaddis, p.293) Gaddis argues that he “find[s] it increasingly difficult, given what we know now, to imagine the Soviet Union or the Cold War without Stalin.” (Gaddis, p.293) Observing further that there was no
The Man of Steel, Joseph Stalin rose to power after leading Russia through World War II. Stalin transform the laughing stock of a country into a global power. Fueled by propaganda, Stalin became the father of Russia. Statues stood tall and films were mass produced, all for Stalin. Stalin was not able to rise to power with these things alone. Fear was drilled into the people of Russia, Stalin killed millions of his own people. No one was safe; military leaders, women, children, and even the family of Stalin would become targets.
I really enjoyed reading your discussion post. For topic 1, I really like how you had alot of evidence to support your ideas about the Yalta Conference, the Marshall Plan, and the Berlin Conference. Also, I like how you mentioned that the Yalta Conference had the nickname of sometimes being called the Crimea conference. Also, the Yalta Conference had the code name the Argonaut conference, which I found interesting. For topic 2, I agree with you that Stalin is one of the main reasons that provoked the Cold War. As the Soviet Union had their own ideals, and wanted to spread communism. For topic 4, I agree with you that the Red Scare led to profound actions, as there was fear in the air that communism was going to spread. Also the Senate eventually,
Stalin would kill anyone who disagreed or disapproved of him and his ways (“The Soviet Union Under Joseph Stalin” np). During the seconf half of the 1930s, Stalin created the Great Purge, which was campaigns used to get rid of the Communist Party (“The Soviet Union Under Joseph Stalin” np). Stalin’s ego was growing and he started to have cities named after him, history books written about his “gallantry” personality, and people made lies about life (“Soviet Union Under Joseph Stalin” np). He was the subject of masterpeice artwork, literature, and music (“Soviet Union Under Joseph Stalin” np). His name even became part of the Soviet national anthem (“Soviet Union Under Joseph Stalin” np). THe government was in control of the Soviet media (“Soviet Union Under Joseph Stalin” np). While leaders would try to defeat Nazism, Stalin became associates with Hitler (“How Did Stalin Get Away with Murder?” np). He was a ruler for twenty-five years, a quarter century, and enjoyed it very much (“How Did Stalin Get Away with Murder?” np). Still keeeping to his roots, he married women from poor families (“How Did Stalin Get Away with Murder?: Man of Steel” np). The Plan was piut intp place which caused a transformation in the economy and the death of millions (43, np). This caused purges to happen which led to thousands of people being