Russia

Stalin

1922

1922

Lenin Becomes Ill

1924

Lenin Dies

Lenin's Final Testament

Criticism of Stalin and other leaders. Fear his power and did not believe he had the ability to lead a country Liked Trosky despite his past alliances

Why was Lenin Difficult to replace?

He had so much power and not one single role

Who was Stalin?

General Secretary of the Communist Party Administrator which gave him a lot of power Calmest and most patriotic of his successors Believed in Socialism in One Country

Why was Trosky a Good Choice For Leader

Red Army Commander Engaging speaker and more charismatic Worked closely with Lenin

Why was Trosky a Bad Choice for Leader?

Previous Menshevik Member Distracted by 'Permanent Revolution' Arrogant and Distant: Ordered people round like during the civil war Made him unpopular

Why was Zinoviev and Kamenev Good Choices for Leaders?

Insightful worked together as party bosses in Petrograd and Moscow

Why were Zinoviev and Kamenev Bad Choices for Leaders?

Lenin criticized them for not supporting the Bolsheviks in Oct 1917

Why was Bukharin a Good Choice for Leader?

Well-Liked and well-respected as a thinker and a communicator.

Why was Bukharin a Bad Choice for Leader?

Liked the NEP's which had led to NEP men and NEP women which perpetuated inequality and made him viewed by people as anti-communist

Lenin's Funeral

Stalin organised the funeral which suppressed Lenin's final testament. Coffin-Bearer which made him seem close to Lenin (his loyal servant). Petrograd renamed Leningrad the following year. Trotsky was told the wrong date and did not attend.

Stalin Removes Trotsky

Joined Z, K and B to isolate T. After he criticised the lack of democracy in the party making him unpopular and then he was removed.

What Happened to Trotsky After he was Removed?

1925 - Trotsky lost his job as Commissioner for War at Party Congress as other member had control of the ballets August 1940 - Romon Mecader sent to murder Trotsky

NEPs

Stalin supported the NEPs and due to his position it was difficult for people to disagree with him Z + K allied with Trotsky formed the United Opposition to criticise NEPs

What was Stalin's Response to the United Opposition?

He called them 'factionalist' for being disloyal

Removal of the United Opposition

1921 - Lenin had outlawed factionalism 1927 - Z+K dismissed and expelled from the party Repented and let back in

Removing Bukharin

B wanted to rapidly industrialise the USSR however, he was not popular 1927 - 1928 Communists were worried about a war with the west

First Steps Towards Collectivisation

Encouraged the police in Siberia to seize the grain which was contrary to the NEPs and first steps towards collectivisation Announced the 5 year plans

Bukharin's Response to Collectivisation

Disagreed. Condemned by Stalin as a 'Right Communist'. B + K began plotting against Stalin they were discovered in 1929 and expelled from the party

1929

Stalin becomes Communist Leader

Stalin's Opponents

1925 it was impossible to challenge Stalin. Z + T had too many public disagreements to be able to agree on something

Central Committee Plenum (1926)

1926 - CCP the United Opposition not to attack the General Secretariat 1927 - United Opposition began attacking Stalin's 'Communism in One Country' blaming it for economic failures

Party Expulsion

December 1927 - United Opposition expelled at the Fifteenth Party Congress

Fiver Year Plans

Stalin had the congress reaffirm the NEPs which lay the ground for Five Year Plans he presented it as a gradual change in fact it was a radical move away from NEPs

Communist Party Division

Divide between B and the others who believed in the NEPs. Majority believed that the NEP strayed too far away from Marxism Stalin had moved away from Lenin's supporters and were interested in striking his own path

Reasons for the Purges

Deal with internal opposition and Stalin was concerned about Nazi party rearming and it allowed the communists to take over Russia

What were the Show Trials

Made examples of people that Stalin disliked, factory managers accused of 'wrecking' (giving wrong commands) who hated extremely productive workers known as Stakhonovites and were blamed alongside experts for economic failures alongside with 'Old Bolsheviks'

The end of the old Bolsheviks

Main victims of The Purges, like Z + K , killing of people allowed Stalin to consolidate his position of power. Stalin was sus of the army and had 35,000 officers arrested and tried.

Zimoniew and Kamenev Trials

Tried in August 1936 blamed for killing a Communist Member Official Kirov and trying to kill Stalin, pled guilty to avoid execution but were executed. K's sons were executed in 1938 and 1939 his wife was executed in 1941

The Great Terror

8 million people were arrested during The Great Terror (1937-38) 1 million were shot and 2 million died in labour camps Lots of 'experts' were arrested and removed the development of the Soviet Unions was stunted

Whose death started the purges?

Sergei Kirov a Bolshevik party leader in Leningrad was killed on 1st December 1934 some think this was an excuse for The Purge and Great Terror

How the Show Trials Worked

High profile Russians, scripted and films 1936-38.

The Most Profile Cases