Stalin Policies

Second Five Year Plan:

Due to the success of the first five year plan the second five year plan started in 1932 attempted to further industrialize the Soviet Union. Lighter industry and transportation were top priorities of this plan. It was not as successful as the first five year plan.

Potsdam

In this conference also between the United States, the United Kingdom, and the Soviet Union the terms of the end of World War II was discussed in how to handle the inevitable fall of Germany.

Battle of Stalingrad

Lasting from July 17th 1942 to February 1943 this Soviet defense against the German armies resulted in 2 million deaths. Turned the tides of battle against Hitler.

Show Trial

Public executions of enemies of the USSR. Almost all of the time these were enemies of Stalin because Stalin believed they would become more popular than himself. Intent of satisfying public opinion instead of serving justice.

Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact

Signed on August 23, 1939 this was a peace treaty between Russia and Germany. Poland was invaded right after. It lasted 22 months before Germany invaded Russia.

Lend-Lease

The United States supplied the USSR with materials between 1941 to 1945 in an effort to help the fight against Nazi Germany in Europe.

High Stalinism

These were the policies adopted by Stalin in the Soviet Union. This included the purging of social classes to remove opposition to Stalin. Furthermore, a goal of industrialization was held under these policies. Post World War II. Stalin saved the Soviet Union from the Germans.

Big Three

These were the three major Allies in the Second World War. The nations were the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, and the USSR. All policies were contro

Kulak

These were the wealthy peasant farm owners of Russia who became the enemies of the state after they refused to give up their farms to the principle of collective f

Yalta

This conference was the meeting between United States, the United Kingdom, and the Soviet Union on how to end the war and what would be obtained between the nations on the end of Nazi Germany.

Central Committee

This organization encompassed the Politburo that was intended to provide immediate solutions to the presented problems of the nation. After the death of Stalin in 1953 the Central Committee became more symbolic and the Politburo gained al

First Five Year Plan

This was a plan developed by Stalin in 1928 using his complete control involved reviving the Russian economy. Included in the first five year plan were demands to increase coal, iron, and a massive increase in electric power. Workers were forced into working at increased rates and keeping up with these high demands. This was to industrialize Russia and be able to compete with capitalist western countries. This focused mo

Leninism

This was different than Marxism in that under this political theory the working class alone would not be enough to understand the necessity of revolution into a socialist society. Essentially the workers would not now that socialism would benefit them and therefore start a revolution.

Socialism in one country

This was implemented in the USSR during the 1920s to move towards socialism despite the failures of socialism in other surrounding nations. Put forward by Stalin in December of 1924. This means that Russia can change itself towards socialism internally.

Forced Collectivization

This was implemented in the late 1920s and early 1930s in an attempt to battle the famine problem existing in Russia. The peasants were forced into collective farms which were found to be more effective and easier to control. Mass famine was caused as a result and 7 million in the Soviet Union died from 1931 to 1933 as a result.

Gosplan

This was the board that supervised the economic goals of the USSR. Established in 1921 it became especially relevant with the introduction of the five year pl

Cominform

This was the communist information bureau. It was created in 1947 and ended in 1956. Its goal was to spread documents showing how united the nations of communism around the USSR were. Created after World War II.

Comintern

This was the communist international. It was created to establish the communist leadership over socialism. It was established in 1919 in Moscow. A way to guide world communism. Failed 1943.

Politburo

This was the executive body of the USSR. It was founded in 1917 and ended with the collapse of the Soviet Union. It was the highest ranking political authority in the country. Elected by the central committee. Ended in 1991.

Iron Curtain

This was the political boundary running along Europe between the Soviet controlled nations of communism and the western capitalist nations.

Purge

This was the removal of enemies of the state in the USSR. Stalin killed people who he believed were threats to his power. Therefore, any non political supporters

KGB

This was the spy and state security organization of the Soviet Union

Dekulakization

This went along with the policy of forced collectivization. Many of the more rich peasants refused to give up their farms in the collectivization movement. These peasants were branded as kalaks and enemies of Russia that were contributing to the famine. As a result over ten million peasants died throughout the 1930s.