stalin

A detailed Summary of stalin

Politics has always been about image. A good image leads to power, it's that simple. Sometimes it is hard to draw the line between a leader who is genuinely interested in improving the lives of his people and one that is interested in filling a few more pages of the already crowded History book. A good example of this is the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics in its transition time between 1953 and 1964. The tyrannical rule of Joseph Stalin in the USSR was finally over, and the nation sought a new leader; after nearly a decade, one man, Nikita Khrushchev, rose up from the ranks with new ideas for the nation, and an extreme anti-Stalin campaign. But was he truly enraged at the way Stalin ruled or was he using this image in an attempt to capture the same power as his predecessor? The link between the two leaders goes back many years, to nearly the beginning of the communist annexation of Russia. Even today, we find ourselves asking if the politicians we vote for say they will m!

ake a reform to actually help the people, or if they say it as an empty promise in a ploy to get elected or to gain power. Was Nikita Khrushchev a man for the people, or was he simply a puppet with motives unseen to the people tha

at he did, and he was simply trying to make himself the grander follower to the harsh dictator. History books are filled with leaders; all make their mark in a certain way in an attempt to be remembered. Destalinazation was Khrushchev's attempt at a favorable image for posterity.

a man named Nikita Khrushchev emerged as the leader of the Communist Party. Malenkov told the Russians that he would undo many of the changes that Stalin had made, but his reforms were extremely slow and ineffective. Khrushchev built support and soon gained enough power to blackmail Malenkov into resigning in 1955. Khrushchev finally became premier in 1958 and remained the Party leader, giving him almost total control over the nation.

rden, giving the USSR time to catch up technologically and rebuild after still lingering war burdens. If Khrushchev could get the people on his side, perhaps he felt he could rule, like Stalin, in a Louis XIV-esque style, with absolute power...only he'd be favored by the people, and could reign easily and without distraction; but Khrushchev forgot about one very important group of people: the ardent Communists. This group was probably overlooked by Khrushchev while he was in the midst of his reforms. He kept pushing them aside to better his anti-Stalinistic image. These grass-roots Communists were then able to gain ample time and make a strong case against Khrushchev's "soft" Communism, and they soon had him removed from office for splitting with China and Korea. How could a man who was, although quiet, reputed to support Stalin throughout his reign make such a turnaround in ideas? Did Khrushchev really want to take away the image of the cruel Stalin, who killed many people, o!

Through this program, he ruled the minority nations of the USSR such as Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan more strictly. This policy of expansion also helped Stalin seize a large portion of Poland, and it was done under the guise that it was to "enrich the nation." Stalin established a secret police force which was unyielding and went about it's business with an iron fist, bringing down dissenters, revolutionaries, and those that cheated in collectivization. Much of Stalin's effectiveness can probably be contributed to this police force; because of their keenness in apprehending "criminals," Stalin went generally unopposed and he could carry out his policies which no one liked, but everyone endured. Anti-Semitism was abundant and encouraged at this time. Stalin's entrance into WWII left the Soviet Union, although victorious, in shambles. These factors all led to Stalin becoming an unpopular leader over his powerless people.

Joseph Stalin ruled the USSR from 1929 until his death in 1953. His rule was one of tyranny, and great change from the society that his predecessor, Lenin, had envisioned (Seton, 34). Stalin put into effect two self proclaimed "five-year plans" over the course of his rule. Both were very similar in that they were intended to improve production in the nation. The first of these plans began collectivization, in which harvests and industrial products were seized by the government and distributed as needed. The government eliminated most private businesses and the state became the leader in commerce. Stalin also initiated a process called "Russification". (Great Events, 119)"

A struggle for power ensued almost immediately following the death of Stalin in 1953. Cries came from the people for reform, but they were quiet cries because nobody knew if the next leader would just continue Stalin's no-opposition policies. Also the secret police force, though without their master, still had power and still worked to satisfy Stalin's wishes (Rutherford, 16). Before dying, Stalin held one of several "great purges" in which he eliminated or imprisoned anyone who could possibly threaten his power- especially those who were gaining power in his own Communist Party (Great Events, 121). This led to confusion as to who actually held leadership,

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Approximate Word count = 2942
Approximate Pages = 12 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: History