'High Stalinism', 1945 - 1953 Flashcards
(23 cards)
What is ‘high Stalinism’?
The peak of Stalin’s authority and cult of personality between 1945 to 1953
How did rivalries between leading figures help to confirm Stalin’s dominance?
Leading figures would scheme against each other, for example Malenkov and Beria schemed against Zhdanov leading to his political downfall in 1949. Confirmed Stalin’s position as they could not challenge Stalin if they were too busy infighting
For how long were party congresses not held?
From 1939 to 1952, undermining the party’s strength while increasing Stalin’s unilateral power
Did the Politburo have any power under High Stalinism?
No it was an advisory body which Stalin instructed on what the official line was to be followed
Where and by whom were big decisions made?
These were made in ad hoc meetings of Stalin’s inner circle
Who were the ‘new men’ of the Communist party?
Obedient bureaucrats who did not challenge authority
Why did Stalin enforce isolation from the non-soviet world?
Concern of national security in the cold war and a fear of ideological contamination
How were retuned prisoners of war and former army officers treated and why?
They were purged or imprisoned due to their knowledge of the outside world, Zhukov was given command at the insignificant area of Odessa
What shows that terror was pervasive?
A February 1947 law outlawed marriages to foreigners. Hotels, restaurants and embassies were watched by secret police for meetings between foreigners and Soviet girls
Who was head of the NKVD during ‘High Stalinism’?
Lavrentii Beria
What happened to prison labour camps (Gulags) during ‘High Stalinism’?
They were vastly expanded
Into which two ministries was the NKVD reorganized?
The MVD for domestic security and Gulags, and the MGB for counter intelligence and espionage
Were more or less people killed during ‘High Stalinism’ than in the 1930s?
Less people were killed but tens of thousands were arrested for counter revolutionary activity, 12 million wartime survivors were sent to labour camps
What was the Zhdanovshchina?
A great cultural purge by Andrei Zhdanov which started in 1946 to use culture to promote the correct ideology
Which two literary works were first purged as part of the Zhdanovshchina?
‘The Adventures of a Monkey’ by Zoshchenko and poems by Anna Akhmatova. The publishers were purged and removed from the Union of Soviet Writers.
What was reasserted as the norm for literature, art and cinema?
Socialist Realism
What was Lysenkoism?
When, in August 1948, Trofim Lysenko was given dominance over the Academy of Sciences which crippled scientific developments
What was a key reason for Zhdanov being pushed from power in 1948?
His power base in Leningrad was becoming too powerful. Trotsky, Zinoviev and Kirov all has strong power bases in Leningrad/ Petrograd before being removed from power
What happened to the Leningrad party in 1949 and why?
It was purged as ‘Leningraders’ had been promoted to senior posts in Moscow due to Zhdanov and both Malenkov and Beria urged Stalin to purge it.
What happened to the ‘Leningraders’ and Leningrad officials by October 1950?
All ‘Leningraders’ were executed and more than 2000 officials were removed and replaced by pro-Stalin officials even though they never presented any real threat
What was the ‘Mingrelian Case’ (Georgian Purge)?
This was launched in 1951 against party officials in Georgia who were accused of collaborating with Western powers. This limited Beria’s power as these officials were followers of Beria, it also suppressed non-Russian nationalities and showed anti-Semitism as they were accused of conspirating with Jews.
What was the ‘Doctors Plot’?
A female doctor and secret police informer accused the doctors who treated Zhdanov in 1948 of contributing to his death. Stalin did nothing about this until 1952 when he used this to arrest doctors for being part of a ‘Zionist conspiracy’ to murder Zhdanov
What are some examples of anti-Semitism and anti-zionism?
- The Doctors Plot as Stalin claimed that Jewish doctors were paid by the US and Israel to harm the USSR
- Jewish wives of Politburo members Molotov and Kalinin were arrested in 1949
- Thousands of ordinary Jews were sent to Gulags in response to the Doctors Plot as the Minister of State Security, Ignatiev, was threatened with execution if he didn’t get confessions
