Stalinsim, politics and control (1929-1941)

Question 1

Who wrote the document ‘Stalin and the crisis of the proletarian dictatorship’

Answer 1

Martemyan Ryutin

Question 2

What was the document ‘ Stalin and the crisis of the proletarian dictatorship’ about

Answer 2

this was a document urging for Stalin’s removal and it became known as the Ryutin platform for others to also go against Stalin

Question 3

What were the consequences of the document ‘Stalin and the crisis of the proletarian dictatorship ‘

Answer 3

• Ryutin was imprisoned for 10 years
• Zinoviev and Kamenev were expelled from the party for failing to report the document to Stalin
• by 1934 a 5th of the party had been branded ‘ryutinites’ and expelled

Question 4

What happened in 1934 relating to the NKVD ?

Answer 4

the NKVD became in control of the countries internal security

Question 5

Who led the NKVD ?

Answer 5

Yagoda, Yezhov and Beria

Question 6

When did Kirov’s murder happen ?

Answer 6

1934

Question 7

Why was there a disagreement between Kirova and Stalin ?

Answer 7

there was disagreement linked with rapid industrialisation. Stalin advocated for it be maintained whereas Kirov wanted an end to grain requisitioning and workers’ rations. This led to general secretary being abolished Stalin and Kirov were given the title Secretary of equal rank meaning that Stalin in theory wasn’t no more important than the rest of the secretaries.

Question 8

What were the consequences of Kirov’s murder ?

Answer 8

it led to widespread purges. The NKVD were given the power to arrest anyone who was found of terrorist plotting. Zinoviev and Kamenev were arrest with 100s of party members being sent to labour camps. This event was the starting point for tighter control over the country.

Question 9

What were show trials ?

Answer 9

these were a political tool and a public trial where Stalin could remove enemies and those who challenged his authority all whilst maintaining his popularity. However these trials were staged and to demonstrate the accused persons guilt. The NKVD was tasked with obtaining a signed confession they did this through physiucal and mental torture

Question 10

When was the first major show trial and who was participating in it ?

Answer 10

Kamenev and Zinoviev

Question 11

What was the show trial with Zinoviev and Kamenev about ?

Answer 11

they were accused with their alliance with Trotsky and their discontent and plotting to kill Stalin. Kamenev and Zinoviev pled guilty and were killed.

Question 12

When was Stalin’s constitution put in place ?

Answer 12

1936

Question 13

Who created it and why was it created ?

Answer 13

it was established by Bukharin and it was established to celebrate socialism and its progress.

Question 14

What were some of the aspects in Stalin’s constitution ?

Answer 14

• 4-yearly elections with the right to vote for all over the age of 18
• included civil rights: freedom of press and religion as well as right of free speech
• citizens were guaranteed the right to work, education and social welfare
• there was a ‘supreme soviet’ which replaced the congress of soviets and was made up of soviet of the union and soviet of the nationalities

Question 15

What was the drawbacks of the Stalin Constitution ?

Answer 15

it was only used to impress the foreigners. As in reality most of the promised rights were ignored.

Question 16

When was NKVD order 00447 issued ?

Answer 16

1937

Question 17

Who established NKVD order 0047 ?

Answer 17

Yezhov

Question 18

What was NKVD order 0047 ?

Answer 18

this is where former kulaks and anti-soviet elements were put into two separate groups. The first category was to death by shooting and the other was gulag.

Question 19

What was the outcome of the establishment of NKVD order 0047 ?

Answer 19

by a month over 100,000 had been arrested and 14,000 sent to the gulags

Question 20

What was the show trial of January 1937 ?

Answer 20

this is where 17 communists were accused of plotting with Trotsky, spying and sabotaging the industry. 13 were sent to death after the confessions.

Question 21

What was the show trial during may and June 1937

Answer 21

this was were Mikhail Tukachevsky was accused of espionage and plotting with Trotsky and with 6 other top military commanders were executed. This led to the great purge of the red army. Around 50% of officers corps in all 3 services were executed and imprisoned.

Question 22

What was the show trial of march 1938 ?

Answer 22

this was were Bukharin, Tomsky, Rykov were put on trial for wild claims such as plotting to kill Lenin in 1918 and conspiring with the Germans and Japan to dismember the NKVD. Eventually they were all executed

Question 23

Why were their more gulags introduced by the 1930s ?

Answer 23

Stalin introduced more to provide cheap labour for huge industrial projects as well as to imprison political prisoners and class enemies such as the kulaks. Gulags further intensified with the increase in show trials and the great purges.

Question 24

What were the conditions like in the gulags ?

Answer 24

• there were small rations
• inadequate clothing
• poor and overcrowded accommodation

Question 25

How were national minorities treated during the 1930s ?

Answer 25

many national minorities were deported or purged. For example in 1941 over 400,000 Germans were deported to Siberia and central Asia. In 1939 purges were carried out in Poland and the Baltic states

Question 26

What happened during the 18th party congress ?

Answer 26

this was were Stalin used Yezhov as a scapegoat accusing him of excessive zeal and his purges were no longer needed. He was therefore arrested, put on a trial and shot in February 1940.

Question 27

How was Trotsky assassinated ?

Answer 27

Mercador pretended to be an admirer of his and when he gained access to his office stuck a ice pick to his skull

Question 28

What were the reasons for the terror ?

Answer 28

* the suicide of Stalin's wife * Stalin's personality, his constant quest to reinforce his own position and eliminating possible rivals * Terror can be seen as a necessary process of economic change take place from the 1920s onwards. It was needed to remove kulaks and to provide scapegoats for mistakes and failures

Question 29

What were the positives of the terror and purges ?

Answer 29

it gave Stalin the position of supreme power. He was a dictator with absolute control over the party. More than 850,000 members were removed from the party due to Stalin's and Yezhov NKVD intervention

Question 30

What were the negative of the terror and purges ?

Answer 30

it weakness the USSR militarily, due to the fact that around 23,000 army officers were shot and dismissed leading to new officers being needed to be recruited and this contributed to the military losses of WW2 in 1941. In addition other areas of society were deprived of skilled personnel such as teachers and engineers.

Question 31

How did Stalinism affect the Church ?

Answer 31

* religious schools were closed down * and the teaching of religious creeds were taken down * churches were physically destroyed * priests were victims of the purges * 40,000 churches were converted into mosques

Question 32

What was the Great retreat ?

Answer 32

this is where family became a new propaganda wave and Stalin was presented as a father figure and abortion and divorce were attacked

Question 33

When was the new family code introduced ?

Answer 33

1936

Question 34

What were some of the aspects of the new family code ?

Answer 34

* abortion was made illegal * harder to get a divorce with larger fees being introduced * mothers with 6 or more children received bonus payments

Question 35

How did Stalinism affect women ?

Answer 35

however regardless of the implementation of the new family code. Little changed there were over 150,000 abortions. And divorced women were more likely to become unemployed and not get compensation and leading a life of prostitution.

Question 36

How did education change during Stalinism ?

Answer 36

* it returned to a more of a traditional education, emphasising technical subjects and practical skills. * curriculum promoted nationalism and military training * there was a big focus on improving literacy. By 1941 94% of of the urban population and 86% of the rural population

Question 37

What was the Komsomol ?

Answer 37

it was an organisation for people aged between 10-28 that encouraged socialist values and discouraged selfish behaviour. Members took an oath to fight, live and study for the fatherland. They also helped out with party campaigns and helped the red army.

Question 38

How did young people suffer during Stalinism ?

Answer 38

* social disruption caused by collectivisation led to a rise in abandoned and orphaned children * children who were 12 or older were to be tried as adults

Question 39

How was it for skilled workers during the Stalinism ?

Answer 39

* from 1931 skilled workers were paid more * skilled shortages were meant good workers were high in demand * improved training opportunities from training and education

Question 40

How was it for unskilled workers during Stalinism ?

Answer 40

* living conditions were poor and overcrowded * many former peasants found labour discipline hard to manage

Question 41

How was life in urban areas during Stalinism ?

Answer 41

* free education * overcrowded living conditions * water rationed and food shortages

Question 42

How was life in rural areas during Stalinism ?

Answer 42

* dekulakisation * collective farms had health clinics and schools * better access to food with access to private plots

Question 43

Why did Stalin join the league of nations ?

Answer 43

* he wanted to emphasize collective security * he was worried about the growing power of hitler

Question 44

How did Stalin benefit from the league of nations ?