1922-1953
Stalin’s reign was the time of great terror, collectivization and industrialization. It was a war against his own people. Fear paralyzed all of society for many decades.
“The Captain of the Land of the Soviets Leads Us From Victory to Victory”. Drawing Made By Boris Efimov. 5 August 1933
Background
Using clever conspiracies as well as murder Stalin eliminated his rivals one by one, becoming the unquestionable ruler of Russia by 1929.
Industrialization
The “Great Leap” of industrialization was about making up for Russia’s backwardness and turn it into an industrial power at the expense of agriculture. The first Five Year Plan (1928-33) was about achieving this industrialization scheme in 4 years. Quotas were introduced and statistics faked.
Collectivization
In the country new state-run collective farms (kolkhoz) were introduced, where people were made to work by force. More prosperous farmers were called kulaks and purged. The result was the great Soviet Famine of 1932-33. It was especially harsh in Ukraine, known as the Holodomor. The total death toll was about 7 million.
Great Terror
The “Great Terror” campaign was unleashed in 1934 after the assassination of Stalin’s rival, Sergey Kirov.
The new terror system was carried out by the GPU and sent people to Gulag concentration camps. Stalin’s political rivals, former comrades and allies, doctors and army officers were prosecuted in the purge trials from 1936.
Results
Industrialization at the expense of inexhaustible human resources turned out to be quite successful but not sustainable. The total death toll of Stalin’s reign is estimated to be 15 million.
Russia Under Stalin
1922-1953
Stalin’s reign was the time of great terror, collectivization and industrialization. It was a war against his own people. Fear paralyzed all of society for many decades.
“The Captain of the Land of the Soviets Leads Us From Victory to Victory”. Drawing Made By Boris Efimov. 5 August 1933
Background
Using clever conspiracies as well as murder Stalin eliminated his rivals one by one, becoming the unquestionable ruler of Russia by 1929.
Industrialization
The “Great Leap” of industrialization was about making up for Russia’s backwardness and turn it into an industrial power at the expense of agriculture. The first Five Year Plan (1928-33) was about achieving this industrialization scheme in 4 years. Quotas were introduced and statistics faked.
Collectivization
In the country new state-run collective farms (kolkhoz) were introduced, where people were made to work by force. More prosperous farmers were called kulaks and purged. The result was the great Soviet Famine of 1932-33. It was especially harsh in Ukraine, known as the Holodomor. The total death toll was about 7 million.
Great Terror
The “Great Terror” campaign was unleashed in 1934 after the assassination of Stalin’s rival, Sergey Kirov.
The new terror system was carried out by the GPU and sent people to Gulag concentration camps. Stalin’s political rivals, former comrades and allies, doctors and army officers were prosecuted in the purge trials from 1936.
Results
Industrialization at the expense of inexhaustible human resources turned out to be quite successful but not sustainable. The total death toll of Stalin’s reign is estimated to be 15 million.
Joseph Stalin