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Joseph StalinJoseph Stalin assisted Vladimir Lenin in successfully leading the Russian Communist Revolution in 1917. Stalin’s first job under Lenin was as a fund raiser. His methods of obtaining money for the communist cause included armed robbery and kidnappings, crimes for which he was jailed a number of times. Nevertheless, Stalin eventually became one of Lenin’s top assistants. Joseph Stalin, Premier of the USSR and Secretary-General of the Communist Party.Stalin assumed additional leadership duties upon the death of Lenin 1n 1924 by overseeing the establishment of the Soviet Union (USSR). His real goal was to become the absolute ruler of the USSR, but in the beginning he was content to be part of the leadership team that governed the newly organized country. He was a gifted but ruthless leader who successfully devised ways to increase his influence. His rise to power began with accusations that his rivals were enemies of the Soviet workers. One success led to another until he had accumulated enough power to initiate the Great Purge. Once he became powerful all he had to do was to accuse anyone he perceived to be an enemy, and they were ‘removed’ without trial or recourse. Within 5 years more than 700,000 people were executed and more than a million were given prison sentences or one-way tickets to Siberian gulags. By 1937 he had become so powerful that his word was law across the USSR. He was now the dictator who had authority over every aspect of life in the Soviet Union—economics, politics, and religion. But not everyone who suffered during Stalin’s tenure opposed his politics or threatened his power. Millions died because of his cruel policies and bad government. In the winter of 1932-33, it is estimated that between 3 million and 10 million citizens starved to death as a result of famine. Drought was a contributing factor, but it was Stalin’s insistence on government control of farming that hurt people the most. Peasants who owned farm land were viewed as enemies of the state, and most of the grain they produced was confiscated for government distribution. Families living in the Russian ‘grain belt in the Volga River Valley and modern Ukraine literally had nothing to eat. Fearing starvation many attempted to migrate to other, more prosperous regions of the country, but Stalin’s government stopped the migration. A law was passed requiring Soviet citizens to have a passport (identification card) even when traveling between provinces within the USSR. But peasant farmers, the government decreed, had no right to passports, so if they were caught attempting to travel in search of food, they were subject to arrest. (Stunningly, this passport practice did NOT end until 1974.) Peasant families had nothing to eat with no hope of escape, so millions starved to death. The Soviet government under Stalin denied that a famine had occurred and made it a criminal offense for it to be openly discussed. When the Soviet census taken in 1937 revealed enormous loss of life in the areas affected by famine, the government refused to release the census data.Starving Ukrainians, 1933 USSRNot only did Stalin withstand all domestic opposition, he also withstood Hitler’s German invasion in World War II. After the war the USSR and the United States emerged as the two dominant superpowers, thanks in part to Russia’s acquisition of nuclear weapons. The Cold War would rage for the next 40 years. In 1953 death accomplished what his enemies failed to do—it brought an end to the oppressive rule of Joseph Stalin. Many in the Soviet government celebrated his death. In fact the new government officially ‘de-Stalinized’ the country, but Stalin remained a hero to some segments of the Russian population.Today, Stalin is regarded as one of the most important leaders of the 20th Century. He is also widely and factually regarded as one of the most brutal, oppressive rulers in history, a man responsible for the deaths of millions.QUESTIONS1. In the last paragraph, page 1, the number of people who starved to death in the 1930s was placed within a huge range—3 million to 10 million people. Why can historians NOT be certain of the death toll from that event?2. In the paragraph just above the photo, you get a glimpse of the dishonesty of a totalitarian government. What is a totalitarian government?3. Why did the USSR (Russia), at Stalin’s decree, deny that a famine occurred. Why did he decide to withhold census information in 1937, 4 years after the famine? (The answer is exactly the same for both questions.)4. Governments still lie in 2020. Do you know of a recent incident (actually incidents) of a government lying to the rest of the world about an important issue? Summarize what you know. If you have no idea as to how to respond to this question, discuss this matter with your parents or other trusted adult.5. You have been asked in the past to compare and contrast various issues. In this case, however, you can really only compare Lenin and Stalin. In what ways were they similar in personality and character? ................
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