Y10: 3-1. Stalin – an Introduction

Today we are going to start our topic on Stalin’s Russia!

(2:22 minutes long)

Let’s first consider what sort of a leader Lenin was. Was he a good leader?

History vs. Vladimir Lenin. (6:42 minutes long)

(It was actually more Stalin’s efforts that made the USSR into a modern industrialized Super Power. However, Lenin put measures in place to start the process, whereas Stalin completed the process.)

So, Lenin died in January 1924…

Russia: 100 Years on from Revolution. (3:06 minutes long)

Lenin did not appoint a leader in his place – so it was not sure who should take over the leadership of Russia after his death.

In the diagram below we can see the members of the Politburo in 1924. The two main rivals for power were Stalin and Trotsky.

Let’s get to know them a little better:

Leon Trotsky…Mini Bio. (6:77 minutes long)

Joseph Stalin… Mini Bio. (8:22 minutes long)

So, Stalin emerged as leader of the USSR after Lenin’s death. He set out to rapidly modernize the Soviet Union. Over the next few weeks we will:

learn how Stalin emerged as leader of the USSR
see how Stalin modernize the USSR
examine Stalin’s reign of terror
see what it was like to live in Stalin’s Russia

As part of your assessment for this topic on “Stalin’s Russia” you will each do a short presentation….

Your presentations will be on one of the following topics:

Collectives & Kulaks (p.8-9)
The Five-Year Plans (p.10-11)
Workers and Their Work (p.12-13)
Slave Labour & the Labour Camps (p.14-15)

IMPORTANT: Check on Schoology which topic has been assigned to you. You will also find all the details for this presentation task on Schoology, in the Assignments folder.

Due Date: exactly one week from now…!

Your presentation will be assessed according to the following criteria:

In preparation for this task, we will start with an overview of Stalin’s reign…

Stalin & the Five Year Plans. (10:35 minutes long)

Finally, this chart of how Stalin modernized Russia (or, more accurately, the Soviet Union) may also be useful to you:

Here is a final short summary of Stalin’s reign…

Stalin – Overview. (2:55 minutes long)

In the next lesson we will look at the power struggle between Trotsky and Stalin in more detail. In preparation for the next lesson, read the following information…