The Real Story of Joseph Stalin | Best Stalin Documentary
Summary
TLDRJoseph Stalin, born in 1878, rose from humble beginnings to become the Soviet Union's leader, a modernizer and a ruthless tyrant. His ascent involved political maneuvering, the use of terror, and the Great Terror purges. Stalin's policies led to industrialization and collectivization, causing famine and repression. His leadership during WWII resulted in victory but at a staggering human cost. Despite his brutal regime, he was portrayed as a hero in Soviet propaganda, shaping the 20th century and leaving a complex legacy.
Takeaways
- 📚 Joseph Stalin, originally named Joseph Jugashvili, was born in 1878 in Georgia and experienced a comfortable upbringing before his father turned to alcohol and abandoned the family.
- 🏛️ Stalin's mother sent him to a theological school with the hope he would become a priest, but he became disillusioned with religious life and joined an illegal book club, eventually embracing Marxism.
- 🔺 He joined the Bolsheviks, a radical socialist faction led by Vladimir Lenin, and rose through the ranks, becoming known for his ruthless methods in party dominance.
- 👥 Stalin married his first wife, Ye, and had a son, Yakov, but abandoned his family after his wife's death, becoming more hardened and focused on revolutionary activities.
- 🔄 After the Russian Revolution in 1917 and subsequent civil war, Stalin used his position to implement policies of forced collectivization and rapid industrialization, which led to widespread famine and suffering.
- 🛑 Stalin's Great Terror (1936-1938) involved mass purges, with hundreds of thousands executed and even more imprisoned or exiled, creating a pervasive culture of fear.
- 🗣️ Stalin's paranoia extended to the military, leading to the execution of many high-ranking officers, which weakened the Soviet military just before World War II.
- ⚔️ Despite initial cooperation with Hitler through the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, Stalin found himself at war with Nazi Germany after the invasion of the Soviet Union in 1941.
- 🏆 Stalin's leadership during World War II and the Soviet victory significantly boosted his image, solidifying his power and influence over Eastern Europe post-war.
- 🏰 In his later years, Stalin became increasingly paranoid and isolated, with his personal life marked by family tragedies and political executions.
- 💔 Stalin's death in 1953 ended a reign marked by both the transformation of the Soviet Union into a superpower and immense human cost, with millions repressed under his rule.
Q & A
Who was Joseph Stalin originally known as before adopting the name 'Stalin'?
-Joseph Stalin was originally known as Joseph Jugushvili.
What was the significance of the name 'Stalin'?
-The name 'Stalin' means 'man of steel,' which he adopted to reflect his tough and unyielding nature.
What ideology greatly influenced Joseph Stalin during his early years as a revolutionary?
-Joseph Stalin was greatly influenced by the works of Karl Marx and the ideology of Marxism, a popular form of socialism at the time.
What was the role of the General Secretary in the Soviet Union, as held by Stalin?
-The General Secretary had the power to set the agenda for meetings of the Politburo and the Soviet government, as well as control the careers of numerous Soviet officials, giving Stalin a large and loyal following.
How did Stalin's policies of forced collectivization affect the peasants?
-Forced collectivization stripped peasants of their private property and forced them to work on collective farms for the state, leading to extreme resistance, violence, and a devastating famine.
What was the impact of Stalin's Great Terror on the Soviet Union?
-The Great Terror led to the arrest and execution of an estimated 1.6 million people, creating a culture of fear and distrust, and severely affecting the military and economic growth.
What was the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, and how did it initially benefit the Soviet Union?
-The Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact was a non-aggression treaty between the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany that allowed the Soviets to invade and take over large parts of Eastern Europe without initial resistance from Germany.
How did Stalin's leadership during World War II affect the Soviet Union's military?
-Stalin's leadership during World War II was marked by brutal tactics, including insisting on holding every inch of ground and executing those who surrendered or were deemed cowards, which led to massive losses and a weakened military.
What was the Holodomor, and how was it related to Stalin's policies?
-The Holodomor was a man-made famine in Ukraine caused by Stalin's policies of forced collectivization and export of food from the region, resulting in the deaths of an estimated 3.5 million people.
What was the significance of the assassination of Leon Trotsky?
-The assassination of Leon Trotsky, Stalin's longtime rival, removed a significant political opponent and potential threat to Stalin's rule.
How did Stalin's personal life and relationships affect his rule and legacy?
-Stalin's personal life was marked by tragedy and conflict, including the death of his first wife, the suicide of his second wife, and strained relationships with his children, which may have contributed to his paranoia and ruthless leadership style.
Outlines
👥 The Life and Rise of Joseph Stalin
Joseph Stalin, born Joseph Jugashvili, was a multifaceted figure known for his revolutionary, modernizing, and tyrannical rule. He rose from humble beginnings in Georgia to become the leader of the Soviet Union, one of the world's superpowers. Despite a comfortable upbringing, his life took a turn when his father turned to alcohol and abandoned the family. Stalin's mother sent him to a theological school with aspirations for him to become a priest. However, influenced by Marxism and revolutionary ideas, he became involved in politics and joined the Bolsheviks, eventually rising to a position of power. His early life was marked by his involvement in illegal activities and his expulsion from the seminary for revolutionary activities.
🔄 Stalin's Struggles and Political Ascent
Stalin's journey was fraught with personal and political struggles. His first wife, Svanitza, died after a dangerous journey, leaving him with a son, Yakov, whom he left to be raised by his wife's family. Stalin's commitment to the Bolshevik cause and his ruthless methods earned him a reputation and a place on the Bolshevik Central Committee. Despite setbacks, including exile and a period of depression, he managed to rise through the ranks, becoming a key figure in the 1917 Russian Revolution and the subsequent civil war. His tenure was marked by the use of terror and purges, which would become a hallmark of his leadership.
🏭 Stalin's Industrialization and Collectivization Policies
Stalin's drive to modernize the Soviet Union led to a series of five-year plans aimed at rapid industrialization. Despite economic chaos and unrealistic production targets, the Soviet Union did experience industrial growth. This was complemented by a policy of forced collectivization in agriculture, which led to widespread resistance and a devastating famine, particularly in Ukraine known as the Holodomor. Stalin's response to the crisis was severe, with the use of state violence and repression to enforce compliance, resulting in millions of deaths.
🗡 The Great Purge and Stalin's Consolidation of Power
Stalin's rule was characterized by extreme paranoia and a relentless pursuit of power. The assassination of Sergey Kirov sparked the Great Purge, a period of political repression where Stalin targeted his political opposition, including old Bolsheviks and military officers, through show trials and executions. The purges extended to all levels of society, creating a culture of fear and distrust. Stalin's personal life was also marked by tragedy, with the suicide of his second wife and the death of his first son during the war.
⚔️ World War II and Stalin's Military Leadership
Stalin's leadership during World War II was marked by a brutal approach to warfare. Despite the initial shock of the German invasion and a period of inaction, Stalin's leadership saw the Soviet Union push back the Germans and claim victory at a tremendous human cost. His tactics included punishing those who surrendered or were perceived as cowards and using penalty battalions to absorb enemy fire. The victory cemented his image as a hero in Soviet propaganda and expanded the Soviet sphere of influence across Eastern Europe.
🏛️ Stalin's Legacy and Death
Stalin's final years were marked by paranoia and loneliness, with his health in decline due to years of unhealthy habits. His death in 1953 came after a stroke, during which his guards hesitated to intervene due to fear. Stalin's legacy is complex; he transformed the Soviet Union into a superpower and led it through World War II, but at the cost of millions of lives and widespread repression. His image was carefully crafted through propaganda, and despite his actions, many Soviet citizens remained devoted to him.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Joseph Stalin
💡Revolutionary
💡Marxism
💡Bolsheviks
💡Great Terror
💡Gulag
💡Collectivization
💡Holodomor
Highlights
Joseph Stalin was a multifaceted figure, known as a revolutionary, general, modernizer, and tyrant.
Stalin rose from humble beginnings to lead the Soviet Union, one of the world's largest superpowers.
His father was a successful cobbler, but later turned to alcoholism and abandoned the family.
Stalin's mother sent him to a theological school with aspirations for him to become a priest.
He became disillusioned with religious life and joined an illegal book club, leading to his revolutionary path.
Stalin was influenced by Marxism and joined the social democrats to overthrow the Russian monarchy.
He adopted the name 'Stalin', meaning 'man of steel', reflecting his rise in the Bolshevik ranks.
Stalin's ruthless methods included armed robberies and ransom to fund the Bolshevik cause.
His first wife, Ye, died which had a profound effect on him, leading to a hardened heart.
Stalin's rise to power involved the manipulation of rivals and the use of terror tactics.
He implemented rapid industrialization and collectivization, leading to chaos and resistance.
The Great Terror saw mass arrests, executions, and the creation of a culture of fear.
Stalin's paranoia extended to targeting his own family and political allies.
World War II saw the Soviet Union suffer the highest death toll of any country, under Stalin's leadership.
Stalin's post-war influence extended across Eastern Europe, marking the beginning of the Cold War.
His personal life was marked by tragedy, with family members either killed or estranged.
Stalin's death in 1953 came after years of declining health and a debilitating stroke.
His legacy is one of both modernization and repression, with millions affected by his rule.
Transcripts
[Music]
a revolutionary and a general a great
modernizer and a ruthless tyrant joseph
stalin could claim to be them all
one of the most influential figures of
the 20th century he would rise from
humble beginnings to become the leader
of the soviet union one of the world's
largest superpowers been unafraid to
sacrifice anything or anyone to achieve
power
his political opponents would be shot
his own citizens would be hunted down by
the secret police and millions would be
sentenced to backbreaking work in the
gulag labor camps
this is the story of joseph stalin
joseph juguschvili later to be known as
joseph stalin was born on december 6
1878
in the small georgian town of gory on
the outskirts of the russian empire his
mother was a skilled dressmaker and his
father was a successful cobbler with the
boy experiencing a comfortable
upbringing
but it was not to last his father would
turn to drink and began beating him
eventually abandoning the family
entirely
wanting the best for her son
stalin's mother would send him off to a
theological school where she hoped he
could climb the social hierarchy by
becoming a priest
stalin was a model student known for his
hard work and his singing in the church
choir
but as he entered his late teenage years
he would become disillusioned with
religious life
during his third year at the seminary he
would join an illegal book club becoming
inspired by the stories of the fictional
georgian hero cobra a name he would
later use as his own during his early
years as a revolutionary
he would also be highly influenced by
the works of karl marx and his theories
known as marxism one of the most popular
forms of socialism at the time
stalin would soon develop an interest in
politics and would become involved with
a group of social democrats a
revolutionary socialist party who aimed
to overthrow the russian monarchy
as stalin's involvement in revolutionary
politics continued to grow his grades
and reputation at the seminary would
begin to decline with him being expelled
in 1899
after failing to attend his daily
prayers and been found in the possession
of illegal literature
at the age of 22 following a wave of
harsh crackdowns by the authorities
stalin would leave his old life behind
and go into hiding becoming a full-time
revolutionary
despite his young age he would be
described by his colleagues as
exceptionally vicious and vindictive
willing to apply the most extreme
measures in his attempts to dominate the
party with him soon rising to the top of
the local revolutionary leadership
stalin would soon find himself drawn to
the teachings of vladimir lenin the
leader of a socialist faction known as
the bolsheviks who followed a more
radical and militant course of action
stalin would quickly become a leading
bolshevik in georgia and the surrounding
area and while living with a colleague
he would meet his first wife ye
sfanitza with the couple marrying in
1906
less than a year later stalin's first
son yakov would be born
but the dangerous life of a
revolutionary did not mix well with
family
after traveling to the city of baku with
her husband the catalina would fall
seriously ill
dying in november 1907
her death would have a profound effect
on stalin and at the funeral he would
state
this creature softened my heart of stone
she died and with her died my last warm
feelings for humanity
unable to deal with his grief stalin
would abandon his eight-month-old son
yakov to be raised by his mother's
family not returning to see him for
several years
as the years went on stalin would rise
through the ranks of the bolsheviks
becoming known for his ruthless methods
raising money through armed robberies
protection rackets and ransoms
in 1912 he would adopt the name stalin
meaning man of steel
but stalin's newfound fame would also
make him a high priority target for the
police
in 1913 he would be caught and sentenced
to four years of exile in siberia an
inhospitable region of eastern russia it
would be one of stalin's lowest points
during this period he suffered with poor
health and became increasingly depressed
in his isolation with the 35 year old
seeking companionship with a local 14
year old girl
with it being rumored the two had a
child together
he would slowly stop producing
revolutionary works and in 1915 lenin
would famously forget his last name
for stalin it appeared the revolutionary
dream was over
in 1917 while still in exile stalin
would receive the news that he had been
working towards for over 15 years
revolution had taken place in russia
russia's population over 100 million
people had suffered years of oppression
discontent and poverty
coupled with the horrendous failures of
the first world war and the personal
failings of russia's monarch
son nicholas ii would be executed ending
300 years of his family's rule with a
provisional government being established
to take control of the country
stalin was soon released from his exile
and made his way back to central russia
with a renewed sense of purpose
but his mentor lenin was still
unsatisfied calling for yet another
revolution that would see a socialist
government take power
however there was significant resistance
within the party towards his ideas with
stalin openly expressing his opposition
to get stalin on his side lenin would
give him a place on the bolshevik
central committee granting him a large
amount of influence and his first real
taste of power
stalin would quickly devote himself to
lenin's cause and that october the
bolsheviks would stage a second
revolution removing the provisional
government from power and establishing
themselves as leaders of the country
as a leading bolshevik stalin was now
one of the most powerful men in the
country
but the struggle was not finished the
revolution would lead to five years of
civil war an exceptionally brutal period
that would shape stalin into the cruel
and ruthless leader he would later
become
during the civil war he would be
appointed to the city of saritin by
lenin to acquire grain for the
bolsheviks and to organize the local
fighting forces
but lacking any military knowledge or
experience stalin would completely
mishandle the situation and after just
two months under his command the city
was on the verge of collapse with many
soldiers having died under his command
faced with this disaster stalin would
turn to a technique that would later
become a staple of his political career
he would begin the use of terror
the disaster was soon blamed on
counter-revolutionaries
spies and saboteurs who were arrested
convicted on weak or fabricated evidence
and then executed
stalin became known for being
particularly brutal in his use of terror
burning down entire villages and
arresting anyone who dared to argue with
him
he was highly suspicious of military
personnel who he would often target in
his purges bringing him into conflict
with the head of the army leon trotsky
who saw stalin as a dangerous political
rival
trotsky would express his grievances to
lenin
leading to stalin's removal from zaritin
and beginning a lifelong rivalry between
the two men
a conflict from which only one of them
would survive
in 1922 the same year the soviet union
was formally established stalin would be
elected to the position of general
secretary a role he would use to secure
his rise to power
the position allowed him to set the
agenda for meetings of the polit bureau
and the soviet government as well as
placing the careers of numerous soviet
officials in his hands giving him a
large and loyal following
but towards the end of 1922 a power
vacuum would emerge at the highest
levels of soviet government when lenin
became seriously ill suffering a number
of strokes that impeded his ability to
govern the country
but to stalin's horror trotsky would
manage to form an alliance with the
dying soviet leader giving him a
significant advantage in the power
struggle
stalin would respond by calling lenin's
wife and subjecting her to a torrent of
abusive language
an event that would be so upsetting to
lenin that he would call for stalin's
removal from government
while stalin managed to keep his
position a rift had opened between him
and lenin the most influential and
respected man in the country putting his
political career in a very dangerous
position
but in 1924 lenin would die
giving stalin the opportunity to reshape
their relationship in the eyes of the
public
and so he would take control of the
funeral giving himself the politically
significant role as one of lenin's poll
bearers
lenin would be enshrined in moscow's red
square with stalin portrayed as the
protector of his legacy in soviet
propaganda
trotsky his hated rival was given the
wrong date for the funeral causing him
to miss the event entirely
over the next few years stalin would
expertly manipulate events to secure his
rise to power
pitting his rivals against each other
and eventually amassing enough support
to strip trotsky of his position in
government
with his main political opponent gone
there were few left to oppose darling he
would systematically demote a rest and
exile his political opponents and by
1928 he would emerge as the sole leader
of the country
[Music]
having secured absolute power
stalin began transforming the soviet
union into a modern superpower
in 1931 he would state
we are 50 or 100 years behind the
advanced countries we must make goods
this distance in 10 years either we do
it or we shall be crushed
he would begin a policy of rapid
industrialization
launching a series of five-year plans to
grow soviet industry
but the implementation of these plans
would be chaos
ignoring the advice of economic experts
stalin would double and then triple
production targets nearly none of which
would actually be met
inflation was rampant money was spent
with no budget and entire factories were
constructed with only half finished
blueprint
but despite this production did see a
notable increase securing the soviet
union's place as a modern industrial
nation
to support industry a policy of forced
collectivization was implemented where
peasants the country's largest group of
people were stripped of their private
property and forced to work for the
state on collective farms
anyone who refused was beaten shot or
sent to labor camps known as gulags
where they would be used for slave labor
but the policy would be met with extreme
resistance with many peasants preferring
to burn their crops and slaughter their
animals rather than let them be taken by
the state in some instances stalin's
response was extreme
with villages that refused to comply
been bombed out of existence by the air
force
with the peasants lacking any economic
incentive to work agricultural
production saw a massive decline
soon leading to a devastating famine
reaching its peak in the winter of 1932
and 1933
the famine is estimated to have caused
the death of up to 7 million people with
millions more being left permanently
disabled
parents would sell their children for
food with the countryside seen
widespread cases of disease mandatory
and cannibalism
anyone who kept stores of grain was
accused of hoarding and were beaten and
tortured until they gave up their
supplies
the famine would hit ukraine the hardest
with three and a half million people
dying there alone
the ukrainians would call the famine the
holodomor a name that means murder
through starvation
stalin would only make things worse
exporting two million tons of food out
of the ukraine and forbidding those that
lived there to move away
their only option was to wait and die
with thousands of starving people
turning to cannibalism to survive
but for stalin the countryside had been
brought under control
although it had cost the lives of
millions and had reduced the peasants to
slaves of the state it was a price he
was willing to pay to feed the
industrial workers
[Music]
but as the 1930s went on stalin would
become increasingly paranoid of those
around him constantly searching for
traitors and conspiracies and looking
for ways to secure his power
he would first target his political
opposition with the assassination of
soviet politician sergey kirov providing
a pretext for convicting his most
influential opponents of conspiracy
between 1936 and 1938 a series of show
trials would be held whether accused
would be convicted on fabricated
evidence
tortured into giving a confession and
then shot
the old bolsheviks were targeted
those who had been around since before
the revolution and retained strong
political opinions and influence
they would be replaced by young
politicians who could be easily
manipulated and were completely loyal to
stalin knowing never to question his
judgment
army officers soon came into the fiery
line as stalin believed their power and
influence had grown too strong
many were convicted of working as agents
for trotsky with over 35 000 officers
being shot or imprisoned and the navy
losing every single one of its admirals
but soon the purges would extend to
every corner of soviet society
ordinary citizens were encouraged to
report suspicious friends and family to
the authorities many of whom would do so
out of fear of being targeted themselves
the secret police were also appointed a
new leader nikolai yazov who would set
his officers arrest and execution quotas
often purging his own staff to impress
stalin
at only five feet tall he was soon
nicknamed the bloody dwarf due to his
enthusiasm for torturing his victims
between 1937 and 1938 an average of 1
500 people were killed every day a
period known as the great terror
around 1.6 million people were arrested
700 000 of which were executed with an
unknown number dying in labor camps and
torture chambers
stalin's paranoia had become extreme
with a colleague describing him as
suspicious to the point of insanity
his purges would also have a devastating
effect on soviet society with a culture
of fear and distrust emerging
those working in industry were afraid to
suggest any changes or innovations that
could get them accused of sabotage
leading to a slowdown in economic growth
the military were particularly affected
and would suffer from an extreme
shortage of experienced commanders with
discipline and quality suffering as a
result and with war on the horizon the
purges could not have come at a worse
time
[Music]
as the great terror began to wind down
international relations were reaching a
boiling point with europe soon erupting
into world war ii
stalin would initially sign a
non-aggression pact with hitler the
molotov ribbentrop pact which allowed
him to invade and take over large parts
of eastern europe once the conflict
began
these territories would quickly find
themselves subject to the same
oppression experienced in the soviet
union for decades
the most notorious example of this was
the catin massacre of 1940 where almost
22 000 polish prisoners were killed to
prevent any ideological opposition from
emerging
that same year a soviet agent would also
manage to hunt down stalin's longtime
rival leon trotsky assassinating him
with an ice pick in mexico city
but soon things would turn against
stalin with hitler breaking their
non-aggression pact and launching a
surprise invasion of the soviet union on
june 22 1941
the soviet army completely unprepared
and weakened by stalin's purges would
suffer devastating losses with stalin
himself entering a state of shock
just a week after the invasion began
stalin would disappear from the
government and began hiding away in his
moscow home with a terrified group of
officials being forced to approach him
to convince him to lead the war effort
but stalin's military leadership would
be filled with the same brutal tactics
he'd employed throughout his career he
would insist that every inch of ground
be held giving the death sentence to
those who surrendered leading to the
pointless loss of thousands of men
those deemed to be fearmongerers or
cowards were placed in special penalty
battalions who would be sent to their
death at the start of battles to help
reduce enemy ammunition
taking this further he would make it
illegal to be taken prisoner with the
families of prisoners and deserters
being stripped of their government
pensions and arrested
tehran was also used to maintain army
discipline and just four months after
the outbreak of war
over 10 000 members of the army had been
shot by their superiors often directly
in front of their comrades
but despite this brutality the tide
would soon turn with a combination of
soviet heroism russian heavy industry
and western assistance pushing the
germans back by 1944 nazi germany were
in full retreat with the soviets
claiming a large portion of eastern
europe and eventually capturing berlin
itself
but it had come at the cost of 25
million lives the highest death toll for
any country in the second world war
victory in the war would greatly benefit
stalin's dictatorship with soviet
propaganda portraying him as a hero
at home his rule was unquestioned and he
now owned a vast empire that spanned
over two continents
from his humble beginnings in georgia he
had risen to be the leader of the second
most powerful country on earth surpassed
only by the united states
with his new territory spanning from the
baltic to the adriatic sea
stalin would assert his influence over
eastern europe with churchill stating
that an iron curtain had descended
across the continent
the cold war had begun
a conflict that would come to dominate
the rest of the 20th century with stalin
battling the west for control and
ideological influence in europe for the
last years of his life
[Music]
although he had achieved absolute power
stalin would struggle with his personal
image
he was a man of small stature measuring
at only five feet four inches tall he
would often wear shoes with thick soles
to make himself appear taller
his face was also heavily marked from
the scars he had obtained after
contracting smallpox in his youth
he would take every measure to hide them
employing makeup artists and airbrushing
photographs to make his face appear
smoother
those that met him were often shocked by
the small and disfigured man they would
see
far different from the heroic figure
portrayed in soviet propaganda
but in his final years stalin had become
paranoid and lonely having no one around
him he could trust
he had arrested and killed a number of
his own family during the great terror
and his first son yakov had been
captured and killed during the second
world war
stalin had also married a second wife
nadezhda alleluia in 1919
although he would be consistently
unfaithful with nadezhda committing
suicide in 1932
after the couple had a public argument
their children svetlana and vasily would
both experience difficulties as children
of a dictator
vasily was an arrogant and irresponsible
young man becoming accustomed to being
treated like royalty
during the war he would become a 24 year
old general but acted with a total lack
of responsibility
he would go fishing with his
subordinates using explosives to stun
the fish leading to the death of an
officer
he would also struggle with alcoholism
and had contracted a number of chronic
diseases by his 30th birthday
after his father's death he would be
imprisoned after a drunken outburst
dying in exile at the age of 40.
while svetlana received more love and
attention she would often come into
conflict with her father over her
relationships with stalin once arresting
a boyfriend he disapproved of
their once warm relationship would grow
distant as the years went on with
svetlana choosing to defect to the
united states after her father's death
stalin's health would begin to seriously
decline in his final years due to years
of smoking drinking and overwork
he would suffer a debilitating stroke on
march 1 1953 in his moscow home
his guards terrified of upsetting him
would refuse to enter his room without
permission with it taking hours before
they found the courage to enter finding
him lying immobilized on the floor
his top associates were quickly summoned
but even they were too afraid to take
any real action stalin had recently
become convinced that his own doctors
were trying to kill him and it would
take many hours before anyone was
confident enough to call a medical
professional but by then it was too late
with it being determined that the
dictator had suffered a cerebral
hemorrhage with him dying on march 5th
1953
after several days of paralysis having
lived to the age of 74.
joseph stalin will go down as one of
history's most notorious leaders
he can be credited with transforming the
soviet union into a modern superpower
and for leading the country through the
second world war
but it came at an immense cost
between 1930 and 1952
over 26 million people had been shot
imprisoned or subjected to internal
exile an average of over 1 million per
year
tens of millions more would be arrested
without charge evicted from their homes
or forced to work on dangerous projects
with it being estimated that at least 60
million people had been subjected to
some form of repression during stalin's
rule
but despite this many soviet citizens
would remain devoted to their leader the
state produced an endless stream of
propaganda portraying stalin as a hero
and a father figure
paintings songs and statues were all
commissioned by the dictator with
several towns and cities being named
after him
official history books would distort
events beyond recognition and he would
go as far as to doctor historical
photographs removing his political
rivals from important events in soviet
history
this propaganda would be incredibly
effective with many expressing genuine
grief at his death and worrying about a
future without his leadership even
prisoners in the gulag many of whom
stalin had sent there himself
are known to have wept at the news of
his parting
hero or tyrant a great modernizer or a
ruthless killer there can be no doubt
that stalin was one of the most
influential figures of the 20th century
whose legacy has shaped the world as we
know it today
[Music]
you
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