Joseph Stalinand the USSR

Russia and World War I

•Internal dispute among people•Rasputin•Russia backs Serbia in war•Lack of Food, Fuel and Supplies.•Russian Eastern front•Nicholas II loses control

Provisional Government

•Nicholas acknowledges the provisional government

•Offers thrown to Brother•Democratic Government

Vladimir Lenin

•Born and Raised in Christian middle-class home

•Became an avid believer in Marx’s ideas•Joined Marxist organizations•Was imprisoned•Chosen to be Bolsheviks’ leader

The USSR’s Early years

•Vladimir Lenin and the Bolsheviks came to power

•They were a Marxist group who Created the USSR

•Bolshevik political party was later know as the communist party

Who was Joseph Stalin?• As a child nearly died of small pox which left his

face permanently scarred • After multiple carriage accidents he also had a

permanently damaged arm• Went to Seminary, but was kicked out for rebelling,

slacking off, skipping exams and not paying tuition • After Leaving seminary Stalin discovered the

words or Lenin and became interested in Marxism• Became a revolutionary and an outlaw • Exiled to Siberia 7 times

What did Stalin Do?

• Created supposed “equality”•Created a public Russia with no private

businesses•Complete autocracy•Tried to create a rapidly industrialized

Russia•Disrupted agriculture created widespread

famine throughout all Russia

“Great Purge” (“Great Terror”)

•Silenced all who opposed him (KGB)•Eliminated White Russian class•Tried to create a solely communist

country with no other parties

Leon Trotsky

•Second in command•People's Commissar for Military and

Naval Affairs of the Soviet Union•Brains•Created “The Fourth International”•Kicked out, deported, assassinated

Leon Trotsky, Vladimir Lenin, and Lev Kamenev (from left)

Failure in WWII

•Not prepared for WWII•No experienced military officers•Ignored rumors the Germany was going to

attack Russia•Turned allies into enemies•Died in 1953