soviet mentality 2007
DESCRIPTION
An updated version of this PowerPoint that better complements by Russian Revolution PPT.TRANSCRIPT
The Soviet Union:Totalitarian State
• Within the party not considered as a great thinker, writer, or effective public speaker
• Often described as cold, hard, and impersonal, a “grey blur”
• Played only a small role in the Russian Revolution of 1917
The Grey Blur
Joseph Stalin
• As General Secretary of the Communist Party, Stalin was able to consolidate his power by exerting total control over the details of party structure –
• Stalin appeared to provide a sense of security and direction for the future
QuickTime™ and aYUV420 codec decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
Joseph Stalin
QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
“We are fifty or a hundred years behind the advanced countries. We must make good this distance in ten years. Either we do it or we shall be crushed” – Stalin
Socialism in One Country
• Lenin’s worldwide revolution delayed, unattainable
• Duty of USSR to first create strong socialist state - must be able to ward off enemies!
Socialism in One Country
• Industrialization– Series of 5 year plans– Fantastic results - by
1930’s was worlds 3rd leading industrial power!
Socialism in One Country
• Agricultural Revolution– 1928 seized 25 million
privately owned farms– Established gov’t owned
farms called collectives
Socialism in One Country
• Costs– Brutal techniques used
against workers and farmers
– Secret police coerced population to meet economic goals
– Massive famine un Ukraine kills 5-10 million
Socialism in One Country
Soviet Mentality
• The people accepted difficulties and sacrificing – Czars and communists had controlled people through force, fear
• Promises of prosperity and something great coming soon were believed
Soviet Mentality
• Brutality of the state was for their own protection
• Checka, then NKVD, terrorized people – they were genuinely afraid
• “Politicals” - Enemies of the people who were arrested for alleged spying, disloyalty, etc. Received worse punishments then common criminals
• Gulags
Gulags
QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
Gulags
Gulags
Gulags
Gulags
Gulags
The Great Terror 1937-38
• Arrests - about 7 million
• Executed - about 1 million
• Died in camps - about 2 million
• In prison, late 1938 - about 1 million
• In camps, late 1938 - about 8 million
• Only 10% in camps survived
The Great Terror 1937-38
• Those arrested include original Bolsheviks, military officers, party members
• Stalin’s signature appears on death warrants of over 600,0000
• History is re-written
Four... Three...
Two... One...
Changing History
Changing History
Full Circle...
• Stalin dies in 1953• “All of us around
Stalin were temporary”
• “Destalinization” of the USSR under Kruschev
Full Circle...
Thought Questions
• Why didn’t the people of the Soviet Union rise up?
• What do you think you could do to stay safe?
• Who was probably most at risk?