Read "Stalin's Cult of Personality" Additional material may be found in the Stalin Notes: Follow "The Cult of Personality" link.
1. Does the fact that images of Stalin appeared everywhere, as described by Steinbeck in Source 14.8, prove that Stalin attracted genuine adulation?
I think that the fact that Stalin's image was everywhere doesn't mean that everyone admired him and looked up to him. Since the country was in a state of terror, the Russian citizens were forced into looking up to Stalin, because if they didn't they would be punished. But then when the entire country was surrounded by the "reassuring" face of Stalin, and many of the citizens started to believe that he actually was a good person and then they looked up to him. Stalin gave the Russian people a sense of confidence in such bad times.
2. Describe the various devices used to establish and spread the cult of Stalin.
Paintings, poetry and sculptures having to do with Stalin were everywhere. Making Stalin look like he is one of the people by showing him marching alongside workers or in the fields with peasants, everyone could relate to him. Showing how happy children were because of Stalin made everyone like Stalin. Later, posters depict Stalin as more of a superior and this shows that he is powerful and a good leader, so the citizens would look up to him.
3. Account for the relative success of the cult - why do you think it worked with the Russian people?
I think it worked beacuse Russia was in such bad conditions with the purges and the terror that the Russian people needed something or someone to "know" would always be there for them. Stalin was portrayed as a man who would fix the country and make everyone happy, which is just what they needed at the time, so they believed it.
4. What conclusions can you reach about whether the adulation Stalin received was genuine?
Many people did admire Stalin, but I think that most of it was in fear, after he started the purges. If they showed that they were loyal to Stalin, even if they really weren't, they were less likely to be seen as an opposer and they'd cover it up. There were people who thought that it was ridiculous, but once the purges started, they had to suppress their beliefs in order to stay alive. I think that much of the admiration was just in fear, but perhaps as Stalin surrounded everyone in Russia, some were "brainwashed" into actually believing he would solve everything.
Friday, January 28, 2011
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Purges, Terror and Show Trials
Read "Stalin & the Soviet Union - III," which is in the Stalin shared file folder.
1.What is the significance of Kirov's murder? (This is what I went over in class.)
Stalin used Kirov's murder as an excuse to purge the party of people he thought were a threat to the country. These people were just his opposition. This led into the purges and terror.
2. According to Stalin, who had Nikolayev been working for when he assassinated Kirov? Why is this significant?
Stalin claimed that Nikolayev had acted on orders from a "Leningrad Opposition Center" which had connections with the old Left Opposition, especially Trotsky.
3. What is a Trotskyite?
A person who supports Trotsky's beliefs about communism, such as a permanent revolution. This was a "valid" reason, according to Stalin, for the party member to be purged.
4. There are three major "show trials." List them and a brief description of their significance.
1) The Trial of the Sixteen in 1936 involved Zinoviev, Kamenev and fourteen others. They were accused of involvement in a conspiracy organised by Trotsky to overthrow the government. Most of them confessed to every accusation made against them. They were found guilty and shot the day after.
2) The Trial of the Seventeen was in 1937. The vitctims were accesed of having links with Trotsky, setting up terrorist groups and of wrecking industry. They were found guilty and shot.
3) The Trial of the Twenty-one" in 1938 involved Bukharin, Rykov and nineteen others. The accused confessed to being members of a Trotskyist-Rightist bloc, to wrecking industry and to helping foreign spies. All were found guilty and shot.
The significance of these trials were that they were confessing to extremely absurd things that were probably untrue. In some cases they had been told they wouldn't be executed if they confessed, in other cases the victims were being tortured. These were to show the public that Stalin was willing to do anything, even kill many people, to have power and to make sure the country was safe.
5. During the Great Terror, there were three stages to the purges, staring with members of the Communist party. What were the next two stages and what type of people were purged?
1937-Armed forces: several Red Army Generals were arrested and shot, accused of spying for Germany and Japan.
1938-Anyone who critisized Stalin most likely was denounced to the NKVD as a Trotskyite and were arrested. Everyone was encouraged to denounce anyone, even their family or co-workers. Some people were even arrested for failure to announce suspicious people. By this point, no one knew who it was safe to talk to.
1.What is the significance of Kirov's murder? (This is what I went over in class.)
Stalin used Kirov's murder as an excuse to purge the party of people he thought were a threat to the country. These people were just his opposition. This led into the purges and terror.
2. According to Stalin, who had Nikolayev been working for when he assassinated Kirov? Why is this significant?
Stalin claimed that Nikolayev had acted on orders from a "Leningrad Opposition Center" which had connections with the old Left Opposition, especially Trotsky.
3. What is a Trotskyite?
A person who supports Trotsky's beliefs about communism, such as a permanent revolution. This was a "valid" reason, according to Stalin, for the party member to be purged.
4. There are three major "show trials." List them and a brief description of their significance.
1) The Trial of the Sixteen in 1936 involved Zinoviev, Kamenev and fourteen others. They were accused of involvement in a conspiracy organised by Trotsky to overthrow the government. Most of them confessed to every accusation made against them. They were found guilty and shot the day after.
2) The Trial of the Seventeen was in 1937. The vitctims were accesed of having links with Trotsky, setting up terrorist groups and of wrecking industry. They were found guilty and shot.
3) The Trial of the Twenty-one" in 1938 involved Bukharin, Rykov and nineteen others. The accused confessed to being members of a Trotskyist-Rightist bloc, to wrecking industry and to helping foreign spies. All were found guilty and shot.
The significance of these trials were that they were confessing to extremely absurd things that were probably untrue. In some cases they had been told they wouldn't be executed if they confessed, in other cases the victims were being tortured. These were to show the public that Stalin was willing to do anything, even kill many people, to have power and to make sure the country was safe.
5. During the Great Terror, there were three stages to the purges, staring with members of the Communist party. What were the next two stages and what type of people were purged?
1937-Armed forces: several Red Army Generals were arrested and shot, accused of spying for Germany and Japan.
1938-Anyone who critisized Stalin most likely was denounced to the NKVD as a Trotskyite and were arrested. Everyone was encouraged to denounce anyone, even their family or co-workers. Some people were even arrested for failure to announce suspicious people. By this point, no one knew who it was safe to talk to.
Monday, January 24, 2011
Kirov Murder Myster
Read "Kirov Murder Mystery," which is in your Stalin shared file folder. Examine the two pages of evidence in the Kirov Murder Mystery reading. After reviewing the evidence, make your own judgments by answering the following questions.
1. In what circumstances did the assassin carry out the murder?
On December 1, 1934, Sergei Kirov went into party headquarters in Leningrad. He left his bodyguard downstairs while he went up to his office. He didn't notice the absence of the usual bodyguards in the building. His assassin, who was hiding in the bathroom, snuck up behind Kirov and shot him in the neck.
2. What strange coincidences surround the murder?
Kirov happened to leave his body guard downstairs when he went up to his office
A key witness was going to be Borisov, Kirov's bodyguard, but on the way to be questioned, a truck with many NKVD men got into a car crash and Borisov was killed, but nobody else was hurt. The NKVD men were killed later.
3. Is there any evidence to link Stalin to the murder?
Kirov had recieved more support at the Seventeenth Party Congress than Stalin. Kirov opposed stalin over the pace of industrialization, he wanted relaxation from the terror and reconciliation with the peasantry. Kirov and Stalin disagreed on many other things as well.
4. Is there any evidence to suggest that the NKVD was involved in the murder?
Kirov wanted relaxation of the terror and reconciliation with the peasantry, which would have downgraded the role of the NKVD and reduced its profile and status. It is alleged that an NKVD man had posed as a friend of Nikolayev and practiced shooting his revolver with him. When Stalin interrogated Nikolayev, he pointed to the NKVD men and said to ask them why he killed Kirov.
5. Who had the best motive for the murder?
Nikolayev-had a hatred of the party bureaucracy which he felt had not recognized his worth and given him his due. Also his wife, who was a secretary at party headquarters may have been having an affair with Kirov. There were plans in Nikolayev's briefcase of Kirov's murder. Nikolayev had been arrested in Kirov's neighborhood twice and released both times.
6. What theories can you suggest about who was responsible - was it the assassin alone or were others involved?
I think that the NKVD as well as Nikolayev played a big part in Kirov's assassination. Nikolayev was the man who carried out the NKVD's dirty work. Nikolayev had a personal motive, so the NKVD probably picked him to do their killing.
1. In what circumstances did the assassin carry out the murder?
On December 1, 1934, Sergei Kirov went into party headquarters in Leningrad. He left his bodyguard downstairs while he went up to his office. He didn't notice the absence of the usual bodyguards in the building. His assassin, who was hiding in the bathroom, snuck up behind Kirov and shot him in the neck.
2. What strange coincidences surround the murder?
Kirov happened to leave his body guard downstairs when he went up to his office
A key witness was going to be Borisov, Kirov's bodyguard, but on the way to be questioned, a truck with many NKVD men got into a car crash and Borisov was killed, but nobody else was hurt. The NKVD men were killed later.
3. Is there any evidence to link Stalin to the murder?
Kirov had recieved more support at the Seventeenth Party Congress than Stalin. Kirov opposed stalin over the pace of industrialization, he wanted relaxation from the terror and reconciliation with the peasantry. Kirov and Stalin disagreed on many other things as well.
4. Is there any evidence to suggest that the NKVD was involved in the murder?
Kirov wanted relaxation of the terror and reconciliation with the peasantry, which would have downgraded the role of the NKVD and reduced its profile and status. It is alleged that an NKVD man had posed as a friend of Nikolayev and practiced shooting his revolver with him. When Stalin interrogated Nikolayev, he pointed to the NKVD men and said to ask them why he killed Kirov.
5. Who had the best motive for the murder?
Nikolayev-had a hatred of the party bureaucracy which he felt had not recognized his worth and given him his due. Also his wife, who was a secretary at party headquarters may have been having an affair with Kirov. There were plans in Nikolayev's briefcase of Kirov's murder. Nikolayev had been arrested in Kirov's neighborhood twice and released both times.
6. What theories can you suggest about who was responsible - was it the assassin alone or were others involved?
I think that the NKVD as well as Nikolayev played a big part in Kirov's assassination. Nikolayev was the man who carried out the NKVD's dirty work. Nikolayev had a personal motive, so the NKVD probably picked him to do their killing.
Monday, January 3, 2011
Gulags and the Purges
Read pages 14 - 17 in "Stalin & the Soviet Union - III"
The Gulag System
1. What type of construction projects were built using the Gulag system?
The slaves worked on tasks set up by the Five Year Plans that were really big and ambitious, such as the canal from the White Sea to the Baltic Sea.
2. What were the conditions of the work camps?
In camps: They were located in remote areas of the country or sometimes in towns and cities in full view of the public. They were surrounded by barbed wire and watch towers. Although conditions varied from camp to camp, they were generally really bad. There was a rationing system which depended on how much and what quality of work they did. They have food in the morning (4-5 AM) and in the evening (5-7 PM) but would never get food during the 12 hours of work.
Conditions while working on projects: The workers did the labor entirely without machinery. They worked long hours in all weather conditions. The workers were promised to be set free after the project was completed, and some were, but most of them were transferred to other construction projects in the USSR.
3. Why do you think slave labor was used in the projects rather than paid laborers?
The USSR didn't have to pay the slaves and didn't have to try to keep them happy because it was forced labor. It was easier for the country to "take care" of slaves by giving them the poorest conditions just to keep them alive, than to keep workers happy and well paid. Also, they needed money that they would be paying them for the projects that they were building.
Purges, Show Trails and Terror
4. What were the issues surrounding Kirov's murder? Why do you think he had been murdered?
He was a member of the politburo and was the secretary of the Leningrad branch of the communist party. He was shot by Nikolayev, who had been seen by the police at Kirov's office a few days before the murder, but the police let him go despite his possession of a gun. Also, Kirov's body guard wasn't with him that day, and he was killed the next day in a car crash. On the same day as Kirov's murder, Stalin announced that anybody accused of "terrorism" would be investigated right away and executed immediately after conviction. There would be no appeal of right of defense. Nikolayev was tried and executed. I think that the secret police (under Stalin's orders) let Nikolayev kill Kirov because he was a possible rival to Stalin's position of supreme leader. Kirov was very popular among the people and Stalin couldn't risk someone else being as popular as himself.
5. What was the Great Purge? What specific group did it target?
It was a series of mass arrests during 1935-1938. The goal was to expel members who were unreliable. This meant many things, in one case, if they were ever supporters of Trotsky. People were asked to request investigations of people the might think are questionable as to their reliability/loyalty to the communist party.
6. What was the purpose of the Show Trials?
Some of the most important party members arrested by the NKVD (secret police) were given public trials to which the press were invited and were given maximum publicity. Most were found guilty of corruption/disloyalty and were shot. The purpose of these trials was to scare the public into being loyal and seeing what would happen if you weren't.
7. What was the Great Terror?
There was no way to know who was safe to talk to. Everyone had the potential of being a "terrorist."
The Gulag System
1. What type of construction projects were built using the Gulag system?
The slaves worked on tasks set up by the Five Year Plans that were really big and ambitious, such as the canal from the White Sea to the Baltic Sea.
2. What were the conditions of the work camps?
In camps: They were located in remote areas of the country or sometimes in towns and cities in full view of the public. They were surrounded by barbed wire and watch towers. Although conditions varied from camp to camp, they were generally really bad. There was a rationing system which depended on how much and what quality of work they did. They have food in the morning (4-5 AM) and in the evening (5-7 PM) but would never get food during the 12 hours of work.
Conditions while working on projects: The workers did the labor entirely without machinery. They worked long hours in all weather conditions. The workers were promised to be set free after the project was completed, and some were, but most of them were transferred to other construction projects in the USSR.
3. Why do you think slave labor was used in the projects rather than paid laborers?
The USSR didn't have to pay the slaves and didn't have to try to keep them happy because it was forced labor. It was easier for the country to "take care" of slaves by giving them the poorest conditions just to keep them alive, than to keep workers happy and well paid. Also, they needed money that they would be paying them for the projects that they were building.
Purges, Show Trails and Terror
4. What were the issues surrounding Kirov's murder? Why do you think he had been murdered?
He was a member of the politburo and was the secretary of the Leningrad branch of the communist party. He was shot by Nikolayev, who had been seen by the police at Kirov's office a few days before the murder, but the police let him go despite his possession of a gun. Also, Kirov's body guard wasn't with him that day, and he was killed the next day in a car crash. On the same day as Kirov's murder, Stalin announced that anybody accused of "terrorism" would be investigated right away and executed immediately after conviction. There would be no appeal of right of defense. Nikolayev was tried and executed. I think that the secret police (under Stalin's orders) let Nikolayev kill Kirov because he was a possible rival to Stalin's position of supreme leader. Kirov was very popular among the people and Stalin couldn't risk someone else being as popular as himself.
5. What was the Great Purge? What specific group did it target?
It was a series of mass arrests during 1935-1938. The goal was to expel members who were unreliable. This meant many things, in one case, if they were ever supporters of Trotsky. People were asked to request investigations of people the might think are questionable as to their reliability/loyalty to the communist party.
6. What was the purpose of the Show Trials?
Some of the most important party members arrested by the NKVD (secret police) were given public trials to which the press were invited and were given maximum publicity. Most were found guilty of corruption/disloyalty and were shot. The purpose of these trials was to scare the public into being loyal and seeing what would happen if you weren't.
7. What was the Great Terror?
There was no way to know who was safe to talk to. Everyone had the potential of being a "terrorist."
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