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[[File: Stalin in exile 1915.jpg |thumbnail|left|200px|Stalin in Siberia]]
On April 3, 1922, Joseph Stalin took over control of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. By and by 1927, he taken had taken absolute power over the USSR and was its unquestioned ruler. How did Stalin rise to power so quickly after Lenin's death and how did usurp all of his other challengers?
Stalin was one of the bloodiest tyrants in world history. He was the absolute ruler of the Soviet Union and later of the Communist bloc in Eastern Europe. He rose to this unprecedented level of power as a result of his capabilities and his understanding of the workings of the Communist Party. Stalin translated these strengths into total control of the Soviet Union after the Russian Civil War (1917-1920). Stalin was not the natural successor of [[How did Vladimir Lenin Rise To Power?|Vladimir Lenin]], but he was able to use his position within the Soviet Communist Party to become the undisputed leader of the Soviet Union.<ref>Boobbyer, Phillip. ''[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0415182980/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0415182980&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=10976fbde66cefcc9a2808e5d094f993 The Stalin Era]'' (Routledge, London, 2000), p. 78</ref>
By 1928, Stalin was the undisputed ruler of the Soviet Union. In 1920, he managed to achieve this despite the opposition of Lenin and many of the senior leaders in the Party. He was widely seen as an uneducated peasant. However, he managed to turn this to his advantage and in his role as General Secretary, he built a power base in the country. Stalin was also generally popular among the ordinary Party Members, and this was crucial to his success. Stalin effectively built a powerful and influential following which allowed him gradually take total control of the Soviet Union.
====Suggested Readings====
[[Category:Russian History]] [[Category:Military History]] [[Category:World War One History]][[Category:Political History]][[Category:European History]]
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Updated January 28, 2019
