15,697
edits
Changes
no edit summary
__NOTOC__
[[File: Stalin in exile 1915.jpg |thumbnail|left|275px200px|Stalin in Siberia]]On April 3, 1922, Joseph Stalin is remembered as one took over control of the bloodiest tyrants in the history of the world. He was the absolute ruler Communist Party of the Soviet Union and later of by 1927, he had absolute power over the Communist bloc in Easter EuropeUSSR and was its unquestioned ruler. He rose How did Stalin rise to this unprecedented level of power as a result of his own personal capabilities so quickly after Lenin's death 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 usurp all 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_tlchallengers?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0415182980&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=10976fbde66cefcc9a2808e5d094f993 The Stalin Era]'' (Routledge, London, 2000), p. 78</ref>
===October Revolution and the Russian Civil War=Stalin’s Early Life====[[File:Russian_Revolution_of_1917.jpg|thumbnail|300px|Bolshevik troops in Red Square]]By 1917, Joseph Stalin was in St. Petersburg, which was soon to be renamed Petrograd. This was the capital future leader of the revolutionary government that had seized power from [[Why did Soviet Union, often referred to as the Russian Romanov Dynasty collapse ‘Red Tsar,' was born on 18 December 1878 to a Georgian cobbler in 1917?|the Tsar]] Gori, Georgia and his government wife in February 1917a small, impoverished village. The Provisional Government under Alexander Kerensky His real name was Josef Besarionis de Jughashvili. <ref> Boobyear, p. 111</ref> He was becoming unpopular despite ending the rule ethnically Georgian, but Georgia was part of the Romanov’sTsarist Russian Empire. They had failed After leaving school, Stalin went to end a seminary. Instead of studying theology and the war Bible, he embraced Marxism and to redistributed land to became a follower of Vladimir Lenin, leader of the Russian peasantsrevolutionary Bolshevik Party. <ref> MontefioreConquest, Simon SebagRobert. ''[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/14000767810140169539/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=14000767810140169539&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=8d302940930c5b356ba181d00bc19d29 78415985f069f734b98307b00183a2dd Stalin: The Court Breaker of the Red TsarNations]''. London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson(Viking-Penguin, Hammondsworth, 20031999), p. 117</ref> The Bolsheviks skillfully adopted a policy of promising peace and land to the war weary and starving population. Their message made them very popular and in October 1917, they stormed the Winter Place and declared that the Russian Empire was now the Soviet Union.<ref>Montefiore, p. 111</ref>The exact role of Stalin in the Bolshevik Revolution is not known in any great detail. In later propaganda, Stalin was presented in posters and other images as being by Lenin’s side during the Revolution. In fact, it seemed that Stalin only played a minor role in the Revolution. <ref>Montefiore, p. 113112</ref>
===Lenin =October Revolution and Stalinthe Russian Civil War====[[File: 650px-JStalin Secretary general CCCP 1942 flippedRussian_Revolution_of_1917.jpg |thumbnail| Stalin as General Secretaryleft|300px|Bolshevik troops in Red Square]]After the RevolutionBy 1917, Lenin held the power Stalin was in the new countrySt. HoweverPetersburg, in 1922, after surgery, he had a stroke and he which was never the samesoon to be renamed Petrograd. Lenin This city was physically weakened and many feared the capital of the revolutionary government that he would not have long to live. Lenin was largely confined to a country retreat and cut off had seized power from politics. The ruling council of [[Why did the Bolshevik Party, Russian Romanov Dynasty collapse in 1917?|the Politburo, ordered Lenin to avoid Tsar]] and concentrate on his recoverygovernment in February 1917. Stalin, The Provisional Government under Alexander Kerensky was becoming unpopular despite ending the General Secretary rule of the Communist Party, was one of the few people who still Romanov’s. They had access to him. Stalin used his position failed to cut Lenin off from end the party war and effectively to isolate him. He knew that Lenin’s disliked him, because Lenin perceived him as cruel and authoritarian. Stalin even berated Lenin's wife for breaching Politburo orders by helping Lenin communicate with others on public matters. Stalin's attack on his wife angered Leninredistributed land to the Russian peasants.<ref>ReadMontefiore, ChristopherSimon Sebag. <i>''[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/04152064991400076781/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=04152064991400076781&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=d05be7a646c17cc922f1ffe49958037b Lenin8d302940930c5b356ba181d00bc19d29 Stalin: A Revolutionary LifeThe Court of the Red Tsar]</i> (''. London: RoutledgeWeidenfeld & Nicolson, 20052003), p. 112117</ref> The Bolsheviks skillfully adopted a policy of promising peace and land to the war-weary and starving population. Their message made them very popular, and in October 1917, they stormed the Winter Place and declared that the Russian Empire was now the Soviet Union.<ref>Montefiore, p. 111</ref>Stalin's role in the Bolshevik Revolution is unknown. In later propaganda, Stalin was presented in posters and other images as being by Lenin’s side during the Revolution, but Stalin appears to have played only a minor role in the Revolution. <ref>Montefiore, p. 113</ref>
===Stalin’s Rise to Power=Lenin and Stalin====[[File:Lenin_and_stalin_crop.jpg|left|thumbnail|250px|Lenin and Stalin was officially in Gorki, 1922]]After the leader of Revolution, Lenin held power in the Communist partynew country. However, but to many in the Party1922, after surgery, he was only had a figurehead. Many dismissed him as a nonentity stroke, and a political figure of no real substance. Stalin had always been underestimated by many prominent Bolsheviks because he was not well educatednever the same. Trotsky, Kamenev, and Zinoviev all saw themselves as the logical choice as the successor of The stroke weakened Lenin. However, they were not as popular as they believed and many feared that Stalin was very popular with the ordinary Party memberhe would not have long to live. Stalin Lenin was shrewd enough not largely confined to appear to be seeking the leadership a country retreat and cut off from politics. The ruling council of the Bolshevik Party. Furthermore, he publically denounced Kamenev and Zinoviev, when they tried to involve him in a conspiracy against Trotsky in 1925. This only left Stalin and Trotsky as the sole contenders for the leadership role.<ref> FelshtinskyPolitburo, Yuri. <i>[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1929631952/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1929631952&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=8e5c4b8740fbfc8f691fb6ae90aae02b ordered Lenin to avoid and His Comrades: The Bolsheviks Take Over Russia 1917–1924]</i>. Enigma Books, 2000), pconcentrate on his recovery. 201</ref>
Allies of Stalin colluded to repress all mention of the document. Lenin died of a suspected stroke on January 21st, 1924. Stalin was given the honor of organizing the official funeral. He arranged the funeral and ignored Lenin’s final wishes. Stalin also gave an oration at the funeral, despite the opposition of Lenin’s window. Stalin under the rules of the Party was now the de-facto successor of Lenin. However, the party was not under his control, he had to share power with a collection of other Soviet leaders, including Trotsky, Zinoviev and Kamenev.<ref>Read, p. 236</ref> ====Stalin’s Rise to Power====Stalin was officially the leader of the Communist party, but to many in the Party, he was only a figurehead. Many dismissed him as a nonentity and a political figure of no real substance. Many prominent Bolsheviks had always underestimated Stalin because he was not well educated. Trotsky, Kamenev, and Zinoviev all saw themselves as the logical choice as the successor of Lenin. However, they were not as popular as they believed and that Stalin was very popular with the ordinary Party member. Stalin was shrewd enough not to appear to be seeking the leadership of the Party. Furthermore, Stalin publically denounced Kamenev and Zinoviev, when they tried to involve him in a conspiracy against Trotsky in 1925. Only Stalin and Trotsky as the sole contenders for the leadership role.<ref> Felshtinsky, Yuri. <i>[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1929631952/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1929631952&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=8e5c4b8740fbfc8f691fb6ae90aae02b Lenin and His Comrades: The Bolsheviks Take Over Russia 1917–1924]</i>. Enigma Books, 2000), p. 201</ref> ====Socialism in One Country====[[File:Stalin-Bukharin.jpg|left|thumbnail|250px|Stalin and Bukharin in 1928]]The rivalry between Trotsky and Stalin was not only a personal because both men had radically different views on the nature of Communism. More importantly, they held antithetical ideas on the future of the worldwide Communist revolt. Influenced by Marx, the Bolsheviks, believed that there was going to be a world-wide Communist Revolution. Stalin began advocating "Socialism in One Country," which says that the Bolsheviks should focus building communism in the countries they already controlled rather than spreading the revolution. This view drew many like-minded Party members to Stalin, especially the rank and file. Stalin placed himself in ideological opposition to Trotsky.<ref> Felshtinsky, p. 202</ref> The Party accepted Stalin’s position, and this meant that Trotsky was increasingly marginalized. He then decided to organize public protests, along with others, against Stalin’s growing control of the Party. However, Stalin, employed a law passed by Lenin, ordering unity in the Party. Stalin asserted that Trotsky, was trying to split the party and this ploy managed to sideline Trotsky even further. Another factor, in the growing isolation of Leon Trotsky, despite his achievements during the Russian Civil War, was his Jewish heritage.<ref> Felshtinsky, p. 203</ref> There was a great deal of antisemitism in Russian, and this made Trotsky unpopular. By 1927, Stalin was so powerful that he could force Trotsky, Kamenev, and Zinoviev from the Politburo and later expelled from the Bolshevik Party. Trotsky was forced into exile and eventually later settled in Mexico. ====Consolidating His Rule====By 1927, Stalin was the unquestioned ruler of the Soviet Union. His had filled the administration of the Party with people who were loyal to him. Increasingly, Stalin appointed his loyalists to the Politburo. Many of Lenin’s former lieutenants realized that Stalin was making himself a de-facto dictator. Bukharin was something of a darling in the Party. He was handsome, charismatic and a favorite of Lenin. He led the opposition to Stalin in the Politburo.<ref> Felshtinsky, p. 204</ref> He opposed Stalin’s policy of the rapid industrialization of the Soviet Union and called for the gradual introduction of industrialization. Stalin prevailed, and later he had Bukharin expelled. All those who had crossed Stalin in some way were to be murdered on his orders. Some years later, Stalin sent an assassin to murder Trotsky. He was later killed by a Soviet Agent with an ice pick. Kamenev, Bukharin, and Zinoviev were all later put on trial, in a show trial and executed, on the trumped charges of plotting against the state. Lenin’s widow also died in suspicious circumstance, and many believed that she was poisoned on Stalin’s orders.<ref>Read, p. 235</ref> ====Conclusion====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 up his a power base in the country. Stalin was also generally popular among the ordinary Party Members , and this was crucialto his success. This meant that he had Stalin effectively built a powerful and influential following and this which allowed him to build up his power and influence until he was in gradually take total control of the partySoviet Union. {{Template:Survey1}} ====Suggested Readings====* 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)* Conquest, Robert. ''[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0140169539/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0140169539&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=78415985f069f734b98307b00183a2dd Stalin: Breaker of Nations]''. (Viking-Penguin, Hammondsworth, 1999)* Felshtinsky, Yuri. <i>[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1929631952/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1929631952&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=8e5c4b8740fbfc8f691fb6ae90aae02b Lenin and His Comrades: The Bolsheviks Take Over Russia 1917–1924]</i>. Enigma Books, 2000) * Montefiore, Simon Sebag. ''[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1400076781/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1400076781&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=8d302940930c5b356ba181d00bc19d29 Stalin: The Court of the Red Tsar]''. London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 2003)* Read, Christopher. <i>[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0415206499/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0415206499&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=d05be7a646c17cc922f1ffe49958037b Lenin: A Revolutionary Life]</i> (London: Routledge, 2005)
<div class="portal" style="width:85%;">
====Related DailyHistory.org Articles====
*[[What were the goals of the Axis powers and the Soviet Union during World War Two?]]
*[[How Did the German Military Develop Blitzkrieg?Top Ten Booklist on Joseph Stalin]]
*[[How did Winston Churchill become Prime Minister of the United Kingdom in World War Two?]]
*[[How did Vladimir Lenin Rise To Power?]]
</div>
<references/>
[[Category:Russian History]] [[Category:Military History]] [[Category:World War One History]][[Category:Political History]][[Category:European History]]
{{Contributors}}
Updated January 28, 2019