Stalin: The Man of Steel

By 50MINUTES

Keen to learn but short on time? Get to grips with the life of Stalin in next to no time with this concise guide.

50Minutes.com provides a clear and engaging analysis of the life of Joseph Stalin. Following the death of Lenin, who had overthrown the tsarist regime with the Russian Revolution, Stalin carefully eliminated his opponents and rose to power, immediately establishing a full dictatorship. Despite his many deplorable crimes, his contributions to Russian industrialisation and his success in the Second World War ensured his popularity for years after his death. However, when the Soviet Union fell in 1991, the full scale of the atrocities he committed became known throughout the world.

In just 50 minutes you will:
   • Learn about Stalin’s early life and work for the underground Communist movement, including his exile to Siberia under the tsarist regime
   • Understand his opportunism and successful elimination of the other candidates, ensuring he was elected as Soviet leader
   • Discover the truth behind the many atrocities that were carried out under his reign, including organised famine, mass deportations and executions without trial, and the silencing of any opposition during the Great Terror

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• Language: English
• Publisher: 50Minutes.com
• Release date: Mar 16, 2017
• ISBN: 9782806290113

Book preview

Stalin

Key information

Born: 18 December 1878 – officially 21 December 1879 – in Gori, Georgia (Russian Empire).

Died: 5 March 1953 in Moscow.

Known for:

the establishment of Communism in the USSR

the implementation of a repressive dictatorial regime

the rapid industrialisation of the USSR and land collectivisation

contribution to the Allied victory in the Second World War (1939-1945)

putting Eastern Europe under Soviet control and triggering the Cold War (1947-1991).

Introduction

Iosif (Joseph) Vissarionovich Dzhugashvili, known as Stalin, is one of the best-known politicians of all time. General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1922, then leader of the USSR from 1924 until 1953, he successfully dominated his country, followed by half of Europe, as well as promoting the spread of Communism in the rest of the world.

Born to an impoverished family in deepest Georgia and expelled from his religious school, Stalin turned to crime at a young age. Following the Russian Revolution and the toppling of the tsarist regime, he successfully gained access to the elite circle of the new Socialist leaders before seizing power and establishing a repressive dictatorial regime. Under Stalin’s rule, the bright future that the Revolution had heralded turned into a nightmare. He became a symbol of extreme Communism and the embodiment of modern barbarism, and made the USSR a model of totalitarianism. His reign stands out for its length and the scope of his actions, making him one of the most influential politicians of the 20th century.

After his death, the revelation of the extent of his crimes destroyed what was, undoubtedly, the greatest utopia of the 20th century. However, years after his death, he still inspires a certain amount of fascination. After the fall of the Soviet Union, his popularity increased again in Russia, where his legacy was reconsidered and idealised.

The man of many surnames

Throughout his life, Stalin had many surnames and pseudonyms. He was called Sosso (a diminutive of Joseph) during his childhood, and then took the name of