Faith Walker

Dr. Szymonik
AP Government
October 19, 2011
Joseph Stalin
Iosif Vissarionovich Dzhugashvili, known as Joseph Stalin, was born on December 18,
1879 in Georgia, Russian.1 He studied at a theological seminary, where he devoted himself to
reading Marxist literature, never graduating, but instead joining a revolutionary movement
against the Russian monarchy for the next fifteen years.1 In 1924, Stalin promoted himself to
Lenins position after his death, and by the late 1920s, Stalin was undoubtedly the dictator of the
Soviet Union, only leaving his office on March 5, 1953, his death.1
After the Revolution of 1917, Stalin entered the Soviet cabinet as peoples commissar for
nationalities, and in 1922 he was elected general secretary of the central committee of the party,
which allowed him to control the members by building a group loyal to him.2 After the death of
Lenin, Stalin formed an alliance against Trotsky, both being strong contenders to replace Lenin. 2
When Trotsky was ousted, Stalin turned on his first alliance and allied with another. After
Stalins former partners were forced to resign from their positions, Stalin broke with Bukharin,
also planning his fall from power.2 To retain power, Stalin eliminated any opposition, including
many innocents and his own officials (enemies of the people).1 These executions started with the
people he had made his first alliance with, quickly moving to his own Red Army, and swiftly to
anyone who knew too much about these purges.3 Tens of millions of ordinary individuals were
executed or imprisoned in labor camps in Siberia that were little more than death camps, not
including the Ukraine famine.3 By the end of his reign, Stalin had purged over 20 million lives.4

Endnotes
1

"BBC - History - Historic Figures: Joseph Stalin (1879 - 1953)." BBC - Homepage. Web.

18 Oct. 2011. <http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/stalin_joseph.shtml>.

2

"Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin: Rise to Power Infoplease.com." Infoplease:

Encyclopedia, Almanac, Atlas, Biographies, Dictionary, Thesaurus. Free Online Reference,

Research & Homework Help. Infoplease.com. The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 2007.
Web. 18 Oct. 2011. <http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/people/A0861297.html>.
3

Rogovin, Vladim. "Stalin's Great Terror: Origins and Consequences." World Socialist

Web Site. 28 May 1996. Web. 18 Oct. 2011. <http://www.wsws.org/exhibits/1937/lecture1.htm>.

4

Wilde, Robert. "Stalin - A Biography of Stalin." European History: The History of

Europe. About.com. Web. 18 Oct. 2011.

<http://europeanhistory.about.com/od/famouspeople/p/prstalin.htm>.

Bibliography
"BBC - History - Historic Figures: Joseph Stalin (1879 - 1953)." BBC - Homepage. Web. 18 Oct.
2011. <http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/stalin_joseph.shtml>.
"Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin: Rise to Power Infoplease.com." Infoplease: Encyclopedia,
Almanac, Atlas, Biographies, Dictionary, Thesaurus. Free Online Reference, Research &
Homework Help. Infoplease.com. The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 2007. Web.
18 Oct. 2011. <http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/people/A0861297.html>.
Rogovin, Vladim. "Stalin's Great Terror: Origins and Consequences." World Socialist Web Site.
28 May 1996. Web. 18 Oct. 2011. <http://www.wsws.org/exhibits/1937/lecture1.htm>.
Wilde, Robert. "Stalin - A Biography of Stalin." European History The History of Europe.
About.com. Web. 18 Oct. 2011.
<http://europeanhistory.about.com/od/famouspeople/p/prstalin.htm>.