World War Two - Stalin and the West
In 1942 the Red Army had 1.5 million soldiers, Stalin had built up the army using conscription. In 1940 30% of the USSR budget was on spent on the military but they only had obsolete equipment. Because of the purges most leaders had been killed and much initiative and experience was lost.
In 1939 Germany and Russia signed a non-aggression pact, stating that neither country would invade the other. This was signed despite mutual animosity and the West was stunned.
In 1941 Hitler's Germany invaded the Soviet Union in Operation Barbarossa The Soviet Air force was destroyed in 24hrs and 1 million servicemen died in two weeks. By the end of 1941 the Ukraine and Western Russia was occupied by the Germans. The Results of this were:
- 1941-42 Stalin's grip on power at it's most tenuous
- Appeals to pride, tradition and history were made to keep up spirits
- Persecution of the church was stopped
- Stalin took advice but kept control
- Stalin became the leader of the armed forces
- Zhukov was appointed deputy military commander
- World War Two became known, in Russia, as the Great Patriotic War
- Scorched Earth tactics were used and industry was moved eastward
- Huge patriotic population, good at fighting on their own turf
- Germany was fighting on several fronts. Stalin only had to deal with the Russian Front
- Germans were not prepared for the onset of the harsh Russian winter, troops and equipment froze, supply lines were stretched.
- Comintern was abolished to get Western Support
- Three key battles of the war were fought in: Moscow, Leningrad and Stalingrad
A Communist Europe?
The Soviet war-effort was critical in defeating Hitler. But Stalin's patience with his allies wore thin. He felt that they were leaving the Soviet Union with all the work. He demanded Britain and the US launch an invasion into Nazi-occupied Europe from the West, to aid the Soviets in their push from the East.
Winston Churchill and the US President Roosevelt feared Stalin, unchecked would overrun Eastern Europe and Germany setting up communist governments there. The three leaders met in Tehran in 1943. Because of the Red Army's victories, Stalin was in a strong position. He demanded that the Soviet Union have an influence in Eastern Europe after the War. Roosevelt and Churchill, while appreciating his concern for security, feared this would mean and extension of Communism in Europe
The Defeat of Hitler
The promised invasion of Europe took place in 1944. After D-Day landings in France, Hitler's forces were squeezed between the two advancing armies. His defeat was certain, but what then? The big three met again at Yalta. They decided Germany and it's capital Berlin be split into four zones. These would be administrated by the USSR, USA, France and Britain
The Red Army, led by Marshall Zhuhov, reached Berlin two weeks before Britain and American Forces. Germany surrended on the 30th of April 1945
Eastern Europe
Hitler was dead. Would Stalin no control Europe? Stalin, looking to secure his borders in the post-war period, viewed a weakened Eastern Europe as an easy Communist conquest and a future 'buffer-zone' of protection for the USSR. Eastern Europe was quickly bought under the control of Moscow and set up as satellite communist states - the Eastern Bloc
The Cold War
Alarmed and Angry at this extension of Stalin's power, Churchill made a speech in 1946 in which he said:
"...and Iron Curtain has descended across the continent
...This is not the liberated Europe we fought to build up"
Despite her terrible losses, the Soviet Union was now the world's second most powerful country. Germany was devastated and Britain and France seriously weakened by the war. There was a fear that communist rule might spread beyond the Iron Curtain. Post war poverty and discontent strengthened communist movements elsewhere. Stalin encouraged them through Cominform.
President Truman by means of the Marshall Plan offered to help the European countries to rebuild. Stalin would not allow the countries to accept this aid.
To resist communism Truman made it clear that the US would not help any communist country.
A Cold War developed between the Iron Curtain Countries and the West.
The first crises of the cold war was the Berlin Blockade. Because of the divisions agreed on at Yalta. West Berlin became a 'capitalist island' in Soviet Held Territory. In 1948 Stalin closed off all road and rail links with the west, hoping to stave the two million West Berliners into submission. For almost a year the US flew in all food and supplies.
The blockade united the west against Stalin, forming the Anti-Communist NATO Alliance. Seeing he had failed Stalin lifted the blockade blaming it on Molotov and others. A new country was formed West Germany. Stalin turned East Germany into another Soviet Satellite. Berlin stayed divided.
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Nuclear Weapons - Hitler beaten, Stalin helped the US defeat Japan - The Soviets drove Japan out of Manchuria - The atomic bomb made an end to the Pacific War saving millions of lives - It also prevented Stalin from having any post war influence on Japan - The A bomb was a warning, the US had the ultimate weapon - Within four years the USSR had its own A bomb - The Nuclear Arms race had begun |  |
Stalin and the UN
At Yalta it had been arranged to set up the UN to replace the old League of Nations
Stalin insisted that:
- Great powers in the UN had the right of veto. No action would be taken unless all agreed.
- That each of the 16 soviet republics have an individual membership in the UN. Eventually the USSR received three UN seats(Russia, Ukraine and Byelorussia)
Meanwhile in Asia
Stalin encouraged post-war Communist movements in Malaysia, Indochina, India and Indonesia, but was uneasy with Asia's first communist Government, China.
In 1950 the Cold War erupted into violence when Communist Nth Korea, invaded the south. As relations between the US and USSR deteriorated seperate governments were set up in the North and the South. The UN voted to drive the communists out. Stalin could not use his veto, as the USSR was not attending UN meetings as protest to the UN not recognising China.
The Korean War ended in a stale mate and the country is still divided.
Post War Soviet Union
In 1945 the Soviet Union was devastated. Collectives had been abandoned and destroyed and the cost of war was high
- 20 million people were killed (1 in 10)
- 31,000 factories were destroyed
- 70,000 villages were destroyed
- 98,000 Collective farms were destroyed
- 6 million homes were distroyed
Much of the work of the 1930s had been undone. Housing conditions in shatted cities were terrible. Approximately 25 million people were living in dugouts
The 4th Five Year Plan
Period of reconstruction after the war
No rest for the Russian people
Many have hoped it would be dedicated for housing and food
Instead now targets were set for production of iron, coal, electricity, oil and steel
By 1948 industrial production levels were back to pre-war levels
Post War restrictions in the USSR
The war had increased Stalin's distrust of foreigners and any of his people who had any contact with them..
- Foreign Visitors were refused entry into the USSR
- Citizens of the USSR were not allowed out
- Cultural and sporting exchanges ended
- Frequencies of foreign radios were jammed
- All important inventions were claimed to be Russian
- Many Russian soldiers who had been overseas during the war were either killed or sent to Siberia incase they promoted anti communist ideas
- Old censorship rules on art and literature were imposed
- Eastern Europe was cut out from the rest of the world
Another Purge
Stalin was as paranoid as ever. New purges began in both USSR and in Eastern Europe. Purges were aimed at Russian Prisoners of war. Who had been in German Camps, 'westerners' and Jews. Some people were even targeted for being pessissmists
The Stalin Cult
- Stalin prestige and creativity higher than ever
- His totalitarianism was absolute. He alone ruled like the Tsars
- All-important Jobs were his
- No party conferences between 1939 to 1952
- People and groups whose authority had grown during the war were disposed of
