Stalin rose to become the supreme leader of the Soviet Union through manipulation and eliminating his opponents. As general secretary, he retained power by not disclosing Lenin's testament that wanted him removed. He discredited Trotsky and used his control over the Communist Party and secret police to expel Trotsky and gain complete control by 1929.

1. Stalin’s Soviet Union
How did Stalin rise from an ordinary revolutionary
to be the supreme leader of the Soviet Union?
Part 2

2. Recall previous lesson
We learnt about:
What is COMMUNISM
Who was Lenin
How Russia became communist
The structure of the USSR
Measures to ensure complete control

3. Communism

4. Communism
Founded by Karl Marx
All property and work are
COMMUNAL
Needs of society
emphasised over needs of
wealthy minority who were
the rulers then

5. Communism
A system of social organisation where ALL
property is owned by the COMMUNITY
Every person contributes and receives according
to their ability and needs.
Every one is equal
Who are the
main supporters
of Communism?

6. Look at the picture
Who are the
main supporters
of Communism?

7. Vladimir Lenin
Leader of the USSR after the
October Revolution in 1917
Founder of the Bolshevik Party
‘Father of the Revolution’

8. Lesson Objective
Who is Stalin?
Reasons for the rise of Stalin

9. Stalin
During the revolution, Stalin was
the editor of a Bolshevik
newspaper, Pravda
He made sure the newspaper
supported Lenin
Joined the Central Committee of
the Party and helped Lenin
In 1922, Stalin was appointed
the Secretary-General of the
Communist Party (highest post
in the Party)

10. Lenin’s Death, 1924
1922, Lenin suffered a
stroke and went into semi-
retirement
Stalin as Secretary-General
acted as his connection to
the world
Lenin began to make
succession plans………..

11. Potential Successors
Alexei Rykov
Nikolai Bukharin
Lev Kamenev
Grigory Zinoviev

12. Potential Successors
Leon Trotsky
Part of the revolution
In charge of Foreign
Affairs
Unpopular amongst the
other Party members
In charge of Red Army**

13. Potential Successors
Josef Stalin
Secretary-General of
the Communist Party
His opponents
underestimated him
and did not consider
him a threat

14. Lenin’s Testament
Prior to his death, Lenin became:
Deeply concerned about
factionalism and party politics
Suspicious of Stalin’s character
He wrote all his concerns in his
TESTAMENT.
When he died, there was a power
struggle for 5 years within the
Communist Party.

15. Lenin’s Testament

16. Obviously.
Stalin is not
pleased…

17. Non-Disclosure of Lenin’s
Testament
Testament was read out to all successors
Lenin wrote in his Testament to remove Stalin as
SG of the Communist Party
Lenin also criticised ALL his successors
None of the members wanted it to be made
public for fear of humiliation
Stalin retained position as SG of Communist
Party
LINK: Made use of his position for his rise
eventually

18. Who did Lenin prefer?

19. Stalin Lenin Trotsky

20. Trotsky’s unpopularity
Lenin’s right-hand man
Head of the Red Army (Russian Army)
He had the support of the Army
Seen as biggest threat by others
Very unpopular with other members of the
Politburo

21. Trotsky’s unpopularity
Troika Alliance (Kamenev, Zinoviev, Stalin) aimed
to remove Trotsky by DISCREDITING him
Trotsky is an outspoken person and had argued
with Lenin over several topics
These arguments were seen as acts of
disloyalty to Lenin and Party

22. Trotsky’s unpopularity
Trotsky believed in ‘permanent revolution’
To promote and incite revolutions all over the
world
Stalin argued for ‘socialism in one country’
Stalin had support of other Party members
Trotsky seen as against Party

23. Trotsky’s unpopularity
Around Lenin’s death, Trotsky fell ill
Too weak to organise his supporters
Slowly excluded from decision-making and
crippled his position in the Party

24. Stalin’s manipulations
Pretending to be close to Lenin
Gave Party members and public impression that
Lenin liked and trusted him
Organised Lenin’s funeral
Established as chief mourner
Petrograd to Leningrad
Gave Trotsky wrong date of funeral
Public impression is that Stalin is natural
successor

25. Can you spot Stalin?

26. Lenin’s Mausoleum in 2013

27. Lenin’s Body

28. Stalin’s manipulations
Control over Party organisation
As SG he was able to appoint and re-assign
Party members
Appoint his supporters to replace Trotsky’s
supporters
Forced Trotsky to resign as head of Red Army in
1925
Trotsky expelled in 1927
Assassinated in 1940 as he continued to oppose
Stalin in exile
Gained control of the Cheka, later renamed
NKVD

29. NKVD
Also known as Cheka (Russian
Secret Police)
Cruel and Ruthless
Main purpose was to ‘protect
Soviet state security’
Hunted down Stalin’s
opponents

31. Stalin’s manipulations
Exploitation of
Ideological division
Moderates and radicals
Allied himself with
different ideological
divisions to eliminate
his opponents
Eventually got rid of all
opponents and became
supreme leader in 1929

32. The people who cast the
votes decide nothing.
The people who count
the votes decide
everything.
- Stalin

33. How did Stalin rise to
power?
Explain your answer.

34. Reasons for rise of Stalin
• Stalin retained SG position
• Used it to eliminate opposition
Non-Disclosure of Lenin’s
Testament
• Stalin used it to discredit Lenin
Trotsky’s unpopularity
• Pretended to be close to Lenin
• Control Party Organisation
• Exploitation of ideological divisions
Stalin’s Manipulations

37. A poster created in 1920 commemorating the 1917 revolution
Top: Rykov, Radek, Pokrevsky, Kamenev. Middle: Trotsky, Lenin,
Sverdlov. Bottom: Bukharin, Zinoviev, Krylenko, Kollontai,
Lunacharsky.

38. Why do we study about
Stalin?

39. Why do we study about
Stalin?

40. Why do we study about
Stalin?

41. What kind of ruler do you
think Stalin was?

42. Why do we study about
Stalin?
Ruled USSR from 1924 – 1953 (29 years)
One of the MOST evil ruler of all time
56 – 62 million people died ‘unnaturally’ during
his reign