5.2.1
Stalin's Popularity
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Stalin as Wartime Leader
Stalin took on a new role in 1941 when Russia entered the Second World War. He was now the leader of a country at war.
Nazi-Soviet Pact
- Stalin entered an agreement with Nazi Germany in August 1939 to try to avoid conflict with Hitler.
- The pact said that Germany and the USSR would not attack one another. Stalin stuck to the agreement stubbornly.
- The Nazis broke the pact in June 1941 when they invaded the Soviet Union.
- The Soviet Union was now at war.
War Leader
- Stalin became an incredibly successful and popular war leader.
- He was very pragmatic (practical) - he relaxed his ideology to support the war effort.
- He opened the Orthodox churches again, which was very popular.
- He used the radio for speaking to the people about heroes from Russian history.
Weaknesses
- Stalin made a number of mistakes as leader.
- He tried to hold territory he was losing for too long and refused to retreat.
1944
- Stalin turned everything around in 1944.
- He was able to bring about the almost total destruction of the German army groups in Russia.
1The Leadership Struggle, 1924-1929
1.1Struggle for Power 1924-28
2Five Year Plans & Collectivisation
2.1Changes in Industry
2.2Agriculture & Collectivisation
3Purges, Show Trials & The Cult of Stalin
3.1The Use of Terror in the 1930s
3.2Propaganda & Censorship
4Life in the Soviet Union, 1924-1941
4.1Life in the Soviet Union
5The Second World War, 1941-1953
5.1USSR in the War
5.2Stalin & WW2
5.3Post-War Recovery
Jump to other topics
1The Leadership Struggle, 1924-1929
1.1Struggle for Power 1924-28
2Five Year Plans & Collectivisation
2.1Changes in Industry
2.2Agriculture & Collectivisation
3Purges, Show Trials & The Cult of Stalin
3.1The Use of Terror in the 1930s
3.2Propaganda & Censorship
4Life in the Soviet Union, 1924-1941
4.1Life in the Soviet Union
5The Second World War, 1941-1953
5.1USSR in the War
5.2Stalin & WW2
5.3Post-War Recovery
Practice questions on Stalin's Popularity
Can you answer these? Test yourself with free interactive practice on Seneca — used by over 10 million students.
- 1Nazi-Soviet PactPut in order
- 2What was Stalin like as a war leader?True / false
- 3What mistakes did Stalin make as leader?Fill in the list
- 4What did Stalin achieve in 1944?Fill in the list
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