Iosif Vissarionovich Dzhugashvili, better known as Joseph Stalin, once said, “A single death is a tragedy; a million deaths is a statistic.” His harsh, eye-opening words are just a glimpse into the man’s corrupted ideologies. Due to his rigid mindset, Stalin became infamous rather than famous. His interesting childhood and unorthodox beliefs lead him to become a powerful and merciless dictator that could only be matched by the atrocities of Adolf Hitler or Pol Pot. In addition to his strict rule, Joseph Stalin’s prominent role in the Ukrainian Famine of 1921 earned him an incredulous reputation as a leader with no regard for human life. Looking into the childhoods of history’s most malevolent superpowers can often reveal characteristics that
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He proceeded to gain political advances through the help of the Bolshevik faction. His contributions to the communist party included organizing a bank robbery to expropriate funds for the party (“Stalin, Joseph”). Lenin, the leader of the Bolshevik faction, was exiled to Switzerland in 1912 and appointed Joseph Stalin to the Central Committee of the party. Not long after, Lenin returned to his role as leader and Russia was taken over by the Bolsheviks in 1917. In 1922, after Stalin continued to make astounding advances within the new Russian power, he was appointed secretary general of the Communist Party (History.com). With his new role, Stalin created a large political backing by selecting his own allies to different government positions. Vladimir Lenin’s death in 1924 sparked a vicious fight for dictatorship (PBS). To facilitate his dictatorship, Stalin crushed any and all opposition from other parties and their leaders. He first started by simply firing his rivals from their positions and exiling them from the country. However, he soon realized that his exiled, intellectual enemies were still able to damage his reputation and his image. As a cruel solution, Stalin invoked purges to cease his rivalries indefinitely. A prime example of this includes Leon Trotsky who was permanently silenced in 1940 with an ice pick …show more content…
As Ukraine was known for being the home of disobedient and rebellious villagers, Stalin saw it as an immediate threat that could would have to be managed quickly. According to “Genocide in the 20th Century: Stalin’s Forced Famine 1932-33,” which is located on the History Place, his first action to oppress any Ukrainians that defied him included collectivization, a form of land management. In this system, all private lands, farms, and livestock were seized, and the Ukrainians were all forced to be slave-workers in mines and large industries. Food was considered sacred property of the state, for which stealing was punishable by death. Ukraine has endlessly rich soil perfect for growing wheat, but Stalin raised the export quota so significantly that the people and workers within the country were left with nothing. “The Great Famine of 1921” states that Stalin’s strict quotas and complete disregard for the villagers of his and surrounding countries led the villagers and peasants of Russia to extreme measures. The intense drought and famine led to cannibalism, and even a trade of human flesh on the black market. To make matters worse, Stalin closed off the borders of Ukraine as a method of punishing its people. As a result, any foreign aid, including food supplies, were prevented from assisting the starving
He proceeded to gain political advances through the help of the Bolshevik faction. His contributions to the communist party included organizing a bank robbery to expropriate funds for the party (“Stalin, Joseph”). Lenin, the leader of the Bolshevik faction, was exiled to Switzerland in 1912 and appointed Joseph Stalin to the Central Committee of the party. Not long after, Lenin returned to his role as leader and Russia was taken over by the Bolsheviks in 1917. In 1922, after Stalin continued to make astounding advances within the new Russian power, he was appointed secretary general of the Communist Party (History.com). With his new role, Stalin created a large political backing by selecting his own allies to different government positions. Vladimir Lenin’s death in 1924 sparked a vicious fight for dictatorship (PBS). To facilitate his dictatorship, Stalin crushed any and all opposition from other parties and their leaders. He first started by simply firing his rivals from their positions and exiling them from the country. However, he soon realized that his exiled, intellectual enemies were still able to damage his reputation and his image. As a cruel solution, Stalin invoked purges to cease his rivalries indefinitely. A prime example of this includes Leon Trotsky who was permanently silenced in 1940 with an ice pick …show more content…
As Ukraine was known for being the home of disobedient and rebellious villagers, Stalin saw it as an immediate threat that could would have to be managed quickly. According to “Genocide in the 20th Century: Stalin’s Forced Famine 1932-33,” which is located on the History Place, his first action to oppress any Ukrainians that defied him included collectivization, a form of land management. In this system, all private lands, farms, and livestock were seized, and the Ukrainians were all forced to be slave-workers in mines and large industries. Food was considered sacred property of the state, for which stealing was punishable by death. Ukraine has endlessly rich soil perfect for growing wheat, but Stalin raised the export quota so significantly that the people and workers within the country were left with nothing. “The Great Famine of 1921” states that Stalin’s strict quotas and complete disregard for the villagers of his and surrounding countries led the villagers and peasants of Russia to extreme measures. The intense drought and famine led to cannibalism, and even a trade of human flesh on the black market. To make matters worse, Stalin closed off the borders of Ukraine as a method of punishing its people. As a result, any foreign aid, including food supplies, were prevented from assisting the starving