Question 1: When did Stalin officially become the leader of the Soviet Union?

Answer: 1924

Question 2: Which policy was introduced by Stalin to rapidly industrialize the USSR?

Answer: The Five-Year Plans

Question 3: Name one key event during Stalin's Great Purge.

Answer: The execution of old Bolsheviks

Question 4: What was the main aim of collectivization?

Answer: To consolidate individual farms into large collective farms to increase food production and control

Question 5: In which year did Stalin's rule end?

Answer: 1953

Question 1: Source: 'Stalin declared that the Five-Year Plans would transform the USSR into a modern industrial society.' What was Stalin's purpose in making this statement?

Answer: To promote support for the Five-Year Plans and justify his policies.

Question 2: Evaluate the reliability of this source. What biases might it have?

Answer: It is a propaganda statement, likely biased to promote Stalin's policies; it may exaggerate the success of the plans.

Question 3: Who was the intended audience for Stalin's speeches during the 1930s?

Answer: The Soviet citizens and party members, to motivate them and maintain support.

Question 1: Explain why Stalin launched the Great Purge. Include causes and effects in your answer.

Answer: Stalin launched the Great Purge to eliminate perceived enemies, consolidate power, and ensure loyalty within the party. It resulted in mass executions, imprisonments, and a climate of fear.

Question 2: Describe how Stalin's policies affected agricultural productivity in the USSR.

Answer: Stalin's collectivization disrupted traditional farming, leading to resistance, food shortages, and a decline in agricultural productivity initially, but eventually increasing state control over agriculture.

Question 3: Explain the significance of the Five-Year Plans in shaping the Soviet economy.

Answer: The Five-Year Plans aimed to rapidly industrialize the USSR, transforming it into a major industrial power, but often at the cost of consumer goods and individual freedoms.

Question 1: To what extent was Stalin's rise to power driven by his ability to manipulate events and people within the Communist Party? (8-12 marks)

Answer: Stalin's rise was significantly aided by his strategic positioning, manipulation of party processes such as the power struggle after Lenin's death, and his use of propaganda and violence. While his political skill was crucial, external factors like Lenin’s death created opportunities that he exploited. His ability to outmaneuver rivals like Trotsky was key, and his control over party apparatus helped cement his power. Overall, Stalin's personal qualities and political cunning were vital in his ascension, though they operated within a context of existing power struggles.