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The stalinist dictatorship and reaction 1941-1964 - Coggle Diagram

- - - - Factionalism led to stability issues.
    - - De-stalinisation opened up Khrushchev to cultural dissidents. Many of these were committed to a greater democracy, human rights and the rights of nationalities. Writers avoided censorship by publishing their works abroad in hope that it would be relayed back to Soviet Citizens through foreign broadcasts. Others copied illegal works by using printers at night and writing them by hand. These were then handed out by hand. Poetry readings occurred at the statue in Moscow. these were listened to by Students and intelligentsia. Treatment of political prisoners were less harsh, they were given jobs outside of Moscow and not shot. De-Stalinisation caused lots of opposition. Opposition was also seen within his own party. In 1964 Khrushchev was ousted from power in a coup by Brezhnev. Khrushchev's economic policy had also caused opposition as his schemes failed to fix the shortages.
    - - During the war some liberated people helped the Germans against the USSR, This includes Lithuanians and Ukrainian. Over 1 million joined the German army.
  - - - High stalinism was also see by a return in terror and the destruction of opposition. Stalin demanded Excessive isolation from western influences during the cold war era. He was concerned about Ideological contamination and he stopped returning prisoners and those who spent excessive time out of the USSR. The NKVD was strengthened and 2 new ministries were set up to help undertake its surveillance and work. The MVD (Ministry of Internal Affairs) controlled domestic security and the gulags and the MGB (Ministry of State Security) this was later known as the KGB. This took charge of counter-intelligence and espionage. 10s of thousands were arrested annually for counter revolutionary activity. After the death of Zhdanov's death, Stalin ordered an investigation into the doctors. Stalin believed that this was a part of a jewish plot. Hundreds of doctors were arrested and tortured and thousands of jews were deported to new labour camps This was known as the doctors plot. Culture which did not conform to Stalin's beliefs was banned. There was some internal opposition from a part of the communist party, they wanted the country to become marxist as they were apart of the old bolsheviks. The followers were purged in order to remove their influence which shows factionalism.
    - - He arrested many students for reading poetry at the Mayakovsky monument monument in 1961. He sent many writers to labour camps and prevented them state employment. There was very little political opposition as the Stalin Terror still scared people. When there was a demonstrations in the a Ukrainian working class house hold over the price increases of butter and meat matched with the cut in wages. Khrushchev sent in troops, 28 were killed and 80 injured. The ring leader was executed.
    - - Stalin dealt with war opposition effectively following the Nazi-Soviet pact, Stalin sent 1.5 million people to gulags and exile villages. To remove any threat that Poland had, 20,000 officers, police and member of the polish elite were shot. NKVD order 227 - "no Step Back" was introduced to prevent those unwilling to fight from being given the option.
- - - - Peasants were squeezed by quotas and lived on 20% less income than an industrial worker, In towns diets were poor and housing and consumer products were in short supply. Working hours remained at working remained at war levels. Higher rations were given to party officials, Women were expected to make up for the war dead in their working roles and the rouble lost 90% of its value
      - The Zhdanovschina. It began with a purge on literary journals in Leningrad. Some poetry was called poisonous and the journals which had printed them were condemned. The motivation for this was the fear of westernisation. Culture which did not conform to Stalins views was banned. Many people who would write books that Stalin didn't approve of had family members sent to gulags.
      - Many jewish drama and literary critics disappeared and the last jewish news paper was shut down. Nazi atrocities to jews were ignored. Schools and synagogues were closed. Non-communist foreign papers were unobtainable and foreign radio was jammed.
      - Socialist realism was the dominant ideal. It means seeing life at it was becoming and ought to be. Cultural forms were encouraged to be inspired by the idea of socialism.
    - - The party elites still benefitted from Non-wage privileges such as better healthcare. Which undermined Khrushchev's claims of equality.
      - Living standard was still less than most countries
      - Changes in youth attitude led to vandalism and hooliganism. There was still censorship in place, some writers had to smuggle there writings out of the country for it to be published. Khrushchev revived the campaign against the church and atheism was brought into schools and children were banned from attending church services. There were mass closures if monasteries.
      - Growing liberalism failed to be felt by ethnic minorities and Khrushchev refused to allow jewish schools to open.
    - - Army. It was an offence for a soldier to be taken captive. The family of a captured soldier had their ration cards confiscated
      - Living conditions. extreme food shortages - estimated 25 million died from starvation. There was a lack in houses and a fuel shortage.
      - Workers. Obligatory holidays were eventually suspended, and the working day was increased to 12 hours and the working week was increased to 70-77 hours. In December 1941 a new law was drafted which mobilised all undrafted workers for war work and all women between the age 16-55 were required to devote themsleves to the war effort
      - Women. Family was reaffirmed. Measures were taken to arrest the falling the falling birth rate. Taxes were increased for those with fewer than 2 children, restrictions on divorce were tightened, abortion was forbidden and mothers of more than 2 children's were known as heroines. Women were vital in the workforce and expected to run a family By 1945 over half of the Industrial workforce were women
      - War brought economic, social and political disruption to the soviet union, as the nation was not ready for war.
  - - - He aimed to improve the living conditions of soviet people, This was through De-stalinisation campaigns and economic reform. Consumer goods were made available like Tv's, Radios, and Refrigerators. Hours of work were reduced to 40 per week and wage equalisation saw increase for the lowest paid wage gap. Education Improved and was more widely available. De-Stalinisation accompanied by a cultural thaw, restrictions on reading foreign literature, radio broadcasts and what can be said was lifted. People were allowed to travel abroad. This meant that more people could come to the country. Seeing westerners was exciting for Russian Youth. Some previously banned writers were allowed to write again
    - - The government relaxed it attitude towards the Orthodox church - The Holy Synod was reinstated and training for new priests was reopened. The church claimed Stalin as the God-chosen leader of the soviet union. Stalin hoped to use the church to restore morale. Previously banned artists were allowed to work again
    - - Priests might be the only group that lives improved during high stalinism. The church was reopened and the Holy synod was reinstated and the training for new priests was reopened