1. The Soviet Union Under Stalin – Part II Chapter 13 Section 4

2. Stalin Controlled People’s Minds • Issued propaganda • Censored opposing ideas • Imposed Russian culture on minorities • Replaced Religion with communist ideas

3. Propaganda • Stalin made himself god-like • He constructed a “cult of personality” about himself • Communist State engaged in frequent propaganda • Propaganda is information, ideas, or rumors deliberately spread widely to help or harm a person, group, movement, institution, nation, etc. • Students learned about communist principles in school • Movies began first with communist successes and criticisms of capitalism • Billboards and posters around the Soviet Union urged workers to meet their production requirements

4. Propaganda

5. Propaganda

6. Censorship and the Arts • USSR controlled books published • USSR controlled music heard • USSR controlled art

7. Cultural Life in Russia • Stalin demanded that artists and writers create works in a style called socialist realism – program designed to show Soviet life in a positive light and promote communism • If artists/writers refused to conform to government expectations, they faced persecution

8. Russification • Another way Stalin controlled cultural life was to promote russification • Russia was the largest, most populous republic of the USSR • But the USSR had other republics (Ukraine, Georgia, etc.) with minority ethniticies and different languages • The goal was to force people of non-Russian nationalities to become more Russian • Schools were forced to teach the Russian language instead of, for example, Ukraninan.

9. Russification

10. Religion • The official Communist Party belief in atheism led to the cruel treatment of religious leaders • Atheism = the doctrine or belief that there is no God.; disbelief in the existence of a supreme being or beings. • Members of the Russian Orthodox Church were specifically targeted because they had previously supported the tsars before the Russian Revolution (1917) • Communists also targeted Jews and Muslims

11. Social Order • Communists destroyed the old social order • Communism was supposed to be a classless, equal society • Instead of creating a society of equals, Communist Party members became the heads of society • Few Soviet citizens could join the Communist Party • The leaders of the Communist Party, the elite in society, some military leaders and scientists had more privileges such as the best housing, best food, etc.

12. Communism

13. Benefits of Communism • Still, under communism most people enjoyed free medical care, day care for children, cheaper housing, and public recreation • Communist Party established sport, cultural activities, and political groups for young people to train to become party members • Communist Party provided families with housing – but entire families might live together in one single room! • Women had equal rights by law – women became doctors, engineers, scientists

15. KGB = Soviet Spy Agency

16. Soviet Foreign Policy • Soviet leaders had two foreign policy goals between 1917-1939 • First goal - spread Communism worldwide • Second goal - to ensure their nation’s security by winning the support of other countries • These contradictory goals caused Western powers to mistrust the Soviet Union for many years

17. Communism

18. Comintern • Lenin formed the Communist International (Comintern) in 1919 • Purpose: encourage worldwide communist revolution • Comintern support of revolution made western powers nervous and suspicious about the USSR • Fear of Bolshevism, or “Red Scare” infiltrated the USA • Despite early suspicions, western countries eventually recognized the Soviet Union and increased trade with the USSR • Early mistrust of the USSR damaged the Soviet Union’s relations and image with western countries

19. Powerpoint Questions – Part II(15 points) • 1. How did the Communist Party spread ideas and teach the people about Communism? Provide examples. • 2. What did the Communist Party do to control how much information Soviet citizens received? Explain. • 3. What was socialist realism? • 4. Identify the goal behind russification. Provide an example. • 5. What was the official Communist attitude toward religion? Explain.

20. Powerpoint Questions – Part II(15 points) • 6. In reality, why wasn’t the Communist Party a true classless, equal society? • 7. What benefits did most Soviet citizens enjoy under Communism? (4 points) • 8. “Women were not treated equally under Soviet law” True or False. • 9. Identify the first goal of Soviet foreign policy. • 10. Identify the second goal of Soviet foreign policy. • 11. Why did Lenin form the Comintern? • 12. How did Western powers view the Soviet Union for many years?

21. The End