Joseph Stalin

Stalin’s Birth Gori, Georgia December 21, 1879 Iosif Vissarionovich Dzugashvili Father was a shoemaker Mother was a housekeeper

Joseph’s Father An abusive alcoholic Left family to work in Tiflis, Georgia when Joseph was 5 Died in 1890

Stalin’s Mother Yekaterina Deeply religious Wanted Joseph to be a priest Worked hard to pay for Joseph’s school

Childhood Father abused Joseph After his father left, Joseph and Yekaterina lived with a priest Enrolled in Orthodox parochial school in 1888.

Stalin as a Priest 1894 got scholarship to seminary Got highest marks on behavior and grades In his fourth year, he joined Mesame Dasi Expelled from seminary

Revolutionary Apprentice Joined Social Democratic Party in 1901 Did full-time revolutionary work 1905 Served as party organizer Met Lenin at conference in Finland

Exile December 1911 Stalin was exiled to Vologda. January 1912 broke away from party and met in Prague Lenin co-opted Stalin into government March 1912 Stalin escaped from exile and went to St. Petersburg

Return to Exile 1913 Stalin and Lenin met in Vienna to write Marxism and the National Problem March 7, 1913 After he returned to St. Petersburg, Stalin was arrested. While in Siberia, he changed his name to Stalin (man of steel)

Czar Loses Power The Czar’s abdication on March 15, 1917 led to great social and political chaos Stalin and Lenin agreed that they should overthrow the temporary Russian government Both urged seizure of power at party debates, but neither had a role in organizing the insurrection itself

Early Soviet Regime Held cabinet post of commissar for nationalities for the next five years Served in different positions during the civil war Acting inspector general of the Red Army and as a political commissar He initiated the brutal reconquest of independent Georgia.

Stalin Gains Power Lenin died in Stalin got rid of Trotsky 1926 ousted Kamenev and Zinviev Got rid of the rest of the cabinet 1928 Almost had total control

Stalin’s Politics Deportation and execution of kulaks Forced entrance of peasants into collective farms Nationalization of all industry and commerce Execution and deportation of those who opposed his plans

Stalin’s Dictatorship Dissatisfaction may have led to secret plot to replace Stalin with Sergei Kirov December 1934 Kirov was murdered Stalin executed almost entire political and military elite Millions of Soviet citizens were forced into labor camps

World War II Stalin took comand of Soviet forces Ordered brilliant counter- offensives at Moscow, Stalingrad, and Kursk. Arranged for lend-lease from the Western Powers

Post-War USSR Stalin almost completely restored the pre-war system Molded occupied countries in the Stalinist image and placed under Moscow’s control

Stalin’s End 1952 Stalin began preparing for old leadership ways He met with stout resistance Before he could begin his “old ways”, Stalin died of a brain hemorrhage on March 5, 1953, in Moscow