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
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