joseph stalin ruled the soviet union between 1929 and 1953. Map out 6 key events that occurred under his governance
1. Collectivization of Agriculture (1929-1933): Stalin implemented a policy of collectivizing agriculture, which meant that individual farms were combined into large state-run farms. This resulted in the forced relocation of millions of peasants, and many resisted the policy, resulting in widespread famine and death.
2. The Great Purge (1936-1938): Stalin launched a campaign of political repression, targeting anyone who he deemed a threat to his rule. This included Trotskyists, intellectuals, military officers, and even ordinary citizens. The Great Purge resulted in the execution or imprisonment of hundreds of thousands of people.
3. The Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact (1939): Stalin signed a non-aggression pact with Nazi Germany, which allowed Hitler to invade Poland without fear of Soviet intervention. This pact shocked the international community and marked the beginning of World War II.
4. The Battle of Stalingrad (1942-1943): Soviet forces, led by General Zhukov, defeated the German army in a brutal battle in Stalingrad. This turning point marked the beginning of the end for Hitler's forces in the east.
5. The Yalta Conference (1945): Stalin met with Churchill and Roosevelt at Yalta to discuss the post-war reorganization of Europe. The resulting agreements shaped the post-war world, including the division of Germany and the establishment of the United Nations.
6. The Korean War (1950-1953): Stalin supported North Korea's invasion of South Korea, leading to a three-year conflict that ended in a stalemate. This marked the beginning of the Cold War and set the stage for decades of tension between the Soviet Union and the United States.