How far did the aims and key features of the Five-Year Plans change in the years 1928-41? Aims and features changed: * Aimed originally to catch up with the Western economies that were about 100 years ahead of the USSR. * To manufacture weapons in order to defend against invasion from capitalist countries. * Aimed to continue socialism as it was believed socialism could only exist in a highly industrialised nation. * Aimed to improve conditions for the working class as Stalin believed the revolution was a working class one, and had seen how the peasants prospered but the working class did not under the NEP.
Stalin's reasons for launching the First Five-Year Plan were ideological, political and economic. Stalin believed that socialism was key if he wanted a highly advanced industrialised nation. The Communist revolution had taken place in an economically backward country which was perhaps a hundred years behind the advanced economies in the West. Therefore, in order to make the dream of socialism a reality, Stalin set an agenda - 'in ten years at most we must make good the distance which separates us from the advanced capitalist countries. Stalin had full control of the media in the Soviet Union.
On the other hand, it can be argued that Trotsky’s leadership of the Red Army during the Civil War was just as, or even more important in the Bolsheviks’ seizure of power, as was the image of the Bolsheviks as being patriotic heroes fighting against Tsarist leaders and foreign invaders. Obviously, it was the October Revolution which brought the Bolshevik Party into power, giving them control of Russia. It can therefore be said that, had this not occurred, then it is incredibly unlikely that the Bolsheviks would ever have come into power. The Revolution was, of course, Lenin’s major goal (though in the end it was organised by Trotsky) for his party, and it was through his leadership and staunch dedication to the fall of the Provisional Government that the Bolsheviks eventually seized power in October 1917. Had it not been for Lenin, the Bolsheviks would never have taken power in the first place, as free elections were to be held in November 1917, with the Social Revolutionaries (SRs) being the most popular at the time.
How far do you agree that Trotsky’s leadership of the red army was responsible for the survival of the Bolshevik government? In October 1917 the Bolshevik’s took control of Russia after staging a revolution. However they faced many dangers/threats while in power from the years 1917-1924 such as a civil war and the economic crisis it caused. The leadership of the red army by Trotsky is a very important reason that the Bolsheviks got into power as his red army implanted the revolution but also to the survival of the Bolsheviks as the red army overcame the Bolsheviks biggest threat of the civil war. However there are other reason which just as or more important than Trotsky’s leadership such as the ideas and sacrifices made by Lenin during the year’s 1917-1924 such as signing the harsh treaty of Brest-Litovsk and enforcing the New Economic Policy or NEP, to create economic sacrifices rather than political ones which allowed the Bolsheviks to remain in power.
(8 marks) (d) Explain why the Bolsheviks were able to seize power in October 1917. (8 marks) EITHER 2a) Explain how the economic policies of Lenin’s government changed in the years 1918-24. (8 marks) OR 2b) Explain how Stalin was able to overcome his leadership rivals in the years 1924-28. (8 marks) EITHER 3a) Was the use of propaganda the main reason Stalin was able to achieve complete control over the Soviet Union by 1939? Explain your answer.
Czar Alexander knew he needed to have the ability to trade and purchase goods with both sides. The economical reasons why Russia wanted the war to end was generally for the trade of products such as hemp, sail linen, tobacco and iron that were arriving in colonial ports years before the Revolutionary War began and did not stop once the war started (“American History”, 1998) The colonists and Russia saw Americans and the British as excellent trading partners, particularly because both nations had ample resources to offer. The War of 1812 had a devastating effect on commerce. The US trade restrictions leading up to the war dramatically decreased American exports. The British blockades and direct attacks on tobacco stores and other US trade goods made it difficult to conduct commerce during the war ( Spangled Banner Historical Trail, 2013).
to declare war in the summer of 1917 was America's aspirations to become a world power. Prior to this the US was a great power but that was mainly confined to the Western Hemisphere and the Pacific regions. By entering this war between all of the world's great powers, America would emerge as a major world power at the end of the war, that is the course after winning the war and stake its claim at the bargaining table. Also, entering in such a massive global war would spur the American economy and help it grow tremendously. And provide and massive industrial boom as American factories would pump out massive amounts of war supplies including machine guns, Army uniforms, and artillery pieces to name a few.
The United was easily the most powerful nation in the world because of its war efforts, and defeating the Soviet Union. The United States also, created the chemical ingredient, Plutonium which was the main chemical element used in the nuclear weapon that mad them so explosive. So how can we prevent another cold war? I think in order to be peaceful; we could create a feign friendship between the two presidents of the United States and the Soviet Union. We should also, negotiate a peace treat, and become allies with the Soviet Union once
Certainly the strength of the Prussian military was key to the unification of Germany as it was vital in winning the three wars of unification, but it shall be argued that the military were as strong as they were due to other more important actors such as Economics and Bismarck. Economics being the most important factor, as it provided a basis for unification as it showed the German people the prosperity of being together than apart. However something has to be said for the work of Bismarck, who acted as a catalyst and manipulated the situations around him to him speed up the unification of the German states, so successfully that many traditional historians argue that Bismarck was solely responsible in bringing about unification. The mistakes of other countries and the international scene meant that Austria was expelled and Prussia could lead the states into unification and the mistakes Napoleon meant that the northern and southern states would not have been united. Finally nationalism laid the foundation for a united Germany, it created the idea of being one country, although there is no argument to suggest that nationalism would have brought about unification alone.
Along with more industry came more money the union had about $234 million while the confederacy had just $74 million. More money allowed greater access to better war technology. Lincoln’s war tactics were critical when it came to winning the war. Lincoln selected top notch war generals, such as Ulysses Grant and Winfield Scott who had brilliant ideas when it came to combat strategies. For example Scott came up with the Anaconda Plan that would blockade southern ports and end the war very early with minimal causalities; the only problem was other generals did not agree with his plan.