Soviet Union Product of Russian Revolution and WWI























- Slides: 23
Soviet Union – Product of Russian Revolution and WWI Flag Symbols Hammer - Hard work needed to be done by the factory workers Sickle – Hard work done by farmers
“Welcome Comrades” Vladimir Lenin Comrades = Friends
Communism • Political, social and economic idea that promotes the establishment of a classless society based on common ownership of property • Why might people want a communist system? Everyone “equal, ” everyone works together, everyone has a housing/job!
Bolsheviks • Communist Group that over threw the government during the Russian Revolution • Leader – Vladimir Lenin Bolsheviks speaking at a meeting of workers and soldiers in Petrograd in 1917
Communism Cartoon • What is this cartoon trying to show? Lenin sweeping away all the rich (kings, bankers, etc)
Soviets • Governing body made up of workers who made laws • 15 Republics that made Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (U. S. S. R. )
Lenin dies in 1923 Lenin’s preserved body in Leningrad
Joseph Stalin • • Brutal Leader of Soviet Union 1924 -1953 Led U. S. S. R. to victory during WWII, and after Made everything communist – Example? St Petersburg = Leningrad
Post WWII Iron Curtain Soviet Union kept conquered land, total control of these countries --- Why?
Policies of Communism 1. Autarky - Country tries to produce everything it needs Problems? A. Efficiency, product quality fell B. Food production fell, starvation of peasants
2. Rationing - Soviet Bread Line
3. “Equal” Housing • Ugly empty Soviet housing blocs. Not for Soviet party leadership
4. Eliminating Freedoms • Total control of press/thought • Sent “enemies” to labor camps called gulags • Tried to stop religion The Russian Orthodox Cathedral, once the most dominant landmark in Baku, was demolished in the 1930 s under Stalin.
Terrible Tragedy of “communism” casualties for the Stalinist period – 8 to 61 million
Downfall of Soviet Union Soviet Environmental Policies - basically non existent, huge areas ruined by the pollution
Nuclear Disaster • Chernobyl Disaster April 26 th 1986
Communism Cartoon
Cold War – Against America 1. Very high Military Spending
2. Soviet Policies - People revolted against communism 1989 - The Fall of the Berlin Wall – end of communism, end of “Cold War”
Former Soviet Union Today From One, Many
Positives of the Soviet Union 1. Education increased = 90% literacy rate 2. Health care “free” and available 3. Guaranteed Employment