Topic study hub

Stalinism, politics and control, 1929–1941 (A-level only)

Stalin’s Rule, 1929–1953 (A-level only): Stalinism, politics and control, 1929–1941 (A-level only)

Objectives

Flashcards

Questions

88 min

Study time

AqaA LevelHistory2N Revolution and dictatorship: Russia, 1917–1953

Choose a revision tool

Start revising Stalinism, politics and control, 1929–1941 (A-level only)

Quick active recall practice

Quick multiple-choice practice

Mixed practice and exam-style prompts

Syllabus checklist

4 objective pages available

Stalinism, politics and control, 1929–1941 (A-level only)4 objectives

Dictatorship and Stalinism: the machinery of state terror; the NKVD; the early purges; Kirov's murder; the show trials; the Stalin constitution.
The Yezhovshchina: mass terror and repression at central and local levels; treatment of national minorities; the gulags; the end of the purges; the death of Trotsky; responsibility for and impact of the Terror and purges.
Culture and society: church; women, young people and working men; urban and rural differences; 'socialist man' and the impact of cultural change; similarities and differences between Lenin's and Stalin's USSR.
Stalin and international relations: co-operation with Germany; entry into the League of Nations; pacts with France and Czechoslovakia; intervention in the Spanish Civil War; reaction to Western appeasement and Japanese aggression; the Nazi-Soviet Pact and its outcome.

State TerrorPurgesYezhovshchinaGulagFive-Year PlansCollectivizationGreat Purge

Use specific examples in your answers: When discussing Stalin's policies, always include specific events or figures, such as the Great Purge or Kirov's murder.
Use specific evidence in your answers: When discussing events like the Great Purge, include specific examples and statistics to support your arguments.

Confusing the NKVD with the Red Army: The NKVD was focused on internal security and repression, while the Red Army was the military force of the Soviet state.
Overgeneralizing the causes of the Great Purge: Acknowledge the role of various factors, including the influence of the NKVD and the political climate of the time, in shaping the purges.

Choose a learning objective

Objectives are grouped by subtopic so students can jump straight to the exact skill they want to revise.