The Great Patriotic War and Stalin’s Dictatorship, 1941–1953 (A-level only) key terms

Great Patriotic War

The term used in Russia and other former Soviet republics to describe the Eastern Front of World War II, particularly the conflict against Nazi Germany from 1941 to 1945.

Evacuation of Industry

The process of relocating factories and industrial resources from western Soviet territories to the east to protect them from German advances during the war.

Great Patriotic War

The term used in Russia and some other former Soviet republics to describe the Eastern Front of World War II, particularly the conflict between the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany from 1941 to 1945.

Fourth Five-Year Plan

An economic plan implemented by the Soviet Union from 1946 to 1950, focusing on the recovery of the economy after World War II, emphasizing heavy industry and military production.

Zhdanovism

A cultural doctrine that emphasized socialist realism and the role of art in promoting Soviet ideology.

NKVD

The Soviet secret police responsible for internal security, political repression, and the enforcement of Stalin's policies.

Superpower

A state with the ability to exert influence or project power on a global scale, particularly in military and economic terms.

Soviet Bloc

A group of socialist states in Central and Eastern Europe under the influence of the Soviet Union during the Cold War.