How Did Joseph Stalin Rise To Power

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The ruthless, yet successful dictator of the Soviet Union, Joseph Stalin transformed the Soviet Union into a world superpower. Stalin’s reign of power endured for 24 years, lasting from 1929-1953 (HISTORY.com). While dominant, Joseph ruled by terror, resulting in millions of Soviet casualties (Jewishvirtuallibrary.org). After overthrowing Lenin and becoming Lenin’s successor, Stalin’s brutal approach directed the Red Army into World War II. During the war, Stalin aligned the USSR with the Allied powers, resulting in the defeat of Nazi Germany and the Imperial Japan Empire. Following the war, the Soviet Union engaged in a political battle with the West, known as the Cold War. Stalin’s brutal leadership propelled the Soviet Union into…show more content…
Later, Stalin made-up a new birthdate for himself: December 21, 1879 (HISTORY.com). Further, Stalin altered his birth name of Josef Vissarionovich Djugashvili to Joseph Stalin as “Stal” interprets to “man of steel” (HISTORY.com). Djugashvili’s father worked as a cobbler and suffered from alcoholism, frequently beating Joseph as a kid (Hingley). Early on, Stalin was raised religiously by his mother, a faithful washerwomen, who dreamed of Stalin becoming a priest. Stalin found himself at a church school in Gori, but then transferred to “Tiflis Theological Seminary where he secretly read Karl Marx” and “other forbidden texts” (Hingley). Consequently, Djugashvili was expelled from Tiflis Theological Seminary due to his rebellious activity and readings (Hingley). Stalin continued his forbidden lifestyle and became an “underground political agitator, taking part in labor demonstrations and strikes” (HISTORY.com). Joseph joined the Bolsheviks; a socialist movement led by Vladimir Lenin, and organized bank robberies to assist in funding the organization (HISTORY.com). Due to Stalin’s disobedient behaviors, Stalin was banished to Siberia in 1902 (Biography.com). Soon after being exiled, Stalin escaped and was pronounced an outlaw by the Okhranka, a secret police organization (Biography.com). Stalin’s early life
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