Stalin’s Soviet UnionPolitical Impact

The Great Terror…

A period from 1934 to 1938 Removal of Opposition

Propaganda in Stalin’s Soviet Union

Lesson Objectives

Definition of Propaganda Discussion of Sources

What is Propaganda?

Official government communications in forms such as posters, songs or news articles which are designed to influence public opinion. The information may be true or false,

but is always carefully selected for its political effect

What is Propaganda?

Sources

Source A

Labor, December 30, 1936. Drawing by P. Vasilev. ‘The whole country laughs, and gleams with merriment because children live joyfully ... whether study or leisure has become unusually joyful because, for us children our great Stalin is our best friend.’ From Pravda.

Source A

Audience General public

Purpose Inform people of

how wonderful Stalin is. Of how he brings joy to the children

Source C

Poster, designed during the First Five-Year Plan, depicting Stalin on the march.

Source C

Audience Workers

Purpose Show that Stalin is

working alongside them, leading them.

Source DExtract from a speech by A.O. Avdienko, a writer, to the VIIth Congress of Soviets in February 1935, the poem appeared in Pravda in August 1936.

I write books. I am an author. All thanks to thee, O great educator, Stalin. I love a young woman with a renewed love and shall pass down my name in my children— all thanks to thee, great educator, Stalin. I shall be eternally happy and joyous, all thanks to thee, great educator, Stalin. Everything belongs to thee, chief of our great country. And when the woman I love presents me with a child the first word it shall utter will be : Stalin.

Source D

I write books. I am an author. All thanks to thee, O great educator, Stalin.

I love a young woman with a renewed love and shall pass down my name in my children— all thanks to thee, great educator, Stalin.

I shall be eternally happy and joyous, all thanks to thee, great educator, Stalin.

Everything belongs to thee, chief of our great country.

And when the woman I love presents me with a child the first word it shall utter will be : Stalin.

Audience

Purpose To show gratitude to

Stalin and to give him credit for all the positive things that have happened to the poet

Source E

Compare and Contrast!

“He who controls the past controls the future. He who controls the present controls the past.”

- George Orwell, 1984

Conclusion

Pictures and propaganda posters of Stalin were placed everywhere

All offices, factories and classrooms in the Soviet Union were required to have a picture of Stalin

In the future, when you study similar sources, always think about the source’s provenance and purpose We will discuss the concept of ‘RELIABILITY’

in greater detail when we look at SBQs!