The Soviet Union | Part 1: Red October to Barbarossa | Free Documentary History

The Soviet Union emerged in 1922 from the remnants of the Russian Empire following a turbulent period after the Bolshevik Revolution. Led by Vladimir Lenin, the new socialist state aimed to create a nation from scratch. The Soviet Union faced immediate opposition, with the Bolsheviks fighting to solidify their control against both internal and external threats. The Red Army's victory was followed by efforts to build a socialist economy and military power. The USSR's scientific and space achievements later positioned it as a global superpower rivaling the United States.

The aftermath of the Russian Revolution was marked by a brutal civil war between the Red Army, composed mainly of soldiers, and the White Army, comprised largely of officers. The conflict was further complicated by famine, international war, and internal rebellions, such as the Kronstadt Mutiny. Various national groups, including the Ukrainians and Georgians, formed their own armies, and foreign powers like Japan, France, Britain, and the United States intervened in an attempt to shape the outcome. Despite these challenges, the Bolsheviks, with key figures like Lenin and Trotsky, eventually prevailed.

Joseph Stalin, born in Georgia, rose to prominence during the civil war, becoming a key figure in the Bolshevik party. Initially responsible for nationalities within the party, Stalin played a critical role in shaping the USSR's approach to managing its diverse ethnic groups. The Soviet Union was structured as a federal system of republics, each with a degree of autonomy. Stalin's vision for the USSR was centralized power with Moscow at the core, contrasting with Lenin's more decentralized approach. Following Lenin's death in 1924, Stalin strategically positioned himself to succeed him, outmaneuvering rivals and consolidating his control.

Stalin's radical plans for the Soviet Union included a focus on heavy industry and power output, leading to a significant rise in industrial capacity. Initially, Lenin's New Economic Policy allowed market forces to operate within a communist framework to rebuild the war-torn economy. However, Stalin later abandoned this policy in favor of strict communism and collectivization. The Soviet Union pursued a dual policy of diplomatic engagement with capitalist countries to acquire technology and support for foreign communist parties to undermine these same nations.

Stalin's policy of collectivization in the late 1920s aimed to consolidate individual farms into collective ones, which would then produce grain for the state. This led to a catastrophic famine in the 1930s, as the regime's policies disrupted agricultural production and any incentive for peasants to grow food. The famine resulted in the deaths of between 10 to 15 million people, particularly in Ukraine, which was a major grain-producing region. Despite evidence of the disaster, the Soviet regime continued to enforce high quotas and failed to respond adequately to the crisis.

Stalin's regime was marked by widespread terror and purges, targeting not only the peasantry but also the government's leadership and original Bolshevik revolutionaries. Stalin orchestrated show trials for his political opponents, securing their public confessions and execution. The Great Purge, led by Stalin's secret police chief, N.I. Yezhov, resulted in the execution of over a million people and the imprisonment of many more in the gulags. The purges ended abruptly in 1938, and a period of relative freedom followed, but the terror had solidified Stalin's absolute control over the Soviet Union.

Stalin's foreign policy took a dramatic turn with the signing of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, a non-aggression agreement with Nazi Germany. This pact shocked the world and led to the Soviet Union occupying parts of Poland and the Baltic states. Stalin believed this would provide a buffer against a potential German invasion. Despite warnings from various sources, including his own intelligence, Stalin was taken by surprise when Hitler launched Operation Barbarossa in 1941. The Soviet Union was unprepared for the invasion, and Stalin's initial response was one of seclusion and disbelief.