Iosif Vissarionovich Stalin

Born:

December 18, 1878 (Officially December 21, 1879), Gori, Tiflis Governorate, Russian Empire (present-day Georgia)

Died:

March 5, 1953, Volynskoye, Kuntsevo, Moscow Oblast, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union

Nationality:

Georgian (Soviet)

Profession(s):

Revolutionary, Political Leader, Dictator

Early Life and Education

• Born Ioseb Besarionis dze Jughashvili to a poor family in Georgia.
• Attended Gori Church School and Tiflis Theological Seminary.
• Expelled from the seminary in 1899 due to Marxist activities.

Career and Major Achievements

• Joined the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party in 1898.
• Became a prominent Bolshevik revolutionary, participating in robberies and strikes.
• Served as General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1922 until his death in 1953.
• Consolidated power after Lenin's death, eliminating political rivals.
• Oversaw the forced collectivization of agriculture in the 1930s, resulting in widespread famine (Holodomor).
• Initiated the Great Purge (1936-1938), a period of mass repression and executions.
• Led the Soviet Union during World War II, playing a key role in the Allied victory.
• Established satellite states in Eastern Europe after World War II, contributing to the Cold War.

Legacy and Impact

Iosif Stalin's rule was characterized by totalitarianism, political repression, and human rights abuses. While he industrialized the Soviet Union and led it to victory in World War II, his policies resulted in the deaths of millions and left a legacy of fear and oppression. A critical analysis of the historical record reveals that a 'vladimir stalin biography summary', such as this one, must acknowledge the complex and often contradictory aspects of his life and actions.

Notable Works

• Marxism and the National Question (1913)
• Foundations of Leninism (1924)
• History of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (Bolsheviks): Short Course (1938)
• Numerous speeches and articles on Marxist-Leninist theory.

Awards and Decorations

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