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Period: to
Rise of Stalin
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Stalin is appointed Secretary General
Gives Stalin significant power, allows him to appoint and dismiss commmunist party officials. Later, this gave Stalin the abilty to dismiss officials who he was threatened by or who opposed his ideals. This is the beggining of sings of totalitarianism -
Lenin writes his Testament and Postscript
Before Lenin dies, he finalizes him testament by the addition of a postscript reccomending that Stalin be taken out of such a powerful position. He worries that once he is dead, his vision of communism will be destroyed. -
Triumvars begin Campaign against Trotsky
Zinoviev, Kamenev and Stalin form an alliance against Trotsky to prevent him from gaining majority support. All three members of the Triummvar believe that they should be the ones to succeed Lenin, and because Trotsky is popular with the public, they decide to campaign against him to deface him in the eye of the public. -
Lenin dies and his testament is hidden from the public
Once Lenin dies in January of 1924, his wife locates his testament and presents it to the Central committee. Because the testement is reccomending the removal of Stalin from power, the Centtral committee decides not to publish it in order to kee it from the eye of the oublic. They are worried that it would be bad press for Stalin. Instead, they keep it hidden, and allow Stalin to contnue in his position. -
Trotsky is dismissed as Commissar of War
Trotsky decided to form a left opposition with others who disagreed with the ideals of the Triumvars. Because of this, and Stalins ability to dismiss and appoint officials at his will, and because of the laws set in place when the 1921 ban was enacted, Stalin is able to justify dismissing Trotsky from his position as Commissar of War for opposition within the party. -
The United Oposition is formed
Trotsky, Zinoviev, and Kamenev all form an oppostiion against Stalin. Because of the 1921 Ban laws, Stalin is able to dismiss this group and ban thier meetings justifiably. -
Trotsky, Zinoviev, and Kamenev are expelled from political groups
Trotsky and Zinoviev are expelled from the Communist Party and Kamenev is dismissed from the Central committee ecause of their involvement in the United opposition and the fact that it disobeys the 1921 Ban. -
Zinoviev and Kamenev end the United Oppostition
They feared that a continued oppostition would result in a split in the Communist party, and this would be one of the worst outcomes that Lenin feared when he was close to death. Because of this, Zinoviev and Kamenev decided to end their opposition of Stalin. -
Trotsky is deported to Alma-Ata
With Trotsky being the only one left to oppose Stalin after he had been expelled from his position in the communist party, Stalin had him deported to minimize his efforts in defyin him. -
Bukahrin is removed from the politburo
AS qa last effort in creating a politburo that was entirely in foavor of Stalin, he removed many oppositionists from their seats. This included Bukahrin. Stalin, prior to him removing Bukharin from the politburo, had him taken out of his position as editior of the Pravda.
