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Stalin was expelled from the seminary for missing exams, although he claimed it was for Marxist propaganda. -
Stalin was arrested for organizing strikes against an oil refinery. This begins a 15-year period of his life when Stalin is routinely arrested, exiled, and arrested again after he escapes from exile. -
Stalin learns that Vladimir Lenin has formed the Bolsheviks, a political group that believes in the ideas of Karl Marx. Stalin already admires Lenin and joins his group. The Bolsheviks would later become the Communist Party. -
As a reward for his part in the October Revolution, Lenin names Stalin Commissar of Nationalities. This makes Stalin responsible for millions of non-Russians living under the Tsar and gives him a tremendous amount of power. -
Under Stalin, the Soviet Union was transformed from a peasant society into an industrial and military superpower. -
The first five year plan was created in order to initiate rapid and large-scale industrialization across the USSR. -
After the Soviet Union is invaded by Germany, Stalin decides that the Soviet Red Army will join forces with the United States and Great Britain in World War II. -
Stalin gives permission to Kim Ill Sung of Communist North Korea to invade non-Communist South Korea, leading to the Korean War. The U.S. is a supporter of South Korea due to its foreign policy of preventing the spread of communism, so the U.S. gets involved in the Korean War. -
Stalin orders the execution of 13 Soviet Jews, including five Yiddish poets, who are accused of treason and of being spies. This was the beginning of Stalin's plans to purge the Soviet Union of Jews. -
Already in poor health, Stalin dies four days after suffering a stroke at his home. Rumors persist long after his death that he was poisoned.