Read the factoid about Stalin. Identify 5 deliberate errors. Highlight evidence which explains why Stalin might have supported Soviet expansion.

starter activity

What were Stalin’s What were Stalin’s motives for Soviet motives for Soviet

expansion?expansion?To identify Stalin’s motives for expanding To identify Stalin’s motives for expanding

Soviet influence in EuropeSoviet influence in EuropeTo analyse interpretations of Stalin & the To analyse interpretations of Stalin & the

Berlin BlockadeBerlin BlockadeTo justify different schools of thought To justify different schools of thought

LOs

Many still remember Stalin fondly in Russia. Do you think the West has been too quick to judge him?

Your taskYour task Read Phillips p.52-56 and find evidence Read Phillips p.52-56 and find evidence

to support these statements:to support these statements: Stalin was interested in spreading world Stalin was interested in spreading world

revolutionrevolution Stalin was influenced by traditional Russian Stalin was influenced by traditional Russian

expansionismexpansionism Stalin wanted to create a defensive buffer Stalin wanted to create a defensive buffer

zonezone Stalin’s actions were a result of his overly-Stalin’s actions were a result of his overly-

cautious personalitycautious personality Extension. Which do you agree with? Extension. Which do you agree with?

Write a judgement paragraph using 2 Write a judgement paragraph using 2 pieces of evidence to support your viewpieces of evidence to support your view

Spreading world Spreading world revolutionrevolution

Russian revolutionaries, e.g. Trotsky Russian revolutionaries, e.g. Trotsky believed ideals of Communism would believed ideals of Communism would be under threat from capitalismbe under threat from capitalism

Trotsky believed in ‘Trotsky believed in ‘Permanent Permanent RevolutionRevolution’ & Stalin ‘’ & Stalin ‘Socialism in One Socialism in One CountryCountry’’

Comintern (aka Third International, Comintern (aka Third International, 1919-43) 1919-43)

Replaced by Cominform (1947)Replaced by Cominform (1947)

Who was right in your

opinion – Trotsky or

Stalin?

Lenin speaking at 2nd Congress of Comintern, 1920

Evidence of Soviet Evidence of Soviet expansionismexpansionism

Soviet actions after Soviet actions after WWII - power-vacuum WWII - power-vacuum exploited by exploited by Communists, e.g. Soviet Communists, e.g. Soviet expansion in Eastern expansion in Eastern Europe, Communist Europe, Communist support for guerrillas in support for guerrillas in Greece, Communist Greece, Communist coup in Czech. (1948)coup in Czech. (1948)

Soviet expansionism Soviet expansionism confirmed by Kennan in confirmed by Kennan in ‘Long Telegram’ and ‘Long Telegram’ and ‘The Sources of Soviet ‘The Sources of Soviet Conduct’Conduct’

Communist fighters in Greece

Traditional Russian Traditional Russian expansionismexpansionism

Stalin the Red Tsar Stalin the Red Tsar (view of Samuel (view of Samuel Sharp and F Sharp and F Schuman)Schuman)

Russia used Eastern Russia used Eastern Europe as ‘Europe as ‘cordon cordon sanitairesanitaire’’

Stalin wanted to Stalin wanted to recover land lost in recover land lost in Treaty of Brest-Treaty of Brest-Litovsk (1918)Litovsk (1918)

Defensive action to create a Defensive action to create a ‘buffer zone’‘buffer zone’

Protective zone around USSR (view Protective zone around USSR (view supported by John Lewis Gaddis)supported by John Lewis Gaddis)

Expansionism was the product of Soviet Expansionism was the product of Soviet defence rather than aggressiondefence rather than aggression

Need to appease or control hostile Need to appease or control hostile states, e.g. Polandstates, e.g. Poland

Hardline US approach made imposition Hardline US approach made imposition of Communist govts. A necessityof Communist govts. A necessity

The Soviet ‘buffer zone’

Stalin’s personalityStalin’s personality

Deeply suspicious of Western Deeply suspicious of Western motives – e.g. failure of Nazi-Soviet motives – e.g. failure of Nazi-Soviet Pact (1939), failure to open a second Pact (1939), failure to open a second frontfront

Cautious leader – didn’t support Cautious leader – didn’t support Communists in Greece, stood by Communists in Greece, stood by ‘Percentages agreement’ (1944), ‘Percentages agreement’ (1944), wary of provoking US during Berlin wary of provoking US during Berlin BlockadeBlockade

How far do you agree with Geoffrey Roberts (‘Stalin’s Wars’, 2006) view that Stalin was a cautious, suspicious or even nervous leader? Do you

think he felt isolated?

Group taskGroup task Work in small groups. Nominate one Work in small groups. Nominate one

person as the chair. In your groups person as the chair. In your groups discuss the questions in the ‘skills discuss the questions in the ‘skills builder’ on p. 57. Try to reach a builder’ on p. 57. Try to reach a consensus as a group. The chair consensus as a group. The chair should then report back to the class.should then report back to the class.

Your taskYour task

Use the source-buster Use the source-buster tool to analyse the tool to analyse the interpretations of interpretations of Stalin’s part in the Stalin’s part in the Berlin Blockade on Berlin Blockade on p.57-8p.57-8

Extension. Which view Extension. Which view do you agree with? do you agree with? Write a judgement Write a judgement paragraphparagraph

Portrait of Stalin in East Berlin

Your taskYour task

Work in groups of 3-4 students. Each Work in groups of 3-4 students. Each group will be given a school of group will be given a school of thought from below. Find evidence thought from below. Find evidence from the events and individuals we from the events and individuals we have studied to support your view.have studied to support your view.

Listen to the other groups and vote Listen to the other groups and vote on which group makes the most on which group makes the most persuasive points.persuasive points.

HomeworkHomework

Complete a table similar to the one Complete a table similar to the one below on the different schools of below on the different schools of thought (historiography) on p.58-61 thought (historiography) on p.58-61 of Philips.of Philips.

PlenaryPlenary

Divide the class in two. Explain how Divide the class in two. Explain how the following events can be used to the following events can be used to explain EITHER Stalin’s aggressive explain EITHER Stalin’s aggressive foreign policy OR his defensive foreign policy OR his defensive actionsactions

Spread of Communism through East Spread of Communism through East EuropeEurope

Creation of Cominform and ComeconCreation of Cominform and Comecon Berlin Blockade Berlin Blockade