Why did Stalin want such a cult?

It gave him a personal loyalty owing nothing to the party machine, and made criticism of him look like an attack on the country itself.

How did the cult protect Stalin from blame?

Every success was credited to him while shortages and disasters were blamed on wreckers and local officials, so his reputation stayed spotless.

How did the cult help justify the terror?

If the leader could not be wrong, then those he arrested must be guilty, and people found it easier to believe the victims were traitors.

How were images of Stalin used?

His portrait hung in every school, office and factory, statues stood in the squares, and vast banners carried his face through the streets on parade days.

How was Stalin tied to Lenin in the public mind?

Paintings and photographs were faked to place him at Lenin's shoulder in 1917, so that he appeared as Lenin's closest comrade and rightful heir.

Edexcel GCSE History 1HI0

Anglo-Saxon and Norman England, c1060–88British depth

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Topic overview Developments in colonial society Slavery in North America Problems within the colonies The impact of cultural developments War in the colonies The aftermath of the French and Indian war American colonist relations with Britain: growing opposition, 1765-75 The War of Independence 1775-83 Consequences of the war in America

Conflict in the Middle East, 1945–95Period study

Topic overview The British withdrawal and the creation of Israel Aftermath of the 1948–49 war Increased tension, 1955–63 The Six Day War, 1967 Aftermath of the 1967 war Israel and Egypt, 1967–73 Diplomatic negotiations, 1974–95 The Palestinian issue, 1974–95 Attempts at a solution

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Topic overview The situation on Elizabeth’s accession The ‘settlement’ of religion Challenge to the religious settlement The problem of Mary, Queen of Scots Plots and revolts at home Relations with Spain, 1569–88 Outbreak of war with Spain, 1585–88 The Armada, 1588 Education and leisure, 1558–88 The ‘problem’ of the poor Exploration and voyages of discovery Attempted colonisation of Virginia

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Topic overview Henry VIII, Renaissance Prince The rise of Wolsey and his policies Wolsey’s foreign policy, 1509–29 Wolsey, Catherine, the succession and annulment Cromwell’s rise to power, 1529–34 The king’s marriages, 1529–40 Cromwell and government, 1534–40 The fall of Cromwell The break with Rome Opposition to, and impact of, Reformation, 1534–40 The dissolution of the monasteries The Pilgrimage of Grace, 1536

London and the Second World War, 1939–45Paper 1 option

Topic overview London at the outbreak of the Second World War The nature of attacks on London The impact of the Blitz on civilian life London’s response to the war Britain and the Second World War: the wider context Sources for a London Blitz enquiry

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Topic overview The Civil War, 1945–49 Communist rule, 1945–59 Consolidating the CCP’s hold on power, 1951–52 The Hundred Flowers campaign, 1956–57 Early changes in agriculture, 1949–57 Industry and the Five-Year Plan, 1953–57 The Great Leap Forward Economic reform, 1962–65 Reasons for the Cultural Revolution The Red Guards and the Red Terror The effects of the Cultural Revolution The end of the Cultural Revolution, 1968–76 Communist control, 1949–76 Family life and the role of women Education and health, 1949–76 Cultural change, 1949–76

Medicine in Britain, c1250–presentPaper 1 option

Topic overview Factors driving change in medicine, c1250–present Ideas about the cause of disease and illness, c1250–c1500 Approaches to prevention and treatment, c1250–c1500 Case study: the Black Death, 1348–49 Ideas about the cause of disease and illness, c1500–c1700 Approaches to prevention and treatment, c1500–c1700 Case studies: William Harvey and the Great Plague of 1665 Ideas about the cause of disease and illness, c1700–c1900 Approaches to prevention and treatment, c1700–c1900 Case studies: Jenner’s vaccination and the 1854 cholera outbreak Ideas about the cause of disease and illness, c1900–present Approaches to prevention and treatment, c1900–present Case studies: penicillin and the fight against lung cancer

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Topic overview The local context of Notting Hill The influence of Caribbean cultures on the area Racism and policing Black activism in the Notting Hill area Migration, race relations and the national context Sources for a Notting Hill enquiry

Russia and the Soviet Union, 1917–41Modern depth

Topic overview The growth of opposition to the tsar in early 1917 The February Revolution The Provisional Government The Bolshevik Revolution Early consolidation of power, 1917–18 The Civil War, 1918–21 Moves towards totalitarianism, 1917–24 Economic and social change, 1918–24 The struggle for power, 1924–28 The use of terror in the 1930s Propaganda and censorship, 1924–41 The Cult of Stalin Agriculture and collectivisation, 1924–41 Changes in industry, 1924–41 Life in the Soviet Union The position of women and ethnic minorities

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Russia and the Soviet Union, 1917–41

The Cult of Stalin

3 things to know
Paper 3

Overview

What the cult was and why Stalin wanted it, how it shielded him from blame and justified the terror, portraits, faked links to Lenin, renamed cities, writers and film-makers, Pravda and the plain tunic.

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

Your recallNot started

Key term

What is meant by the Cult of Stalin?

Key term

How did the Cult of Stalin protect him from blame?

Key term

How did the Cult of Stalin help justify the terror?

Questions from this subtopic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

1
What is meant by the Cult of Stalin?
Model answer
The deliberate presentation of Stalin everywhere as a wise, all-knowing and fatherly leader whom the whole country should love and obey.
2
Why did Stalin want such a cult?
Model answer
It gave him a personal loyalty owing nothing to the party machine, and made criticism of him look like an attack on the country itself.
3
How did the cult protect Stalin from blame?
Model answer
Every success was credited to him while shortages and disasters were blamed on wreckers and local officials, so his reputation stayed spotless.
4
How did the cult help justify the terror?
Model answer
If the leader could not be wrong, then those he arrested must be guilty, and people found it easier to believe the victims were traitors.
5
How were images of Stalin used?
Model answer
His portrait hung in every school, office and factory, statues stood in the squares, and vast banners carried his face through the streets on parade days.
6
How was Stalin tied to Lenin in the public mind?
Model answer
Paintings and photographs were faked to place him at Lenin's shoulder in 1917, so that he appeared as Lenin's closest comrade and rightful heir.

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Anglo-Saxon and Norman England, c1060–88

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Conflict in the Middle East, 1945–95

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AThe huge loss of life left England short of workers.

BForeign craftsmen and labourers were wanted.

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