To fully comprehend Stalin, you must first know about his rise to power. This section will outline important events that made Stalin who he was.
In the beginning, Stalin wanted to become a priest. But then in 1903, Stalin joined the Bolsheviks. The Bolsheviks was the more radical wing of the Russian Social Democratic party. Stalin and the other Bolsheviks began plotting to kill the current czar. As we have already learned, a czar is another name for the king of Russia. During the Russia Revolution, Stalin rose through the ranks of the party and by 1922 had become the secretary-general for the Communist party. Stalin began recruiting and promoting members that were loyal to him, thus increasing his power in the party.
The Bolsheviks were originally led by a man named Vladimir Lenin. After he died, his close partner named Leon Trotsky took over as head of the party. Stalin wanted to gain more power, and thus set his sites on Trotsky. He skillfully turned Trotsky's ideas against him, accusing him of undermining the state.
By 1927, Stalin had won the support of most of his party. Trotsky was exiled and his followers expelled. Stalin saw the opportunity to establish himself as dictator.
Section written by: David