HST3028   Stalinism and De-Stalinisation, 1929-1961 II   (20 credits)

Description

This module explores Russian history from 1929 - when Stalin's fiftieth birthday was celebrated across the Soviet Union and he was heralded as Lenin's great successor - to 1961 when his body was removed from the Red Square Mausoleum under cover of darkness. It examines the rise, reign and - posthumous - fall of the Soviet leader and the nature of the new world he sought to create. The module will explore not only the ideological and political dilemmas of the ruling elite, but also the diverse experience of ordinary citizens who faced both new opportunities and new ordeals during a period of radical transformation.

Reading List