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AQA A-Level History Russia - The
Great Patriotic War and High Stalinism
1941-53 Questions with Detailed
Verified Answers
Question: Stalin as a poor wartime leader
Answer: - The vast purge of high-ranking Red Army officers which Stalin
launched in 1937 had a traumatic effect. Morale was shattered, initiative and
independence of action were stifled. Red Army seen as a 'broken shell' by
political allies abroad. Reinforced by its poor performance in the war against
Finland in 1940.
- Russia was unprepared for the German attack with disastrous consequences
and ignored 80 warnings of German troop build-up. Red Army had lost 6
million men, either killed in action or taken prisoner.
- Stalin admitted after that 'Lenin left us a great legacy, but we, his heirs, have
messed it up.'
- Stalin's inflexible, stand-fast mentality in 1941-2 prevented tactical
withdrawals which would've avoided the catastrophic losses.
- Stalin was not remorseful about sending millions to death in battle.
Question:Stalin as a strong wartime leader
Answer: - Rallying force and showed the leadership qualities expected in
desperate times.
- His speeches in 1941 can be compared to Churchill's in 1940-41 in their effect.
Both leaders inspired their armed forces and civilians to fight on. Stalin
, Page | 2
referred to Russians as "my friends" which moved them as they desired
friendship with their leaders.
- Setbacks of 1942 had a sobering effect on Stalin. He listened more to the
advice of his High Command, the advice got better and he got better at taking
it.
- Stalin came to rely on Vasilevsky (Chief of the General Staff), Antonov (his
deputy) and Zhukov (Deputy Supreme Commander of the Soviet Armed
Forces).
- In his ability to learn and to trust his High Command in many operational
matters, Stalin comes out well in comparison with Hitler who listened to his
senior generals less and less.
Question:The GKO
Answer: - GKO given power over all existing Party and state bodies.
Supervised the military and political and economic life of the country. Orders
were binding on all institutions and all individuals. Formally, centralised
control was brought to its peak.
- GKO could not organise everything in the chaos and confusion of the early
months of the war. Local authorities and managers were given wider
discretion and autonomy in things like organising rationing or securing labour.
- The war economy was able to devote 50% of GDP to the war whereas other
countries could only use a maximum of 20% - this was largely due to the GDP.
Question:The Stavka
Answer: - Responsible for all land, sea and air operations.
- Stalin shaped it and insisted that all leading politicians should belong to it.
- Stalin became Chairman in August and his supremacy was not in doubt.
, Page | 3
- Stalin brought together the GKO and Stavka.
Question:The role of propaganda
Answer: - To persuade the people to make effort and sacrifice required to
achieve victory. Also to build confidence in the government and its leader's
ability to defeat the enemy.
- Image of Stalin as brave and all-seeing was conveyed to the public. It was
necessary, even if it was distant from reality.
- Stalin's soldiers fervently believed in him, and cut his photo out from
newspapers and stuck it on their walls.
- Stalin gave responsibility to the troops during the Moscow crisis in 1941. "The
whole world is looking to you as the force capable of destroying the
plundering hordes of the German invaders."
- Cult of personality at its height. The message was that victory had been
achieved through popular support for and unity behind Stalin. He was an all-
powerful leader and appeared to be impregnable.
Question:Repression of nationalities
Answer: - Soviet takeover of any territory involved mass arrest, deportations
and executions.
- In territory taken as a result of the Nazi-Soviet Pact 1939-40, 1.5 million were
uprooted and deported to gulags and exile villages in Kazakhstan and Siberia
as they were considered potentially hostile.
- In April 1940 more than 20,000 officers, police and members of Polish elite
were shot and buried in mass pits. Stalin was determined to hold on to
territory and eliminate any potential opposition in advance.
- Potential 'Nazi spies' deported in 1941 with no real evidence.
AQA A-Level History Russia - The
Great Patriotic War and High Stalinism
1941-53 Questions with Detailed
Verified Answers
Question: Stalin as a poor wartime leader
Answer: - The vast purge of high-ranking Red Army officers which Stalin
launched in 1937 had a traumatic effect. Morale was shattered, initiative and
independence of action were stifled. Red Army seen as a 'broken shell' by
political allies abroad. Reinforced by its poor performance in the war against
Finland in 1940.
- Russia was unprepared for the German attack with disastrous consequences
and ignored 80 warnings of German troop build-up. Red Army had lost 6
million men, either killed in action or taken prisoner.
- Stalin admitted after that 'Lenin left us a great legacy, but we, his heirs, have
messed it up.'
- Stalin's inflexible, stand-fast mentality in 1941-2 prevented tactical
withdrawals which would've avoided the catastrophic losses.
- Stalin was not remorseful about sending millions to death in battle.
Question:Stalin as a strong wartime leader
Answer: - Rallying force and showed the leadership qualities expected in
desperate times.
- His speeches in 1941 can be compared to Churchill's in 1940-41 in their effect.
Both leaders inspired their armed forces and civilians to fight on. Stalin
, Page | 2
referred to Russians as "my friends" which moved them as they desired
friendship with their leaders.
- Setbacks of 1942 had a sobering effect on Stalin. He listened more to the
advice of his High Command, the advice got better and he got better at taking
it.
- Stalin came to rely on Vasilevsky (Chief of the General Staff), Antonov (his
deputy) and Zhukov (Deputy Supreme Commander of the Soviet Armed
Forces).
- In his ability to learn and to trust his High Command in many operational
matters, Stalin comes out well in comparison with Hitler who listened to his
senior generals less and less.
Question:The GKO
Answer: - GKO given power over all existing Party and state bodies.
Supervised the military and political and economic life of the country. Orders
were binding on all institutions and all individuals. Formally, centralised
control was brought to its peak.
- GKO could not organise everything in the chaos and confusion of the early
months of the war. Local authorities and managers were given wider
discretion and autonomy in things like organising rationing or securing labour.
- The war economy was able to devote 50% of GDP to the war whereas other
countries could only use a maximum of 20% - this was largely due to the GDP.
Question:The Stavka
Answer: - Responsible for all land, sea and air operations.
- Stalin shaped it and insisted that all leading politicians should belong to it.
- Stalin became Chairman in August and his supremacy was not in doubt.
, Page | 3
- Stalin brought together the GKO and Stavka.
Question:The role of propaganda
Answer: - To persuade the people to make effort and sacrifice required to
achieve victory. Also to build confidence in the government and its leader's
ability to defeat the enemy.
- Image of Stalin as brave and all-seeing was conveyed to the public. It was
necessary, even if it was distant from reality.
- Stalin's soldiers fervently believed in him, and cut his photo out from
newspapers and stuck it on their walls.
- Stalin gave responsibility to the troops during the Moscow crisis in 1941. "The
whole world is looking to you as the force capable of destroying the
plundering hordes of the German invaders."
- Cult of personality at its height. The message was that victory had been
achieved through popular support for and unity behind Stalin. He was an all-
powerful leader and appeared to be impregnable.
Question:Repression of nationalities
Answer: - Soviet takeover of any territory involved mass arrest, deportations
and executions.
- In territory taken as a result of the Nazi-Soviet Pact 1939-40, 1.5 million were
uprooted and deported to gulags and exile villages in Kazakhstan and Siberia
as they were considered potentially hostile.
- In April 1940 more than 20,000 officers, police and members of Polish elite
were shot and buried in mass pits. Stalin was determined to hold on to
territory and eliminate any potential opposition in advance.
- Potential 'Nazi spies' deported in 1941 with no real evidence.
