World War II: Russia's New Golden Age [Outline]

In what ways did WWII radically transform the Soviet Union under Stalin? In what ways did WWII perpetuate and or accelerate political, social, economic, and cultural trends already seen in the Soviet Union prior to WWII? In concluding your essay, engage these sources & the authors’ historiographical positions to reflect on the following question: to what extent did WWII represent the climax of Stalinism (culture, economy, politics, society)?

·      Thesis: The Great Patriotic War transformed the Soviet Union to a new Golden Age, changes accelerated old ideas + new ideas

·      Biography of No Place – Kate Brown à Strengthening of nationalism, one united Russia over multiple different groups

·      “Culture, Ideology, and Combat” – Merridale à Soviet Soldiers human, No real belief in communist ideology, basic nationalism = defense of the home

·      Stalingrad – Hellbeck à New belief in power of communist ideology + nationalism

·      Shadow of War – Lovell à WWII was the Soviet Union’s baptism of fire, enforced Soviet control and policies

·      Being Soviet – Johnston à WWII Shape public belief in capitalist invaders, propel importance of Soviet Union in world

      I.         Introduction - Russian World War II

A.     Massive confrontation for survival

B.     Large losses

C.     Changes to Political, Social, Economic, Cultural

D.    Dawn of Russian Golden Age

    II.         Political Developments

A.     Lovell’s Shadow of War – Nomenklatura development (Internal)

B.     Rise in Party Membership – Merridale (Not true belief) v. Hellbeck (Belief)

C.     Johnston’s Being Soviet & Lovell’s Shadow of War (Chpt 8) – New role of USSR as superpower, international (external)

  III.         Economic Developments

A.     Previous development of 5year plans under Stalin à Ignoring consumer economy

B.     Post war struggle

C.     Eventually recovery

   IV.         Social Developments

A.     Lovell’s Shadow of War – Promoting heroes of the war, veterans gain recognition

B.     Johnston’s Being Soviet – Soviets heroes of the world!

C.     Brown’s – Pro-Russians, Nationalism in one ethnicity

     V.         Cultural Developments à Triumph of Communism

A.     Russian legacy of defeating Nazi Germany engrained into historical ID (Referred to by Lovell, Merridale, )

B.     Johnston’s Being Soviet Chpt 5 - Russian Socialist culture trumps all Western ones

Conclusion