As Benito Mussolini became leader of Italy Russia was in a dispute for leadership. After Vladimir Lenin died in 1924 the Communist party struggled for leadership. Joseph Stalin eventually gained power by using underhanded tactics and ordering assassinations of his enemies. As soon as Stalin rose to power he turned the Soviet Union into a totalitarian state. This means that the government had complete control. In 1927 the Soviet government began taking control of private lands and farms. Any who protested were sent to labor camps. By 1933, 15 million people were in labor camps. This caused widespread disease and famine. Stalin sought to remove anyone who opposed his policies and the communist party. He used local police and the Red Army to enforce his laws. Historians estimate that 30 million people were killed as a result of these policies. |
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