(Autocratic leadership) Adolf Hitler

The most debated man on Earth, Adolf Hitler, was the German 'Fuhrer' (Head of State) between 1933 to 1945. He was an Austria born German dictator, who rose to power through his fiery orations that fired up German nationalism. He has been the subject of studies worldwide, especially for psychology, social sciences, political studies students. He was a 'you can love him, you can hate him, but you cannot ignore him' kind of man. His hand in the World war II, the Jewish Holocaust and many other controversial events is explained here.

Adolf Hitler's Rise to

Power
Among the many dictatorships and tyrants of history, Adolf Hitler was one of the most feared and awed. His actions brought about the Second World War, the Holocaust and shaped Germany's future. The ascent and journey of such a man to a position of power is a fascinating story. Read on to learn how Hitler became the Fhrer of Germany.

The Third Reich, the Nazi army, the Holocaust, all creations of one man.. Adolf Hitler. Different stages of his life have been elucidated on to delve more into how and what created this dictator, from his childhood and education to his death in 1945. In this article, we look at Adolf Hitler's rise to power and the creation of a Nazi Germany, with an in-depth analysis of the events and circumstances of his ascent. Adolf Hitler's Rise to Power - Timeline Young Hitler fought in the war for Germany, his patriotism and love for the country firmly cemented. The war taught Hitler tactics of violence and leadership skills. Even then his superiors noticed the amount of bravery and spirit in this man. That very spirit that would make him stand out as a leader among his peers. Germany however lost the war. The aftermath was humiliating, the Treaty of Versailles and demilitarization of the German army along with sanctions, angered Hitler, who resented the loss of the nation's pride. The common German citizen himself, was seething with resentment at the horrifying circumstances that Germany was presently in. Poverty, anger at the insipid Weimar government and an overpowering urge to avenge the country, such dangerous thoughts were the current norm amongst the German public. Such festering emotions were also perfect for Hitler to take advantage of. The first step in Hitler's grasping of power, was joining the German Worker's Party (DAP) in 1919. Hitler at that time was working as a police spy and was supposed to infiltrate and report on the suspicious activities of the party. But from attending meetings and socializing with its members, Hitler realized that he was meant to be part of such an organization. Indeed the party's antisemitism, anti-

capitalist and nationalist ideas resonated with Hitler's beliefs and thoughts. And the party was likewise impressed with this hidden gem and his sharp oratory gift. From joining as the 55th member, Hitler soon rose to a higher position as the seventh member of the executive committee and became an important part of the DAP, which soon became the National Socialist German Workers Party (NSDAP). The famous red flag with the swastika was created and used as the party's symbol. This party became a key platform for Hitler to express his views and can be regarded as his training ground. He was enthusiastic and principled and very good at addressing large crowds, to mobilize the masses. Above all, he seemed to know how to inspire the typically peaceful German public into a powerful rabble. It was during these early speeches and rallies, that Hitler started anti-Jewish propaganda and introduced the seed of doubt in the common German, that Jews were to blame for the sorry state Germany was in. Hitler needed to take control of the party to continue controlling the masses with his growing popularity. In 1921, the party members held an election and voted almost unanimously in favor of Hitler attaining leadership of the party and becoming the Fhrer or Leader. And the NSDAP became the Nazi party. Becoming the head of such a political party increased Hitler's reputation and standing as a man who can get things done. Local businesses and smaller-less powerful political factions sought the party's support and strength. Hitler had even managed to create his own army, dedicated to the Nazi party, called the Sturmabteilung or SA. In an aggressive move to declare himself, Hitler organized an attempted coup to take over the Bavarian government with the help of the Bavarian army and police and a new friend, General Erich Ludendorff. This event was titled the Beer Hall Putsch of 1923. The coup failed and Hitler was arrested for treason. He was sentenced to 5 years in jail at Landsberg. His sentencing was less of a trial and more like a Hitler showcase, as he explained and emphasized his ideas and beliefs. Indeed this trial of Hitler spread his name to the far reaches of Germany, as a fighter for a new way of German life. In jail, Hitler was regarded as a hero and spent only 8 months in Landsberg, out of his 5-year sentence. He wrote the first part of his autobiography Mein Kampf during this period. The failed coup taught Hitler a valuable lesson in war strategies, perhaps stealth and propaganda can achieve what brute force cannot. Armed with this principle, he now returned to Munich and his party in 1924. He reorganized the party's internal structure and adopted a more subdued stance in rallies and movements. Here Hitler's speeches were the real crowd pullers. He spoke of visions of grandeur and power, that Germany could reach. He spoke of a better future without the evils of the Jews and the Communists. He inspired the public to believe and be proud of their Aryan heritage and to have faith in him, that he would raise Germany from the gutters to its true seat of power. Economic change gave Hitler his first real step into the power game of German politics. The Great Depression from across the ocean, came to Germany in 1930. Germany was highly dependent of foreign loans and money and the Great Depression took this source of income away in one clean swipe. The common man now had no job, no money and no economy. Feeling betrayed by the government, the public turned to the one man and party, who promised them change and hope. This was the Nazi party and that man was Adolf Hitler. An obscure and small-time militant party suddenly took over the elections. Overnight they became the 2nd largest party in the German political league. Suddenly Hitler's influence seemed everywhere. His small SA army had half a million in its ranks. In 1932, he decided to run for president and his opponent at the time was Paul Von Hindenburg. It was a classic case of young vs old and revolutionary vs establishment. Though Hitler lost the election, he had shown the then German government, just what he was capable of. It also angered the public,

who felt that Hitler should have won the election. They already had lost all faith in their government and felt that Hitler in the government, would bring about a radical change in their lives. Hindenburg soon realized the futility of fighting against a tide of support for Hitler and in 1933, Hitler was appointed as Chancellor of Germany. Now in a seat of power, he started aggressive political tactics. The first of these, was not allowing any party to gain a majority in the parliament. The German parliament or Reichstag was dissolved and in the upcoming elections, the Nazi party remained supreme. At this time, Hitler 's supporters set the Reichstag on fire to postpone the elections and blamed it on the Communists. Using the unstable political situation as an excuse, Hitler persuaded Hindenburg to declare a state of emergency. At the reopening of the new Reichstag, the Nazi party unveiled the Enabling Act. Combined with the existing state of emergency, it basically conferred immense power onto Hitler. With the law on his side, Hitler banned the Communist party and forced the remaining parties to dissolve. So the Nazi party's entire political opposition was wiped out. By July 14th of 1933, the Nazi party was the only legal party and even the Catholic Church of Germany was supporting it. The final piece in this massive chess game, was President Hindenburg. Hitler's growing support and army began to pile pressure on him to resign. But in 1934, Hindenburg died. According to the constitution, elections were required to select a new leader. But Hitler stepped in the void and his party, being the entire parliament, transferred all presidential powers and the role of president on him. In short, Hitler was decreed the Fhrer und Reichskanzler of Germany. He also became the Supreme Commander of the armed forces. He was now Germany's dictator and this marked the Nazi party taking over Germany. Whether Adolf Hitler's rise to power could have been prevented or not, one thing is for certain, Hitler had a purpose and a task in mind and he let nothing stand in his way. His will and force changed the course of human history forever.

By Rave Uno Published: 5/18/2011

Adolf Hitler Timeline

The Adolf Hitler timeline provided in this writeup traces his journey from the small city of Braunau am Inn to his suicide following a humiliating defeat in the World War II. Continue reading for some less known facts about Adolf Hitler - one of the most famous dictators of the world.

The ability to entice an audience of millions with their superb oratory skills is something that not many people can boast of, and when we talk about people gifted with this amazing ability - the first name to come to your mind is most likely to be Adolf Hitler. Even though Hitler made it to the headlines for all

the wrong reasons possible, a person who continues to be in the limelight even six decades after his death no doubt deserves some respect. As you move on with this writeup on his life, you will come across several Adolf Hitler facts which speak in volumes about his evil self - however, none of them can change the fact that Hitler was a person with sheer brilliance and superb oratory skills. Adolf Hitler Biography His brief stint with the German armed forces, his contribution towards the development of Nazi Party, his orchestrating of the Holocaust...... and so on. These are some of the most prominent moments of Adolf Hitler timeline because of which we know this person whose dream was to rule the world. Irrespective of whether you are all praises for him for the superb oratory skills he possessed or whether you hate him for his tyranny, you can't ignore the fact that he changed the course of history in the 20th century. Given below is the chronological account on the life of Adolf Hitler - the greatest dictator that the world has ever seen. 20th April, 1889: Adolf Hitler was born in Braunau am Inn, Austria-Hungary on 20 th April, 1889, as the fourth of the six children born to Alois Hitler and Klara Plzl. 1904: He joined a realschule - a type of secondary school in European countries, in the city of Steyr in Upper Austria in 1904. After being expelled from the school, he led a bohemian life for the next few years to come. 22nd May, 1904: He got his first Holy Communion at the age of 15 - sponsored by a friend of his late father Emanuel Lugert, at the Linz Cathedral. 1907-08: In a bid to pursue a career in fine arts, Hitler moved to Vienna to join the prestigious Academy of Fine Arts Vienna. However, both his attempts were rejected by the Academy on the grounds of his 'unfitness for painting'. 1913: After spending a few years in Vienna, he moved to the capital city of Bavaria province Munich, where he spent a year working as a painter and technical draftsmen. 1914: When the World War I began in 1914, Hitler volunteered to serve the German armed forces, and joined the 16th Bavarian Reserve Infantry Regiment for the cause. December 1914: He was awarded the Iron Cross, Second Class - a military decoration which was established by King Friedrich Wilhelm III of Prussia during the Napoleonic wars and continued till the World War II. August 1918: He was awarded the Iron Cross, First Class for his brilliant service in the Army. However citing his lack of leadership skills, he was never promoted to the designation of Unteroffizier (equivalent to a British corporal). 15th October, 1918: He was hospitalized in the field hospital after suffering from temporary blindness as a result of mustard gas attack. Post World War I: Hitler returned to Munich and joined active politics. He was convinced that the German forces lost the World War I - even after occupying enemy territories, only because of backstabbing by the civilian leaders. July 1919: He was appointed the Verbindungsmann (police spy) for the Aufklrungskommando (Intelligence Commando) of the Reichswehr, and given the task of infiltrating the German Worker's Party and spying on it. 12th September, 1919: While Hitler was impressed by founder Anton Drexler's views, Drexler was impressed by Hitler's oratory skills. On the behest of Anton Drexler, Hitler joined the German Worker's Party on 12th September, 1919. 1920: After being discharged from the armed forces, Hitler devoted his entire time for publicity and

propaganda of the German Worker's Party. In course of time, the German Worker's Party was renamed to the Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei (National Socialist German Worker's Party) to add to its appeal. 1921: Adolf Hitler took the reins of Nazi Party in his own hands after forcing Anton Drexler to step down. November 1923: Hitler along with General Ludendorff and other right wing factions orchestrated The Beer Hall Putsch - an armed uprising to overthrow the Bavarian government. He was captured, tried for treason and sent to Landsberg prison for 9 months. 16th February, 1925: The ban on Nazi Party was lifted after Hitler convinced the Prime Minister of Bavaria - Heinrich Held, that the party will only seek political power by legal means in the future. September 1930: The Nazi Party became the second largest party in the Parliament with a total of 107 elected representatives. 25th February, 1932: Hitler became a legal citizen of Germany after the Nazi interior minister of Brunswick appointed him the administrator for a delegation to the Reichsrat in Berlin. This - in turn, made him eligible to run for the post of the President. January 1933: The Nazi Party came to power in Germany, and Adolf Hitler became the Chancellor of the state. March 1933: All parties except for all the Social Democrats voted in favor of the Enabling Act which transformed Hitler's government into a legal dictatorship. In course of the year, all other parties and trade unions were disbanded leaving the Nazi Party as the only legal political outfit in the country. June 30 and July 2, 1934: The Night of the Long Knives - wherein Hitler orchestrated a series of political executions and brought an end to all opposition within his Party. July 1934: After the death of ailing President Paul von Hindenburg, Hitler abolished the title of President and became the Fuehrer and Reich Chancellor of the nation. 1935: Military conscription is introduced with the intention of re-arming the German state and uniting the people of Germany. 7th September, 1937: In a brave move, Adolf Hitler declared the end of the Treaty of Versailles. September 1938: Adolf Hitler signs the Munich Agreement with the British Prime Minister in accordance to which the Sudetenland region is occupied by Germany in October, 1938. November 1938: The Nazi Party orchestrated what is referred to as the 'Crystal Night ' wherein 20,000 Jews are killed, 7,500 Jewish shops 400 synagogues are destroyed in what is believed to be a spontaneous reaction of killing of a German diplomat by a Jewish refugee in Paris. It was the beginning of Holocaust which resulted in death of around 6 million Jews across the world. 23rd August, 1939: The Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact is signed between the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany wherein each pledge to remain neutral in case either nation is attacked by a third party. 1939: Adolf Hitler invaded Poland after the Blitzkrieg, and the event marked the beginning of the World War II. 1940: Hitler continued the invasion of other parts of Europe, and by the end of the year countries like Denmark, Norway, Holland, Belgium, France, Romania and Yugoslavia are invaded by Nazi Germany. June 1941: Hitler moved further and invaded Soviet Union in a military operation code named Operation Barbarossa which brought an end to Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact.

February 1943: Against Hitler's command, the German forces surrendered in the Battle of Stalingrad - and begin retreating. July 1944: Adolf Hitler survived an assassination attempt when Colonel Stauffenberg planted a bomb laden briefcase under his table. January 1945: The Soviet Forces entered Nazi Germany and seized the capital city of Berlin by April 1945. 30th April 1945: Adolf Hitler committed suicide in a bunker in Berlin after writing his last will and political testament. That was the Adolf Hitler timeline which traced the rise and fall of one of the greatest dictator the world have ever seen. A dictator of Hitler's caliber committing suicide is something that not many people could come to terms with - and that explains all the myths and legends about Adolf Hitler's death which continue to keep him at the forefront of biggest mysteries of the world.

By Abhijit Naik Published: 3/22/2011

http://www.buzzle.com/articles/adolf-hitler/

Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein was the 5th President of Iraq and held office between the years 1979 and 2003. He is also known for the many books he authored, before his death in 2006. Saddam Hussein was a strong opinionated leader who held his own even amidst international pressures. The articles presented below, give a better portrayal of his life and career.

Saddam Hussein Biography also spelled addm usayn , in full addm ussein al-Tikrt( 1937 2006 )
(born April 28, 1937, Tikrt, Iraqdied Dec. 30, 2006, Baghdad) president of Iraq (19792003), whose brutal rule was marked by costly and unsuccessful wars against neighbouring countries. Early life addm was born into a peasant family in northern Iraq. He joined the Ba'th Party in 1957. In 1959 he participated in an unsuccessful attempt by Ba'thists to assassinate the Iraqi prime minister, 'Abd al-Karm Qsim; addm was wounded in the attempt and escaped first to Syria and then to Egypt. He attended Cairo Law School (196263) and continued his studies at Baghdad Law College after the Ba'thists took power in Iraq in 1963. The Ba'thists were overthrown that same year, however, and addm spent several years in prison in Iraq. He escaped, becoming a leader of the Ba'th Party, and was instrumental in the coup that brought the party back to power in 1968. addm effectively held power in Iraq along with the head of state, Pres. Amad asan al-Bakr, and in 1972 he directed the nationalization of Iraq's oil industry.

Presidency addm began to assert open control of the government in 1979 and became president upon Bakr's resignation. He then became chairman of the Revolutionary Command Council and prime minister, among other positions. He used an extensive secret-police establishment to suppress any internal opposition to his rule, and he made himself the object of an extensive personality cult among the Iraqi public. His goals as president were to supplant Egypt as leader of the Arab world and to achieve hegemony over the Persian Gulf. addm launched an invasion of Iran's oil fields in September 1980, but the campaign bogged down in a war of attrition. The cost of the war and the interruption of Iraq's oil exports caused addm to scale down his ambitious programs for economic development. The Iran-Iraq War dragged on in a stalemate until 1988, when both countries accepted a cease-fire that ended the fighting. Despite the large foreign debt with which Iraq found itself saddled by war's end, addm continued to build up his armed forces. In August 1990 the Iraqi army overran neighbouring Kuwait. addm apparently intended to use that nation's vast oil revenues to bolster Iraq's economy, but his occupation of Kuwait quickly triggered a worldwide trade embargo against Iraq. He ignored appeals to withdraw his forces from Kuwait, despite the buildup of a large U.S.-led military force in Saudi Arabia and the passage of United Nations (UN) resolutions condemning the occupation and authorizing the use of force to end it. The Persian Gulf War began on Jan. 16, 1991, and ended six weeks later when the allied military coalition drove Iraq's armies out of Kuwait. Iraq's crushing defeat triggered internal rebellions by both Sh'ites and Kurds, but addm suppressed their uprisings, causing thousands to flee to refugee camps along the country's northern border. Untold thousands more were murdered, many simply disappearing into the regime's prisons. As part of the cease-fire agreement with the UN, Iraq was prohibited from producing or possessing chemical, biological, and nuclear weapons. Numerous sanctions were leveled on the country pending compliance, and these caused severe disruption of the economy. addm's continued refusal to cooperate with UN arms inspectors led to a four-day air strike by the United States and Great Britain in late 1998 (Operation Desert Fox). Both countries announced that they would support efforts of the Iraqi opposition to unseat addm, whose regime had grown increasingly brutal under UN sanctions, but the Iraqi leader barred UN weapons inspectors from entering his country. In the interim it became clear that addm was grooming one of his sons'Udayy or Quayyto succeed him. Both were elevated to senior positions, and both mirrored the brutality of their father. Moreover, addm continued to solidify his control at home, while he struck a profoundly defiant and anti-American stance in his rhetoric. Though increasingly feared at home, addm was viewed by many in the Arab world as the only regional leader willing to stand up to what they saw as American aggression.

In the wake of the September 11 attacks in the United States in 2001, the U.S. government, asserting that addm might provide terrorist groups with chemical or biological weapons, sought to renew the disarmament process. Though addm allowed UN weapons inspectors to return to Iraq in November 2002, his failure to cooperate fully with the investigations frustrated the United States and Great Britain and led them to declare an end to diplomacy. On March 17, 2003, U.S. President George W. Bush ordered addm to step down from office and leave Iraq within 48 hours or face war; he also indicated that, even if addm left the country, U.S. forces might be needed to stabilize the new government and search for weapons of mass destruction. When addm refused to leave, U.S. and allied forces launched an attack on Iraq on March 20. The opening salvo of the Iraq War was an assault by U.S. aircraft on a bunker complex in which addm was thought to be meeting with subordinates. Although the attack failed to kill the Iraqi leader, subsequent attacks directed against addm made it clear that eliminating him was a major goal of the invasion. Always obstinate in his tone, addm exhorted Iraqis to lay down their lives to stop U.S. and British forces, but resistance to the invasion soon crumbled, and on April 9, the day Baghdad fell to U.S. soldiers, addm fled into hiding. He took with him the bulk of the national treasury and was initially able to evade capture by U.S. troops. His sons, 'Udayy and Quayy, were cornered and killed in Mosul on July 22, but it was not until December 13 that addm was finally captured. The once dapper leader was pulled, disheveled and dirty, from a small underground hiding place near a farmhouse in the vicinity of his native Tikrt. Although he was armed, addm surrendered to U.S. soldiers without firing a shot. Trial and execution In October 2005 addm went on trial before the Iraqi High Tribunal, a panel court established to try officials of the former Iraqi government. He and several codefendants were charged with the killing of 148 townspeople in Al-Dujayl, a mainly Sh'ite town, in 1982. Throughout the nine-month trial, addm interrupted the proceedings with angry outbursts, claiming that the tribunal was a sham and that U.S. interests were behind it. The tribunal finally adjourned in July 2006 and handed down its verdicts in November. addm was convicted of crimes against humanity, including willful killing, illegal imprisonment, deportation, and torture, and was sentenced to death by hanging. addm's half brother (an intelligence officer) and Iraq's former chief judge also were sentenced to death. Days after an Iraqi court upheld his sentence in December 2006, addm was executed.

http://www.biography.com/articles/Saddam-Hussein-9347918?part=1

Accomplishments of Joseph Stalin

Joseph Stalin is a controversial figure in world history. Although the public opinion on Joseph Stalin is divided, we can't deny the role he played in making Soviet Union one of the most powerful countries in the world. Let us take a look at some of the accomplishments of Joseph Stalin.

The name Joesph Stalin evokes varied emotions. Some people remember him as a dictator who went about murdering his political opponents and anyone who spoke against him, while some remember him for being the man of steel who stopped Hitler at Stalingrad, and prevented him from gaining control of Europe. Many Russians also remember him as someone who transformed a struggling weak nation into one of worlds most industrialized and powerful country. Joseph Stalin was born Iosif Vissarionovich Dzhugashvili on 18 December 1879 in Gori, Georgia. His father was a cobbler and it is believed that Stalin had a difficult childhood because he used to receive frequent beatings from him. His mother wanted him to become a priest but Stalin was never interested and instead became involved in the revolution against Russian monarchy. Although, Stalins methods of protest were violent, Lenin viewed him as a loyal activist and after the Revolution ended, Stalin was appointed to various low-profile positions in the government. All this changed in the year 1922, when Stalin was appointed as the General Secretary of the Communist Partys Central Committee. Stalin used this position to his best advantage by fixing meetings, setting agendas and having a say in almost all the matters of the committee. Till the time higher leadership noticed this and decided to act, Stalin had become invulnerable, and with Lenins death in 1924, Stalin thrust himself on the people of Russia by first becoming the heir and then the dictator of Russia. Stalin ruled Russia for over a quarter of a century and it is during this time that Russia became one of the economic powers of the world, but at the cost of loss of many human lives. Let us take a look at the achievements of Joseph Stalin in detail. Joseph Stalin Accomplishments One of the biggest achievements of Stalin was massive industrialization of Russia. He believed that Russia was capable of becoming one of the dominant players in the world economy. He introduced the policy of collectivized agriculture due to which land was taken from peasants reducing them to the status of serfs again. Although, Stalin was widely criticized for this policy, it created an agriculture boom in Russia. Another important achievement of Stalin was the institution of Five-year plans to improve the state of Russian economy. Stalin encouraged heavy-materials industry to give Russia an edge over other capitalist countries. It is belived that the annual growth rate in Russia under Stalins rule was close to about 13%. Due to rapid industrialization new products were developed and Russian society which was predominantly agrarian, turned into an industrially advanced society.

Under Stalin, healthcare and education received tremendous boost. Stalin promoted girls education; women were treated fairly and given equal employment opportunities. The literacy rate increased to a record high under Stalin, and many young people had easy access to University education. Advancement in the field of healthcare increased the average lifespan of Russians and most of the Russians had universal access to healthcare. The prevalence of some of the dreaded diseases of those times like cholera and malaria dropped to record low numbers. Overall, healthcare and education received great boost under Stalin. Stalin was a Georgian by birth, but he promoted, Russian art, history and literature. He spoke highly about the Russian heroes and told people to idolize them. Painting, sculpting and music received special attention and the concept of Socialist Realism was established. Architecture too flourished and the constructivism of 1920s was replaced by Stalinist Empire Style. One of the biggest achievements of Stalin is his role in stopping Hitler from annexing parts of Russia. Stalin and Hitler had a pact under which Poland was to be divided between Russia and Germany and then neither of them would meddle in each others affairs. Hitler broke the pact by launching operation Barbarossa. Although the Soviet forces suffered heavy causalities in the initial phase of war, Stalin took the command of the army and was successful in stopping German army from annexing Soviet territories. He was named the Person of the year by reputed Time magazine. After the World War II was over, Stalin, along with Franklin D. Roosevelt and Winston Churchill became prominent political figures in the world. Stalin also played an important role in getting a permanent seat for Russia in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC). There is no doubt that Stalin was a controversial figure and the ways that he employed for making Russia an advanced country have been the subject of immense criticism. He has also been held responsible for the Soviet famine of 1932-33, in which millions of people lost their lives. Although Stalin committed grave atrocities, his role in making Soviet Union one of the most powerful nations of the world cant be undermined. We would like to end this article by remembering Stalins wartime slogan, Umeraite No Ne Otstupaite (Die, But Do Not Retreat).

By Rahul Pandita Published: 5/24/2011

Joseph Stalin's Five Year Plan

"You cannot make a revolution with silk gloves", said Joseph Stalin, one of the most iconic figures in Russian history. Stalin went on to become the leader of the Soviet Union, as the successor of Lenin, another major Russian figure. Stalin is touted as one of the most ruthless leaders who, through his introduction of the Five Year Plans, brought a monumental change in the Soviet economy. After the First World War, USSR (Union of Soviet Socialist Republic) or the Soviet Union was in a state of complete disarray, after being defeated by the Allied Powers in 1919. It needed a leader like Stalin, to cause a Soviet upsurge. So, after Stalin took over the reins of Russia, succeeding Lenin, in 1924, he set on his task of strengthening Russia economically. One of the most significant plans for improving Russia's economy was to introduce the Five Year Plans in 1928. First Five Year Plan - 1928-1932: Stalin, while formulating the first five year plan cited that the Soviet Union was at least 50 years behind the developed countries. The first five-year plan emphasized on heavy industries. The reason was to lay the foundation of solid industrial growth. It was argued that Soviet Russia could be at a risk from the aggressive capitalist countries on account of its negligible industrialization. The five year plan proved to be a success, with the poor, experiencing an improvement in their economic status. The production of both iron and coal quadrupled. Simultaneously, electric power production increased and 1500 new industrial plants were built. Gradually, Stalin introduced the policy of 'collectivization' which meant that individual land labour was to be consolidated into collective farms. It was supposed to be a potent solution for the crisis of agricultural distribution. And it was believed that replacing the individual land and labour with collective farms would immediately increase food supply for urban population. The policy, unfortunately resulted in the imprisoning, murdering and torturing of many farmers, which led to

famine and abject poverty in a large section of the population. This happened during the time of the Great Depression. So the consequence was that, the economy was unable to cope up with the disastrous situation, even before collectivization started. Still, it is remarkable that between 1928 and 1940, the number of workers in the transport and construction industries almost tripled in Russia. Factor output increased, and Soviet Russia was catapulted into a leading industrial nation. Second Five Year Plan - 1933-1937: The second five year plan started in the year 1933, with a focus on heavy industries. This made Soviet Russia, Germany's closest competitor in steel production. The communication network, especially the Railways, was given priority by Stalin. The second plan was uniformly successful, barring a dip in the prescribed production levels of coal and oil. Efforts were made to recuperate the agrarian sector, but to no avail. All in all, the standard of living deteriorated during this period. Interestingly, women were asked to be a part of the plan as well. Third Five Year Plan - 1938-1941: This was the period when Soviet Russia entered the Second World War. Naturally, all the economic resources contributed to the development of arms, armament and tan weapons. In terms of the fulfillment of proclaimed production goals, initially, this plan was a disappointment. But, the industrial growth rate of the economy during the 1930s was still going strong at 12% to 13%. And this continued even after the Second World War. Fourth and Fifth Five Year Plan - 1946-1950 and 1951-1955: Following the defeat in the Second World War, Russia's economy was almost destroyed. Stalin's focus, therefore, was mainly on reconstruction. Despite the evident and massive destruction, Stalin promised that Russia would lead the world in industrial development by 1960. Colossal losses were borne by the industrial sector, the manpower, railways, infrastructure and agrarian sector. Stalin's Russia had no alternative but to ask the USA for a reconstruction aid. The disagreement on the terms of reconstruction aid led to the Cold War later. Ukraine got a chunk of one-third of the fourth plan's capital expenditure. Stalin managed to get reparations from Germany. A few East European countries were also asked for aid in exchange for the help that Russia gave them for liberation from Nazi atrocities. After Stalin, Nikita Khrushchev took up the task of empowering Russia financially, and tried to recoup the economy post Second World War. Whatever the impression of Stalin is, one thing's for sure. Stalin will always be an important part of the history of Russia.

Stalinism: The Use of Propaganda by Joseph Stalin

Iosef Besarionis dze Jughashvili or Josef Stalin was born on December 18, 1878. He rose to become the General Secretary of the Communist Party in the Soviet Union in 1922 and took over as an authoritarian leader immediately after Lenin's death in 1924. Stalinism or the Stalin propaganda was unique to a world rife with the race for territorial expansion and humiliated national sentiment...

Enlarge Image The Stalin Years The Stalin years lasted from 1924 to 1953. This was an era that was marked by command economy

characterized by extensive Five-Year Plans, economic collectivization and rapid industrialization. The era survived a disrupted agricultural sector and widespread famine, literally fueled by the support of the Great Purge or Reign of Terror. Stalin propaganda aimed at the removal or extermination of corruption or treachery, concepts redefined by Stalin himself.Stalin used military might to deal with opposition. He designed labor camps for those convicted of treachery or exiled and deported persecuted ethnic minorities to Siberia. The Stalin years supported the 1939 non-aggression pact withNazi Germany and the invasion of the Baltics, Poland, Finland, Bessarabia and Bukovina. The two decades also witnessed the Soviet agreement with the Allies and Axis defeat. Stalin used the might of Allied victory due to Soviet invasion of East Germany, to install communist governments in Eastern Europe. The 'Iron Curtain' lasted all through the period of antagonism, popularly referred to as the Cold War. Base of Stalin Propaganda Stalin propaganda rested on the tripod of media control, a fostered personality cult and a claimed legacy. Most of this propaganda was the result of experiences during his childhood and youth that exposed him to plaguing gang warfare, poverty and street brawls. He was largely influenced by Vladimir Lenin and became a Marxist revolutionary himself. At a young age he began organizing demonstrations and strikes, partisan activities, ransom kidnappings and counterfeiting operations. He was exiled twice, once in 1908 and then again in 1911. During the October Revolution, in 1917, Stalin played a prominent role by supporting the plan to overthrow the provisional government and helping Lenin to evade capture. The Russian Civil War experience through 1917 - 1919, formulated much of the Stalin propaganda that surfaced after Lenin's death. Stalin's hardline and highly centralist policies helped him to rise to the post of General Secretary in 1922 and form a firm anti-Trotsky base, after Lenin's political tenure. Stalin was at all times heady with the intoxication of power, ambition and politics. Stalin propaganda focused on central control of the economy and collectivization of agriculture. He capitalized on the ban on factionalism and proclaimed dictatorship by 1928. Stalinism Stalinism or Stalinization refers to the influence of Josef Stalin over the Russian people and economy. Stalinism capitalized on the scope and power of a special secret police and several intelligence agencies. Stalin generated intelligence networks across Europe, the Rote Kappelle spy ring, to further communist political propaganda and support communist actions. He believed in and imposed statesanctioned violence to integrate public activities. Stalin used the strength of the Communist International Movement to ensure pro-Soviet and Stalin support. He generated a cult of personality around Lenin and himself. Towns and villages were renamed after him, institutions were set up in his honor, grandiloquent titles were adopted and an attempt was made to rewrite Soviet history, highlighting Stalin as the hero of the Russian Revolution. Stalin even included his name in the Soviet national anthem. Stalinism or Stalinization of Russia made the leader the focus of fine arts and fawning devotion. Stalin relished self-praise and the cult that grew around him. Life in Russia under Stalin Russia under Stalin's rule witnessed the progress and efficiency possible with systematic planning, alongside a political purge that spared none. The Moscow Trials were used to get rid of anti-Soviet activities and counterrevolutionary crime behind the clauses of the Article 58 legal code. A vicious cycle of persecution, abuse, torturous interrogation and deportation was the very base of troika. He targeted foreign ethnicities and executed them. He hid behind propaganda material such as rewritten texts and photographs, forged Soviet archives, a series of deportations based on fraudulent pretexts and the policy of separatism. On the flip side, Stalinism's forced collectivization of agriculture worked well for the starving Russians. Mechanized farms brought peasantry under direct political control and initiated many social changes. Rapid collectivization of agriculture resulted in equally rapid industrialization. Construction projects and manufacturing processes generated employment. Stalin's Five-Year plans modernized the otherwise backward Soviet economy. The development of new products increased the scale and efficiency of domestic and international trade.

By Gaynor Borade

Facts on Josef Stalin

Josef Stalin was the General Secretary of the Communist Party in Russia. He was born on 18 December, 1878. After Lenin's death in 1924, Stalin ousted Trotsky from power and rose to become dictator of the Soviet Union...

The Early Years: Josef Stalin suffered a bout of smallpox when he was seven and this permanently scarred his face. At the age of twelve, his left arm suffered permanent damage due to two carriage accidents. At sixteen, he began writing poetry and openly rebelled against the imposition on the general public to speak Russian. Stalin Politics: His rather infamous non-aggression pact signed with the Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler in 1939, was something that the Allies did not expect or appreciate, during World War II. The resultant Soviet invasion of Poland, Bukovina, Finland and the Baltics was only part of the territorial expansion scheme. Once Germany violated the pact in 1941, Stalin rejoined the Allies; not only playing a major role in the defeat of the Axis Powers, but also becoming responsible for the largest death toll in the world! In 1906, Stalin temporarily resigned from the party. He organized partisan activities and even indulged in the murders of the Tsar's right-wing supporters. He was arrested in 1908, but after seven months in prison, he escaped the exile in Siberia. Stalin authored an essay: Marxism and the National Question. Stalin was responsible for the issue of controversial military orders like 'shoot deserters, while the family members are arrested' and 'shoot for cowardice without a trial'. The 'Great Terror' or 'Great Purge' launched by Josef Stalin was announced as a campaign to get rid of corruption and treachery from Soviet society, but it is a well known fact that the step was taken in the direction of doing away with opposition. Targets were either executed, deported, exiled or imprisoned. After the Second World War came to an end in 1945, Stalin influenced the formation of communist governments in many parts of Eastern Europe. Thus, formed the Eastern Bloc or the Iron Curtain. The subsequent period of antagonism was not only long, but also one that took the form of a Cold War between the Communist and Capitalist nations. The latter were led and influenced by America. Rise to Power: He depended on increased power of his secret police and intelligence networks in major world nations. The latter was called the Rote Kappelle spy ring and operated within Great Britain, the United States, France and Japan. Stalin started a Communist International Movement to infiltrate and ensure that Communist parties set up in foreign countries remain pro-Stalin. Numerous towns, cities and villages were renamed after Stalin. He also incorporated the Stalin Peace Prize in his honor. He honored himself with grandiloquent titles such as 'Father of Nations', 'Coryphaeus of Science', Brilliant Genius of Humanity' and 'Great Architect of Communism'. Stalin's name was included in the National Anthem and he was made the focus of literature, music and film. Five Year Plans: Stalin is best known for his five year plans that he designed for the rapid industrialization of Russia, to overcome the Great Depression. He is credited with launching economic rejuvenation to take care of a period full of disrupted food production and unemployment. Stalin imposed collectivization of agriculture to deal with the shortage of food crops, post World War II. Stalin's government took on the task of financing large scale industrialization to generate employment and improve manufacturing

processes. This helped to raise the economic base. The development of new products and improved efficiency increased production and subsequently, profitability. Girls were given adequate education and women enjoyed equal employment rights. The health care initiatives saw occurrences of diseases drop to low numbers. Stalin and Lenin: Stalin joined the Bolsheviks and worked against the Mensheviks during the Russian Revolution. When he met Lenin at a Bolshevik conference, Stalin began to raise money for the party plans via planned bank robberies and extortions. He created a newspaper called Pravda, and published editorials seeking reconciliation between the Mensheviks and Bolsheviks. This angered Lenin and Stalin was removed from the editorial. Stalin supported Lenin in overthrowing the provisional government and even helped Lenin to evade arrest. After Civil War victory, the Bolsheviks were led by Stalin in a territorial expansion spree. Lenin disliked Stalin's extremist policies. However, when Lenin suffered a stroke in 1922, his relationship with Stalin deteriorated over disagreement on Stalin's rudeness, assimilation of power, overambitious nature and politics. When Lenin died on January 21, 1924, Stalin began focusing on building a communist bloc. Death Controversies: On March 1, 1953, Stalin did not emerge from his room, after dinner. He suffered paralysis of the right side of his body. The controversies surrounding Stalin's death include a view point that he had ingested a strong rat poison called warfarin. The poison supposedly is responsible for coagulation of blood and subsequently, cerebral hemorrhage. However, the facts on Stalin's death continue to be viewed with a lot of uncertainty.

By Gaynor Borade

Joseph Stalin Biography

Want to know more about the life of Stalin? Read the biography and life history of Joseph Stalin

Enlarge Image Here is an account of the biography of Joseph Stalin. The life of Stalin was full of controversial choices and decisions. The history of Joseph Stalin is full of difficulties and hardships that he faced, and made other people face as well. Joseph Stalin was, nevertheless, quite a powerful man in his own right. Early Years Joseph Vissarionovich Dzhugashvili was born on the 18th of December, 1878 in Gori, Georgia (in Russia) to Vissarion Dzhugashvili (a cobbler) and Ekatertina Geladze (an ex-serf). He spent his

childhood in a lot of difficulties. When his father went bankrupt after his cobblers shop went bust, he joined the shoe factory in Tiflis. It is said that his father often used to get drunk and beat him up along with his mother. Joseph studied in the Gori Church School, and was a good student. At the age of 14, he graduated top of the class and won a scholarship to the Seminary of Tiflis. It was during the school years, that he had joined the Georgian Social-Democratic organization and was propagating Marxism. In 1899, just before his examination, Jospeh quit (or was expelled from) the Seminary and devoted his time to the political underground in the Caucasus area. In this time, he was arrested several times and was even exiled to Siberia. In 1913 he adopted the name Joseph Stalin. The name Stalin was a derivation of the Russian word stal which meant steel. Political Career Stalin began as a follower of Lenin and attended the Fifth Congress of the Russian Social Democratic Labor Party in London, in 1907 with Lenin. His practical experience of working for the underground gained him a lot of popularity and usefulness for the Party and helped him get a place on the Central Committee in 1912. His rise to power was steady and he gained a place as the Politburo of the Central Committee in 1917. In 1922, he was elected as the General Secretary of the Central Committee of the All Russian Communist Party, popularly known as the Bolsheviks. He proceeded to make the best use of his positions and gradually created a power structure around himself. His growing popularity even surprised Lenin, who was dying around that time, and he called for removing Stalin from the Party. Of course, with the political support Stalin enjoyed, nothing ever happened. In 1924, Lenin died and Stalin began his characteristic political moves. He embarrassed and undermined other political bigwigs in the party, either by forming alliances with other leaders or by publicly humiliating them. But one by one, all the people who have aligned with him also got destroyed. An example was his chief competitor Trotsky, who was eventually eliminated from the Party politics. Stalin worked hard to create an appeal with the masses by depicting himself as someone who was from them. He was later accused of creating a cult of the personality. He used his concept of Socialism in One Country to generate hope in the minds of the Soviet people who were tired of war and hunger. In the 1930s he created the Five Year Plans which were meant to generate a huge growth in Industrialization and Agricultural production in Russia. He sent many students abroad to learn Engineering and Science and even brought several people from other countries into Russia to aid in the development process. His move to form a collectivist agricultural structure, however, did not go down well. In the process of Collectivization, several farmers and peasants faced a downsizing in their standard of living and way of life. Only the rich farmers (known as kulaks) stood against this policy. This forced Stalin to undertake another of his characteristic remedial measures: arrest, exile or shoot, against all those who stood against his reforms. In 1932-1933, this Collectivization also caused a lot of disruption in the lives of the Ukranian peasants, leading to famine and death. The death toll of this famine, generally known as the Holodomor, is assumed to be in the upwards of 10 million people. The 1930s were dotted with many such purges. In fact Stalins reign was characterized by them. Those who opposed him, those who could pose a threat to him, anyone denounced by anybody else all of these people and politicians were subject to the purge where they were arrested, exiled or shot. Stalin was also involved in re-writing the history textbooks so that the Revolution had only two heroes: Lenin and Stalin.

In 1939, Stalin engineered a pact between Russia and Nazi Germany, known as the MolotovRibbentrop Pact. Officially, this pact was a non-aggression treaty. But the pact also divided several areas of Central Europe between these two powers. Of course, Hitler broke this pact in 1941, and attacked Russia. The invading German forces were thwarted in December 1941 by the Russian Army. Thereafter, Stalin met with world leaders like Winston Churchill and Franklin D. Roosevelt in several conferences in Moscow, Tehran, Yalta and Postdam to discuss military strategy. On the global political front, Stalin came across as a person who was a ruthless negotiator, and a man not given to emotional outrage. However, he lacked in strategic vision. Perhaps, Stalin recognized this failing of his, and began depending on his military generals to conduct the war. These moves along with his earlier moves for industrialization and his collectivist policies aided to create a Russia which was an equal competitor to the Western Alliance. Stalin also successfully negotiated the Soviet occupation of territories in Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Romania, and Bulgaria. Together, these countries constituted what came to be known as the Communist Bloc. Stalin already had a secret police in place (NKVD and the Gulag) when he came to power. He began extending the power base by creating a strong intelligence division with spies and agents in all the Western countries. This was the beginning of what came to be known as the Cold War. Personal Life Stalins childhood was marked by a lot of hardship and abuse. Perhaps a part of it dwindled down into his family life, just as a lot of it was instilled into his personality. Stalins first wife, Ekaterina Svanidze died four years after their marriage, in 1907. They had one son, Yakov Dzhugashvili. Father and son never got along with each other. Yakov tried to kill himself once and failed, earning Stalins comment that "He cant even shoot straight". Yakov was a general in the Red Army and was captured by the Germans. When offered his son in exchange for a German officer, Stalin denied having a son. Yakov later on committed suicide by running into an electric fence at the concentration camp where he was held. He had another wife, Nadezhda Aliluyeva, who died in 1932. It is commonly believed that she committed suicide by shooting herself after a fight with Stalin. They had two children, Vasily and Svetlana. Vasily was a high ranking official in the Soviet Air Force. He proved himself to be a capable air force person in World War II. Svetlana emigrated to the United States in 1967. Death On the 1st of March, 1953, Stalin attended a dinner party with his political colleagues and retired to bed. When he did not wake up the next day at his usual time, his guards did not try to find out why, because they had been instructed by Stalin to not disturb him. However, when he did not come out by evening, they investigated. He was found paralyzed by a stroke. He died on the 5th of March, 1953. Officially, it was stated that Stalin died of Cerebral Hemorrhage. A lot of controversy surrounds the death of Stalin, including rumors of poisoning by consumption of warfarin (a powerful rat poison that has no taste and induces hemorrhage).

By Madhavi Ghare

http://www.buzzle.com/articles/joseph-stalin-biography.html

Osama bin Laden Biography

also spelled Usmah ibn Ldin

( 1957 2011 )
Jihadist leader. Born Osama bin Mohammed bin Awad bin Laden on March 10, 1957, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to construction billionaire Mohammed Awad bin Laden and Mohammed's 10th wife, Syrian-born Alia Ghanem. Osama was the seventh of 50 children born to Muhammad bin Laden, but the only child from his father's marriage to Alia Ghanem. Osama's father started his professional life in the 1930s in relative poverty, working as a porter in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. During his time as a young laborer, Mohammed impressed the royal family with his work on their palaces, which he built at a much lower cost than any of his competitors could, and with a much greater attention to detail. By the 1960s, he had managed to land several large government contracts to build extensions on the Mecca, Medina and Al-Aqsa mosques. He became a highly influential figure in Jeddah; when the city fell on hard financial times, Mohammed used his wealth to pay all civil servants' wages for the entire kingdom for a six-month period. As a result, Mohammed bin Laden became well respected in his community. As a father, he was very strict, insisting that all his children live under one roof and observe a rigid religious and moral code. He dealt with his children, especially his sons, as if they were adults, and demanded they become confident and self-sufficient at an early age. Osama, however, barely came to know his father before his parents divorced. After his family split, Osama's mother took him to live with her new husband, Muhammad al-Attas. The couple had four children together, and Osama spent most of his childhood living with his step-siblings, and attending Al Thagher Model Schoolat the time the most prestigious high school in Jedda. His biological father would go on to marry two more times, until his death in a charter plane crash in September 1967. At the age of 14, Osama was recognized as an outstanding, if somewhat shy, student at Al Thagher. As a result, he received a personal invitation to join a small Islamic study group with the promise of earning extra credit. Osama, along with the sons of several prominent Jedda families, were told the group would memorize the entire Koran, a prestigious accomplishment, by the time they graduated from the institution. But the group soon lost its original focus, and during this time Osama received the beginnings of an education in some of the principles of violent jihad. The teacher who educated the children, influenced in part by a sect of Islam called The Brotherhood, began instructing his pupils in the importance of instituting a pure, Islamic law around the Arab world. Using parables with often-violent endings, their teacher explained that the most loyal observers of Islam would institute the holy wordeven if it meant supporting death and destruction. By the second year of their studies, Osama and his friends had openly adopted the attitude and styles of teen Islamic activists. They preached the importance of instituting a pure Islamic law at Al Thagher; grew untrimmed beards; and wore shorter pants and wrinkled shirts in imitation of the Prophet's dress.

By 1993, Osama had formed a secret network known as al-Qaeda (Arabic for "the Base"), comprised of militant Muslims he had met while serving in Afghanistan. Soldiers were recruited for their ability to listen, their good manners, obedience, and their pledge to follow their superiors. Their goal was to take up the jihadist cause around the world, righting perceived wrongs under the accordance of pure, Islamic law. Under Osama's leadership, the group funded and began organizing global attacks worldwide. By 1994, after continued advocacy of extremist jihad, the Saudi government forced Osama to relinquish his Saudi citizenship, and confiscated his passport. His family also disowned him, cutting off his $7 million yearly stipend. Undeterred, Osama began executing his violent plans, with the goal of drawing the United States into war. His hope was that Muslims, unified by the battle, would create a single, true Islamic state. In 1996, to forward his goal, al Qaeda detonated truck bombs against U.S. occupied forces in Saudi Arabia. The next year, they claimed responsibility for killing tourists in Egypt, and in 1998 they bombed the U.S. embassies in Nairobi, Kenya, and Tanzania, killing nearly 300 people in the process. Osama's actions abroad did not go unnoticed by the Sudanese government, and he was exiled from their country in 1996. Not able to return to Saudi Arabia, Osama took refuge in Afghanistan, where he received protection from the country's ruling Taliban militia. While under the protection of the Taliban, Osama issued a series of fatwas, religious statements, which declared a holy war against the United States. Among the accusations reared at the offending country were the pillaging of natural resources in the Muslim world, and assisting the enemies of Islam. By 2001, Osama had attempted, and often successfully executed attacks on several countries using the help of Al Qaeda trained terrorists and his seemingly bottomless financial resources. On September 11, 2001, Osama would deliver his most devastating blow to the United States. A small group of Osama's Al Qaeda jihadists hijacked four commercial passenger aircraft in the United States, two of which collided into the World Trade Center towers. Another aircraft crashed into The Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia. A fourth plane was successfully retaken, and crashed in Pennsylvania. The intended target of the final aircraft was believed to be the United States Capitol. In all, the attack killed nearly 3,000 civilians. Following the September 11 attacks on the United States, the government under President George W. Bush formed a coalition that sucecssfully overthrew the Taliban. Osama went into hiding and, for more than 10 years, he was hunted along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border. In 2004, shortly before President Bush's reelection, Osama bin Laden released a videotaped message claiming responsibility for the September 11 attacks. Then, on May 1, 2011, President Barack Obama announced that Osama bin Laden had been killed in a terrorist compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan. In an 8-month plan enacted by the president, and led by CIA director Leon

Panetta and American special forces, Osama was shot several times. His body was taken as evidence of his death, and DNA tests revealed that the body was, in fact, his. "For over two decades, bin Laden has been al Qaeda's leader and symbol and has continued to plot attacks against our country and our friends and our allies," President Obama said in a late-night address to the nation on the eve of Osama's death. "The death of bin Laden marks the most significant achievement to date in our nation's effort to defeat al Qaeda." He added that "his demise should be welcomed by all who believe in peace and human dignity."

http://www.biography.com/articles/Osama-bin-Laden-37172