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Stalin becomes General Secretary
Stalin becomes General Secretary of the Communist Party, which gave him control of all party member appointments. This allowed him to build a base of political support -
Lenin Dies
Vladimir Lenin, the first and founding head of government of Soviet Russia, dies of an illness making Stalin the next dictator of Soviet Russia. -
Beginning of the Five-Year Plans
Stalin launched his five-year plan to transform the Soviet Union from a weak agricultural society into an industrial superpower -
Battle of Stalingrad
Germany invades Stalingrad and so the Battle of Stalingrad begins. Germany was defeated and weakened, marking this as the turning point in the World War. -
Stalin and the Korean War
Stalin grants North Korea permission to invade South Korea, causing the Korean War -
Stalin Dies
On March 5, 1973, Stalin dies of a stroke at age 74