Joseph Stalin 1924-1953

This episode examines Stalin’s rise to dominance and the transformation of the Soviet Union through rapid industrialisation, collectivisation and ruthless political control. We explore the Five-Year Plans, the human cost of collectivisation, the Great Terror and the cult of personality, as well as Stalin’s wartime leadership and post‑war expansion of Soviet influence. The episode highlights how Stalin reshaped the USSR into a global superpower at immense social and human cost.