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Joseph Stalin: Created Worst Man-made Famine in History – Fast Facts | History

HISTORY

585K views 10 years ago

Warm-up Questions

When you hear the name “Joseph Stalin,” what facts or ideas come to mind?
What do you think “fast facts” videos usually include about a historical person?
What can a video title suggest about the speaker’s opinion of the person?

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Joseph Stalin: Created Worst Man-made Famine in History – Fast Facts | History

Stalin’s background and rise to power (00:00 – 01:51)

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1. What does the speaker say Stalin changed his name to mean?

Leader of the People
Man of Steel
Son of Lenin
Man of Peace

2. After which event did Stalin’s rise to power start, according to the speaker?

The creation of the KGB
The Russian Revolution of 1917
World War II
The signing of the non-aggression pact

3. According to the speaker, what could happen if you didn’t “play by his rules” under Stalin?

You would be removed from the Communist Party but remain safe
You would be sent to fight in World War I
You would be forced to join the secret police
You would be sent to a labor camp or executed

Joseph Stalin: Created Worst Man-made Famine in History – Fast Facts | History

World War II and Stalin’s control (01:51 – 03:17)

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1. What event caused the non-aggression pact to fall apart?

Lenin returned to power
Hitler invaded the Soviet Union in June 1941
Stalin invaded Germany
A nuclear test in 1949

2. During the siege story, what did German soldiers offer children in exchange for filling canteens?

A warm coat
A train ticket out of the city
A medal
A crust of bread

3. What did Stalin establish, according to the speaker, after demanding much of Eastern Europe?

A new non-aggression pact
An iron curtain from the Baltic to the Adriatic Sea
A democratic coalition government
A five-year plan

Joseph Stalin: Created Worst Man-made Famine in History – Fast Facts | History

Stalin’s legacy (and a brief unrelated ending clip) (03:17 – 04:16)

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1. When did Joseph Stalin die (according to the speaker)?

June 1941
1949
March 5th 1953
1924

2. Which institution does the speaker mention as something Stalin “gave” them?

NATO
The United Nations
The KGB
The European Union

3. At the very end of the clip, what is Mark Twain said to be good at capturing?

Industrial output
The public imagination
Military strategy
Eastern Europe

Joseph Stalin: Created Worst Man-made Famine in History – Fast Facts | History

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1. Which overall theme is emphasized most strongly in the video?

A comparison of Stalin and Mark Twain
Stalin’s artistic achievements
Stalin’s cruelty and the human cost of his policies
A detailed explanation of Soviet economics for beginners

2. How does the speaker describe Stalin’s method of maintaining power?

By focusing only on agriculture
By encouraging free elections
By using fear, punishment, and control
By avoiding conflict with other leaders

3. What is the purpose of including numbers like death toll estimates and wartime losses?

To highlight scale and impact
To show economic growth was impossible
To prove the non-aggression pact succeeded
To argue the numbers are exaggerated

Discussion Questions

Discuss the ideas from this video

Joseph Stalin: Created Worst Man-made Famine in History – Fast Facts | History

The video calls Stalin a “villain” and a “mass murderer.” What kinds of evidence do you think a historian should use before using labels like these?
How can a country experience rapid industrial growth while ordinary people suffer severe harm? What trade-offs are suggested in the video?
The speaker says some citizens feel pride, while others feel fear. Why might people remember the same leader in very different ways?
The last seconds shift to an unrelated comment about Mark Twain’s “public image.” How does “public image” affect how historical figures are remembered?