me the most powerful man in Russia. He ran the Soviet Union with brut power, removing all that opposed him and the Communist beliefs. This time period was known as the "Great Purge." Stalin systemically executed anyone who stood in his path. Stalin had millions of people arrested and killed. The government once again changed in its economic status. All private ownership was ended. Industrialization commenced, and the strength of the Soviet's Military significantly increased. The only downfall was agriculture production slowly diminished. This eventually led to food shortages. During this time period the Second World War broke out and drained most of what was left of the already impoverished state. However after the war, national unity was improved and the Soviet Union once again became a super power of the world. (" Stalin and World War II," Microsoft(R) Encarta(R) 99 Encyclopedia) Stalin's death in 1953 marked the end of the supreme power for the head of the Soviet party. Stalin's successor, Nikita Khrushev, marked the beginning of the fall of Communism in the Soviet Union. Khrushev became the first Secretary of the Communists party ("Nikita Khrushev," Microsoft(R) Encarta(R) 98 Encyclopedia). He believed Stalin's actions were unnecessary and harmful to the process of moving the Socialist government to its goal of complete Communism. During his period of control the public was given some say in the government. A new policy of economy was brought in known as "New Course." It helped to balance the agriculture and increase food production so there were less food shortages. Although Nikita Khrushev started a process of reform he was dismissed due to massive shortage of dairy products, and the fact that he failed to meet any of his initial objectives. After the dismissal of Khrushev, Leonid Brezhnev became the Soviet Communist Party Secretary General in October of 1964. Under his control central power was brought back into effect. Stalin's ...
