Mega Russia timeline (part 2): Power struggle -

Stalin is made Party Secretary DATE my

April 1922

Stalin is made Party Secretary SIGNIFICANCE

Gave Stalin lots of control over the running of the party, allowed him to appoint his own supporters to positions of power which made people loyal to him and this power in turn made him a desirable candidate to ally with during the power vacuum. Gave him a seat in the Politburo, had access to personal files on party members

The Troika established DATE y

1922

The Troika established CAUSES

Lenin is ill and these three are looking to remove Trotsky from the leadership race

The Troika established DETAILS

Stalin, Zinoviev and Kamenev form an alliance against Trotsky

Lenin’s funeral DATE my

January 1924

Lenin’s funeral DETAILS/SIGNIFICANCE

Stalin gave a speech where he aligned himself w/ Lenin by vowing to uphold his ideas. Trotsky was not there, which came back to bite him.

Trotsky’s views condemned by the 13th Party Conference DATE my

January 1924

Central Committee keeps Lenin’s testament secret and decides not to dismiss Stalin DATE

May 1924

Central Committee keeps Lenin’s testament secret and decides not to dismiss Stalin SIGNIFICANCE

Lenin’s testament was highly scathing of most Bol. members so may’ve affected public opinion if released, it meant Stalin remained popular

The Troika breaks up DATE y

1925

Stalin allied himself with Bukharin DATE y

1925 (there is some discussion over this)

United Opposition formed DATE y

1926

United Opposition formed DETAILS

Zinoviev, Kamenev and Trotsky formed an alliance to oppose Stalin. They were accused of factionalism.

Trotsky expelled from the Politboru DATE

1926

Trotsky and Zinoviev expelled from the Party, Kamenev expelled from Central Committee DATE

1927

Stalin sends soliders to arrest those making a profit as a result of the NEP, saying the NEP needed to be abandoned DATE y

1927

Trotsky exiled to remote parts of the Soviet Union DATE y

1928

Stalin turns on Bukharin DATE y

1928

Bukharin stripped of his posts and removed from power DATE y

1929

Trotsky is deported DATE y

1929