Overview of the Soviet Five-Year Plans (1928-1955)

First Five-Year Plan (1928-1932)

Rapid industrialization and collectivization of agriculture.

Industries that grew rapidly during the First Five-Year Plan

Heavy industries like coal, iron, and steel.

Main failures of the First Five-Year Plan

Widespread famine, especially in Ukraine (Holodomor), and millions of deaths due to collectivization.

Major consequence of collectivization during the First Plan

The Holodomor famine in Ukraine and destruction of the kulak class.

Key feature of the Second Five-Year Plan (1933-1937)

Continued industrial growth with some improvement in consumer goods and transport.

Problem during the Second Five-Year Plan

Consumer goods were still in short supply and repression continued.

Main goal of the Third Five-Year Plan (1938-1941)

Prepare the USSR for war by focusing on military and defense industries.

Reason for interruption of the Third Five-Year Plan

It was cut short by the outbreak of World War II in 1941.

Key failure of the Third Plan

Stalin's purges weakened economic planning and leadership.

Focus of the Fourth Five-Year Plan (1946-1950)

Post-war reconstruction and rebuilding industry.

Main achievements of the Fourth Plan

Rapid recovery of industry and emergence of the USSR as a superpower.

Neglect during the Fourth Five-Year Plan

Agriculture, consumer goods, and housing.

Goal of the Fifth Five-Year Plan (1951-1955)

Maintain economic growth and begin improving living standards.

Main successes of the Fifth Plan

Continued industrial growth and modest investment in housing and infrastructure.

Problems persisted in the Fifth Five-Year Plan

Bureaucratic inefficiencies and unrealistic production targets.