Detailed notes for the GCSE 9-1 Edexcel History Paper: Russia - Stalin’s Rise to Power. Notes from this chapter include: The struggle for power, 1924-29 - Replacing Lenin (complications) - The rivals for power - The aftermath of Lenin’s death - Stalin eliminates the opposition: the power struggle The use of terror in the 1930s - Purges and the use of terror in the Soviet Union - The role of the secret police - Reasons behind the purges - Main events of the purges - Consequences of the purges - The labour camp system in the Soviet Union - Show trials (1936-38) Propaganda and censorship - The link between ‘terror’ and the control of information - ‘Official culture’ in the Soviet Union - Government control of education - Government attacks on religion - Media censorship - The new Soviet Constitution of 1936 The cult of Stalin - The cult of the wise and kind leader in Russia - The blame game - The ‘official’ Stalin