1938: Totalitarianism in Russia

Dear Alexei,

This is my last letter to you from the Soviet Union. It's July of 1938, and the Soviet Union is a totalitarian state. The Government controls everything! There are benefits, like free education and health care, but the housing is poor. Many people are crammed into shabby apartment complexes and overcrowding is a problem. Stalin is still promoting purges, and even glorifies people who turn over their own family members to the the secret police. It sickens me. In fact, if the government intercepted this letter, I would probably be sent to a labor camp in Siberia, and never see our children or you again.

The government acts like everything is going fine though, with pictures of Stalin holding babies, and children given Stalin flowers. Newspapers are censored by the government, and only spread communist propaganda. The schools do the same thing! Children are taught about atheism, Stalin, and the greatness of collectives. They are being brainwashed from such a young age to promote and support communist belief. Unless they become a government official, industrial manager, or a military leader they will have a glass ceiling that can never be broken. Communism is preached as a classless society, but the Soviet Union still has a ruling elite. The masses of workers and farmers get the poor housing, low saleries, and meager meals of mostly bread.

While the majority of the Soviet Union actually loves Stalin!! They have no idea how much better they would be if we lived in a capitalistic society like Great Britain, or even the United States. The rest fear for their lives lest the government catch wind of their resentment. Artists and poets are having to warp their craft to create communist propaganda. The brave ones that refuse are sent to the dreaded labor camps. I fear for the Soviet Union's future, and I hope that communism will not spread to the rest of Europe. Don't worry I will stay strong and not crumble under Stalin's pressure even if it means death.

I love you,

Natalya

http://www.foxnews.com/static/managed/img/Politics/stalin_parents.jpg

http://www.historycooperative.org/journals/eh/10.3/images/weiner_fig01b.jpg

1935: Russia Under Stalin's Control

Dear Alexei,

Lenin died in 1924, but his communist beliefs live on in Joseph Stalin. By 1929, he had gained control of the Soviet Union and started to initiate these "five-year plans". I thought the Soviet Union was in ruins and struggling back in 1917, but now its gotten even worse.

Stalin is trying to jump start the economy by making the government control it entirely. Government officials make all the decisions, own all businesses, set food prices, and have started creating collectives. Industry in the Soviet Union is increasing, our oil, steel, and coal production has improved. Workers still make low wages and work in harsh conditions.

Collectives are one of the worst parts of his plan though. The government forces peasants to all work together on large government operated farms. It also sets food prices, and farm supplies can only be purchased through government sources. Peasants have started to revolt by burning crops or only growing enough to feed themselves, but Stalin's government is cracking down on them with brutal force. Soldiers were told to fire upon helpless peasants, and the government would seize all the grain. Without any food, the peasants are starving to death, and famine is becoming widespread. Kulaks, peasants actually making a profit from farming, were sent to labor camps. Suffering in labor camps, thousands died.

I am in fear of my life, even as I am writing this letter to you. Stalin is beginning a Great Purge of the entire Soviet Union. Secret police are everywhere arresting people and sending them to Siberian concentration camps. They hold bogus trials where they charge people with exaggerated crimes. Not even government officials are safe. Stalin is just trying to gain power in any way possible. People are afraid to fight back and protest, because they are well aware of the consequences. Children are losing their parents to labor camps, and society just lives in a state of labor and fear. The Soviet Union would have been better off if the revolution had never happened.

Love,

Natalya

http://aftermathnews.wordpress.com/2009/03/26/new-open-air-museum-in-siberia-to-commemorate-stalin-era-labor-camps/

http://katardat.org/russia/pictures/photos-collectivisation/Petrusov-harvest.jpg

1917: Russia in Revolution

Dear Alexei,


I'm sorry I haven't written you in over a year love, but times in Russia have been chaotic. Its now December of 1917 and we have completely changed governments from a monarchy, to a provisional government, to Bolshevik control. Life has been hard the past 11 months or so, and I hope the Russian people can remain strong. But I'm getting ahead of myself.. Let me start at the beginning.


Czar Nicholas II abdicated in February 1917 due to the pressure of his advisers. This is the basic truth in the newspapers, in reality people were starving. The war in Europe had depleted supplies so much people couldn't find food to eat. Young soldiers were dying in this hopeless war, and we were fed up. Women were rioting in the street crying for bread in St. Petersburg, and Nicholas had no power to do anything. He abdicated, and a weak provisional government was set up.

Meanwhile, the socialist movement here started gaining power after Vladimir Lenin's return to Russia in April. He named his revolutionary party the Bolsheviks. Summer went by and men were still dying by the thousands due to a poorly planned Russian offensive. The provisional government seemed like it wasn't doing anything to help its people!! Troops started to desert the army and peasants were revolting even more violently.

Finally, the Bolsheviks overthrew the government in late October. Lenin was now entirely in power. I knew this was going to happen for awhile, but I was praying that it would somehow fail. I do not trust Lenin's communist idealogies. If wealth is distributed to all, won't everyone just be poor? The peasants got their land, but at what price? People are rejoicing in the streets, but I fear even harder times are still to come.

With all my heart,

Natalya

http://www.st-petersburg-life.com/st-petersburg/1917-russian-revolution

http://www.lust-for-life.org/Lust-For-Life/MasqueradeInMoscow/MasqueradeInMoscow.htm