When did Josef Stalin run the USSR?

Answer 1

From the death of Lenin in 1924 to his own death in 1953. Stalin was a cruel dictator and many communists and regular Russian people were executed en mass.

Stalin was not in sole power in the USSR at first after Lenin died. He was General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party and ruled together with Grigori Zinoviev and Lev Kamenev in 1923 until he ousted Zinoviev and Kamenev and took sole power in 1929 and ruled from then till his death in 1953.

Answer 2

Stalin gained dictatorial control over the Soviet Union in about 1932. That was when he had full control over the Politburo and the secret police. His word was law and to disagree with him was to invite imprisonment or death.

Prior to 1932 Stalin at first shared power with others until he eliminated them during the 1920s. Still, he had to answer to the Politburo and could have been voted out of power until he managed to eliminate all opposition and put his followers in the Politburo and secret police.

Answer 3

From 1924, after the power struggle to succeed Lenin, to 1953, when he died.

From 1924 to 1928, he shared power. However, he slowly edged those people out of the picture.

Answer 4

From 1922, when he was appointed General Secretary of the Communist Party, to October, 1952 when he died.