THE HOLODoMOR 1932-33
Holodomor, Ukrainian for "Death by Hunger", was a man made famine that caused deaths of between 2.5 and 7.5 million ethnic Ukrainians. Though the Ukraine had been called the "breadbasket of Europe" only a few years earlier, it received the brunt of the famine. The famine, placed by Joseph Stalin is defined as a genocide because of how Ukrainians were refused outside aid, they were not allowed to migrate in search of food and resources, and because of the confiscation of food from Ukrainian households. These policies were implemented by the Soviet Union in hopes of suppressing the growing desire for self-determination and the desire to form a Ukrainian nation-state.
|
What Happened?
- In the early 1900s, much of the Ukraine was part of the Russian Empire, later the Soviet Union in 1922
- Ukraine had many wealthy farmers who owned land and livestock, and wanted independence for their nation
In the 1920s, Joseph Stalin ordered the farmers to give their land to the Communist government so that the farmers would become labourers
When the farmers resisted, Stalin created a famine by shipping Ukrainian wheat crops to Russia and selling it himself to build an army
-Stalin then sealed the Ukrainian borders, so that no one could get out to buy food, or get in to sell food
- Soldiers also seized all the seeds so that farmers could not plant crops for the next season
- Ukrainians caught hiding grain were either executed or sent to forced labour camps
- By the end of 1933, between 3 and 7 million Ukrainians had starved to death or been murdered
- Soviets kept this famine out of the news
- In the early 1900s, much of the Ukraine was part of the Russian Empire, later the Soviet Union in 1922
- Ukraine had many wealthy farmers who owned land and livestock, and wanted independence for their nation
In the 1920s, Joseph Stalin ordered the farmers to give their land to the Communist government so that the farmers would become labourers
When the farmers resisted, Stalin created a famine by shipping Ukrainian wheat crops to Russia and selling it himself to build an army
-Stalin then sealed the Ukrainian borders, so that no one could get out to buy food, or get in to sell food
- Soldiers also seized all the seeds so that farmers could not plant crops for the next season
- Ukrainians caught hiding grain were either executed or sent to forced labour camps
- By the end of 1933, between 3 and 7 million Ukrainians had starved to death or been murdered
- Soviets kept this famine out of the news
cAuses of HOLODoMOR
Collectivization
Collectivization was a process that occurred in the Soviet controlled Ukraine from the late 1920s to the early 1930s in which the Communist government took over privately owned farms and combined them into larger farms, run by the state. Joseph Stalin initiated collectivization following a lag in grain production in the USSR in 1927. Farmers who resisted this process were sent to work camps in the arctic.
The 5-Year Plan
Joseph Stalin created three 5-Year Plans, from 1928-1938, each with the goal of expanding industrial production within the Soviet Union. Many of those who worked in the industries were young and willing communist men, but a fair number were kulaks who were forced to work in terrible conditions, many dying of exertion or starvation.
However, the 5-Year Plans were successful in increasing the USSR's production of heavy industry resources.
•Coal - from 36 million tons to 130 million tons
•Iron - from 3 million tons to 15 million tons
•Oil - from 2 million tons to 29 million tons
•Electricity - from 5,000 million to 36,000 million kilowatts
Collectivization was a process that occurred in the Soviet controlled Ukraine from the late 1920s to the early 1930s in which the Communist government took over privately owned farms and combined them into larger farms, run by the state. Joseph Stalin initiated collectivization following a lag in grain production in the USSR in 1927. Farmers who resisted this process were sent to work camps in the arctic.
The 5-Year Plan
Joseph Stalin created three 5-Year Plans, from 1928-1938, each with the goal of expanding industrial production within the Soviet Union. Many of those who worked in the industries were young and willing communist men, but a fair number were kulaks who were forced to work in terrible conditions, many dying of exertion or starvation.
However, the 5-Year Plans were successful in increasing the USSR's production of heavy industry resources.
•Coal - from 36 million tons to 130 million tons
•Iron - from 3 million tons to 15 million tons
•Oil - from 2 million tons to 29 million tons
•Electricity - from 5,000 million to 36,000 million kilowatts
How was ultranationalism a major factor in causing the genocide?
When Joseph Stalin was in power he declared that the Ukrainian farmland belonged to the state and Stalin never admitted to starving the Ukrainians by the end of the Holodomor. Since the Ukraine was the "bread basket" of Europe, they were not granted independence in 1918. They remained under the power of the Soviet as they were what made the nation stronger and wealthy. The capital that the Ukraines were able to bring to the Soviet was too precious and valuable during their time of expansionism, industrialization, and ultranationalism in general
When Joseph Stalin was in power he declared that the Ukrainian farmland belonged to the state and Stalin never admitted to starving the Ukrainians by the end of the Holodomor. Since the Ukraine was the "bread basket" of Europe, they were not granted independence in 1918. They remained under the power of the Soviet as they were what made the nation stronger and wealthy. The capital that the Ukraines were able to bring to the Soviet was too precious and valuable during their time of expansionism, industrialization, and ultranationalism in general
legacy
Holodomor has a lasting legacy throughout history, not only in Ukraine, but in other parts of the world. In 2006, the Ukrainian governemnt officially acknowledged that Holodomor was a genocide conducted against the Ukrainian people by the Soviet Union. Other countries that have acknowledged the events of Holodomor as a genocide include: Australia, Brazil, Canada, Columbia, Estonia, Ecuador, Georgia, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, and the United States of America. Still to this day, the Russian government (former Soviet Union) deny the famine in Ukraine as a deliberate nor a genocide. There is an official Holodomor remembrance in Ukraine on November 26th.
survivors
Quotes by Stalin that exemplify his ruthless ideologies and principles: |
Death solves all problems - No man, no problem One death is a tragedy; one million is a statistic. |