A photo of Iosif Vissarionovich Dzhugashvili as a schoolboy. He would become one of the most infamous people in all of history, under the name Josef Stalin

 A photo of Iosif Vissarionovich Dzhugashvili as a schoolboy. He would become one of the most infamous people in all of history, under the name Josef Stalin.

Josef Stalin was the dictator of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) from 1929 until 1953. Under his leadership, the Soviet Union was transformed from a peasant-dense society into an industrial and military global superpower that became a leading element in politics, world affairs and geopolitical events.

As a young man, Stalin became involved in communist revolutionary activities and joined the Bolsheviks, a communist group that was against the Russian monarchy, which was led by Vladimir Lenin. Stalin funded the Bolsheviks by robbing banks, and after the Russian Revolution in 1917, the communists seized control of Russia, and the Soviet Union was established in 1920.

After Lenin died in 1924, Stalin manoeuvred his way arpund other policial figures in the communist party and secured the position of dictator of the Soviet Union. Under his rule, he launched 3 x 5-year plans, which sought to increase Soviet industry.

During his reign, Stalin was responsible for the deaths of millions of people. Estimates of non-combatant deaths under Stalin go as high as 10 million. Stalin ruled through terror, and during his reign, he was responsible for multiple events that resulted in the deaths of millions, such as the Great Purge, the Gulag System and show-trial executions.

Stalin died in 1953 of a stroke. After his death, Soviet leaders de-Stalinised the USSR, to remove the stigma and damage Stalin had done.