1940

• Economy

  • Spending on rearmaments doubled
  • 1928-40 economy grew by 5-6%
  • Overtook Britain in iron and steel production
  • 1933-40 military spending increased from 3 to 34% – developing military strength
  • 1928-40 steel production from 4 to 18 million tonnes – uneven economic development as long queues for consumer goods (neglected)
• Society

  
  

  • 1922-40 urban population from 22 million to 63 million
  • Absenteeism and poor-quality production as crimes
  • 40% of workforce is female (13 million); still earned 40% less than men
  • 1930-40 Gosplan planning targets from 300 to 2500 – poor local level organisation of central planning
  • Execution of Yezhov
• Political/International relations


  • USSR seized control of Baltic States – Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania
  • Peace between USSR & Finland – 10% Finnish territory to USSR
  • Hitler defeat France
  • Trotsky assassinated in Mexico City