Death by Hunger- Ukrainian Famine Research Paper
Death by Hunger
Today, the pain from millions of citizens starving to death in the 1930’s under a forced famine dominates the collective minds of Ukrainians. The Holodomor, or the Ukrainian Famine, was a man-made famine created by Joseph Stalin, leader of the Soviet Union from 1922-1952. The famine lasted from 1932 to 1933 and seven to ten million deaths were reported. It was forced because Stalin wanted to undermine the nationalistic pride of the Ukrainians who were resisting the collectivization efforts of the Soviet Union. The Holodomor took a great toll mentally and physically on the Ukrainians. Even today, very few independent states and organizations, including the United Nations, formally recognize the Holodomor as genocide. The future of Ukraine was greatly affected by the severe consequences of the Holodomor, and the angst and suffering the Ukrainians faced played a major role in the rocky recovery from the famine in the years ahead.
Joseph Stalin forced the Ukrainian famine in order to undermine the nationalistic pride of the Ukrainians. Vladimir Lenin’s actions to resolve the resentment in Ukraine were unacceptable to Stalin. Lenin stopped exporting a large amount of the country’s grain and also encouraged a free-market way of exchanging goods. Lenin’s relaxed rule renewed the people’s interest in celebrating their language, customs, poetry, art, music and Ukrainian Orthodox religion. The Ukrainians’ independent spirit made them a threat to Joseph Stalin. When he wanted to build a strong industrial base, the Ukrainians did not stray from their peasant traditions. When Stalin wanted to abolish private ownership of land, the people refused to give up their land. On December 27, 1929, Joseph Stalin announced his plan to force the remaining Ukrainian peasants onto government-owned collective farms. In order to destroy the people seeking independence from Soviet rule, Stalin deprived the Ukrainians of their own food supplies (The History Place-
Today, the pain from millions of citizens starving to death in the 1930’s under a forced famine dominates the collective minds of Ukrainians. The Holodomor, or the Ukrainian Famine, was a man-made famine created by Joseph Stalin, leader of the Soviet Union from 1922-1952. The famine lasted from 1932 to 1933 and seven to ten million deaths were reported. It was forced because Stalin wanted to undermine the nationalistic pride of the Ukrainians who were resisting the collectivization efforts of the Soviet Union. The Holodomor took a great toll mentally and physically on the Ukrainians. Even today, very few independent states and organizations, including the United Nations, formally recognize the Holodomor as genocide. The future of Ukraine was greatly affected by the severe consequences of the Holodomor, and the angst and suffering the Ukrainians faced played a major role in the rocky recovery from the famine in the years ahead.
Joseph Stalin forced the Ukrainian famine in order to undermine the nationalistic pride of the Ukrainians. Vladimir Lenin’s actions to resolve the resentment in Ukraine were unacceptable to Stalin. Lenin stopped exporting a large amount of the country’s grain and also encouraged a free-market way of exchanging goods. Lenin’s relaxed rule renewed the people’s interest in celebrating their language, customs, poetry, art, music and Ukrainian Orthodox religion. The Ukrainians’ independent spirit made them a threat to Joseph Stalin. When he wanted to build a strong industrial base, the Ukrainians did not stray from their peasant traditions. When Stalin wanted to abolish private ownership of land, the people refused to give up their land. On December 27, 1929, Joseph Stalin announced his plan to force the remaining Ukrainian peasants onto government-owned collective farms. In order to destroy the people seeking independence from Soviet rule, Stalin deprived the Ukrainians of their own food supplies (The History Place-