A Deeper Look into the Life of Mother Russia's Great Leader: Iosif Vissarionovich Djugashvili By Reyhan Watson Stalin: The Steel One Joseph Stalin was born by the name of Iosif Vissarionovich Dzhugashvili, on December 21, 1879, in the Georgian village of Gori, a small town in the southern reaches of the Russian Empire. He was the third child born to Vissarion Dzhugashvili, a poor shoemaker, and his wife Yek aterina, who worked as a domestic servant. However, …showed first 75 words of 469 total…

…showed last 75 words of 469 total…of his wife and Stalins mental breakdown was the main cause of the Great Terror. Stalin effectively elminated all traces of opposition to his rule. Large-scale purges struck the country, targeting all levels of society--including children. Every one of the accused Bolsheviks confessed their supposed crimes. Only later did the world discover that these confessions were brought out after long months of psychological torture and physical abuse. All of the confessors were sentenced to death.