The Impact of the Second World War on the USSR

What problems did the Second World War cause for the USSR?

The Second World War, known as the Great Patriotic War in the USSR, caused political, economic and social problems for the USSR.

What was the political impact of the Second World War on the USSR?

Due to the Second World War, or the Great Patriotic War, the Soviet government increased its political control over the country and all aspects of life were subject to harsh controls.

What was the social impact of the Second World War on the USSR?

The Second World War had 4 main social impacts on the USSR:

• ❖ Around 20 million people were killed.
• ❖ More Soviet soldiers died defending Stalingrad than the total number of US soldiers killed during their country's involvement in the war.
• ❖ 2,000 towns and cities were destroyed, along with 7,000 villages.
• ❖ 6 million houses were wrecked.

What was the economic impact of the Second World War on the USSR?

The Second World War had 3 main economic impacts on the USSR:

• ❖ Around 100,000 collective farms were destroyed.
• ❖ There were food shortages during and after the war due to the limited harvests and lack of men and working machinery.
• ❖ The USSR's industrial output did not return to the levels of 1940 until almost a decade after the war.