Stalin's second government

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Stalin's second government
Soviet Union
12th government of the Soviet Union
Date formedMarch 19, 1946
Date dissolvedMarch 12, 1950
People and organisations
Head of stateNikolai Shvernik
Head of governmentPresident of the Sovmin
Deputy head of governmentVyacheslav Molotov
No. of ministers56
Member party All-Union Communist Party (Bolshevik)
Status in legislatureSecond Convocation of the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union
History
Election(s)1946 Soviet Union legislative election
Outgoing election1950 Soviet Union legislative election
PredecessorStalin I
SuccessorStalin III

Stalin's second government was formally constituted on March 19, 1946, with Joseph Stalin at the helm as the head of government and Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Soviet Union, this cabinet was inaugurated through a decree of the second convocation of the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union issued earlier on March 15, 1946. This decree also signified the renaming of the Council of People's Commissars to the Council of Ministers.[1]

Government policies[edit]

While the responsibilities and functions of the Council of Ministers' members remained unchanged from those of the Council of People's Commissars, the modification in nomenclature was aimed at aligning with international conventions. The second convocation of the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union, convened on February 10, 1946, played the pivotal role in approving the formation of the Council of Ministers of the USSR on March 19, 1946.[2]

The Council of Ministers, under Stalin's leadership, spearheaded the implementation of the fourth five-year plan of economic development spanning 1946 to 1950. Stalin's directive on February 9, 1946, emphasized the restoration of war-affected regions, the resurgence of industry and agriculture to pre-war levels, and the subsequent transition to a more expansive or significantly reduced growth rate.[3]

In a pivotal move in December 1947, the Council of Ministers of the USSR executed the second monetary reform in Soviet history, characterized by the redenomination of Soviet currency. Simultaneously, the reform dismantled rationing for food and consumer goods. This nationwide reform unfolded within a week, extending to two weeks in remote Northern areas.[4]

In October 1948, the Council of Ministers and the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union outlined a comprehensive plan for windbreak planting, crop rotation pastures, and the construction of ponds and lakes[5] The plan, known as the Great Plan for the Transformation of Nature,[6] also aimed at ensuring high crop yields in the steppe and forest-steppe regions of the European territories of the Soviet Union.[7]

The Soviet Union successfully developed the atomic bomb on August 29, 1949, becoming the world's second nuclear-armed nation. This achievement brought an end to the American nuclear monopoly, marking a turning point in the global balance of power.[8][9]

Ministries[10][edit]

Ministry Minister Party
Chairman of the Council of Ministers Joseph Stalin PCU (b)
First Deputy Chairman of the Council of Ministers Vyacheslav Molotov[11][12] PCU (b)
Deputy Chairmen of the Council of Ministers Lavrenti Beria PCU (b)
Andrei Andreyev PCU (b)
Nikolai Bulganin[13][14] PCU (b)
Nikolai Voznesensky[15] PCU (b)
Kliment Voroshilov PCU (b)
Aleksandr Yefremov (politician)[16][17] PCU (b)
Lazar Kaganovich PCU (b)
Alexei Kosygin PCU (b)
Alexei Krutikov PCU (b)
Georgy Malenkov PCU (b)
Vyacheslav Malyshev PCU (b)
Anastas Mikoyan[18] PCU (b)
Maksim Saburov PCU (b)
Ivan Tevosian PCU (b)
Administrator of Affairs Yakov Chadeiev (1946–1949) PCU (b)
Mikhail Pomaznev (1949–1950) PCU (b)
Minister of Foreign Affairs Vyacheslav Molotov (1946–1949) PCU (b)
Andrey Vyshinsky (1949–1950) PCU (b)
Minister of Defense Joseph Stalin (1946–1947) PCU (b)
Nikolai Bulganin (1947–1949) PCU (b)
Alexander Vasilevsky (1949–1950) PCU (b)
Minister of Foreign Trade Anastas Mikoyan (1946–1949) PCU (b)
Mikhail Menshikov (1949–1950) PCU (b)
Minister of Food Industry Vasili Zotov (1949–1949) PCU (b)
Dmitri Pavlov (1949–1950) PCU (b)
Minister of Trade Alexander Liubimov (1946–1948) PCU (b)
Vasily Zhavoronkov (1948–1950) PCU (b)
Minister of Railways Ivan Kovalev (1946–1948) PCU (b)
Boris Beshev (1948–1950) PCU (b)
Minister of Communications Konstantin Sergeichuk (1946–1948) PCU (b)
Nikolay Psurtsev (1948–1950) PCU (b)
Minister of Timber Industry Mikhail Saltikov (1946–1947) PCU (b)
Georgi Orlov (1947–1948) PCU (b)
Ministry of Timber and Paper Industry Georgi Orlov (1946–1947) PCU (b)
Sergei Komarov (1947–1948) PCU (b)
Minister of Timber and Paper Industry Georgi Orlov (1948–1950) PCU (b)
Minister of Light Industry Sergei Lukin (1946–1947) PCU (b)
Nikolai Ermolaevich (1947–1948) PCU (b)
Alexei Kosygin (1948–1950) PCU (b)
Minister of Aviation Industry Mikhail Khrunichev PCU (b)
Minister of Naval Industry Alexei Goregliad (1946–1950) PCU (b)
Vyacheslav Malyshev (1950) PCU (b)
Minister of Armaments Dmitri Ustinov PCU (b)
Minister of Agricultural Electrical Engineering Boris Vannikov (1946) PCU (b)
Piotr Goremykin (1946–1950) PCU (b)
Minister of Construction and Special Works Nikolai Kazakov PCU (b)
Minister of Automotive Industry Stepan Akopov[19] PCU (b)
Minister of Agricultural and Automotive Machinery Stepan Akopov[19] PCU (b)
Minister of Mechanics and Tools Pyotr Parshin PCU (b)
Minister of Ferrous Metallurgy Ivan Tevosian[20] (1946–1948) PCU (b)
Minister of Non-Ferrous Metallurgy Pyotr Lomako[21][22] (1948–1948) PCU (b)
Minister of Metallurgical Industry Ivan Tevosian (1948–1950) PCU (b)
Minister of Eastern Petroleum Industry (1946–1948) Mikhail Evseenko PCU (b)
Minister of Western and Southern Petroleum Industry (1946–1948) Nikolai Baibakov PCU (b)
Minister of Petroleum Industry Nikolai Baibakov PCU (b)
Minister of Eastern Coal Industry Vasily Vakhrushev (1946–1947) PCU (b)
Dmitry Onika (1947–1948) PCU (b)
Minister of Western Coal Industry Dmitry Onika (1946–1947) PCU (b)
Alexander Zasyadko (1947–1948) PCU (b)
Minister of Coal Industry Alexander Zasyadko PCU (b)
Minister of Electrical Industry Ivan Kabanov PCU (b)
Minister of Energy Dmitri Zhimerin PCU (b)
Minister of Chemical Industry Mikhail Pervukhin (1946–1950) PCU (b)
Sergei Tikhomirov (1950) PCU (b)
Minister of Rubber Industry Tijon Mitrojin PCU (b)
Minister of Building Materials Industry Lazar Kaganovich (1946–1947) PCU (b)
Simon Ginzburg (1947–1950) PCU (b)
Minister of Transport Engineering Vyacheslav Malyshev (1946–1947) PCU (b)
Ivan Nosenko (1947–1950) PCU (b)
Yuri Maksarev (1950) PCU (b)
Minister of Construction and Mechanical Engineering Konstantin Sokolov (1946–1949) PCU (b)
Semion Fomin (1949–1950) PCU (b)
Minister of Finance Arseny Zverev (1946–1948) PCU (b)
Alexei Kosygin (1948) PCU (b)
Arseny Zverev (1948–1950) PCU (b)
Minister of Agriculture Ivan Benediktov PCU (b)
Minister of Maritime Transport Piotr Shirshov (1946–1948) PCU (b)
Alexandr Afanasiev (1948) PCU (b)
Nikolai Novikov (1948–1950) PCU (b)
Minister of River Transport Zosima Shashkov PCU (b)
Minister of Internal Affairs Sergey Kruglov PCU (b)
Minister of Health Georgy Miterev (1946–1947) PCU (b)
Yefim Smirnov (1947–1950) PCU (b)
Minister of Justice Nikolai Ryshkov (1946–1948) PCU (b)
Konstantin Gorshenin (1948–1950) PCU (b)
Minister of Supply Boris Dvinski PCU (b)
Minister of Industrial Plants Nikolai Skvortsov PCU (b)
Minister of Textile Industry Ivan Sedin PCU (b)
Minister of Fishing Industry Alexander Ishkov [ru] (1946, 1948–1950) PCU (b)
Konstantin Rusakov (1950) PCU (b)
Minister of Eastern Fisheries Industry (1946–1948) Andrei Semionovich PCU (b)
Minister of Western Fisheries Industry (1946–1948) Alexander Ishkov PCU (b)
Minister of Meat and Dairy Industry Pavel Smirnov (1946) PCU (b)
Ivan Kuzminy (1946–1950) PCU (b)
Minister of State Security Vsevolod Merkulov (1946) PCU (b)
Viktor Abakumov (1946–1950) PCU (b)
Minister of Military Construction and Naval Works Simon Ginzburg (1946–1947) PCU (b)
Nikolai Dygai (1947–1949) PCU (b)
Minister of Construction Engineering Nikolai Dygai (1949–1950) PCU (b)
Minister of Fuel Industry Alexander Zademidko PCU (b)
Minister of Heavy Industry Pavel Yudin PCU (b)
Minister of Higher Education Sergei Kaftanov PCU (b)
Minister of Construction Tools-Machines Alexander Yefremov (1946–1949) PCU (b)
Anatoly Kostounov (1949–1950) PCU (b)
Minister of State Control Lev Mekhlis PCU (b)
Minister of the State Committee on Cinematography Ivan Bolshakov PCU (b)
Minister of Labor and Employment Vasily Pronin PCU (b)
Minister of Communication Equipment Industry Ivan Zubovich (1946–1947) PCU (b)
Alekseenko Gennady (1947–1950) PCU (b)
Minister of Pharmaceutical Industry Andrei Tretiakov PCU (b)
Minister of Consumer Goods Nikolai Pronin PCU (b)
Minister of Livestock Production Alexei Kozlov PCU (b)
Minister of Forestry German Motovilov (1947–1948) PCU (b)
Alexander Bovin (1948–1953) PCU (b)
Minister of Geology Ivan Malyshev (1946–1949) PCU (b)
Piotr Zajarov (1949–1950) PCU (b)
Minister of Food and Material Reserves Dmitri Fomin PCU (b)
Minister of Urban Construction Konstantin Sokolov (1949) PCU (b)
George Popov (1949–1950) PCU (b)
Minister of Gosbank Yakov Golev (1946–1948) PCU (b)
Vasily Popov (1948–1950) PCU (b)
Minister of State Planning Committee Nikolai Voznesensky (1946–1949) PCU (b)
Maksim Saburov (1949–1950) PCU (b)

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. Law of March 15, 1946. On the transformation of the Council of People's Commissars of the Soviet Union to the Council of Ministers of the Soviet Union and the Councils of People's Commissars of the Union and Autonomous Republics – to the Councils of Ministers of the Union and Autonomous Republics". Bulletin of the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union (10). 1946.
  2. ^ Armstrong, John Alexander (1986) [1978]. Ideology, Politics, and Government in the Soviet Union: An Introduction (fourth ed.). Lanham, MD / New York City / London: University Press of America. ISBN 0-8191-5405-9. Retrieved November 26, 2016.
  3. ^ "Soviet Ukraine in the postwar period".
  4. ^ "Денежные реформы в СССР 1922—1924 годов и 1947" [Monetary reforms in the USSR of 1922–1924 and 1947]. 6 (in Russian). Финансовый менеджмент magazine. 2001. Archived from the original on January 9, 2019. Retrieved April 19, 2023.
  5. ^ "Russia and the Soviet Union", in Krech III, Shepard; Merchant, Carolyn; McNeill, John Robert, eds. (2004). Encyclopedia of World Environmental History. Vol. 3: O–Z, Index. Routledge. pp. 1077–. ISBN 978-0-415-93735-1.
  6. ^ "Introduction in Geoecology", A. A. Chibilyov, 1988, ISBN 5-7691-0783-9, Yekaterinburg: Institute of Steppe, Ural Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences. (in Russian) Archived March 27, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
  7. ^ Brain, Stephen (2010). "The Great Stalin Plan for the Transformation of Nature". Environmental History. 15 (4): 670–700. doi:10.1093/envhis/emq091. ISSN 1084-5453. JSTOR 25764488.
  8. ^ Sublette, Carey. "The Soviet Nuclear Weapons Program". nuclearweaponarchive.org. nuclearweaponarchive, part I. Retrieved 21 April 2017.
  9. ^ Swift, John. "The Soviet-American Arms Race". www.historytoday.com. History Today. Retrieved 21 April 2017.
  10. ^ "SOV". 2012-02-24. Archived from the original on 2012-02-24. Retrieved 2022-08-13.
  11. ^ Phillips, Steven (2000). Lenin and the Russian Revolution. Heinemann. p. 89. ISBN 0-435-32719-4.
  12. ^ Ulam, Adam (2007). Stalin: The Man and his Era. Tauris Parke Paperbacks. p. 508. ISBN 978-1-84511-422-0.
  13. ^ Trahair, R.C.S. (2004). Encyclopedia of Cold War Espionage, Spies, and Secret Operations. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 69. ISBN 0-313-31955-3.
  14. ^ Siddiqi, Asif Azam (2010). The Red Rockets' Glare: Spaceflight and the Soviet Imagination, 1857–1957. Cambridge University Press. p. 266. ISBN 978-0-521-89760-0.
  15. ^ McCauley, Martin (1997). Who's Who in Russia since 1900. Routledge. pp. 224–225. ISBN 0-415-13898-1.
  16. ^ "Efremov Alexander Illarionovich". Archived from the original on 2011-05-19.
  17. ^ Great Soviet Encyclopedia: in 30 volumes / Ch. ed. A.M. Prokhorov. – 3rd ed. 1974.
  18. ^ "Governments of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics 1917–1964". Archived from the original on 28 November 2017. Retrieved 28 November 2017.
  19. ^ a b "Stepan H. Akopov". Global Security. Retrieved 18 October 2022.
  20. ^ Тевосян Иван Федорович in the Great Soviet Encyclopedia, 1969–1978 (in Russian)
  21. ^ "Organization Of The Ministry of Non-Ferrous Metallurgy USSR" (PDF). CIA. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 21, 2017. Retrieved 18 November 2017. Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  22. ^ "Governments of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics 1917–1964". Archived from the original on 28 November 2017. Retrieved 28 November 2017.


Government offices
Preceded by Governments of the Soviet Union
March 19, 1946 – March 12, 1950
Succeeded by