Holodomor: Causes and Consequences

Click on the flashcard to see the answer



What was the Holodomor?

The Holodomor was a man-made famine that took place in Soviet Ukraine from 1932 to 1933 and resulted in the deaths of millions of Ukrainians.

What does the term 'Holodomor' mean?

'Holodomor' comes from the Ukrainian words for 'hunger' (holod) and 'extermination' (moryty).

Who was the leader of the Soviet Union during the Holodomor?

Joseph Stalin was the leader of the Soviet Union during the Holodomor.

What was one of the main causes of the Holodomor?

One main cause was the Soviet government's policies of grain requisition from Ukrainian farmers to meet unrealistic state quotas.

How did collectivization contribute to the Holodomor?

Collectivization forced small, private farms into large, state-controlled ones, leading to inefficiencies and resistance from farmers.

Which government policy exacerbated the famine in Ukraine during the Holodomor?

The policy of confiscating grain and other foodstuffs for state use heightened the famine's impact.

What was the estimated number of deaths caused by the Holodomor?

The Holodomor is believed to have caused the deaths of approximately 3-7 million people.

How did the international community react to the Holodomor at the time?

At the time, the international community largely ignored or was unaware of the Holodomor, partly due to Soviet censorship.

What is one reason the Soviet government denied the Holodomor was a famine?

The Soviet government claimed it was natural due to poor weather or hoarding by farmers.

How has the Holodomor been recognized in recent history?

Many countries now recognize the Holodomor as a genocide due to the targeted starvation of Ukrainians.

What impact did the Holodomor have on Ukraine's population?

The Holodomor drastically reduced Ukraine's population and had long-lasting effects on its demographic and cultural landscape.

How did the Soviet Union attempt to cover up the Holodomor?

The Soviet Union restricted travel to affected areas and censored information that could reveal the extent of the famine.

What role did propaganda play in the Holodomor?

Soviet propaganda downplayed the famine and portrayed the policies as successful modernization efforts.

Why is the Holodomor considered a genocide by some historians?

It is considered a genocide due to the deliberate actions taken to eradicate Ukrainians as a national group.

How is the Holodomor commemorated today?

The Holodomor is commemorated with memorials and remembrance events, especially on the fourth Saturday of November each year in Ukraine.




Test Your Knowledge

Select the correct option


1. What was the Holodomor?

A peaceful protest in 1980s Ukraine.

An economic reform in Soviet Ukraine.

The Holodomor was a man-made famine that took place in Soviet Ukraine from 1932 to 1933 and resulted in the deaths of millions of Ukrainians.

A natural disaster caused by drought.

2. What does the term 'Holodomor' mean?

It comes from the Ukrainian words for 'hunger' (holod) and 'extermination' (moryty).

A festival celebrating the end of harvest.

A term for a Soviet agricultural policy.

A word meaning 'prosperity' in old Ukrainian.

3. Who was the leader of the Soviet Union during the Holodomor?

Joseph Stalin.

Vladimir Lenin.

Nikita Khrushchev.

Leonid Brezhnev.

4. What was one of the main causes of the Holodomor?

The Soviet government's policies of grain requisition from Ukrainian farmers to meet unrealistic state quotas.

A natural drought affecting the entire Soviet Union.

International trade embargoes against Ukraine.

Overproduction leading to a market crash.

5. How did collectivization contribute to the Holodomor?

By increasing agricultural exports from Ukraine.

Collectivization forced small, private farms into large, state-controlled ones, leading to inefficiencies and resistance from farmers.

By providing more food for the local markets in Ukraine.

By reducing the competition among private farmers.

6. Which government policy exacerbated the famine in Ukraine during the Holodomor?

Confiscating grain and other foodstuffs for state use.

Encouraging local farmer markets.

Importing foreign grains to lower costs.

Reducing taxes on agricultural products.

7. What was the estimated number of deaths caused by the Holodomor?

1-2 million people.

Approximately 3-7 million people.

Over 10 million people.

Fewer than 1 million people.

8. How did the international community react to the Holodomor at the time?

Largely ignored or was unaware, partly due to Soviet censorship.

Actively intervened to provide aid.

Recognized it immediately as a genocide.

Started a global campaign to stop the famine.

9. What is one reason the Soviet government denied the Holodomor was a famine?

Claimed it was caused by a neighboring country.

Claimed it was natural due to poor weather or hoarding by farmers.

Believed it was limited to a small region, not the entire Ukraine.

Thought it was a hoax fabricated by the media.

10. How has the Holodomor been recognized in recent history?

Many countries now recognize it as a genocide due to the targeted starvation of Ukrainians.

It is still largely unrecognized internationally.

It is celebrated as a successful policy.

Regarded as an insignificant historical event.

11. What impact did the Holodomor have on Ukraine's population?

Drastically reduced the population and had long-lasting effects on its demographic and cultural landscape.

Had no significant demographic impact.

Led to an increase in rural populations.

Did not affect the cultural landscape at all.

12. How did the Soviet Union attempt to cover up the Holodomor?

Restricted travel to affected areas and censored information that could reveal the extent of the famine.

Openly published the population decline figures.

Invited international journalists to report on it.

Encouraged public demonstrations to explain the situation.

13. What role did propaganda play in the Holodomor?

Highlighted the failures of the policy openly.

Downplayed the famine and portrayed policies as successful modernization efforts.

Organized international aid projects.

Focused only on anti-war protests.

14. Why is the Holodomor considered a genocide by some historians?

Due to deliberate actions taken to eradicate Ukrainians as a national group.

Because it was a natural disaster that targeted Ukraine.

Since it was recognized immediately by all governments.

As food was distributed fairly among all Soviet states.

15. How is the Holodomor commemorated today?

With no government involvement.

With memorials and remembrance events, especially on the fourth Saturday of November each year in Ukraine.

By canceling all public events on the anniversary.

Through major international peace treaties.