Final answer:
The first Five-Year Plan led to a 50 percent increase in industrial capacity of the Soviet Union, with significant advancements in heavy industries. However, the plan resulted in harsh conditions and loss of lives, with the similar Great Leap Forward in China proving to be disastrous and causing mass starvation.
Step-by-step explanation:
The outcome of the first Five-Year Plan, initiated by Stalin in 1928, was a mix of success and failure. It was aimed at rapidly industrializing the Soviet Union and significantly increasing its industrial capacity. By the plan's conclusion, there was approximately a 50 percent increase in industrial capacity, with significant growth in the iron, steel, and electrical power industries. These advancements were driven by ambitious production quotas and the creation of cities devoted to specific industrial activities.
However, the plan's success came at a great human cost. Thousands of people died due to the harsh conditions and frenzied pace of the industrial buildup. The Great Leap Forward, which was a similar plan adopted by China, turned out to be disastrous. This plan intensified collectivization efforts, but resulted in mass starvation and did not achieve its goals of significantly increasing agricultural and industrial production.