1.3b How did the use of the secret police change through 1917-85? Flashcards

1
Q

What was the HQ of the Secret Police called in from 1917-53?

A

Labyenka

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2
Q

What tool were the secret police provided with from 1917-53?

A

Torture handbook

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3
Q

At what time of the day were arrests made from 1917-53 and why?

A

At night to disorientate the accused

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4
Q

From 1917-53, what happened in high profile cases of dissident activity?

A

Show trials, requiring a public confession

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5
Q

In which order were the main 3 leaders of the Secret Police?

A

Yagoda
Yezhov
Beria

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6
Q

What was the change of emphasis of terror under Yagoda?

A

Changed focus from ideology to economics

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7
Q

What reform did Yagoda introduce?

A

Rapidly expanding the Gulag system to use slave labour to industrialise

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8
Q

Under Yezhov, what happened to the number of people in Gulags?

A

Increased further

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9
Q

What did the focus of terror change to under Yezhov?

A

Meeting a quota

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10
Q

What increased under Yezhov to monitor citizen attitudes?

A

Surveillance

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11
Q

Why was Yezhov removed?

A

Stalin decided that his terror was too excessive

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12
Q

What happened to terror as Beria came into power?

A

It switched back to more conventional methods and levels

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13
Q

What change was made to show trials under Beria?

A

They were only held with evidence

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14
Q

What did Beria do to the Gulags to increase the productivity of slave labour?

A

Increased rations

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15
Q

What role were the secret police given during WW2?

A

control of deportation and departments rooting out traitors

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16
Q

After WW2, what did Stalin do?

A

A huge purge of party officials

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17
Q

After WW2, Stalin’s health began to decline, what happened as a result?

A

A power struggle whereby Beria gained a lot of political influence

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18
Q

By the mid 1970s, how many political prisoners was it estimated there were?

19
Q

What did the ‘new criminal code’ of 1960 abolish?

A

Night time interrogations

20
Q

What did article 70 of the ‘new criminal code’ say?

A

The secret police could deal with ‘anti soviet agitation and propaganda’

21
Q

What did Andropov change the priority of government action to and from?

A

From: repression
To: prevention

22
Q

Under Andropov, how many people received a letter from the KGB, warning them not to continue dissident activity?

23
Q

The KGB estimated that how many dissident groups were stopped?

24
Q

How were the KGB made less corrupt?

A

Banned for officers to accept gifts and had to declare their financial assets

25
What happened to a KGB officers whose family broke the law?
They were sacked
26
What was the 1979 'Law and order campaign?'
A stricter policy in anticipation of increased dissident activity
27
What event made the 1979 'Law and order campaign' necessary?
1980 Moscow Olympics
28
Why was it important for Russia to be seen acting ethically during the 1980 Moscow Olympics?
International media coverage
29
When was the Helsinki agreement?
1975
30
What did the 1975 Helsinki agreement agree to?
Human rights
31
Why did the 1975 Helsinki agreement offer an opportunity for dissidents?
They knew they could force the government to adhere to human rights and could leak breaches to try and force change
32
What were some high profile international dissidents allowed to do?
Emigrate from the USSR
33
How many high profile international dissidents emigrated from the USSR?
100,000
34
Where were less well known dissidents sent?
Psychiatric wards
35
Under which leader did dissidents start being sent to psychiatric wards and why?
Andropov | It was much more discreet
36
What was the government's reason for using psychiatric wards?
Anti-Soviet action was a mental illness
37
How did Andropov try to personally monitor discontent?
Visited farms and factories to talk to workers
38
Why did Andropov personally visiting farms and factories not work?
People were too scared to be critical of the former head of the KGB
39
What did Andropov do with the media to monitor popular discontent?
Surrounded himself with journalists who were in touch with discontent
40
Name the 4 main groups of dissenters
Intellectuals Political Dissidents Nationalists Religious Dissidents
41
How could intellectuals be potentially harmful to the government?
Meeting with foreign colleagues and exchanging ideas
42
How could political dissidents be potentially harmful to the government?
They tried to hold the government to their own laws
43
What specific religious dissident group were there?
The Refusniks (Soviet Jews)
44
What happened to the Refusniks?
They were denied immigration to Israel, despite having strong support from Congress