9.3 The Secret Police And 9.4 The Show Trials Flashcards
When did the Cheka become OGPU
1923
When did OGPU become NKVD
1934
How did Stalin increase the power of the secret police
Issued the “decree against terror acts” —> people could be arrested and executed without trial
How did Stalin use the secret police to his advantage
To hunt down and destroy his opponents
To terrorise ordinary people into obedience
How were labour camps used?
Victims of the purges were sent there
Run by secret oil ice
Forced to do manual work on construction and mining projects
Poor living conditions —> lots of deaths
What were the show trials
The accused were put on trial
They were forced to confess to a range of crimes
Why were their confessions important / what did this mean for Stalin/ why were the show trials beneficial for him
They appeared to show that Stalin was right to purge the communist party
The trials created an atmosphere of fear and showed that the secret police was everywhere
Why did the accused confess
They were physically and mentally tortured by the police
Their families were threatened with imprisonment and death
