Chapter 17 & 18

Question 1

Name 3 examples of when Stalin exercised state terror

Answer 1

• Trotsky was expelled from the USSR in 29’, and Bukharin was removed from the Politburo
• Ryutin was a rightist who was imprisoned for 10 years for criticizing Stalin, circulating a 200 page document to call for the removement of Stalin
• Kirov, who was seen as Stalin’s likely successor, was murdered in 34’, after given the title of ‘Secretary of Equal Rank’ with Stalin.
• Zionenev and Kamenev (who opposed Stalin by calling for the slowing down of industrialization) were imprisoned for 10 years
• Use of show trials. guilt or innocence of the defendant has already been determined. The actual trial’s purpose was to give a presentation of the verdict to the public so they have an example and deterrent

Question 2

Name 3 ways/events that showed mass terror at a central level

Answer 2

• Trial of 17 in 37’ was a show trial of 17 communists who were accused of plotting with Trotsky, 13 were sentenced to death.
• Military purges in 37’ were used by Stalin due to fears of a coup. An example was the arrest and eventual execution of Marshal Mikhail due to them being accused of plotting with Trotsky. Approximately 50% of officers were executed or imprisoned.
• Trial of 21 in 38’ were when 21 prominent communists were accused of plotting with Trotsky, working with Germans, planning to kill Lenin. They included Bukharin. him and 17 others were executed.

Question 3

List 3 arguments that terror wasn’t Stalin’s full responsibility

Answer 3

• Terror was an integral part of the communist system, all major events of the Bolsheviks included terror and ruthlessness.
• It was needed for economical change, such as the expulsion of Kulaks
• Terror was the work of over the top officials who were ruthless in their own right and wanted tot satisfy their own agendas such as Yezhov
• Terror was the response of real military threat, there were German spies which made Stalin suspicious

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