chapter 9 use of terror in 30s Flashcards
what did stalin establish overivew
1930s stalin established most effective ruthless dictatorshup of twentieth century- cult of propaganda
- but also systematic use of TERROR to remove any potetnial threats to his position.
purges when he killed evryone who may have had a chance against him
-used NKVD police gulags and show trials too
who was killed initally
who was KILLED AFTER 1937?
- Anyone who slowed his industrialisation and Collectivisation , killed
1) were managers and workers accused of wrecking five year plans for economy
- KULAKS who opposed collectivisation
- ordinary party members accused of wrong attitudes
2)then 1937 on musicians artists, writers scientists were targeted of being against the state
what were sentences like and what did people often do
what were PUBLIC TRIALS
semtences was execution or hard labour, here people arrested would often IMPLICATE others in confessions and arrests exponentially multiplied like this.
finally public trials, where accused forced to confess guilt was a key facotr of purges post 1936 and seved warning to other critic
what happened in his purges when did they stop and why
1) when did it strat and what happened
2) then 1932
3) 1934 kriov?
4) what happened to bolshevik party emmebers cause of trotsky
5) 1936?
6) army 1937?
7) 1938 decided to stop who purged
8) trotsky :(
- 1) 1928 55 shanty miners accused of sabotage out in trial , imprisoned and killed. (showing this is what happens if mess with him)
- 2) ryutin expelled and exiled- after criticising stalin
- 3) Kirov died, and 40k communists were arrested in Leningrad…
- 4) everyone who supported trotsky removed and bolshevik party purged themsleves
- 5) SHOW TRIALS :this of kamanev zinoviev and old Bolshevik leaders confessed to plotting after nkvd tortured, of killing Kirov. Just agreed to not be killed, killed always 1936!!!!
- 6)soviet old generals and COMMANDER IN CHIEF, removed killed. 1940 90% purged, as they had disagreements back in the day and could overthrow him
- 7)1938 a bit crazy and out of control Stalin ordered it to stop and BLAMED JT ON THE NKVD, which itself was purged and the leader died too… YEZHOV here, purged so knowledge of the purges were purged lmao
- 5) trostky killed 1940 by assasin in mexico
why did the purges happen
remmeber industry and complex, snowball, army
how many army officals purged overall
- threats to his poition
- not fully responsible, got out of control
- links with economic policies
- perceived treachery and betrayl to country
- PERECUTION COMPLEX
1) Threats to his position : destroy anyone who may form an alternative givenment so ALL OF the old bolsheviks, kamanev zinoviev trotsky etc
2) Stalin not fully responsible : people believe it was a snowball effect, stalin started yes but then locals use them accusing others to get rid of rivals THAT COULDNT BE CONTROLLED ANYMORE
3) Stalin thought hitler gonna attack so he needed to prepar russia and industrialise it quick, thought he was THE ONLY ONE WHO could save russia so - anyone against this = traitor.
- Also the only way all this could have happened is if Stalin sent masses to gulags to the forced work. here they can build cities like MAGNITIGORSK
- Also purge way to blame set backs on five year plans “sabotage” instead of actual trash
4) paranoid of treachery, so 30k officers killed. Thought of as spies, for germany and japan. 50% of army officers purged!!!
5) thought Stalin was suffering from “persecution complex” where he was paranoid everyone was against him.
Kirov dies, Stalin probably ordered because he gained some support and light applause when he spoke against the industrialisation.
Then after killing him he blamed others for his death, and sparked even more purges in the party - psycho.
the secret police history since start
1) 1917= cheka, which came instrument of bolshevik control arresting and killing many
2) the n 1923 transfromed into OGPU. by the time stalon came, it was also used for terror (red terror) so stalin only enforced this even more
3) then 1934 became NKVD
how stalin used it? how he made powers more
what were they called
-stalin gave it immense powers, such as ‘decree agaisnt terrorist act’ issued after the murder of kirov, which he done himslef lmao,
and this meant they could arrest without trial or charge and EXECUTE THEM when they wanted.
- named the ‘black ravens’, ddrive in black cars
what about informing ? what was the stigma why
that it was encouraged , even so such that children would on own parents= this meant you were showing LOYALTY, allowed people to get back on people and getting rid of someone in senior job.
this is why he purges so much- snowball effect at local level
how many people were arrested in 37-38 and shot
why
stalin got rid of any opponent and to INSTALL OBEDIENCE INTO SUBJECTS
1 milli arrested half killed
what happened to yezhov
this don was leader of the NKVD and carried out a lot of purges. when stalin saw time to stop he purged him too, to remove knowldege nd purged the NKVD party too in 1938
finally where were donnys sent
how many died here
gulag labour camp also run by secret police. uses for projects maybe?
13 million died from cold hunger and bad conditons
what were the show trials of 1936
why were they public? and why were they forced to confess for things they didnt even do
did these ever help?
stalin purged bolshevik party that may go against hi including the old bolsheviks
3) Shown to the whole world and forced to confess, including plot to kill Lenin and crimes they never done. Theo’s was IMPORTANT SO STALIN COULD SHOW HE WAS RIGHT TONKILL THEM, EVEN THOUGH PROBABLY NOTHING WOULD HAVE HAPLENED.
4) THESE confessions didn’t help, they still ended up dying . they confessed due to mental torture etc and fear of families getting done over, but even after they were still executed. this showed to many that the eocmmunist party were right to do this
mental torture involved no food, put in a conveyor belt
consequences of the purge
1) Meant no one could challenge at all as there was no one left by 1938.
2) However millions died , and society was terrorised .
3) The amount of army members killed almost lead to defeat in 1941 -2 when hitler invaded.
4) Engineers scientists and everything removed reduced quality of production, not enough workers anymore too
5) Everyone affected- even stalins cousins. eveyone scarred
6) If you were unfairly expelled it was over for your family as no job, a girl had to get both her parents killed so she could survive …
