Show Trials(not included) Flashcards
When was the Shakhty trial?
1928
Who did the Shakhty trial target and why?
Managers and technicians in the Shakhty coal mines that were questioning the rapid pace of industrialisation
They were targeted as a warning to others who disagreed with the FYP
When was the ‘Industrial party trial’, who was targeted and why?
1830, a group of senior industrialists and economists accused of planning a coup and plotting to wreck the Soviet
economy.
Wanted to show an example of how the economic issues in Russia were caused by ‘wreckers’
When was the ‘Trial of the 16’, who was targeted and why?
1936, Kamenev, Zinoviev and 14 others were accused of being any Bolshevik and were instrumental in Kirov’s murder
They were excecuted
They were scapegoats for Kirovs murder, and Stalin wanted to take away 2 prominent Old Bolsheviks
When was the ‘Trial of the 17’ who was targeted and why?
1937, 17 senior Bolsheviks, were accused of plotting with Trotsky, spying and sabotaging industry
Stalin wanted to get rid of any potential rivals
When were there examples of purges during Lenin’s period?
In 1917 25% of the Party was removed
How did Purges change under Stalin?
They became more ruthless, it wasn’t just to clean out the Party by removing them.
Stalin killed any dissenters and those who were associated with them.
It was also used on citizens, such as the economic terror in the Ukraine with Holodomor
What happened at the 17th Party Congress in 1934?
Some members of the Politburo wanted a slower pace of industrialisation and an easing-off of grain requisition. This is after economic issues since 1932, with protests over low wages and long working hours. Holdomor was also decreasing grain production and killing people
Who was Sergei Kirov?
A good friend of Stalin, but in the 17th Party Congress he agreed with the opposition to Stalin and wanted to slow down industrialisation
Why was Kirov a threat to Stalin?
He was popular and had a high position in the Party, was close to Stalin and some people wanted him to replace Stalin
What happened to the position ‘General Secretary’ in the 17th Party Congress?
It was abolished and Stalin, Kirov, Zhdanov and Kaganovich were all ‘Secretaries of equal rank’
This took away power from Stalin, as he wasn’t the only leader, but could also mean he could spread out blame for any problems in the country to the others
How was Kirov killed?
He was assassinated on 1 Dec 1934
What is the December Decree?
This was implemented the day of Kirov’s murder, it meant that anyone could be put on trial without a defence. The NKVD was allowed to execute anyone who was guilty of ‘terrorist plotting’
Why is Stalin suspicious in the case of Kirov’s murder?
The assassin said it was from Stalin personally, and the December Decree was quickly released, as if he had been planning it before
When was the ‘Trial of 21’ who was targeted and why?
1938, Bukharin, Tomsky, Rykov and 18 others were put on trial for plotting to assassinate Stalin and wanting to overthrow the USSR for Germany and Russia
