Stalin

Question 1

motivations

Answer 1

economy failing, blame game
centralised power, alt available
opposition, angered groups of former people
foreign policy, public exposing = good impression SO intimidating

striving for complete monopoly of power
insecurity of party = maintaining power

Question 2

17th party congress

Answer 2

Kirov - standing ovation, slower pace
Stalin - molotov and kaganovich loyalty, called for increased pace of industrialisation
Both got secretary of equal rank

Kirov and others critical of collectivisation methods, agreed that ravages of countryside had gone too far…….. criticism of Stalin
Bukharin agreed. Wife depressed by horrors of virtual war against peasantry…
foundation of belief that those around him will betray him

Kirov Dec 1934 - murdered

Question 3

moscow show trials

Answer 3

political nature of purges
rooting out rivals
image of villainy gave legitimacy

kirov murder = evidence of widespread conspiracy SO pretext and justification of trials

Z/K supplied names
radek = 2.5 months of interrogation
bukharin and rykov - important roles formerly

Question 4

ordzhonikidze

Answer 4

last politburo member to confront stalin about the purges and plead for the end of it
shot himself on orders of stalin but made to look like heart failure

shows stalin’s complete power and control of opposition

Question 5

confessions

Answer 5

worn down by torture and family threats
Meyerhold = wrote with left arm
Tukhachevsky = blood splattered

Voluntary?? legitimised arrests and proved the state was right for the trials

accused of worst possible things and evidence fabricated to make false accusations SO undoubtable guilt proved SO idea that threat was present was established

barely any denial

Question 6

death lists stalin, molotov

amount purged from 1934 to 37

Answer 6

357
372

1108/1996

Question 7

party leaders didn’t stop stalin

Answer 7

shakhty and civil war = evidence of violence within the bolshevik agenda
not new methods of control

loyalty to stalin = protection

Question 8

yagoda to yezhov

Answer 8

YAGODA BAD? told Stalin mts were not liked and didn’t arrest bukharin

his slow pace was criticised SO signal for yezhov to increase purging and advance terror

YEZHOVSCHINA
004477
250,000 anti soviet elements, 28% to be shot and rest in gulags for 10 years

Question 9

yezhovschina

Answer 9

categories and quotas
autumn 1937 ohone books

nkvd = extent cuz stalin had less control in wider sov population
instilled fear
finding hidden enemies = ordinary innocent people
local officers had to d job or unloyal

Question 10

stalin constitution 1936

Answer 10

most democratic
gave freedom of speech and employment for all

mainly a propaganda ploy for international consumption so suspicion not raised
most rights from constitution systematically abused so had little impact daily

Question 11

red army

Answer 11

paranoid about a coup situation

tukhachevsky = war hero but put on trial
35,000 purged
14/16 officers
3/5 marshall’s

lack of skills and initiative in the army

Question 12

societal impacts

Answer 12

more disillusion of moral correctness of the purges and tell tale nature due to cult of personality
didn’t bother to fight arrests, knew they were innocent
1/18 arrested

extent of maintenance of complete control

Question 13

economic changes

Answer 13

18 million in gulags so slave labour increased
white sea canal used 100,000 slave labourers

forged forwards with rapid industrialisation
lack of expertise though

Question 14

political changes

Answer 14

centralised power, politburo had no say
party filled with loyal stalinists who they owed their role to stalin
right wing of party gone
no opposition or threats to leadership

Question 15

khrushchev

Answer 15

1956 BLAMED STALIN

Question 16

1938 arrests

Answer 16

7-8 million

Question 17

non violent purges

Answer 17

chistka- 1932 22% expelled
1935 exchange of party cards = 1/2 expelled

expulsion rather than execution