Terror Flashcards
What were the 7 causes of The Great Terror?
1) Rapid Industrialisation + Collectivisation
2) The Ryutin Platform
3) 17th Party Congress (Congress of Victors)
4) Terror Economics
5) The Shakhty Trials
6) Stalin’s Paranoia
7) Murder of Kirov
How did Rapid Industrialisation + Collectivisation cause The Great Terror?
- Split the party in Moscow
- Difficulties getting local party secretaries/members to implement central policies throughout 1st 5YP (identifying Kulaks)
- Reluctance to implement degree of terror demanded by Communists
What were the effects of Rapid Industrialisation + Collectivisation?
December 1932: Moscow launched CHISTKA to root out these elements.
By 1933, 22% Communist Party members had lost party cards. (Clear attempt to re-establish party control)
What was the Ryutin Platform?
1932: Growing opposition to Stalin.
Former Moscow party secretary Ryutin gave 200 page document to Central Committee highly critical of Stalin and urging for his removal from the party.
- “Evil genius” … “motivated by personal desire for power and revenge” … “personal dictatorship”
What were the effects of the Ryutin Platform?
- Stalin wanted Ryutin executed. Opposed by Kirov + Ordzhonikidze + Politburo. Not executed.
- Stalin becomes paranoid of opposition in party.
- September 1932: Ryutin arrested + held for investigation. Admitted to being opposed to Stalin’s policies since 1928.
- Expelled from party along with supporters.
- Sentenced to 10 years in prison for being an “enemy of the people”.
- Executed 10th January 1937. 2 sons executed. Wife sent to Gulag where she died.
What was the 17th Party Congress?
- Congress of Victors: Intended to be celebration of Stalin’s 5YP economic achievements.
- However Congress voted to select the Central Committee Kirov rather than Stalin topped the poll. (Kirov 1,225 to Stalin’s 927).
What were the effects of the 17th Party Congress?
- Showed Kirov more popular than Stalin in party.
- Both given title of Secretary of Equal Rank.
- Stalin no longer secure as leader of Party (could be removed or demoted and only commanded unswerving loyalty of 2 members of the Politburo, Kaganovich and Molotov)
How did Terror Economics cause The Great Terror?
- Allowed Stalin to blame economic problems on political enemies.
- Ongoing problems of 5YP’s could be explained by presence of Wreckers in the workforce
What were Wreckers according to Stalin?
- In the employ of Trotsky, Kamenev and Zinoviev.
- Working to sabotage the Russian economy.
How did Stalin use Wreckers?
Able to create scapegoats for the economics that would have otherwise been blamed on himself
What were the Shakhty Trials?
- Series of trials of industrial specialists from middle class or foreign backgrounds who were accused of sabotage, spying or anti-socialism.
- Some of the victims were shot.
Who was Stalin particularly paranoid about and why?
- Old Communists (had been firm supporters of Lenin and didn’t think Stalin deserved the position of General Secretary let alone leader)
- Red Army and The Secret Police (feared assassination attempts from both as he didn’t have full control over them)
When was Kirov murdered?
December 1934
Who did the Soviet press blame for Kirov’s murder?
Nikolayev who they claimed was working for a ‘Trotskite-Zinovievite’ terror group who wanted to overthrow the Soviet government.
Who was arrested for the conspiracy to murder Kirov?
Kamenev and Zinoviev
What were the 3 significant effects for Stalin of the Murder of Kirov?
1) Rid him of his most important rival whilst allowing him to imprison 2 of his old opponents.
2) Gave him a pretext for hunting down his ‘secret terror group’ (which probably never existed).
3) He could claim the murder showed political dissidents were plotting acts of Terror and therefore justified the execution of party members who opposed him and his policies.
When was the Trial of Sixteen?
1936
Who was on trial in the Trial of Sixteen?
Kamenev and Zinoviev + 14 other comrades
What were the charges of The Trial of Sixteen?
Charged with Kirov’s murder, plotting to disrupt 5YP’s, conspiring with foreign powers to overthrow the government.
What happened during the Trial of Sixteen?
Kamenev and Zinoviev both ‘persuaded to confess’ (by torture and Stalin promising to pardon them if they did)
What was the result of the Trial of Sixteen?
- Kamenev and Zinoviev executed.
- 43 other high ranking Communists + former allies of Kamenev and Zinoviev also disappeared.
When was the Trial of Seventeen?
1937
Who was on trial in the Trial of Seventeen?
Trotsky’s former allies (Pyatakov, Radek, Sokolnikov, Ordzhonikidze)
What were the charges of the Trial of Seventeen?
Charged with plotting with foreign powers, terrorism, sabotage and contact with Trotsky.
What was the Trial of Seventeen the first product of?
Yezhov’s ‘conveyor belt system’ of interrogation (torture, sleep deprivation + questioning until confession)
What was significant about the evidence in the Trial of Seventeen?
It was forged (more obviously than in previous trials) by the NKVD - one confessed to murdering Kirov when he was in prison at the time.
What was the result of the Trial of Seventeen?
13 - Executed
4 - Sent to Gulags where they died
When was the Trial of Twenty-One?
1938
Who was on trial in the Trial of Twenty-One?
Bukharin, Rykov and their ‘accomplices’ (Yagoda, Tomsky)
What were the charges of the Trial of Twenty-One?
Attempting to overthrow socialism and murdering Kirov
What was Bukharin personally charged with in the Trial of Twenty-One?
Attempting to assassinate Lenin
What happened during the Trial of Twenty-One?
- Stalin threatened to kill Bukharin’s wife and newborn baby.
- Bukharin confessed to ‘political responsibility’ for crimes he was accused of but refused to acknowledge guilt for actual events that happened or confess to trying to assassinate Lenin.
What was the result of the Trial of Twenty-One?
Bukharin - executed
Rykov - executed
