The Purges Flashcards
When did Stalin’s wife commit suicide? Why was this a significant event?
- It exacerbated his paranoia.
Who is Mertemyan Ryutin? Why is he significant?
Martemyan Ryutin was the author of a document in 19230 known as the Ryutin platform which was highly critical of Stalin, saying that he had “brought the revolution to the verge of ruin”. It convinced Stalin that he had enemies within the party and fueled his paranoia. Ryutin was killed in 1937.
When was the 17th party congress of the CPSU? Why was this significant?
- It was known as ‘The Congress of Victors’ and later, ‘The Congress of the Damned’. 2/3rds of those present would be executed in 3 years.
Sergei Kirov got more votes than Stalin in the election for the Central Committee, challenging Stalin’s leadership. This fueled Stalin’s paranoia: Kirov was mysteriously ‘murdered’ months later.
When was Yagoda head of the NKVD?
1934 to 1936
How did Stalin exert control of the party during the purges?
Putting his supporters in key positions of power: Eg: Poskrebyshev had control of the secretariat
Identify the 3 main Moscow show trials.
- Trial of the 16= 1936. Zinoviev and Kamenev executed along with 14 others.
- Trial of the 17= 1937. Conveyor belt system used for the first time
- Trial of the 21= 1938. Bukharin and Yagoda executed along with 19 others.
Why were the purges economically advantageous to Stalin?
He could blame poor performance in the 5 year plans on ‘saboteurs’ and ‘wreckers’ allied with Zinoviev, Kamanev and Trotsky, using them as scapegoats for economic failures.
They also provided a huge source of cheap slave labour: For instance, as many as 40,000 slave labourers are involved in the construction of Magnitogorsk.
Give a statistic which illustrates the extent of the purges within the Red Army.
34,000 soldiers were shot, which historian Donald Rayfield compares to “that of a major war”
What was the ‘Stalin constitution’?
It was passed by Stalin in 1936, and hailed as “the freest in the world”. It was little more than a propaganda document whilst the purges were taking place.
What policy did Stalin pass in 1937 to ideologically justify the purges?
The ‘Doctrine of Sharpening Class struggle’ which proposed that as socialism advanced, the class struggle intensified, providing justification for ever increasing terror.
Identify the 3 main heads of the NKVD under Stalin. What changes took place?
Yagoda= 1934-1936 Yezhov= 1936-1937 Beria= 1938-1945.
In 1937, Stalin purged the NKVD itself. Many were old communists who were ideologically opposed to the use of indiscriminate terror. New recruits were chosen who were either thugs who enjoyed violence or careerist bureaucrats who met targets in order to gain promotion.
Give Beria’s famous quote about the purges.
“When you stop murdering people in their millions, they start to get ideas”
