“To what extent did the show trials and ‘the Terror’ shape the Communist Party and Soviet Society in the period 1934-1941?” Flashcards
Intro
Thesis: To a significant extent, Stalin’s Great Purge, his Show Trials and subsequently the ‘Terror’ that swept through the USSR during the period 1934-1941 distinctly shaped the Communist Party and Soviet society in the early years of Stalinist rule.
BP1 - start of purge and effects of judicial system
The Red Purge of 1921: Under Lenin’s leadership, the first major purge of the Communist Party expelled 156,900 out of 585,000 members. Lenin, in Pravda (1921), stated that purging was necessary to eliminate members attached to old bureaucratic values and Menshevik ideals. This led to the creation of a centralized party based on Bolshevik principles, highlighted by the ban on factions during the 10th Party Congress.
Opposition to the NEP and Centralization: The purge also targeted those opposed to the New Economic Policy (NEP), introduced in March 1921, transforming the party into what modern historian Stephen Kotkin described as a “centralized autocratic regime.” This centralization laid the foundation for Stalin’s rise to dictatorship.
Stalin’s Dictatorship and the 1934 Party Congress: After Stalin’s first Five-Year Plan, he faced opposition in the Seventeenth Party Congress (1934), where critics, including Ryutin, were repressed. This congress saw 150 downvotes against Stalin’s policies, many of which were destroyed. Stalin’s consolidation of power turned the party into a personal dictatorship, with only 1% of the population represented and rural political power repressed.
Kirov’s Assassination and the Great Purge: Kirov’s assassination on December 1, 1934, blamed on old Bolsheviks but later revealed by Khrushchev (1956) to be orchestrated by the NKVD, initiated the Moscow Trials and further purges. Stalin’s drive for personal dictatorship led to widespread repression, with the NKVD killing an estimated 1.2 million people during the Great Purge, which lasted for five years.
Party Verification Campaign and Further Purges: In December 1935, Stalin conducted a “party verification campaign” where 1.9 million out of 2.3 million membership cards were reviewed, and 250,000 members were removed. This purging of the lower ranks solidified Stalin’s control by ensuring loyalty through terror and suppression.
BP2 - Removal of leadership Bolshevik and military
Moscow Trials and Removal of Trotskyites: The Moscow Trials targeted powerful Trotskyites within the party, even after Trotsky’s exile in 1929. Former allies of Stalin, such as Zinoviev and Kamenev—both key figures in the 1920s ‘Triumvirate’ with Stalin—were placed on trial. The Trial of the 16 (August 1936), involving Zinoviev and Kamenev, marked the first show trial and signaled Stalin’s intent to eliminate all opposition, instilling fear and solidifying his authority over the party.
Bukharin and Rykov Trial (Trial of the 21, March 1938): This trial reinforced Stalin’s consolidation of power and removed remaining opposition within the Politburo. The NKVD focused on purging the Bolshevik ‘old guard’ (1918-1928), eliminating 75% of its members. The party became dominated by new members loyal to Stalin, cementing a system of patronage.
Purge of the Red Army: Due to Stalin’s growing paranoia about his dictatorship and fears of a coup, he purged the Red Army leadership, falsely accusing them of collaborating with the ‘fifth column’ and plotting a military-fascist coup. As a result, 35,000 army officers were discharged, 30,000 executed, and 81 out of 103 Red Army generals were killed, severely weakening the military and solidifying Stalin’s grip on power.
Impact on Military Leadership: Stalin’s purge transformed the military, making loyalty to Stalin the primary criterion for leadership rather than military competence. This crushed any potential for a coup and showcased the extent of Stalin’s control over the USSR.
Transformation into a Personal Dictatorship: The Moscow Trials, Red Army purge, and elimination of the ‘old guard’ demonstrated the extent of Stalin’s purges, which transformed the USSR into a dictatorship fully centered around his personal authority.
BP3 - Social effects of show trials and fear
Collectivization and Dekulakization: Stalin’s first Five-Year Plan (piakelakta) led to the liquidation of the Kulak class, with 6 million Kulaks forcibly dispossessed of their land. The policy of ‘dekulakization’ (1928) persecuted Kulaks, transforming the agrarian landscape. Peasants were forced into state farms (Kolkhoz), and those who resisted faced harsh reprisals like Gulags or executions, leading to what was called “terror in the countryside.”
Holodomor and Urbanization: Forced collectivization and grain requisitioning caused the Holodomor, where 7-14 million people starved. While this policy accelerated urbanization, it left a lasting legacy of terror in rural areas.
Gulags and Repression: Although initially intended for political prisoners, the Gulag system became a tool for terror and repression. Millions were imprisoned in forced labor camps for 10-15 years, fostering a pervasive culture of fear and suspicion. The Gulag system also contributed to rapid modernization, exemplified by projects like the White Baltic Sea Canal, where 12,000 prisoners died.
Targeting of minorities
-> Polish in nationality or German were heavily persucted as being suspected of being sabitours.
12% of victims were Polish, with poles only making up 0.5% of pop.
Mass Hysteria and State-Sanctioned Violence: The government’s publication of show trials and the hysteria over “enemies of the people” led to a culture of denunciation, where citizens falsely accused neighbors to gain favor with the NKVD. This state-sanctioned violence created an atmosphere similar to the Salem witch trials, fueling paranoia and supporting Stalin’s political campaigns.
-> isolation of individuals, creating a culture of mutual distrust and fear that ensured Stalin’s authority expanded without resistance.
