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iGCSE: USSR 1924-53 > Topic 3: Purges, Show Trials, and Cult of Personality > Flashcards

Topic 3: Purges, Show Trials, and Cult of Personality Flashcards

1
Q

How did Stalin consolidate his power over the USSR?

A

Authoritarian control through terror.

Secret police.

Labour camps.

Cult of the leader.

Education is controlled by the state.

Propaganda and censorship.

State control of arts and sciences.

Only one political party.

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2
Q

When were the Great Purges launched?

A

1930s

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3
Q

Who did the purges include?

A

Anyone declared an enemy of the state

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4
Q

When did the first purge of the Communist Party happen?

A

1918

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5
Q

What is it called when the party took in members during a crisis and then shed them when it was done?

A

Chistka

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6
Q

What were the reasons for the purges?

A

History of purges

Opposition to Stalin

Stalin’s personality

Economic need

Stalin needed control of the Communist Party

Stalin did not have control over the people

Threat of war

Murder of Kirov

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7
Q

Stalin’s wife did what after she argued with him about the situation in Ukraine?

A

Committed suicide

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8
Q

What did Ryutin give to the Central Committee?

A

A 200 page document denouncing Stalin

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9
Q

What did the Ryutin Platform contain?

A

It called Stalin an ‘evil genius’ and called for his removal

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10
Q

What did Stalin want to happen to Ryutin?

A

He wanted him executed but Kirov and Ordzhonikidze opposed him

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11
Q

How did Stalin’s personality contribute to the reasons for the purges?

A

He saw plots and threats everywhere

He held grudges

After his wife’s death, he became more isolated

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12
Q

Which projects relied on slave labour?

A

The White Sea Canal
The Moscow Metro

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13
Q

Why were kulaks used as slave labour?

A

They were seen as enemies of the state and did not want collectivisation?

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14
Q

What did local party organisations do to the instructions sent out by Moscow?

A

Ignored

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15
Q

Why was dekulakisation not as effective before the purges?

A

Officers were unwilling to arrst kulaks

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16
Q

How many people moved from the countryside to towns?

A

19 million

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17
Q

What were new towns like?

A

Dangerous, unruly places
Overcrowded and unsanitary conditions

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18
Q

Why was the threat of war increasingly likely in the 1930s?

A

Hitler became Chancellor in 1933

His expansionist aims made Stalin nervous

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19
Q

Why did the threat of war lead to the purges?

A

Stalin needed total loyalty as he needed to increase military production

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20
Q

Who spoke of ending grain seizures and increasing workers’ rations?

A

Kirov

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21
Q

What were Stalin and Kirov given?

A

The title: Secretary of Equal Rank

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22
Q

Kirov refused what request from Stalin?

A

To leave Leningrad and join him in Moscow

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23
Q

Explain what happened during the murder of Kirov

A

On the 1st December 1934, Leonid Nikolayev shot Kirov on the back of the neck.

He died instantly.

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24
Q

What was Stalin’s response to Kirov’s murder?

A

Stalin claimed the assassination had been a plot to overthrow his government.

Stalin came to the conclusion that he could prove that Zinoviev and Kamenev had ‘shed the blood of Kirov’

Stalin argued for strong measures against those accused and the purges began.

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25
Q

Who did Stalin blame for Kirov’s murder?

A

Zinoviev and Kamenev

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26
Q

What evidence is there that Stalin ordered the murder of Kirov?

A

Historians have found no evidence of a plot
Kirov had opposed Stalin

The NKVD responsible for investigating the murder were arrested and shot.

Nikolayev was executed without trial.

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27
Q

What evidence is there that Nikolayev acted alone in the murder of Kirov?

A

He had twice been arrested outside Kirov’s office.

The second time he was carrying a gun.

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28
Q

Who shot Kirov?

A

Leonid Nikolayev

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29
Q

Who led the NKVD from 1937?

A

Nikolai Yezhov

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30
Q

What was the elimination of Stalin’s enemies in the Great Purge known as?

A

Yezhovshchina

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31
Q

In 1934, the Cheka became the ____

A

NKVD

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32
Q

What did Stalin use the secret police for?

A

Hunt down and destroy opponents.

Terrorise ordinary people into obedience.

Obtain false confessions through torture.

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33
Q

Yezhov was arrested in 1939, what did he do in his confession?

A

Implicated dozens of family members and personal friends for counter revolutionary activites

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34
Q

What did the NKVD censor?

A

The arts, music, and culture

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35
Q

Who were children encouraged to inform on?

A

Their parents

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36
Q

In 1938, which group did Stalin purge?

A

The NKVD

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37
Q

Who were labour camps for?

A

Common criminals.

Five Year Plan wreckers.

Communist Party officials guilty of plotting against the government.

Foreign Communists accused of spying.

Artists, lecturers, writers whose loyalty was questioned.

Leaders of ethnic groups.

Red Army officers.

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38
Q

What were the conditions in labour camps?

A

Random violence from guards was common.

Criminals received slightly better treatment than political prisoners.

Food was given according to how much work they did.

Prisoners that did not meet their daily work quotas had rations cut and many starved to death.

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39
Q

Where were Labour camps set up?

A

Siberia primarily

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40
Q

How many people died in labour camps?

A

12 million

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41
Q

Were many of the prisoners actually guilty?

A

No

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42
Q

How many prisoners were made to build the Belomor Canal to link the White Sea to the Baltic?

A

250,000

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43
Q

What were the Kolmya camps for?

A

Gold mining

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44
Q

What were conditions like in the Kolmya camps?

A

They were regarded as the toughest to survive

The journey there took 3 months.

Prisoners said Kolyma was 12 months winter and the rest summer.

Temperatures fell as low as -45℃

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45
Q

What trials were the Moscow Show Trials made up of?

A

Trial of the Sixteen

Trial of the Seventeen

Trial of the Twenty-One

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46
Q

Trial of Sixteen

A

This was based around Zinoviev and Kamenev.

They were charged with organising Kirov’s murder.

The chief prosecutor, Vyshinsky demanded they ‘shoot the mad dogs’

Sentences were carried out the next day.

Kamenev met his death with dignity but Zinoviev begged for his life.

For his amusement, Stalin got his security chief to reenact Zinoviev’s last moments.

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47
Q

Who was the Trial of Sixteen based around?

A

Zinoviev and Kamenev

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48
Q

When was the Trial of Sixteen?

A

1936

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49
Q

What were Zinoviev and Kamenev charged with during the Trial of Sixteen?

A

Organising Kirov’s murder

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50
Q

Who was the chief prosecutor during the Moscow Show Trials?

A

Vyshinsky

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51
Q

What did Vyshinsky say about Zinoviev and Kamenev?

A

‘Shoot the mad dogs’

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52
Q

How did Kamenev and Zinoviev deal with their executions?

A

Kamenev met his with dignity

Zinoviev begged for his life

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53
Q

What did Stalin get his security to re-enact for his entertainment?

A

Zinoviev’s last moments

54
Q

Trial of the Seventeen

A

This focused on Trotsky’s former allies.

Charges included:
- Plotting to kill Kirov.
- Overthrow the government.
- Disrupt the Five Year Plans.
- Maintaining contact with Trotsky.

All pleaded guilty.

Thirteen were executed and four were sent to gulags where they later died.

55
Q

When was the Trial of Seventeen?

A

1937

56
Q

Who did the Trial of Seventeen focus on?

A

Trotsky’s former allies

57
Q

What were those on trial accused of in the Trial of Seventeen?

A

Plotting to kill Kirov

Overthrow the government

Disrupt the Five Year Plans

Maintaining contact with Trotsky

58
Q

What happened to those in the Trial of Seventeen?

A

Thirteen were executed

Four were sent to gulags and later died there.

59
Q

The Trial of the Twenty-One

A

This focused on Bukharin.

He was charged with attempting to overthrow the government, murder Kirov, and attempting to assassinate Lenin.

Bukharin did his best to highlight the ridiculous nature of the charges but pled guilty in the end.

He was sentenced to death.

Vyshinsky accused him of being ‘a foul smelling heap of human garbage.’

Bukharin died cursing Stalin.

60
Q

Who did the Trial of the Twenty-One focus on?

A

Bukharin and his followers

61
Q

What was Bukharin charged with in the Trial of the Twenty-One?

A

Attempting to overthrow the government

Murder of Kirov

Attempting to assassinate Lenin

62
Q

What did Bukharin do at the Trial of the Twenty-One?

A

Tried to highlight the ridiculous nature of the charges

63
Q

What was Bukharin sentenced to?

A

Death

64
Q

What did Vyshinsky call Bukarhin?

A

‘A foul smelling heap of human garbage’

65
Q

How did Bukharin die?

A

Cursing Stalin

66
Q

Why did the Old Bolsheviks confess?

A
  • Stalin promised Kamenev and Zinoviev a full pardon - he lied.
  • Bukharin agreed to confess in order to save his wife and young child
67
Q

What label was punishable by imprisonment and death?

A

Trotskyite

68
Q

When was Trotsky killed?

A

21st August 1940

69
Q

How was Trotsky killed?

A

With an ice pick wielded by an NKVD officer

70
Q

By 1934, what percentage of the Central Committee were executed or imprisoned?

A

70%

71
Q

Of the 1,996 that attended the 17th Party Conference, how many were purged?

A

1,108

72
Q

How many members of the wider Communist Party were purged overall?

A

1 million

73
Q

What did Stalin fear about the armed forces?

A

That they were becoming too independent and had access to weapons to remove Stalin

74
Q

Who made up the majority of the army?

A

Peasants

75
Q

Why did Stalin kill Commander-in-Chief Tukhachevsky and 7 other generals?

A

For allegedly plotting with Germany and Japan

76
Q

By 1939, how many of the admirals of the navy were shot?

A

All of them

77
Q

How many army marshals were killed in the purge of the armed forces?

A

3 of 5

78
Q

How many army commanders were shot in the purge of the armed forces?

A

14 of 16

79
Q

How many senior commanders of the Soviet air force were shot?

A

All but one

80
Q

How many Red Army officers had been executed?

A

25,000

81
Q

What did Stalin call for in July 1937?

A

The removal of ‘all anti-Soviet elements’ from society.

82
Q

Which operational order did Yezhov make?

A

Operational Order 00447

83
Q

How many people were identified as enemies of the state and were to be arrested as part of Operational Order 00447?

A

250,000

84
Q

When did the purges reach their peak?

A

1936-38

85
Q

What groups of people were targeted in the purge of the people?

A

University lecturers
Teachers
Miners
Engineers
Factory managers
Ordinary workers

86
Q

One estimate suggests that ___ were transported to labour camps

A

18 million

87
Q

How many of the estimated 18 million sent to labour camps are to estimated to have died?

A

13 million

88
Q

Estimated
How many arrests were made during the purges?

A

7-8 million

89
Q

Estimated
How many people were executed during the purges?

A

1-1.5 million

90
Q

Estimated
How many people were sent to the gulags?

A

7-8 million

91
Q

Estimated
How many deaths were there in the gulags?

A

3 million

92
Q

Who was most at risk during the purges?

A

Men aged 30-45 in management or professional occupations

93
Q

What percentage of purge arrests were women?

A

5%

94
Q

During the 1930s, what did the people call Stalin?

A

Dictator of the People

95
Q

When did the Cult of Personality start?

A

As early as December 1929

96
Q

Which newspaper called the people to unite around ‘Lenin’s most faithful and dedicated pupil and associate’?

A

Pravda

97
Q

Stalin was known as what?

A

The Father of the Nation

98
Q

How did the media refer to Stalin?

A

Universal Genius

Shining Sun of Humanity

99
Q

Why did Stalin rewrite history?

A

To imply he had been the second most important during the Revolution after Lenin

100
Q

How does the Cult of Personality portray Stalin?

A

God-like

101
Q

Why did Stalin want to appear God-like?

A

Increased Stalin’s power over the Communist Party.

It gave the people reassurance during upheaval.

Showing him as Lenin’s successor gave him legitimacy.

It allowed people to complain about everyday difficulties without blaming Stalin - blame was placed on lower-level officials.

102
Q

Where were parades held to show off Stalin’s power?

A

Red Square

103
Q

What did Stalin promote himself to after WWII?

A

Generalissimo

104
Q

What was Socialist Realism?

A

Work which glorified the achievements of Socialists workers and peasants

105
Q

How were the arts used to promote Stalin and the Communism?

A
  • Writers were censored
  • Writers had to show the positives of Communism
  • Had to be members of the Union of Soviet Writers
106
Q

What union did all writers have to be part of?

A

Union of Soviet Writers

107
Q

What happened to books that did not follow the Soviet line?

A

Rewritten or destroyed

108
Q

What was the typical Socialist Realism plot?

A

A worker or peasant that was guided to greatness thanks to the Communist Party

109
Q

What were two popular novels in the USSR?

A

How the Steel was Tempered by Nikolai Ostrovsky (1936)

Cement by Fyodor Gladkov (1925)

110
Q

How were photographs used to promote Stalin?

A

Photographs were altered to fit in with Stalin’s ideas

111
Q

Which type of song was preferred?

A

Happy and positive

Folk songs

112
Q

Which type of music was dismissed as immoral?

A

Jazz

113
Q

Which dance style could not be performed?

A

Experimental dance

114
Q

Which style of dance was encouraged?

A

Traditional ballet

115
Q

What kind of stories did Soviet cinema show?

A

Epic events in Soviet history

116
Q

Which two films were popular in the USSR?

A

Chapaev
Alexander Nevsky

117
Q

What was censored?

A

Anything that criticised the government

118
Q

In 1936, how many films and plays were taken out of print?

A

30 films
10 plays

119
Q

Give an example of one of the plays taken out of print and why

A

Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk by Shostakovich for being too bourgeois.

120
Q

How was the poet, Madelstam, censored?

A

He performed a poem about Stalin called The Kremlin Mountaineer

He was arrested and died in a gulag

121
Q

What was set up under the 1936 Constitution?

A

Two-chamber assembly called the Supreme Soviet

122
Q

What did the new constitution promise?

A

Meant to guarantee freedom of speech, a job for all, paid holidays, health care, the right to vote at 18, housing, education, freedom of religion, freedom of the press

123
Q

What two posts did Stalin hold that effectively meant he had control over the Communist Party?

A

Chairman of the Politburo

General Secretary of the Communist Party

124
Q

What were children taught about Stalin?

A

He was a great leader

125
Q

What happened to literacy rates by 1939?

A

The majority of people could read

126
Q

What were the youth groups children joined?

A

8-10 - Octobrists
10-16 - Pioneers
16-23 - Komsomol

127
Q

Where did the state send school leavers?

A

Wherever workers were needed

128
Q

What happened to stories of Old Communists under the revision of history?

A

They were purged and removed from textbooks

129
Q

What did Stalin emphasise in the revision of history?

A

He gave himself a more important role in the Revolution than he had had.

130
Q

In 1938, which two history books did Stalin order to be written?

A

The Short Course of the History of the All Union Communist Party.

The Short Biography of Stalin.

iGCSE: USSR 1924-53 (12 decks)

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