Topic 5- Stalinism, Politics And Control-1929-41 Flashcards
Kirov
Old b organised railway strikes in 1905 rev
Played active role in 1917 rev and civil war- mil rev comm
1925 central comm
When z ousted leningrad- party sec
V good party orator- not keen collectivisation, attack bukrarin support need rapid industrialisation
17th party conference- kirov spoke in favor of stopping forceable grain seizures from peaasantry and increasing rations from workers- recievd standing ovation from cobgress
Kirov and stalin both given title of secretary of equal rank
Later murdered
Kirov- who killed him
Stalin
Nkvd
Nikolayev
Stalin killed kirov
sixsmith
Remove a potent leadership rival within party- oratory skills and popular
Embarassed politburo and 17th party congress- oppose pace industriliase parytu agreed
Relaxation of terro rand concilliation with peasantry decreasing nkvd
Reestablish political cocntrol at the top
Pruge leningrad partuy- leading g leningrad nkvd men accused neglecting not protecting kirob- hard labour guests- but sent in spread railways and recieved special treatment
Spread fear widely
Nkvd killed kirov
Lewis and whitehead
Told that stalin wanted kirov removed
Kirov wanted to relax the terror threaten nkvd
Did not want kirov to replace stalin
Did not actually intend for nikolayev to kkill kirov but stop the attack before it happened- justifying their role as govenores of state secuirtyq
Nikolayev killed kirov
Thurston
Disgrunteled with poarty expelled 1934 hated party beuracyr
Afffair between his wife and kirov- in diary- ‘personal act of desparation
Disillusionment with kirov leadership in leningrad
Show trials political context 1929-36
Kirov murder- widespread fear, threat stalin removal
Enemies of the people everywhere need to be rooted out
Pruge of leningrad party a leningrad centre- plotting terrorist acts against the state which were uncovered
Thousands more outside party accoused being trostkyist invvolved in miurder of kirov
Nkpd increase control via mts
Stalin principle leader (is challenagbel)
Terror 17th party conference charismatic
One party state
5y plan- rapid industrialisation keep yp with west- shakty trial scapegaosts
Collectivisation
Trail of 16
Aug 1936
Zk and 14 others complicit with torslky plot to kill stalin and other members of politburo
Yagoda,head of nkvd oversaw interrogation proceedings despite no evidence present
Z plotted to kill stalin- begged for life, stalin recreated and laughted
Vystinsky accused guolty of spying for foriegn powers and counter rev involved kirov murder
Kz executed
Igniited fear- assassination attempt stalin
Convincing
Yagoda increasing power- sucessful
Trial of 17
1937
17 accuseed politting with trosky spying and sabtotaging industry
Vipers liars insignif pygmies
Pyatakov pleased guilty and imprisoned
Rest condemn to death
Feb 1937- full meeting central committee- stalin believed many were protecting members from criticism and attacked families
Called for sharpening of class strgglles
Bukharin expelled
Within 3 months stalin had executed 70% central comm
Trial of 21
1938
Accused bukahrin yagoda rykov of kirov murder and trying to overturn gov
Bukharin chargded attenpt murder of lenin
Pl,ed guilty, proetct family, wife and cgukdren held hostage
Judge demmed as foul smelling heap of human garbage
Stalin turned on yagoda- scapgoat
Removed right of party fully
Yezhovshchina groups involved
Nkvd
Relations of pruged
Minorities
Urban and rural workers
Armed forces
Party members
Nkvd in yezovshchina
Responsible for regular police work, prison system hunt politcial enemeies at home and aborad
Yagoda replaced with yezhov- accused not being gactive enough in exposing the conspiracy
Still wanted a more radical head to increase terror- yagoda 1938 former head nkvd shot after trial of 21
Yezhov first 6 months as head nkvd pruged over 3000, 23,000 nkvd purged
When yezhov dismissed 1938 could become scapegoat as purges come to end
Relations of purged- yezhovshchina
Stigma of related to purged as unreliable
Minoorities yezhovshina
Mass campaign launchhed to uproot and deport minorities
Volga germans 400,000 to siberia and cnetral asia
2 million jewish arrested
Extensive purges poand 1939 after ns pact and revenge rp war failure
Urban and rural workers yezhovshchina
Informing culture as children report on parents as counterrev
Denunciate so can personally be promoted
Railwaymen could hold ocuntry to ransom-l lots menshevik
Nkvd order 00447 classes kulaks and sentenced to death by shotting in kjuly 1937
Armed forced yezhovshchina
3/5 marshalls removed including tukacevsky- in krinstad sailros
Accoused many of linkes with foriegn countries
Disgruntled collectivised peasannts
Fear political cuop
1/3 officers by 1936 arrested
Party members- yezhovshchina
70% central com elected at 17th party conference arrested and shot- supported kirov standing ovation
Politburo and central comm- becomes nomenklatura, sychopahnts, lack accountability
Trostky mrudered in mexico by stalinist agenda- mercador- ice pick to head
Responsibility for the great terror
Stalin personality- loa large extent
Nkvd yezhov
For the country/econ and war
Responsibility for terror - stalin personality yes
Paranoia- remove 3/5 marshalls inc tukachevsky helped jronstadt, needed germany- comp feared- bullock
Narcissism- seek to increase position in party, remove political opp (show trails, murder of lenin 21, bukharin)
Responsibility for the great terror - no- stalinpersonality
For party- centralise- 70% central comm elected 17th conference- supported kkirov
Increase power of the state- informing culture, hcildren report on parents, uphold comm principles, pavlik
Responsibility for the great terror - nkvd/yezhov- yees
Yagoda removed - not active enough in exposing conspiracy against stalin
First 6 month purge over 3000 own personal
Personality yezhov
Called yezhovshina- came to end when he went
Nkvd carried out great terror- 00447
Responsibility for the great terror - nkvd/yezhov- no
Shift yagoda to yezhov
Increased terror and control pruge of ppapt, by appt made accountabkle to h8im
Yezhov used by stalin as scapegoat of purges- 1939 yezovshina came to an end
Responsibility for the great terror - for the country econ and war yeas
Order 00447 classify kulaks to death, class enemies, bklocing collectivisation
Classify antisoviet elements sent to gulags- 40,000 by 1937
Finance industrialisation gulags- dizzy with success fear of faling behind
Purge thos ethreaten country- foreigers- 400,000 volga germans- siberia and central asia, increasing threat germans remilitarise rhineland 1936
Responsiblity for the terror- for the country eocn and war- no
Due to paranioa-percieved threat from party and rest, any collectivised disgrunteled peasantry
Created more unified workforce without kulaks- break them not a political threat esp holodomaur ukraine
Workers lives improved- urban workers
Industrialisation meant pklentifyl jobs opp
Living stadards imporving 1935 with more consumer goods made
Urban workers coped better with social change than peasnatry with urbans priorised in stalinist system
Workers had regulated hours and wages and access to canteens and shops
Magnitogorsk educatied pop
Stakhanovites- inccreased incentive, rev able to get fresh fruit
1939 contribution technical education
Moscow metro 1938
1930 all children 8-11 must be in schoool- increased 14 to 20 mill. 1925-30
Egalitarianism in wages abolished, increasing inewquality andd ip
1921 oay incentrives introduced byy new head of goslpan klibyshev
Rurual workers lives imporves under stalin
Less overpop
Mts more tracters
1 acre private land each help to survive
Further east less power nkvd
Compulsory schools enforced first tme ever
Urban workers lives imporved -no
Decreased living space in cities moscow 5.5 to 4 sqm
Magnitogorsk still 17.5% living in myd hust
Overcrowding as migrate from rural to urban
1937 av real wages 1928 levels
1935 maternity leave and free education reduced or stopped
Shakkty trial counter rve attacked
Internal passports 1938 and labor books
1940 absenteism crime punishable by death
Family laws 1936
Informing culture- pavlik morozon
Av food less than 1900 in 1922
Many citties remian without adequadte transport sewage, dependanceo n black market
Rural workers lives improved- no
Policies dekulakisation 00447
1932 holodomour led to 4.5mill deaths
Ogpu and nkvd in mts
League of militant godless
Famine 1932-34 poor weather
Peasants lack of freedom and culture eroded
Impact of ussr on orthodox church under lenin
Decree seperate church and state- declared church could dnot own property,, schools-
Priests and clerics declared servants of bourgeois
Patriarch tikhen denounced bolshevism
1921 union of militant godlsess organised- at peak 5 mill members, held debated god did not exist, newspaper clergy fat parasite living off peasantry, comm promised new religion
Ritual celebrations bolsehvised- octobered children,
Used famine 1921-22 demandc church surrender valuables for famine- lenin in secret letter confessed for econ not religious reasons
More than 8.000 people executed or killed 1922 anti church
Living church movement backed ogpu hailed rev of oct 1917 as christian doctrine
Mid 1920s- 55% still active chirtsinas
Orthodox church under stalin
1927 patriarch sergius promised that church would give no mroe to comm
Religious schools closed down and teaching religious doctrine forbidden
Worship retricted to registered congregation on a list
Cultrual rev produced another church- comm
Stressed link kulaks and cgristians
1929-1940 holy sunday abolished, thus employes 6-7 day week
Islamic communities under ussr
Property and weallth siexed
By 1941 25,000 mosques closed and converted into schools and other secular pruposes
Split between islamic church and new mosque
Pilgrimage to mecca banned 1938
Wearing veil forbidden
Backlash in some commnities, murder those tried to oimose
Jewish communities
Jewish schools and synagogues closed down
Enemy
Stalin bought about a social rev during 1930s- yes women
More lib family and fractured reversed with implementation of familuy laws
1935 maternity leave banned
Zhenstodl removed
Stalin social rev 1930s- no women
Recerse trade with family laws, concern breaking up of families
Despite reversal of divorce0 hig fees and need both parties still 37% in moscow
Stalin social rev religion
1929-40 holy days on sunday abolished workers employed 6-7 days per week
Reliigious schools and religious teaching banned
Decrease active ortohodox from 60,000 to just under 6,000 1920s to 30s
Wearing veil forbidden
League of militant godless
Stalin social rev- no religion
Continuation of lenin - anning education
Split islamic church and rev mosque- militantly against
Stalin social rev peasantry yes
Crushed political nationalist ideas holdomour 4.5mill dead locked away grain
Dekulakisation 00447
Second class citizens
Virtiually no freedom ofm movement
Stalin soical rev peasantry no
Always second class citizens
Could hold city hostage
118 rebellions
Stalin social rrev workers yes
Increased urbanisatin
Magnitoc=grosk education
Lack privacy and space 5.5 to 4 squm
Pay differential 1931
Stalin social rev - no workers
Continuation- 1938 internal passm=prot
Kollonati
Womens comissar
Drafted initial liberalisation of women
Pro tu over party
Collectivism for family, community in communism rather than family units
Divorce ussr
1917 new divroce law
Either partner could terminate on grounds incompatibility, postcard divorce, 70% done by men, 7% mutual
1920s divorce rate 25x britain
1930s high fees and both parties presenta at hearings yyet still 37% iinmoscow
Adultery crminialised and names published in press
Women abandoned when pregnant
Employemnt women under ussr
Negative
1917 47% women urban workforce dropped 1921 as 5 mill men retrun
Women paid less and undskilled lba nep textiles and domestic service
Plus double burden of 5h domestic tasks
1936 family code- outlawed prostitution as capitalist vice
1940- 66% labour light industry women
Political participation women ussr
Marxist ideals- male chauvanism, trad views against women
1917-28 women 10-12.8% in parties
Membership women in young comm league more
Ezhenotdel established 1919 women dpt, abolished 1930
Family women lives ussr
1917 legilsation passed allowing for breastfeeding of babeis by mothers at work
Demands for nursereis and milik stations- budgeted more than entire nat budget in 1922
1930s mill orphasns nkvd state run organisation
Family code 1936 tax exemptions of 6plys childrn
Child suport father payments supposed to be 60
5 income but collection diff
Abortion women lives ussr
1920 abortion perfomred medical supervision- first country legalise on demand
1936 familyu code abortion illegal and contraception banned- 1930s- 3:1 abortion to lie births
Change education and youth- schools and education under lenin- pros
1919 party programme school institution for the comm transforming f society- learned alphabet comm ideals b bolshevik
Religious teachings to comm values
Forbidden to disciline pupils or set hw
Porgessive learning to develop perosnality
Cons education under lenin
Vast majoirty of teachers not commm 5.5%s econdary and 3.1% primaru- poor understanding pf progressive measures expected of them
Teachers lost authority
Financial pressures mant many schools abandoned- 1925 teachers paid 1/4 industrial worker
Survey 1927 schoolchildren aged 11-13 showed neg towards comm values as got older nearly 50% believed in god
Schooling under stalin
Greater focus on education
Unis could select brightest students rather than proletarian- 66%
No education reached 20 million from 14 between 1929-31
Experienced teachers lacking due to pruges
Challenge of literacy ussr
Dec 1919- liquidation of iliteracy - extra cuorses lessons 8-50 1920-26- 5 mill euroepan went on courses
1939 94% towns and 86% countryside literate
Youth organisationss
Cultural rev- league militant godless,
Young pioneers- under 15-had to apply - 2 mill mmebers by 1927
Komsomol 14-20 soldiers of production imposed discipline in factories
Pavlik morozon
Real or legendry boy who informed on his parents but later kiled- kulaks and grian hoarding
Member young pioneers and support collectivism
Idealist how children should behave0 informing culture individ duty
Fear culture- promoote class warfare
Ns pact
23 aug 1939
Molotov-ribentrop pact
As welll as non agression pact protocols inc spheres of influence and carve up poland, baltic straits, bessarabia
Why nazi soviet pact
Secxuirty
Time
Imperialism
Econ gain
Stratedgy
Nazi soveit pact security
Soviets wanted secuirty against german aggression during a period of military weakness
Ger given free hand to operate iwthout fear of war on two fronts
Offical soviet interpretation- to prevent limit war on two fronts, non agression
Collective secuirty schoool aimm prevent agression from ger, before tried with west as relations broke down, at same time as relations with germany imrpoving started with trade talks
Nazi soveit pact time
Soviets needed time to strengthen its military and cont industrilaisation
Remained open to military alliance with west and cont to play both sides off one another
Ajp taylor
Nazi soveit pact imperialism
Both secuired a free hand in poland ahead of autumn rain
Stalin siexed baltic states and recieved assistance of soveit influence in bessarabia
Ns pact eecon gain
Ger recieved gold food and raw materials from russia enough to overcome any anglo fr blocade
German school reconstitue rapallo relations more econ than anything else
Ns pact strategyu
Stalin would benefit from ger fighting long exhaustive war in west
What factors helped determine soviet foriegn policy
Leadership and ideology
Waar
Eon
Political situation elesewhere
Threat of invasion- secuirty
Relatioins with international community
Internal situation
Leadership and ideaology- foriegn policy
Stalin (one country) lenin permenant rev
Used as political weapon stalin and trostky
Commisars
War- determine soviet foriegn policy
Late 1930s increased threat hitler and musolinei
1920s recovery from war
Econ determine soviet foriegn policu
Great depression, ussr not hit as badly
Trade needed for machinery
Ford factory in russia
Rapallo
Political situation elesewhere soviet foriegn policu
Alienation in spain and ns
Fear socialism in britain
Civil nrffre lack of ftrust
Lon acknowldge 1934
Threat of invasion-determine soviet foriegn polcu
Ns pact buying time
Japan post manchiria went out firther
Only comm state
Hitsoyr of invasion for 800 years
Lacked natural boundries
International situation- soviet foriegn policu
End of ciil war power shift to suceed lenin, collectivism, econ drive, need to trade allies gain support
Why collective secuirty adopted
July 1930 litvinov foriegn commisar who favoured as wanted to prevent war
Lon 1934 reaccepted intern conmm
Fear gemran agression ds mutual assiatcne pact 1935
Why did collective security fail
Lon ineffective - machuria abysinia rhindland anschluss
Hoare leval pact- br and fr exposed as self interested and appeared imperialist and selfish- undermine internat collective security
Absense usa lon weakened sanction susten- much diplomacy conducted outside of league often involving america, undermined its influence and pwoer
Spanish civil war demonstrated br and fr would not intervene to suport republican or even deny w estern nation
Fascist nations contibute directly- german consular legue and italian bomber- franco
Soviets betrayed by west
Conflict confirmed berlin rome axis s 1936 and anti comintern pact 1936 japn joined 1937
Munich agreementsudetenland to germany, without soviets or xechs- suprise of west, no reliable allies, fs pact dead
Spanish civil war
1936-9
Military revolt against republican gov of spain following king leaving country in 1931
Nationalists catholics landowners welathy supported mussolinin(troops) and condor legue hitler- lufwafes to destroy guernica
Republicans indsutrial workers educated middle class peasantry supported by soviets- who gave aid
Franco won with a nationalist gov for next 40 years
500,000 deaths
Chamberlian saw italy and german strnegyth and so confirmed poucy of appeasement
Soviet control of gold
Should stalin intervene in spanish civil war- yes
Ideology- battele ground left and right, look weak if didnt
Remove opp- trostkyists in catalan, nkvd iwtyh advisors
Econ gold
Test pre war- how strong collective secuirty, military test how strng opponents, br and fr not intevren
Support popluar fornts- comintern spanish
Soveit sexuirtuyy- minimise fascism
Should stalin have intervened spanish civil war- no
Cost- rearming waste of resources
Divide- within europe lost allies from and br
Socialism in one country- should have stuck to
Domestic issues- ussr still recovering from purges
Could escalate- fascist powers of ger and italy
Winter war
1939-40 stalin concerned about proximity and vulnerability pf leningrad border iwth finaldn 18 miles away, asked if could be pushed back 25 miles more and gain gulf of finland and lease port of hanko as russia n naval base- refused
Soviets storm boarder expecting an easy win
Why struggled in winter war
Local knoweldge- finns expert winter fighters and know land, oeprate behind enemy lines, terrain used to reduce impact of russia superior technology
Georgahphu- dense woodland perfect for ambush and guerilla warfare- frozen lakes and deep snow favourable as did limited road network
Command and organisation red army orfficer coprs pirged less experienced, with suciciee attempts also damaging mroale
Fighing capability0 red army relied upon poorly trained conscripts who died, finnish battel mobility red army static, finns defended honor
Deaths wnter war
200,000 red army vs 25,000 finns
Wins in winter war
Timoshenko rather than voroshilov as commander defence egfective organiser and determined to make red army professional
1940 lithuania latvia estonia conceded
Bessarabia and northern bukarna too
Chicherin
1918-30
Ex men
Aristocrat
Not member politcburo favoured clsoe relations with ger and heled rapallo
Anti britain
Litvinov
Not politburo
Favoured disarmament- kellogs pact and joined long
Pro britain and suspicioous of ger
Favoured collective secuirty against fascism
Molotov
1939-49
Bol from young age
Member politburo 1925
Leader comintern 1929
Stalin deputy- had influence
One of toughest negotiators
Phase 1 foreign poluc
Extract russia from war oct 1917-mar 1918
Treaty bl
Damage west relations as left ww1 early
Lenin oct rev
Phase 2 foriegn relations
Civil war 1919-20
Tov gave indepndence to areas siexed in bl
1919 comintern established perment rev
Ie red rev ger, luexberg spartacits
Phase 3 foriegn relations
Rp war 1921
Conflict socialism in one country or peermant rev
Mutual agression pact 1922 treaty of rapallo gaining allies
Excluded lon
Zinoviev letter fear socilaism push british away
Stalin support nationalism rather perment rev at 15th party conference
Treaty of berlin 1926 confirmed rapalo
Phase 5-foriegn policy
collective security 1932-39
War scare japan 1928 manchuria 1931 border with ussrr
Wall st crash, depression
If not comm- social fascist- not support spd in germany
Former russian colonies replaced with pro moscow leaders
Rise in econ and military collaboration between ussr and ger 1928
Phase 5 foriegn policu
Collective secuirty 1932-39
1932- non agression agreement poland and fr
-34 disarmamnet conference, no one want to be first, ger walked out
1933- litvinov to washington and agreement formal recognition by roosewvelt of ussr, us embassy in moscow
1934- trade agreement with germnay,
Politburo agree join lon
-35 left turn comunism now supprt popular fronts ie fr socialist and communist partyt work together agianst fasicism
1935- pact fr and czech (not popular conmintern czech tov and fr capitalist- mutual assiatcne pact
Hisler cnoscription and mussioni into abysina
1936- remilitarise rhineland
Spanish civil war
Berlin rome axis
Anti comintern pact with jpn join 1937
1938 munich conference betrayal
1938-9- jpn furthered expansion from manchura into nakino
Stalins foriegn policy was inconsitsent and contradictory 1924-39
Loa no- evolved reacting to prooty of security
Collectie security
Relations with ger
Aim avoid war
Stalins foriegn policy was inconsitsent and contradictory 1924-39- collective secuirty- no
Seek out western alies litvinov (appt stalin) - internatioalist usa- 1933 open us embassy in moscow
Restrian japanese expanionist trhogh relationship- manchria on border
Collective secuirty - y- Stalins foriegn policy was inconsitsent and contradictory 1924-39
Change foreign policy from chicerin to litvinov
Critic anti british an dpro ger- contradict litvinonv opp
But anti british due to birtish hostility- zinoviev and campbell case
Relations with ger - no- Stalins foriegn policy was inconsitsent and contradictory 1924-39
Promote prioity ussr what need at time
Spansih civil war - trotskysist sin catalan
1939 ns pact grow soveit sphere influence- gain half poland
Arguably rapallo and continuation benefit econ sell grain for industrialise
Relatiosn with ger y - Stalins foriegn policy was inconsitsent and contradictory 1924-39
Changed-
Supportive with rapallo and maintaining
Arguably betray by joining lon in 1934
Spanish civil war- opp- stalin republicans and ger nationalists
Ns pact change back again
Aim avoid war- no - Stalins foriegn policy was inconsitsent and contradictory 1924-39
Spanish civil war– helped strength prove strnegth and not willing sit aside, leess vuenrable
Ns pact- bide time- ajp taylor - escsped an unequal war in present
Fearful esp treatyu of berlin 1936 gave sudenand
Aim avoid war- no Stalins foriegn policy was inconsitsent and contradictory 1924-39
Spanish civil war- war mongering- escalate
Trigger great terror
Stalin wanted to impose death penalty for riutin an dhis followers but blocked by moderates in politburo led by kriov
Beauracracy in stalin
T wrote in the revolution betrayed
That stalisn powrer rested on a vast ‘administrative pyramid’ of bureaucrats which he numbered at 5-6 mill ofifcals
This ruling caste a new bourgeoise
Persecution unexpeted
Antonov-ovseenko
Accused belonging to trostkyist organization of torrorists and psies
Close to t in 1920s yet proved loyalty when hunted out troskysts in catalonia
Believed in great purge
In oct rev
In total great pruges
1.5 mill arrested by secret police,, 1.3 mill sentenced and more hald of these 680,000 executed by firing squad for rcounter rev activities
Persecution of poles
Directive 00485
140,000 poles arrested, 111,000 executed rest sent to gulag
Stalin saw soviet poles as a fifith column of the fascists polish state, he fered would unite with nazi germany to attack ussr
Heaviluy policed moscow
At least one inforer every 6 families in moscow
According to former nkvd official
Alternative view on impact of great terror
Empowering for the masses
As could denounce highers
Stigma of those related to arrested
May lose homes, lose jobs
When both parents arrested eni=couragedtro sent to orphanage creeate new identity and sometimes new name
Milians of orphans in thse homes 1930s and 40s- indoctrination - strong collective and weak family ties
Main recruiting grounds for nkvd and red army
Slowing down of great pruges
1938 stalin said to nkvd to check denunciations before acting on them
Replacement to yezhov
Beria
Relooked at cases leading to 450,000 convictions quashed, 30,000 released jail and 327,000 people let out of ggulags
2nd congress comintern what was enforced
1920
All members comintern had to agree 21 conditions
Break of relations with socialists in nations and accept decisions of its russian dominated exec comm
Links with tu abroad
Profintern
Used to sned money in 1926 general strike - worsen as relations and the war scare of 1927 stalin used to justify his crash programme of indusrtailiasation
Switch in comintern to united fronts
Comm party to unite with socialists
A shift from before
Sucessfyk seen witrh bilateral pact mutaul assistance w franc e1935
French comm end op to gov of laval and support military. Budget- including one to extend compulsory military service -2y- policy comm bitterly opposed
Stlind thinking strengthen france against ger in wartime
Increasing western sympathisers
In 1930s
1935- moscow financed international writers congress for the defence of culture in paris
Western leftt wing and anti fadcist writers such as em forter and aldous huxley
Saw progress in soviet union and impressed by fake soviet constition of 1936 which promised social rights and religious and political freedoms unkwon by soviet people in reality
Why tukhachesky arrested
Accused being ger spy
1937
Conspiracy around t
Agent of gestapo of british intelligence service since 1926
Stalin in greatterror
‘The chief terrorist’ ‘survived unscathed’
No reason why he got rid of yezov ‘for any reason but machiavelian prudence- petrov and jansen
