Russian History

The Great Purge/The Great Terror
      Joseph Stalin changed his name each of the six times he escaped from being arrested or exiled. One of the names he used was Stalin, Russian for "steel." This "man of steel" created a complete dictatorship and autonomy in Russia during his time of rule. In order to eliminate all competition, Stalin carried out a purge of the Red Army as well as a purge of the communist party in the 1930's. Stalin sent police throughout Russia to requisition food and put areas back under control. The police were extremely violent, executing thousands in a couple of days. A grave containing 10,000 bodies of Soviets who were shot between 1937 and 1938 was found in Vinnytsia during World War 2. Entire cities were destroyed and the people of the town murdered or deported to concentration camps. Many died of disease, starvation, or exposure. 

    All "enemies of the people" were killed. Stalin claiming he had evidence that a military coup was being planned, carried out a general purge of the army to remove the only group who had the power to overthrow him. He removed many high-ranking officers, about 70,000 men in the officer corps. Even though Stalin was removing many those that could be successful in opposing him, he was weakening the leadership of the Red Army. The Morale of the army was already low from reluctance of soldiers to follow Stalin's policies of Collectivization. The added blow of lost leaders further diminished its power, creating an army that was unprepared for World War 2. Stalin not only eliminated opposition from those opposed to Bolshevism, but those within the Bolshevik party that would potentially oppose his leadership. The police initially used against opponents of Bolshevism, but Stalin began to use the police against Bolshevik party resulted in the elimination of 850,000 members, about 36% of the membership. Stalin terrorized Russia with a massive amount of arrests and executions, as well as some show trials. Stalin's police targeted kulaks, members of the anti-Bolshevik armies, priests, and immigrants of Galicia. However, huge members of average citizens were killed because random arrests were also made. This instilled in the people of Russia a fear of the police and recognition of their power. Stalin wanted to create a feeling of insecurity in his people, and wanted them to feel dependent on him. Many of those killed for espionage or treason were not given a trial. Instead they were tortured and their families threatened until they confessed to a crime. Interrogators asked those they tortured, so-called "traitors," who recruited them and who they recruited. These forced recriminations perpetuated the killing of the interrogators, implicating more people in their list of "enemies of the people." Many women were raped. Millions of innocent civilians were killed or sent to labor camps in the freezing woods of Siberia to die. In 1938 the number of victims forced into concentration camps rose to its maximum of an estimated 8-10 million.

     Stalin put fear in the heart of every Soviet including his wife. Stalin's second wife, Nadezhda Allilueva committed suicide after criticizing her husband's policy of collectivization and treatment of the peasants. Stalin ruled as the dictator of the Soviet Union until his death in 1953.

                                                                                             by Anna Griffith