stalin's dictatorship

Question 1

intro to stalin’s dictatorship

Answer 1

-totalitarian gov:

-complete Econ control
-implementation of widespread political terror
-complete media control
-use of propaganda

Question 2

state terror and NKVD

Answer 2

-despite fact he was undisputed leader, he was incredibly paranoid (1928)
-launched a series of terror campaigns (arrests, toture and mass imprisonment)
-between 1935-1938, terror at its peak
-responsible for death of 10m

NKVD:
-purges were a tool of getting people with different views out of public light
-secret police used was NKVD
-enforced purges within comm party and wider society

Question 3

Kirov

Answer 3

-amjor threat
-1932: Kirov defended Ryuntin and his document which was critical of Stalin
-in 1933, Kirov and a number of other moderates argued for more realistic targets in second 5YP
-1934, during 17th party congress, Stalin’s position threatened when he came second to Kirov in a vote to elect new central committee
-kirov won around 200 more votes than stalin
-kirov shot on 1st December 1934

Question 4

show trials

Answer 4

-three public trials that took place between 1936-38
-first was trial of 16: led to execution of zinoviev and kamenev
-trial of 17 took place in 1937 and executed 17 trotsky supporters
-trial of the 21: led to Bukharin and 20 of his supporters shot