The Purges

The Purges

1. Communist Party

   • Moscow Show Trials (1936-38)
   • 500,000 party members executed or sent to the Gulags
   • 1/3 of party purged
   • 1940: Trotsky murdered in Mexico- he wanted a new revolution
   • 7/8 of communist politburo purged
     • 1936-38: 1.7 million arrests

2. Red Army

   • 25,000 army officers removed
   • Supreme Commander : Marshal Tukhachevsky removed
   • 2/3 senior officers arrested/shot

3. Ordinary People

   • 1937: 18 million in labour camps
   • 1937: 10 million dead
   • "Every family lost at least 1 person"
   • Random arrests+executions
   • Torture people till they confessed to made up crimes
     • If didn't work, NKVD would threaten their family

4. Why?

   • 1934: Murder of Kirov, leader of Leningrad
     • Used as an excuse by Stalin
   • To keep Stalin in power
   • Stalin was paranoid and thought everyone was against him

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