Between 1936 and 1938, the Soviet Union was engulfed in one of the most brutal political repressions in history. This dark period, known as The Great Purge, was orchestrated by Joseph Stalin, the leader of the Soviet Union. Stalin, driven by paranoia and a desire to consolidate absolute power, launched a widespread campaign of terror that led to the imprisonment, exile, and execution of millions of people.
But what exactly happened during these years? Who were the targets? And what were the consequences of Stalin’s actions? Let’s dive deep into this grim chapter of history.
Background: What Led to the Purge?
To understand why Stalin initiated The Great Purge, we need to look at the political climate of the Soviet Union in the 1930s.
After the Russian Revolution in 1917 and the Civil War (1917-1922), Vladimir Lenin established the Soviet Union as a communist state. When Lenin died in 1924, a power struggle ensued between Joseph Stalin and Leon Trotsky. Stalin emerged victorious, exiling Trotsky and consolidating power within the Communist Party.
In the early 1930s, Stalin implemented massive industrialization and collectivization programs. While these policies modernized the economy, they also led to famine, suffering, and widespread dissatisfaction. The Holodomor (the Ukrainian famine of 1932-1933) alone killed millions.
Fearing opposition within his own party and among the people, Stalin decided to eliminate all potential threats—real or imagined. Thus, The Great Purge began.
The Purge Begins: Key Events and Dates
1. The Kirov Assassination (December 1, 1934)
The official trigger of The Great Purge was the assassination of Sergei Kirov, a prominent Communist leader and head of the Leningrad Party. Kirov was seen as a rising star and a possible rival to Stalin.
On December 1, 1934, Kirov was shot and killed in his office in Leningrad. The circumstances of his death remain suspicious—some historians believe Stalin orchestrated the murder to justify a crackdown on political dissent.
Immediately after Kirov’s assassination, Stalin launched mass arrests, targeting so-called “enemies of the people.” Thousands were accused of being counter-revolutionaries and either executed or sent to labor camps (Gulags).
2. The Show Trials (1936-1938)
One of the most infamous aspects of The Great Purge was the series of Show Trials, where prominent Communist leaders were accused of treason and executed. These trials were highly publicized, and the accused were forced to confess under torture.
Key Show Trials:
- The Trial of the Sixteen (August 1936): Targeted old Bolsheviks like Grigory Zinoviev and Lev Kamenev. Both were executed.
- The Trial of the Seventeen (January 1937): More party members, including Karl Radek, were accused of espionage.
- The Trial of the Twenty-One (March 1938): Included Nikolai Bukharin, one of the most prominent Bolsheviks, who was executed despite begging for mercy.
These trials were rigged—the accused were tortured into false confessions and then killed. Stalin used these executions to eliminate former allies and consolidate his dictatorship.
3. The Military Purge (1937-1938)
Stalin didn’t just target politicians—he also went after the Red Army. He feared that high-ranking military officers might plot a coup against him.
In June 1937, Stalin ordered the execution of Marshal Mikhail Tukhachevsky, a hero of the Russian Civil War. Along with him, thousands of military officers were either executed or sent to the Gulags.
By the end of 1938, around 50% of the Red Army’s leadership had been purged, leaving the Soviet military weak—something that would have dire consequences during World War II.
4. The NKVD’s Role and the Gulags
The secret police organization responsible for carrying out the Purge was the NKVD, led by Genrikh Yagoda, Nikolai Yezhov, and later Lavrentiy Beria.
- Yagoda was the first to oversee the arrests but was later executed himself in 1938.
- Yezhov, known as the “Bloody Dwarf,” intensified the repression but was also purged in 1940.
- Beria took over after Yezhov and continued the brutality.
Millions of people were sent to the Gulags—forced labor camps in Siberia, where they faced extreme conditions, starvation, and often death.
How Many People Died?
Historians estimate that between 600,000 to 1.2 million people were executed during The Great Purge. Millions more were imprisoned, exiled, or sent to the Gulags.
The sheer scale of repression means that no family in the Soviet Union was left untouched. People were afraid to speak, as anyone could be accused of being an “enemy of the state.”
The End of the Purge
By 1939, Stalin decided to end the terror, realizing that he had wiped out much of his own government and military. He shifted blame onto Yezhov, who was executed in 1940.
During World War II, Stalin would use many of the remaining survivors to strengthen the Soviet Union against Nazi Germany. However, the scars of The Great Purge remained, creating a culture of fear and silence that lasted for decades.
Questions & Answers
Q: Why did Stalin kill his own people? A: Stalin wanted absolute power and feared potential enemies, real or imagined. He believed that anyone who opposed him, even slightly, could overthrow him.
Q: Were the Show Trials real? A: No. The trials were staged, and the accused were tortured into false confessions before being executed.
Q: How did The Great Purge affect World War II? A: Stalin’s purge of the Red Army left the Soviet Union militarily weak, making it vulnerable to Hitler’s invasion in 1941.
Q: Did people fight back against the Purge? A: No, because anyone who spoke out would be executed or sent to the Gulag.
Conclusion: The Legacy of The Great Purge
The Great Purge remains one of the darkest periods in Soviet history. It was a time when fear controlled the country, neighbors betrayed each other, and millions suffered under Stalin’s paranoia.
Even today, historians debate whether Stalin truly believed his victims were enemies or if he was simply eliminating all potential threats. Regardless, the impact of The Great Purge shaped the Soviet Union for generations, leaving behind a legacy of oppression, silence, and fear.
Understanding this history is crucial—not just as a lesson about Stalin’s dictatorship, but as a warning about the dangers of unchecked power and political paranoia.