Great Purge
1936 CE to 1938 CE
The Great Purge or the Great Terror, also known as the Year of '37 and the Yezhovshchina ('period of Yezhov'), is Soviet General Secretary Joseph Stalin's campaign to solidify his power over the party and nation; the purges are also designed to remove the remaining influence of Leon Trotsky as well as other political rivals within the party
It occurs from August 1936 to March 1938.
Following the death of Vladimir Lenin in 1924 a power vacuum opens in the Communist Party.
Joseph Stalin, the party's General Secretary, outmaneuvers political opponents and ultimately gains control of the Communist Party by 1928.
Initially Stalin's leadership is widely accepted, and the doctrine Socialism in One Country becomes enshrined party policy.
However, by the early 1930s party officials begin losing faith in his leadership following the disasters of collectivization and the limited success of the First Five-Year Plan.
These policy failures lead to Stalin's rivals such as Leon Trotsky attempting to sway the party away from Stalin's command.
In this atmosphere of doubt and suspicion, a popular high-ranking official, Sergei Kirov, is assassinated in 1934.
His death spearheads an investigation that reveals a network of party members working against Stalin including several of Stalin's rivals.
Many of those arrested in Kirov's assassination also confess plans to kill Stalin himself, including high-ranking party officials.
Historians doubt the validity of these claims; nonetheless, they do agree that Kirov's death had been the flashpoint where Stalin took action and began the purges.
By 1936 Stalin's paranoia reaches a crescendo.
The fear of losing his position, the potential return of Trotsky, and the rising threat of fascism from the west, goads him into authorizing the Great Purge.
The purges themselves are largely conducted by the NKVD (People's Commissariat for Internal Affairs), the secret police of the USSR.
The initial stages of the purges Are targeted at the Soviet government itself.
The NKVD begins the removal of the central party leadership, Old Bolsheviks, government officials, and regional party bosses.
Eventually the purges are expanded to the Red Army and military high command, which has a disastrous effect on the military altogether.
As the scope of the purge begins widening, the omnipresent suspicion of saboteurs and counter-revolutionaries begins impacting civilian life.
The NKVD begins targeting certain ethnic minorities such as the Volga Germans, who are subjected to forced deportation and extreme repression.
During the purge, the NKVD widely utilizes imprisonment, torture, violent interrogation, and arbitrary executions to solidify control over civilians.
In 1938 Stalin reverses his stance on the purges and declares that the internal enemies have been removed.
Stalin criticizes the NKVD for carrying out mass executions and subsequently executes Genrikh Yagoda and Nikolay Yezhov who had headed the NKVD during the purge years.
Despite the Great Purge being over, the atmosphere of mistrust and widespread surveillance will continue for decades after.
Scholars estimate the death toll for the Great Purge (1936–1938) to be roughly 700,000.
The term great purge itself will be popularized by the historian Robert Conquest in his 1968 book The Great Terror.
Conquest's title itself is an allusion to the period from the French Revolution known as the Reign of Terror.
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East Europe (1936–1947 CE): War, Occupation, and Post-War Realignment
Political and Military Developments
Prelude to World War II and the Great Purge
The late 1930s saw the intensification of political repression under Stalin, exemplified by the Great Purge (1936–1938), resulting in widespread executions, imprisonments, and deepened political control. Concurrently, the geopolitical landscape in Eastern Europe became increasingly volatile, setting the stage for global conflict.
World War II (1939–1945)
The Soviet Union faced immense devastation during World War II, known domestically as the Great Patriotic War. Initially allied with Nazi Germany through the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact (1939), the Soviet Union later became a crucial member of the Allied Powers after Germany’s invasion in 1941 (Operation Barbarossa). Massive battles, notably at Stalingrad and Kursk, turned the tide against Axis forces.
Post-War Occupation and Eastern Bloc Formation
Victory in 1945 led to Soviet occupation of Eastern European countries, reshaping regional geopolitics significantly. Stalin’s regime established communist governments across the region, laying the foundations of the Eastern Bloc and commencing the onset of the Cold War.
Economic and Technological Developments
War Economy and Industrial Mobilization
During WWII, the Soviet economy was fully mobilized toward war production, dramatically enhancing industrial capabilities and technological advancements, particularly in armaments, heavy machinery, and logistics.
Post-War Economic Reconstruction
Post-war economic efforts focused on extensive reconstruction, rebuilding devastated infrastructure, urban areas, and industrial capacities. Centralized economic planning intensified, aimed at restoring and exceeding pre-war production levels.
Cultural and Artistic Developments
Patriotic Culture and Propaganda
Cultural production during this period was heavily influenced by wartime propaganda and patriotic themes, reinforcing Soviet resilience and national unity. Artistic expressions underscored heroism, sacrifice, and Soviet triumph.
Education and Scientific Advancement
The wartime and immediate post-war periods emphasized rapid scientific and technological advancement, particularly in military and industrial applications. Educational institutions expanded significantly, bolstering the nation’s scientific and technical expertise.
Settlement Patterns and Urban Development
War-Time Destruction and Urban Reconstruction
Eastern Europe, particularly cities such as Stalingrad (Volgograd), Leningrad (Saint Petersburg), and Warsaw, experienced catastrophic wartime destruction. Post-war reconstruction efforts reshaped urban landscapes, emphasizing rapid rebuilding and modernization.
Military Infrastructure and Border Security
Significant resources were allocated toward military infrastructure and fortifications, especially in newly occupied territories, reflecting heightened Cold War tensions and Soviet security priorities.
Social and Religious Developments
War Impact and Social Cohesion
The war significantly impacted social dynamics, enhancing social cohesion through shared experiences of hardship and national survival. However, it also exacerbated social control, political repression, and reinforced the cult of Stalin’s personality.
Renewed Anti-Religious Campaigns
Post-war Soviet policies renewed anti-religious campaigns aggressively, continuing persecution of religious institutions, particularly the Russian Orthodox Church. Religious practices remained heavily suppressed as part of broader ideological control.
Long-Term Consequences and Historical Significance
The era from 1936 to 1947 CE dramatically reshaped Eastern Europe, defined by intense warfare, geopolitical realignments, and extensive social and economic reconstruction. The formation of the Eastern Bloc established new geopolitical dynamics, significantly influencing global politics and regional stability in subsequent decades.