Show Trials and the Great Purges
- Stalin feared being overthrown or having a counter-revolution
- He formed a secret police called the NKVD to remove threats
- Old heroes of the revolution or anyone with popular support charged with treason (Seen as threats)
- 1 in 5 officers of the army executed
- Often put on trial "show trials" forced to admit they had done it (under duress)
Interesting Fact
It was also known as the Great Terror.
Quote
"The people who cast the votes don't decide an election, the people who count the votes do."
-Joseph Stalin
-Joseph Stalin
Subjunctive Question
What if Stalin hadn't killed the army generals, but rather found another way to gain their complet loyalty?
Summary
Stalin was scared of being overthrown or having a counter-revolution, so he created a secret police called the NKVD to remove threats. These secret police would bring anyone they thought was suspicious to Stalin. These people were put on trial called "show trials" and were forced to admit they had done it under duress. He saw the old heroes of the revolution or anyone with popular support as threats and charged them with treason.