The stated goal of the Great Purge was to eliminate "enemies of the people", such as counter-revolutionaries, Trotskyites, Bukharinites, bourgeois nationalists, and other potential threats to the Soviet state.
Background:
The Great Purge was largely initiated by Joseph Stalin, the leader of the Soviet Union at the time, to consolidate his power and eliminate potential threats to his rule.
The pretext for the purge was the assassination of Sergei Kirov, a prominent Soviet politician and close associate of Stalin, in December 1934. Stalin used Kirov's assassination to accuse his political opponents of involvement and to launch a wide-scale crackdown on anyone suspected of disloyalty or opposition to his rule.
Methods and Tactics:
The Great Purge was characterized by mass arrests, imprisonment, torture, and executions of millions of people.
The purges were carried out by the People's Commissariat of Internal Affairs (NKVD), the Soviet secret police under the leadership of Nikolai Yezhov, who became known as "the bloody dwarf" for his ruthless tactics.
Impact and Consequences:
The exact number of people killed during the Great Purge is unknown, but estimates range from hundreds of thousands to several million.
The purges had a devastating impact on all levels of Soviet society, including the Communist Party, the military, academia, the arts, and ordinary citizens.
The Great Purge contributed to the rise of Stalin's cult of personality and the establishment of a totalitarian regime in the Soviet Union. It also led to a climate of fear and repression that lasted for decades.
Conclusion:
The Great Purge was a senseless and tragic campaign of political repression that resulted in the deaths of millions of innocent people. It was a major turning point in Soviet history and had profound consequences for the future of the Soviet Union.