The Great Purge (jan 20, 1936 – jan 3, 1938)

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The Great Purge, happened during 1937 and 1938, marks a period of time where individuals in the Soviet Union lived under extreme oppression. Back in 1934, Stalin turned against the members of the Communist Party. Three years later, in 1937, he launched the Great Purge, an operation of eliminating anyone who would threaten his dictatorship by killing or forcing them into exile. During the Great Purge, Stalin killed many Communists leaders and party members, as some had the ability to threaten his power; thousands of prominent Bolsheviks were also put on trial. Throughout the purge, Stalin also held public show trials known as the Moscow Trials, successfully eliminating all his major threats. With no mercy, Stalin ordered all defendants to make false confessions under extreme torture, or, even crueler, threats to their family members. With the uncountable executions and trials, Stalin was confirmed as the one and only leader. As the purge ended a year after, Stalin had obtained total control of both the Soviet government and the Communist Party at the cost of 8 million to 13 million deaths. His action created an atmosphere of terror, leaving severe impacts of the Soviet society, including ruined families and countrywide distrust.

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