Gulags and the Purges

The Gulag System

1. What type of construction projects were built using the Gulag system?

Some of the construction projects that were built using the Gulag system were the Belomer Canal, the Moscow Metro, Magnitogorsk, and the Dnieper Dam. The type of construction projects, like these ones, were all built using slave labor. The laborers had no modern tools at all, they would use wooden wheel barrows, shovels, and picks to dig.

2. What were the conditions of the work camps?

The conditions at the work camps were horrible. Before you even entered you could see the piles of bodies lined up against the tents, like in the camps in the tundra area such as the Kolyma camps. The slave laborers there sometimes had to work in complete darkness, far below freezing temperatures, and had to deal with the permafrost; which made it extremely difficult to dig the soil. Also, the zeks, or the slave laborers, were forced to work because if they didn't they wouldn't get any food. The food was rationed by how hard you worked, if you achieved the quota or the 'norm' you were given a certain amount of food. The better you did, or the more work you did, the more food you recieved. For example, Ernst Tallgren said that if you 15 or 20 percent over the quota you were given 750 grams of bread and a meal twice a day with a meal having some meat or fats; while others who failed to reach the quota were given thin soup twice a day and 400 grams of bread. However, a zek said that they were never in the right condition to do what was demanded, therefore they didn't get enough to eat. Since they didn't get enough to eat they couldn't work hard, and it became a vicious cycle, according to the zek. As a result of these conditions very few zeks made it out of the camps alive.

3. Why do you think slave labor was used in the projects rather than paid laborers?

I believe slave labor was used in the projects instead of paid laborers because Stalin and the other party members wanted to get the projects done fast and mostly to put fear into the people. Stalin didn't want anyone trying to overpower him or go against him because then he could come out of reign. Since the people in the camps or GULAGS were so afraid and basically powerless over Stalin they didn't do anything to stop him, which was exactly what he wanted.

Purges, Show Trails and Terror

4. What were the issues surrounding Kirov's murder? Why do you think he had been murdered?

The issues surrounding Kirov's murder were the circumstances and events that occurred before and after were bizarre. Kirov's body guard was supposed to be with him at all times, but this one time where he was nowhere to be seen he was killed. Also, before the assassination the assassinator, Leonid Nikolayev, had tried to kill him earlier and was caught before the act with a piece of paper with all his movements and a gun, but he was set free and given his gun back. After the murder on the same day Stalin made a law saying that terrorists would be invesetigated immediately and executed, which Nikolayev recieved. Also, it was suspected that Stalin planned it all because Kirov was a potential threat towards Stalin's power. He was liked, recieved the same amount of praise as Stalin, and was a good speaker. I think he was murdered because Stalin saw him as a threat. Since he was liked, a good orator, and recieved the same amount of praise he was a great threat to Stalin; he was the person that could possibly take the power from Stalin. Since Stalin couldn't let his power be taken away from him he would just have to kill the man.

5. What was the Great Purge? What specific group did it target?

The Great Purge was the executions of basically everyone in Russia for suspect of terrorism, for being a Trotskyite, or being against Stalin. Anyone who was suspected of terrorism, being a Trotskyite or being against Stalin was tattle-taled on to the government by anyone and then executed. They could be accused via letter, by their sons or daughters, anyone in the family, neighbors, basically anyone could turn you in. The specific group it targeted were the diplomats or party members because Stalin didn't want to lose power, popularity, and had to get rid of the threats somehow.

6. What was the purpose of the Show Trials?

The purpose of the Show Trials was to humiliate the accused, show that Stalin was in control, and no one should try to overpower him or go against him. The Show Trials showed that Stalin could do anything and no one was going to stop him even if they were brave enough. Also, it was a threat to everyone that there would be deadly consequences to anyone who was suspected or did turn against him. As an added bonus the accused were humiliated because they knew that Stalin was in control and would have to come up with these ridiculous sentences to try to convince Stalin that they were loyal to him and only him.

7. What was the Great Terror?

The Great Terror was when anyone, citizens, workers, you name it, could be accused for being a Trotskyite or being against Stalin; where they would most likely be executed. People were so afraid of being executed or sent to a Gulag, that they were willing to accuse anyone, and they were told to accuse anyone if they heard anything even if it was a son/daughter or mother/father. This made everyone afraid because they couldn't trust anyone and they could very likely be accused and be exedcuted because ridiculous accusations were told about them.