Gulags and the Purges

Gulags and the Purges


The Gulag System

1. What type of construction projects were built using the Gulag system?
The Belamor Canal, and other huge construction projects when there weren't enough normal workers. They also used slave labor to work in conditions no sane person would work in, like the Kolyma goldfields.
2. What were the conditions of the work camps?
Terrible conditions, especially at the ones in Kolyma. The workers only ate bread and thin soup. The zeks also had to work 12 hour days with only two meals.
3. Why do you think slave labor was used in the projects rather than paid laborers?
It was less expensive.
Purges, Show Trails and Terror

4. What were the issues surrounding Kirov's murder? Why do you think he had been murdered?
His murderer was stopped the day before by the police with a revolver and plans to murder Kirov, but he was let go. Kirov's body guard was nowhere to be seen when he was killed. I think Kirov was killed because Stalin percieved him as a threat.
5. What was the Great Purge? What specific group did it target?
Members of the party who were in some way unreliable.
6. What was the purpose of the Show Trials?
The show trials were held to show to the public that anyone who opposed Stalin was evil. All of Stalin's former enemies were convicted, and made to confess to crimes they did not commit. They were probabley made to do this to ruin their reputations.
7. What was the Great Terror?
It was bascially when the purges went completely out-of-control. People in the armed forces were denounced as anti-stalin or Trotskyist, and also normal citiezens. Some people were arrested for not denouncing others. This created a state of constant fear.