Soviet Purges: Who Was Spared?

Soviet Purges: Who Was Spared? The Criteria for Survival

The chilling silence that descended upon the Soviet Union during the Stalinist era was punctuated by the crackle of fear and the rumble of unseen accusations. The Great Purge, a period stretching roughly from 1936 to 1938, saw millions of Soviet citizens – from peasants to high-ranking military officials – ensnared in a brutal campaign … Read more

Stalin’s 1937 Election: A Spectacle of Power

Stalin's 1937 Election: A Spectacle of Soviet Power

The air in Moscow on December 12, 1937, was crisp, the kind that bites at exposed skin, yet the atmosphere crackled with an almost festive energy. Citizens, bundled in heavy coats and hats, queued patiently outside polling stations. Joseph Stalin himself, the iron-willed leader of the Soviet Union, was seen casting his vote, a solitary … Read more