The Great Purge in the Soviet Union - Research Paper Example

The Great Purge in the Soviet Union and The Great Purge in the Soviet Union A Political repression in one Soviet Union led to the birth of a vigorous campaign that would be named the great purge between 1934 and 1940. The victims of this purge were government officials and members of the communist party, an operation that would extend to peasants who would be repressed. It featured repression of the Red Army leadership with extensive police surveillance, massive arrests, and imprisonment of suspects who would later suffer arbitrary executions.1 Arthur Koestler’s Darkness at Noon expresses his concern in a literature perspective about the version of communism practiced by the Soviet Union. Moreover, we can see his disillusionment, an element demonstrated by the misery suffered by the characters in the novel, which represent the victims of the great purge. His choice of setting for the novel reveals a great deal about the nature of the great purge, especially the prison setting and the character Rubashov. However, he does not name the Soviet Union or Russia, his choice of Russian names offers a clear connection between the story line and the great purge.2 He reveals the deeds of the Soviet Union leadership upon its rivals and enemies. It would prosecute these individuals and subject them to suffering when the entire public would watch this happen. The purge would feature trials, see the prosecution of writers and intellectuals, provoke western reactions and rehabilitation of the victims after change in guard upon the death of Joseph Stalin, who is replaced by Nikita Khrushchev.3 The force behind the purge was a desire to counter and take out the rivals in the communist party and steer extensive dominance of Joseph Stalin’s authority. Lain Lauchlan would examine the origin of the great terror.4 Felix Dzerzhinskii had a special influence on the development and popularity of Stalinism. He came up with a permanent yet secret police force in his reign, an element that was perpetrated by Joseph Stalin. This police force would reinforce the role of the ruling party and maintain an eye on those opposing the regime. Dzerzhinskii would have a place for trials of those who would be addressed as suspects an element that would feature in Stalin’s regime.5 Stalin would borrow from Dzerzhinskii ruthlessness in execution of his duties, a particular attribute that would shape the nature of the great purge. Dzerzhinskii was an asceticism and demanded the self-sacrifice and unquestionable loyalty from his servants and followers. He was diligent in his leadership skills and created a circle of trustees to take care of any resistance from the communist party and government officials. Dzerzhinskii’s idea of moral purity was unique with many pointing fingers at his approach of ethical issues before they were silenced.6 He was an entire role model for Joseph Stalin and his influence on him made Stalinism a reality. Lain shed some light on the origin of this terror and offers a clear insight on what would have inspired Stalin. Robert Conquest sheds some light on the nature of the purge and underscores the range of people who fell victims of Stalin’s leadership. He picks out the leaders of the communist party, government bureaucrats, and military leaders who had political affiliations with the ideologies of the party.7 He identifies the peasants and the kulaks that would be regarded as being too much for the peasants, as well as a range of professionals. The police would victimize a couple of national minorities that Stalin’s regime would term as fifth column communities.8 The leadership would provide excuses to justify the purge and would cite the need to eliminate possible chances of sabotage and espionage, while pointing fingers at Polish militia, who they alleged would level such approaches towards the government. This opened doors for repression of ordinary Soviet citizens especially those of Polish descent.9 Conquest quotes Nikita Khrushchev’s speeches that would highlight the injustices committed upon the people by the previous regime, just as demonstrated in Arthur’s Darkness at noon. The findings would reveal that the accusations leveled against them were baseless, and the victims would be subjected to torture while forced to share confessions. These confessions were framed up to fool the public. The regime would abuse power and intentionally misinterpreted some elements and sections of the penal code to suit their agendas. The legal proceedings would be given in summaries, and the entire trials were hidden from the public.10 Allegations leveled against the victims were diverse and would feature anti-Soviet agitation and Sabotage. The victims were believed to stand between the government and its mission to perform its duties. The opposition would seem to ‘frustrate’ their efforts so to speak, hence need to deal with obstacles that would hinder development. They were wrecking the society through espionage and would be up for arrest and subject to varied sentences. They would be secluded in Gulag labor camps while those who fell into the wrong hands were shot lethally to eliminate them permanently.11 The labor camps were not safe havens as the victims were left without meals for days after long hours of forced labor. The sanitary conditions were pathetic and left them vulnerable to diseases at a time when no one cared or else when everybody was incapacitated to intervene. The police force was brutal and would torture the victims necessary, as some would be torched to death in vans.12 The reigning regime has no place for those against it and is committed to creating an atmosphere that would serve to warn those who would intend to act smooth. The element of fear is an important tool and sees a lot of people fall into the hands of those loyal to this regime, which are barbaric enough to serve the intentions of Stalin. Stalin is more concerned of his stay in power and intimidators are not safe especially those who stand in his way. Arthur Koestler is built his version of the purge around his characters and intelligently illuminates the prosecution of those who fell victim of Stalin’s regime. Salmanovitch Rubashov, the main character, plays a role that sheds some light on the Moscow show trials. We also meet army officers, inmates, and individuals in the society that provides a setting for Arthur’s work. He chooses to bring to our attention the arrest of Rubashov and the timing of the arrest reveals how the reigning regime conducted the Purge.13 Therefore, members of a secret police force arrest Rubashov in the middle of the night.14 This regime was keen enough to get the victims off guard when they were least expected. They would do so at a time when the targets would not escape and thus have control of the event at hand. The moment is ugly enough for the victim, and the individual is not offered a chance to seek an explanation for the arrest. The police force conducting the operation falls within different age limits, and the younger in the force are seemingly more brutal, barbaric, and inconsiderate.15 The potential victims of the purge are in constant fear of prosecution and repression by those in powers. Rubashov is having a difficult dream now just before the arrest. In the dream, he goes through an arrest by the Gestapo just before the actual arrest. This is a reflection of his subconscious mind. He is constant fear of falling a victim of Stalin’s regime. The arrests during the error were a common element and the character Rubashov is just a representation of the many that were put behind bars.16 These victims would realize some relief after the actual confinement, as they would not have to go through the fear of possible arrests anymore. Imprisonment offered no hope, and the victims would picture being shot to death after their time in solitary confinement would end.17 The victims were of varied educational backgrounds as Arthur reveals in his work. Rubashov meets other inmates in solitary confinements and realizes that their drive and pattern of thoughts were little inspired by literacy. Their concerns were different, and some would not add value to the noble course that Rubashov believed. A fellow inmate desires to know about his sexual encounters, and that does not ogre well with Rubashov.18 The suffering and abuse underwent by these individuals is supposed to be more fruitful and shape the future of the other generations. The inmates dream of a better Russia and the suffering of a few million in the hands of Stalin can be bared with and tolerated, as history written during the error would substantiate the change process. There would be a need for democracy. There would be a need for freedom of choice. There would be a need for a positive change. It would come with suffering, torture, and tolerance. Stalin’s regime featured many trials and was unique in the way they were conducted as they targeted leaders of the Communist party who had serious allegations leveled against them. They were accused of responsibility for working with the fascist and liaising with capitalistic power in an attempt to have Stalin killed so that they would take power. They would be tried for other accusations regarding desire to assassinate other Soviet leaders and possibly assume their positions. They were alleged to intend to destroy the Soviet Union and had back capitalism. In 1936, Grigory Zinoviev was tried alongside Lev Kamenev, after being accused of death of Sergey Kirov and sheer intent to assassinate Stalin.19 The trial saw them confess to the charges, a move that called for a straight death sentence upon them. The trial of the twenty-one would see Nikolai Bukharin, a recognized international Marxist feature in the trials. His execution left the international community disillusioned. In 1938 marked the end of the great purge though there are records of committed atrocities between this period and 1953. Arrests and execution would continue until 1953. Arthur’s work would influence many as it shared some insights on the terror posed by the rivals of Stalin. The trials would have many executed and suffer in the hands of this regime. Death of intellectuals would leave the world void of the utterly needed services. Bibliography Conquest, Robert. The Great Terror: A Reassessment. Oxford: Oxford University Press., 2008. Fidges, Orlando. The Whisperers: Private Life in Stalins Russia. London: Allen Lane, 2007. Koestler, Arthur. Darkness at Noon. London: Macmillan, 1941. Lauchlan, Lain. The Anatomy of Great Terror. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2013. Merridale, Catherine. Night of Stone: Death and Memory in the twentieth century Russia. London: Penguin, 2002. Mizener, Arthur. "Truth Maybe, Not Fiction." The Kenyon Review, 1949: 680-688. Orwell, Sonia. The Collected Essays, Journalism, and Letters of George Orwell. New York: Harcourt, Brave & world inc, 1968. Rogovin, Vadim. Stalins great terror: Origins and Consequences—Leon Trotsky and the Fate of Marxism in the USSR. Mehring Books, 1996. Read More