The Show Trials

Third show trial = March 1938 - most dramatic, involved Bukharin. He made spirited defense of his actions.  Bukharin, along with 20 others, including old Bolsh like Rykov as well as former head of NKVD Yagoda, confessed & sentenced. Most shot within few hours. Bukharin & Rykov cursed Stalin as they died.

Used Kirov's murder as pretext & justification for purges. Murder = evidence of widespread conspiracy against Soviet state & leaders. Enemies everywhere - needed to be rooted out. Few weeks = extensive purge of Leningrad Party, Kirov's power base.

'Leningrad centre', plotting terrorist acts against Soviet state, uncovered.  Thousands more, many outside party, accused of being Trotskyites involved in plot to murder Kirov & other leading Comms.

Kamenev & Zinoviev arrested = put on trial Jan 1935. No direct evidence produced against them - found guilty & given prison sentences. Zinoviev and Kamenev pulled out of prison - Aug 1936 public trial with 14 other prev membs of opp groups in party. Accused confessed & executed. Zinoviev, according to police gossip, so hysterical executioner panicked & shot him in cell.

Stalin found out about communications between Trotsky & membs of opp groups in party. Retaliated = sent out Central Committee circular June 1936 on 'terrorist activities of Trotskyist counter-rev bloc'. Bolsh had to be able to recognize an 'enemy of the people no matter how well he may be masked'. = Sign old Bolsh going to be 'unmasked'.

Executions significant = were first executions of people who had belonged to Central Committee. 

Show trials elaborately staged events - state prosecutor Vyshinsky, proved accused guilty of spying for foreign powers, as well as being part of counter-rev bloc involved in Kirov's murder, with Stalin as intended next victim. Show trials - effective way to create atmosphere of intimidation, sense of danger & feeling there were spies, enemies & wreckers around. Many accepted trials real.

Second show trial = Jan 1937 - Karl Radek, well-known Trotskyite, & Pyatakov, deputy in Commissariat of Heavy Industry, main defendants. Both confessed & found guilty.

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