Learning objective
Dictatorship and Stalinism: the machinery of state terror; the NKVD; the early purges; Kirov's murder; the show trials; the Stalin constitution.
Read the explanation, check the common trap, then practise with flashcards and questions.
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Topic
Stalinism, politics and control, 1929–1941 (A-level only)
Subtopic
Stalinism, politics and control, 1929–1941 (A-level only)
Study support
Understand this objective
Quick explanation
Dictatorship and Stalinism: the machinery of state terror; the NKVD; the early purges; Kirov's murder; the show trials; the Stalin constitution
- This point belongs to Stalinism, politics and control, 1929–1941 (A-level only), especially Stalinism, politics and control, 1929–1941 (A-level only).
- You need to be able to dictatorship and Stalinism: the machinery of state terror; the NKVD; the early purges; Kirov's murder; the show trials; the Stalin constitution.
- Use the linked flashcards and practice questions to check recall, then practise applying the idea in an exam-style answer.
Why it matters
This objective helps connect Stalinism, politics and control, 1929–1941 (A-level only) to exam-style questions, flashcards, and revision notes for Stalinism, politics and control, 1929–1941 (A-level only).
Quick student answer
What was the primary function of the NKVD during Stalin's regime?
Direct answer
The primary function of the NKVD was to enforce state security and suppress dissent.
Key terms
- State Terror: The use of violence and intimidation by a government to maintain control and suppress opposition.
- Purges: The systematic removal of individuals deemed undesirable or a threat to the ruling authority, often through violent means.
Common trap
Confusing the NKVD with the Red Army: The NKVD was focused on internal security and repression, while the Red Army was the military force of the Soviet state.
Related questions
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Related learning objectives
- The Yezhovshchina: mass terror and repression at central and local levels; treatment of national minorities; the gulags; the end of the purges; the death of Trotsky; responsibility for and impact of the Terror and purges.
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- Stalin and international relations: co-operation with Germany; entry into the League of Nations; pacts with France and Czechoslovakia; intervention in the Spanish Civil War; reaction to Western appeasement and Japanese aggression; the Nazi-Soviet Pact and its outcome.
Stalinism, politics and control, 1929–1941 (A-level only)