Stalin orchestrated a series of show trials in the 1930s for several reasons: he was paranoid, jealous of other party members' power, and wanted to set an example. The trials began with the murder of Kirov, which Stalin may have ordered. High-ranking party members like Kamenev and Zinoviev were prosecuted and confessed under interrogation by the secret police. Through these purges, Stalin eliminated any opposition, established himself as sole dictator, and weakened potential threats while leaving the Soviet Union under his totalitarian rule, though thousands of innocent people were convicted.

1. Moscow Show Trials
 Set up the show trials
for a number of
reasons
1) He was paranoid
2) He was jealous of
other members of the
party
3) He wanted to set an
example to the people
of the Soviet Union

2. Trials Begin
 Murder of Kirov used to
begin trials
 Stalin may have ordered it.
Why?
 Prosecution led by
Vyshinsky the state
prosecutor
 NKVD led by Yagoda
extracted confessions
 Kamenev and Zinoviev
among the first to go on
trial

3. Guilty or innocent?
 All the accused
admitted their guilt.
Why?
 Trotsky was on trial
just as much as the
accused
 Second show trial
saw a further purge of
party officials
 Pyatakav an example
of a scapegoat for
industrial quotas not
being met

4. Army and Yagoda on trial
 Stalin then purges the
army
 35000 officers shot or
jailed
 Marshall
Tukhachevsky the
army commander was
found guilty
 Yagoda the former
head of the NKVD put
on trial
 Yagoda was replaced
by Yezhov

5. Effects of the Purges
 Stalin had eliminated any opposition to his
power
 Stalin had established himself as sole dictator
and head of a totalitarian state
 Thousands of innocent people found guilty
and sent to labour camps
 Red army left weak following the purging of
the officer corp.

6. Endnote of purges

7. Endnote of purges