KGB- Secret Police

1. KGB- Secret Police By: Stephen Locke

2. What did the KGB do? Arrested anyone who opposed Stalin(1) Prisoners were either interrogated, tried and executed or sent to the GULAG (Russian labor camps)(“Stalin’s”).

3. Who was the Enforcer of the KGB? Throughout his long career as supreme leader of the Soviet Union, Stalin believed that he had enemies around every corner. Tending to be paranoid and to have what historian Robert Service has called a “sociopathic personality disorder,” Stalin suspected that plots and conspiracies were perpetually brewing all around him. He assumed that all of his problems stemmed from some group that was trying to harm him, and he was resentful, vengeful, and carried grievances for years. A lifelong admirer of Ivan the Terrible Stalin adopted Ivan’s policy of punishing not only those people he perceived to be his enemies, but also his enemies’ extended families (“Stalin’s”).

4. What were the results of the KGB’s actions? Stalin, pronounced STAH-lihn, Joseph, was dictator of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (U.S.S.R.) from 1929 until 1953. He rose from bitter poverty to become ruler of a country that covered about a sixth of the world's land area. Stalin ruled by terror during most of his years as dictator. He allowed no one to oppose his decisions. Stalin executed or jailed most of those who had helped him rise to power because he feared they might threaten his rule. Stalin also was responsible for the deaths of millions of Soviet peasants who opposed his program of collective agriculture (government control of farms). Under Stalin, the Soviet Union operated a worldwide network of Communist parties. By the time he died, Communism had spread to 11 other countries. (Stalin’s)

5. “Uncertainty in Succession” • For many millions of Soviet citizens, the death of Stalin in March 1953 was a shattering event. For decades Stalin had been the "father" of the nation, and many grieved as if they had lost a family member. Tens of thousands of ordi­nary Russians wept openly in spontaneous and genuine displays of public grief when crowds gathered in Moscow to pay their last respects. several mourners were killed in the crush to file past the bier. In spite of his brutal repression and his rigorous control of the economy, Stalin was still hugely popular throughout the Soviet Union. His death marked the end of an era; for most Soviet citizens it had been an era of greatness for their country.

6. “Stalin is Denounced” • All this was extraordinary enough. But at midnight on the last day of the con­gress, Khrushchev called all the Soviet delegates together in closed session. No cameras or reporters were present. Then, for six hours, Khrushchev proceeded to denounce Stalin's reign of terror and its crimes. He revealed that the case against the so-called Trotskyite conspirators of the 1930s had been trumped up by the secret police under Stalin's orders, with the help of forced confes­sions made under torture. He announced that Stalin was "a flawed leader" who had acted like a pathological criminal

7. KGB shut down • The KGB (secret police) was diminished in October 1991. • There is no data on how many were working.thesecret police • As of today, they know that there are still old workers out there who now work for the civil service. • Some people to this day still think they are a threat. (“Stalin’s”)

8. Works Cited Marrin, Albert Ph.D., “Joseph Stalin.” Chairman, Department of History, Yeshiva College. (1998 - 2012): Concord Learning Systems, Concord, NC. 25 April 2013. http://thehistoryprofessor.us/bin/histprof/misc/stalin.html “Stalin Denounced.” 25 April 2013. http://homepages.stmartin.edu/fac_staff/rlangill/PLS%20310/After%20Stalin,%201953-1956.htm “Stalin’s Spies and Secret Police.” PBS.com. 1995-2013. 24 April 2013. http://www.pbs.org/behindcloseddoors/in -depth/stalins-spies.html “Uncertainty in Succession.” 25 April 2013.http://homepages.stmartin.edu/fac_staff/rlangill/PLS%20310/After%20Stalin,%201953-1956.htm