One of the topics looked at in GCSE History is Russia in the first half of the 20th Century. One part of this subject that is studied is the rule of Stalin and the Great Purges which took place in Russia at the time.
Life changed markedly in the USSR in the years leading up to the Second World War. A new constitution theoretically protected human rights in Russia, but religion and the arts received special scrutiny. In the late 1930's the Great Purges raised further questions about the dictatorial rule of Stalin.
Discover more about the Great Purges that took place during the rule of Stalin in this quiz.
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The 1936 document replaced the "Lenin" Constitution of 1924, and appeared to enshrine many of the liberal features found in Western constitutions
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The NKVD leadership was not immune from being tried, but sometimes it was an advantage to come from Georgia, the same homeland as Stalin himself
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Soviet education was a major success story, with opportunities opening up for women and people from poorer backgrounds. Much of it was free, and of a very high academic standard
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The USSR had a number of different religions, while Communist Party members had to follow atheism
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Even composers had to follow the rules of the official artistic style, "Socialist Realism", but it was more difficult for them to show that they were obeying this rule than, say, novelists or film-makers
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Films also had to stick to the dictates of "Socialist Realism", and most were able to do this, avoiding themes from personal life and picking ones involving groups of people
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The victim was one of Stalin's closest associates. But it has been suggested that Stalin could have been responsible for the assassination himself
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No area of Russian life was safe from the Purges. Even people at a relatively low level of responsibility could be accused
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This was a sinister building overlooking a square in Central Moscow
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Many of the accused pleaded guilty to crimes which they could not possibly have committed. However, few seemed to bear the signs of having been tortured
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