Stalin's Terror

Terror under Nikolai Yezhov 

Sharpening of class struggle

• Stalin put forward a new theory- the docrine of sharpening class struggle; as socialism advanced the class struggle intensified.
• Capitalists fought harder as socialism suceeded.
• 180 from Lenin's assumptions and provided justification for increasing terror.

How Yezhov transformed the NKVD

• Stalin set targets for arrests, executions and deportations.
• In 1937 NKVD purged- communists loyal to Stalin's opponents who were opposed to the use of terror. Allowed Stalin to increase pace of terror.
• New NKVD agents recruited who had no loyalty to the party and no ideological opposition to terror.
• Conveyor belt system meant torture and interrogation could continue relentlessly until prisoners confessed.

Yezhovshchina 

• Terror attacked all aspects…