1937 and 1938 Stalin's purges and impact on Red Army preparedness Contrary to public beliefs, Stalin, though perceived as the All-Mighty leader of Soviet Union (helped by the NKVD secret police forces and never-ending denunciations), was in reality a "Lone Wolf". He knew that he had very few trustful aides who could shield him from potential upraisings (either coming from immensely frustrated populalation of the Army). This is easily understood as his methods of expediting accusations through tortures or vicious tactics (like convicting whole families and children from the age of twelve) could break any men within a few sort days. Subsequent "rigged" trials could lead either to death sentences (with executions made with 48 hours of tribunal decisions), or long deportations (fifteen to twenty-five years in Soviet labor camps). …show more content…
Stalin was fond of labelling arrested persons, "Trotskyites" meaning they were 'Traitors" to the Soviet cause (remember - see Volume 1 - that Trotsky was expelled from the Soviet party, exiled first in Kazkhstan in January 1929 and in February 1929 landed in Turkey). Later on, he added another reason for arrests In a typical psychopat behavior, Stalin, especially afraid of plots orchestrated by Soviet Generals or Marshalls, generally respected and supported by powerful Armies that could topple him easily, to institute a new Soviet leader, renegotiate non-agression pacts signed with various neighbouring countries or institute a Soviet empire based on principles better accepted by the general population. By 1937/1938, the whole country was now well aware of Stalin's brutal methods to crush any citizen. It is clear that Stalin knew only one "modus operandi" (Agree with what I say or you know what to expect") and he pushed his sadistic dictatorship to the