Treacherous Gulag Research Paper

Caroline Rolston

Mr. Perry

Freshman Honors English 2

15 March 2024 The Treacherous Gulags “The dark history of the Gulag has left generations of Russians scarred and damaged. Even today, some survivors are too fearful to discuss their experiences” (history.com). The Gulag camps, too traumatizing to even talk about out loud, killed both people physically and emotionally. The creation and expansion of the tormenting and demanding Gulags proved to be a deadly and grueling work for all the unfortunate people imprisoned. The Gulags were started and expanded greatly under Joseph Stalin’s rule. Stalin came to power after the death of Lenin in 1924 and greatly influenced the Gulags. The Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica state, “The Gulag had a

Even today, some survivors are too fearful to discuss their experiences” (history.com). The Gulag camps, too traumatizing to even talk about out loud, killed both people physically and emotionally. The creation and expansion of the tormenting and demanding Gulags proved to be a deadly and grueling work for all the unfortunate people imprisoned. The Gulags were started and expanded greatly under Joseph Stalin’s rule. Stalin came to power after the death of Lenin in 1924 and greatly influenced the Gulags. The Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica state, “The Gulag had a total inmate population of about 100,000 in the late 1920s when it underwent an enormous expansion coinciding with the Soviet leader Joseph Stalin’s collectivization of agriculture. By 1936 the Gulag held a total of 5,000,000 prisoners.” (Britannica.com). The number of prisoners increased immensely and the Gulags were operating primarily during Stalin’s rule. The article, “Gulag-Online” informs its readers, “The creation of a system of concentration and correctional labor camps began in the Soviet Union in 1919 but “blossomed” during Stalin’s reign of terror” (https://gulag.online/). If it weren’t for Stalin, the camps would not have affected so many Russian citizens at this time. Though the camps were created before Stalin came to rule, in 1919, without the help of Stalin they would have not

Even today, some survivors are too fearful to discuss their experiences” (history.com). The Gulag camps, too traumatizing to even talk about out loud, killed both people physically and emotionally. The creation and expansion of the tormenting and demanding Gulags proved to be a deadly and grueling work for all the unfortunate people imprisoned. The Gulags were started and expanded greatly under Joseph Stalin’s rule. Stalin came to power after the death of Lenin in 1924 and greatly influenced the Gulags. The Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica state, “The Gulag had a total inmate population of about 100,000 in the late 1920s when it underwent an enormous expansion coinciding with the Soviet leader Joseph Stalin’s collectivization of agriculture. By 1936 the Gulag held a total of 5,000,000 prisoners.” (Britannica.com). The number of prisoners increased immensely and the Gulags were operating primarily during Stalin’s rule. The article, “Gulag-Online” informs its readers, “The creation of a system of concentration and correctional labor camps began in the Soviet Union in 1919 but “blossomed” during Stalin’s reign of terror” (https://gulag.online/). If it weren’t for Stalin, the camps would not have affected so many Russian citizens at this time. Though the camps were created before Stalin came to rule, in 1919, without the help of Stalin they would have not stayed as long