Great Purge by Orin Brightfield

"Great Purge" explores the state-sponsored terror inflicted upon the Soviet Union under Joseph Stalin, investigating the motivations, execution, and long-term consequences of these political purges. The book analyzes how Stalin consolidated absolute power by eliminating potential rivals and reshaping Soviet society, creating a climate of fear that stifled innovation.

One chilling aspect was the public "Moscow Trials," designed to showcase enemies of the state, while the NKVD, the Soviet secret police, played a key role in carrying out the brutal repression. This comprehensive examination of a dark chapter in 20th-century history argues that the purges were a systematic effort to transform the Soviet Union according to Stalin's ideological vision.

It begins by establishing the historical context of the 1930s, then delves into the purges' key events, including the targeting of Old Bolsheviks, military officers and ordinary citizens. Drawing upon archival documents and survivor testimonies, the book provides a nuanced account of the era, quantifying the scale of repression with statistical data and analyzing propaganda to understand the justifications for the purges.