The show trials in the Soviet Union from 1936 to 1938 and the purges led to removal of rivals to Stalin. What is this period called?

• A. Red Terror
• B. Great Fear
• C. Great Purge
• D. The Terror Faction

Answer: (C)

The main idea here is political repression used to crush opposition and solidify Stalin’s control. The show trials of 1936–1938 were stage-managed proceedings that labeled party leaders and others as enemies, forcing confessions and justifying executions or long imprisonments. Along with mass arrests and the Gulag system, these actions removed rivals and tightened Stalin’s grip over the Soviet state and the Communist Party. This deliberate campaign is called the Great Purge. Some sources use the term Great Terror, but the most common and specific label for this period is the Great Purge, reflecting the organized effort to purge perceived enemies within the party and society.