Consequences of the Purges

• Human cost

  7.8 million arrests

  1-1.5 million executions

  7-8 million people imprisoned in the gulags, of which 2 million died

  men aged 30-45 were most at risk of being accused of being 'traitors' and imprisoned

  only 5% of women were directly involved in the purges
• There was a climate of fear around people, and normal human relationships broke down as they became scared of everyone around them. Anyone could be an informer, and people often received special 'prizes' for being informers of traitors, such as not being accused of being traitors themselves.
• Weakening of the Soviet Union


  Many workers were targeted by the purges - loss of skills

  25% of mine managers were purged

  Damaged quality/leadership of Red Army

  Lack of experienced officers contributed to Military failure

  1. Lost 200000 men in war with Finland
  2. Setbacks when Germany invaded in 1941
• Political impact

  Stalin became unchallenged leader, every threat to his power had been removed.

  • Old Bolsheviks no longer had a chance to rise in power
  • Wider communist party who had been deemed to be disloyal had also been removed
  • Ordinary people who could have ended up betraying Stalin had been purged.