Great Terror
Definition
Also known as "The Purge," it was a campaign led by Joseph Stalin during his leadership in Soviet Russia between 1936-1938. It involved widespread arrests, executions, and forced labor for millions accused as enemies or traitors to communism.
Analogy
Imagine if your favorite sports team started kicking out players left and right because they suspected them not being loyal enough to their game strategy - even when there's no solid proof. That's similar to what happened during Stalin's Great Terror.
Related terms
Joseph Stalin: Leader of Soviet Union from mid-1920s until his death in 1953 who initiated The Great Terror.
Gulag System: A system where people were sent for hard labor under brutal conditions as part of punishment under Stalin’s regime.
Show Trials: Staged trials used by Stalin’s government to publicly showcase the punishment of those deemed traitors.
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