Notes

1b.
These 2 sources are similar in that both show declaration of betrayal to the USSR which was manipulated by Stalin's government. From source B, I can infer that the people were accused of betraying the Soviet Union, as they are in the trial. However, the stern looking officer is looking at them, and a rope for hanging people as well as 2 soldiers was seen in the background. The accused are also seen laughing. This implies that they are likely forced to admit that they have betrayed the Soviet Union, or else they would get hanged, during the Moscow Show Trials, when Stalin was in power. From Source C, I can infer that the Trotskyites and Zinovievites attempted to overthrow the USSR and restore capitalism, thus betraying the USSR. However, the source is also written under Stalin's supervision. From my contextual knowledge, Stalin implemented strict censorship and propaganda, manipulating information published to achieve his aims. Hence, it may be manipulated to favour Stalin and disparage his opponents, that they have betrayed the USSR. Therefore, both sources are similar in that both show elements of perceived betrayal against USSR manipulated by the Stalin government.


These 2 sources are different in the purpose that it was published for. From Source B, I can infer that this source was published because the United States wanted to convince the American people that the Soviet Government did not care about the rights of its people, placing them in trials which they were forced to admit guilt, in hope that the American citizens would criticize such actions, and call for action to be taken against the USSR. This can be seen in the source, where the convicted sarcastically portray their betrayal while laughing at the same time, with a hanger at the back. Hence, Source B's purpose is to inform the American people of the mistreating of the people by the Soviet Government. However, from Source C, I infer that the source was published because Stalin wanted to persuade the Soviet people that his political opponents were disloyal to the Soviet Union, in hope that the Soviet people would oppose Kamenev, Zinoviev, and Trotsky, and support Stalin's measures to remove them during the Great Terror. This can be seen in the source, "Trotsky, Zinoviev, Kamenev had been in conspiracy against Lenin, the Party, and the Soviet state"
Hence, Source C's purpose is as propaganda to the Soviet people for Stalin to disparage his political opponents. Therefore, the 2 sources differ in the purpose it was published for.

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PEEL
1e.
Source A does not support this view. It tells me that the executions and purges conducted by Stalin were arbitrary. This can be seen from "In those days, it was easy enough to get rid of someone you didn't like. All you had to do was to submit a report denouncing him as an enemy of the people." This shows me that purges conducted by Stalin were against innocent people who were set up, and not properly verified. Hence, Source A doesn't support this view.

Source C supports this view. It tells me that Stalin's political opponents were traitors of the country. This can be seen from the source, "Among the Trotskyites and the Zinovievites found faithful servants who were ready to work for the defeat of the Soviet Union in order to restore capitalism. This shows me that the opposition that Stalin was facing sought to destroy the country. Hence, Stalin's purges to destroy them were deemed necessary to him, and this source supports the View in Question 1e.

Source E supports this view. It tells me that there was enough evidence of the accused during the Moscow Trials of The Great Terror for prosecution to be carried out. This can be seen in "used expert testimony from authoritative medical men and documentary evidence to build a cast-iron case for the prosecution." This shows me that the prosecutions of people during the trials in the Great Terror were appropriate punishments for the people which commited wrongdoing. Hence, there was a genuine need for Stalin to carry out the purges; this source supports the question's view.

Source F does not support this view. I can infer that the purges that Stalin conducted were not neccesary. This can be seen from "Stalin sent the men of the old guard ... to their deaths as scapegoats for his economic failures. But he had no need for scapegoats. ... there was a very marked improvement in the economy in the mid-1930s". This shows me that Stalin's purges weren't necessary because he did not have any economic failures to begin with, let alone needing scapegoats to cover up for it. Hence, there wasn't a genuine need for Stalin to carry out the purges; this source does not support the question's view.