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a-a-ra-s-s-s-s-a-s-s-a-s-a-s- Welcome to the Russian rulers history podcast.

Episode 78, the beginning of the reign of terror.

Last episode, Joseph Stalin took complete control of the USSR

after the death of Lenin by deftly handling Trotsky, Zenoviev and Kamenev and

and expelling them from positions of power.

Now Stalin's focus was on consolidating his power and it was to lead Russia into a period of terror that would turn neighbor against neighbor, costing millions of lives and incalculable suffering on all levels of Russian society.

It is now in 1928 and the rightists led by Buharan, Tomsky, and Rikoff had won over the leftists.

Trotsky, Zunoviev and Kamenev were out of power and it seemed that the NEP had won the day.

That is, until Stalin denounced it.

The boss wanted to collectivize the peasantry

and get rid of the Kulaks, the peasant middle class.

The rightists were aghast.

Bhuharan was the biggest enemy of the change and he made it well known.

He went to the disgraced Kameneuve for support, which they gave him with glee.

He then went to Kalinin and Voroshilov, but the two of them who would have been thrilled to get rid of Stalin

were having personal problems.

The G. P.U. Dossiers on them were filled with dalliances with young women who were not their wives.

The government newspaper, Isvestia, had just published an article condemning quote older men in authority.

The two friends of Stalin quickly knew who was in charge and what they had to do.

Kaminev at the point fell to and what they had to do.

Kamenev at the point felt, quote,

...