C. Stalin accused individuals of various crimes and had them imprisoned and/or executed.
The "Great Purge" (also known as the "Great Terror") was a period of political repression and persecution in the Soviet Union under Stalin's leadership. It began in the late 1930s and continued until the mid-1940s. During this time, Stalin's regime conducted a series of show trials and purges in which millions of people were accused of various crimes, such as espionage, sabotage, and treason. Many of these people were tortured, imprisoned, or executed, often without any evidence or due process. The purges targeted not only political dissidents but also military officers, intellectuals, and ordinary citizens who were perceived as threats to Stalin's rule. The exact number of people who were killed or imprisoned during the Great Purge is not known, but estimates range from hundreds of thousands to several million.