Final answer:
During Soviet rule, ethnic or religious strife in Central Asia was minimal due to the discouragement of religious practices, Soviet reorganization of ethnic groups into socialist republics, and the suppression of ethnic or religious expressions.
Step-by-step explanation:
The little ethnic or religious strife in Central Asia during Soviet rule can be attributed to several factors. Firstly, the Soviets discouraged religious practices, and most Central Asian Muslims are Sunnis, which may have reduced sectarian conflicts. More significantly, the Soviet governance strategy involved reorganizing the diversity of ethnic groups into Soviet Socialist Republics like the Uzbek SSR, Kazakh SSR, and Ukrainian SSR, thereby standardizing and controlling the regional identities.
Furthermore, the Soviet regime relocated over six million Russians and Ukrainians into Central Asia, fostering a mix of local and Russian culture that helped to dilute ethnic differences and create a common linguistic bridge through the Russian language. The centralization of power and totalitarian control over the republics with fewer autonomous rights than states in the United States also meant that religious or ethnic uprisings could be swiftly suppressed.
Finally, the Soviet policies of collectivization and repression of local customs and religions, such as those experienced by the Kalmyk people, further stifled ethnic or religious expressions that might have led to strife.