Question

The Seventeenth Party Congress was a major challenge to Stalin. How can we see this, in terms of what happened on the day after the murder?

a) What took place immediately after Kirov's murder?
b) How did this event reflect the challenges Stalin faced at the Congress?
c) How did the party respond to the murder?
d) What measures were taken in the aftermath of the assassination?
e) What was the impact of these events on Stalin's rule?

Answer 1

The murder of Sergei Kirov catalyzed a crackdown and purges by Stalin to eliminate opposition, consolidating his power within the USSR and marking a significant moment in his rule.

Step-by-step explanation:

Aftermath of Sergei Kirov's Murder

Immediately after Kirov's murder, an investigation was launched that led Stalin to believe there was a plot against him. The event signaled the challenges Stalin faced during the Seventeenth Party Congress due to issues like collectivization and opposition within the party. The party's response to the murder was one of shock, but it also set off a series of purges led by Stalin, as he sought to eliminate perceived threats to his authority.

In the aftermath of the assassination, intense security measures, surveillance, and the Great Purge were undertaken, consolidating Stalin's power much further and instilling fear within the Communist Party and across the Soviet Union. These events significantly strengthened Stalin's rule, as political dissent was largely crushed, and Stalin established an autocracy comparable to that of the Tsar's before the revolution.