Final answer:
The Great Purges in Russia were instigated by Joseph Stalin's fear of losing control over the USSR, leading to widespread executions and imprisonment of perceived threats.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Great Purges of Russia were a series of brutal political campaigns led by Joseph Stalin, aiming to consolidate his power and eliminate any perceived threats to his control over the USSR. Stalin's profound paranoia and desire to maintain absolute authority spurred the purges, targeting a wide range of individuals, from members of the Communist Party, military personnel, and average citizens to any potential rivals or dissenters.
The purges intensified following the assassination of Sergei Kirov in 1934, a high-ranking Soviet politician, propelling Stalin to initiate what became known as the Great Purge or the Great Terror. During this period, from 1936 to 1938, about a million people were executed, and many more were sent to Gulag labor camps, where they faced harsh conditions and often death.
The impact of these purges crippled the Soviet Union's military leadership, made evident when the country was poorly prepared for the German invasion during World War II. Stalin's actions during this period, which also included forced collectivization leading to a devastating famine, reflected his totalitarian approach to governance and the extreme lengths he would go to ensure his vision of the Soviet Union prevailed.