So, I guess I get the general gist, but I think my main concern is just how many plots (or supposed plots) there were against Stalin and his faction or the USSR in general at the highest order of government.
There were two heads of the nkvd, several generals, the trotskyites, the Bukharin group, Lev Kamenev and Zinoniev (who were both previously aligned with stalin), then later there was Krushchev who had the help of many, including Zhukov. I think Molotov is even cited as saying that Stalin wanted him out of government too around the 1950s.
Am I right in being concerned about this? It’s not just the day to day people, but so many people in high government that, even if every single accusation is true, would still leave the soviet system as being insanely unstable under the Stalin government.
Maybe my perspective is off, but I would like an answer to why there was so much of this. Each individual case can be argued, definitely, but it feels like having such a volume is indicative of a bigger issue, no?
I highly recommend Proles Pod’s Stalin eras series they just finished, it covers a LOT of this. The ultra short version is that this stuff had been brewing since long before Stalin was in power and just finally came to a head during his time in office. The long version of that is a series that’s like 20 hours long (not including any portions that may be pay walled)