Stalin used many methods to punish and destroy opposition.

Mark scheme

Marking points from the official mark scheme (Oct/Nov 2023). The mark or mark type is shown in brackets.

1. [1-4] Level 1 One mark for each relevant point; additional mark for supporting detail
2. [1] The gulags were prison camps.
3. [1] They were often in Siberia so conditions were harsh.
4. [1] Prisoners were made to work on limited rations.
5. [1] Prisoners from the gulags built the Baltic-White Sea canal.
6. [1] Many prisoners died because of the conditions.
7. [1] Prisoners were made to do hard labour.
8. [1] Over 18 million people were sent to labour camps and 10 million of these are estimated to have died there.
9. [6] Level 4 Explains TWO reasons
10. [4-5] Level 3 Explains ONE reason
11. [4] One reason the NKVD was a feared organisation was that no one was safe from them or beyond their reach. Former Bolsheviks such as Kamenev and Bukharin were rounded up by the NKVD. They were imprisoned and tortured and stood trial on false charges. Most were executed. Even the NKVD was not safe from purges. In 1938 Yagoda, who had once been head of the NKVD, was arrested and executed.
12. [2-3] Level 2 Identifies AND/OR describes reasons
13. [1] The NKVD were the secret police.
14. [1] They carried out the arrests that were part of the purges.
15. [1] They arrested people at night and imprisoned and tortured them without charge.
16. [1] They arrested thousands of party members.
17. [1] Many were executed and others sent to the labour camps.
18. [1] No one was safe from the NKVD.
19. [1] Level 1 General answer lacking specific contextual knowledge
20. [1] They had a lot of power.
21. [10] Level 5 Explains with evaluation of 'how far'
22. [7-9] Level 4 Explanation of both sides
23. [4-6] Level 3 One-sided explanation OR one explanation of both sides 5 to 6 marks
24. [4] For a time it appeared that Stalin's main target was those who had supported Trotsky. After the murder of Sergei Kirov in 1934 Stalin took action to remove the old Bolsheviks. In the Great Purge men like Zinoviev were accused of being Trotsky's agents and were executed following Show Trials. Those who had supported NEP, like Bukharin, were also arrested and killed in 1938. It seemed that Stalin was determined to wipe out anyone who had any connection to Trotsky, even if they had opposed his ideas.
25. [4] However, there were too many other targets of the purges for Trotsky's old comrades to be the main focus. In 1937–1938 Stalin purged the Red Army. He shot or imprisoned 37 000 army officers. The NKVD itself was purged along with party officials. Stalin wanted to remove anyone who he thought could be a possible enemy or threat to his own position.
26. [2-3] Level 2 Identifies AND / OR describes
27. [1] Former colleagues of Trotsky were executed.
28. [1] Show trials of the old Bolsheviks were conducted.
29. [1] The Red Army was purged.
30. [1] Party officials were purged.
31. [1] Kulaks and Nepmen were also purged with many sent to labour camps.
32. [1] Level 1 General answer lacking specific contextual knowledge
33. [1] Stalin wanted everyone to be afraid of him.