Stalin's+Methods;+the+use+of+force,+legal+change

Stalin headed a totalitarian form of government, and opposition was often dealt with through oppression or outright murder. In the 1930’s Stalin conducted the Great Purge on the USSR. Sergei Kirov, originally a close friend of Stalin’s, began criticizing his harsh policies in 1934, and was promptly assassinated on December 1st of the same year. After the assassination Stalin passed a law stating that those accused of terrorism or plots against the government were to be executed and arrested immediately after their conviction. What followed was a series of trials and executions in which millions were executed or deported to labor camps, which included over a thousand members within the Soviet party, ethnic minorities, an estimated half of the total military officials, ex-kulaks and other ‘anti-Soviet elements’. During the 1930’s Stalin also effected several legal changes which strengthened his hold over the Soviet people. In 1933 the creation of the office of Procurator allowed the state to prosecute its citizens at a national level. In 1935 laws were passed which increased the severity of criminal punishment, such as a lowered minimum age for the death sentence, and a death penalty for any Soviet citizen who attempted to flee the USSR. user:jeffzhao http://library.thinkquest.org/C0112205/stalinsrussia.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Purge
 * Use of Force**
 * Legal Changes**

Thanks for bringing up the Purges. We need some more information about those--photos, other sources? Separate the use of force and the legal changes into two sections and give them titles. Please type the symbol ~ three times at the end of you post so that we know who you are. user:jennpratt