The Times, Life and Moral Dilemma of Beria

Description

There are some figures in modern history who stand out not just for their amoral conduct but their cruelty. This book explores the life of the notorious Beria, Stalin's henchman. The first part provides an outline of the turbulent history of Russia from 1900 to 1953, in order to set the background from which Beria emerged. The second section presents a biography of Beria from his youth, his early education, and his obsequious behaviour towards Stalin to his rise to be the head of the NKVD (KGB) and later to be amongst the most senior leaders of the Communist structure in the USSR. He was responsible for the deaths of millions (and for organising the Katyń massacre), infamous for murdering colleagues, and a sexual predator, and became the most feared man in the USSR next to Stalin. The third and fourth parts move away from history and biography to moral philosophy, in order to understand from where such evil conduct arises. The question of free-will is explored in the light of human insight, and these sections also discuss the most recent scientific claims concerning human behaviour, as well as the factors which influence people in decision making. Dedication......Page 5 Contents......Page 7 Acknowledgments......Page 11 Abbreviations/Acronyms Used in Text......Page 12 Preface......Page 13 Book Outline......Page 15 Part One......Page 17 Introduction......Page 18 Chapter One......Page 22 Chapter Two......Page 27 Chapter Three......Page 30 Chapter Four......Page 37 Chapter Five......Page 44 Chapter Six......Page 54 Chapter Seven......Page 64 Chapter Eight......Page 69 Chapter Nine......Page 75 Chapter Ten......Page 78 Chapter Eleven......Page 86 Part Two......Page 93 Introduction......Page 94 Chapter One......Page 98 Chapter Two......Page 108 Chapter Three......Page 115 Chapter Four......Page 129 Chapter Five......Page 137 Chapter Six......Page 142 Chapter Seven......Page 149 Chapter Eight......Page 152 Chapter Nine......Page 170 Chapter Ten......Page 177 Chapter Eleven......Page 187 Chapter Twelve......Page 197 Chapter Thirteen......Page 211 Part Three......Page 219 Introduction......Page 220 Chapter One......Page 223 Chapter Two......Page 231 Chapter Three......Page 237 Chapter Four......Page 243 Chapter Five......Page 247 Part Four......Page 251 Introduction......Page 252 Chapter One......Page 254 Chapter Two......Page 258 Chapter Three......Page 261 Chapter Four......Page 264 Chapter Five......Page 275 Chapter Six......Page 279 Chapter Seven......Page 284 Appendices......Page 288 Bibliography of Cited Texts......Page 301 Endnotes......Page 306 Index......Page 329