Activities of the VChK-GPU-OGPU-NKVD Bodies (1917-1941) [English Russian bilingual edition]

Description

For the first time, the historiographical and source study possibilities of studying such a topical topic as the history of Soviet state security agencies are comprehensively evaluated in this work. The author highlights in the research literature on the Cheka-NKVD, both the objective component and the mythology, designed to embellish the criminal aspects of the Chekist work - terror, provocative methods of using agents, criminality of personnel. A significant place is given to a critical analysis of points of view on the history of the "organs" proposed by foreign historians. An analysis of the source base proves the rich possibilities of finding information about Chekist work and personnel not only in official documents of the Cheka-NKVD from departmental and party-state archives, but also in newspaper chronicles, memoirs and even fiction.