To what degree was the Purge based on legitimate fears of subversion?

>>1454264
>To what degree was the Purge based on legitimate fears of subversion?
To the highest degree.
>To what degree was Stalin just being paranoid?
The man was beyond paranoid, the amount of people close to him he had shot or sent to reeducation camps is mind boggling.
>Did the purge strengthen the USSR?
Sure, if you consider killing scientists, engineers, teachers, technicians, etc. as a source of strength.

>>1454287
And 50000 army officers.

>>1454264

Well, he killed thousands of people so chances are he got at least a few who were really plotting against him.

>>1454264

Well in HoI4, if you don't do the purge, Trotsky can take over.

>>1454264
Purging was the best way to promote accountability and security

Stalin and Yezhov swept broadly, to ensure that counter-revolutionaries wouldn't slip through the cracks