Valentin Stoian
Candidate number:
Word Count: 1967


The Trial of Nikolai Ivanovich Bukharin or Show Trial of 1938


















Contents


Front cover 1
Contents 2
Plan of investigation 3
Summary of evidence 3
Evaluation of source 4
Analysis 5
Conclusion 5
List of sources 6
Appendix- Bukharin’s pictures 8


























A. Plan of investigation

To what extent did Nikolai Ivanovich Bukharin defend himself during his show trial in 1938?
The purpose of this investigation is to find out how and to what extent did Nikolai Bukharin defend himself when he was put on trial, accused of a wide range of charges, during the Purges of 1936-1938.
In order to carry out this investigation, a series of mainly primary sources will be consulted. These include, first and foremost, the transcripts of Bukharin’s interrogation during the trial and his last plea, then Bukharin’s last letter in prison, Stalin’s speech that marked the break with Bukharin, a telegram from the American ambassador to Moscow, and, as a secondary source, Robert Conquest’s The Great Terror: a reassessment , a standard book on this period.
The summary of evidence will contain a presentation of Bukharin’s background and events before the trial and the resume of the trial and of its aftermath. The analysis will show to what kind of charges Bukharin confessed to, why, and what defence did he make.

B. Summary of evidence

1. Bukharin’s background and events before the trial
Nikolai Bukharin was born in Moscow 1888 and joined the Bolsheviks in 1906, being exiled for illegal activities in 1911. After the March revolution of 1917 he returned to Russia and worked alongside Lenin, in order to gain power for the Bolsheviks. He disagreed with the peace of Brest-Litovsk and supported the idea of “socialism in one country”. After many disagreements with Lenin, he recanted and was seen as a member of the “Right” Wing of the Party. The NEP is seen as his creation.
After