Did Joseph Stalin ever purge the Soviet army? Yes, Joseph Stalin, the leader of the Soviet Union, did carry out purges within the Soviet military during the 1930s. The purges were part of a broader series of political purges and repression known as the Great Purge or the Great Terror, which took place from the mid-1930s to the late 1930s.

The purges targeted perceived political enemies, real or imagined, within the Communist Party, the government, the military, and other institutions. The Soviet Red Army was not spared from these purges. Thousands of military officers, including high-ranking commanders, were arrested, accused of various charges, and often executed. These purges weakened the effectiveness of the Soviet military by removing experienced and capable leaders.

The motives behind the purges were complex and included Stalin’s desire to eliminate potential rivals, maintain control over the party and the state, and enforce ideological conformity. The purges had a significant impact on the Soviet Union, both in terms of human lives lost and the overall functioning of the government and military. The military purges, in particular, contributed to the unpreparedness of the Soviet Union for the initial stages of World War II.