How and why did the KGB start?

How and why did the KGB start? The KGB (Komitet Gosudarstvennoy Bezopasnosti), or the Committee for State Security, was established on March 13, 1954, in the Soviet Union. It was formed as the main security agency responsible for intelligence, counterintelligence, surveillance, internal security, border security, and the suppression of dissent, among other tasks. Its creation and the reasons behind it are rooted in the political and historical developments of the Soviet Union, particularly its need to maintain control, defend against internal and external threats, and ensure the survival of the state and the Communist Party.

Historical Context

Origins in Pre-Soviet Russia:

Russian security services have a long history, with the Tsarist-era Okhrana (the secret police) being a precursor to later Soviet intelligence services. The Okhrana was notorious for its role in surveilling and suppressing political dissidents.

Post-Revolution Soviet Era (1917-1922):

After the Bolshevik Revolution in 1917, the new Soviet regime faced numerous threats, including internal dissent, external enemies, and counter-revolutionary movements. To protect the regime, the Cheka (Extraordinary Commission for Combating Counter-Revolution and Sabotage) was created by Vladimir Lenin in December 1917.
The Cheka was a brutal organization responsible for suppressing opposition to the Bolsheviks during the Russian Civil War (1917-1923) and engaging in widespread surveillance and execution of perceived enemies.

Evolution into the KGB:

Over time, the Cheka evolved into various security organizations, such as the GPU, NKVD, and MGB. Each version of the security apparatus continued the mission of protecting the state through internal repression and external intelligence activities.
By the time of Joseph Stalin’s reign, the security services, particularly the NKVD, had become central to the totalitarian control of the Soviet state. The NKVD carried out the infamous purges and mass repression, especially during the 1930s.

After Stalin’s death in 1953 and Nikita Khrushchev’s rise to power, there was a brief period of political “thaw,” during which some of the worst excesses of Stalinism were curtailed. The KGB was created in 1954 as part of reforms to reorganize the security apparatus into a more controlled and streamlined body.