Editing Soviet Union (section)

==== Moscow Trials ====
In 1934, the opposition killed Sergei Kirov, who was Stalin's best friend<ref>Alexei Rybin. Stalin's Bodyguard Talks about Stalin. https://youtu.be/2bcmGnygysU</ref> and a good communist. Stalin didn't hold back any more, and sent the OGPU (secret police) down the tails of the opposition.

The investigation revealed a conspiracy to kill Kirov, that included the security forces of Moscow. This led to the Zinoviev-Kamenev Trial in 1936.

The second Moscow Trial was the Pyatakov-Radek Trial in January 1937.

Even the leader of the OGPU, Genrikh Yagoda, was exposed. He was put on trial in the Bukharin-Radek Trial in 1938. The OGPU was dissolved and replaced by the NKVD.

Those are the three public Moscow Trials. Because they are public, they are called "show trials" in the West.

General Tukhachevsky was exposed for plotting a military coup. He was put on trial before a secret military tribunal in June 1937. This is also called a "show trial" in the West, despite being private.

All these defendants were guilty of murder or complicity in murder. They were also accused of spying. Thus, they were executed.