1920 20 December: To pursue enemies abroad, a Foreign Intelligence
Section is founded within Cheka.1921 Vladimir Lenin institutes the New Economic Policy. Lenin in-
sists on greater control on Cheka and an end of the Terror.1922 8 February: Cheka is transformed into GPU (State Political Ad-
ministration).
1923 2 November: GPU renamed OGPU (Unified State Political Ad-
ministration).1924 Vladimir Lenin dies and long succession crisis begins. Joseph
Stalin, who has the support of the OGPU, is the eventual victor.1924–1925 Boris Savinkov and Sidney Reilly lured back to the Soviet
Union by Trust counterintelligence operations; both are put to death.
Trust operations disrupt efforts by hostile foreign intelligence services
to operate inside the Soviet Union.1926 Feliks Dzerzhinsky dies and is succeeded by Vyacheslav Men-
zhinsky as head of OGPU.
1928 Leon Trotsky is banished from Moscow to Alma Ata.1929–1932 Joseph Stalin consolidates power in rural areas with the
collectivization of agriculture.
1932 Circulation of Riutin Program causes Joseph Stalin to call for
execution of political dissidents within the Communist Party; the de-
mand for a political purge is rebuffed by Communist Party Politburo.1934 10 May: Vyacheslav Menzhinsky dies and is succeeded by Gen-
rykh Yagoda as head of OGPU. 19 July: OGPU is absorbed into NKVD
(People’s Commissariat of Internal Affairs). 1 December: Leningrad
Party boss S. M. Kirov is murdered. 2 December: New antiterrorist laws
allow NKVD to arrest, try, and execute “enemies of the people.” Late
December: Trial and execution of those implicated in Kirov murder.
1936 19–29 August: The first Moscow Trial results in death sentences
for Lev Kamenev, Evgenii Zinoviev, and 14 others. 25 September: Joseph
Stalin dispatches telegram to Central Committee calling for replacement
of Genrykh Yagoda with Nikolai Yezhov. 27 September: Yezhov is ap-
pointed head of NKVD; Yagoda is demoted and later arrested.CHRONOLOGY•xv06-313 (00) FM.qxd 7/27/06 7:53 AM Page xv