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During the purges, the NKVD, under Beria's direction, executed up to 1.2 million people, filling Soviet gulags with forced laborers. He emerged as a prominent figure during power struggles in the Soviet Union, maneuvering through a treacherous world of political violence and intrigue.
The Katyn Massacre and World War II
The role Beria played during World War II further exemplified his ruthlessness and strategic M.O. In 1940, he executed orders for the Katyn Massacre, which resulted in the murder of approximately 25,000 Polish prisoners-of-war, including military officers and members of the Polish elite. This brutal display was aimed at crushing any potential resistance to Soviet expansion following the invasion of Poland.