Part 5/8:
A crucial part of Beria's legacy was his role in establishing and expanding the gulag system. Existing before his leadership, Beria industrialized this network of forced labor camps, sentencing countless individuals to harsh conditions and death. Reports from former prisoners revealed the grim reality of life in these camps, where basic human rights were disregarded, and survival was often improbable.
As WWII progressed, Beria remained central to Stalin's oppressive policies, including the infamous Katyn Massacre—an event in which approximately 22,000 Polish officers and civilians were executed under Beria's orders.