Great Purges and Show Trials
With the chance of revolt, Stalin begin purging his communist Nation of any influential figures that could be a threat to his power. 1 in 5 army officers were prosecuted by the NKVD, Stalin's secret police, and their trials were publicly displayed in the form of Show Trials. The men or women being prosecuted were usually put up on charges of treason. Stalin intended to scare anyone that merely muttered anything that could be harmful towards his communist rein. He ruled this years with an iron fist. According to the declassified Soviet archives, during 1937 and 1938, the NKVD detained 1,548,366 victims, of whom 681,692 were shot - an average of 1,000 executions per day.
Summary
Stalin ruled with an iron fist, he constantly reminded his people of the power he held over them. If anyone spoke badly of him or his ways they were quickly rounded up by the NKVD and prosecuted, usually shot on site or executed.