Perm Soviet Government Paths

After Moscow fell to the Germans, then General-Secretary Joseph Stalin disappeared while the government fled to Perm. With Stalin gone, Mikhail Kalinin assumed the role of General-Secretary. But Kalinin was no Stalin, and under his short leadership, Interior (NKVD) Minister Lavrentiy Beria used his position to not only purge his own political enemies but also amass great influence over Kalinin. Upon Kalinin’s death in 1946, the constitutional successor, Georgy Malenkov, was quickly removed by Beria for “gross incompetence.” In the power vacuum that followed, Beria was able to take over and become the new General-Secretary.

What followed were even more purges to cement his shaky position. This led to a number of military and party officials to flee east and form their own government in opposition to the one in Perm. With good, experienced officers gone, Beria’s purges tempered, and any remaining ones he distrusted did not ‘disappear’ but rather were exiled to border military districts.

Free to institute his agenda, including economic reform - the REP (Revised Economic Plan) injected capitalism into the dying Soviet economy, and political reform - the release of political prisoners. Not everyone is happy with Beria, and with the opening of a long-awaited Party Congress, it could be the avenue the opposition needs to oust him…

(For a quick overview on how to get each path, see the TLDR at the bottom of this page)

## **Political Factions**

At the dawn of 1952 there are four main factions in the Perm Soviet Government (named so to distinguish itself from the opposition Soviet government at Novosibirsk and the later additional one at Krasnoyarsk). They can be seen in the Political Factions UI accessible through the Emblem of the Soviet Union button on the cabinet level of the country tab:

### **The Kalininists**

Mostly composed of KOMSOMOL (Communist Youth League) members, the faction supports a humane form of communism, and “Mikhail Kalinin Thought” (even though Kalinin was never a vocal opponent of any special beliefs). It is led by Ivan Turkenich, head of the KOMSOMOL partisan organization the Young Guard, during the German-Soviet War. Rising through the ranks after the war, he was a protégé of Kalinin.

### **The Revisionists**

Believing the defeat in to the Germans was the result of human error, the Revisionists believe in a ‘Great Retreat from Communism.’ While the Soviet/social aspects of the economy should be kept in place, capitalism must be adopted until it is ready to fully embrace Communism. This reformist wing of the party is led by Nikolai Bulganin**,** who is currently allied with Beria over his REP.

### **The Orthodoxists**

Also known as the ‘Traditional Party Group,’ they represent the conservative/hardline elements of the Party who reject any doctoral changes to the Soviet Union, viewing extreme measures as ‘UnSoviet.’ The faction is led by Mikhail Suslov**,** head of the Orgburo/Secretariat, and is currently allied with Beria.

### **The NKVD**

Beria’s personal clique, members hold a variety of views from hardline to reformist and are held together thanks to his strong view. It is led by a man who needs to introduction

It should not go without saying there are two other relevant factions:

#### **NKVD**

Another segment of the NKVD led by Sergei Kruglov.

Leadership change can come during the Party Congress. Aside from three coups, the faction who holds the most influence can get their leader elected General-Secretary.

## **Party Congress**

Beria’s main goal is the revitalization of the Soviet economy, and pined this on the Revised Economic Plan (REP) that he launched in 1948. Rolling back the collectivization of the Stalin era, it introduced a number of capitalist reforms into the economy, including private enterprises, the reintroduction a market system for most produced goods, and nationalization of some public sectors, staffing them with specialists. It is far from over, in 1952 the second phase is about to begin. Civilian, military, and the new emerging middle class (*strata*, known as REPmen) are next on the chopping block for reform. The power struggle will play out, firstly, by how the government will respond to the three issues of the second phase of REP.

1. Civilian Sector:
	1. Recollectivize: Boost to Orthodoxists
	2. Distribute surplus to the poor: Boost to Kalininists
	3. (Further) Privatization: Boost to Revisionists
	4. Hiring more talents for state enterprises: Boost to NKVD
2. REPmen:
	1. Arrest the dangerous ones: Boost to Orthodoxists
	2. Tax them: Boosts to Kalininists and the NKVD
	3. Leave them: Boost to Revisionists
3. Military-Business Ties:
	1. Crackdown on it: Boosts to Orthodoxists and Kalininists
	2. Tolerate it: Boosts to Revisionists and the NKVD

Once the issues are settled, Beria will open the 19th Party Congress, the first held since the defeat to the Germans. He hopes the Congress will give approval to his policies since taking over as General-Secretary. In preparation for the Congress, the government must decide on whether to: use more NKVD troops (with a boost to NKVD influence) or use Red Army units to boost security. In Suslov’s anti-revisionist speech, if there is no response from the Congress, his Orthodoxist faction will lose influence. But if the room erupted into cheers, the Revisionist and NKVD factions will lose influence while the Orthodoxist gains it.

At this point in the Congress, the Red Army with some members of the Politburo will attempt a coup against Beria and the government. If the NKVD was bolstered at the start of the Congress, the government can get wind of the attempt and stop it before it starts. Even with advance knowledge, the warnings could fall on deaf ears and the coup go ahead anyway.

* If the coup goes ahead, Beria will be arrested (the NKVD will lose influence) and an **Emergency Committee** will temporarily take over. Members of the Politburo will hold a secret trial for Beria, and within five minutes will find him guilty of, and execute him for, treason and rape. Kruglov will take over the NKVD faction and Ministry.
	+ At this point, rouge NKVD elements will rebel against the Committee.
		- If NKVD influence is at 70 or above, the NKVD can successfully countercoup the Committee and allow Sergei Kruglov to take over the government.
		- If NKVD influence is below 70, the countercoup will fail and the NKVD will loose all its influence. The Congress will resume and hold an election on who to become the new General-Secretary; Turkenich, Bulganin, or Suslov.
* If the coup was averted, Beria will speak on the averted coup, lowering influence of the other three factions. With days to go before the end of the Congress, Beria can choose to press members to 'remind' them to vote for him as General-Secretary, or allow a free vote. Pressing members will secure Beria a win, while a free vote could see Suslov, or Beria elected.
* If either election is deadlocked, the Red Army will descend on Perm, arrest top party officials and declare Vasily Chuikov head of a military junta.

#### **Beria Stays**

Once Beria secures his power, he wastes no time discrediting the other political faction leaders; Suslov will retire and be replaced by Vyacheslav Molotov, Turkenich will be expelled from the party to live a life of obscurity, and Bulganin will be exiled to the Arctic as Minister of Arctic Fisheries.

#### **Purging the Purgers**

To help stabilize his regime, and win over the public, Beria will implement anti-corruption policies, purge the NKVD of any opposition (pinning all of his crimes on them) and will coalesce all intelligence agencies into a new, State Security Bureau. He will also quietly get rid of the loose ends that were the other faction leaders.

#### **Beria Thaw**

In an attempt to improve his social image, Beria and the Party will announce a series of social reforms, known as the Beria Thaw. The Thaw will see the lightening of some restrictions from the Censor and Licensing Bureau, and even allow criticism of lower party, and public officials. This will open up a number of decisions that can be taken, some of which will add to a hidden Thaw score which will be relevant later on.

#### **Unification**

When Beria manages to reunite with not only the breakaway Soviet Governments but also that of the Russian Republic, the Soviet Union will be unified once again. But all is not well in the Union, as an economic depression will hit the country and a general strike will occur in Perm. Internal factions within the party will move to oust Beria. He can ally with the hardliners if the Thaw score is zero or less, or with the reformists it is two or more, but the option exists to oust him anyway.

* If Beria is ousted in a ‘palace coup,’ an Authentic Committee will hold power temporarily until Alexander Poskrebyshev is elected General-Secretary.
* If Beria manages to ride out the storm, he will go, but on his own terms He will resign, will suggest a replacement in either Admiral Nikolai Kuznestov, or Vsevolod Merkulo.

*Having an alliance with either the hardliners or reformists makes no difference for both men are selectable in either situation.*

### **Orthodoxist Victory - Mikhail Suslov**

After Suslov is elected General-Secretary, he wastes no time in discrediting and purging his political enemies, while promoting a new NKVD Minister. Suslov will not rule alone, instead forming a *Troika* of officials that will rule with under him, but technically with. Andrei Grechko represents the hawkish Red Army faction; Vyacheslav Molotov represents the moderate Ministry of Foreign Affairs faction; and Vasily Moskovsky represents the revisionist, yet hawkish Propaganda Department (or Agitrop) faction. They can be seen in the Political Factions UI accessible through the Emblem of the Soviet Union button on the cabinet level of the country tab.

### **Faction Power Levels**

Each of the three factions has a power level, starting at zero that can go up to 10. Starting at level two, the decisions that come with the faction will be shown in the decision tab. If one makes it to 10, a national spirit will be gained that can not be lost until the power decreases down to seven. Having one or more of these national spirits will play a big role later on. A number of events will also raise or lower the power levels as well.

### **Unification**

When Suslov manages to reunite with not only the breakaway Soviet Governments but also that of the Russian Republic, the Soviet Union will be unified once again. But all is not well after the implementation of the Great ~~Leap~~ Surge Forward. Officially the 'Great Economic Surge of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics,' to fully rebuild the Soviet economy in record time Suslov will propose the expansion of collective farms to combat food shortages, a massive expansion of the welfare system, and in ‘The Thousand Factories Scheme,’ build a thousand factories to increase industrial capacity.

An expected side effect of the collectivization and industrialization will be the breakout of a number of famines in rural areas. The Central Committee will be unhappy with the developments and many will openly, yet subtly criticize Suslov: Admiral Nikolai Kuznestov is recorded as saying that the suffering was “30% human failure, 70% natural causes (Echoing OTL’s Liu Shaoqi speech about Communist China’s Great Leap Forward).

* If one of the factions had reached level 10 power and is currently dominant, Suslov can be pressured to resign and a Collective Leadership take over temporarily.
	+ If the Red Army is dominant, Mikhail Pervukhin can replace Suslov.
		- Taking the focus 'Rehabilitate the Norilsk Communists' and its accompanying event will allows for the selection of Leonid Brezhnev as the Head of Government. If he was made HoG, instead of leadership going to Pervukhin, he will take over instead.
	+ If the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is, Vyacheslav Molotov will.
	+ If the Propaganda Department (or Agitrop) faction is, Vasily Moskovsky will.
	+ Any of these three can re-founded the Comintern as an in-game faction.
* If no one faction is dominant, Suslov will retain the office of General-Secretary, oust his opponents from the Politburo, and institute a form of collective leadership over the state.

### **NKVD Counter-Coup - Sergei Kruglov**

Kruglov is a continuation of the NKVD government without Beria, keeping the REP. As a reformer he goes above and beyond, calling a special session of the Central Committee to discuss political reforms.

#### **Presidium Reform**

The main piece of legislation debated is one proposed by Admiral Nikolai Kuznestov that would restructure the collective Presidium of the Supreme Soviet and that of its President, who acted as the country’s head of state. In Kuznestov’s proposal, the entire Presidium would be replaced by the office of the President of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, and a singular officer holder.
If Kruglov allows the debate to continue, he can either:

* Put himself forward as a candidate for the new office and be elected
* Step aside and not run:
	+ Instead, suggesting his preferred candidate, Viktor Abakumov
* Or let the Central Committee deicide between:
	+ The token progressive candidate, Vyacheslav Molotov’s wife, Polina Zhemchuzhina
	+ The status quo Nikolai Podgorny
* If the reforms went through, and Kruglov was not elected President, he will become Premier (for Life).

#### **Unification**

When Kruglov manages to reunite with not only the breakaway Soviet Governments but also that of the Russian Republic, the Soviet Union will be unified once again. With Soviet hegemony restored, Kruglov will use the opportunity to announce even more drastic reforms, including political liberalization, full devolution of the USSR (as a logical evolution of self-determination and socialism), and the full release of non-violent political prisoners. To facilitate these, he will call a special session of the Central Committee to approve the proposals. Needless to say, the hardliners in the Party will not be happy and will mobilize against him. He will be arrested and the Central Committee will vote him out of office and put in place a transitional committee. All this while Red Army watches on the sidelines, having the power to stop the coup if command so wished.

* If Kruglov is President or did not allow the reforms to the Presidium, the Red Army will support him and free him, arresting any rouge members of the Party. With his position secure, he will implement his proposals. He will nationalize the Red Army, releasing it from political control, and open the Union up to Western economies to help in the Union’s economic recovery. More importantly is the political devolution Kruglov will implement. The USSR will be reformed into the USSR. Well, changing the word Soviet to Sovereign. At its largest extent it will include 12 Republics (counting Russia a well, even though it is not seen as the area of Russia simply stays the USSR).
* With his job done, Kruglov will open up to the international community and will petition to, and successfully join the UN.

#### **Revolution?**

* If Kruglov opted to elect another as President, the opposition coup has a chance to succeed, and the Red Army can join the coup to depose the Kruglov government. In the wake of Kruglov’s ousting, democratic forces will fill the streets against the transitional government in support of Kruglov and his reforms. With the Red Army deployed against the rebels, Lt. Dimitry Yazov has a choice to make, crush the rebels and continue the Soviet system, or join them for a democratic Russia?
	+ If it was crushed, the opposition Party members will rule through and keep the President elected during Kruglov’s reforms, and any more reforms will be toned down considerably. If Polina was President, the Stalinist revolution will be revived and brought back, bringing about a change in ideology *(and speculation here, sub-ideology to Stalinism).*
	+ If the Lieutenant joined the rebels, the PDR (Party for the Democratization of Russia) will successfully topple the Soviet government and the **PDR Perm Underground** will temporarily take over.

The PDR will not only ban the Communist Party, but also itself, fearing it will become a one-party state. It will be succeeded by three distinct parties, though all three will be seen just a continuation of the PDR. The newly established Duma will be the way by which a President of the Republic will to be elected, and will do so every year. The three parties that field candidates (coincidentally the same three that were created from the PDR splitting) are:

* The liberal Democratic Russia, led by Mstislav Keldysh
* The conservative Independent Democratic Party of Russia, led by Viktor Davidenko
* A reformed social democrat Communist Party, led by Igor Kurchatov

    With its job done, the new democratic government will open up to the international community and will petition to, and successfully join the UN.

### **Revisionists Victory - Nikolai Bulganin**

After Bulganin is elected General-Secretary, he wastes no time in discrediting his political enemies, while promoting a new loyal NKVD Minister. To help with his administration, Bulganin will authorize the formation of two special interest groups. They will serve to influence Soviet policy while ensuring their demographic’s support.

* The National Business Council represents not only light industry, but also the middle class, and advocates for more free market policies. It is led by former GOSPLAN Chairman Maksim Saburov.

* The Rural Affairs Committee represents not only the rural populace, but also religious and socially conservative communities, and works to halt any radical social changes. It is led by head of the Council for the Affairs of the Russian Orthodox Church (established under Beria), Georgy Karpov.

A third unofficial group exists known as the National Security Group. Led by Minister of Security Affairs Semyon Ignatyev, the Group puts national security above all else, caring little for the political debates of the day as long as the Communist Party still rules a one-party Union. They can be seen in the Political Factions UI accessible through the Emblem of the Soviet Union button on the cabinet level of the country tab. The political interest groups serve Bulganin and will only help him, never move against him. A number of decisions will be available to use the groups to Bulganin’s and the Soviet’s advantage.

#### **Unification**

When Bulganin manages to reunite with not only the breakaway Soviet Governments but also that of the Russian Republic, the Soviet Union will be unified once again. What starts off as a committee to look into deteriorating working conditions that bordered on exploitation, ends with the finding of rampant corruption within the Party. Bulganin has to work fast to save its and his image.

He has two avenues of recourse:

1. Strike at the perpetrators (who also happen to be his political enemies) and remove them. In doing so will lead him to replace the head of the National Business Council with Vladimir Kirillin, and the head of the Rural Affairs Committee with Mikhail Smirtyukov.
2. Blackmail them with *kompromat* (compromising material) to stay in line. Cooperation = everyone wins and benefits.

With the issue settled, Bulganin can move on to his most ambitious project yet: the creation of a Special Economic Region. Founded in the city of Birobidzhan on the Chinese border, it hopes to prove the effectiveness of socialist market practices, fostering economic development from capitalist market principles. If successful, it is planned to open more in the future.

The Bulganin government will not only try and entice international tourists to the Soviet Union, he can also petition, and successfully join the UN as well.

### **Kalininists Victory - Ivan Turkenich**

After Turkenich is elected General-Secretary, he wastes no time in getting his political enemies to fall in line. The political factions in a Turkenich government are those he was most familiar with:

* KOMSOMOL, the Communist Youth League, who during the Kalinin government many members drifted to Kalininist thought, and is led by Alexander Milchakov.
* The Young Guards, originally a partisan group operating in German occupied lands, it now acts as a radical, extra-party faction. Originally led by Turkenich, it is now led by Victor Tretyakevich.

They can be seen in the Political Factions UI accessible through the Emblem of the Soviet Union button on the cabinet level of the country tab. Turkenich’s campaign against revisionism starts with Soviet Reformism, and through it he hopes to get back on track to socialist measures, seeing capitalist ones as reactionary.

#### **Unification**

When Turkenich manages to reunite with not only the breakaway Soviet Governments but also that of the Russian Republic, the Soviet Union will be unified once again. But all is not well, as politically the radical wings and conservative wings clash over the idealist Turkenich and their attempts to control him. He will submit to a Party Congress a motion of confidence in his leadership. If the Congress confirms its confidence in him, he will stay on to finish the fight against those who would seek to control him. Or instead, Admiral **Nikolai Kuznetsov** or **Pytor Masherov** can be elected to replace Turkenich.

* Pytor Masherov is only a candidate if he is the head of government. He can be selected as such after an event after the liberation of Belarus.

At this point Turkenich has three options, all selectable without any conditions:

1. Become a puppet of KOMSOMOL; like Kalinin was years before, a leader with no power.
2. Assert himself and enact policies he wants to.
3. Become a puppet of the Young Guard; like Kalinin was years before, a leader with no power.

Asserting himself or becoming a puppet of the Young Guard will allow for the reformation of the Comintern as a military faction. Also, for both puppet paths, the government can instigate a civil war in Afghanistan.

#### **Red Army Coup - Vasily Chuikov**

If the factions within the Party deadlock in the election for General-Secretary, the Red Army will descend on Perm, arrest leading officials and declare a junta to be headed by Red Army Commander Chuikov. As the new holder of the monopoly on power the Communist Party once held, the Red Army has no need for power struggles or special interest groups. It has one job, and one job only: to unify the Soviet Union again. The only way that can be achieved is if every man, woman, and child in the country is ready for war, a Total War.

Not everyone will be happy with this policy, and the changing conscription laws to allow all adults to serve will be the last straw. A random town category state, already angered by the re-collectivization policies (the state is shown in the ‘Local Uprising’ event from the ‘Re-Collectivize the Economy’ focus), will rebel against Chuikov.

#### **Unification**

When Chuikov manages to reunite with not only the breakaway Soviet Governments but also that of the Russian Republic, the Soviet Union will be unified once again. With his goal achieved, Chuikov, being the Cincinnatus of his day, will relinquish power back to civilian and the Party. Ivan Khokhlov will be elected as the General-Secretary.

## Economic Tree

All six paths share the same economic tree, the only difference is which branch the leader goes down: a socialist economy or a reformist one. While the tree is also shared with the Kazakh M.O., there a couple differences. The way the Palace of the Soviets is built in Moscow is changed a bit; full reconstruction is done through two decision sections. Also, once Germany has been defeated, the Soviets can build an identical Palace on the ruins of the Volkshalle, and will remove the Volkshalle model on in-game map and replace it with a Palace model.

## TLDR

### **Kalininists:**

Choose all the options which boost the Kalininsts, use the Red Army for security, and … for Suslov’s speech. After the coup, the NKVD will be discredited, and the Kalininists should have the most influence and will elect Turkenich as the new General-Secretary.

### **Revisionists:**

Choose all the options which boost the Revisionists, use the Red Army for security, and … for Suslov’s speech. After the coup, the NKVD will be discredited, and the Revisionists should have the most influence and will elect Bulganin as the new General-Secretary.

### **Orthodoxists:**

Simply choose all options which boost Orthodoxist influence, use the NKVD or Red Army, doesn’t matter, and cheers for Suslov’s speech. As long as you don’t let Beria press the members to vote in his favor (if the coup was averted) the Orthodoxists will have the most influence and will elect Suslov as the new General-Secretary.

### **NKVD Beria:**

You can choose whichever path you’d like, but make sure the NKVD is used for security, and the government averts the coup. When it is time to vote for the General-Secretary, let Beria pressure the members. If you want a free vote, just choose all the which boost the NKVD influence, … for Suslov’s speech, and avert the coup.

### **NKVD Counter-Coup:**

Take all options which boost the NKVD including using the KNVD as security before the Congress starts. When rumors a coup reach the government, disregard them. KNVD influence should be at 70 and the counter-coup will be successful.

**Army Coup:** A few different ways to get it, but way is to choose all the options which boost the Revisionists, use the Red Army for security, and choose cheers for Suslov’s speech. After the coup, the NKVD will be discredited, and the Revisionists and Orthodox should be tied at 40 for influence. When the party votes, it will stalemate and the Red Army will coup.