Iona Yakir - Political Involvements

Political Involvements

Stalin, who was consolidating his power over the country, approved Yakir's appointment to the Ukrainian Military District in 1925. However, he did not trust him fully and instructed his political ally Lazar Kaganovich to become friends with Yakir and to report about his activities. Yakir, who was a firm believer in the Communist cause, was actively involved in internal politics. He was member of the party Central Committee in Moscow and member of the Politburo of the Communist Party of Ukraine. While ingenious and independent in his thinking as a military commander, in Soviet politics he was a docile party member and followed the party Stalinist line. During the famine in Ukraine caused by Stalin's "forced collectivization" of agriculture during 1932-1933, Yakir was alarmed by the tragedy and approached Stalin with a request to soften official policies. Stalin was outraged and instructed Kaganovich to advise Yakir to limit his activities to his party assignment which was military service. Yakir obeyed. As a party member, he lacked the power of conviction and independent thinking to defy Stalin.

His blind obedience did not spare Yakir. Stalin would not allow to his military commanders any independent thinking, even in area of their professional expertise. While apparently Stalin's attitude toward Yakir was friendly, the dictator could not tolerate people like Yakir in the Stalinist totalitarian state. Starting with the Great Purge in 1936, the NKVD arrested many close associates and subordinates of Yakir. Yakir was one of few top Soviet commanders who appealed to Stalin, claiming the innocence of these officers. However, Yakir's appeals alienated Stalin even more, and Yakir was marked for persecution. To remove Yakir from his power base in June 1937, Stalin sent him to command the Kiev military district. During the Great Purge, it was a clear sign of forthcoming persecution.