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'''Lavrenty Beria''' (1899-1953) was the head of the Soviet security apperatus under [[Stalin]] and a rapist<ref>[http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1080493/Stalins-army-rapists-The-brutal-war-crime-Russia-Germany-tried-ignore.html Stalin's army of rapists: The  brutal war crime that Russia and Germany tried to ignore], by Andrew Roberts, at www.dailymail.co.uk</ref>. Appointed deputy head of the [[NKVD]] (secret police) in 1938, he helped carry out the Stalinist purges. Promoted head of the NKVD in November 1938, he then purged that organisation. One of the victimes was its former chief, Yezhov, who was executed in 1940. In the 1940s Beria oversaw the Soviet atomic weaponry programme, and built up an espionage netwoprk in thye [[United States]] and [[Europe]]. In 1946 he resigned as head of the NKVD but maintained overall control of security as deputy Prime Minister.  

'''Lavrenty Beria''' (1899-1953) was the head of the Soviet security apparatus under [[Stalin]] and a rapist<ref>[http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1080493/Stalins-army-rapists-The-brutal-war-crime-Russia-Germany-tried-ignore.html Stalin's army of rapists: The  brutal war crime that Russia and Germany tried to ignore], by Andrew Roberts, at www.dailymail.co.uk</ref>. Appointed deputy head of the [[NKVD]] (secret police) in 1938, he helped carry out the Stalinist purges. Promoted head of the NKVD in November 1938, he then purged that organization. One of the victims was its former chief, Yezhov, who was executed in 1940. In the 1940s Beria oversaw the Soviet atomic weaponry program, and built up an espionage network in the [[United States]] and [[Europe]]. In 1946 he resigned as head of the NKVD but maintained overall control of security as deputy Prime Minister.  

Following Stalin's death on 5 March 1953, in which Beria may have been implicated, Beria was appointed First deputy Prime Minister, and ranked second in the Soviet heirarchy under his ally [[Georgy Malenkov]]. However, [[Nikita Khrushchev]] and [[Nikolai Bulganain]] won Malenkov over to their proposals to depose Beria following the 1953 uprising in [[East Germany]]. Beria was arrested in June 1953, and was executed by firing squad on 23 December 1953.  

Following Stalin's death on 5 March 1953, in which Beria may have been implicated, Beria was appointed First deputy Prime Minister, and ranked second in the Soviet hierarchy under his ally [[Georgy Malenkov]]. However, [[Nikita Khrushchev]] and [[Nikolai Bulganain]] won Malenkov over to their proposals to depose Beria following the 1953 uprising in [[East Germany]]. Beria was arrested in June 1953, and was executed by firing squad on 23 December 1953.  

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