Editing Cheka (section)

=== Number of victims ===
Estimates on Cheka executions vary widely. The lowest figures (''disputed below'') are provided by Dzerzhinsky's lieutenant [[Martin Latsis|Martyn Latsis]], limited to RSFSR over the period 1918–1920:

*For the period 1918 – July 1919, covering only twenty provinces of central Russia:
::In 1918: 6,300; in 1919 (up to July): 2,089; Total: 8,389

*For the whole period 1918–19:
::In 1918: 6,185; in 1919: 3,456; Total: 9,641

*For the whole period 1918–20:
::In January–June 1918: 22; in July–December 1918: more than 6,000; in 1918–20: 12,733.

Experts generally agree these semi-official figures are vastly understated.<ref>pp. 463–464, Leggett (1986).</ref> Pioneering historian of the [[Red Terror]] [[Sergei Melgunov]] claims that this was done deliberately in an attempt to demonstrate the government's humanity. For example, he refutes the claim made by Latsis that only 22 executions were carried out in the first six months of the Cheka's existence by providing evidence that the true number was 884 executions.<ref>[[Sergei Melgunov]], [http://www.paulbogdanor.com/left/soviet/redterror.pdf "The Record of the Red Terror"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181221170529/http://www.paulbogdanor.com/left/soviet/redterror.pdf |date=2018-12-21 }}, paulbogdanor.com.</ref> W. H. Chamberlin claims, "It is simply impossible to believe that the Cheka only put to death 12,733 people in all of Russia up to the end of the civil war."<ref name="Chamberlin">pp. 74–75, Chamberlin (1935).</ref> [[Donald Rayfield]] concurs, noting that, "Plausible evidence reveals that the actual numbers …  vastly exceeded the official figures."<ref>[[Donald Rayfield]]. ''[[Stalin and His Hangmen]]: The Tyrant and Those Who Killed for Him.'' [[Random House]], 2004. {{ISBN|0375506322}}, p. 1926: [https://books.google.com/books?id=Yi3ow3TU8-4C&pg=RA2-PA1915 GBYi].</ref> Chamberlin provides the "reasonable and probably moderate" estimate of 50,000,<ref name="Chamberlin" /> while others provide estimates ranging up to 500,000.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=sK5CJFpb2DAC&dq=lethal+politics+cheka+executions+most+probably+about+500,000&pg=PA39 p. 39], Rummel (1990).</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/2273462.stm |title=Statue plan stirs Russian row |publisher=BBC News |date=2002-09-21 |access-date=2011-07-27}}</ref> Several scholars put the number of executions at about 250,000.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=9TWUAQ7Xof8C&pg=PA28 page 28], Andrew and Mitrokhin, ''The Sword and the Shield'', paperback edition, Basic books, 1999.</ref><ref>p. 180, Overy, ''The Dictators: Hitler's Germany, Stalin's Russia'', W. W. Norton & Company; 1st American Ed edition, 2004.</ref> Some believe it is possible more people were murdered by the Cheka than died in battle.<ref>p. 649, Figes (1996).</ref> Historian James Ryan gives a modest estimate of 28,000 executions per year from December 1917 to February 1922.<ref>Ryan, James (2012). ''[https://www.routledge.com/Lenins-Terror-The-Ideological-Origins-of-Early-Soviet-State-Violence/Ryan/p/book/9781138815681 Lenin's Terror: The Ideological Origins of Early Soviet State Violence].'' London: [[Routledge]]. p. 2. {{ISBN|978-1138815681}}</ref>

Lenin himself seemed unfazed by the killings. On 12 January 1920, while addressing trade union leaders, he said: "We did not hesitate to shoot thousands of people, and we shall not hesitate, and we shall save the {{nowrap|country."<ref>pp. 72 & 73, Volkogonov (1998).</ref>}} On 14 May 1921, the [[Politburo]], chaired by Lenin, passed a motion "broadening the rights of the [Cheka] in relation to the use of the [death penalty]."<ref>p. 238, Volkogonov (1994).</ref>