Part 1, Chapter 4: The White Sea Canal—Summary

As mentioned above, Russia was often very concerned about its public appearance regarding the concentration camps. When the West threatened a boycott on Russian wood, one of its main exports, Russia sought to further obscure the role of prisoners in the forestry industry and moved some of the prisoners to other industries. This led the way for the construction of the White Sea Canal, which was designed as a way for ships to get from the White Sea to Baltic ports without having to traverse the Arctic Ocean. In order to do this, 141 miles of canal would be dug, along with five dams and nineteen locks. Stalin eagerly wanted the project to take place, and especially wanted it to utilize forced labor.

The building of the canal is a chronicle of chaos...