WI: Georgy Malenkov instead of Beria in charge of the NKVD

Considering Malenkov was initially favor to succeed Yezhov in 1940, what would happen if he did?

Malenkov graduated from school with honors and became a political commissar for the Red Army in 1919 during the Russian civil war. Malenkov joined the Communist Party in 1920 and became one of Josef Stalin’s confidants, which helped him secure progressively higher promotions within the Party. He, along with Stalin’s other trusted accomplice Lavrenti Beria, executed Stalin’s purges of the 1930’s. Very telling of Malenkov’s increasing prestige in the Party is the fact that when the chief of the secret police, (NKVD) Yezhov Nikolai, fell out of Stalin’s favor in 1938, Malenkov was favored as the chief’s replacement. Beria was ultimately chosen for this position, which was perhaps the catalyst for the rivalry between the two men that was to emerge after World War II.

According to the bio of him at the Cold War Museum

How his relationship with Beria progress? Would they remain syncretic rivals/frenemies?

In terms of the Eastern Front, would Malenkov make a difference? Would he be better or worse at organizing partisans? What would he do differently?

Would Stalin fear Malenkov postwar? his fears of Beria were certainly warranted, but on the other hand, he trusted Malenkov more than Khrushchev or anyone else for that matter, IOTL enough to try and make his his successor. Could Malenkov as NKVD director still be Stalin's designated successor? If he still is i'd imagine he'd be unstoppable and Khrushchev would get curbstomped, even if he wasn't he'd be a formidable contender.
 
He would been similar to Beria, maybe even worse. Like Beria he was Stalin's lapdog and would have been thrown out as soon as the latter died.
 
However, unlike Beria, Malenkov was much more liked as a person.

In fact, many Western observers who spoke with Malenkov during negotiations noted his greater rationality and willingness for diplomacy than Beria or Khruschev.
However, Malenkov was as ruthless as Beria when it came to obliterating political threats, I would imagine that the NKDV would remain feared, but more respected than hated.
 
However, unlike Beria, Malenkov was much more liked as a person.

In fact, many Western observers who spoke with Malenkov during negotiations noted his greater rationality and willingness for diplomacy than Beria or Khruschev.
However, Malenkov was as ruthless as Beria when it came to obliterating political threats, I would imagine that the NKDV would remain feared, but more respected than hated.

I agree completely, he was ruthless, but he wasn't irrational, and he wasn't a rapist. Beria was Georgian, nobody would allow another Georgian, plus most of his people were from Georgia, Malenkov had the benefit of being from Russia, his people were Russians, he had friends in the right places. If it came down to it he could gain the favor of Bulganin, Kaganovich and Molotov, Beria never could. He had one thing Beria didn't, relationships with the right people.

Malenkov cultivated an apparatus in the heart of the empire, Beria's apparatus was on the peripheral. Combine this with Malenkov controlling the NKVD itself, and I'd say Khrushchev and Beria are toast.
 
Do you think Malenkov would kill off Khrushchev and Beria in the old Stalinist tradition? Or would he take the more humane liberalized course like Khrushchev did and just demote or send them into a early retirement. Khrushchev was the first guy who did not kill his opponents after taking power, which was a huge step after all the nastiness of Stalin.
 
Do you think Malenkov would kill off Khrushchev and Beria in the old Stalinist tradition? Or would he take the more humane liberalized course like Khrushchev did and just demote or send them into a early retirement. Khrushchev was the first guy who did not kill his opponents after taking power, which was a huge step after all the nastiness of Stalin.
I'd say that Khruschev and Beria die absolutely, especially if it happens after Stalin's death. The days that followed directly after the aforementioned event had a prevalent theme of 'kill or be killed'. However, after the direct threats are eliminated, Malenkov might be somewhat merciful to other Stalinist supporters, such as Molotov.
 
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