In July 1941, amidst the turmoil of World War II and the impending threat from Nazi Germany, Joseph Stalin undertook a significant administrative reform by consolidating the Soviet Commissariats of Home Affairs and National Security into a unified organization known as the NKVD (People's Commissariat for Internal Affairs). This move was aimed at enhancing the efficiency and coordination of state security functions during a critical period for the Soviet Union. Lavrentiy Beria, previously Lesser Known, was appointed as the head of this powerful new entity, which would play a crucial role in the Soviet state's internal security apparatus.

The formation of the NKVD came at a time when the Soviet Union was grappling with external threats from the advancing German forces following Operation Barbarossa, which had commenced just weeks earlier. The NKVD emerged not only as a tool for managing internal affairs but also as a means of bolstering Soviet military capabilities, ensuring loyalty among the populace, and suppressing dissent. Under Beria's leadership, the NKVD expanded its powers significantly and was charged with guarding the state against both foreign enemies and internal opposition. This included conducting widespread purges, enforced labor camps, and political repression.

As World War II progressed, the NKVD became infamous for its secret police operations and brutal methodologies, including the notorious practice of executing perceived adversaries of the state. Beria, characterized as both ruthless and highly capable, became one of Stalin's most trusted allies, deeply entwining himself in the darker side of Soviet governance. The NKVD’s legacy would leave a lasting impact on the Soviet Union, from its military and political operations to the broader implications for civil rights and state power in the coming decades.