Part 2, Chapter 18: Rebellion and Escape—Summary

A myth exists about the impossibility of escape from the Gulag system; however, some prisoners did manage to do just that. The camps were designed with barbed wire fences and watchtowers constructed to prevent escapes. Camps were located in places where the distance and weather created serious impediments for most of the year. Local residents in towns near the camps were also paid to turn in escapees. Authorities and guards shot any prisoner who tried to escape.

Despite these factors, prisoners still attempted to escape. No camp was completely secure, and escapes were probably more common than the memoirs suggest. Many escapees tried to reach the Finnish border and some did accomplish escape to that country. Professional criminals had perhaps the best chances for escape, as they could blend into the criminal world once...