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86 Cards in this Set
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Why was Russia difficult to govern?
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POPULATION
-its population was varied; different languages, religions, cultures, rules etc due to large size. Not united. -backwards nation; LEDC&underdeveloped, roads=mud, railways only starting in 1900s, journeys took weeks. -90%of people peasant farmers. AGRICULTURE -outdated farming methods; no machinery, enefficient GEOGRAPHY -very large country; not all useful, deserts, ice, forests. -Western European Russia good for farming, lots of people lived there. ECONOMY -housing overcrowded; awful living conditions-disease. -factories=horrible conditions. GOVERNMENT -Tsar Nicholas;very rich, became king 1894 -not been elected; believed he had been chosen by god-Devine right to rule -Nicholas was an autocrat; (the only ruler) autocratic government -had ministers and servants who worked for him -allowed no criticism on books or newspapers-censored -okhrana;Russian secret police, brutal, vicious workers for Nicholas. PEASANTS -very poor farmers(4 out of 5) -strip farming+basic hand tools -lived for 40 years average -when industrial revolution occurred 150 years later some peasants moved to towns and cities to work in factories etc (7/8%) WORKERS -lived in overcrowded houses next to factories; bad conditions->disease -factories not safe; bad working conditions NOBLES -very rich -probably work for government -not many; 1/2% but owned almost all of land -had servants, rent land to peasants, great living conditions |
Population
Geography Economy Government Peasants Workers Nobles |
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Which political groups opposed the tsar?
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SOCIAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY; founded in 1901, followed teachings of Karl Marx. Believed workers would revolt against tsar. In 1903 split into Mensheviks(prepared for slow change, lead by martov and trotsky) and Bolsheviks (believed small party of elite should organise revolution, lead by Lenin)
SOCIALIST REVOLUTIONARIES; founded in 1901, believed in revolution of peasants and aimed to get rid of tsar. They wanted to share land among peasants so it could be farmed in small peasant communities. Kerensky led SRs CONSTITUTIONAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY (CADETS); founded in 1905, as middle class formed, so did a demand for a democratic government. Wanted a constitutional monarch and elected parliament like Britain. Led by milyukov. OCTOBRISTS; founded October 1905. Set up after tsar issued October manifesto, followers believed tsar would carry out his policies of limited reform. Main support came from middle classes. Led by guchkov |
4 groups
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What was the October manifesto? And year
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1905
A set of promises tsar said to introduce parliament (Duma) after a few years he got rid of the parliament. |
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What was Marxism?
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The theory that poor people work to keep rich people rich. Run by Karl Marx and thought out by him.
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How to answer Q1?
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SUPPORTED INFERENCE
find something from source and support it. Nothing too obvious. Eg source a suggests that ..... I know this because it says '......' |
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1894
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Nicholas 2nd became tsar of Russia
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Why was Nicholas reluctant to become the tsar?
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Witnessed the assassination of his grandfather in 1881
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Why was Nicholas reluctant to become the tsar?
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Witnessed the assassination of his grandfather in 1881
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1914
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First World War began, real hatred for Nicholas began
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Why was Nicholas reluctant to become the tsar?
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Witnessed the assassination of his grandfather in 1881
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1914
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First World War began, real hatred for Nicholas began
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Why was Nicholas blamed for Russia's defeat in the First World War?
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He had no military experience. Russia doing badly to begin with so decided to go and run the front line then circumstances just got worse. Blamed.
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After a harsh winter in feb 1917
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Russia decided to start a revolution. Had enough.
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Provisional government problems
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-Continued war, many soldiers abandoned, set up death squads to find and execute them. Soldiers hate PG.
-unable to end food and fuel shortages, workers and peasants hate PG -peasants tried to take land of nobles, many of whom had ran away.PG sent soldiers to take land back by force. Peasants hate PG. -did little to deal with opponents. Even when Bolsheviks rebelled in July 1917 |
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What was dual government?
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PG and Soviets
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19th feb 1917
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Government officials announced rationing would start on march 1st
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What was rule number one (with soviets)
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PG would have support of Petrograd soviet as long as they stuck to their 8 promised reforms eg freedom of speech, secret police abolished, 8 hour day for workers, promise of elected parliament.
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About lenin
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Bolshevik leader
Excellent speaker Clear thinker Held Marxist view Worked against PG Stressed need to get out of war |
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What did Lenin do upon his return to Russia?
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Made a speech to the Petrograd soviet outlining April theses. Not many impressed, but came round to lenins view when first provisional government fell apart.
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Was second provisional government successful?
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(5 may 1917) had members from all main political groups except Bolsheviks. Non Bolshevik members of Petrograd soviet joined PG2 but it still didn't take Russia out of war or make reforms. People realising Bolsheviks May be only real supporters of change and ending war.
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Lenins main slogans?
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Peace bread land
All power to the soviets |
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What were the July days?
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An unplanned uprising in Petrograd. People reacting to the war, bread rationing and PGs lack of reforms. Smaller than feb but now people chanting Bolshevik slogans. PG acted like the tsar and sent troops. Trotsky and other Bolshevik leaders arrested. Lenin escaped but went into hiding.
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Third provisional government
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After July days PG again reformed now led by Kerensky->been in government from start, member of Duma and Petrograd soviet. Took him 3 weeks to choose government, chose kornilov to command army. Set out reforms of industry and land ownership before nov elections, settled workers but didn't please land and business owners. Bolsheviks carried opposing PG and warmed those who wanted tsar (prisoner) back on throne of a counter-revolution.
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What events sparked the 1917 revolution?
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On feb 21 managers of the Putilov Works (biggest factory in Petrograd) locked out some workers. This set off a strike which quickly spread to other factories in the area.
On fen 23 Russia celebrated international women's day. Large groups of women matched for equal rights. Women cloth workers were marching too against bread shortages. Other strikers joined them. Police and troops could not stop them. Next day about 150,000 workers on strike armed with metal bars and tools. Seized food from well off areas. Protested about everything. |
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What was kornilov revolt?
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Kornilov disturbed by growing unrest in towns and rising in countryside. He pushed Kerensky to impose 'material law' and break up soviets. He wanted support of soviets and kornilov but couldn't have both so told kornilov to order troops to advance on Petrograd. Then informed and armed Bolshevik red guards (imprisoned in July) and sent them to stop him. Soviet activists persuaded kornilov to stop troops, no fighting but kornilov+7000 followers arrested. Kerensky presented himself as saviour of revolution but plan didn't work, became less popular and people saw Bolsheviks as saviours instead. Many now thought Bolsheviks were party of the people. Planning to seize power.
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What was order number one?
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Set up by soviets. Said that workers and soldiers should obey orders from the provisional government only if they agreed with soviet decisions.
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Who ruled Bolsheviks after Lenin escaped after July days?
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Trotsky
Began gathering weapons for another Bolshevik takeover by red guards. |
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Why was giving the Bolsheviks weapons in kornilov revolt risky?
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Tried to overthrow Kerensky just a moth before.
Bolsheviks now out of prison, armed and still wanting a takeover. |
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What happened in October/November 1917?
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October, Lenin arrived back in Petrograd. Felt time for another revolution. Organised by Trotsky on 6th nob late at night the red guards took over petrograds bridges and telephone exchanges. By morning Petrograd cut off from rest of Russia. Next day the Bolsheviks took over government buildings, banks and the railway station. At 9:40pm on 7th November warship aurora fired on winter palace where PG was meeting. No resistance. Similar uprisings also organised in other major towns. PG left Russia. Lenins Russia. Elected a 'sovnarkom'(government) Lenin as chairman, Trotsky in charge of foreign affairs, Stalin in charge of nationalities.
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After kornilov revolt what did lenin quote?
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That the provisional government were now 'ripe for plucking'
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Hat was the group Lenin led after October revolution called?
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Council of people's commissars
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Name November decrees
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Bolsheviks revolution was success but still now need to win votes.
-Decree on land (land divided fairly among peasants) -Decree on unemployment insurance (employment insurance to be introduced against workers injury, illness and unemployment) -decree on peace (sovnarkom intended to make peace immediately with Russia's opponents in war) -decree on work (an 8 hour day and 40 hour week introduced, holidays, no overtime) -decree on titles (everyone equal-rich poor women men) -decree on the press (all non-Bolshevik newspapers banned) |
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December decrees
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-decree on workers control (all factories to be place under control of elected committees of workers)
-decree to set up the political police (Cheka formed) -decree on political parties (Russia's main liberal party, constitutional Democratic Party was banned) -decree on banking (all banks in Russia came under Sovnarkom control) -decree on marriage (couples could have non religious weddings and divorce made easier) |
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What problems did Bolsheviks face when in power?
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War
Prepare for election People starving People in countryside stealing nobles land and properties Hard to keep April theses Socialist revolutionaries more popular than Bolsheviks DISSOLUTION OF CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY elections for constituent assembly held in November 1917. Socialist revolutionaries won, Bolsheviks second. In Han 1918 constituent assembly first met, Lenin there and sent in red guards to **** it down. People not happy. Constituent assembly lasted one day. Bolsheviks not for people of Russia? |
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By 1917 nearly __ ________ Russians had been killed fighting
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2 million!
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What was treaty of Brest-litovsk?
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Not signed until march 1918.
How Russia got out of war with Germany. If would have carried on, defeated and lost a lot more. Only choice. Lenin thought there would be a workers revolution in Germany, workers would take over and kill king, Russia and Germany would be friends and treaty would be ripped up anyway. Felt need to get out of war because 2 months after PEACE bread land. Nov 1918 end of ww1 Germany looses treaty is cancelled and Lenin right. |
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March 1918?
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Treaty of Brest-litovsk signed.
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What factors affected the start of the civil war? 1918
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The tsarist years
ww1 Revolutions of 1917 MAIN ONE was the decision to dissolve the constituent assembly not long beforehand, this act lost Bolsheviks lots of supporters. Russia had been through many types of leadership with each failing to deliver. All this resulted in an outbreak of war and a fight for leadership and land. Social revolutionaries and cadets accused Bolsheviks of seizing power by force due to dissolution of.... People of Russia now had less control over who the rulers were. Country leading back to tsarist ways. A re-calling of the assembly was demanded. In 1918 open challenges to the Bolsheviks became more common. SRs tried to seize control of the Moscow soviet and assassination attempts of Lenin. Desperate economic state of Russia meant there was still famine which led to growing opposition against Bolsheviks, also Brest-litovsk meant Ukraine lost, main provider of grain for Russia. |
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Who were the whites?
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Everyone who opposed Bolsheviks.
Some military support from ex-tsarist officers. Czech legion supported whites. |
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Who were the greens?
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Opposed Bolsheviks seeking independence from Russia.
National minorities eg Georgians. Saw Bolsheviks were weak, planned to attack. |
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Who were foreign powers?
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Russia's ex-allies.
France,Britain,USA,Japan. Supported whites. Why? -Bolsheviks cancelled all paybacks of loans given by allies to Russia. -ex allies feared spread of communism to their own countries. |
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Who were the Czech legion?
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Revolted at beginning of civil war (May 1918).
Prisoners of war in Russia. 50,000 seized control of trans-Siberian railway and headed for Moscow. Attacked red army and able to drive Bolshevik troops out of Siberia. |
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Why did Bolsheviks win civil war of 1918-1921?
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-at first reds were loosing, attacked on all side by whites.
-Bolsheviks had to move to Moscow. Took desperate measures to maintain power. -in 1919 whites had weaknesses and divisions, Trotsky led and organised reds. -whites did not attack simultaneously, made it easy for reds to fight them off. -reds started war communism, all resources to army. -Trotsky led army. Introduced conscription, got together a v large army (about 5 million troops). -reds didn't believe in tsarism, supporters. -reds in central area, good communication. -use of Cheka (secret police) if didn't support reds Cheka would kill you, people scared. |
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Weaknesses of whites?
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-not united in approach. Fought separately.
-death of tsar weakened support for whites. -whites spread over large area. -morale low, many desertations. -foreign roles half hearted. |
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Was war communism effective?
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Yes- helped win war. Bolsheviks remained in power.
No-peasants produced less grain as they knew it would be seized, led to famines. Higher inflation. War communism unpopular. Industry directed to only make things needed for war. Conditions brutal. Strikes banned, people had less rights |
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March 16th 1917
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Nicholas abdicates
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Did war communism end after civil war was won?
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No
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What was Kronstadt mutiny?
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Kronstadt was a naval base near Petrograd. Sailors there used to support Bolsheviks, panic for Bolsheviks cause in feb 1921 sailors horrified by situation and pushed over edge when strike was put down in Petrograd by red army. They called for a third revolution. Motto=soviets without the Bolsheviks. Red army brutally crushed the mutiny but tenth congress of soviets were meeting at the time and decided policies of war communism had to change so NEP.
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What was NEP
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-money reintroduced. Workers paid wages. New state bank.
-state stopped taking crops from peasants if they grew more food than needed and could sell it at profit. Had to pay state 10% of profit in crops(tax). -state kept control of big industries. Factories of under 20 workers could be owned and run privately to make a profit. -state brought in experts to run factories, paid more than workers. Against communist theory but got factories working again. -anyone could open a shop to sell or hire goods for a profit. These people know as NEPmen. Some people getting very rich. Going back to tsarist ways? Lenin said only temporary. |
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Did NEP work?
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Aimed to revive industry and farming.
-agricultural production went up. More families keeping animals. -factory production went up. In June 1921 about 99% of cotton mills not working by 1926 90% working. Though process slower led to sharper rise in price of manufactures goods in 1923 but by 1924 production increased and prices began to even out. -return to using money for wages and selling goods. |
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21st January 1924
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Lenin dies.
Health poor from 1920 onwards, various strokes. Four days after death Petrograd renamed Leningrad in his honour. |
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Who were the kulaks?
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Groups of rich farmers who made a lots of money from the NEP.
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Who were NEPmen?
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Group of rich people who made lots of money from owning businesses from NEP.
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The leadership battle
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RESULT= 1929 only Stalin in charge of Russia.
Lenin dies 1924. Fight for leadership. Trotsky expected to win. Stalin didn't stand out. |
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Two wings of communist party(previously called Bolsheviks)
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Left wing
-suspicious of NEP and favoured a return to war communism. -liked Bolshevik ideals. -individuals like zinoviev and kamenev. -some support for Trotsky (people feared him) didn't trust him, didn't want a dictatorship. -'permanent revolution' Right wing -liked NEP -individuals like Bukharin. -like industrialisation and expansion of Russian economy. -socialism in one country. |
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Reasons people didn't like Trotsky
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-very clever, weird, fear knowledge.
-he's a Jew. -not a people person, not v sociable. -didn't become Bolshevik until 1917, not loyal? |
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After Nicholas abdicates..
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Taken prisoner
Kerensky set up a provisional government, promised to hold elections and split up land among peasants. At same time soldiers and workers were electing their own councils called soviets in the big cities and issuing their own orders. |
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Staking 6 steps to power.
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1. Trotsky missed lenins funeral. Stalin went, praised Lenin with a speech, said he was lenins disciple. Lenin and Stalin close?
2. Lenins will and testiment wasn't published by leading group of Russia. Contained his bad opinions on Stalin. Said 'Stalins trained to gain power, stalins rude, too rude to be a leader'. If published would have wrecked Stalins chances. No bad press on Stalin. 3. In 1924 party congress (left) join with Stalin to defeat Trotsky. Stalin now secretary of party- decided who joins, powerful position, people now owed him favours (he was 'Power of Patronage') could now persuade people to vote for him. Trotsky lost vote and job as Commissar of War. Stalin powerful, can make others less powerful. 4. 1926 Stalin turns on zinoviev and Kamenev, goes over to right (NEP supporters), right wins vote. NEP stays. Zinoviev and Kamenev loose jobs. More rivals gone. 5.1927 Trotsky zinoviev and kemenev expelled from the party. 6. Stalin turned on Bukharin and right wing. Attacked NEP and had them removed from the office. By 1929, his 50th birthday Stalin became undisputed leader if the USSR (Russia) Stalin is leader. |
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1929
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Stalin becomes leader of USSR
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1940
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Trotsky dies
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What was a kulak?
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Anyone who opposed collectivisation, enemy of the state and deported to Siberia and the Urals.
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What was a kolkhoz?
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The Russian word for a collective farm.
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How were kolkhoz's organised?
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Local communist party officials went into villages and explained how would be organised.
Most important person on a kolkhoz was the chairman, communist party member. Kolkhoz would claim ownership of animals, grain supplies and buildings in the village. By 1940 there were about 240,000 kolkhoz. Usually made up of 80 or so peasant families who farmed around 500 hectares of land. Families had to provide a fixed amount of food for the state at very low prices and peasants received a small wage. Peasants could keep any surplus. Members of kolkhoz also had own private plots of land. State provided each collective farm with machinery (tractor), other tools and seeds. In addition machine tractor stations (MTS) we're set up. Normally one of these for every 40 collective farms. Tractors and drivers from the MTS moved through collective farms to carry out the ploughing. Members of the secret police were employed in some of the first MTS. This was another way Stalin was able to gain political control over the peasants. |
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What was a Sovkhoz?
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Another type of farm, usually created from the old large estates. In the Sovkhoz all land was owned by the state, usually about 3600 hectares and unlike the kolkhoz, it had it's own tractors. Peasants worked as paid labourers and were referred to as workers. One historian has called the Sovkhoz 'a factory without a roof.
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Who was Kirov? Why was he murdered?
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Stalins popular politburo colleague and possible rival. Leading communist and when he spoke at the Seventeenth Party Congress in 1934 he criticised stalins policy on industrialisation. Said it should be slowed down. His speech had a good response (applause) there was even talk of him replacing Stalin as leader.
He was then murdersd, probably by stalins orders. Stalin claimed the miser was part of a plot a against him and the party. Secret police also arrested thousands of Kirovs supporters. |
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Why did Stalin introduce the purges?
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A number of theories and explanations for this.
1. Threats to his position, concerned that his enemies were plotting to overthrow him. However his true motive could have been to destroy any men who might form an alternative government especially the 'old Bolsheviks'. 2. Stalin not totally responsible. Others believe that once the purges started they had a snowball effect, were difficult to stop. Stalin may have started them but he lost control over them, often used by people trying to get rid of rivals who were in a superior position. 3. Links with economic policies. Purges was only way Stalin could get mass forced labour for his industrial projects? Convenient way of excusing setbacks eg failures to achieve 5 year plan targets, blame sabotage. Any person who tried to stop him achieving was a traitor. 4. Persecution complex. Some believe Stalin was suffering from a 'persecution complex' that he feared everyone was plotting against him eg murder of Kirov. |
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Key details of the purges between 1944 and 1940?
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-1934 following murder of Kirov, thousands of communist party members were arrested 40,000 in Leningrad alone.
-1935 senior communists (threats) were arrested. Party branches were told to root out anyone who has supported Trotsky in the past thousands were expelled. -1936 the 'show trials' of the the 'old Bolsheviks'. Kamenev and zinoviev along with 14 others were accused of organising Kirovs muder and plotting to assassinate Stalin. The accused were put on trial for the world to see, forced to confess to a whole load of unlikely crime including a plot to murder Lenin. The confessions were important because they made some people think that Stalin was right to purge the communist party. Trotsky (in exile) was accused of leading the plotters. Confessors were executed after the trial. They confessed because 1. They were physically and psychologically tortured by the secret police and 2 because their families were threatened with imprisonment or death. -1937 Stalin was determined to remove any possible opposition in the red army to ensure total obedience. The commander in chef and 7 generals were arrested and shot. The commanders of the armed could be powerful enough to overthrow Stalin. By 1941 almost 90% of a soviet generals had been purged. 1938- by now almost every party and leader in state had been purged. Stalin called a stop to purges (getting out of hand) he blamed secret police who were purged to remove all knowledge of what had happened. |
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Soviet in charge of army at this time, provisional government ha no real control over
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Army
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Who were NKVD (eventually purged)
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Lenins secret police called Cheka, renamed to this in 1934. Stalin expanded secret police and increased it's powers with 'decree against terrorist acts' issued after Kirovs murder, meant that could arrest people without charge or trial and execute them on the spot.
Sent out at night and nicknamed 'black ravens'. Assisted by an army of informers, informing others was a was to get a higher position in a job, showing loyalty or settling old scores. Stalin use NKVD to destroy opponents and terrorise ordinary people into obedience. People would guilty sentenced to death exile or hard labour. |
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What were gulags?
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Victims of purges sent to gulags in Siberia and arctic north. Run by secret police. Millions imprisons and made to do hard manual work on construction and mining projects. About 13 million died from cold, hunger and bad treatment. Living conditions and food supplies appalling.
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Effects of purges
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Ensured total control under Stalin.
Removed any potential rivals for leadership. Enormous human cost on Soviet Union. Loads killed and imprisoned. Soviet Union weakened. Loss of senior officer in navy and army, almost led to defeat of hitler. Undermined stalins work on building industry. Many people who were useful to Russia killed or imprisoned, weakened Russia? Nobody felt safe. Some people took advantage to get better jobs. No trust. Many people unfairly expelled from communist party. Children effected if parents purged. |
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The subject nationalities
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In 1930s a policy of Russification was attempted to try and impose Russian culture on USSR. Russian became compulsory in schools and key jobs went to Russians. Army recruits were sent away from their homelands and forced to mix with other ethnic groups, many who opposed this were purged.
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Why was collectivisation introduced?
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Fear of invasion- Stalin feared an attack from the west, industrialisation essential to win.
Disappointing output- soviet production was disappointingly low. Stalin thought control meant able to direct the economy. MORE FOOD. Industrialisation- creates more food surpluses. Soviet Union had no investments from other countries. Surpluses sold abroad= finance. Leadership- industrialisation= consolidate Stalins power as a leader. Right wing wanted NEP, industrialisation would discretely remove it. control of countryside- control over peasants through collectivisation. Lenin failed, Stalin deed mines to succeed. Stalin didn't trust peasants. Destroy kulaks- hoarded food or their own consumption. Pressure on government to remove them. |
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Why was collectivisation done before industrialisation?
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Collectivisation serves industrialisation. Collectivisation needed to be done first to provide food for workers so workers can help industrialise. To be able to sell abroad so they can buy machines to improve economy.
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Who were the gosplan?
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State planning authority.
Directed the 5 year plan. Set targets for certain industries, ensured these industries were given priority in the allocation of manpower and raw materials. Targets were often unrealistic. Targets written in five year plan. 'Those who lag behind are beaten' what Stalin said to those who complained. |
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First five year plan
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-concentrated on heavy industries (coal oil iron steel electricity)
-some consumer industries neglected (textiles and household goods) -targets unrealistic. Didn't match but not far off. -people willingly went to work, believed in creating a new society. -Massive gains made. -1500 new industrial plants were built+100 new towns. |
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Second 5 year plan (1933-37)
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-designed to build upon the secession if the first plan.
-at first set targets of consumer goods to please people. -communications improved (railway links improved) -increased fear of invasion from west. -more focus of weapons, chemicals and metallurgy. -targets for second 5YP reduced a little. Living standards didn't increase, strikes not permitted. |
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Third 5 year plan (1938-41)
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-Germany attacks Russia in 1941, 5 year plan abandoned.
-focused on luxury goods. Please them. -threat of war grew, produced armaments. |
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How did tsar make things worse in fen revolution?
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On 25th feb about 200,000 took to streets. Red flags and banners saying 'down with the tsar' and 'down with the war'. Telegram arrived from the tsar, ordered general in charge of troops to 'put down the disorders by tomorrow'. Next day on feb 26 troops ordered to fire at demonstrators. This some argue=turning point, some soldiers refused and changed sides. Only some fired. Unrest turned into revolution.
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Who were the stakhanovites?
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Alexei stakhanov was a miner. Stalin suggested he was a hero. Shifted 102 tonnes of coal in a single shift. Workers encouraged to follow his example. The stakhanovites were rewarded with medals. Propaganda. Campaign failed after a number of stakhanovites were beaten up and killed by fellow workers.
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What was Magnitogorsk?
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Huge city. Iron and steel complex. Appeared v quickly in middle of nowhere. Example/symbol of industrialisation in Russia. In 3 years grew from 25 to 250000 people.
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5 year plan success?
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-russia did see huge progress in industrialisation.
- when rest of world in depression Russia catching up. -Russia defeated Germany in ww2, down to 5 year plan? -millions dies, accidents in workplace, labour camps -Russian people suffered hard work, little consumer goods. -fell short of targets. |
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Effects of collectivisation
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-Serious famine from 1932-1933 cause death of somewhere between six and ten million peasants.
-aim of producing enough food to feed towns and red army achieved. -life on collective farms not all bad, schools and hospitals on some. -mechanisation of farming improved. -peasant opposition led to serious decline in grain production. -impact on countryside worsened by government policy of seizing grain. -rural population starved united to provide for needs of understory. -peasants moved to towns in search of food, movement stopped when government introduced passports fr moving around country. |
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May 1918
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War communism began
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Winter 1920
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Civil war over
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Main mistake made by provisional government
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Chose to carry on with the war (ww1)
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