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141 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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Key feature of the development of the Bolshevik party? |
• Formed in 1903, following the split in the Social Democratic Party • Led by Lenin who put forward his own interpretation of Marxism. • Played little part in the 1905 Revolution • Lenin instructed the Bolsheviks to boycott the elections for the 1906 duma. • After 1906, Lenin fought desperately to keep the party and spirit of revolution alive. Party funds were built up by a series of robberies ~ called 'expropriations' - and hundreds took place each year before 1914. • Pre-1914, Bolshevik membership never exceeded 10,000. • In 1914, the Okhrana (secret police) reported that the Bolsheviks were not a strong threat to tsarism. |
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What factors influenced the Lenin's decision to seize power? |
The All-Russian Congress of Soviets was due to meet in late October and it was possible that the Bolsheviks would not have a majority of representatives in it. If, however, the Bolsheviks overthrew the Provisional Government before this, they could present their new authority as a fait accompli, which the Congress would find difficult to reject. Furthermore, Lenin was also aware that the Bolsheviks were unlikely to win a majority of seats in the Constituent Assembly - but if they were inpower before the elections, then the results could be ignored if they were unfavourable. Lenin was calling for a revolution, but he still remained in Finland, despite the fact that the Provisional Government had released all political prisoners who had been arrested in July. In September, Lenin wrote 'History will not forgive us if we do not assume power. |
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When did Lenin return to Petrograd and what do you do as soon as he got to Petrograd? |
He finally returned to Petrograd on 7 October and then went into hiding. On 10 October, Lenin persuaded the Bolshevik Central Committee to agree in principle on an uprising, but two influential leaders — Kamenev and Zinoviev voiced strong objections. These two published their objections in a newspaper, alerting Kerensky to the Bolshevik threat. Lenin was furious. |
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What did Kerensky do you in response to the suggestion in the newspaper of a possible bolshevik revolution? |
On 23 October, Kerensky tried to remove the Bolshevik threat - he closed down the Bolshevik papers {Pravda and Izvestiya) and attempts were made to round up leading Bolsheviks. The Bolsheviks were forced into action and Lenin ordered the revolution to begin before Kerensky could capture them. Thus, ironically, Kerensky had decided the exact timing of the revolution. |
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State the basic elements of Trotsky's biography? |
As you can see from his biographical details, Trotsky was in exile at the time of the February Revolution. On his return to Russia in May 1917, he was concerned that many Mensheviks were supporting the Provisional Government. He was arrested in July as a result of his revolutionary activities and the following month he became an official Bolshevik Party member. When the Bolsheviks secured control of the Petrograd Soviet, Trotsky was elected as its leader and this became the key to his success. In October, he became the dominant member of the three-man Military Revolutionary Committee (MRC) of the Soviet. This provided a useful screen for his secret preparations. The MRC — in theory - controlled 20,000 Red Guards, 60,000 Baltic sailors and the 150,000 soldiers of the Petrograd garrison. |
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How do you Trotsky prepare for the October revolution? |
-From his office in the Smolny Institute, a building formerly used as a girls' school, Trotsky made his plans for the seizure of rhe key buildings of the Provisional Government. -In October, the Bolsheviks began to reduce their massive clcmonstraiions and street skirmishes, because the crowds were not always easy to control. -When they started preparing for the revolution, they began to rely more on small, disciplined units of soldiers and workers. The Bolsheviks, under the leadership of Trotsky, prepared for their overthrow of the Provisional Government on 24 October. |
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What was Lenin's role in the October revolution? |
The role of Lenin was crucial. Lenin persuaded Bolsheviks to oppose the war, unlike the Mensheviks and Socialist Revolutionaries. These parties were still following Marx's ideas that the workers' revolution was many years away Lenin had already changed his views in the April Theses . He gave the Bolsheviks simple slogans such as 'Peace, Land and Bread' and 'All power to the Soviets . These were easily understood by the ordinary people.Lenin had tremendous energy and vitality and his commitment to revolution spurred on the Bolsheviks. His decision to oppose the war was the key reason why Bolshevik support rose throughout 1917. He created the Red Guard and brought German money, which helped to equip them.Lenin persuaded the majority of the Central Committee to seize power in October. Trotsky organised the takeover, but without Lenin the Bolsheviks would not have even tried to remove the Provisional Government. Within a week of the revolution in Petrograd, the Bolsheviks took control of Moscow and then began the work of securing control of the whole of Russia. |
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What were the weaknesses of the provisional government |
-The Provisional Government was weak and really only a temporary body. -It had not been elected by the people of Russia. -Moreover, it had had to share power in Petrograd with the Soviet from the beginning and could not overturn Soviet Order Number One - Kerensky was never able to remove the Bolsheviks completely and during the Kornilov Revolt he had actually armed them. -As 1917 unfolded, the Provisional Government was unable to win over the support of ordinary people in Petrograd - the Bolsheviks and other parties were able to publish so much propaganda that when the crisis came in October, Kerensky received little or no help. |
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How did the lack of alternative affect the successfulness of the Bolshevik revolution? |
The many political parties did not offer clear leadership during 1917. They all became discredited because they supported the continuation of the war. This led to discontent within the army and began to make it increasingly unreliable. The elections to the Constituent Assembly were delayed and the peasants' demand for land was not addressed. Consequently, anarchy and the seizing of land in the countryside increased as 1917 wore on, and left-wing agitators infiltrated the army and destroyed the morale of the soldiers. |
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What was the government that Lenin set up after the October Revolution called and when did he set it up? |
Sovarkom 1917 short for council of people's commissars |
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What happened in the aftermath of the revolution (October)? |
During the weeks after the Bolshevik takeover, Soviets throughout Russia joined in the revolution and took control of most towns and cities. By the end of 1917, nearly all Russia was in Soviet hands. This did not mean that Lenin and the Bolsheviks had total control of Russia. Not all the Soviets were run by the Bolsheviks and, in the countryside, most peasants supported the socialist revolutionaries. |
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What in terms of the provisional government's plans threatened to compromise this new government created by Lenin? |
The provisional government had arranged for elections to be held in November for a new kind of parliament, called the constituent assembly, It seems that the socialist revolutionaries would win more votes in the Bolsheviks. If that happened the Bolsheviks would have to hand over control of Sovnarkom to their rivals. |
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How did the April thesis cause Lennon trouble after the October revolution? |
Lenin had to keep promises he had openly made in April thesis such as giving land to the peasants. |
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When were Sovnarkoms decrees? |
November and December 1917 |
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When were Sovnarkoms decrees? |
November and December 1917 |
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What were the first free decrees? |
#1decree on land – 540,000,000 acres of land taken from the tsar, The nobles, the church and other landlords. Peasant to set up a committee. to divide the land fairly. #2 Decree On Unemployment Insurance Employment insurance to be introduced for all workers against injury, illness and unemployment. #3 decree on peace Sovnarkom Intended to make peace immediately was Russia's opponents in the war. |
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When were Sovnarkoms decrees? |
November and December 1917 |
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What were the first free decrees? (November) |
#1decree on land – 540,000,000 acres of land taken from the tsar, The nobles, the church and other landlords. Peasant to set up a committee. to divide the land fairly. #2 Decree On Unemployment Insurance Employment insurance to be introduced for all workers against injury, illness and unemployment. #3 decree on peace Sovnarkom Intended to make peace immediately was Russia's opponents in the war. |
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What were the second three decrees made by Sovnarkom? (November) |
#4 decree on work An eight hour day and a 40 hour week for industrial workers to be introduced .There were restrictions on overtime and there was to be holiday entitlement for workers. #5 decree on titles All titles and class distinctions were abolished. Women were declared equal to men. #6 decree on press All non-Bolshevik newspapers were banned.
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What were the first three decrees made by Sovnarkom in December? |
#1 Decree on workers' control All factories to be placed under the control of elected commit or of workers #2 Decree to set up the political police The 'All Russian Extraordinary Commission to fight Counter-Revolution and Espionage' was formed, known as the Cheka. #3 Decree on political parties Russia's main liberal party, the Constitutional Democratic Party, was banned |
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What were the last two decrees made by Sovnarkom in December? |
#4 Decree on banking All banks in Russia came under Sovnarkom's control #5 Decree on marriage Couples could have non-religious weddings and divorce was made easier |
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When will elections is held for the constituent assembly (Russia's new parliament) |
November 1917 they were the first free elections in Russian history |
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What were the results of the elections (constituent assembly)? |
The socialist revolutionaries gained more seats in the assembly than all the other parties put together. |
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Why was Lenin concerned by the results of the elections for the constituent assembly |
Lenin was concerned that the Bolsheviks had gained only a quarter of the votes and these were primarily from the working classes of the cities. He was also concerned that some of the nationalities, such as Finns and Estonians, were trying to break away and he wanted to avoid the disintegration of Russia. |
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How did Lenin act out against the results of the constituent assembly elections? |
Lenin wrote an article for Pravda, in which he stated that, because there were Soviets in Russia, there was no need for the Constituent Assembly. |
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When did the constituent assembly first meet? |
Nevertheless, the Constituent Assembly met on 18 January 1918. |
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What was the job of the constituent assembly? |
It would have the job of drawing up a new constitution for Russia. |
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What happened during this first meeting of the constituent assembly? |
The Bolsheviks and the left-wing SRs proposed that the power of the Assembly be limited. When this was defeated, Lenin made his decision to dissolve it. Less than 24 hours after the Assembly had met,Lenin gave the order to dissolve it. Bolshevik Red Guards killed and wounded more than 100 people who demonstrated in support of the Assembly outside the Tauride Palace. Two leaders of the Cadets were killed in a hospital. The Red Guards then prevented the elected Deputies from entering the Assembly and closed it down .Lenin had removed a threat to the Bolsheviks andSovnarkom at a stroke. |
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What was Lenin's view on the war? |
Lenin had opposed the war against Germany from. the very beginning, and much of the support the Bolsheviks had gained came from their opposition to the conflict. He was aware that if the Bolsheviks were to hold on to the power they had won in October 1917, then there would have to be an immediate peace settlement. His greatest concern was that any prolongation of the war would mean that the army would not continue to support him. |
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When and where were the peace talks with Germany? |
Peace talks with Germany began on 3 1917 and Lenin sent Trotsky (Commissar jbr Foreign Affairs) as Russia's representative. Talks were held at Brest-Litovsk, near the German border. |
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What do you Trotsky try to achieve during the Brest-Litovsk meeting? |
Trotsky and his negotiating team tried to prolong the talks as long as possible, because they believed that workers in central Europe were on the brink of revolution. Wlien this revolution came, the war would end and then Germany and Russia would make a fair peace. |
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What forced Lenin's hand into making peace with the Germans? |
As the German army advanced into Russia in February 1918, Lenin's hand was forced and he decided to make peace. |
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What were the terms of the treaty? (Brest-Litovsk) |
The terms of the treaty were the harshest possible and Lenin was heavily criticised by many Bolsheviks. For Lenin and Trotsky, Russia's suffering was a small price to pay for the coming world socialist revolution. |
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What led to the treaty in terms of Lenin's actions and what effects dos the treaty actually have? |
Lenin won the debate in the Bolshevik Party about the treaty, but only by the narrowest of margins.His gamble paid off, because with the arrival of US troops and the failure of the German Spring Offensive, war in Europe was over in the autumn of 1918 and the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk became meaningless. The defeat of Germany now meant that the treaty had no legality. |
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What are the threat other than the Germans came to light in 1918? |
Just as the major danger of Germany was removed. Lenin had to face internal threats and, by the spring of 1918, Russia was convulsed by civil war. |
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What was the basics of the Civil War? |
The Russian Civil War lasted for almost three years niul involved many groups. Furthermore, it was complicated by the involvement of many foreign countries, all of whom had been Russia's allies in the First World War. The civil war seemed to bring together all the problems of the tsarist years, the First World War and the revolutions of 1917. |
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What led to the treaty in terms of Lenin's actions and what effects dos the treaty actually have? |
Lenin won the debate in the Bolshevik Party about the treaty, but only by the narrowest of margins.His gamble paid off, because with the arrival of US troops and the failure of the German SpringOffensive, war in Europe was over in the autumn of 1918 and the Treaty of Brest-Lkovsk became meaningless. The defeat of Germany now meant that the treaty had no legality. |
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How was the decision to dissolve the constituent assembly A major factor in the start of the civil war? |
The decision to dissolve the Constituent Assembly in 1918 did not win the Bolsheviks any friends. The Social Revolutionaries (SRs) and Cadets accused the Bolsheviks of seizing power by force and demanded the re-calling of the Assembly.They were seeking an opportunity to attack the Bolsheviks. In 1918, open challenges to the Bolsheviks became more common. The SRs tried to seize control of the Moscow Soviet and there were even several assassination attempts on Lenin. |
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What are the factors encouraged the development of the Civil War? |
The desperate economic state of many parts of Russia meant that there was still hunger within the country and this led to growing opposition to the Bolsheviks. The starvation worsened after the Brest-Litovsk treaty when the Ukraine was lost, as the Ukraine was the main provider of grain for Russia.The different groups that opposed the Bolsheviks are explained in the following boxes: |
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What were "the whites" in the Civil War? |
The zcollective name for those who opposed the Bolsheviks (the Keels) was the Whites. The Whites had some military support from ex-tsarist officers and were in a position to fight the Bolsheviks - for example, there was General Denikin in the Caucasus, General Yudenich in Estonia and Admiral Kolchak in Siberia. The Czech Legion gave its support to the White generals. |
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Who were "The greens"? |
The national minorities, such as the Georgians, saw an opportunity to establish their independence from Russia. If the Bolsheviks were weak and could be attacked on many fronts, then independence was a possibility. Those who fought the Bolsheviks as groups seeking independence from Russia were known as the Greens. |
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What were "The foreign powers"? |
Russia s ex-allies, Britain, France, the UbA and Japan, all intervened in the war to support the Whites for several reasons: 1 Lenin had withdrawn from the war and signed the Treaty of Brest-Liovsk. The Bolsheviks cancelled payments of all loam given by the Allies to Russia. ( Britain, France and the USA feared the spread of communism to their own countries. British troops landed in Murmansk in the north, in support of General Yudenich, while Japanese troops landed in the Far East at Vladivostock. British and French troops also supported General Denikin in the south, while the USA sent arms and supplies to help the Whites. |
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Who were "the Czech Legion"? |
There is no specific date that marks the start of the civil war but, by May 1918, events escalated when the Czech Legion revolted. Around 50,000 Czechs, who were prisoners of war in Russia, seized control of the Trans-Siberian railway and began to head for Moscow. They attacked the Red Army and were able to drive Bolshevik troops out of Siberia. |
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How are the Reds fairing at the start of the civil war? |
At the start of the war, the Bolshevik (Lenin by this time was using the term Communist) government had to move to Moscow and took desperate protective measures to maintain their power. At first the civil war did not go well for the Reds. They were attacked on all sides by White armies led by experienced commanders and suffered defeat after defeat in 1918 and early 1919: • General Yudenich, with British support, attacked from the north-west and threatened Petrograd. • General Denikin, supported mainly by the French, threatened the south, especially the Ukraine. • With British support. Admiral Kolchak attacked from the east. |
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What were the red strengths? |
-The Reds adopted the policy of War Communism , which meant that all necessary resources were poured into the army ~ even if this meant peasants and workers went hungry -The Red Army was ably led by Trotsky. Conscription was introduced for men aged 18-40, and Trotsky was given the job of organizing the enlarged Red Army. Trotsky's army did not have enough officers and so he cleverly recruited former officers of the tsar's army. There were about 22,000 such officers, who were often blackmailed into fighting for the Bolsheviks. -The Red Army eventually had some five million troops Peasants would often not support the Whites because they feared that the old tsarist system would be restored - for such people, the Bolsheviks were the lesser of two evils. -The use of the Cheka (secret police) terrified ordinary Russians. Those found to have helped the Whites or Greens could expect no mercy. Some estimates put the deaths at the hands of the Cheka as high as 50,000 during the civil war. (Estimates for those killed by the Whites are even higher.) |
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What were the white weaknesses? |
-The Whites were not united in their approach and operated as separate groups. The death of the tsar also weakened support for the Whites, especially from those who had supported his restoration. Nicholas and his family had been kept prisoner by the Reds in Siberia and, later, at Ekaterinburg in the Urals. However, by July 1918, Admiral Kolchak's White armies were approaching Ekaterinburg. Rather than allow the royal family to fall into the hands of the Whites, the Red Guards took them to a cellar where they were shot at point blank range. In later years, there were claims that one of the tsar's daughters, Anastasia, had survived. This seems very unlikely and, in any case, the claims were made by people who believed they would inherit the Romanov dynasty millions. Whites were spread over large areas, whereas the Reds were in a central area with good communications. Morale in the White armies was often low and there were many desertions Foreign intervention from Britain, France and the USA was half-hearted and served only to increase support for the Communists. |
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How did the tide begin to turn in the Civil War? |
However, in 1919 the tide beean to turn, due to the leadership and organisation of Trotsky and the weaknesses and divisions of the Whites, who did not attack simultaneously. By mid-1919 Yudenich was within 48 kilometres of Petrograd. However,his army was defeated by the stubborn resistance of the Red Army led by Trotsky.In the south, Denikin advanced to within 320 kilometres of Moscow. However, a determined counter-attack by Red forces forced Denikin's army to retreat. In the east, Kolchaks army suffered from internal divisions and differences. For example, the Social Revolurionaries refused to fight with Kolchak. In 1920 Kolchak himself was shot. The table opposite shows in more detail why the ride turned for the Bolsheviks in 1919. |
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What was war communism? |
The measures that Lennon and the communists took to keep the army supply during the civil war came known as a war communism. War communism was not one particular law passed by the Bolsheviks. It was a whole series of laws or measures by which the government took control of the economy. |
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So what economic reasons was war communism introduced? |
The peasants wanted to keep the land they have been given but were unwilling to sell the food they grew. Lenin wanted to control the supply of food for the towns. |
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So what economic reasons was war communism introduced? |
The peasants wanted to keep the land they have been given but were unwilling to sell the food they grew. Lenin wanted to control the supply of food for the towns. |
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What was the social reasons for why war communism will introduced? |
There was severe shortages of food and other basic necessities in Russia. Prices had risen rapidly and there was inflation. |
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What were the political reasons for why war communism was introduced? |
The policy followed the Communist idea of central control and direction of the Economy. |
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What was the military reasons for why war communism was introduced? |
The Bolsheviks had to guarantee supplies for the huge red Army during the civil war against the whites. |
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What did Lenin set up by the middle of 1918? |
Lenin set up the Supreme Council of N£ Economy (Vesenkha) to create a planned economy and a fair society. |
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What were the main features of war communism? |
By the middle of 1918, War Communism meant that the government controlled every aspect of economic life. The main features of War Communism were: • Rationing of food in cities was to be strictly applied during food shortages. • Private trading was banned. Peasants could no longer sell their surplus food for profit but had to give it to the government. Lenin ordered squads into the countryside to seize food if peasants proved unwilling to surrender their produce. • Factories with more than ten workers were nationalised. This meant that the state now owned the factories. Vesenkha decided how -much was to be produced in each industry. Workers were under government control and could be told where to work. • Rapid inflation, which left money valueless. People had to barter, which meant exchanging goods rather than using money.
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What were the consequences of war communism? |
In theory, Lenin's decision to introduce War Communism was sound, but practically it was flawed. Both workers and peasants objected to it and, as a result, productivity fell Weir Communism was successful on one level because it supplied the Red Army with food and enabled the victory over the Whites. However, the policy failed to create the Utopian communist state Lenin hoped for. - Peasants did not respond well to the idea of giving up produce to the state, and so they grew less and bred fewer animals. The resulting food shortage in 1920 developed into a famine In 1921. It has been estimated that about seven million people died during the famine. There had to be international aid for Russia in the crisis. A group called Workers' Opposition was formed to press for changes to the policy. One of the groups calls was for 'Soviets without Communists'. |
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What does this image show ? |
The photograph below shows the greatest challenge for Lenin and Trotsky over War Communism, the Kronstadt Naval Rebellion in 1921. Thousands of sailors protested at events in Russia and objected, like the Workers Opposition, to the way the Communist Party (the Bolsheviks were now called Communists) was taking power away from the Soviets. |
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What did the Kronstadt sailors demand? |
-All political prisoners belonging to Socialist parties to be set free. -Because the present Soviets do not express the will of the workers and peasants, new elections should he held. -Freedom of speech and press to be granted to workers and peasants.(CENSORSHIP) -Also freedom of assembly and of trade unions and peasants' associations. PECA |
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How did the Bolsheviks react? (Kronstadt mutiny) |
Lenin wanted no opposition and decided to stop the protests. Trotsky had to use the Red Army to put down the rebellion and 20,000 men were killed or wounded in the fighting. The surviving rebels were either executed by the Cheka or put in a gulag. For other opponents, the end of the rebellion meant the end of any hope of removing the Communists. Lenin realised he had to change the policy - for him, Kronstadt was the 'flash that lit up reality'. In March 1921, Lenin abandoned War Communism and introduced the New Economic Policy in its place. |
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What were the reasons that the new economic policy was introduced? (NEP) |
The New Economic Policy (NEP) was intended by Lenin primarily to meet Russia's urgent need for food. If the peasants could not be forced, then they must be persuaded. He also felt that the new policy would give Russia some breathing space after a period of almost eight years' war. There were some Communists who felt that they were betraying the revolution by reverting back to capitalism. |
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What did NEP state? |
The NEP said that: • peasants would still have to give a fixed amount of grain to the government, but they could sell their surplus for profit again • peasants who increased their food production would pay less tax • factories with less than 20 workers would be riven back to their owners and consumer goods could be produced and sold for profit • people could use money again and a new trouble was introduced • key industries, such as coal and steel, still remained under state control. |
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What does NEP state #2? |
The NEP also included the electrification of Russia. Lenin was convinced that electrical power was the key to economic growth. A network of power stations was established in the years after 1921. NEP also encouraged foreign trade with countries such as Britain because Lenin believed that the move towards capitalism would finally destroy communism in Russia. Over the next few years, there were large-scale exchanges of Western industrial goods for Russian oil and wheat. |
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When did Lenin die and what affect did this have on the debate over NEP? |
Debate about the NEP continued throughout its existence. However, when Lenin died in 1924, the debate was set to become ever fiercer within the Communist Party. |
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What did Trotsky think of NEP? |
Trotsky described the New Economic Policy as the 'first sign of the degeneration of Bolshevism'. |
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What did Trotsky think of NEP? |
Trotsky described the New Economic Policy as the 'first sign of the degeneration of Bolshevism'. |
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What were the points made by those who criticised NEP |
One rumour had it that the letters NEP stood for 'New Exploitation of the Proletariat'. Those who criticised the NEP said that a new class was created - NEPMEN . This term was applied to those who stood to gain from the capitalism permitted under the new policy: these were the kulaks, the retailers and the small manufacturers. It was said that greed and selfishness were returning to Russia. However, there was clearly an economic recovery under the New Economic Policy. |
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State two figures that improved under NEP? |
In agriculture grain harvest per million tonnes went from 37.6 in 1921 to 72.5 1925. In industry amount of finished cloth reduced per million metres went from 105 in 1921 to 1688 in 1925. ElectricityPer million Kwhs went from 520 in 1921 to 2925 in 1925. |
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State the main events of Stalins life from 1879 to 1899? |
Stalin was born in 1879 in the state of Georgia, the son of a bootmaker. His real name was Joseph Djugashvili. He was from a poor background and had a harsh upbringing. Nevertheless, his mother was determined that he should do well and she worked hard to pay for his education. Indeed, he gained a scholarship to a college for training priests in Tiblisi. However, he lost interest in God when he discovered Marxism and, in 1899, was expelledfrom the college. |
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For the key events in Stalin's life from 1899 to 1917? |
He greatly admired the writings of Lenin and became a member of the Bolshevik Party, taking the name of Stalin, meaning 'Man of Steel'. In the period after 1902, he became an active revolutionary, taking part in over 1000 raids to seize money for the party. He was arrested and exiled to Siberia eight times, escaping on seven occasions. |
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What are the key events in Stalin's life from 1917 to 1922? |
He was freed from exile in 1917 and returned to Petrograd to become editor of Pravda, the Bolshevik newspaper. The evidence suggests he played little role in the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917 (see page 42). Nevertheless, he was made Commissar of Nationalities in Lenin's government and crushed a rebellion in his own state of Georgia with great brutality. In 1922, he was given what was regarded as the most boring and dull of jobs,General Secretary of the Bolshevik Party, responsible for the day-to-day running of the Party and the appointment and dismissal of key members. |
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How did Lenin's death affect rivalry between different members of the Bolshevik party? |
After Lenin s death in 1924 there was a struggle for power in Russia. There were five possible candidates to succeed Lenin. If you had been able to place a bet on the successful candidate, the odds would have read something like those in the betting shop below. By 1928 Stalin had emerged as leader. Why was the rank outsider successful? |
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How did Lenin's death affect rivalry between different members of the Bolshevik party? |
After Lenin s death in 1924 there was a struggle for power in Russia. There were five possible candidates to succeed Lenin. If you had been able to place a bet on the successful candidate, the odds would have read something like those in the betting shop below. By 1928 Stalin had emerged as leader. Why was the rank outsider successful? |
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What were Leon Trotsky's main good points? |
Leon Trotsky 2/1 favourite He had organised the successful Bolshevik Revolution of 1917 and led the Red Army to victory in the Russian Civil War. He was very intelligent and Lenin's choice as his successor. |
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How did Lenin's death affect rivalry between different members of the Bolshevik party? |
After Lenin s death in 1924 there was a struggle for power in Russia. There were five possible candidates to succeed Lenin. If you had been able to place a bet on the successful candidate, the odds would have read something like those in the betting shop below. By 1928 Stalin had emerged as leader. Why was the rank outsider successful? |
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What were Leon Trotsky's main good points? |
Leon Trotsky 2/1 favourite He had organised the successful Bolshevik Revolution of 1917 and led the Red Army to victory in the Russian Civil War. He was very intelligent and Lenin's choice as his successor. |
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What were Lev Kamenev main good points? |
Lev Kamenev 20/1 outsider Although he angered Lenin by opposing the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917, he was made the leader of the Bolshevik Party in Moscow. |
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What were Josef Stalins main good points? |
oseph Stalin 100/1 rank outsider He had played little part in the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917. Moreover Lenin, himself, did not want Stalin to succeed him and, in his last testament, tried to warn other leading Bolsheviks about him |
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What were Josef Stalins main good points? |
oseph Stalin 100/1 rank outsider He had played little part in the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917. Moreover Lenin, himself, did not want Stalin to succeed him and, in his last testament, tried to warn other leading Bolsheviks about him |
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What were Grigory Zinoviev's main good points? |
Gregory Zinoviev 15/1 outsider He had helped Lenin to set up the Bolshevik Party in 1903. During Lenin's government he was made the Bolshevik Party boss in Petrograd and was head of the Comintern, the organisation through which Soviet Russia tried to bring about Communist revolutions in other countries. |
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What were Josef Stalins main good points? |
oseph Stalin 100/1 rank outsider He had played little part in the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917. Moreover Lenin, himself, did not want Stalin to succeed him and, in his last testament, tried to warn other leading Bolsheviks about him |
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What were Grigory Zinoviev's main good points? |
Gregory Zinoviev 15/1 outsider He had helped Lenin to set up the Bolshevik Party in 1903. During Lenin's government he was made the Bolshevik Party boss in Petrograd and was head of the Comintern, the organisation through which Soviet Russia tried to bring about Communist revolutions in other countries. |
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What were Nikolai Bukharins main good points |
Nikolai Bukharin 25/1 outsider He was a leading Bolshevik who had opposed the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk by which Russia lost much land to Germany in March 1918. He was a firm supporter of Lenin's New Economic Policy. |
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How did Stalin remove his rivals interms of Lenin's will and testament? |
Lenin's Testament meant that Stalin had little or no chance of winning the leadership contest. However, he cunningly persuaded other members of the Central Committee, especially Kamenev and Zinoviev, to keep the Testament secret for the sake of Party unity and because it also criticised them. |
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How did Stalin remove his rivals in terms of Lenin's funeral? |
Lenin's Funeral Stalin successfully presented himself as Lenin's close follower. For example, Stalin appeared as the chief mourner at Lenin's funeral, while Trotsky was conspicuous by his absence. Trotsky was ill and Stalin tricked him into believing the funeral was the following day. Trotsky was seen as arrogant and disrespectful of Lenin because he could not be bothered to turn up for his funeral. |
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How did Stalin remove his rivals in terms of the assassination of Trotsky? |
In 1929 Trotsky was expelled from the Soviet union. In 1937 he settled in Mexico, where he wrote many articles attacking Stalin, who saw him as a major threat.on 20th of August 1940 Trotsky was assassinated by hide hitman, Ramon Mercador who put a ice pick through his head. |
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How did you stall in a move his rivals in terms of "socialism in one country"? |
'Socialism in One Country" Stalin worked closely with Zinoviev and Kamenev and, in 1925, they forced Trotsky to resign as Commissar of War. He no longer had control of the Red Army. Moreover, Stalin packed the Congress of Soviets with his supporters to gain support for his policy of 'Socialism in One Country. |
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How did Stalin remove his rivals in terms of Zinoviev and Kamanev? |
Zinoviev and Kamenev In 1926 Stalin worked with Bukharin and the right wing of the Communist Party, who supported his idea of 'Socialism in One Country, against Zinoviev, Kamenev and Trotsky who, in 1927, were all expelled from the Party. |
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How did Stalin remove his rivals in terms of the Bukahrin? |
By 1928 Stalin felt strong enough to turn against Bukharin and his supporters on the right wing of the Party. They supported the NEP, which Stalin wanted to abandon and replace with a new policy of industrial expansion. In 1929, Bukharin was forced to resign. |
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What were the strengths of Stalin #1? |
Stalin held the key role of General Secretary in Communist Party. He used this position to appoint officials who supported him and he removed known supporters of Trotsky in order to build up a power base. He soon commanded the support of most Party officials. |
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What was the strength of Stalin #2? |
He built up an image of someone who had been close to Lenin, and was therefore his natural successor. He was the chief mourner at Lenin s funeral and made a speech praising him. He had photos published showing him at Lenins side. |
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What are the strengths of Stalin #3? |
Stalin cleverly played off his rivals against each other. He knew that Kamenev and Zinoviev feared Trotsky and used their support to remove him. He then allied himself with Bukharin and the right wing of the Party to remove Kamenev and Zinoviev. |
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How did Stalin remove his rivals in terms of Lenin's funeral? |
Lenin's Funeral Stalin successfully presented himself as Lenins close follower. For example, Stalin appeared as the chief mourner at Lenins funeral, while Trotsky was conspicuous by his absence. Trotsky was ill and Stalin tricked him into believing the funeral was the following day. Trotsky was seen as arrogant and disrespectful of Lenin because he could not be bothered to turn up for his funeral. |
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How did Stalin remove his rivals in terms of the assassination of Trotsky? |
In 1929 Trotsky was expelled from the Soviet union. In 1937 he settled in Mexico, where he wrote many articles attacking Stalin, who saw him as a major threat.on 20th of August 1940 Trotsky was assassinated by hide hitman, Ramon Mercador who put a ice pick through his head. |
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How did you stall in a move his rivals in terms of "socialism in one country"? |
'Socialism in One Country" Stalin worked closely with Zinoviev and Kamenev and, in 1925, they forced Trotsky to resign as Commissar of War. He no longer had control of the Red Army. Moreover, Stalin packed the Congress of Soviets with his supporters to gain support for his policy of 'Socialism in One Country. M |
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How did Stalin remove his rivals in terms of Zinoviev and Kamanev? |
Zinoviev and Kamenev In 1926 Stalin worked with Bukharin and the right wing of the Communist Party, who supported his idea of 'Socialism in One Country, against Zinoviev, Kamenev and Trotsky who, in 1927, were all expelled from the Party. |
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How did Stalin remove his rivals in terms of the Bukahrin? |
By 1928 Stalin felt strong enough to turn against Bukharin and his supporters on the right wing of the Party. They supported the NEP, which Stalin wanted to abandon and replace with a new policy of industrial expansion. In 1929, Bukharin was forced to resign. |
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What were the strengths of Stalin #1? |
Stalin held the key role of General Secretary in Communist Party. He used this position to appoint officials who supported him and he removed known supporters of Trotsky in order to build up a power base. He soon commanded the support of most Party officials. |
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What was the strength of Stalin #2? |
He built up an image of someone who had been close to Lenin, and was therefore his natural successor. He was the chief mourner at Lenin s funeral and made a speech praising him. He had photos published showing him at Lenins side. |
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What are the strengths of Stalin #3? |
Stalin cleverly played off his rivals against each other. He knew that Kamenev and Zinoviev feared Trotsky and used their support to remove him. He then allied himself with Bukharin and the right wing of the Party to remove Kamenev and Zinoviev. |
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What was Stalin strengths #4? |
to remove Kamenev and Zinoviev. > He promoted Socialism in One Country, which won popular support within the Communist Party because it suggested that the Soviet Union should concentrate on securing communism at home before it supported revolutions abroad. |
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What were the weaknesses of Trotsky #1? |
Trotsky was seen by many Party members as an outsider, partly because he was Jewish, but also because, from 1903 to 1917, he had been a Menshevik, only changing to the Bolshevik Party shortly before the October Revolution. |
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What were the weaknesses of Trotsky #2? |
He made a series of tactical mistakes and allowed himself to be out-manouevred by Stalin. As leader of the Red Army, he had the power to remove his leader. Instead, he resigned as commander. In addition, he was not prepared to canvas support from his colleagues or rank-andfile members of the Communist Party. |
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What are the weaknesses of Trotsky #3? |
Trotsky promoted world revolution. He wanted the Soviet Union to support communist revolutions in other countries. However, most Russians preferred to concentrate their resources and energy on fully establishing communism in the Soviet Union ('Socialism in One Country). |
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What were the purges? |
In the 1930s, Stalin embarked on a series of purges, which led to the death and imprisonment of millions of Soviet people. No one was immune. Stalin purged anyone who held up, criticised or opposed his plans for collectivisation and industrialisation. Most of the accused were deported or imprisoned. Some were shot. The first victims were managers and workers accused of wrecking the first Five-Year Plan, kulaks accused of opposition to collectivisation and ordinary Party members accused of incorrect attitudes. The following flow diagram shows the key features of Stalin's purges. |
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Why did Stalin introduce the purges?#1ThreatsToHisPosition |
Stalin was concerned that his enemies were plotting to overthrow him. His real motive may have been to destroy any men who might form an alternative government - especially the 'Old Bolsheviks'. |
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Why did Stalin introduce the purges? #2StalinWasNotTotallyResponsible |
2. Stalin not totally responsible Others believe that once the purges started they had a snowball effect and were difficult to stop. Stalin may have started them but lost control at local level where they were often used by unscrupulous people to get rid of rivals or those in a coveted superior position. |
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Why did Stalin introduced the purges? #FreeLinksWithEconomicPolicies |
One theory argues that it was the only way Stalin could get mass forced labour for his industrial projects. The purges were also a convenient way of excusing setbacks. For example, failures to achieve targets under the Five-Year Plans (see page 106) could be blamed on sabotage rather than faults in the Plan. Stalin was convinced that he was the only person who could transform the Soviet Union into a modem, industrialised country and that it had to be done quickly. He believed that Hitler would attack the USSR and that it would lose the war if it could not produce enough armaments. Any person who tried to stop him accomplishing this great task was, in Stalins eyes, a traitor. |
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Why Stalin introduced the purges #4PersecutionComplex? |
4. Persecution complex Some writers, including British writer C. P. Snow, believe Stalin was suffering from a persecution complex - that he feared everyone was plotting against him. The murder of Kirov is an example of this. |
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What was the murder of Kirov? |
Stalin decided that his popular Politburo colleague, Kirov, was a possible rival. Kirov, a leading communist, spoke at the Seventeenth Party Congress in 1934. He criticised Stalin's policy on industrialisation and insisted that it should be slowed down. Kirovs speech was warmly applauded and there was even talk of him replacing Stalin as leader. He was murdered, probably on Stalins orders. Stalin claimed the murder was part of a plot against him and the Party. The secret police arrested thousands of Kirovs supporters. |
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What was the Cheka? |
The secret police Lenin set up his own secret police known as the Cheka, which was renamed the OGPU in 1922. In 1934, its name was changed again - to the NKVD. |
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How were the purges carried out? |
The purges were implemented by the secret police and many of those purged ended up in labour camps known as Gulags. |
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How did Stalin increase the power of the secret police? |
Stalin expanded the secret police and gave it greatly increased powers with the 'decree against terrorist acts, issued after Kirov's murder. This meant they could arrest people without charge or trial and execute them on the spot. |
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What was the nickname of the secret police? |
The secret police were sent out at night and were nicknamed the 'black ravens', because they drove round in black cars. They liked to call in the early hours of the morning. |
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How was the secret police assisted? |
They were assisted by an army of informers. Even children were encouraged to inform on their parents, neighbours and school friends. Informing on others was a way of showing your loyalty, of settling old scores and of getting someone else's more senior job or position. |
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In what way was the secret police used by Stalin? |
The NKVD was used by Stalin to hunt down and destroy his opponents and terrorise ordinary people into obedience. People found guilty of opposition or disobedience were sentenced to death, exile or hard labour. The most notorious head of the secret police was Yezhov who was himself purged in 1938. |
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Where were victims of the purges sent? |
The labour camps Victims of the purges were sent to the gulags, which were set up In Siberia and the Arctic north. They were run by the secret police. Millions of people were imprisoned and forced to do hard manual work on construction and mining projects. |
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What were the labour camps like? |
About thirteen million died from cold, hunger and ill-treatment. Living conditions were appalling and food supplies totally inadequate. In 1928, there were around 30,000 prisoners in the labour camps. By 1938, it was around seven million. |
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What were the show trials? |
The show trials began in 1936. In that year, Stalin began purging the Communist Party of anyone who might oppose him, especially l6kl Bolsheviks', such as Kamenev and Zinoviev. Aloiig with fourteen others, they were accused of organising Kirovs murder and plotting to assassinate Stalin. The accused were put on trial in full view of the world. They were forced to confess to a whole range of improbable crimes, including a plot to murder Lenin. The confessions were important because they appeared to show that Stalin was right to purge the Communist Party. Trotsky, now in exile, was accused of leading the plotters. |
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Why did people in the show trials confessed to such crimes? |
Such confessions did not help the accused, as they were executed after the trials. They confessed for a number of reasons: first, because they were physically and psychologically tortured by the secret police second, because their families were threatened with imprisonment or death. |
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What was the human cost of the purges? |
The purges did ensure total control under Stalin, with the removal of any potential rivals to his leadership. However, they had a devastating effect on the Soviet Union. The human cost was enormous. It is impossible to know how many were killed or imprisoned. However, in 1988 the KGB - the name for the secret police at that time - allowed some NKVD files to be examined. |
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How did the purges affect the USSRs war effort |
The USSR was seriously weakened with the loss of its senior ofificers in the army and navy. This almost led to defeat in 1941 when Hitlers armies invaded. |
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How did the purges affect industry? |
The purges undermined much of Stalin's earlier work on building up industry (see page 106). Able scientists, adminiscrators and engineers were arrested, executed or imprisoned, which affected the quality of what was being produced. |
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How did the purges affect Russias people? |
Every part of Russia was affected. No village, no home, not even Stalins own family could escape. His cousins and in-laws were victims of the Terror. Anyone could receive a knock on the door in the middle of the night and be dragged away by the secret police. No one felt secure. Some people took advantage to denounce neighbours or workmates and get their jobs. All trust disappeared. Eventually, the secret police had files on half the urban population in the Soviet Union. |
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How did the purges affect family life? |
Many were unfairly expelled from the Communist Party. This often had cruel consequences. Without the Party card, it was impossible to get a job. This punished the whole family. When both parents of one 13-year-old girl were arrested she was forced to live on the streets. In order to survive she had to tell the Young Pioneers that her parents were spies and deserved to be shot. |
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What was Stalins view on the separatist groups growing amongst minorities in Russia? |
Stalin was from Georgia, an area that for a long time wanted self-government and even independence. Unlike Lenin, however, Stalin had no sympathy with these national groups. In the 1930s, a policy of'Russification9 attempted to impose Russian culture on the 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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What was the 'cult of personality' |
One of the key features of any totalitarian state is to glorify the leader and turn them into an almost god-like being. This 'cult of personality' was developed by Stalin, using the skills of propaganda he had developed as editor of Pravda. |
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How was propaganda used in the cult of Stalin? |
Stalin's name and picture were everywhere. Streets and cities were named after him and poems and plays were written about him. Newspapers constantly carried stories of his wonderful achievements and they gave him nicknames such as 'Man of Steel', 'Shining Sun of Humanity' or Vozhd (the Boss). He created the image of himself as a caring leader whose genius had saved the Soviet Union from its enemies and made it the envy of the world. Huge parades in Red Square in Moscow, films, statues and paintings all showed how fortunate the Soviet people were to have such a great leader. |
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How where artists forced to make this kind of propaganda for the "cult of Stalin" |
Artists, writers and film-makers were instructed to produce works in praise of Stalin and his achievements. Ordinary people were told that Stalin was the centre of all that was good and wise. He promised to reward those who were loyal to him with better housing and promotion at work. Party members, such as Avdienko in Source B, were forever praising his achievements. |
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How did Stalin change history? |
Stalin had to rewrite history to glorify his own part in the past, especially the Bolshevik Revolution, and remove that of enemies' such as Trotsky and other leading Bolsheviks. Photographs, such as the one on page 75, were doctored so that these people disappeared from Soviet history. In this way, images of Bukharin, Zinoviev and Kamenev were eventually removed from photographs. At the same time, new photographs and histories were created, emphasising Stalins role, especially his apparent close links with Lenin, who was still treated as a god in Soviet society. Stalin even encouraged the 'cult of Lenin but with himself close at hand. Photographs were faked to show Stalin close to Lenin (see Source C). |
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Who was the widespread propaganda campaign directed particularly at? |
This widespread propaganda campaign was directed particularly at children. Children were taught that Stalin was the 'Great Leader'. |
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What was "social realism"? |
Writers, artists, film-makers and even composers had to support the government by following the policy of social realism'. Music, art, poetry and plays had to be intelligible to the ordinary person and anything abstract was frowned upon. Great composers such as Shostakovich and Prokofiev were ordered to write only music that all could understand. This meant that many of the new artistic developments of the early twentieth century could not be reflected in Soviet culture. |
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What affect did "social realism" have? |
The result was that artists5 work had to deal with ordinary people, and had to show how communism was developing. Above all, it had to give simple, clear and optimistic messages. All aspects of culture would show the successes of communism and there had to be no doubt that Soviet Union was a happy, fulfilling country for its citizens. |
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How did Stalin control religion? |
There were three main religious groups that Stalin had to deal with - Russian Orthodox, Muslim and Jews- Religious groups posed a threat to the 'cult of Stalin' as they owed their allegiance to a different god. Stalin continued and extended the Bolshevik attack on religion: Christian leaders were imprisoned More than 60,000 places of worship were closed down .The 'League of the Godless smashed churches and burned religious pictures Mosques and Muslim schools were closed and pilgrimages to Mecca were banned. Islamic law was banned and women were encouraged to unveil Jewish schools, libraries and synagogues were closed down. The study of Hebrew was banned. |
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What happened despite starlings acts to try and control religion? |
However, despite these measures, it is thought thatin the 1937 census, about 50 million Soviet citizens said they had religious beliefs. Some churches were permitted to remain open in the late 1930s - and by allowing this, Stalin could say that the idea of 'freedom of conscience contained in the 1936 Constitution was being followed. |
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What changes were made in education by Stalin? |
In 1932 a rigid programme of- education was introduced. The Bolsheviks had introduced many new methods, which had not brought the progress they expected. Stalin returned to more traditional methods. Discipline was strict and examinations were brought back. There were even fees in some ol the advanced secondary schools. Children were taught that Stalin was the 'Great Leader'. They learnt Stalin's version of history. He even had a new book, A Short History of the USSR , written for school students, which showed him playing a more important role in the revolution. The teaching of communist ideology became compulsory in schools and, in addition,Stalin chose the subjects and information that children should learn. |
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How did Stalin change education in order to improve the future workforce? |
Education changed to focus on the technical and scientific skills needed by Soviet workers who were involved in the Five-Year Plans Stalin did not wish to rely too long on foreign technicians. By 1939, 94 per cent of urban dwellers and 86 per cent of the rural population were able to read and write. Furthermore, the Soviet Union was producing a high number of engineers, teachers, doctors and scientists. |
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How did Stalin control children outside of school? |
Outside school, Stalin also wanted some control over the young. Children joined political youth groups, which trained them in socialism and communism. The youth groups were taught activities such as sports, camping and model making, and there were different groups for different ages: • 8 to 10-year-olds joined the Octobrists • 10 to 16-year-olds joined the Young Pioneers • 16 to 28-year-olds joined the Komsomol. |
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What was Stalin's new constitution when was introduced and what was its aim? |
1936 Stalin introduced a new constitution. This was to convince Soviet citizens and the outside world that the USSR was a 'free society. In fact, it merely served to confirm Stalin's dictatorship. |
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What was the structure of the Communist government? |
The USSR was now composed of eleven socialist republics. The old Congress of the Soviets of the USSR became the Supreme Soviet or parliament of the USSR, with two chambers - the Soviet of the Union and the Soviet of Nationalities. The Communist Party kept close control of both the central government and the government of each republic. Stalin held the posts of Prime Minister in the government, General Secretary of the Party and Chairman of the Party's Politburo.
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What were the key features of the constitution? |
Stalin described the constitution as 'the most democratic in the world. Its key features were: • Secret ballots • Elections to the Soviets every four years • Candidates for elections had to be approved by the Communist Party • Universal suffrage (voting rights) for all over the age of 18 • Guaranteed civil liberties such as: freedom of speech, press, assembly, religion and freedom from arbitrary arrest. |
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How was the "freedom" described by Stalin in the Constitution not like reality? |
However, the Constitution made it clear that the freedoms were to be exercised only with the approval of the Communist Party. Moreover, the Communist Party was the only party permitted to exist within the USSR. In elections, the Party candidate would be the only candidate and sometimes the results were announced before voting took place. Despite the claims made by Stalin about the new constitution, real power lay with the Communist Party. There were no elections for bodies in the Communist Party - members were chosen. The two most important parts were the Politburo and the Central Committees but these did not always meet on a regular basis and Stalin made ati decisions with his group of close advisers. |
