4. Impact Of The Second World War

Question 0

How well prepared was the Red Army for war?

Answer 0

Not at all, the red army had been purged between 1936-1938 and this significantly weakened the army.

Question 1

What was the Nazi-Soviet pact?

Answer 1

A pact between Russia and Germany made in 1939 that committed the two sides to peaceful relations. It also allowed Hitler to expand into Eastern Europe and for Stalin to expand into the Baltic States.

Question 2

How well was the Russian economy prepared for war?

Answer 2

Despite the chaos of the third FYP, Russian spending on rearmament rose from 27.5 billion roubles in 1938 to 70.9 billion in 1941.

Question 3

How were spies used?

Answer 3

Russia had the best spy network in the world and this helped give Russia the upper hand, however Stalin didn’t trust these reports and valuable information was ignored.

Question 4

What was Operation Barbarossa?

Answer 4

In June 1941 Germany launched a rapid attack against Russia that targeted Moscow.

Question 5

What was operation Typhoon?

Answer 5

In September 1941, German troops reached the outskirts of Moscow and Leningrad where they then attempted to take the cities but were repelled by General Zhukov (leader if the Red Army). Germany laid siege to the cities.

Question 6

What was the Battle of Stalingrad?

Answer 6

A battle for the city of Stalingrad which occurred between August 1942- February 1943 and led to the death of 1.9 million people. The Russians successfully defended Stalingrad.

Question 7

What was operation Uranus?

Answer 7

In September 1942, the Russians launched a massive counter-attack and by the end of 1943 the Germans were forced out of Russian territory.

Question 8

What were the ‘Ten Great Victories’?

Answer 8

In January 1944, Russia captured significant territory in Eastern Europe.

Question 9

What was the battle of Berlin?

Answer 9

In April 1945, Russian troops reached Berlin and in May they conquered it, ending the war.

Question 10

How many people died as a result of the war?

Answer 10

10% of the Russian population, 20 million, and in addition 10 million died of injuries.

Question 11

How was Russia dislocated as a cause of the war?

Answer 11

Around 85 million Russians ended up living in German-occupied territory during the war. Also around 20 million took advantage of the chaos towards the end of the war to flee communism.

Question 12

How did the war effect women?

Answer 12

• They were responsible for the home front during the war, they were responsible for home making as well as industry and agriculture
• They involved 12-18 hours a day and days off were cancelled until 9th may 1945

Question 13

What was the total economic cost of the Second World War?

Answer 13

Gosplan estimated that the destruction caused wiped out all progress made during the first and second FYP’s.

Question 14

How did the war effect Russian infrastructure?

Answer 14

Russian factories at threat from invasion were either destroyed or dismantled and rebuilt to the east of Moscow. This along with Germany’s scorched earth policy led to the destruction of an estimated 32’000 factories and 65’000 kilometres of railway.

Question 15

How did the war effect production?

Answer 15

The reorganisation of infrastructure and conscription of Russia’s most experienced workers led to a huge decline of production.

Question 16

How was food rationed during the war?

Answer 16

90% of grain was requisitioned to feed the army so workers were fed nettle soup and citizens lived off of blockade bread (made from sawdust), birds, rats, pets, shoes and dead bodies.

Question 17

What were the communists views on religion?

Answer 17

It was a deception designed to fool the working class so the worked to try to undermine it. They ceased to attack it during the war though to ensure it backed the government during the war.

Question 18

How did patriotism help Stalin win the war?

Answer 18

Communism was unpopular after the terror and patriotism provided the Russians with a reason to fight.

Question 19

How did religion help Stalin win the war?

Answer 19

Stalin was forced to make an alliance due to the war. The leader of the Russian Orthodox Church, Metropolitan Sergei, said Stalin was God’s chosen leader and in return Stalin allowed 414 churches to reopen in 1941. This boosted morale of soldiers because it gave promise of heaven and also comforted soldiers who faced death.

Question 20

What were Hitlers major tactical errors?

Answer 20

• He launched the war on Russia in the east even though he had troops in the west, this split his forces
• He lay siege to Moscow rather than taking it, this allowed Russia to regroup and fight back
• June 1942, Hitler sent more troops into Russia and instead of capturing Moscow and knocking Russia out of the war he sent troops to Stalingrad where they began another siege

Question 21

Who did the Grand Alliance include?

Answer 21

Britain, America and the USSR.

Question 22

How did the Grand Alliance help Russia?

Answer 22

• 1942, operation torch opened a new front in North Africa which divided German forces between the eastern front and the new southern front
• 1944, Britain and America reopened the western front which further divided German forces and took the pressure off of the east

Question 23

How did the American lend-lease help Russia?

Answer 23

• It provided 12% of aeroplanes and 10% of the tanks used by Russia
• Provided 95% of the trains and 66% of jeeps used by Russia to cross Europe
• provided the red army with food, 17% of calorie intake was because of America
  This lend lease crucially compensated for the deficiencies in the Russian economy.

Question 24

What happened after WWII?

Answer 24

Two superpowers remained, Russia and America. This alliance fell apart and the Cold War started.

Question 25

What geographical influence did Russia have?

Answer 25

By 1946, Russia had a sphere if influence in Eastern Europe which acted as a buffer zone. It allowed Russia to control half of Europe where it established communist regimes. The satellite states economies and foreign policy was controlled by Russia.

Question 26

What was Russia economy like after WWII?

Answer 26

Stalin launched a fourth FYP which was aimed to restore Russia’s economic might. It helped it become the fastest growing economy in the world. The focus of it was heavy industry and rearmament.

Question 27

What was Russia military like after WWII?

Answer 27

• 1946, Russia had and army of 3 million men, largest in the world
• the fourth FYP led to 7.4 billion roubles to be spent on defence
• 1949, Russia develops the atomic bomb
• 1953, first hydrogen bomb is developed

Question 28

Overview of Stalin’s Russia.

Answer 28

He dies in 1953. He turned Russia from a backward agricultural economy into an industrial superpower, but at the cost of many lives due to Dekulakisation, the Terror and WWII.