Bolsheviks in Power

Question 1

What did the Lenin do in order to keep power after 1917?

Answer 1

• Lenin set up Sovankom which was the ‘Council of People’s Commissar’
• Lenin chairman
• Trotsky Commissar for War
• Stalin Commissar for Nationalities

Question 2

Describe the November Decrees

Answer 2

1. A maximum 8 hour working day and 48 hour week declared for industrial workers
2. Employment insurance introduced for workers for injuries, illness and unemployment
3. All titles and class distinctions abolished, no dukes or lords the title ‘comrade’ for everyone
4. Women declared equal to me
5. All non-Bolshevik newspapers banned

Question 3

Describe the December Decrees

Answer 3

1. Liberal party, the Cadets, banned
2. All factories to be put under the control of workers’ committees
3. All banks taken over by the government
4. The army to be more democratic - officers to be elected no ranks or saluting
5. Church land to be confiscated by the state
6. Divorce made easier and marriages do not have too be in churches

Question 4

How did Lenin deal with the issue of land and food?

Answer 4

• Land: In November, a decree was passed taking all the land away from the Tsar and the old landlords. Land was to be given to the peasants, who would form committees to divide it up fairly
• Food: Lenin put an absolute priority on getting food to the cities. Where peasants would not sell their produce, he sent out the police and the Cheka to take it

Question 5

Describe the Cheka

Answer 5

• December 1917 set up
• Secret police basically
• After an assassination attempt on the Lenin the Cheka launched Red Terror
• Anyone who spoke out against the government was arrested and many were shot without trial

Question 6

Describe the Constituent Assembly

Answer 6

1. Lenin forced in November 1917 to hold elections which had been promised by the PG
2. This was a threat to Lenin as the party with the most votes would probably from the new government
3. SRs got more seats that Bolsheviks
4. But shortly after the Constituent Assembly met in January 1918, Lenin sent in soldiers to shut it down for good
   - In 1918 Lenin changed name of the Bolshevik Party to Communists

Question 7

What did Lenin want from the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk?

Answer 7

He wanted to end the war asap

Question 8

What were the terms of the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk? When was it?

Answer 8

• March 1918
  1. Russia lost 27% of its arable land
  2. Russia lost 26% of its railways
  3. Russia lost 74% of its iron and coal
  4. 50 million Russia citizens displaced
  5. Russia promised to pay 3 billion roubles in expenses

Question 9

Why was the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk so harsh?

Answer 9

1. Russia already had communications across the country as it was so big and in order to transport food which was Lenin’s major aim after WW1 and so loosing 26% was significant as it affected food and popularity of government perhaps
   - Arable land and iron and coal lost of unemployment and lots of industry suffers as well as heating loss of support for government people angry?

Question 10

Why did foreign governments oppose the Bolsheviks by 1918?

Answer 10

1. Many did not support communism and saw it as a threat
2. Trotsky wants a world revolution and to spread communism
3. TBL can suffer trade

Question 11

Why did the SRs and Cadets oppose the Bolsheviks y 1918?

Answer 11

1. December decree
2. SRs won majority of seats but Lenin did not allow this
3. Lenin shut down the Constituent Assembly

Question 12

Why did the peasants oppose to the Bolsheviks by 1918?

Answer 12

1. Loss of 27% of arable land was lost to ToBL , and so many unemployed
2. Still shortages and poverty (not under control)
3. Land distribution not very effective
4. Not really getting ‘Peace, Bread and Land’ (only harsh peace)
5. Fav party SRs suppressed

Question 13

Why did national minorities oppose to the Bolsheviks by 1918?

Answer 13

1. Lost and displaced by treaty and war
2. Not represented, as want to make Russia greater
3. Church people angry as land taken

Question 14

Describe the Communists opposition

Answer 14

1. By mid-1918 a collection of anti-Bolshevik elements has united against the Communists: the whites
2. By spring 1918 civil war had broken out between the three main sides, Reds, Whites, Greens

Question 15

Who were the the Reds in the Russian Civil War?

Answer 15

The forces loyal to the Bolsheviks

Question 16

Who were the Czech legion in the Russian Civil War?

Answer 16

1. May 1918 50,000 Czech prisoners of war revolted and seized control of the Trans- Siberian railway and headed towards Moscow

Question 17

Who were the Whites in the Russian Civil War?

Answer 17

1. Ex-Tsarists officers often supported by foreign powers, many countries (including GBR, Fr, USA and JA) also sent independent armies to try and crush the Bolsheviks
2. Lots of military and foreign help

Question 18

Who were the Greens in the Russian Civil War?

Answer 18

1. National minorities which attempted to break away from Russia and who were prepared to oppose the Red military

Question 19

How long was the Civil War for?

Answer 19

1918-1923
- By mid-1919 the Whites were only 30 miles of Petrograd, but they were turned back and by 1920 the main White threat was over

Question 20

What were the White weaknesses in the Russian Civil War?

Answer 20

1. Many of the soldiers in foreign armies had absolutely no interest in the war at all. Their morale was very low as a result and there were many desertions
2. The White armies all disliked Communism but were divided, did not always share intelligence and had different war aims
3. The White divisions meant they could not find enough common ground to launch joint operations; Trotsky could concentrate on crushing one at a time
4. White armies has very limited support from the population as a whole thanks to a combination of fear if the Reds and fear of a return to an autocratic system
5. White atrocities against civilians and prisoners of war were widespread and widely known. Over 100,000 civilian executions are estimated to have been carried out by the Whites in Finland alone

Question 21

What were the Red Military Strengths in the Russian Civil War?

Answer 21

1. Trotsky became Commissar for War. He was an inspirational and highly capable leader. He organised the Red Army into an effective force of 5 million men. The Red Army did not take prisoners of war
2. Trotsky ordered extremely harsh discipline for the Red Army. Displays of cowardice, desertion, disobedience or inciting defeatism were treated by immediate execution
3. The Red Army introduced conscription for all men aged between 18-40
4. Trotsky blackmailed or bribed around 22,000 well-trained Tsarist officers to fight for the Red Army.

Question 22

What were the Red Terror and War Communism in the Russian Civil War?

Answer 22

1. The Bolsheviks requisitioned food and strictly controlled rations. The Red Army remained very well-fed
2. The Cheka was extremely active. Anybody found hoarding supplied, showing a defeatist attitude or helping enemies of the Reds could expect harsh punishments. Around 50,000 people were executed for such crimes
3. Factories in industrial heartlands were taken over by the Government and used exclusively for War supplies
4. The Reds controlled the major lines of rail communication as well as the industrial and agricultural heartlands of Russia
5. Effective Red propaganda convinced many that a Red defeat would result in a return to Tsarism and stirred up patriotic feeling against ‘foreign invaders’
6. Lenin ordered the execution of the Royal Family to show his enemies he was determined and remove a figure head for the Royalists

Question 23

How did Trotsky’s mistakes lead to Stalin becoming the next leader?

Answer 23

1. He was arrogant
2. He refused to get involved in the dirty business of political in-fighting , making alliances and getting people on his side
3. He wanted to end NEP, even though most people liked it and it did help economy
4. Older party members distrusted Trotsky and they feared he would become a dictator cause he could get Red Army on his side
5. Only joined 1917, and older party members thought that his extreme views would split the party at a time when unity was needed
6. He believed in global communism, which was not appealing after many had just suffered 4 years of war and 3 years of Civil War
7. Did not use his army support to his advantage

Question 24

How did Stalin’s qualities and pro-activity lead to Stalin becoming the next leader?

Answer 24

1. Manipulated his powerful position as General Secretary of the Communist Party, as he could appoint people to posts and had control of the membership of the party
2. Between 1922 and 1924 he put more and more of his own supporters into important part positions and expelled from the party the younger, wilder and more radical elements likely to support Trotsky
   - Other Bolsheviks allowed him to do this because they were worried about Trotsky taking control as dictator
3. He was politically cunning by playing off different groups in the party against each other, he was happy to stay in the background building up his support
4. He believed in his policy “socialism in one country”, which was appealing and practical
5. Loyal member for over 20 years
6. Editor of party newspaper Pravda during revolution
7. He was safe, middle-of the rad communist who did not hold extremist views
8. He used propaganda and fake photos to show that he was close to Lenin

Question 25

Describe Trotsky

Answer 25

1. Planned November Revolution
2. His organisation of the Red Army helped win Civil War
3. Well-known figure popular with the army and younger party members
4. He was the only leading communist who could rival Lenin as a speaker and writer about revolutionary ideas

Question 26

How did luck play into Stalin becoming the next leader of the communist party?

Answer 26

1. For three years from the end of 1923, Trotsky suffered attacks of fever and the illness sapped his strength and left him less able to deal with the continuous attacks on him mounted by his enemies
2. Lenin’s testament was never published

Question 27

Describe Stalin

Answer 27

1. Commisar for Nationalities and General Secretary in 1922
2. He was not inspirational or and inspiring speaker unlike Trotsky and was regarded as dull, medicore and humourless by other leading communists

Question 28

Overall why did Stalin come out above Trotsky?

Answer 28

1. Stalin’s strength: exploited his power and marginalises other people as well
2. Trotsky Ill: and he was too noble? He had too little power to campaign
3. Although Trotsky had power of the Red Army, he did not use it whereas Stalin did use his power of party membership to his advantage (more important?)
   - (Look at sheet!)