Civil war

Question 1

Famine in the country side

Answer 1

• War Communism led to the Cheka seizing grain from the peasants and as a result the peasants stopped growing any surplus grain and slaughtered cattle this led to widespread famine across Russia and 5 million died
• peasants start to organise themselves into armies which led to the Tambov rising causing the red guard to crush them
• Lenin turned to capitalist countries asking for help which was very humiliating as they were communist- Lenin introduced NEP to revolutionise the peasants - NEP ended grain requisitioning and allowed the peasants to sell surplus gain

Question 2

Kronstadt uprising

Answer 2

• Workers Opposition in Petrograd (Bolsheviks and workers) protested against War Communism - stated that it was too extreme. That the workers should not be worse off under a Communist government than they had been under Tsar.
• they march to Petrograd , drew up list of demands i. e relaxation on war communism
  HOWEVER
• crushed by red army (60,000 troops)
• Leaders accused of being white reactionaries and were shot. Cheka then spent month hunting down and executing army rebels that had escaped
• instilling fear and eradicating threats by hunting those who have survived.
• Lenin felt threatened as workers and armed forces were apart of traditional Bolsh and loss of military would make crushing uprisings
• forced to modify economic policies to allow some capitalist elements such as denationalising small industries and the removal of restrictions on private sales.
• spark that lit up reality

Question 3

Opposition

Answer 3

• Civil war sparked in 1918
• oppositon against the Bolsh rose up and united to fight against them with aims of removal
• Whites, Tsarists, Greens and foreign powers.
• Lenin takes control as an authoritarian leader showing aspects of decisiveness and delegating intellectualness
• Trotsky, head of Red army was very inspiring and tactical who wasn’t afraid to be ruthless – he keeps control of central Russia (factories)
• They defeated opponents and the Bolsh stayed in power and still was when Lenin died in 1924 - consolidated their power, civil war being a sig element of this

Question 4

lack of food

Answer 4

• lack of food during CW meant that soldiers and workers weren’t fed
• rationing of food, requisitioning of grain by state - taken by cheka.
• Peasants resisting labelled as kulaks and were arrested. In 1921 Lenin’s letter alone ordered 100 kulaks to be hung terrifying the peasants into obeying
  HOWEVER
• 5 million peasants died from starvation and Bolsh had to again take foreign aid which was humiliating but was successful in the sense that they could feed their armies as well as industrial workers

Question 5

Tambov uprising

Answer 5

• 20,000 formed peasant armies
• problem for Lenin as they are organised , have a leader, attack cheka requisitioning squads, seize their weapons and took control of areas of the countryside - so undermining/challenging the rule of bolsh. Hunted down red sympathizers - tortured and branded them with hot iron, executed.
• Lenin orders the Cheka and Red army to carry out mass arrests, deportations to labour camps and also executions. Used propaganda to brand them as kuklaks, branding them as enemies - justifying harsh actions.
• having to use harsh discipline creating discontent but does reestablish control - good solution and is quite effective.

Question 6

Conclusion

Answer 6

Lenin had some success but his solutions led to other unnecessary problems and discontent.