Dissent and Revolution Flashcards
By 1905 how much of the worlds land mass did Russia cover?
1/6
At the beginning of the 20th century what was Russia’s population?
126 million
Bloody Sunday 1905
January 1905
Protesters marched to the Winter Palace due to social discontent
Peaceful protest
Troops fired and killed 1000 protesters
Tsar blamed for Violence
1905 Revolution
Sparked by Russo-Japanese war
Catalyst Bloody Sunday
Encouragement for Kulaks to buy Peasants Land which led to a production increase but alienated poorer peasants
October 1905
October Manifesto
Tsar promises Social Liberties
Promised Duma (elected parliament) but limited power
End to Press Censorship
When was Pravda created?
1912
During what 1914 Battle were 300,000 lost?
Battle of Tannenberg
1914
Outbreak of WW1
St. Petersburg renamed to Petrograd (St P sounded more too German)
Morale initially high but the loss of 300,000 and the emergency retreat following the Battle of Tannenberg led to a decline
Famine Increased and Railway Systems Collapsed
How many workers were on strike from January to July 1914?
145,000
Social Structure
By 1900, 80% of pop were peasants
Tsar ruled under an Autocracy - used Okhrana (secret police) to control the pop
Which Groups opposed the Tsar?
Liberals - Included the Kadets, favoured reform
Social Democrats - Split into Bolsheviks and Mensheviks
Social Revolutionaries - Represented Peasant interests, suffered from internal conflicts
February/March Revoltion 1917
14th Feb 100,000 workers on strike
25th Feb 250,000 on strike, all major businesses closed and Civilians killed bby police
26th Feb Tsar orders Protestors to be killed, 40 dead but police mutiny, Duma and Revolutionaries intent to take over gov
2nd March Tsar abdicates and nominates his brother but he refuses, Provisisonal Gov is formed to replace Tsar’s government
What caused the Feb/Mar Revolution
Shortages and Inflation caused by war
Short Term trigger by Bread Rations
How much did Russia Spend of the War effort 1914-17?
Gov. spending increased from 4 million to 30 million roubles
Why were food supplies so low by the Feb Rev?
Requisitioning of horses by the military made agriculture difficult
Inflation meant trade was unprofitable so farmers hoarded their goods
Army has first claim to any food
By 1917 Petrograd was rationed less than 1/4 of what they were in 1914
Provisional Gov
Not elected but gained acceptance from the nobility, Britain and France
Comprised of the middle to Upper Class
Opposed by Bolsheviks
Dual Authority
Petrograd Soviet (Represented the workers, soldiers etc) and the Provisional Government (Represented old Tsarists)
Role of Petrograd Soviet
Initially regarded it’s role as supervisory to ensure that the wants of the soldiers and workers was understood
Uncertainty of the Provisional Government gave the Petrograd Soviets more power
Rules decided by the PG were not enforcde unliss agreed to by the PS
Lenin’s return
April 1917
Following Tsar’s abdication
Return supported by Germany who hoped that if Bolsheviks gained power Russia would frop out of the war effort
Immediately condemned the Dual Authority
Lenin’s April Thesis
- Stop supporting other parties
- Overthrow Provisional Government
- Transfer power to the workers
- ‘Peace, Land and Bread’
- End War Effort
Milyukov Letter
Milyukov Letter leaked April 1917, showed PG intended to continue the war effort, protests resulted supporting the Bolsheviks
Led to more Mensheviks forming the Dual Authority
July Days
Government no longer in control of the people, Peasant land seizures, workers control of factories
Large Scale demonstrations, public protests
Rising disorganised so PG dealt with relative ease
July Days
Kronstadt Naval Base soldiers organised an armed demonstration while chanting Bolshevik slogans
Bolsheviks blamed for uprising and arrested, Lening and Stalin escape
Prince Lvov resigned leaving Kerensky in charge of Dual Authority
Kornilov Coup
1917 General Kornilov placed in charge of the Russian Army, strong right - wind beliefs
Ordered Soldiers to march to Petrograd in hopes of a Military Coup
In fear, Kerensky agrees to release the Bolsheviks and arm civilians in order to protect the Capital
Reasons for fall of Dual Authority
Strength of Lenin and the Bolsheviks
Slogan ‘Peace, land and Bread’
Failure ot deal with Kornilov Coup, July Days and Leadership issues
Causes of the October 1917 Revolution
Growing discontent against the Dual Authority arrangement
Growing popularity of the Bolshevik party
Land seizures by Peasants still occuring
Members of the Petrograd Soviet supported the Bolsheviks
PG very weak, Russia face major food shortages
Bolshevik’s Urgency pre revolution
Desire to be in power before the constituent assembly, even if they lost their rule could not be challenged as easily
Kerensky’s revolution actions
Zinoviev and Kamenev published an article stating that the Bolshevik Coup would fail to overthrow the gov, Kerensky thought this meant a date was set and in October the government took over the pravda office
Set up the military revolutionary committee (MRC) to defend Petrograd from a potential german invasion or another Kornilov-affair
Trotsky’s role in the revolution
Trotsky organised the Bolshevik party for the revolution
Trotsky has a chairmanship of the Petrograd Soviet
Realised that if they had control of the MRC they would have control over Petrograd, trotsky allowed himself to be elected to control the MRC
Orchestrated the red army in their capture of key facilities such as Bridges
How many days did it take for Petrograd to fall to Bolshevik Control?
3 days
How many people died during the October Revolution?
6
Course of the October Revolution
25th October, Red Army enter the Winter Palace, some Mensheviks and Right Wing SR’s protest Bolshevik actions
26th October, All remaining members of the Provisional Government are arrested, congress votes to take power into its own hands, agree to Lenins Decree on Peace
27th October, Congress agrees to Lenin’s decree on Land, Sovnarkom set up
Debate over the extent of the Revolution
Rev only included 25000 - 35000 people
Only 6 died
Russia pre revolution, literacy rates?
21% literate
Russia pre revolution, deaths due to infectious disease?
1/3 of deaths due to infectious disease (poor hygiene and densely populated)
By 1917 what population of people worked in Agriculture?
80%
Economic and Social State of Russia pre rev
To fund war gov. increased taxes
Shortage of men in countryside due to war conscriptions
Bolsheviks and Mensheviks
The group who followed Lenin were the Bolsheviks; a small group of committed revolutionaries. Lenin felt organisation & unity were crucial, the Bolsheviks wanted to push events, not just allow them to unfold
The other group were known as the Mensheviks; a larger party, as they were open to taking on new, less radical members. Although they were ideologically similar to the Bolsheviks, they were seen as more moderate
First Constituent Assembly
Mensheviks condemn the revolution and claim it wouldn’t last
Lenin decided not to rule through the Congress of Soviets - Social Revolutionaries won 53% of votes during the constituent assembly
Lenin very angry and decided to shut down the Constituent Assembly
Sovnarkom
Set up by Lenin, small committee of ministers comprised of mainly Bolsheviks
Sovnarkom Decrees
Decree of Peace - end war
Decree on Land - Private Ownership of land made illegal, peanants encourgaed to take land from nobility
Decree on Workers - Workers allowed to take power from Management
Decree on Class - Titles abolished, women given rights to own property
Decree on Banks - All Banks nationalised
