History PP1 B Flashcards
(38 cards)
1.(a) What was Bloody Sunday? [5]
It was when Father Gapon led a peaceful demonstration in support of reform.
In 1905, demonstrators marched through St Petersburg to deliver a petition to the Tsar
Protestors demanded better wages and shorter working hours.
Soldiers opened fire on demonstrators in front of the Winter Palace.
The events of Bloody Sunday made the Tsar very unpopular.
1 b) Why was the Tsar’s decision in 1915 to take personal command of the Russian army important? [7]
This meant he got the blame for everything that went wrong in the war against Germany.
Millions of Russian soldiers were killed
by 1917 the war affected the Russian economy with food shortages, strikes and demonstrations
Duma later appointed a Provisional Government to replace the Tsar.
This left the Tsarina to run the government, and she was unpopular.
She ignored the Duma took advice from Rasputin, who was very unpopular
She was a huge autocrat and persuaded Nicholas that he must never relinquish his absolute power as Emperor
1c1 How did The 1905 Revolution led to a period of significant reform. [4]
There were reforms in agriculture, industry and education
Stolypin created a peasants’ land bank so that they could buy more land and make bigger farms, leading to an increase in agricultural productivity
increase in industrial output
the introduction of the Duma. This was an elected body to help the Tsar run the country.
1c2 How did the 1905 revolution not lead to reform [4]
The Tsar issued the ‘Fundamental Laws’.
These gave the Tsar a veto over laws, the power to appoint and dismiss ministers, and to dissolve the Duma when he saw fit
meant that the two Dumas which met before 1914 achieved very little
He also had over 1000 critics hanged and he exiled 20 000
2(a) What were the ‘gulags’? [4]
labour camps.
They were where criminals and political opponents were sent.
The conditions were very harsh and many prisoners died.
They were where kulaks were sent under Stalin
2(b) Why did Stalin introduce the Great Purges in the mid-1930s? [7]
To get rid of rivals in the Communist party.
Stalin was paranoid and saw enemies and rivals everywhere, especially within the party
Most of the senior party leaders like Zinoviev and Kamenev were given show trials and then executed
Stalin wanted to make sure there was nobody powerful enough to threaten his position as leader
The show trials were used to turn the people against Stalin’s enemies
People would be tortured and threatened into confessing their crimes
People would confess treason or working to restore capitalism
2(c)1 How did Stalin’s policy ideas explain why he, and not Trotsky, emerged as leader of the USSR in the mid-1920s [4]
He wanted ‘Socialism in one country’, which meant that Russia should focus on completing the revolution in Russia, this included firmly establishing communist control
Trotsky wanted to focus on spreading the revolution around the world.
Stalin’s ideas were much more popular among the communists who wanted to establish their power in the Soviet Union first.
helped him beat Trotsky to the leadership.
2c2, what other than Stalin’s policy ideas explain why he, and not Trotsky, emerged as leader of the USSR in the mid-1920s [4]
Trotsky assumed he would become leader after Lenin and did not do much to win the leadership.
He was arrogant and this made many in the party dislike and mistrust him
Stalin worked quietly within the party and hid his ambitions to be leader.
Trotsky was tricked by Stalin into missing Lenin’s funeral.
3(a) In what ways were official culture and censorship used to maintain Stalin’s control over the Soviet Union? [5]
All forms of media were strictly censored
Books, films, art and plays were only allowed if they matched Stalinist beliefs
Statues and pictures of Stalin increased and made Stalin appear god-like
Only approved newspapers and magazines could be published.
Stalin believed that all of the arts should portray the working man’s struggle to achieve communism.
3(b) Why were the Purges an effective way for Stalin to control the Soviet people? [7]
The Purges removed supporters of Trotsky
Trotsky had been Stalin’s main rival
even though he had fled abroad, he still continued to denounce Stalin
Members of the left wing opposition, like Zinoviev and Kamenev, were thought to be agents for Trotsky
Stalin purged the kulaks and the Nepmen to enforce his policies
They had large amounts of personal wealth
Were against socialism and collectivisation
4(a) Describe Russification. [4]
Stalin discouraged differing national identities within Russia.
Stalin wanted people to see themselves as ‘Soviets’ not Latvian or Ukrainian.
Teaching the Russian language in all schools became compulsory.
In 1932, citizens had to carry identity booklets which included their nationality
4(b) Why was there resistance to collectivisation? [7]
The kulaks did not want to hand over their land and produce
Under Stolypin and under Lenin’s NEP, wealthier peasants had been encouraged to buy more land to produce more crops and to earn a profit on their surpluses.
These wealthier peasants or kulaks were expected to hand over their land and produce under collectivisation
The peasants did not like the idea of the farms being under the control of the local Communist leader.
little economic freedom and farmers had no choice in joining
There were also many rumours going around rural villages that collectivisation would cause famine and loss of livestock and crops
The peasants wanted to grow grain to feed their own families
4c1 How were the changes Stalin made to agriculture more important than the changes he made to industry. [3]
Stalin’s collectivisation policy did attempt to modernise agriculture
increased grain exports
The foreign currency earned did help the modernisation of industry.
4c2 How were the changes Stalin made to industry more important than the changes he made to agriculture? [7]
collectivisation was at a terrible cost with 5 million dying from famine in 1933
Stalin’s establishment of GOSPLAN and the tough targets it set in heavy industry were very successful.
Coal and steel increased 500% between 1928 and 1940, while oil production doubled
It meant Russia was strong militarily and enabled it not to lose the war against the Nazis
The First Five Year Plan concentrated on heavy industry and hit its targets
The Second Five Year Plan increased chemicals and improved transport
The Third Five Year Plan concentrated on re-armament as war approached
5(a) At the turn of the century, what were the most serious problems facing the Tsar?[5]
Russia was a vast empire.
It had 20 different nationalities.
Peasants’ living and working conditions were poor
There were regular famines, and starvation was common
There was resentment that the aristocracy, the Church and the Tsar owned most of the land.
5(b) Why was the Tsar able to remain in power during 1905 despite the Revolution? [6]
Nicholas needed to reform Russia and satisfy some of the discontented groups to prevent another revolution
In his October Manifesto, the Tsar offered the people a Duma (an elected parliament), the right to free speech and the right to form political parties.
This divided his opponents. The middle-class liberals were delighted that their voices would now be heard.
Leaders of the St. Petersburg and Moscow soviets were arrested and exiled.
Nicholas’ troops returned from the war in Japan and crushed the revolt in western Russia.
The rebellions in the countryside were ruthlessly put down.
5(c)1 how did the Tsarist regime deal ineffectively with the difficulties of ruling Russia between 1906 and 1914? [5]
Stolypin hanged over 1000 people and exiled 20 000 and kept control.
The Tsar issued ‘Fundamental Laws’.
These gave the Tsar a veto over laws, the power to appoint and dismiss ministers and to dissolve the Duma when he saw fit.
This meant that the two Dumas which met before 1914 achieved very little and it seemed that Russia was heading back towards its undemocratic past.
The influence of Rasputin at court created difficulties.
5(c)2 how did the Tsarist regime deal effectively with the difficulties of ruling Russia between 1906 and 1914? [5]
The work of Stolypin dealt with many difficulties.
For most of this period, Stolypin was the Tsar’s chief minister
He wanted moderate reform in agriculture, industry and education, but he believed that the power should still rest with the Tsar
He adopted a ‘carrot and stick’ approach.
He created a peasants’ land bank so that they could buy more land and make bigger units
6(a) What were Stalin’s objections to Trotsky’s idea of ‘permanent revolution’? [5]
It was not seen as a priority for the USSR.
Stalin saw that Trotsky’s idea worried many ordinary Russians.
He realised Trotsky’s ideas could involve the USSR in new conflicts
Stalin believed in ‘Socialism in One Country’
The people were weary of years of war and revolution.
6(b) Why did Stalin create a cult of personality? [7]
Stalin wanted to be worshipped as a great leader
‘Stalin wanted to be considered to be central to everything in Russia and to be perceived as the embodiment of everything good in the country.
He wanted pictures and statues of himself everywhere and places named after him.
Artists and musicians were expected to produce works which praised Stalin’s rule and achievements
‘The ‘Cult of Personality’ made it more difficult for opposition to Stalin’s rule.
The state could tell people what to think
It would distract from some of the horrors of his rule.
6(c)1 How was Stalin’s dictatorship over the Soviet Union not as total as it appeared?[4]
Stalin found it difficult to control people’s personal lives
Petty crime and hooliganism were common in the cities; divorce and abortions were rising fast.
There is plenty of evidence that people in their private lives behaved as they wanted rather than as the government wished.
Although open opposition was rare, local officials and managers would often fail to cooperate with orders that they did not like.
6(c)2 How was Stalin’s dictatorship over the Soviet Union super total?[5]
Over 500 000 party members were arrested on charges of anti-Soviet activities and were either executed or sent to gulags.
Over 25 000 army officers were removed from office
Stalin made sure no-one became too powerful and, therefore, did not undermine his authority.
Stalin gained control by his ‘purges’.
The new constitution gave total power to Stalin.
7(a) Describe the work of Stolypin. [5]
Stolypin attempted to reform agriculture.’
Stolypin allowed wealthier peasants, the kulaks, to buy more land
The Peasant Land Bank was established to give loans to help develop farming.
He came down hard on strikers, protesters and revolutionaries.
20 000 were exiled and over 1000 hanged
7(b) Why was there discontent with the Russian government by 1905?[8]
Revolutionary ideas were spreading in the new industrial cities.
The industrial workers had been peasants but now they lived and worked in the cities.
Living and working conditions were appalling.
There were few controls on child labour, industrial injuries were common, and employers paid starvation wages
In 1905, demonstrators marched through St Petersburg to deliver a petition to the Tsar
Protestors demanded better wages and shorter working hours.
Soldiers opened fire on demonstrators in front of the Winter Palace.
The events of Bloody Sunday made the Tsar very unpopular.
