Key Topic 2 - Bolsheviks Take-over And Consolidation, 1917-24

Question 1

What were the events leading up to the October Revolution?

Answer 1

In 1917, Trotsky became the leader of the Military Revolutionary Committee of the Petrograd Soviet.

The Bolsheviks were now the largest party in the Petrograd Soviet.

Lenin returned from hiding in disguise

• Encouraged the Bolshevik Revolution
• Convincing people that they should cease power and that this was their best opportunity

Provisional Government were unable to control the violence within the cities

German troops were closing in on Petrograd.

Kerensky did nothing about the possible Bolshevik Revolution

• He assumed that since it had become public they would be forced to give up.

Question 2

Describe the events of The October Revolution, 1917.

Answer 2

Kerensky:

• Shuts down the Bolshevik newspaper offices
• Orders the arrest of the MRC

However, the MRC wins control of the:

• Offices
• Main bridges over the rivers and canals in the city
• Military headquarters
• Telegraph station

October 24

• The Bolsheviks attack the Winter Palace
• Kerensky is sending repeated messages for support
• Only minor troops are sent to the rescue
  
  • Women, crippled soldiers and some students

October 25

• Arguments occur in the Congress of Soviets
  
  • Those who object the Bolshevik takeover leave
• The MRC gains control of infrastructure
  
  • Railway stations, post offices, the state bank etc.

October 26

• Winter Palace is taken and the Provisional Government are arrested
• The Bolshevik Government is announced

Question 3

Why did the Bolsheviks win?

Answer 3

1. Kerensky had no support in Russia
   
   • Petrograd troops stood idly by and refused to come to Kerensky’s aid
   • They believed the Bolsheviks would end the war with Germany
2. The Provisional Government failed to disarm the Red Guard from Kornilov’s Revolt
3. The Provisional Government didn’t act against the Bolsheviks in time
   
   • They misjudged the danger
4. Trotsky planned and organized the Red Guard, army, navy & factory volunteers to work together
5. Bolsheviks:
   
   • Cut telephone wires,
   • Seized control of post offices, railway stations etc

• Making it hard for the Provisional Government to communicate for help

Question 4

What were the results of the October Revolution?

Answer 4

Lenin announced the election for the Constituent Assembly would take place

• The Council of People’s Commissars would rule in the meantime
  
  • Everyone on it was a Bolshevik

The Central Executive Committee had to check on the CPC

• They too were Bolshevik

The Bolsheviks were now in charge of Russia

Trotsky had planned the revolution to occur when the Congress of Soviets were meeting

• So that those opposing the Bolsheviks would leave.

Question 5

What decrees were passed by Lenin straight after the October Revolution?

Answer 5

The Peace Decree:

• All nations were to negotiate for peace
  
  • Ended the war with Germany

The Land Decree:

• All land owned by the Tsar, Church and other landowners was distributed to the peasants
  
  • Made the Bolsheviks popular with the peasants

The Workers’ Decree:

• Gave the workers control over the factories
• Introduced an 8-hour working day

Question 6

How did Russia leave the War?

Answer 6

Trotsky negotiated with Germany

The Germans set a high price due to their knowledge of Lenin’s desperation

• Trotsky argued against this
• Lenin was desperate and insisted they accepted

In March 1918, they signed the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk ending the war with Germany.

Question 7

What was the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk?

Answer 7

1. Russia lost 25% of its population
2. 25% of its iron and wheat
3. 80% of coal mines
4. 50% of itsindustry

This made many Russians angry.

Question 8

Why did Lenin sign the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk?

Answer 8

1. He feared a civil war
   
   • He didn’t want to fight both Germany and a civil war
2. He believed that Germany would soon be defeated in the war
   
   • The land distributed back to Russia
3. He had to keep his promise to leave the war
   
   • This had failed the Provisional Government before

Question 9

Describe what happened during the November election for the Constituent Assembly in 1917.

How did this lead to Lenin’s actions in January 1918?

Answer 9

It was won by the Socialist Revolutionaries

• Trotsky wanted to work with them
• Lenin wanted complete control.

Lenin set up the CHEKA in December 1917

When the Constituent Assembly met in January 1918 Lenin shut down the meeting:

• Those in the CA had been critical of the Decrees and wouldn’t pass them as laws
• Lenin now ruled as a dictator
• Hehad made many enemies.

Question 10

How was the state of the Civil War at the beginning?

Answer 10

A group called the ‘Whites’ formed, comprised of:

• Kornilov
• Kolchak
  
  • Organized attacks from Siberia
• Denikin and their voluntary army
  
  • They wanted the Tsar back
• Russia’s allies from the war (Britain, France, Japan, USA) who were angry at their withdrawal
• The Czech Legion
  
  • 40,000 soldiers

At first the Whites were successful

• They had more troops, money and supplies
• They could attack from all sides.
• This pushed the Bolshevik Red Army back

Question 11

Why did the Bolsheviks win the Civil War?

Answer 11

1. Trotsky began conscripting soldiers
   
   • He used officers that had served the Tsar to train the soldiers
   • He held families hostage to ensure the officers’ loyalty
2. Army units had a political commissars to educate them on Bolshevik ideas
   
   • Any disloyalty was reported
3. The Whites were divided as they weren’t fighting for the same purpose
   
   • Many of the troops weren’t treated well so deserted to join the Red Army
   • Allies left in 1919
     
     • They knew the Whites couldn’t win
4. The Bolsheviks controlled the centre, so could move men faster than the White Army, and railway network.
   
   • This supplied the Red Army more effectively
   • The whites were spread thinly over a large area with fewer men by Nov 1919
5. Trotsky was a good organizer
   
   • He travelled around the battlefields encouraging the Red Army to fight
   • He wanted to be where the most danger was
   1. To inspire people
   2. Provide the soldiers with entertainment and luxuries to motivate them
6. Lenin introduced War Communism
   
   • He clamped down on the Cheka response to political opposition.

They had won by 1920.

Question 12

What was War Communism?

Answer 12

Began in May 1918

• Prioritized the needs of the army to the needs of the people
• The aim was to
  
  1. Abolish private trading
  2. State control of all distribution
  3. Nationalize all industry
  4. Control the banks
  5. Cut back on the people’s rights
• Peasants could no longer sell their own crops
  
  • All surplus grain became property of the state
  • Only a small amount was left for them
• Food brigades would search for anyone storing crops and shoot them immediately if suspected
• Anything produced was taken by the State
  
  • Then given to the Army
  • Then rationed between the workers.
• Workers were prevented from moving between jobs without permission.

Question 13

What were the effects of War Communism?

Answer 13

1. Major famine:
   
   • 5,000,000 people died
   • Peasants refused to hand in food
   • Destroyed it instead.
2. 50,000 people were murdered by the Cheka from 1918-21
3. Bolsheviks lost support
   
   • They hadn’t brought Peace, Land or Bread
   • As promised back in July 1917
4. The Kronstadt Mutiny
   
   • Turning point to Lenin to show it wasn’t working

Question 14

What were the effects of the Civil War?

Answer 14

1. Land, property, roads, rail links, telephone lines were damaged
2. Civilian casualties
3. Skilled workers and professionals left to live somewhere safer
4. By 1920, the effects of war alongside the reduced planting and loss of land in the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk meant that crop production was at 37%
   
   • Money was almost worthless
5. The Bolsheviks created the Communist Party in 1918.
6. Russia became the Soviet Union in 1922.

Question 15

Describe the details of the new government and society:

Answer 15

1. The Constitution of July 1918 set out a new government system
   
   • All workers could vote but those that earned from others work couldn’t (e.g. landlords, employers etc).
2. The Congress of Soviets decided on the Central Executive Committee (CEC), which chose the Council of People’s Commissars (CPC).
   
   • The CPC made the laws but had to be approved by the others
   • This was abolished in 1920.
3. The new constitution said all land and businesses with over 10 workers belonged to the state and must be run to benefit people.
4. It gave freedom of speech and press.
5. It promised free medical care and education.
   
   • Did not work in practise
6. Executions were used to control the country
   
   • Despite them opposing capital punishment.
7. Cheka oppressively controlled any opposition
   
   • Despite the freedom of speech

Question 16

What was the Kronstadt Mutiny?

Answer 16

Sailors at a naval base near Petrograd (Kronstadt) mutinied, calling for a third revolution

They wanted:

1. Free speech
2. Re-election of the Soviets by secret ballot
3. Freedom for political parties
4. Freedom for peasant farming
5. End to the Red Terror

Trotsky ordered the Red Army to attack and crush the mutiny

• Made Lenin realize the severity of unrest
• He decided to change the policies of War Communism.

Question 17

What was the New Economic Policy (NEP)?

Answer 17

It was introduced in 1921

Reversal to War Communism.

Question 18

What were the reforms of the NEP?

Answer 18

1. Money was re-introduced with a new coinage and state bank
2. The state stopped taking crops from the peasants
   
   • If they raised excess they could sell it
   • Had to pay 10% (in crops) of their profit to the state
3. People were allowed to own small businesses of under 20 workers
4. Experts were brought in to run factories
   
   • Were paid more than workers
5. Anyone could open a shop to sell or hire goods for profit
   
   • these people were ‘NEPmen’

Question 19

What were the effects of the NEP?

Answer 19

1. The Russian economy began to recover between 1921-28
2. Agricultural production increased
   
   • Peasants began sowing more crops
   • More families were keeping animals
3. Factory production increased
   
   • It took a while to restart so increased slowly
4. More small-scale trading helped the economy.
5. The return of using money for wages and pricing built confidence in workers

Question 20

How long did the NEP last?

Answer 20

It lasted for 5 years

Until Stalin introduced the Five Year Plans in 1928

Question 21

How did Lenin die?

Answer 21

He had three strokes:

1. Partially paralyzed
2. Stopped him involving in politics much
3. Completely paralyzed

During his poor health, he dictated many documents to his wife

• One being the Testament stating who should lead on his role.

He died in 1924.