Lenin’s Red Terror 1917-1928 Flashcards
What did the Red Army replace in 1917
The Old Red Guards
Who made up and who was placed at the head of the Red Army 1917, what was their aim?
Peasants and workers, Trotsky. To protect the new regime.
Secret police body established in 1917
Cheka
Leader of Cheka in 1917
Felix Dzerzhinksy
New name for the Cheka in 1926
OGPU
Leader of the OGPU from 1926
Vyacheslav Menzhinksy
New body in 1934 to take over USSR internal security
NKVD
Leaders of the NKVD
Yagoda > Yezhov > Beria
Translation of NKVD name
People’s Commissariat of Internal Affairs
New name for the now national network of labour camps 1934
Gulags
2 Key instances of the use of Terror under Lenin
- Post-october consolidation 2. Spreading influence beyond petrograd and moscow during the civil war
3 central aims of Terror 1917-53
- Keep army units loyal 2. Prevent political opposition 3. Ensure people of Russia remained loyal to the regime
Who did Trotsky appoint in Red Army units? (Not a name)
Political commissars
3 Examples of harsh discipline in Trotsky’s Red Army
- Any sign of disloyalty/desertion punishable by death. 2.Summary executions to ‘discourage’ waverers in ranks.
- Members of Cheka used to shoot deserters.
Red Army’s tactic to keep population in line
Brutal treatment of civilians in occupied areas
2 ‘excuses’ for the launch of the Red Terror and shooting of romanovs. (One with date)
- Lenin wounded in assassination attempt
2. Murder of Petrograd chairman of the Cheka
When, where and who executed the Romanovs (inc N2) on Lenin’s orders?
July 1918, Ekaterinburg, a local Cheka detachment
Dates of the ‘red terror’
1918-1920
Political enemies rounded up during Red Terror included
Remaining SRs, Mensheviks, anarchists, other possible threats.
Action often taken against those rounded up during Red Terror
Shot, not just imprisoned
Estimate of number executed 1918-1920
500k
Excuse for class warfare under red terror
Bourgeoisie guilty of plotting counter revolution
3 results of class warfare under red terror
Arrests, imprisonments, executions
In reality Lenin’s class warfare seemed to target…
all sections of society to frighten them into compliance with the regime.
