Life In Soviet Russia

Question 1

1 What leader and who took over russia in a revolution? (When)
2 What happened after they took over?
3 Over the next number of years, what did the communists do?

Answer 1

1 Lenin and the bolsheviks (communist party) took over Russia in a revolution in November 1917.

2 between 1918 and 1921 Lenin and the communists (reds) fought the Russian Civil war against the whites who were opposed to them.
In the end the communists defeated their opponents

3. The Communist tightened their grip on Russia. The leader Lenin died and Joseph Stalin took over the leadership of the Communist Party and of the country

Question 2

When Stalin took over how long did the Communist continue to rule Russia for and what system collapsed

Answer 2

The Communist continue to Russia until 1991 then the Communist system collapsed

Question 3

List features of the Communist system in Russia

Answer 3

One-party dictatorship 
government (State) ownership and control of industry and agriculture 
Cult of Personality
 propaganda 
control of press radio TV and cinema 
police state, show trials, executions 
gulags (labour camps)

Question 4

Who carried out the purges

Answer 4

These procedures were carried out by the secret police NKVD

Question 5

Why did Stalin use purges and show trials in the 1930s

Answer 5

In the 1930s Stalin used purges and show trials to get rid of any opposition to his policies

Question 6

What gave Stalin an excuse to begin purges and show trials

Answer 6

The assassination of kirov in 1934

Question 7

What were show trials

Answer 7

These were public trials of senior party leaders which were held in Moscow.
The leaders provided evidence of the wrongdoing and confessed to plotting against stalin
most of the leaders were executed after the trials

Question 8

What were the effects of the purges and show trials

Answer 8

Greater control by Stalin of the Communist Party and the country
greater fear among ordinary people of criticizing aspects of Soviet life
The Soviet army was weakened

Question 9

What were gulags and when were they set up and who were they set up under

Answer 9

Gulags were a feature of the Communist system. They were set up under Lenin’s rule but stalin expanded them hugely after 1928

Question 10

Where were gulags found and how many people died in them

Answer 10

Gulags were found all over the Soviet Union, although most of them were in Siberia, far away from the cities of Western Russia.
between 1 and 2 million people died in gulags in very harsh conditions

Question 11

Consequences of stalin’s 5-year plan

Answer 11

By 1940 the Soviet Union was the second largest industrial country in the world.
Some New industrial cities were built.
The Urban population grew by 29 million between 1929 and 1939.
There was no one employment.
The Five-Year Plans depended on hard working conditions, severe punishments and lower living standards for workers.

Question 12

What would the 5 year plan do

Answer 12

the aim of the plan was to bring the Soviet Union up-to-date (modernize) and to catch up with the west

Question 13

What year did the 5 year plans begin

Answer 13

1928

Question 14

Collectivization
what was it
when did it begin
and what happened

Answer 14

in the late 1920s Russian farming was not producing enough food.
the land was taken over by the government to increase mechanization and food supply.
Great collective farms were formed and local villages cooperated in working the farms under the control of the state.
Many of the peasants including the Kulaks resisted the changes.
Millions were killed or sent to labour camps gulags

Question 15

How did Women’s Lives change in Soviet Russia

Answer 15

They were put on a more equal footing with the men. They worked in many jobs which were regarded at the time as men’s jobs in the west. By 1937 50% of workers were women, almost doubled since 1927.
This included 21% of construction workers and 70% of healthcare workers.

Question 16

What was encouraged in the 1930s , what was made more difficult to obtain, what allowances were made for married couples and what facilities were made and why?

Answer 16

They were also child allowances for married couples.
Facilities such as crèches and kindergartens were developed to enable both parents to work. Family life was encouraged in the 1930s.
Divorce was made more difficult to obtain

Question 17

Communist youth organisations and their age years

Answer 17

Little octobrists 7 to 9 years
Young Pioneers 10 to 14 years
Komsomol 15 to 28 years

Question 18

Why was large families encouraged and what are mothers of large families honoured as

Answer 18

Because of the huge loss of population. There were more allowances for large families and mothers of such families were honored as mother heroines

Question 19

Health and education

What did stalin want for children and what campaign began of this and what were th results

Answer 19

Healthcare was provided free for the people.
Stalin wanted all children to be educated so that they would be of greatest possible service to the Country.
there was also a huge literacy campaign.
By 1950, almost all those aged over 8 and under 50 could read and write

Question 20

What was life like in Soviet Russia during WW2.

Where and what happened during a brutal battle

Answer 20

In 1941 the German army attacked the Soviet Union. They were halted before they reached Moscow by the Russian winter.
In 1942 the Germans advance towards Stalingrad. A brutal Battle of Stalingrad resulted in victory for the Russian army. After that the German army was forced to retreat towards Germany

Question 21

Effects of the people in Soviet Russia after World War II (leningrad what happened)
What was imposed
How many people died

Answer 21

The people suffered a great deal during the war especially people living in German conquered lands or in the cities of Moscow Leningrad and Stalingrad.
in Leningrad 700000 people starved or froze to death as they resisted the Siege of The City by the Germans.
The government imposed a rationing system because of the shortages of food and clothing.
it is estimated that about 17 million Soviet civilians died in the war