Life In Soviet Russia Flashcards
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?
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
- 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
When Stalin took over how long did the Communist continue to rule Russia for and what system collapsed
The Communist continue to Russia until 1991 then the Communist system collapsed
List features of the Communist system in Russia
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)
Who carried out the purges
These procedures were carried out by the secret police NKVD
Why did Stalin use purges and show trials in the 1930s
In the 1930s Stalin used purges and show trials to get rid of any opposition to his policies
What gave Stalin an excuse to begin purges and show trials
The assassination of kirov in 1934
What were show trials
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
What were the effects of the purges and show trials
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
What were gulags and when were they set up and who were they set up under
Gulags were a feature of the Communist system. They were set up under Lenin’s rule but stalin expanded them hugely after 1928
Where were gulags found and how many people died in them
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
Consequences of stalin’s 5-year plan
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.
What would the 5 year plan do
the aim of the plan was to bring the Soviet Union up-to-date (modernize) and to catch up with the west
What year did the 5 year plans begin
1928
Collectivization
what was it
when did it begin
and what happened
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
How did Women’s Lives change in Soviet Russia
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.
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?
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
Communist youth organisations and their age years
Little octobrists 7 to 9 years
Young Pioneers 10 to 14 years
Komsomol 15 to 28 years
Why was large families encouraged and what are mothers of large families honoured as
Because of the huge loss of population. There were more allowances for large families and mothers of such families were honored as mother heroines
Health and education
What did stalin want for children and what campaign began of this and what were th results
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
What was life like in Soviet Russia during WW2.
Where and what happened during a brutal battle
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
Effects of the people in Soviet Russia after World War II (leningrad what happened)
What was imposed
How many people died
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
