Paper 2: Russia Flashcards
Tsarist Rule in Russia
ran by autocratic system
ministers chosen by tsar, army and police swore loyalty
only one ruler of the romanov family: saw their power as sacred
no opposition or other political parties, absolute power
russification
44% of the country was russian
country put russia as priority over other nationalities
forced to adapt to culture, speak russian, wear their clothing, follow their customs
Political Parties
had different aims for revolution
SRs did this by assassinating important government ministers
Boshleviks believed revolution should happen when the time is right
Menshleviks believed revolution will happen, when Russia is industrialised
were illegal
Russia ran by autocracy so no opposition or political parties were allowed to be formed
members were arrested by the okhrana
formed secret names to hide from the police
Russo Japanese War
caused by conflict over Manchuria
Russia wanted Manchuria because they had a port that didn’t freeze over, crucial for trading
precious raw materials like coal and silver to help industrialise
Japan wanted Manchuria for expansion
hhence war started
Russia was defeated
old fashioned military tactics on sea and on land
Port Arthur was lost to Japan
5000 killed 5000 captured
Bloody Sunday
caused by petition from workers
150000 workers carried a petition demanding for a 8h work day, right to trade unions, constitution to guarantee workers rights
marched to Winter Palace led by Father Gapon, to deliver this to the tsar
was a massacre of protesters
protesters shouted insult about failures of war
after 2 warning rounds, troops fired into the crowd
Mounted Cossacks attacked the crowd with whips and swords
100 killed
1905 Revolution
protests in countryside and cities peasant riots burnt down landlord houses (3000), killed landlords took over land and made communes workers general strike with 400 000 workers joined with liberal middle class railway did not function
failed to overthrow the tsar
middle class called off the general strike, numbers reduced
tsar survived and retook the power
repression: extreme force to stop peasant unrest, arrested political parties, 1000 killed at an attempt revolution by SDs
Potemkin Mutiny
sailors rebelled against their officers
threw executive officer into the water
shot others, locked them up
socialist committee formed on the Potemkin, quartermaster Matyushenko took over as chairperson
failed to spread within the rest of the Black Sea Fleet
sailed around Black Sea to avoid recapture
sunk the ship at Port of Constanta so it couldn’t be found and recaptured
sailors given asylum
St Petersburg Soviet
it was an important development for revolution, set the idea of resistance
organised the general strike after it begun
set up in multiple cities, united the workers
shut down by the Tsar
used force in December 1905
leaders arrested after they called for more strikes and argued that they should be armed to defend themselves
Stolypin’s policy of repression
successful in shutting down protests in city
newspaper and trade unions shut down
used extreme force and the army to stop any protests
SD revolution ended up killing 1000
St Petersburg Soviet leaders arrested
those arrested would have unfair trials and exiled to Siberia/ executed
failed to stop peasant unrest
soldiers rode out to villages in countrysides to stop peasant riots
peasant unrest continued till 1907
very spread out and spontaneous, difficult
October Manifesto
increased civil rights for Russian people
right to form trade unions and political parties, freedom of speech, freedom of religion
a duma to be formed, with elected representatives to form a parliament to propose new laws and policies
was created to stop the 1905 Revolution
Tsar made concessions to please the protestors so that he could remain in power and restore order, stop strikes and mutinies so that Russia could function
ministers advised him to ^^
Stolypin’s land reform
created to stop peasant riots
wager on the strong
proposed for peasants to leave communes and set up their own individual farms
use modern farming methods, keep all the profit from selling their crops
move to Siberia for more land
become rich and not protest
failed to achieve its aims
only 14% of peasants who took up his offer actually set up their enclosed individual farms
acted as if they were part of a commune
animals grazed each other’s land
strips of land belonging to a peasant would be scattered amongst land of other peasants
Dumas
allowed Russian people to express their views
different political parties would take part in elections and represent the people, eg made of Kadets Trudoviks SRs
any law would have to be passed and approved by the duma
government actions supervised
had limited power
fundamental laws of russia could only be changed by the Tsar
the Tsar had control over the army
laws passed could be vetoed by the Tsar
actions of Duma could be blocked by the State Council, which was chosen by Tsar
could be dissolved anytime
Duma 1
first elected parliament for Russia Kadets and Trudoviks participated in the elections branch of SR + liberal party had elections to choose representatives left wing parties did not take part
short lived Kadets called for State Council to be abolished, Trudoviks supported this taking land from landlords: would anger the upper class Stolypin saw this as a threat to tsarism and autocracy dissolved in December, lasted 10 weeks
Duma 2
extremely left wing
elections took place to form a parliament
SRs and SDs took part in the elections, were very popular
over 202 seats were socialists, who wanted revolution
short lived
the duma called to abolish tsarism
seen as even more radical than Duma 1 by Stolypin, saw this as a threat to autocracy
said it was not representative and made to discredit the tsar as an excuse to dissolve it in June 1907
Duma 3 / 4
change in election rules
elections were rigged so that conservatives who was elected instead of SRs and SDs
Octoborists, middle ground liberals took up over 287 of the seats
supported the tsar
supported and passed all the tsar’s policies
any opposition eg criticism and speeches were too insignificant because outnumbered
no need to shut it down, lasted its full 5 year term
(fourth duma was right wing nationalists)
Lena Goldfields Strike
caused by discontent of miners
forced to eat rotten horsemeat
mass protests, marched to their managers to deliver a list of their demands, such as better working conditions
went on strike, did not work, with the help of Bolsheviks
massacre happened 200-500 killed troops fired into the crowd to stop the unrest and put the miners back under control by fear and oppression hundreds wounded leaders of strike arrested
World War 1
Russia suffered many military defeats
Battle of Tannenberg: lost 122 000 men, 3000 killed, the rest captured
2M men lost in total
enemies took 3 provinces of Russia, containing coal mining areas
soldiers unarmed whilst enemy had machine guns
only ⅓ soldiers had rifles
was initially supported by the people were patriotic and proud of their country, faith in the army because they represented the people taxes raised to pay for the war duma supported the war spent more money
Rasputin
repenting monk Cured haemophilia High influence but then murdered Affair Alexandra German
February Revolution
mass protests against the tsar
International women’s day: protested against food shortages due to requisitioning and rationing: everyone’s supply was limited
250 000 workers went on strike for food shortages, terrible working conditions
22-25 Feb
the army mutinied
heard about soldiers ordered to shoot 50 people, refused to do the same
broke into the weapons’ store, 30 000 revolvers, 40 000 rifles
released political prisoners, broke into prisons
joined the workers, 150 000 soldiers mutinied
shot their officers
The army mutiny
rebellion against their officers
heard about soldiers ordered to shoot 50 people, refused to do the same
broke into the weapons’ store, 30 000 revolvers, 40 000 rifles
released political prisoners, broke into prisons
joined the workers, 150 000 soldiers mutinied
shot their officers
marked the end of tsarism
when 150 000 soldiers joined up with 250 000 workers, 400 000 protestors in total
the police could not face this many protests
if more were brought in, they may mutiny
soldiers were tired from WW1
Nicholas could not control this
The abdication of the tsar
started when the army mutinied
when 150 000 soldiers joined up with 250 000 workers, 400 000 protestors in total
the police could not face this many protests
if more were brought in, they may mutiny
marked the end of tsarism
tsar abdicated in favour of his brother grand duke michael
a civil war would start if tsarism were to continue
michael did not want to be tsar
complete end to autocracy
The Provisional Government
made of remaining duma members
made up of 12 duma deputies from the fourth duma
other duma deputies fled in fear of tsar getting revenge
Prince Lvov, a well known liberal as their leader
temporary
promised to be in power until elections for a constituent assembly would be held, power would be passed over then -> allow people of Russia to have representation in the government
did not introduce any reforms because they believed it wasn’t their role
6 months
April Theses
set out Lenin’s views and promises to the people
end cooperation with the PG
end the war
nationalisation of all land, all wealth owned by one state bank
abolish police, army, bureaucracy
appealed to all parts of society
peace land bread - peasants, people in cities
all power to soviets - workers
simple slogans made it easy even if they were not very educated, clear message
June Offensive
it aimed to increase popularity of the provisional government
a major offence to the enemy in WW1
if they succeeded, it would be a huge victory and help boost army morale and confidence to continue fighting
prove that the army and the war was going well under the provisional government’s control
it failed to achieve its aims
the army was not disciplined as soldiers were part of the Petrograd soviet
Russian front collapsed, front lines pushed back hundreds of kilometres
embarrassment and weakened the PG
July Days
an uprising against the provisional government
started when anarchist revolutionaries convinced soldiers to join an anti-government demonstration
bolsheviks joined after some consideration that PG could be overthrown like the tsar, soldiers + workers
carried banners and used slogans “all power to the soviets”
it did not succeed
did not have the support of the Petrograd soviet, made of mensheviks
Petrograd Soviet and the Provisional Government worked together to disperse the crowds
troops brought back from war
aided by the terrible weather that didn’t allow protestors to stay out long
lenin fled, bolsheviks arrested, including trotsky
Kornilov Revolt
started when Kornilov opposed the will of Kerensky
Kerensky wanted him to boost army morale
Kornilov wanted martial law + break power of soviets
Kerensky saw this as a threat to his own power
Kornilov dismissed, sent troops to Petrograd
Kornilov did not succeed
Bolsheviks called in to help: 10 000 Red Guards defended the city
railway workers did not let Kornilov’s troops in
Kornilov’s troops were easily persuaded to desert their officers and mutiny
Kornilov arrested on 1 September
October Revolution
Bolsheviks seized control
Trotsky used the Military Revolutionary Committee and small, disciplined groups to take control over parts of the city like canal bridges, railway system, telegraph office, army headquarters
State bank seized
Red Guards + soldiers climbed into the Winter Palace and arrested PG members
Council of people’s commissars set up
there was no resistance to their takeover
PG members gave up when they were found: no need for fighting
Kerensky fled
no opposition from civilians, businesses kept running
other party members disapproved that they took it by force risking a civil war, walked out in protest until bolshevik party was the only one left
Lenin
return to Russia from Switzerland April theses Bolsheviks could not agree but Lenin simply convinced them it was the right time Failure of PG Kornilov revolt weakened Army lost discipline Peasants were seizing land all over Russia Germans advancing
Trotsky
organiser
Hero amongst the socialist
President of Petrograd Soviet gave bolsheviks control of MRC
Trotsky helped better public opinion as it was soviets and Bolsheviks taking power
The Decrees 1917
improved lives of workers and minorities
decree on workers rights
8H work day, 48H work week
insurance for workers: unemployment, injury or sick
holidays and overtime rules
decree on nationalities
allowed minority groups like ukrainians to create their own government, had more freedom
had limited effect
decree on land
legalised something that already had happened
allowed landowners, church and tsar land to be handed over to the peasants
decree on work
workers to legally control the factories
decree on peace
unrealistic as germany did not want easy negotiations
Constituent Assembly
government formed from many political parties
dominated by Social Revolutionaries with 53% of the votes, because they had peasant support and same goals (land)
Bolsheviks took up just under a quarter of the votes, from people in cities, Petrograd, Moscow
minority made of Mensheviks and Kadets
closed down very quickly
Lenin was not happy with the results as it meant Bolshevik would lose power
claimed that the Assembly was not the will of everybody when they rejected the Decrees and all power to the soviets with majority of 100 votes
claimed that it was full of counter-revolution capitalists
all political parties arrested and banned with the assembly
Red guards brought in to stop opening
Treaty of Brest Litovsk
signed to end the war for Russia
Lenin demanded that Trotsky achieve peace at all means as the Russian army could not face a civil war and a war with Germany: revolution would be over
other allies did not participate, Russia negotiated on their own
Germany stopped the invasion of Russia in March
extremely harsh terms Germans knew Russians were desperate, asked for a lot 75% of coal mining areas gone 50% of industry 25% of farmland, population 300M gold roubles
Civil War
a war between Bolsheviks and all parties that opposed it
Bolsheviks used the Red Army, known as the Reds, led by Trotsky
Opposition to Bolsheviks included mono archists, social revolutionary and constituent assembly supporters, minorities, known as the Whites, no leader
Britain supported whites with intention of bringing them back into the war
the Bolsheviks won
Whites never got to Moscow, the capital city
counterattacks + disagreements caused them to split
Red Army defeated the White Army, led by General Wrangel in the final battle
Greens defeated by poison gas in the forest
Whites
made up of different groups fighting reds
- Siberian army led by admiral kolchak
- attacking reds from Estonia and in the south by the kadets
Greens
- peasant armies
- anarchist Nestor makhno
Effects of Civil War
Trotsky as war commissar as he organised the red army
Czech region took control of the trans Siberian rail road
Royal family killed
Lenin shot by Kaplan who is a socialist revolutionary, shoots him as he put down the constituent assembly
War Communism
created to help the Red Army in the civil war
to keep Bolsheviks in power
needed supplies and weapons, needed food
living conditions of Red Army prioritised
targets set, factory production switched to for the army, requisitioning to the army
factories were state owned, target goals for peasants and workers, set by Supreme Economic Council
maintained with force
strikes were banned
violence against peasants, especially those who hid their grain were shot
Cheka imprisoned and unfairly executed those who did not follow it
Kronstadt Mutiny
started with discontent of the navy
although they were the most loyal to Bolsheviks
angered by imprisonment and execution of Cheka- believed they were betrayed by “all power to soviets” promise
bourgeois had more food and lived in better houses
lack of freedom
bread rationing was cut
15 000 soldiers mutinied
stopped by the Red Army by force 50 000 sent out to Gulf of Finland to fight the mutineers on ice 8000 escaped to Finland 500 executed for rebelling fighting till 17 March restored under government control
NEP
reversed war communism
capitalistic ideas
free market: nepmen trading, peasants selling crops
requisitioning ended
privately owned businesses and factories
200 000 experts from Canada and USA came to suggest how to improve factories
improved the economy
peasants grew more food: more motivated: become richer
grain increased by 10M tonnes
steel production increased from 180 000 to 700 000
profit gained from small businesses who could sell goods to countryside who needed clothes, shoes
2 to 4.6M roubles
