role and impact of significant individuals in the period political, military, social/cultural

Question 1

Tsar Nicholas

Answer 1

Tsar of Russian Empire from 1894 – 1917
* Remained committed to autocratic rule
* Assumed control of Russian army in 1915 during WW1
* His abdication ended over 300 years of Romanov rule

Question 2

Alexander Kerensky

Answer 2

• Justice Minister (March – May 1917)
• Minister for War (May – July 1917)
• Prime Minister (July – October 1917)
• Called for removal of Tsar in February Revolution on 1917 and became a part of the Provisional Government
• Failed to improve the credibility and support of the Provisional Government
• Appointed Kornilov as commander of the Russian army and later came into conflict during the August ‘Kornilov affair’
• The actual insurrection–the Bolshevik Revolution–began on the morning of November 6 (October 24) when Kerensky ordered the Bolshevik press closed.

Question 3

Vladimir Lenin

Answer 3

• Chairman of Council of Peoples’ Commissars October 1917 – January 1924
• Led world first communist takeover in the October Revolution
• Established one party state and command economy
• Founder of Russian totalitarianism
• Formed USSR in 1922 which lasted until 1991

Question 4

leon trotsky

Answer 4

• Commissar for Foreign Affairs 1917 – 1918
• Commissar for War 1918 – 1925
• Formed Red Guard
• In September 1917 became Chairman of the Petrograd Soviet
• Trotsky won the Petrograd garrison over to Soviet authority, depriving the Provisional Government of its main military support in Petrograd
• Instrumental in bringing about the October Revolution
• Later as Commissar of War, ensured victory in Civil War through command of Red Army

Question 5

Joseph Stalin

Answer 5

• Commissar for Nationalities 1917
• General secretary 1922 – 1953
• Leader of Soviet Union from 1928 – 1953
• Socialism in One Country
• Five Year Plans and industrialisation of Soviet Union
• Collectivisation
• The Great Terror
• Victory in WW2 over Germany