Russia 1 Flashcards
What was the Russian Civil Service?
Advisors to the Tsar who were intended to assist him.
Carried out instructions from the Tsar and his Ministers
What was the significance of the Russo-Japanese war (1904-05)
The Russian army was defeated badly despite being the largest in Europe, it was seen as embarrassing to lose to an Asian power and caused much rebellion. Led to the creation of the Duma.
Pre-1917 Peasantry LIfe
90% of population were peasantry
Many were Serfs (slaves) until Nicholas II’s Grandfather Alexander II granted them freedom in 1861. However had to buy their own freedom
Pre-1917 Russian Industry
Much behind other European powers like Germany and Britain. Bad working conditions. A few central hubs of Industry like Moscow and St Petersburg.
Industry was improving at a rate of 8% a year.
5th largest Industrial power
Mostly Agriculture, also had supplies of coal and oil.
3 million workers
The formation of the Duma (1905)
Passed through in the October Manifesto.
However, Nicholas limited its power by shutting it down frequently due to sections allowing him to dissolve it ant any time and veto any law and this angered the middle class.
The Russian Empire Pre-1917
8 million square miles
1/6 of the globe
Siberia and ‘European’ Russia separated by the Ural Mountains.
Only 1/2 of the Empire were ethnically Russian
Russian Politics Pre-1917
1905 allowed unions, previously striking had been illegal.
Okhrana used to take down leftist rebels.
Orthodox Church held a lot of power
Why did WW1 break out?
Franz Ferdinand assassinated by a Slav in Austo-Hungary.
Russia involved as they believed all Slavic people should be united under the Russian Empire.
Public Opinion of WW1
Initially popular due to Anti-German sentiment across the country
After the Battle of Tannenburg in August, 1914 (in which 300,000 died in 6 weeks) public opinion became more antiwar. Sentiment continued the longer they stayed in the war.
Conditions on the Eastern Front in WW1
12 million men conscripted between 1914 and 1917.
Very Understocked.
Lacked shoes and warm clothes in weather as cold as -35.
Only 66% of soldiers had a rifle.
Most officers inexperienced.
1.5 million desertions in 1914
Mutanies in regiments.
Why did the Tsar make himself Commander-in chief of the Army in September 1915?
Hoped it would inspire the troops to fight however, he had no military experience and made terrible decisions that worsened the war instead of just leaving it.
WW1 Economy
Inflation was as high as 300%
Taxes still very high, Nicholas did not care about the starving people.
Shortages of food as many peasants were on the Eastern Front.
Women spent as long as 40 hours a week in bread queues.
Politics during WW1
Tsarina Alexandra and Grigori Rasputin in charge. Disliked because she was German and he was a peasant and believed to be controlling the family/ sleeping with Tsarina.
Duma were pressuring Nicholas to give them the power via a Progressive Bloc.
Prince Yusupov murdered Rasputin in Dec of 1916.
1917 Liberals
(Parties like the Kadets, Octobrists and Progressive Bloc)
Octobrists most right leaning- wanted to stick to agreement in October Manifesto with the Duma alongside the Tsar)
Kadets most popular liberal party- national not class based, named themselves a ‘Party of Popular Freedom’.
Bloc- most liberal, pushed Tsar for constitutional monarchy.
Mostly supported by middle class I larger cities.
The Socialist Revolutionaries (SRs) in 1917
Formed 1901 (before political parties were legal)
Wide group of people with varying views.
Interested in distributing and to peasants.
Believed in the development of Capitalism before any socialist revolutions- very Marxist.
Had support from Industrial workers.
Mensheviks/ Bolsheviks
Followed the theory of Karl Marx (and Engles).
Believed in action more than the SRs.
Originally one group (the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party) but split into two in 1903.
Mensheviks were more democratic and believed in waiting for a middle class to form before revolution.
Bolshevik beliefs
A small number of educated revolutionaries should act as a vanguard on behalf of the working class.
The middle class are too weak to hold power and will lead to counter-revolution.
Russia will be the first of many revolutions so other powers can help them build a working class.
When and where did Nicholas II abdicate?
21st March 1917
In his train stopped at Pskov, 200 miles way from Petrograd.
Abdicated for both him and Alexei, giving power to the Duma.
When was it clear the Tsar would have to abdicate?
January 1917, General Krimov met with the President of the Duma to suggest they would be willing to support then given they were losing hope in the Tsar.
They also telegraphed the Tsar expressing concern for the Tsarinas ability to hold down the fort.
What happened on International Women’s Day 1917 (23rd February)?
Marching on the streets. Increased from the beginning on the strikes yesterday. 240,000 people on the streets of Petrograd including women, steel workers, students.
Events of 24th February 1917
Up to 200,000 on strike.
Singing revolutionary songs ‘La Marseillaise’
Overturning Tsarist statues.
Waving red flags.
No obvious organisers though
Events of 25th February 1917
250,000 on the street.
demanding an end to war and tsarist
Tsar ordered the chief of the Petrograd Garrison to calm down the people but the mounted police were killed. Some troops refused to attack the strikers.
When was teh provisional government formed?
26th Feb 1917
Included Prince Lvov (prime minister), Pavel Milyukov and Kerensky
27th February 1917
Volinskii Regement Mutiny.
The 66,000 soldiers handed out 40,000 rifles to the crowd.
Prisons attacked
Soviet set up
What power did the Provisional Government have?
‘Official’ power
International relations
Military and war
What power did the Soviet have?
Control of workers in Petrograd including services such as:
Rail, soldiers, Power, Factories, Telegraph, Press
What was the Petrograd Soviet?
Gathering of Political representatives for working class. Anyone could join in the soviet.
First meeting had 5000 members
What was Order Number 1?
Gave soldiers (in Petrograd) representatives in the Soviet and in exchange, the soldiers would only follow government orders if they had been approved by the Soviet
What are some laws Dual Authority passed between Feb and May?
Tsarist ministers arrested
Okhrana disbanded
Amnesty for political prisoners
Freedom of Speech
Death Penalty abolished
Elections to be arranged
8 hour working day
Right to strike
Trade unions
Why did they Prov. Gov. and Soviet disagree on the war?
PG wanted to stick with the secret treaties Tsar had made allowing Russia to take Ottoman land after the war.
Wanted to stay in the war.
When did Lenin return to Russia from Switzerland?
3rd April 1917
What were Lenin’s ‘sayings’ when returning in April?
No support for the Provisional Government
All power to the soviet
Peace, Bread, Land
The points in Lenin’s April Theses
There must be an end to the imperialist war.
Power must be put into the hands of the proletariat.
Power to the Soviet, not the PG.
Land should be nationalised
Banks should be nationalised
How did Lenin get into Russia in April?
Took a sealed train through Germany (the Germans allowed them to do this as they believed political unrest would help them in the war) along with 31 other comrades.
Lenin and Pravda (the Bolshevik newspaper)
Lenin had 48 articles published in May 1917 alone
Was the most mentioned name in the whole newspaper
What was the Central Committee Of the Bolshevik Party?
A group of 21 leading Bolsheviks who made decisions on policy
How and when did Lenin win over the central Committee with his ideas?
By the end of April 1917
Backtracking and compromising on his ideas. A lot of arguing probably.
What problems did the Provisional Government have that contributed to their downfall?
Elections
WW1
Peasants seizing land in the countryside
Grain prices doubling
Shortages of materials
Lenin
Order Number 1
What was the June Offensive?
Planned offensive attack against Germany.
Aimed to:
Take pressure off Western Front
Get a leg up and not lose more land
Get more control of the troops
Planned to start 16th June
To gain support Kerensky toured the front lines and spread propaganda.
How successful was the June Offensive?
Unsuccessful
Only lasted 3 days
200,000 casualties
Lost support for the PG
Catalysed the July Days
Sill had major problems of unmotivated troops, Desertion, Mutiny
2 million deserters
What were the July days?
Between 3rd and 5th of July 1917
Series of protests and riots led by the Sailors of Kronstadt naval base out of frustration for the way the war was going.
20,000 people involved
Were not led by the Bolsheviks, Lenin didn’t endorse them, Bolsheviks were trying to calm the protestors but they were blamed for the disturbance
What were the consequences of the July Days?
Lenin and Stalin had to flee again, PG were after them
Trotsky and Kaminev were arrested.
Izvestia newspaper denounced Lenin believed him to be a German spy.
Lvov steps down as prime minister.
Trotsky becomes a Bolshevik.
What was the Kornilov affair?
August 1917
Kerensky makes Lavr Kornilov Commander-in-Chief of the Army
~Brought back the Death Penalty for desertion
Kornilov was right Wing
Takes 6x Regiments into Petrograd.
Kerensky only told him to stop. In reality he was stopped by Bolshevik leaders who had been released from prison.
How did the Kornilov affair benefit the Bolsheviks?
~Kerensky disliked
~Proved Lenin’s counter-revolution correct
~Increased party membership. 200,000 by Oct.
~Had majorities in Moscow + Petrograd soviets.
~Gained more military power
When did Trotsky become the chairman of the Petrograd Soviet?
September 26th
(3 days before Julien Baker’s birthday)
What were Kerensky’s jobs prior to Prime Minister?
Minister for Justice
May 1917, became War Minister
Prime Minister from July
Where did Lenin go to exile in July 1917?
Finland with Zinoviev
What happened on the 10th October 1917 (10/10)?
CCOB debated on how to attain the second revolution
10 hours
Lenin won 10:2 (Kaminev and Zinoviev)
When did Trotsky Create teh Military Revolutionary Committee?
16th October
What was Lenin’s argument on 10/10?
Should have a second revolution immediately and seize power
What was Trotsky’s argument on 10/10?
Wait until the Congress of Soviets on the 26th to get support from the other socialist parties.
What were Kaminev and Zinoviev’s argument on. 10/10?
They should gain power legally after the Constituent’s Assembly elections (which had no date set for them)
What was the MRC presented as being for?
To defend Russia from more counter-revolution.
What did Kerensky do on the 23rd that essentially began the October Revolution?
Took action against the Bolsheviks
Shut down their newspapers Pravda and Izvestia
Restricted the power of the MRC.
Tried to close bridges across the city to stop their movement (however the Soviet had control of the bridges)
How did the Bolsheviks gain an upper hand for the Oct revolution?
24th-25th October
Took over buildings and telegraphs across Petrograd
E.g. Stations, Gov buildings, Post office, banks, bridges
What were the first decrees Lenin announced?
The Decree on Peace
The Decree on Land
27th October
Who did the Bolsheviks have supporting them in October?
Kronstadt Soldiers
Red Guard
MRC
Aurora battleship
How did Trotsky help in the Oct revolution?
Organisation
Lenin’s 2nd in command (but not officially)
What resistance did teh Oct Revolution meet?
Vey little.
Late at night/ early morning
Kerensky had tried to find military support but found none
Was a few Kadets in the Winter Palace when they stormed in but no fight
Where were teh Bolshevik’s coordinating October from?
The Smolensk Institute
How did the Second Congress of Soviets react to the 2nd revolution?
Outraged by the violence
Most (Mensheviks and right of SR) stormed out ‘into the dustbin of History’ essentially giving Bolsheviks complete control of the Soviet
The Bolshevik initial Decrees (Oct + Nov)
Decree on Land
Decree on Peace
Workers’ Decree
Decree on Press
Decree on Workers’ Control
Bolshevik Decrees
(December)
Decree on the Nationalisation of banks
Decree on independence
Bolshevik decree
(Feb 1918)
Decree on separation of church and state
How did the new Russian government work?
Sovnarkom (Commisars of _, Lenin as Chairman)
Central Executive Committee
Congress of Soviets
Local Soviets
Women in 1917/1918 Russia
Women could divorce men and own their own land.
They could vote (that one time)
Aleksandra Kollontai was a woman in Sovnakom
Early signs of authoritarianism in the Oct Revolution
Secret Police return (Cheka)
Censoring of opposition press
Military response to resistance
What resistance was there to October (booklet 1)
Protests from Mensheviks and SRs about lack of other parties in Sovnarkom (7 SRs brought into Sovn bc of this)
Kerensky tried to start a counter-revolution
Group of cadets on Oct 29th resisted
When were the elections for the Constituents assembly?
November 1917
Who won the Constituents assembly vote?
SRs- 21.8 million votes
Bolsheviks- 10.0 million votes
Total of 41M votes cast
What groups were voting Bolshevik?
Army
Workers of Petrograd and MoscowW
Who were voting for other major groups?
SRs- peasant vote bc of views on land ownership
Kadets- Middle Class vote
How did Lenin respond to the election results?
ignored them
Claimed ‘elections prove nothing’ and they were the true party of the people and it was ‘bourgeois democracy’
What happened at the first meeting of the Constituents Assembly?
5th January 1918
Lenin shut it down part way through the day claiming it was counter-revolutionary because of the Kadets.
Mad the SRs chose a right wing leader (Chernov)
When people protested this, protestors were shot at and 12 died
Who was the head of the Cheka?
‘Iron Felix’ Dzerzhinsky
How many Cheka agents were there?
Began with only 120 in March 1918.
More than 100,000 by 1919
What was the official role of the Cheka?
to break up ‘counter-revolutionary’ activity
When was the Kornilov affair?
26th-30th August 1917
What were the three arguments regarding peace negotiations?
Lenin- peace ASAP
Trotsky- neither peace nor war
Bukharin- fight a revolutionary war to expand communism
Why did Lenin want immediate peace?
Promised peace
‘Imperialist war’
Army was suffering
Economic crisis in Russia
Why did Trotsky want to prolong peace talks?
To keep good international relations for when everyone is socialist (Trotsky was Commisar for Foreign Affairs)
What were the conditions of the treaty of Brest-Litovsk?
Lost 2 million square km of land (= to 1/3 of their agriculture)
62 million people
3 billion roubles in reparations
What was the reaction to the signing of Brest-Litovsk?
Left Wing SRs who had been in Sovnarkom walked out
What were the causes of the Russian Civil War?
Signing of Brest-Litovsk (angered patriots, humiliating, too far)
Authoritarianism
Middle/Upper classes losing power
Minority in power
Foreign involvement
Losing Empire
The Red Army in the Civil War
Bolshevik troops led by Trotsky (& train, 65,000 miles)
Jan 1918- Red Guard dissolved to make Red Army
March 1918- Trotsky Commisar for war
May- Conscription starts
Re-introduced death penalty to scare people.
Army had 1st dibs of food- encourage joining
Ex-tsarist military hired to lead- 50,000
Made Moscow capital as centre of rail.
Brought back ranks to motivate with promo
Propaganda presented it as most Russian side
White Army in Civil War
Denikin (then Wrangel)- South (Stalingrad > Moscow)
Yudenich- North (near Petrograd)
Kolchak- East (near Czechs)
+ Kornilov til April 1918 when he blew up
All had different aims and beliefs, little communication.
Why did the Whites fail in the Civil War
-Struggled with propaganda where Reds succeeded
-Mistreatment of civilians
-No peasant support
-No control of troops
-80% desertion rate
-Unorganised
-Troops selling supplies
-Corrupt leadership
-Drugs, Alcohol, Gambling and Sex addiction problems
Greens in the Civil War
Lead by Antonov and Mackhno
Peasant ran army from various in Russian empire, seeking independence
Czech Legion in Civil War
Had been prisoners of WW1
Being evacuated along Trans-Siberian railway and joined with the whites
Nationalists wanting Czech independence
Seizing trains from spring to august 1918
International powers in the Civil War
French British and American troops around
British in Archangel and Murmasank
Supplied and supported white army
Events of the Civil War
Civil War begins April 1918
August- Tsar and family murdered, Whites advancing on them in the West. British and Americans in the North
November- Kolchak reaches Omsk, declares himself ‘Supreme Ruler of Russia’. Reds manage to prevent D + K meeting up
1919- D within 200 miles of Moscow. Y within 15,000 miles of Petr. Reds counter, manage to push back and into Crimea. White Allies evacuating
Feb 1920- Kolchak captured and shot. Reds invade Georgia
Oct/Nov 1920- Br and Fr evacuate Whites from Crimea. Reds regained most of prev. Russian empire
Why did the Reds succeed in the Civil War?
Trotsky’s leadership
-Propaganda
-Power
-Discipline
-Tsarist Officers
-Organisation
-Conscription
Geography
-Control of factories and supplies
-Large population
-Train lines
-Whites separated
-Centralised
Unity
-one motivation
-communication
-One army, one leader
White’s weakness
How many Bolshevik party members fought in the red army?
Over 500,000
What was the Politburo?
Created 1919
Group of 7-9 party members who met daily to make key decisions.
Held all the power of the CCoB.
Was initially to make decisions about the war quickly
Beaurocracy in the soviet after the Civil war
Ratio 2:1 of beaurocrats to workers
Many did the same jobs and just flooded the party
What were features of State Capitalism (1917-1918)?
State controlled the economy
Decrees like the Land Decree and the Workers’ control Decree
Nationalisation of Banks, External Trade and Railways
Veshenka in control of regulating the economy
Why did the economic policy move to War Communism?
Combat shortages of materials, food and goods
Consolidates a Bolshevik state
Economy crumbling in spring 1918, trying to regulate.
Industry slow- workers fleeing and workers committees not successful
To support/supply the red troops w/food and munitions.
To root out the middle class/ the ‘internal front’
Main features of War Communism (1918-1921)
Private Trade Banned
Workers’ Discipline
Rationing
Industry Nationalised
Grain Requisitioning and the Decree on the Food Dictatorship
Internal Passports
Consequences of war Communism on working class
Rationing as low as 50g of bread a day
‘Civil War sausage’ eating animals from street/ zoo
Big black market run by bag men- 2/3 of urban diet from black market
Trading luxuaries like lighters, shoes, knives for food
Spent 75% of income on food
3000 homes tore down for wood fuel
Wages in 1919 worth 2% of value in 1913
One months wage was enough for three days of food
The impact of War Communism on the middle Class
Weren’t allowed to work, got the lowest amount of rations
Sold themselves and their belonging for food
42% of Moscow’s prostituted were bourgeoise
Impact of War Communism on Aristocracy
Their houses were divided up into homes for other families, often confined to one room.
Forced to do unpleasant manual labour in the streets at night
What impact did War Communism have on society as a whole?
Populations of Moscow and Petrograd halved
1921 industry output was 20% that of 1913
The death rate was 100/1000
How did the nationalisation of industry 1918-1921 work
Factory’s run by state and controlled by Veshenka.
Workers committees replaced by specialists
Undid the Workers’ Rights Decree
Where were the Romanovs kept since 1917?
First they stayed with a family in Tsarkoe Selo
August 1917 Kerensky moved them to Tobolsk in August 1917
Ended up in Ekaterinburg
Intended for them to go to England with Nicholas’ cousin but the Windsors wouldn’t accept them
Early 1918 more restrictions placed on them, lost luxuries, because of the new local Bolshevik leader- Goloshchekin.
CCOB intended to arrange a show trail for the in Moscow
But there was an angry mob of Whites enclosing on the house
Why were the Romanov’s assassinated?
Urral Bolsheviks saw a trial as useless
Didn’t want the Whites to have access to a figurehead
How were the Romanovs assassinated?
2AM 17th July 1918
Family - Tsar, Tsarina, 3 daughters, Alexei- and servants rounded up in basement, told they were seeking shelter from the mob.
Execution squad had 1 for each person, made up of 6 Hungarians and 5 Russians
How was the assassination of the Romanovs reported?
Announced in Istvetsia on 19th July that the Tsar had been killed
Hid the murders of the women and children
What began the Red Terror?
Assassination attempts on Lenin by the SR Fanya Kaplin on the 30th of August 1918. 3 bullets shot and 2 hit Lenin
Dzezhinsky had been captured by SRs
Killing of two Bolshevik leaders- including Uritisky
What was the Red Terror (1918-1920)?
Arresting opposition from other political parties like SRs, Kadets and Mensheviks to wipe out counter-revolution
Class Warfare pitting workers against, peasants, and ‘former people’
The Cheka using violence to scare people into compliance.
~300,000 killed
Why was the Red Terror used?
Ruling by fear
Stop any more assassination attempts
Class Warfare
Corruption of the Cheka
Labour from Gualgs
Civil War
What problems did War Communism cause?
Factories halting production- 20% had survived from 1913
Transport halted almost completely, close to collapse
Famines- lack of grain
Diseases like typhus, cholera, flu and dysentery spread
In Jan 1921 bread rationing in cities halved
Opposition to War Communism
155 peasant uprisings in the month of February 1921, including the Tambov Revolt
-Lead by General Antonov from the Greens. Lasted almost a year. Attacked brigades requisitioning grain.
Workers- striking 1920-192, demonstrations in cities which were received by the red guard and Cheka firing on the crowd, Martial law involved, angry bc lost control of factories and unions.
Kronstadt sailors- mutinied in March 1921, supporting striking in Petrograd and demanded democracy. Suppressed by Tukhachevsky- shot ringleaders, rest sent to labour camps. Claimed hey were different to the prev sailors who had supported them.
How did War Communism cause division in the party?
Worker’s Opposition faction formed
Lead by Alexander Shlyapknikov and Alexandra Kollontai
Wanted to return control to the workers.
Criticised trade unions being apart of the state
Led to Lenin’s ban on factions
How did the NEP work?
Controlled by Gosplan
Undid War Communism (intended to heal economy and help industrialise)
Government would take a quota of peasant’s grain, the rest they could sell.
Heavy industry like coal, steel and oil as well as banks and rail owned by state but light industry was a free market
Ends rationing
How did the NEP affect the economy?
Industry recovered but slower than agriculture- cause ‘Scissors Crisis’ in 1923
Feared this would lead to peasants hoarding grain again
Rise of Kulaks (rich peasants) and NEPmen- responsible for 75% of trade and 25,000 in Moscow alone
By 1926 production was back to 1913 levels
How did the Bolsheviks deal with censorship during the NEP?
Censorship increased
1922- forbidden to criticise the government and started deporting intelligentsia- 220 total across two ships
Writing had to be approved by GLAVIT before it was published
How did the Bolsheviks deal with Political Rivals during the NEP?
Mensheviks and SRs banned
1921- a series of arrests of Mensheviks
Show trial of the execution of 11 SRs
The OGPU during the NEP
1922
Given more powers like the death penalty and the ability to arrest for any reason
How did the Bolsheviks deal with the Church during the NEP?
Group called the Union of the Militant Godless formed in 1921, the Bolsheviks supported.
1922- churched stripped of valuable possessions
Priests imprisoned/executed
The Ban on Factions (1921)
Lenin saw factions as unnecessary and districting from the important stuff
Passed at the 10th Party Congress
Made it difficult to disagree with what the Central Commitee passed
Centralised Power to Lenin essentially
What happened in the Russo-Polish War (1920)?
Poland created in 1919 after WWI, included land from the Tsarist Empire.
Polish General wanted to expand boarders into Russia. Causes war between Russia and Poland & Ukraine
Russia want to take Poland as their own land to form a ‘Red corridor’ into Europe and spread Marxism
Bolsheviks launch attacks in Kiev and occupy the city
Polish launch counter atttack and push out of Kiev.
Ended with the Treaty of Riga -March 1921
What was Comintern?
The Third Communist International
Formed in 1919 by Lenin
Zinoviev in charge
Intention of international meeting of communists to help spread across the globe
What happened at the First Comintern?
Moscow, 2nd-6th March 1919
50+ communists form across the world- including USA, Australia, Japan and Europe
Decided Germany was ripe for revolution
What happened at the Second Comintern?
July- August 1920
Lenin’s 21 conditions instilled.
Included centrists must be removed and replaced with committed communists and must unconditionally support the USSR.
Moderate parties turned away
What happened at the third Comintern?
June/July 1921
Realised global revolution wasn’t attainable right now (following end of Russo-Polish war)
Moderate communist parties became more favoured (those Lenin had condemned at teh previous conference)
Germany no longer ‘ripe for revolution’ after formation of the Weimar Republic
Who were the Spartacists?
German Communist revolutionaries named after Spartacus the Roman general
Attempted uprising Dec 1918 - Jan 1919
Crushed by German militia
Leaders -Rosa Luxembourg and Karl Liebknecht- were murdered
Why did Russia’s attitude to foreign affairs shift in 1921?
NEP needed foreign trade to build industry and economy
‘Pariah State’ had no allies
Pragmatism- world revolution wasn’t going to happen yet
Russia’s international policy 1921-1924
Treaties with Middle Eastern countries like Turkey, Afghanistan and Persia
Trade Contract with Armand Hammer (an American) to supply pens/pencils
Britain expressed interest in giving credit loans but they opposed to the conditions that involved paying off all debts.
1922- Treaty of Rapallo: negotiations were in secret away from Genoa Conference, led by Commissar for Foreign Affairs Georgii Chicherin, with Germany, Articles included Mutual Goodwill Trade and Compensation for WW1
How was Russia’s relationship with Britain?
David Lloyd George (Liberal) attempted to negotiate with Russia and offer credit and loans as long as they promised to pay back previous loans Britain had given them. Russia allied with Germany instead.
Britain did acknowledge the USSR as a country
1924- the Zinoviev Letter did not aid their relationship, while it was forged by Right Wing British Intelligence people believed it was real and they Labour were working with the Bolsheviks. However, Labour still won the following election
What were the conditions of Lenin’s Death in 1924?
Lenin suffered 3 strokes across 1922 and 1923, the third in March 1923 impacted his ability to speak.
Died on 21st January 1924
His body was embalmed and on display in Moscow against his own and his wife’s wishes
How did Lenin’s death aid Stalin?
Chief mourner at his funeral- carried the coffin, could present himself as close
In the months before Lenin’s death he was unable to work and as General-Secretary Stalin could control access to Lenin and key decisions
Lenin died with no clear successor in the party
Trotsky (his biggest competition) missed Lenin’s funeral as he was in the Caucuses and unwell
What was said in Lenin’s Testament?
His death would cause splits in the party.
They should increase membership of the central committee of bolsheviks.
They should remove Stalin’s power as soon as possible.
Trotsky is capable but too self-obsessed.
Bukharin is a very important mind to the party in his theory.
Pyatov is outstanding but purely administrative
What was the triumvirate?
Faction of Zinoviev, Kaminev and Stalin formed in 1922 (after Lenin’s first stroke) to try and stop trotsky from stealing power.
Why did the triumvirate fear Trotsky?
Questioned loyalty- had been previously a Menshevik
Not well liked
He had status enough to seize power.
Feared a ‘Red Napoleon’ as Trotsky was Commisar for War and had demonstrated his military ability in the Civil War.
Why did the triumvirate fear Trotsky?
Questioned loyalty- had been previously a Menshevik
Not well liked
He had status enough to seize power.
Feared a ‘Red Napoleon’ as Trotsky was Commisar for War and had demonstrated his military ability in the Civil War.
Stalin’s past in the party
Led groups of underground revolutionaries.
Nicknamed ‘Koba’
Robbed banks to fuel revolution
Exiled to Siberia inn which he escaped 5 times and gained a reputation of his strength
1912 he joined the CCOB
In 1917 he was editing for Pravda in Petrograd
Stalin’s early years
Born in Georgia
One of few Bolsheviks to actually come from a poor background
Mother descended from serfs and his Father was a shoe maker.
Didn’t see his father much
Intelligent in school went to train as a Priest which is where he was radicalised
Stalin’s role post 1917
Mostly administrative roles- referred to as ‘Comrade Card-Index’ once called ‘A grey blur’
Commisar for Nationalities
Posted in Tsaritsyn in the Civil War (later to be called Stalingrad) but was removed for disobedience.
1919 he joined the Politburo
Became General- Secretary 1922
1922- ‘Georgian Affair’ gets into trouble for fighting with a group of Georgian communists
Who were the contenders to succeed Lenin in 1924 and what were they known for?
Stalin- General Secretary- many people loyal to him for hiring them
The Left of the Party
Trotsky- Commissar for War, organised Civil War and October Revolution but very self centred and disliked despite his intelligence
Zinoviev- Party Boss in Petrograd, Poliburo member since 1921, Chairman of Comintern but October incident, not particularly powerful
Kaminev- Party Boss in Moscow, Commissar for Foreign Trade, Poliburo but October incident, lacked leadership skills
The Right of the Party
Bukharin- Economic theorist, Editor of Pravda, Member of Politburo since 1922 but supported the NEP, young so no power base, opposed Lenin’s view on trade unions
Rykov- Chairman of Veshenka, Lenin’s Deputy Chairman of Sovnarkom but not in Politburo, Supported NEP
Tomsky- Chairman of Central Council of Trade Unions but he opposed Lenin’s view of trade unions
Why was the NEP so important to the power struggle?
It was very unpopular in the party
Lenin had made it unclear how long it was supposed to last
What were ‘Permanent Revolution’ and ‘Socialism in One Country’ and who believed in what?
The Left of the Party believed in spreading revolution into other European countries because socialism could not survive in just one country. October had taken place in the assumption there would be other powers to help Russia industrialise.
The Right of the Party (+ Stalin) believed in Socialism in One Country and that Russia needed stability and industry to become a ‘worker’s paradise’ that would be an example to other countries
What were the three ‘phases’ to Stalin’s victory in the power struggle?
Stop Trotsky (1922-1924)
Attack the Left (1924-1927)
Attack the Right (1928-1929) (co-insides with collectivisation/ the Great Turn)
Who were the Triumvirate?
Stalin, Kaminev, Zinoviev
1924
Who were the Left Opposition?
Kaminev and Zinoviev
1925
Who were the United Opposition?
Trotsky, Kaminev, Zinoviev
1926-1927
The Stop Trotsky! Phase
January 24- Stalin uses Lenin’s funeral to make him appear as his succession. He becomes chief Pall Bearer and chief mourner. Spoke at the funeral, all while Trotsky wasn’t there
May 24- 13th Party Congress, agree not too read Lenin’s testament out loud as he wished, aids many people but especially Stalin.
Also, Trotsky criticises how much bureaucracy there is in the party, Stalin’s supporters voted against reducing this
October 24- Trotsky criticises Kaminev and Zinoviev for October, they ask for his expulsion from the party but Stalin does not, to avoid accusations of factionalism
Jan 25- Trotsky loses job as commissar for war
The Attack the Left Phase
Dec 25- 14th Party Congress- K+Z (left opposition) criticise Stalin for moving right on his support for NEP, ends triumvirate. They join Trotsky in United Opposition
1926- United Opposition accused of Factionalism (which was banned in 1921 by Lenin)
1927- 10 years since revolution
Nov 27- Kaminev, Zinoviev and Trotsky expelled from Party for factionalism. Their spots filled by Stalin’s supporters
Attack the Right phase
(Stalin will start using policies of the left to attack the right)
28- grain production down 25% -> Stalin starts requisitioning grain again ‘the Urrals-Siberian method’ causes tension between Stalin and Bukharin ‘peasants enrich yourselves’. Opinion on NEP shifts, Stalin says its a failure
Apr 28- Bukharin criticised ‘Urrals Siberian’ method but had no support from others. Stalin starts dekulakisation
Nov 29- Bukharin, Rykov and Tomskky expelled from Politburo and lose government posts
Was the NEP successful?
For:
Better than War Communism- more grain supply, grain requisitioning/ hoarding wasn’t to bad, rationing ended in cities, wages equal to pre-war by 1928, more power, better working conditions
Against:
bad harvest of 1928 took back to war communism with hoarding and rationing, technology behind, peasants still resisted, exports 1/3 of 1913
What was The Great Turn?
Stalins change in economic policy in 1928 turning away from the NEP
Start of Stalinist economic policy
Collectivisation
Industrialisation
5 Year Plans
What was Stalin’s reasons for the Great Turn?
Political- establishment his legacy away from Lenin’s shadow, shift left to push out the right of the party
Economic- build up agriculture and industry
Ideology- move towards socialism
Social- improve standards of living in cities
Which Bolsheviks were the first to return to Petrograd and were editors of Pravda?
Stalin and Zinoviev
In February how many members of the Bolshevik Party were there?
23,000
What was Lenin criticised for after returning to Russia?
Accepting German aid
Being out of touch with the needs of the Russians after spending 17 years out of the country
Why was Milyukov forced to resign from the Prov Gov in May 1917?
saying Russia would fight to the death
When was the June Offensive launched?
16th of June
How many Kronstadt sailors marched on Petrograd in the July days?
10,000
February - June 1917, how much did grain prices increase
Times 2
How many factories closed, leading to 100,000 out of their jobs?
586
How many members of the Bolshevik party were there in October 1917?
200,000
On 5th October what controversial decision did Kerensky make?
Moved radical army units from Petrograd to the front lines
In October how many of the Petrograd garrisons pledged to support the Soviet?
15 of 18
How many Kronstadt sailors were there taking over gov buildings on 24th Oct?
5,000
How many people did Trotsky claim took part in October
25,000-30,000
What ship fired blank shells on the Winter Palace on the night of the 25th of October?
The Aurora Battleship
What group was set up in December 1917 to regulate the Russian economy?
Veshenka
Why was the Workers Control decree ineffective?
Lots of skilled workers lost jobs
Production fell
How low was the daily bread ration by 1918?
50g per person per day
How much of the food in the Civil War was from the Black market?
2/3
What happened to the ownership of industry during the civil war?
Nationalised
During war communism fines were introduced to factories for what?
Lateness, slacking, absence
By 1921 how much had industrial output fallen to?
20%
When was there an assassination attempt on Lenin?
August 1918
When was there a famine in the Civil War?
1918
How long did the Tambov revolt last?
August 1920- June 1921
How many Red Army troops were deployed to crush the Tambov revolt?
100,000
What was created February 1921 to oversee the New Economic Policy?
GOSPLAN
How much trade were the NEPmen responsible for?
75%
When did Lenin introduce the ban on factions?
1921 at the 10th party congress
Why was there a show trial in 1921?
Trial of the SRs accused association with the assassination attempt on Lenin
What was Nomenklatura?
Bolshevik policy of employing loyal party members to positions, not based on skill
When did Lenin die?
January 1924
Why did the Politburo agree not to publicly reveal Lenin’s Testament despite his request to?
It criticised most of the party
How did Lenin criticise Stalin in his Testament?
Called him rude, coarse and intolerant.
Said he should be removed from the role of General-Secretary
How did Lenin criticise Kaminev and Zinoviev in his Testament?
Brought up how they had voted against October
How did Lenin criticise Trotsky in his Testament?
Called him arrogant
When was Stalin made General Secretary?
April 1922
Why was Lenin so harsh about Stalin in the Testament?
Stalin called his wife a syphallictic whore
The Georgian Affair during the Civil War
Why did Stalin present himself as so close to Lenin?
Made himself look like natural successor as leader
How could Stalin’s role as General Secretary help him in the power struggle?
Create a power base by appointing/promoting those loyal to him
Could control who had meetings/ access to Lenin
Access to party files/documents
Who was the Party Boss in Moscow?
Kaminev
Who was Party Boss in Petrograd?
Kaminev
Who was chairman on Sovnarkom after Lenin’s Death?
Rykov
What was Bukharin the expert in?
Rykov
Who was teh leader of the Russian Trade Unions?
Tomsky
Who was the leader of Trade Unions in the Soviet Union?
Tomsky
What was Stalin’s stance on ‘Permanent Revolution’?
Preferred socialism in One Country to focus on developing USSR as a worker’s paradise
What was Lenin’s Stance on the NEP?
Preferred socialism in One Country to focus on developing USSR as a worker’s paradise
Who are some Bolsheviks who gained success in the party due to Stalin?
Kirov, Molotov, Voloshilov
At which Party Congress did Kaminev and Zinoviev Criticise Stalin?
14th
When were Trotsky, Kaminev and Zinoviev expelled from the party?
1927
Why were Kaminev and Zinoviev allowed back into the party in 1928?
Denounced their actions
When was Trotsky expelled from the USSR?
1929
When were Bukharin, Rykov and Tomsky expelled from the Politburo?
1929
