russia

Question 1

what was the character of nicholas II

Answer 1

weak willed,poorly educated and lacked confidence

lacked the taste for power

Question 2

what was nicholas II attitude

Answer 2

he felt it was his duty too firmly uphold autocracy

he prioritized the maintenance of the Romanov dynasty

Question 3

the abilities of nicholas II

Answer 3

he showed an ability to instigate reforms and enforce them with a firm hand

Question 4

political problems in 1894

Answer 4

in general opposition groups wanted changes too the political system in order to get more representation for the people

Question 5

economic problems in 1894

Answer 5

• a reliance on foreign investment
• a lack of productivity
• a lack of free enterprise
• backwards agriculture

Question 6

social problems in 1894

Answer 6

despite policies such as the peasants land bank the peasants were still upset about their living standards

industrialization and urbanization had caused poor housing and bad public health leading to diereses like cholera

Question 7

how did liberals oppose the tsar

Answer 7

they demanded that Russia should be governed similarly too western countries similar too the UK

Question 8

what was the union of liberation

Answer 8

founded by Pytor Struve the union demanded greater freedoms for all russians and wanted fairer land distribution for peasants

Question 9

what were the populists

Answer 9

they were revolutionaries who believed that agricultural communes and co-operative workshops would provide a base for the Russian economy too grow with ought resorting too capitalism

Question 10

the socialist revolutionaries (SR’S)

Answer 10

the socialist revolutionaries aimed too improve the conditions of the poorest members of society

the group was split into right and left wing

the left were responsible for around 2000 political killings

the SR’S had the most support and were the biggest threat too the Tsar

Question 11

what were Marxists

Answer 11

the SD’S based their ideology on the writings of Karl Marx and believed that the proletariat would rise up and overthrow the Russian autocracy

Question 12

who were the social democrats

Answer 12

the group was influenced by George Plekhanov who emphasised the working class consciousness

some SD supporters known as Mensheviks focused on improving pay and reducing working hours

there was division in the SD’S between the Mensheviks and the Bolsheviks

Question 13

position of polish people in under Nicholas II

Answer 13

as a result of industrialisation in Poland a distinct proletariat emerged which showed an interest in Marxism

there were national democrats groups which made contributions to the dumas

Question 14

position of Ukrainian people in under Nicholas II

Answer 14

the Ukrainians looked too build a separate cultural identity

Question 15

position of Caucasians people in under Nicholas II

Answer 15

russification was easy in these areas as the literacy levels were low

Question 16

jewish people under the tsar

Answer 16

Jews were treated very badly as Nicholas took the same anti Jewish position as his father

Question 17

influence of Pobedonostsev

Answer 17

Pobedonostsev helped too prepare judicial reforms for the Tsar in 1864

he became an advisor and writer on Russian law

he was a major influence on Alexander III’s policies

Question 18

influence of Witte

Answer 18

witte insisted that the state investment should go into heavy industry

this resulted in the great spurt:

• coal production doubled
• income from industry shot up from 42 million roubles in 1893 too 161 million by 1897

Question 19

the Russo-Japanese war 1905

Answer 19

causes:

• Russia and japan had argued over Korea and Manchuria for years
• Russia had promised to withdraw troops from Manchuria but didnt which angered the Japanese

consequences:
the shocking defeat of Russia led to the effectiveness of the autocracy being questioned

the war sparked unrest

Question 20

causes of the 1905 revolution

Answer 20

the bloody Sunday massacre

Nicholas inability to deal with problems eg the Russo Japanese war

Question 21

course of events in 1905 revolution

Answer 21

jan 9th bloody sunday
4th feb grand duke assasinated by sr’s
in may the union of unions was established
june russian union of peasants was established
september there were mutanies in the army
17th october issued the october manifesto

Question 22

what was the October manifesto

Answer 22

the manifesto was an attempt to clarify what powers a legislative assembly might have

essentially it was a precursor to the first constitution

Question 23

what did the October manifesto do

Answer 23

it stated:
- the duma would consist of of elected representatives from the provinces of the empire

• the duma would require the legalisation of trade unions and political parties
• the Russian people would be granted free speech, worship and the right too freedom of assembly

Question 24

what were the dumas

Answer 24

an elected parliament but with lots of restrictions by the tsar

such as:
- he appointed some members personally so they favoured the nobility

-voting rights were changed so that policy were more supported

Question 25

what is the fundamental law

Answer 25

this law accepted the dumas but emphasised the tsars power over them

Question 26

what did Stolypin do

Answer 26

unused or poorly utilised land was made available to the peasant bank peasants could then buy the land from the bank
on favourable terms

peasants who strip farmed were now able to consolidate their land into small holdings

Question 27

reppression under stolypin

Answer 27

Stolypin thought that the method of dealing with opposition was too soft so he introduced field court marshal trials which resulted in quick trials and executions

Question 28

the political social and economic situation in Russia

in 1914

Answer 28

politically Russia was fairly stable this was due to the creation of the dumas

the economy had grown slightly by 1914

their was discontent in the urban areas

Question 29

the impact of the first world war

Answer 29

Russian defeats crushed the morale of the army

Russia had lost 1.7 million troops

due too food requisitioning people starved

due too the war their was inflation

Question 30

food shortages in ww2

Answer 30

due too food requisition transport problems and exporting grain their was food shortages during ww1

Question 31

what was the provisional government

Answer 31

the provisional government was a self appointed it consisted mostly of members of the 1912 Duma

they had too share power with the petrograd soviet who mostly opposed them

Question 32

who was Kerensky and what did he do

Answer 32

Kerensky was minister for war in 1917 he launched an offensive i ww1 which filed badly

however he put down the july days rebellion which got him promoted to prime minister

Question 33

the kornilov revolt

Answer 33

the military commander Kornilov marched with his troops with the intention of shutting down the petrograd soviet

Kerensky agreed to the Bolsheviks being given arms in order protect petrograd as he thought kornilov would impose a dictatorship

however the battle was avoided as railway workers refused too transport Kornilov’s army

the revolt boosted the Bolsheviks popularity as they were seen as protectors of petrograd

Question 34

what was the petrograd soviet

Answer 34

It was a council of soldiers and striking workers who led the February Revolution and brought down the monarchy in February 1917

Question 35

the role of Lenin in the 1917 revolution

Answer 35

despite being in exile Lenin was still a great influence on the revolutionary movement

he was instrumental in the Bolshevik power seizure

Question 36

the role of trotsky in the 1917 revolution

Answer 36

he organised the October revolution

he help too set up the military revolutionary committee this meant that the soviets had the means too control Petrograd

Question 37

events of feb and march 1917

Answer 37

their were strikes in February as well as bread rationing being introduced on the 19th

on the 27th of feb the petrograd soviet was formed alongside the provisional duma committee

march 1st Soviet order no 1 was passed which gave the Petrograd soviet total control over the Russian military

on march second Nicholas abdicated

Question 38

what were the july days

Answer 38

a period in the Russian Revolution during which workers and soldiers of Petrograd staged armed demonstrations against the Provisional Government that resulted in a temporary decline of Bolshevik influence and in the formation of a new Provisional Government

Question 39

what was the April thesis

Answer 39

a series of directives that Lenin set out
-demanded the provisional government should be overthrown

• abandoning co-elision with other parties
• called for a seizure of power by the soviets

Question 40

character and abilities of stalin

Answer 40

resourceful humble and determined

good administrator and organised

Question 41

rivalries and divisions in the bolshevick party

Answer 41

Trotsky wanted permanent (worldwide) revolution whereas the right wanted

Zinoviev and Kamenev opposed stalins ideas on peasants and foreign policy they were both removed as secretaries of thier local parties

Bukharin spoke against stalins collectivisation ideas and was removed from his positions of pravda editior and president of comintern

Question 42

stalins tactics

Answer 42

Stalin was skilled at manipulating debates and people in order too consolidate his power

Question 43

Stalin’s victory

Answer 43

stalin was able too remove those who opposed him and with key figures such as trotsky removed he was able too dominate government

Question 44

socialism in one country vs permanent revolution

Answer 44

the left wanted permenant revolution as the were headed by trotsky wheras the right wanted socialism in one country a policy which stalin supported

Question 45

consolidation of power

Answer 45

the cult of personality - this was propaganda that stalin promoted such as renaming Tsaritsyn too Stalingrad

he also controlled newspapers,established youth groups and manipulated the arts

Question 46

the growth of the police state

Answer 46

NKVD this was set up too crush opposition to Stalin’s personal dictatorship

the NKVD created a permenant terror

they were crucial in instigating the purges

Question 47

purges

Answer 47

those who failed too implement collectivization or who opposed the liquidation of the kulaks were expelled from the party

in the mid 1930’s some prominent politburo members were were executed or exiled after being called oppositionists

Question 48

collectivisation

Answer 48

when a number of small farms are combined too make a larger unit the idea behind this was for peasants too collaborate and make as much food as possible

food production increased however peasants did not like collectivisation

Question 49

dekulakisation

Answer 49

it is estimated that between 1928 and 1930 between 1-3 million kulak families were deported and a further 30,000 were shot

Question 50

the five year plans

Answer 50

the five year plans were a set of targets for the economy too meet

the first fyp was successful
the second statistically made more money than the first

however out of fear these stats were questionable