Russia - 2 Features Flashcards

1
Q

Tsarist Rule in Russia

A

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
  • 300 year romanov family rule

General discontent

  • 85% peasants
  • 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
  • Disease and poor working conditions
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2
Q

Political Parties

A

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
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3
Q

Russo Japanese War

A

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 industrialized
  • 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
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4
Q

Bloody Sunday

A

caused by petition from workers

  • 150000 workers carried a petition
  • 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

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5
Q

1905 Revolution

A

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, and 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
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6
Q

Potemkin Mutiny

A

sailors rebelled against their officers

  • threw executive officer into the water
  • shot others, locked them up
  • a socialist committee formed on the Potemkin
  • quartermaster Matyushenko took over as chairperson
  • meat was full of maggots
  • initally loyal / unhappy with how officers had total control

failed to spread within the rest of the Black Sea Fleet

  • sailed around Black Sea to avoid recapture
  • 1000 killed at riots and protest brought and end through violence
  • sunk the ship at Port of Constanta so it couldn’t be found and recaptured
  • sailors given asylum
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7
Q

St Petersburg Soviet

A

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
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8
Q

Stolypin’s policy of repression

A

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
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9
Q

October Manifesto

A

increased civil rights for Russian people

  • right to form trade unions
  • 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

Stop rioting within the liberal middle class / achieved its aims

  • general strike called off
  • wide spread celebrations
  • did not truly solve enough specifically but completely squashed discontent
  • workers conditions still sucked
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10
Q

Stolypin’s land reform

A

created to stop peasant riots

  • wager on the strong
  • make country side ‘safe’
  • 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
  • 3.5 million moved
  • more application than they could handle
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11
Q

Dumas

A

allowed Russian people to express their views

  • different political parties would take part in elections and represent the people
  • 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
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12
Q

Duma 1

A

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

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13
Q

Duma 2

A

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

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14
Q

Duma 3 / 4

A

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)

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15
Q

Lena Goldfields Strike

A

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

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16
Q

World War 1

A

Russia suffered many military defeats

Battle of Tannenberg: lost 100 000 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

17
Q

Rasputin

A

Close relationship with Tsarina / control

  • Helped Alexie with haemophilia
  • Miracle and believed in his mystical abilities
  • Believed to be love or an affair between the two
  • Intensely grateful
  • Cartoons were made

Decisions within war

  • Tsarina would relay his messages onto the Tsar
  • Influence within the royal family
  • Many war and tactical decisions were caused and believed to be a cause of Rasputina
  • Fired 3 prime ministers
  • Fired many defense ministers
  • Blamed for Russian loses
18
Q

February Revolution

A

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

19
Q

The army mutiny

A

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

20
Q

The abdication of the tsar

A

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

21
Q

The Provisional Government

A

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

22
Q

April Theses

A

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

23
Q

June Offensive

A

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

24
Q

July Days

A

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

25
Q

Kornilov Revolt

A

started when Kornilov opposed the will of Kerensky

Kerensky wanted him to boost army morale

Kornilov wanted martial law + break the power of the soviets

Kerensky saw this as a threat to his own power

Kornilov dismissed, and sent troops to Petrograd

Russian middle class supported this they believed that workers may seize their homes and belonging

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

26
Q

October Revolution

A

Bolsheviks seized control

24-25 october

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

27
Q

Role of Lenin October 1917

A

Escaped exile after 10 years

Key leader within the bolsheviks

Lenin was keen on ending war

Timed the revolution perfectly

Lenin was a follow of Marx

  • Marxist revolution to Russia
  • Lenin changed of plans
  • April theses based on these
28
Q

Role of Trotsky October 1917

A

Gave the revolution legitimacy.

It looked as though it was not just Lenin seizing power himself.

However, Trotsky’s role made to seem as though the Soviets were taking control of Russia not the Bolsheviks.

Adds to more legitimacy.

Organized the military takeover.

Orchestrated the storming of the winter palace.

He was the president of the Petrograd Soviet which made it easier to get the military in Petrograd to support the takeover of power.

29
Q

The Decrees 1917

A

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

30
Q

Constituent Assembly

A

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

31
Q

Treaty of Brest Litovsk

A

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

Russia did not have the power to fight any longer

More concerned about fighting opposition rather than other countries

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
32
Q

Civil War

A

Started because of Treaty

damaged economy

Lenin wanted to end with all cost

No military might to fight

These harsh terms caused extreme discontent

Humiliating lost

Half the empire gone and extreme food shortage

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

33
Q

Whites

A

made up of different groups fighting reds

  • Siberian army led by admiral kolchak
  • attacking reds from Estonia and in the south by the kadets
34
Q

Greens

A
  • peasant armies

- anarchist Nestor makhno

35
Q

Effects of Civil War

A

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

36
Q

War Communism

A

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

grains were requisitioned

Sacrafice for others

unable to sell their crops and so they hide and hoarded crops

maintained with force

strikes were banned

violence against peasants, especially those who hid their grain was shot

Cheka imprisoned and unfairly executed those who did not follow it

37
Q

Kronstadt Mutiny

A

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

38
Q

NEP

A

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 300 percent

profit gained from small businesses who could sell goods to countryside who needed clothes, shoes

2 to 4.6M roubles

39
Q

Petrograd Soviet

A