Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM


Top Flashcards (Certified)
All Flashcards

YEAR 11 - HISTORY > Russia > Flashcards

Russia Flashcards

1
Q

What was the aim of the purges?

A

To get rid of Stalin’s political enemies

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

What date did the purges start?

A

1934 at the 17th party congress

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Who was Kirov?

A

Party leader of Leningrad

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

At the election for the central committee how many people were purged?

A

Out of 1996, 1100 arrested and 2/3 of that were killed

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

What happened to all the execute people at the 17th party congress?

A

Stalin replaced them with people who were loyal to him and then assassinated Kirov

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Were kulaks purged and why?

A

Yes. They opposed collectivisation and were not communist.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

Why were the old Bolsheviks purged and how were they purged?

A

Because they knew the truth about Stalin (the famous resolution etc.) and they were put on rigged show trials

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Which old Bolsheviks were purged and what was the significance of this?

A

Bukharin and Kamenev in 1938 and Zinoviev in 1936. They were all popular with the people and knew the truth about Stalin.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

Why were the trials broadcasted to the world?

A

Because it proved Russia had a working legal system and that Stalin may not be as bad as they thought. They all admitted to doing something wrong.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

Why did the Bolsheviks on trial have to confess to doing something wrong?

A

Because Stalin had their family and threatened to kill them (he did anyway). 5YP going badly and now there was an excuse. Workers now shifted blame from Stalin to Bolsheviks - now loyal

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

Did the show trials benefit Stalin? If so, how much?

A

They benefitted him massively

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

What year was Trotsky killed and how and where?

A

1940 on Mexico with and ice pick.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

Why were the NKVD leaders purged?

A

Because they have lots of power, lots of weapons, could easily kill Stalin and launch a coup which made them a big threat.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Which two NKVD leaders were purged in which years?

A

Yagoda in 1938 and Yazhov in 1940. Stalin encouraged this. Purging leadership.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Why were the army purged and who was their leader? How many officers were purged?

A

They were purged as they were trained killers with lots of weapons and power. 25,000 officers purged and replaced with loyal officers. Tukhachevsky (army leader) purged

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Where were workers sent who were purged? What did this do to the other workers?

A

They were sent to gulags which were free work for Stalin. This scared the other workers into working harder.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

Why were academics purged?

A

Because they could criticise him or give influence. Replaced with loyal people.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

Why were the purges bad?

A

Army and leaders purged (000’s of deaths) before WW2 and russo-finnish war - suffered casualties in both. Disrupted agricultural production, society in fear. Gulag people worked to death. BAD FOR PEOPLE(MICRO SCALE)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

Why were the purges good?

A

Stalin got rid of all his rivals, he got free work which helped drive the 5 year plans. With Hitler around, Russia needed a strong leader.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

Why did Stalin beat Trotsky in becoming leader?

A

He went to Lenin’s funeral, was a man of the people while Trotsky was a smart ass. He has the power to put his loyal supporters in powerful positions (general secretary and commissionaire of nationalities) lenin’s will not published which said Trotsky was the man for the job. Allied up with Trotsky’s opposition and then turned on them (swapping sides)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

Give 3 successes of the 5 year plans.

A

1928 - 1.3k tractors -> 1940 - 31.6k tractors
1913+28 - no plastics -> 1940 - 10.9 million tonnes produced
1927+28 - 11.7m tonnes of oil -> 1937 - 28.5m tonnes produced

Electricity, pig iron, coal, oil and steel all increased drastically

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

Give 3 failures of the 5 year plans.

A

Many targets were not met and statistics were lied about to avoid punishment.
Was a failure for humans (micro scale) as horrible working conditions. Horrible discipline and many people sent to gulags.
Wages fell in 1928-37.
100,000 died just making the Belomor canal. Free slave labour

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

What is cult of personality?

A

When leader uses mass propaganda/media to make himself look heroic and to be worshipped.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

Who were the kulaks?

A

Slightly richer peasants who owned more land than other peasants. Not communist - opposed collectivisation

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Was collectivisation part of the 5 year plans?
NO.
26
What year was collectivisation introduced?
1929
27
What was collectivisation?
Smaller farms + livestock = merged into massive farms. Animals and tools were pooled together. Mechanisation - each farm had tractors. Comm educators were at every farm to turn children communist.
28
Why was Collectivisation introduced?
Agriculture = more efficient. Changes had to be made (28 Russia 2 mil tonnes of grain short) control peasants - loyal to communism. Rooted out kulaks. More grain sold abroad for profit - used for 5YP(surplus). Make peasants work in the cities. Fewer farmers needed.
29
What were the causes of the 1905 revolution?
Russo-Japanese war, demand for better conditions, agitation for more democracy and relaxing censorship
30
Why was the Russo-Japanese war a cause for the revolution?
Russia loses in a disastrous defeat. Tsar unpopular
31
Why is the demand for better conditions a cause for the revolution and who led the famous protest?
Father Gapon asking for more money and shorter hours - Popular thought with Russian people. Didn't want to kick out Tsar.
32
Why was agitation for democracy a cause for the revolution?
Middle class and kulaks wanted democracy, don't want to get rid of tsar
33
Why was relaxing censorship a cause for the revolution?
Couldn't stop the mass amounts of criticism
34
How many people were killed by who on bloody sunday?
Hundreds by Cossacks
35
Who led the protest on bloody sunday and what type of protest was it?
Father Gapon led a peaceful protest. Did not want to get rid of Tsar
36
Was the tsar at the palace on bloody sunday?
No - he fled
37
What date was bloody sunday?
22nd Jan 1905
38
What happened during the 1905 revolution?
Potemkin mutiny, strikes, workers put barricades in streets, Lenin + Trotsky returned, landlords murdered
39
How did the Tsar survive the 1905 revolution?
Coercion - bought back troops from Japan, used Okrhana to kill/exile political opponents
40
Why did the March Revolution in 1917 take place?
Rasputin made Tsar unpopular, WW1 made people unhappy and Tsar led poorly,
41
In the civil war, how did Trotsky help?
Created an army of 300,000 led by former Tsarist officers, Cheka ensured there were no spies, Red terror successful.
42
Why was war communism introduced?
Share wealth out among the people, put communist theories into practise, keeping towns and red army supplied with weapons and food
43
What happened in war communism?
Gov took over factories and organised production, strict discipline, peasants gave surplus food to gov, food rationed, free enterprise = illegal
44
Why was war communism successful?
Won civil war.
45
Why was war communism not successful?
Discipline too harsh, food shortages and famine (cannibalism), annoyed a lot of people
46
What does NEP stand for?
New economic policy
47
What was the NEP?
Capitalism brought back, small factories now privately owned and trading of goods was allowed, supposed to be temporary, peasants allowed to sell grain for profit
48
Why was the NEP introduced in terms of economic reasons?
War Comm was failing - only good for emergency as it had no intention to produce food, NEP gave incentive to peasants, capitalism encouraged investment
49
Why was the NEP introduced in terms of political reasons?
Lenin thought Comm would lose power - save Bol, War Comm - unpopular, Feb 21 - Kronstadt sailors rebelled,
50
Why was NEP successful?
Production of everything increased, peasants richer, Russia started trading, electrification, relieved industry, new machinery
51
Why was the NEP unsuccessful?
Not communist, NEPmen unpopular - made money out of people, high unemployment and crime levels, backwards farming, got econ to 1914 levels
52
What were the reasons of the 1917 October revolution?
PG failing. Soviets should have power, economic problems, WW1
53
Why was the PG failing a reason for the 1917 October revolution?
Remaining in WW1 = unpopular, temporary, postponing reforms to help the people
54
Why were the Soviets a reason for the 1917 October revolution?
Elected by people, Lenin said Soviets should rule Russia (under Bol control)
55
Why were economic problems a reason for the 1917 October revolution?
Prices rising, food short, peasants desire for more land not met,
56
Why was the war a reason for the 1917 October revolution?
War unpopular - being thrashed by Ger, army collapsed
57
Who were the kulaks?
Wealthy peasants who opposed collectivisation
58
How did Stalin use cult of personality?
Put a statue of himself in every town, replaced religious images with himself, read every film script there was, sent all speeches via gramophones around the country.
59
Who were the opposition to the Tsar in 1905
Kadets - Least violent, wanted more democracy SRs - Radical movement, wanted to murder Okrhana and spies. Had wide support in countryside SDs - Small, Split into Bols and Mens in 1903
60
What was the October Manifesto?
Promise of Duma, sort of agreed to constitutional monarchy, universal male suffrage, freedom of speech, conscience, assembly and association
61
What were successes of the Tsar between 1905 and 1914?
Increased farming from 60mil tonnes of grain to 95 Increased coal from 20mil tonnes to 30 Slight increase in pig iron and strength of industries Country successfully calmed down - Stolypin
62
What were failures of the Tsar between 1905 and 1914?
1913-14 things getting bad again Strikes bad at 1905 (14k) and as WW1 got closer Duma experiment failure - 3rd was only loyal supporters and they were critical by 1912
63
What was Stolypin's stick/necktie and what was the effect because of it?
When Stolypin exiled over 20k protestors/strikers, hanged 1k people. Killed off regime to Tsar
64
What was Stolypin's carrot and what was the effect because of it?
Wealthier peasants allowed to buy land (Kulaks) = larger and more efficient farms
65
Why were the workers un happy at Lena Gold Field?
Up to 16 hour days, 700 accidents/year per 1k workers, very low salary and a lot of it used to pay fines. Part of pay was coupons for shops owned by mines with terrible food
66
When was the Lena Gold Field massacre and how many people were killed?
April 1912, 270 dead, 250 wounded
67
What was set up and happened as a result of the Lena Gold Field massacre?
Nationwide strikes and protest meetings. Proved Tsar had learnt nothing in 7 years from Bloody Sunday
68
Why did Rasputin make the Tsar unpopular?
Tsar's family are hanging around a sex crazed, alcoholic drug addict, as well as rumours of Tsarina affair Rasputin sacked competent war officials with his incompetent mates Tsarina German and having an affair with a scumbag peasant made her massively hated
69
Why did the Tsar take over the Army in September 1915?
Battle of Tannenburg, Aug 14 - 170k casualties | Masurian Lakes, Sep 14 - 125k casualties
70
Which groups of society did WW1 turn against the Tsar?
All of them
71
Why did WW1 make the Peasants hate the Tsar?
Huge casualties led to orphans and widows and didn't receive state pensions. Fuel and food shortages by 1916. 1917 - working men and women stood shivering in queues
72
Why did WW1 make the Aristocracy hate the Tsar?
Junior officers who were the future aristocrats suffered devastating losses, and were appalled by Rasputin's influence Situation so bad in 1916, they called for Tsar to step down The officials Rasputin replaced were responsible for a lot of their deaths - Aristocrats murdered him in 1916
73
Why did WW1 make the Army hate the Tsar?
Huge amounts of conscripts - No loyalty to Tsar later in war Badly led, treated horribly by officers, poorly supplied Out of 13mil mobilised, 9.15mil casualties
74
Why did WW1 make the Middle Class hate the Tsar?
Set up own medical organisations or joined war committees to supply army - More effective than Gov 1915 - Duma politicians urged Tsar to work with them, Tsar dismissed Duma a month later Couldn't cope with war contracts or make as much money as they wanted
75
Who were the PG?
Mixed group of land owners and democrats Promised to continue fighting the war Could stand down and allow free elections Elect a constituent assembly that would fairly democratically represent Russia
76
Why did the PG fail/Why did the Bolshevics take over?
Due to a mixture of PG failures and Bolshevic strengths
77
What were some PG failures that caused it to fail and allow the Bolshevics to take over?
Didnt pull out of WW1 - unpopular, why Tsar abdicated Kerensky launched June Offensive in 17 - Total failure Told peasants to wait for elections before given land - hated policy as they had for years already Food shortage problems not solved due to it going to the army
78
What were some Bolshevic strengths that caused the PG to fail and allow the Bolshevics to take over?
They offered the people what they wanted "peace, bread and land" Strength of Soviets Kornilov revolt - Petrograd soviet armed Lenin and Trotsky's leadership skills
79
Why was "Peace, bread and land" a Bolshevic strength in allowing them to take over?
Popular policy in his April Theses which he made in April 1917 outside Finland Station
80
Why was strengths of the soviets a Bolshevic strength in allowing them to take over?
Petrograd soviet had support of the people, army, factory workers, Kronstadt sailors etc. Brilliantly led by Trotsky The Soviet could mobilise lots of people to riot/strike etc
81
Why was The Kornilov revolt a Bolshevic strength in allowing them to take over?
He was loyal to the Tsar and wanted him back in power. Sep 17 he tried to launch a counter revolution PG armed Petrograd soviet to fight Kornilov's army Revolution never happened, and the 40,000 revolutionaries didn't give their weapons back
82
Why were the leadership skills of Lenin and Trotsky a Bolshevic strength in allowing them to take over?
Bolshevics had over 800,000 members and were the only party that wanted to pull out the war - popular policy. Had supporters in the right places - 1/2 the army and Kronstadt sailors. Disciplined and dedicated to revolution
83
What were some of Lenin's strengths?
Overall planner of revolution Made brilliant speeches which inspired workers and soldiers Frequently addressed mass rallies and meetings Kept party tight under control and gave discipline which other parties lacked
84
What were some of Trotsky's strengths?
Best public speaker in Bolshevic party More confident, active and intelligent than Lenin Gained reputation of "One of us" - Could take control of even a hostile crowd Led Reds to victory in civil war as Commissar for war
85
Who were the Whites?
Mix of anti-bolshvic groups - Socialist revolutionaries, Menshevics, supporters of Tsar, landlords and capitalists, Czech Legion
86
Who were the Reds?
A group of 300,000 men Brilliantly led by Trotsky Who all supported the Bolshevics And all had one aim - To win, and all spoke the same language
87
What were the main reasons that caused the Reds to win the civil war?
Leadership, Geography, Red terror
88
Why was leadership a key factor in allowing the Reds to win the civil war?
Led by former Tsarist officers - Trotsky kidnapped their families to ensure loyalty
89
Why was geography a key factor in allowing the Reds to win the civil war?
Reds controlled Moscow and St Petersburg so has control of industry and were packed together as one. Railways were used to transport food and people. Trotsky travelled on a war train supplying and rallying troops
90
Why was the Red Terror a key factor in allowing the Reds to win the civil war?
Scared people in supporting them. 1918-19: Arrested over 100,000 people, executed over 8500, 7070 white enemies. Killed/beat up peasants who gave Whites food/shelter This kept the population under strict control
91
Why was the poor leadership from the Whites a key factor in allowing the Reds to win the civil war?
Had lots of different leaders = different aims = unable to work together. All shared one aim - No Communism. Some wanted Tsar back, some didn't want Bolshevics, some wanted peasants to rule etc
92
Why was the poor geography from the Whites a key factor in allowing the Reds to win the civil war?
No control of a major city = no access to industry to make supplies. Spread out over Russia so they couldn't coordinate attacks. No control over railways
93
Why was the White terror a key factor in allowing the Reds to win the civil war?
More beatings, hangings and shootings of people | More harsh to peasants than Reds = more suffering
94
Why did Stalin introduce the 5YPs?
Russia needed to modernise History of military failures Industrialisation could provide tractors and tools needed PARIAH nation - no mates. Needed to defend herself
95
What were the 5YPs?
To do in 10 years what took the West 150 Targets ridiculously high to make people work harder There were 3 5YPs 1st Heavy industry, 2nd Agricultural, 3rd Concentration of consumer goods

YEAR 11 - HISTORY (8 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2025 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions