Russia Flashcards
What was the aim of the purges?
To get rid of Stalin’s political enemies
What date did the purges start?
1934 at the 17th party congress
Who was Kirov?
Party leader of Leningrad
At the election for the central committee how many people were purged?
Out of 1996, 1100 arrested and 2/3 of that were killed
What happened to all the execute people at the 17th party congress?
Stalin replaced them with people who were loyal to him and then assassinated Kirov
Were kulaks purged and why?
Yes. They opposed collectivisation and were not communist.
Why were the old Bolsheviks purged and how were they purged?
Because they knew the truth about Stalin (the famous resolution etc.) and they were put on rigged show trials
Which old Bolsheviks were purged and what was the significance of this?
Bukharin and Kamenev in 1938 and Zinoviev in 1936. They were all popular with the people and knew the truth about Stalin.
Why were the trials broadcasted to the world?
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.
Why did the Bolsheviks on trial have to confess to doing something wrong?
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
Did the show trials benefit Stalin? If so, how much?
They benefitted him massively
What year was Trotsky killed and how and where?
1940 on Mexico with and ice pick.
Why were the NKVD leaders purged?
Because they have lots of power, lots of weapons, could easily kill Stalin and launch a coup which made them a big threat.
Which two NKVD leaders were purged in which years?
Yagoda in 1938 and Yazhov in 1940. Stalin encouraged this. Purging leadership.
Why were the army purged and who was their leader? How many officers were purged?
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
Where were workers sent who were purged? What did this do to the other workers?
They were sent to gulags which were free work for Stalin. This scared the other workers into working harder.
Why were academics purged?
Because they could criticise him or give influence. Replaced with loyal people.
Why were the purges bad?
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)
Why were the purges good?
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.
Why did Stalin beat Trotsky in becoming leader?
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)
Give 3 successes of the 5 year plans.
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
Give 3 failures of the 5 year plans.
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
What is cult of personality?
When leader uses mass propaganda/media to make himself look heroic and to be worshipped.
Who were the kulaks?
Slightly richer peasants who owned more land than other peasants. Not communist - opposed collectivisation
Was collectivisation part of the 5 year plans?
NO.
What year was collectivisation introduced?
1929
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.
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.
What were the causes of the 1905 revolution?
Russo-Japanese war, demand for better conditions, agitation for more democracy and relaxing censorship
Why was the Russo-Japanese war a cause for the revolution?
Russia loses in a disastrous defeat. Tsar unpopular
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.
Why was agitation for democracy a cause for the revolution?
Middle class and kulaks wanted democracy, don’t want to get rid of tsar
Why was relaxing censorship a cause for the revolution?
Couldn’t stop the mass amounts of criticism
How many people were killed by who on bloody sunday?
Hundreds by Cossacks
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
Was the tsar at the palace on bloody sunday?
No - he fled
What date was bloody sunday?
22nd Jan 1905
What happened during the 1905 revolution?
Potemkin mutiny, strikes, workers put barricades in streets, Lenin + Trotsky returned, landlords murdered
How did the Tsar survive the 1905 revolution?
Coercion - bought back troops from Japan, used Okrhana to kill/exile political opponents
Why did the March Revolution in 1917 take place?
Rasputin made Tsar unpopular, WW1 made people unhappy and Tsar led poorly,
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.
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
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
Why was war communism successful?
Won civil war.
Why was war communism not successful?
Discipline too harsh, food shortages and famine (cannibalism), annoyed a lot of people
What does NEP stand for?
New economic policy
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
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
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,
Why was NEP successful?
Production of everything increased, peasants richer, Russia started trading, electrification, relieved industry, new machinery
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
What were the reasons of the 1917 October revolution?
PG failing. Soviets should have power, economic problems, WW1
Why was the PG failing a reason for the 1917 October revolution?
Remaining in WW1 = unpopular, temporary, postponing reforms to help the people
Why were the Soviets a reason for the 1917 October revolution?
Elected by people, Lenin said Soviets should rule Russia (under Bol control)
Why were economic problems a reason for the 1917 October revolution?
Prices rising, food short, peasants desire for more land not met,
Why was the war a reason for the 1917 October revolution?
War unpopular - being thrashed by Ger, army collapsed
Who were the kulaks?
Wealthy peasants who opposed collectivisation
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.
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
What was the October Manifesto?
Promise of Duma, sort of agreed to constitutional monarchy, universal male suffrage, freedom of speech, conscience, assembly and association
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
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
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
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
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
When was the Lena Gold Field massacre and how many people were killed?
April 1912, 270 dead, 250 wounded
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
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
Why did the Tsar take over the Army in September 1915?
Battle of Tannenburg, Aug 14 - 170k casualties
Masurian Lakes, Sep 14 - 125k casualties
Which groups of society did WW1 turn against the Tsar?
All of them
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
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
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
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
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
Why did the PG fail/Why did the Bolshevics take over?
Due to a mixture of PG failures and Bolshevic strengths
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Who were the Whites?
Mix of anti-bolshvic groups - Socialist revolutionaries, Menshevics, supporters of Tsar, landlords and capitalists, Czech Legion
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
What were the main reasons that caused the Reds to win the civil war?
Leadership, Geography, Red terror
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
