Russia - Bolsheviks

Question 1

Who was in power after the Tsar abdicated?

Answer 1

The provisional govt

Question 2

What did the PG do after the revolution?

Answer 2

1) They continued the war
2) They didn’t know what to do about the land so they didn’t act - the peasants started stealing and taking it for themselves

Question 3

What did Lenin state on his return in the April Theses

Answer 3

1) there should be no co operation with the PG
2) The war should end
3) the Soviets should take power

Question 4

Describe the July days

Answer 4

Over the summer of 1917 more and more people wanted the war to end and protested. They turned to the Bolsheviks for guidance but Kerensky produced evidence that Lenin was in pay of the Germans, Lenin fled and Kerensky became prime minister

Question 5

What happened in Autumn 1917?

Answer 5

Karensky appoints Kornilov as leader of the army but Kornilov demanded for his troops to march on Petrograd. Kerensky panicked and asked for the Bolsheviks for help. he gave the Bolshevik red guard rifles to help defend the city but Kornilovs troops never arrived and the Red Guard kept their rifles

Question 6

Seizure of power of the Bolsheviks

Answer 6

On 7 November Trotsky made his first moves. Lenin knew that if Kerensky could get enough troops together they were finished. The red guards took control of bridges, Railway stations and power stations. The next morning they carried on seizing key places. Luckily Kerensky had left the city

Question 7

What did Lenin do in his first months of taking power?

Answer 7

1) Land was given to peasants
2) Food to the cities was a priority
3) shorter working times

Question 8

What was the Red Terror

Answer 8

It was when the Cheka arrested people who were considered dangerous. Anyone who spoke out against the government was arrested and many were shot without trial

Question 9

Civil War of 1918 - Geographical factors

Answer 9

REDS - Held central area of Russia
- Controlled railway lines, could send messages quickly

WHITES - Scattered, hundreds of miles between them so communications were difficult

Question 10

Civil War 1918 - Aims

Answer 10

REDS - They wanted to stay in power

WHITES - All had different aims as they were different groups eg some wanted a Tsar, some a military dictator

Question 11

Civil War 1918 - Leadership

Answer 11

REDS - They had Trotsky, a superb leader. He built the Red army out of nothing. He was courageous

WHITES - They lacked good leaders and the generals didn’t trust each other this allowed the Reds to pick them off one by one

Question 12

Foreign intervention in the Civil War

Answer 12

The whites had support from Britain, France, Japan and the USA. Although they provided them with supplies their troops didn’t fight as they were tired of war

Question 13

WC in the Civil War

Answer 13

During the War, Lenin needed to keep the Red Army supplied
In the towns: The state took control of the industry, food was rationed, money became virtually worthless. By 1920, wages were often paid in food
In the countryside: Lenin sent the cheka to seize surplus food. Those found hiding supplies were punished harshly. The peasants resisted and many decided to produce less grain but the situation got worse
Terror: the Cheka became increasingly brutal, many shot without trial etc

Question 14

Results of WC

Answer 14

1) Economy was in ruins
2) Cities in chaos
3) Agriculture collapsed. eg. 1913: 80m tons of grain. 1921: 37.6m tons

Question 15

What was the Kronstadt rising?

Answer 15

This happened in 1921 when sailors at the Naval base that had been strong supporters of the Bolsheviks during the revolution had had an uprising

Question 16

List the main features of the NEP

Answer 16

1) Grain requisitioning was stopped
2) Traders could buy and sell goods
3) Smaller factories were returned to their former owners and were allowed to make a profit
4) Larger industries remained under state control but allowed to sell products

Question 17

Positive effects of NEP

Answer 17

1) Electrification. Replaced oil lamps and candles

2) Foreign trade. 1921 marked the beginning of increased trade with the west which boosted economy

Question 18

Negative effects of NEP

Answer 18

Peasants found prices for manufactured goods high and were willing to sell their grain for money because they could not buy much with it. 
Levels of unemployment remained a serious problem and there was a growth of a class of business men
Massive investment was needed to turn Russia into a modern industrial country but where was the money going to come from?