Russia Key Issue 2 Flashcards
Three issues facing the provisional government
Peace bread land
Who was in the provisional government
Had middle-class politicians and angry revolutionaries
Led by Alexander Kerensky
Failures of the provisional government
Promised allies to continue war, very unpopular. Many deserted.
Let the army for a big attack in June, big failure
Made peasants wait for land so they took it themselves. Lost their support
Without peasant support they couldn’t get food to starving proletariats. Prices rose, support lost
Contrastingly, Bolshevik delivered bread and land
What were the July days
Bolshevik protests against the war turned into a rebellion.
PG found evidence Lenin was a traitor: support fell, rebellion crushed
What happened in September 1917?
Kornilov marched to Petrograd to get rid of B and P.G
Kerensky turned to Lenin for help
But Kornilovs troops refused to fight the red guards
What happened end of October and November 1917?
Trotsky organised the red cards and took control of the post office and state bank
Bolsheviks in control, Kerensky forced into exile
8th nov: proclamation of the Petrograd Soviet
How did the Bolsheviks establish a communist dictatorship?
Lenin promised free elections but the SR was the majority, not B
Lenin shut down the assembly
he used the Congress of Soviets to pass laws
Democracy<24 hours
How did Lenin strengthen his control?
December 1917: cheka
By 1921 had 200,000 members. Ignored their code of conduct. Led the Red terror, killing several 1000 people.
B party had 800,000 members in the right places. 50% of army supported them
January 1918: red army established, everyone under 18 joined. mostly peasants. fought in civil war
How did Lenin end Russia’s role in World War I
Treaty of Brest Litovsk
Russia lost 34% population
32% land
89% coal mines
300 million gold rouble fine
Showed Lenin’s single minded attitude to communism
When was the Russian civil war?
1918-21. Red and white armies fought each other. Bolsheviks won
White army consisted of…
SR’s Czech legion (prisoners of war) Tsarist officers Landlords and capitalists France, UK and USA
Why did the white army have an advantage?
March 1918: Czech legion seized the trans Siberian railway.
3 separate White armies closed in on Bolshevik areas
Why did the Bolsheviks win the war?
B= ruthless and determined
Trotsky made a new army of over 300k men. Trotsky held families hostage to ensure loyalty and made constant speeches and cinema propaganda.
Requisition parties got grain to feed soldiers and towns.
Whites lacked support from peasants who feared aristocracy and were disunited. Whites had uncoordinated attacks.
1919: kolchack and foreign armies withdrew. 1920, army defeated.
Red terror atrocities:
The punishment for military offence was death
Thousands dying from hunger in Petrograd
People kept in prison months without trial
White army atrocities:
White soldiers met Bolsheviks, executed them and burned their houses.
45% male population whipped
Village delivered food without pay
What was war communism?
Harsh economic measures Bolsheviks adopted during the Civil War.
Aims: Feed the army and the city and supply weapons to win the war. Share wealth among Russian people
What rules did war communism consist of?
All factories under government control
Production was organised by the government
Strict discipline, any striking workers shot
Peasants were ordered to hand out surplus food
Food rationed
Enterprise became illegal
(FSPFEP as a way to remember it)
These established Communist rule, helped win the war and feed the towns
Disadvantages of war communism
Peasants refused to produce food this led to shortages
1920-1921 there was a terrible famine: 7 million people died
Even reports of cannibalism
Bolsheviks lost support
Advantage of war communism
Bolsheviks won the war
Why was the Kronstadt base important?
It was on the Gulf of Finland and guarded approaches to Petrograd.
The sailors were one of Lenin’s biggest supporters
What was the Kronstadt rising?
Happened feb 1921
Sailors on 2 leading battleships produced 15 demands
In response, Trotsky sent 60000 troops to kill over 1000 sailors.
Policy alienated strongest supporters
When did Lenin introduce the NEP?
March 1921: at The Communist party congress (annual meeting)
What was the NEP? What was the initial reaction?
Lenin agreed TEMPORARILY to bring back capitalist elements to Russia.
Peasants could sell surplus grain for profit and pay tax on produce rather than giving it up.
Vital industries (coal, oil, steel) were still in state hands
Many B thought it was betraying communism.
Positive impacts of the NEP?
By 1925 food production rose steeply
electricity almost tripled
In what years did Lenin suffer strokes?
1922, 1923, 1924. He died in jan 1924
What did Lenin achieve?
He led Russia through revolution and Civil War
even supervised the drawing up of the new constitution that turned the Russian Empire into the USSR
What questions did Lenin‘s death leave?
How long will the NEP last?
who succeeds him?
