RUSSIA - the bolshevik power 1917-24: 2 Flashcards
the early decree on peace
- all countries should seek peace
- peace should be achieved without land seized or large fines
the early decree on land
- land taken from wealthy landowners now went to peasants
- in December, church land was nationalised too
the early decree on workers rights
- work - 8 hours a day
- unemployment insurance for those unable to work
- worker committees ran their own factories
the early decree on nationalities
- all ppl of the old Russian empire could have their own governments but they remained under bolshevik control
the abolition of the constituent assembly
- lenin promised to hold an election for the CA but the SRs got 53% and the bolsheviks got 24%
- bolsheviks said that a return to parliamentary democracy was a step back bc Russia already had soviets
- the first meeting of the CA and refused the decrees or any power to the soviets
- lenin ordered red guards to shut it down and then all political parties accept for bolsheviks were stopped.
the Cheka
- lenin set up
- the Bolshevik Secret Police,
- hunted down and arrested anyone who was suspected of hostility towards the Bolsheviks.
- lenin thought revolution was under threat from the bourgeoisie - upper class
- the Cheka would arrest these people
the need for peace with Germany
- many bolshevik supporters were sailors and soldiers who needed an end to war
- lenin said end war would mean the Bolsheviks could concentrate on wiping out other political opponents in Russia
- lenin and torsk were certain there would soon be a revolution in Europe and any treaty with Germany wouldn’t have an effect.
the treaty of brest- litovsk
- lenin told totsky to negotiate a treaty w Germany because bolsheviks promised to take Russia out of the war
- trotsky demanded a peace treaty with no loss to germans
- but the germans advanced into Russia and almost captured petrograd
- to stop this lenin demanded a peace deal at any price.
- the treaty was signed 3rd march 1918
significance of the treaty of brest- litovsk
in exchange for peace Russia lost lots of its west territories
- 75% of coal and iron mines
- 50% of industry
- 25% railways
- 25% of farmland
- 25% of population (62 mill)
reactions to the treaty of brest- litovsk
pros
- soldiers pleased end to war
- thought germans wouldn’t like treaty and therefore join revolution to rise up against
cons
- SRs walked out gov in protest and assasinated German ambassador
- conservative horrified at loss to Russia and began to form ‘white army’ and ‘red army’ to fight the Bolsheviks
what was the civil war
the Bolsheviks formed the RED ARMY to oppose the WHITES which was a group of anti-bolsheviks
reasons for the civil war
- whites angry with huge loss from the treaty of brest- litovsk
- monarchists wanted to re-instate the tsar
- conservatives and nationalists had everything to lose with the plans for the peasants and workers .
effects of the civil war
- Cheka, once they captured an enemy area they would execute any suspected opponents
- if someone from red army retreated, one in ten would be shot
- reds won which strengthened their belief in the revolutions
bolsheviks strengths in the civil war
- war communism to tackle economic crisis
- control of centra Russia - shorter distances supplys and most of population
- control of industries and railways
- effective propaganda
role of Trotsky in civil war
commissar for war 1918 - more influential then lenin
- organised the mobilisation of reds
- strickt dicipline
- all soldiers had to swear the Socialist Military Oath for loyalty