Russia - Tsardom to Communism

Question 1

What led to the riots of 1917?

Answer 1

1. Tsar led the armies badly from 1915
2. Poverty caused by WWI
3. Cossacks fired on peaceful demonstration in 1905
4. Russia lost war against Japan in 1904
5. Alexandra and Rasputin’s unpopularity (German queen)

Question 2

When did the Tsar abdicate?

Answer 2

March 1917

Question 3

What problems faced the Provisional Government?

Answer 3

1. Decision-making and criticism from Petrograd Soviet
2. Hard to have elections during the war
3. Couldn’t leave war due to Allies
4. Couldn’t give land to peasants due to need for support from influential groups
5. Economic struggles - inflation

Question 4

What other events took place in 1917?

Answer 4

April - Lenin returns from exile to give April Theses
July - July Days riots, Bolshevik leaders don’t encourage, some Bolsheviks arrested
September - General Kornilov revolt, Kerensky forced to arm the Bolsheviks and they keep the guns

Question 5

What did Lenin do to gain support?

Answer 5

1. Negotiated Russia leaving the war
2. Encouraged local Soviets to take control of factories
3. Gave land to the peasants
4. Gave non-Russian nationalities the right of self-government
5. Introduced the 8-hour working day

Question 6

How did Lenin establish totalitarian control?

Answer 6

1. Removed Constituent Assembly in 1918
2. Red Army and Cheka imposed military rule
3. Crushed Kronstadt rebellion in 1921
4. One-Party State established in 1921

Question 7

Why did the Whites lose the war?

Answer 7

1. Divided leadership, no common aims
2. Huge area to fight over, difficult logistically
3. Foreigners - looks bad
4. Represented old society

Question 8

Why did the Reds win the war?

Answer 8

1. Trotsky’s amazing military leadership
2. Lenin’s War Communism provided resources
3. Had a real aim - establishment of Communism
4. Had control of railway and capital cities
5. Could be just as brutal as the Whites

Question 9

Why was White propaganda ineffective?

Answer 9

Less united leadership, language barrier and no common aims.

Question 10

How did the Reds use propaganda?

Answer 10

Traveling cinemas and propaganda films.

Question 11

What was War Communism?

Answer 11

1. State took all food surplus
2. Desperate attempt to keep frontline going
3. Companies nationalised

Question 12

What was the New Economic Policy?

Answer 12

1. Step away from Communism
2. People could sell food surplus with tax
3. Money had value in the economy
4. Most industry privatised except important ones
5. Production increased

Question 13

Who were the Whites?

Answer 13

1. Church - wanted land
2. Landowners + nobles - wanted land
3. Finns and Estonians - wanted to keep national independence
4. Kadets - Wanted to change to have a Parliament
5. Socialist Revolutionaries - Had peasant support
6. Foreign countries - wanted Russia to take part in war (war on two fronts)