Theme 3 Flashcards
when was the Decree on Press introduced and what did it entail
Nov 1917-gave gov emergency powers to close any newspapers that supported counter-revolutionaries
when was the Petrograd Telegraph agency nationalised
Nov 1917
when was the Revolutionary Tribunal of the Press est and what did it do
Jan 1918- gave power to censor press and punish editors/ journalists who committed crimes against the people
by 1921 how many newspapers had been shut down
2000
what was the name o the newspaper of the CP
Pravda
describe the cult of Lenin
disapproved by Lenin himself
emerged early on in the regime
after assassination attempt depicted in essentially religious terms with emphasis on his willingness to sacrifice his life for the people
modern day christ
in 1919 and 1920 a new narrative merged with him being a man of the people and a man who refused luxury
famous cartoon of Lenin published by Gustav Klutzes
A spectre is haunting Europe- the spectre of Communism
When was Glavlit introduced, who led it and what did it entail
1922
Felix Dzerzhinsky
GPU policed every publication in the Soviet Union
new prof censors employed
all books investigated
GPU compiled a list of banned books
under Stalin how did censorship tighten
work of opponents purged from libraries
Lenin’s work edited to remove compliments of opponents
Soviet history rewritten
from 1928 Glavlit controlled economic data
describe Stalin’s personality cult
propaganda centralised around leader
portrayed as semi-divine figure
what was the problem with magazines publishing letters from the public
often exposed flaws of the regime such as alcoholism, domestic violence and inequalities
how did K respond to criticism of the regime
launched a campaign criticising the hypocrisy of en and lac of devotion to communism
how did TV play a role in propaganda
vital in the space race- 1961 millions of viewers watched celebration of Yuri Gagarin’s space flight
1961 also saw the first national broadcast of the nations first television news show, which helped spread the idea of model workers to try and increase productivity
how did film and television culture change under B
traditional elements introduced
film makers focused on luxury lives, spurring th desire for consumer goods
control of footage of war in Afghanistan
B speeches could be broadcasted however backfired in the 1970s where a physically and mentally emancipated leader was shown
how did media change under B
Soviet leaders lost control of print media
KGB continued to police political publications especially by dissidents
Western magazines became increasingly available in Soviet cities as part of second economy
describe Stalins’s cult of personality
saved a political purpose by legitimising Stalins claim to power
created a figure of trust that also meant failure were blamed on others
The Myth of Two Leaders
infallible and celebrated figure nicknamed the vozhd (no legal significance
From WW2 focus changed to war leader ‘Generalissimo’
What happened to cults of personality under K
criticised Stalin’s personality cult
revived cult of Lenin
purpose was to move away from Stalinism
by 1958 K crated a cult of his own
depicted as as disciple of Lenin, responsible for successes like Space Race, hero of WW2, great reformer
became problematic in 1960s by associating so strongly to Virgin Land Schemes which was a huge failure and The Corn campaign
Describe B cult of personality
shadow of Stalin’s
adopted for pragmatic reasons: stability and consolidation of power
great Leninist, military hero, dedicated to ensuring world peace (detente with US)
true man of the people
however was counterproductive as was mocked for claims of greatness
cult inspired cynicism rather than loyalty or respect
what did Marx describe religion as
‘opium of the masses’
Why did Lenin oppose religion
Russian Orthodox Church was ally of the Tsar
extremely rich institution
religion stood for values that contradicted communist ones
religious groups were independent of CP so could organise opposition
examples of terror used against Church under Lenin
Nov 1917 Archbishop Ivan Kochurov was murdered outside Petrograd
Jan 1918 Metropolitan Vladimir was tortured and shot in Kiev
what was permitted due to the Politburo issuing a secret order to the Cheka in Nov 1918
mass execution of priests
what was the attitude towards other religions under Lenin
less antagonistic towards Muslims as no direct link between Tsar and Islam
how did policy towards religion change after the Civil War
mass executions and violence stopped, more subtle techniques used
what was the Living Church
claimed to be reformed version of Orthodox Church, deposed Patriarch Tikhon and introduced a new decentralised structure
this policy of splitting the Church was more successful but did not diminish Church growth, nor faith saints
in 1920s campaigns against Islam began, what did they entail
believed Islam encouraged crimes based on custom and had influence in Central Asia which if destroyed could extend power of CP
closed mosques
discouraged pilgrimages
attacked rhinos
anti-islamic museums
what was Stalin’s attitude to religion
pragmatic
during CV shut down churches as they were opposing his policies
NKVD attacked local priests in Central Asian republics where Islam was influential however it continued to flourish especially in Kazakhstan
during WW2 made alliance with the Church
as patriotism grew people looked towards the church as it was linked to Russian identity, soldiers found comfort in God
leader of Russian Orthodox Church proclaimed Stalin as God’s Chosen Leader
anti-religious propaganda ceased
414 churches reopened near end of war
What were K attitudes towards religion
more hardline than Stalin
church attendance was form of resistance especially as Protestant churches claimed a prophesy the Soviet regime would end within the generation
Churches that had been reopened were shut down
anti-religious propaganda reintroduced
anti-religious magazines: Science and Religion published in 60s
Orthodox convents placed under surveillance
campaigns against nuns
80% of protestants were women fear of these beliefs being passed on to children
KGB closed down 3000 Churches between 1958 and 1964
women organised campaigns to protect religious freedoms
led birth to new type of dissident
what was B attitude towards religion
advocated the philosophy of atheism rather than attacking religion
1968 opened institute for Scientific Atheism
B foreign policy seeking allis I Middle East changed his attitude towards ISlam ‘progressive, anti colonial and revoatuiooanry creed’
est Spiritual Board of Muslims of Central Asia and Kazhakstan to allow leaders in different countries limited contact
did not reduce the number of people profession religious with
when was the Cheka est who was its leader and who were the targets
Dec 1917
Felix Dzerzhinsky
counter-revolutionaries
give the timeline of the secrete police
Cheka 1917-22
GPU 1922
OGPU 1922-34
NKVD 1934-41
NKGB 1941-46
MGB 1946-54
KGB 1954-91
what was the role of the Cheka between 1917 and 1921
during CW was to protect communist rule in areas held by Communists
Cheka along with Red Army closed down the Constituent Assembly in Jan 1918
Cheka did not force laws nor were they bound by them
acted arbitrarily
helped Red Army requisition grain from peasants as part of WC
closed down and tortured opposition newspapers
used extreme violence: crucification of priests
supported Red Army attack of Krondstradt Naval base
s
When did the Red Terror end
after the CW, violence still used to attack political opponents but on a much smaller scale
What was the role of the GPU
focus on surveillance an deportations
public opinion under scrutiny, deportation of intellectuals
could intercept post
GPU reported directly to Central Committee
what political trial occurred under Lenin and the GPU and when
trial of Socialist Revolutionaries
1922
all defendants sentenced to death
who were considered class enemies by the GPU
women dressed in Western style
rich Nepmen
young people who danced to jazz
priests
who was appointed head of the NKVD July 1934 and what was his contribution to terror
Yagoda
organised arrest and interrogation of Zinoviev and Kamenev
collaborate with Stalin in turning NKVD against CP
disappointed Stalin in his years as leader of NKVD 1934-36
Trial of 21
who was appointed head of the NKVD after Yezhov and what was his contribution
Yezhov
Stalin set targets for arrests and deportations
NKVD purged in 1937
new NKVD initiated with no loyalties
‘conveyor belt system’- bore fruit to Trail of 17 and 21
‘Yezhovschina
1.5 million men arrested
680,000 executed
Moscow and Leningrad ghost towns
terror spread to local initiatives with peasants organising their own show trials
shot in 1940 with closest associates
what proposal did Stalin make to justify new use of mass terror
doctrine of sharpening class struggle - capitalists fought harder as socialism grew
who replaced Yezhov, when and what was their impact
Beria, 1938
mass deportation of `Kalmyks 53,000 out of 130,000 population remained
deportation of 460,000 Chechens resulted in 170,000 deaths
1945 1.5 million prisoners of war interrogated
Leningrad affair 1949 purge of Leningrad party officials
Doctors’ Plot during 1952 and 53, many of Stalin’s medical staff arrested for attempting to poison him
his death symbolised end of Tslain’s policy of terror
what was K’s attitude to terror
renounced use of gas steroid, organised rehabilitation of Party members
preferred popular oversight as method of control
preferred subjecting prisoners to psychiatric treatment
who was appointed as head of KGB in 1967 and what impact id he have
ma control through minimal violence
keen to expose and prosecute corruption in the party
key- suppression of dissidents
describe some ways A introduced discipline into the KGB
not allowed to accept gifts or bribes
declare financial assets promotion based on dealing of dissidents
Directorate V est to deal with dissidents
how many ‘troublemakers’ were allowed to leave the Soviet Union under A
100,000
what did A grant to Jews
exit visas
what method of control was drastically expanded under B
psychiatric admission
based of ‘paranoid reformist delusion’ criminal records were public but medical records were private
less attraction fro media treatment could continue indefinitely used against Jehovah’s Witnesses and Protestant Christians
what was the name of self-published material that was circulated underground
samizdat
example of KGB violence under A
Bulldoze Exhibition 1974
who were Andrei Sakharov and Alexsandr Solzhenitsyn
Sakharov- was regarded as ‘Father of the Hydrogen Bomb’ and criticised the damage nuclear testing had inflicted, in 1968 he published these criticisms in Reflections on Progress which published the West and on the BBC
he was well respected so KGB reluctant to prosecute, intimidated him and this was published in NYT, won a Nobel Peace Prize and refused to leave, internal exile, Public Enemy Number One
Solzhenitsyn- wrote one day in the life on Ivan Denisovich, described horrors of Stalin’s labour camp, won Nobel Peace Prize for Literature, fame in West meant he could not be arrested but was force to exile to America in 1973
when was the Helsinki Agreement passed and what did it entail
1975
committed countries across the world to respect human rights, dissidents then used the agreement to show how treatment of dissidents was in breach of this obligation, no legalities could come from this pressure but the public embarrassment it could cause the gov inspired change
when was the Law and Order Campaign introduced
1979
what problems facd the Soviet Union in 1979
economic slow down
poor harvests
war in Afghanistan
failure of negotiations with USA
growing corruption
growing non-conformity
prospect of 1980 Moscow Olympics
when was A leader of the Soviet Union
1982-85
what were some techniques used by the KGB under Andropov leadership of the SU
KGB posed as Westerners to engage in anti-gov conversations
phone-tapping
intercepting mail
what are the causes of growing discontent between 1970 and 1980
standards of living not improving quickly enough
dissatisfied with quality of food and consumer goods
insufficient opportunities for promotion in industry
reseted privileges of Party members
social malaise in 1970s/80s led to increased
alcoholism
poor labour discipline
increased black market trade
avoidance of military service
falling birth rate
increased Church attendance
what were A’s policies he passed a USSR leader
anti-corruption
anti-alcohol campaign
Opration Trawl: anti absenteeism and anti alcohol campaign KGB officers visited parks an train stations resting those absent from work or drunk
what was Proletkult
the proletarian culture movement, which would naturally focus on collective experience and involve a wide range of people
crucially it was an organisation separate from the CP control
how many members were there in Proletkult in 1920
84,000
what competitor in the power race promoted Proletkult through Pravda as its editor
Bukharin
why was Lenin suspicious of Proletkult
was dominated by socialists associated with opposition movements such as anarchism
he also believed education was more important than artistic expression
What was the result of the National Congress of Proletkult in Oct 1920
it merged with the Comissariat of Education
independent artists were criticised in the press
following the merge gov funds were transferred to artistic activities
when was Agitprop est and what was it and what organisation was also est in at this time
1920
Glavpolitprosvet
together they organised propaganda that was designed to support th gov, often produced by avant-garde artists
what is an example of the experimental poster made by Lissitzky and unveiled in Moscow 1918 as anniversary of October rev
Beat the Whites with the Red Wedge
what was the name of the famous avant grade photographer
Alexander Rodchenko
what is Constructivism
artistic movement that sought to produce art with a clear purpose
what form of art did Lenin believe was most important, name two artists from this field and what they created
cinema
Dziga Vertov- influenced by futurism, most famous movie ‘a man with a movie camera’ 192, Pravda described them as laughable
Sergei Einstein-made agitational films, series called ‘Towards Dictatorship of the Proletariat’, criticised as could not be understood by peasants and workers
describe art under the NEP
large degree of creative freedom
Proletkult and avant garde artists flourished as preoccupied with Civil War
towards 1920s control tightened
Petrograd institute of Artistic Culture was forced to shut after avant grade art campaign was criticised in Pravda
Western influence also heavily criticised
what new artistic movement started under Stalin in 1932
Socialist Realism, had been developing since the 1920s bu the key change was the support for the new traditionalism
describe artistic production under Stalin
artists sent targets for production and sent into factories to record what they saw
In 1936 Soviet artists were purged according to Alexander Gerasimov it led to ‘a new creative atmosphere of enthusiasm amongst the entire mass of artists’
Soviet paintings supported collectivisation give an example
Voting to Expel the Kulak form the Collective Farm
Morning of our Motherland 1949
what were dissident artists like under Stalin
little room for dissent
only way was to celebrate Lenin instead of Stalin
Vetov created Three Songs about Lenin
K cultural policy went the=rough thaws and freezes what does this mean
thaws- a degree of freedom of expression was encouraged
freezes- gov control was re-emphasised
K wants to increase freedom however was concerned the Soviet citizens were not ready for the truth about Stalin and that too much freedom could undermine the regime
what were some of the thaws under K
1953-54 novels were authorised for example the thaw by Ilya Ehrenburg which criticised aspects of Stalin’s regime including mass terror
1956-57 following K Secret Speech
1961-62 following 22nd Party Congress
One Day in the Life, became best seller during th period
World Youth festival in Moscow 1957, young people danced to jazz
how was K’s propaganda different to Stalins
s presented a utopia whereas K mocked soviet people in order too challenge non-conformity
The Alcoholic 1959
what was the term used for women who adopted Western style
stilyaga
what magazine was published to try an direct teachers to dress appropriately in the consumer age
the Teachers Gazette
between 1964 and 1970 consumer spending on clothes
tripled
did gov control or fail to control pop culture in the cities amongst women in the 70s and 80s
fail to control
what was the most famous Soviet ballet
Bolshoi Ballet
how did art change under B
became nostalgic
under B dissidents were sorted into three groups
obedient functionaries : intellectuals who cooperated with gov without question
loyal oppositionists: intellectuals and artists who had criticisms but expressed them within official channels
dissidents:intellectuals and artists who expressed criticism publicly
when and what was the Sinyavsky-Daniel Trial
a show trial
1966
Daniels This Moscow Speaking
Sinyavsky The Triall Begins
both found guilty and sentenced to 7 years in labour camps
how did international pressure affect treatment of artists
caused outrage
Brodsky released in 1965
many allowed to emigrate
some sent to psychiatric wards
estimates say by 1970 7000-8000 dissidents were in psychiatric treatment
what was Prague Spring, what was its impact and when was it
1968
reformers in Czechoslovakia attempted to Liberalise Communist rule NS CREATE SOCIALISM WITH A HUMAN FACE BY REJECTING STALINISM A GIVE GREATER ARTISTIC EXPRESSION
Soviet army was sent to crush regime
confirmed B views that cultural liberalisation was threat to the regime
from 1968 nostalgia was dominant theme in art e.g film Liberation 1970
