Thompson Chapter 11

Question 1

Duma

Answer 1

Committee of liberal leaders which appointed Provisional government
First Duma was dismissed by Tsar (who wanted no restrictions to his power) and then Second Duma was elected
There were four Dumas (Tsar kept dismissing them because he wanted power and Dumas wanted reform)
Duma became a failed promise of the Tsar

Question 2

Soviet

Answer 2

An elected council in the Soviet Union

Question 3

Provisional Government

Answer 3

Temporary/transitional government consisting of range of political views
Stemmed from the Duma

Question 4

Constituent Assembly

Answer 4

Democratically elected to decide Russia’s future goals

Question 5

Bolshevik

Answer 5

Revolutionaries (Lenin)
Self-named “main party”

Question 6

April Thesis

Answer 6

Lenin wrote to attack the Provisional government

Question 7

July Days

Answer 7

Spontaneous mass uprising in Petrograd on July 16-17
Showed dislike of Provisional government

Question 8

Military Revolutionary Committee

Answer 8

Charged with preparing defensive measures for German attack
Under Trotsky, it became a planning committee for the Bolshevik uprising

Question 9

Council of People’s Commissars

Answer 9

Highest executive authorities of Soviet Union
Lenin turned it into essentially a one-party government

Question 10

Nicholas II

Answer 10

Tsar during revolution

Question 11

V. I. Lenin

Answer 11

Bolshevik leader and revolutionary

Question 12

Victor Chernov

Answer 12

Socialist Revolutionary leader and Soviet member

Question 13

Lavr Kornilov

Answer 13

General who ordered troops to march on capital
This coup was a fiasco

Question 14

Alexander Kerensky

Answer 14

Socialist liberal prime minister
Wanted to restore army discipline and stop unrest

Question 15

Leon Trotsky

Answer 15

Marxist revolutionary and politician

Question 16

Joseph Stalin

Answer 16

Lenin’s successor
Dictator

Question 17

Lev Kamenev

Answer 17

Soviet party leader allied with Stalin against Trotsky coming to power

Question 18

Gregory Zinoviev

Answer 18

Soviet party leader allied with Stalin against Trotsky coming to power

Question 19

Nicholas Bukarin

Answer 19

Moderate party leader

Question 20

What is the nature of the February Revolution? (How could the old order be discarded so easily?)

Answer 20

Forceful modernization/industrialization of Russia
Trying to discredit old regime by attempting reform and forcing Tsar to abdicate, etc.
Disconnect and WWI made this fail

Question 21

What sort of revolution was the October Revolution? How does it differ from the February Revolution?

Answer 21

More violent (ruling family killed)
More traditional/similar to French revolution model
*They learned the flaws of the democratic system
**It was more politically motivated and really only happened in St. Petersburg

Question 22

How do the origins of the Soviet Union affect the shape the Revolution takes? (What sort of socialist society might have emerged?)

Answer 22

Something needed to fill power vacuum
Bolsheviks were well set up for it
Bolshevik origin led to elitist system (because they were elite and literate, etc.)
***
Bolsheviks/Lenin became Communists, not Socialists
They wanted very different government than that initially imagined by Socialists
They wanted government led by elite leaders, not by the people

Question 23

What was the treaty of Brest-Litovsk?

Answer 23

Russia pulled out of WWI under Bolshevik leadership

Question 24

What are the implications of the treaty of Brest-Litovsk?

Answer 24

1) Germans recognized Bolsheviks by making treaty with them, so they gained recognition as the new ruling party
2) Russia gained recognition as a new country that just walked out of war
3) Russia isolated itself; they walked away from global involvement and coalition
4) They were hoping to spark similar revolutions in other places (spread ideology); “Russia did it, why can’t we?” philosophy. Didn’t happen in short term

Question 25

What is the impact of a diverse population on the Revolution and ensuing Civil War?

Answer 25

All perspectives couldn’t be represented/too many different views for everyone to be satisfied with outcome

Question 26

What are the main features of the New Economic Plan (NEP)?

Answer 26

Wanted to create stronger economy
Denationalized industry
Free markets
Less peasant tax

Question 27

What is the Genoa Conference of 1922?

Answer 27

Entry back into global economy

Question 28

What are the distinguishing characteristics of the time immediately after the 1917 Revolutions?

Answer 28

Political instability (post-Revolution, getting their feet under them)
Quality of life decreased significantly; too many people and perspectives, and the Bolsheviks didn’t care about representing the Commonwealth