Topic 1- the revolutions of 1917 Flashcards
1
Q
Reasons for discontent under Tsar Nicholas II
A
- russification
subject nationalities forced to learn russian and wear russian clothes - autocracy
Tsar had all power, did not listen to duma and used Okhrana to oppress people - weakness
not fit to be a ruler, even publicly stated this + haemophilliac son - economic problems
far behind in industrialisation, led to old fashioned farming and underdevolped transport and banking systems
2
Q
Social problems
A
- aristocracy
1% of population, owned 1/4 of all land, extremely rich - middle class
by 1914 middle class increased due to industrialisation, pleasant lifestyle - town workers
rapidly increasing, worked and lived in terrible conditions, low wages, no trade unions, oppressed
-peasants
poorest, biggest group, starvation, disease
3
Q
Bloody Sunday
A
- Father Gapon led peaceful march with petition for better conditions, army fired at them, killed hundreds
4
Q
1905 revolution
A
- bloody sunday and losing war in japan sparked revolution in feb 1905
- strikes, mutiny in navy
5
Q
October manifesto
A
- 1905 revolution led to Tsar Nicholas II issuing October manifesto
- promised freedom of speech, end censorship, and national parliament (duma)
- did not follow through
6
Q
Stolypins Necktie
A
- Stolypin appointed new prime minister in 1905
- introduced reforms, but if went against Tsar, would be dealt with severley
- led to 3000 executions - noose became known as Stolypins necktie
7
Q
Failure of duma
A
- Tsar ensured duma already had little power
- took power away to keep power to himself and remain autocractic
- actions stimulated further opposition amongst political groups
8
Q
Rasputin
A
- magic homeless horny peasant with supposed healing powers healed Tsars haemophillic son
- led to friendship and rasputin had increasing influence on the Tsar (bad reputation)
9
Q
Political opposition
A
-Social Democrats 1901
Bolsheviks ( Lenin, more radical) and Menshiviks (Trotsky, less radical), followed Marxism, wanted revolution that led to communism and removal of Tsar
-Socialist revolutionaries 1901
Kerensky, wanted revolution of peasants that led to Tsar removal, share all land between peasants, conflicted between terror and peace to achieve these aims
- Octoberists 1905
Guchkov, made after October manifesto issued, believed Tsar would go through with manifesto, middle class
-Constitutional Democractics (CADETS) 1905
Milyukov, increasing middle class led to increased demand for democracy, wanted elected parliament
10
Q
Impact of WW1
A
- entered war with high hopes of winning, but suffered defeat after defeat
- led to further discontent with tsar and amongst people
11
Q
Reasons for defeats in WW1 1914-1916
A
- lack of infrastructure (supplies, transport, communications)
- tsar leadership (no experience, blamed for defeats)
- poor leadership (lazy, no teamwork, ignorant, outdated tactics)
12
Q
effects of war on military
A
- enthusiasm waned, lack or morale
- desertion
- died due to conditions
- violent resistance to conscription as news spread
13
Q
effects of war on economy
A
- inflation due to food and fuel shortages (lack of workers, food eaten by soldiers, harsh winter)
- Industrial damage- lack of workers, could not cope with demand, factories shut down
- unemployment and greater poverty
- any food often failed to reach people due to transport systems
14
Q
effects of war politically
A
- Tsars decison to move to front lines was fatal
- left country running in hands of german wife (sus, esp as wouldnt take advice from duma, infulenced by rasputin, and german roots)
- rasputin made his incompetent friends ministers resulting in lack of organisation
15
Q
death of rasputin
A
- assasinated by royal family, demonstrates level of discontent
16
Q
Triggers for february revolution
A
- harsh winter led to inflation and rationing and therefore strikes (discontent)
- support for Tsar diminshed
- strikes became daily, even soldiers mutinied
- Tsar at war had no idea of scale of discontent
17
Q
Events in Petrograd (February revolution 1917)
A
- strikes, international womens day (bread), buidlings looted
- police show sympathy for demonstrators, some desert and a few still follow orders
- Tsar orders dissolution of Duma, but some regriup to form Provisional commitee.
- prov commitee and petrograd soviet run country
18
Q
abdication of the tsar following feb revolution 1917
A
- Tsars leading generals advise him to abdicate, and he does.
- son is ill and brother says no, end to romanov dynasty
- prov commitee becomes prov govt and is responsible for running the country
19
Q
Establishment of the Provisional Government
A
- 1917, prov govt to govern until elections for a constituent assembly can be held (parliment)
- ministers from middle class and octoberists and cadets- wanted democracy
- bolsheviks initially supported, but thought in future that working class would be able to seize power
20
Q
Prov Govts reforms by Kerensky
A
- freedom of religion and speech
-trade unions allowed
-8h day for industrial workers
-promise of elected parliment
-abolishment of okhrana
-amnesty for political prisoners
wide range of reforms hoped to satisfy wokrers and middle class
21
Q
Prov Govts problems
A
- not elected, did not really represent people
- defeats in war, deserting soldiers
- peasants looting Landlords property and seizing land
- people setting up elected councils called soviets in towns and cities
- people wanted end to food shortages
- some subject nationalities wanted more independence
22
Q
Conflict between prov govt and petrograd soviet (Dual Authority)
A
-petrograd soviet
3000 members, social revoluationaries, mensheviks
-two bodies running russia= dual authority
23
Q
Prov govt weaknesses- defeats in war
A
- continued war, scared of heavy demands Germany would make
- june offensive - Petrograd Soviet agreed, issued by kerensky, it was a failure, decreased rep
- Germany sent exiled Lenin back to Russia to stir a revolution
24
Q
July Days
A
- July 1917,still facing issues, dual power strained, Soviet’s gaining more power,
- July 3-6 soldiers and bolsheviks tried to overthrow prov govt
- kerensky sent loyal troops to stop this and succeeded, Lenin fled country
- kerensky appointed prime minister
25
The kornilov revolt
-general kornilov started revolt, thought in order to win war, must have stability at home (no socialsm or anarchy), wanted military dictatorship
-kornilovs manifesto:
Attacked bolsheviks, asked for war to continue, called for constituent assembly meeting
- Kerensky allowed Bolshevik red guards to stop kornilovs troops, let out more bolsheviks to help
- railway workers stopped troops reaching pertrograd and didn’t print newspapers that supported revolt
- failure
26
Significance of kornilov revolt
- military lost morale, desertion
- kerensky looked weak, bolsheviks looked strong and Lenin made return plans
- by Oct 1917 prov govt retained little authority
27
April theses
Lenin’s plans:
-war to end
- power from middle class to working class
-all land to peasants
-police, army and bureaucracy abolished
-capitalist system overthrown
-bolsheviks to take control of soviets to help achieve aims
“All power to the soviets”
Led to increase in popularity, even had own red guard
28
Impact of July days on bolsheviks
- July days was not a success
-led to Bolshevik being accused of being German spies as they helped send them back and funded them
- their communist newspaper Pravda closed down and they fled
- in exile, Lenin changed view to include peasants in revolutions
“Land to the peasants”
“Peace, Bread, Land”
29
Move to Bolshevik revolution in October 1917
- All-russian congress of soviets due to meet Late October, bolsheviks may not win majority of seats so must overthrow prov govt before
- Lenin persuaded central committee to agree to an uprising, 2 leaders disagreed and put concerns in newspaper that alerted Kerensky
- Kerensky tries to remove Bolshevik threat, forcing them into action
30
Events of Bolshevik Oct revolution
- 24 October
- Bolsheviks captured key buildings and railway stations
- blockades surrounding winter palace (where prov govt was in session)
- little resistance, troops surrendered quick (anti climatic)
- collapse of prov govt.
31
Bolshevik take over of power after Oct revolution
- at all Russian congress of soviets, Bolsheviks had majority of seats
- SRs and Mensheviks left congress as condemned Bolsheviks as it was not a Soviet takeover of power (more majority to Bolsheviks)
32
Council of People’s Comissars/ sovnarkom
```
- Lenin’s all Bolshevik government
positions:
- Lenin= head of government
-Trotsky= Commisar of Foreign Affairs
- Stalin= Commisar for Nationalities
```
33
Interpretations or Bolshevik revolution
- according to bolsheviks= red guards supported by masses, heroically stormed winter place
- real story = palace defended by cadets from military school, women’s battalion and Cossacks (angry about fighting alongside women), panicked and fled, any little resistance was disarmed, women allowed to leave, walked in and arrested prov govt.
34
Trotskys role in success of Bolshevik takeover
- former Menshevik exile
- Commisar for war
- in charge of MRC ( red guards, soldiers and sailors)
- made military plants for seizure of key buildings in revolution and overthrow of prov govt.
35
Lenin’s role in the success of the Bolshevik takeover
- persuaded bolsheviks to oppose war unlike SRs and Mensheviks, which gained him lots of support
- April thesis
- simple slogans, easy to understand to gain support
-created red guard, funded by German money
- persuaded central committee to seize power in October
-
36
Weakness of prov govt in Bolshevik success
— weak, temporary body, not elected
- shared power (Dual authority), Soviet order number one
- Kerensky helped arm Bolsheviks during kornilov revolt
- lack of alternatives ( other parties wanted war, so no clear leader was established amongst people, so Bolsheviks had to have support)
