War Communism

Question 1

What was war communism?

Answer 1

The political and economic system adopted by the Bolsheviks during the civil war in order to keep towns and the Red Army provided with food and weapons

Question 2

Who initially opposed Lenin in war communism?

Answer 2

Trotsky

Question 3

What was the policy geared towards?

Answer 3

Making the best use of Russia’s production capacity as it disregarded the workers interests that were constantly changing

Question 4

How did the policy reflect socialism?

Answer 4

Put the good of all before individual needs and interests

Question 5

What was the Veshenka’s role?

Answer 5

Geared the control towards heavy industries such as coal and oil as these were materials that would help other industries

Question 6

Two key features of war communism?

Answer 6

Requisitioning

Nationalisation

Question 7

What was requisitioning?

Answer 7

Where units of the Red Army were sent out to find food for the hard pressed cities- often through a food dictatorship

Question 8

Why was War Communism introduced?

Answer 8

Consolidate ruling
Restore industries after workers decree
Issue of inflation
Lack of raw materials

Question 9

How were the peasant paid for their grain?

Answer 9

Officially peasants were paid a fixed price but local police began to offer inadequate vouchers which were to be exchanged at later dates

Question 10

Who was worst affected by the policy?

Answer 10

Kulaks- enemy of the people- as sometimes their whole production was taken
Poorer peasants were generally treated better as they were considered an ally

Question 11

How did the peasants react to war communism?

Answer 11

They hid grain, produced less and were known to murder members of the requisitioning teams

Question 12

What was nationalisation?

Answer 12

All businesses were to be brought under state control directed by the Veshenka

Question 13

Why did some peasants agree with nationalisation?

Answer 13

They believed their businesses were more likely to stay open so they had more sustainable employment

Question 14

What were worker committees replaced by?

Answer 14

Single managers “The specialists” who imposed discipline and increased output

Question 15

First and second industry to nationalise?

Answer 15

1st- sugar

2nd- oil

Question 16

What was banned?

Answer 16

Private trade

Question 17

What were the effects of war communism?

Answer 17

Production declines- management issues and transport disruptions
By 1921 production was 20% of what it was pre war years
By end of 1920 population in M+P fallen dramatically
Grain production low
Cattle were being slaughtered by thousand by hungry peasants- cannibalism

Question 18

Why was the Red terror implemented?

Answer 18

Lenin had just been wounded in 1918 by a failed assassination attempt

Question 19

What was Red Army aim?

Answer 19

Fight political opposition e.g. SR and Mensheviks who were often shot

Question 20

What was the death toll at hands of army between 1918-20?

Answer 20

1/2 a million

Question 21

What did the Cheka also try tackle?

Answer 21

Class warfare by preventing a bourgeoisie counter attack by arresting, imprisoning and executing suspects- victims from all classes including children- terror = compliance to regime

Question 22

When was Tambov revolt?

Answer 22

1920-21

Question 23

What was the cause of Tambov?

Answer 23

Requisitioning of food

Question 24

Where was Tambov revolt?

Answer 24

300 miles from Moscow

Question 25

What was the Tambov revolt?

Answer 25

70,000 men led by Alexander Antanov rose against government forces when they came to collect grain and there was none

Question 26

How many RA soldiers did it take to crush Tambov revolt?

Answer 26

100,000 and villages were destroyed and poison gas was used

Question 27

When was Kronstadt revolt?

Answer 27

1921

Question 28

What did Lenin describe the Kronstadt revolt as?

Answer 28

“the flash which lit up reality”

Question 29

What was the cause of Kronstadt?

Answer 29

Food crisis e.g. bread ration had just be cut by 1/3 as well as worker strikes due to lack of unity

Question 30

What was Kronstadt?

Answer 30

50,000 sailors rebelled and sent Lenin a manifesto demanding to end one party communist ruele

Question 31

Why was the Kronstadt rebellion shocking?

Answer 31

Sailors had been Lenin’s most loyal supporters during revolution

Question 32

What was the outcome of Kronstadt?

Answer 32

Ring leaders were shot, 15,000 taken prisoner and sent to camps as they were regarded “white traitors”

Question 33

How did Kronstadt affect Bolshevik party?

Answer 33

Set up under Kollanti- Caused divisions and Workers opposition was set up to argue workers greater control and removal of managers- opposed those (Trotsky) who wanted to intensify WC