What were the strengths and weaknesses of the contenders to take over Lenin?

Question 1

TROTSKY

What was Trotsky responsible for?

Answer 1

Consolidating communist rule

Question 2

TROTSKY

What did Trotsky do in the years 1918-21?

Answer 2

Reconstructed the Red Army

Question 3

TROTSKY

What did Trotsky do during the 1917 takeover?

Answer 3

Showed superb skills as well as being the mastermind behind it with Lenin

Question 4

TROTSKY

What did he clash with Lenin on?

Answer 4

Ideology

Question 5

TROTSKY

Why did people think he was a troublemaker within the party?

Answer 5

Caused factions

Question 6

TROTSKY

What may have held him back?

Answer 6

Being Jewish

Question 7

STALIN

What was his position?

Answer 7

General Secretary, good at gaining the loyalty of trusted subordinates

Question 8

STALIN

How was he perceived by his opponents?

Answer 8

Underrated, ver good at concealing intentions

Question 9

STALIN

What did he do whilst Lenin was ill?

Answer 9

Deliberately placed himself close to Lenin in order to understand his intentions

Question 10

STALIN

What was his character like?

Answer 10

Crude and violent

Question 11

STALIN

What role did he play in the 1917 revolution?

Answer 11

Minor role, overshadowed by stronger individuals eg: Trotsky, Bukharin

Question 12

STALIN

What did colleagues know about his attitude to Lenin?

Answer 12

He had turned against him

Question 13

KAMENEV

What did Kamenev do in 1917?

Answer 13

Reconciled with Lenin and remained close during his final years

Question 14

KAMEVEV

What gave Kamenev a strong power base?

Answer 14

He was Moscow Party Boss

Question 15

KAMENEV

What did he have a reputation for?

Answer 15

Being inconsistent and having opportunism by opposing Lenin in 1917 and then switching alliances between Stalin and Trotsky

Question 16

KAMENEV

What was he regarded as?

Answer 16

Too soft and lacking the drive to be a sole leader

Question 17

ZINOVIEV

Why did he command respect from some of his colleagues?

Answer 17

He was an ‘old bolshevik’

Question 18

ZINOVIEV

What did Lenin regard him as before 1924?

Answer 18

He called him his ‘closest and most trusted assistant’

Question 19

ZINOVIEV

What was his role?

Answer 19

Leningrad boss - strong political power base

Question 20

ZINOVIEV

What did he and Kamenev do?

Answer 20

Left it too late before switching their support to Trotsky

Question 21

ZINOVIEV

What was held against him?

Answer 21

His opposition to Lenin in 1917

Question 22

BUKHARIN

Who was he close to in the party?

Answer 22

Lenin and Trotsky

Question 23

BUKHARIN

What was he regarded as?

Answer 23

An expert on economics and agriculture at a time when debates about the peasantry were of major concern

Question 24

BUKHARIN

What was bad about being on good terms with everyone?

Answer 24

He had no power base

Question 25

BUKHARIN | Why was he a target for Stalin?

Answer 25

He was much more popular in the Party than Stalin

Question 26

BUKHARIN | Give an example of a tactical mistake he made?

Answer 26

Left it too late to make an alliance with Kamenev and Zinoviev

Question 27

RYKOV | Why was he widely respected ?

Answer 27

He was an ‘old bolshevik’

Question 28

RYKOV | What did he manage the switch between?

Answer 28

War Communism and NEP

Question 29

RYKOV | Who did he have extensive support from?

Answer 29

Sovnarkom

Question 30

RYKOV | Who was he overshadowed by?

Answer 30

Bukharin

Question 31

RYKOV | What aroused intense opposition from sections of the Party?

Answer 31

His policy of putting heavy taxes on vodka

Question 32

TOMSKY | Why was he respected?

Answer 32

‘Old Bolshevik’ and working class origins

Question 33

TOMSKY | What gave him a strong position within the Party?

Answer 33

Role as chief spokesman for trade unions

Question 34

TOMSKY | What were his roles before the power struggle?

Answer 34

General Secretary of Red International of Trade Unions 1920 | Elected into Central Committee and Politburo 1922

Question 35

TOMSKY | Why was he an obvious target to Stalin?

Answer 35

Trade union base

Question 36

TOMSKY | What was being used against him when the grain crisis of 1927 hit?

Answer 36

Support for NEP