WW2

Question 1

Long-term origins summary

Answer 1

Russian/German mutual distrust= Nazi-Soviet pact

Question 2

Long-term origins (part 1)

Answer 2

-G signed non-aggression pact with Poland (1934)= R ended all Polish/Baltic non-aggression treaties (scared of German expansion)
-R joined league of nations September just as G/J opted out
-1935 German-soviet trade agreement but countered by treaties with other powers
-1936 R only offered limited support to Franco for limited G backlash but G made anti-comintern alliance with I/J

Question 3

Long-term origins (part 2)

Answer 3

Anschluss 1938: R saw G as increasing challenge to Russia security
-Made worse as anti-soviet feeling in B/F= R excluded from Munich peace conference so started doing deals with G
-1938 G invaded Sudetenland- pact more likely as B/F said would support Poland so faced war on both fronts
=Nazi-Soviet pact

Question 4

When was the Nazi-Soviet pact signed

Answer 4

August 1939

Question 5

Nazi-Soviet pact

Answer 5

-Agreed to stay neutral if either attacked
-Behind the scenes Soviets gained Lithuania/West Poland/Finland/Bessarabia/Latvia/Estonia

Question 6

Russian reaction to Nazi Soviet pact

Answer 6

Some opposition who viewed it as dastardly deal with the fascists

Leadership saw it as success as provided time to prepare for potential G/J invasion

Question 7

Short-term origins

Answer 7

-R stay neutral when F/B declare war on G
-Sent troops to Eastern Poland/Baltic states to defend territory
-Finland refused to let them in= Winter war but eventually got border space
-Dealt harshly with dissidents (e.g katyn Forest massacre)
-G signed Tripartite pact/lost Battle of Britain= attack on R imminent

22nd June 1941= Operation Barbarossa)

Question 8

When was the Winter war and what did it show

Answer 8

Nov 1939-March 1940
-Showed still Russian military weaknesses (50,000 deaths)

Question 9

When did operation Barbarossa start

Answer 9

22nd June 1941

Question 10

How many casualties (impact of war)

Answer 10

27 million Russians killed- 2/3 Civilians
=Shortages of all types of labour

Question 11

What prevented Stalin enhancing his relations with allies in conferences

Answer 11

Shot prisoners of war/deserters/excused rape of 2 million women in Berlin by Russian soldiers

Question 12

Economic impact

Answer 12

-Damage to infrastructure (because of G shelling/scorched-Earth policy)/many industrial enterprises had been relocated

-Gov’s construction programme revolved around a 4th Five-Year Plan

Question 13

Success of 4th Five-Year plan (impact of war)

Answer 13

Targets achieved after just 3 years
(Because of slave labour/unilateral trade agreements/external financial aid/commitment of Russian ppl)

Question 14

Weakness of Stalin’s post-war economic strategy (impact of war)

Answer 14

-Production of consumer goods neglected
-Continuation of gargantuan projects (e.g Volga-don canal)
-Agriculture neglected, collectivised farms suffered labour/material shortages= famine (1947)/rural unrest- Krushchev tried to solve through farm amalgamation (joining farms together) but little impact

Question 15

pOLITICAL IMPACT (Structure of government)

Answer 15

Very little
-Composition of politburo the same
-During war Stalin chairman of State defence committee/Supreme commander of military (but unlike Nicholas took advice/let military experts make strategic decisions) , retained position of head of gov/party secretary until death
-Party membership increased

Question 16

How much did party membership increase during war

Answer 16

3.76 million (1941 to 5.8 million in 2945
-Usually from members of army that were rewarded with membership

Question 17

NKVD (Political impact)

Answer 17

Very active in policing of prisons/deportations/purging dissidents (e.g purged 200 supporters of Zhdanov)

Question 18

Foreign policy (Political impact)

Answer 18

Joining Grand Alliance= strong bargaining position over territorial gains
-wartime conferences= gained Ukraine/Belarus/Lithuania/kept territory from pushing back Germans (e.g Hungary)
=Critical in maintaining physical barrier between West/Russian borders

Churchill called iron curtain

Question 19

War against Japan (political impact)

Answer 19

Entering war= rewarded with Kurile islands/South Sakhalin
+ Eastern European territory= 24 million new soviet citizens

Question 20

Issue of post-war Germany (political impact)

Answer 20

Divided into zones occupied by allies- R had Eastern zone
-Mutual suspicions/tensions between occupying forces worsened by Berlin Blockade/Berlin war= Germany never unified until collapse of communism