1. Consolidating Bolshevik Power Flashcards
(6 cards)
How did Lenin deal with the threat of the Constituent Assembly?
Lenin knew that the SRs could use the election result to try and establish a rival government. The Constituent Assembly met on the 5th January 1918 and rejected Lenin’s demand that it should be subservient to the Sovnarkom. In response, Lenin ordered the Red Guards to close the Assembly after a single day.
How did the public react to the closing of the Assembly?
This was unpopular with the majority of Russians as they had hoped the Assembly would rebuild Russia. However, the workers accepted the closure and believed the new gov represented their interests because Sovnarkum issued a Decree on Worker’s control - giving them the right to control all aspects of production. They also decreed a maximum 8 hour day.
Why was Lenin determined to end WW1?
. He knew that the war had been one of the key reasons for the collapse of the Tsar’s regime and of the PG.
. He believed it would be essential to the survival of the new gov, giving the economy a chance to recover which would create breathing space for the new gov.
. He believed civil war was inevitable and that ending WW1 would allow his gov to recall troops, ready to fight their opponents.
What were Germany’s demands in the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk?
They demanded the Baltic States, Poland and Ukraine - this meant Russia would lose 32% of its arable land, 26% of its railway system, 33% of its factories, 75% of its coal and iron ore mines.
What were the divisions over the deal?
Many Bolsheviks opposed the peace agreement with Bukharin advocating for a revolutionary war against capitalist nations to spread the revolution across Europe. Trotsky wanted a policy of ‘neither peace nor war’ where the truce would continue without a formal treaty. Lenin threatened to resign unless his policy was backed. This threat worked and so in March 1918, Trotsky signed the Treaty of Brest- Litovsk.
What were the consequences of the signing of the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk?
The combination of the treaty and the closing of the Constituent Assembly turned public opinion away from the new gov. The treaty was massively unpopular as it lost massive amounts of land. The Left SRs resigned from government in protest.
